Love and Loss (The Fun Gilbert Book 3)

Chapter 29- Friends-giving

"Not everyone just uses me for sex like you, Marcel," I joke before walking away, hearing Elijah and Enzo question what I had said.

______

That night I was hanging out with Alaric and Jo at his apartment when Damon showed up. "Hey Jess, I didn't know you were going to be here," he claims, trying to play it cool, but I shake my head at him.

"Yes you did, I heard Alaric tell you that I was here." He merely shrugs before turning to Alaric.

"So were you guys invited to Thanksgiving tomorrow?"

"Obviously," I say. "Ric is the only father figure we have and Jo is his plus one. Besides, as far as I know only three people were barred."

"Who?" Jo asks, making me giggle.

"Enzo for using me to get back at Day, Elijah for cheating with Hayley and not telling Mer, who you guys also can't tell, and Stefan?"

"Wait, St. Stef isn't invited?" Damon wonders in shock.

I laugh loudly. "Nope, Care's pissed that he gave the search for us up but she's more pissed that he started a whole new life and she was starting to have feelings for him again. Now she says he isn't worth it and threw away their friendship for nothing."

"Is that the reason Caroline assigned me the turkey and the Cranberries?" Ric queries, making everyone chuckle.

"Great, now we're pulling his weight. I really hope they figure this out before Christmas," Damon jokes, and I smile at him, missing this side of him.

"Yeah, well I'm not too sure Care is willing to hear it. She's putting all this effort into her Friends-giving as a way to take her mind off the fact that Liz has cancer. I'm just trying to pretend that I'm not losing yet another parent because I don't have the power to save them." I feel the tension in the room caused by my confession so I stand up. "Umm, I should go. I have to baby proof my dorm room."

"Are you planning on having a baby?" Damon asks and I look at him confused.

"No, I'm hosting Hope until the wedding. She's my plus one to Friends-giving."

"Who's Hope?"

"Hope Mikaelson, Klaus' daughter," I say before realizing that they all think she's dead. "Right, long story short, I have really convincing plans and she's not dead. She was with Bekah but she's MIA so now I'm Hope's new guardian until I can figure more out about this stupid bond between us that makes her cry unless I'm holding her when I step within 20 feet of her." With that, I leave the apartment to head back to campus. When I walk into my dorm, I see that it has already been baby proofed and Eric and Vivianne are playing with Hope, who starts crying when I walk in.

I quickly take her into my arms and she smiles her infectious smile. I thank Vivianne and Eric, who say they'll see me at Thanksgiving, before going to get Hope a bottle and putting her down to sleep.

_______

The next day goes by fast and before I know it, I'm getting Hope dressed for dinner and heading to the commons room at Care and Lena's dorm building, which Caroline had somehow commandeered. Before I reach it, I'm stopped by Kai. "Hey, Jess. Who's the baby?"

I refrain from rolling my eyes, knowing that I'm not really annoyed at Kai, but also knowing that I will be by the end of this conversation. "This is Hope. I'm babysitting. Look I'm sure whatever you need is super important but I have a dinner to get to and I don't want Care to fry me alive so." I try to get away, but he grabs my arm.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I've never really had a Thanksgiving and I heard about this and thought that maybe you could get me an invite." I go to say no but can't stop myself from reading his thoughts to see that he is sincere, so I agree and let him be my plus one. If only I knew how bad an idea that would be.

We walk in to see a fuming Caroline glaring at Marcel and his plus one, Klaus. "Why did you invite him?" She demands and Marcel shrugs.

"He asked if he could come and he wasn't on Jessica's list of people banned."

"Well I'm sorry if I thought it obvious not to invite the man that broke up with my best friend."

"Sorry to interrupt, love, but I don't think she'll mind," Klaus interjects, making Caroline turn to see me with Kai.

"Before you yell, he stopped me and asked to come since he's never had a proper Thanksgiving so he's my plus one."

"You already used your plus one," she claims, motioning to Hope, and I smile.

"Nope, Hope's your plus one because you can't resist an adorable baby and she'll help take your mind off the depressing things happening in your life." Caroline wants to argue but eventually caves, taking Hope and fawning over her while taking her to Elena and Bonnie so they can join in.

"Wait is that...?" Marcel asks and I nod, knowing he knows she's Klaus' daughter. He looks like he wants to say more but Klaus suddenly grabs me and pulls me to the side.

"I have to say, love, you look ravishing tonight. And I can't help the flutter of my heart when I see my daughter look at you with so much love," he grins and I pull my hand out of his.

"Cut the crap, Nik. You broke up with me, and you don't get to flirt with me because you're jealous that I brought Kai or went out with Enzo. I'll help with Hope because I love Hope but your only job was to kill Esther and you chose to lock her away in a dank cave to ensure that she suffers as a vampire. Not to mention you've lost Rebekah and don't seem to be putting any effort into finding her but maybe that's because your only witches are Meredith, Vivianne, and me who are all avoiding you and Elijah since you are both major asshats." Klaus goes to respond but I ignore him, opting to leave instead.

Soon enough, the food is served and everyone is eating. Surprisingly, Kai and Klaus are both civil to everyone and nobody's life is threatened, which is a good thing since Liam is there. Everything is going fine until Hope begins to cry so I take her from Klaus, prompting Liam to ask if she's our child. Klaus gets super offended when I scoff and immediately deny it.

"Well, you certainly know how to hurt a man's ego, love," he says before standing up and walking outside. I continue eating until I catch Caroline's eye.

"Nope, I'm not going after him. He'll realize that he's acting like a child and come back inside," I claim and sure enough, 5 minutes later, he waltzes back in to continue dinner. After dinner is done, I take Alaric to the side to talk. "I know that Thanksgiving isn't really a gift-giving holiday but I have something for you."

"What?"

"Well, it's less a physical gift and more an offer. Since I started clinicals with Jo, we've been getting closer and she mentioned that you don't like being a vampire. Now, as I'm sure you know, I've been working on a cure for Lena and I haven't found one but I may have found one for you."

"I don't understand."

"Elena drowned, there is no way to reverse that, but you were stabbed. If I siphon the magic out of you at the hospital while Jo uses her medical experience to take care of the wound, you can survive. You'll be in the hospital while you recover but then you'll be human. No cure that makes it so vampire blood doesn't work and I can even make you a new ring, one that won't make you go crazy if you die too much. I know that this is a big decision so I don't expect an answer now, but I want you to know that you have the option."

With that, I hug him and say goodbye before wishing everybody goodnight and taking Hope back home, not missing the fact that Kai and Jo seem to be getting along and actually bonding. I do, however, miss the look of longing on Klaus' face as he realizes what a big mistake he's made breaking up with me.