Josie looked out into the woods through the broken window of the secret spot in the old mill. Hope still peacefully sleeping, her head resting on the younger girls lap, as Josie played with her hair.
The day was still early. 3:15pm and as much as Josie wanted to close her eyes and rest just like her girlfriend, she couldn't.
She looked at everything in the small rundown shack like building, admiring the old wood, the small furniture, and a few things Hope and Josie had set up during there time there. The twinkling lights hanging around the ceiling, a few books stacked on a book shelf that was barley holding on to the last nail and a few painting Josie and Hope would do on random days.
This small tiny house, was theirs, with a few wood frames having Josies and Hopes name carved into it. Or the little drawings Hope would do with marker when she would be bored. Her favorite, on the right side of the window frame was a drawing of a wolf laying down by a girl next to a tree. It was a small drawing, made by sharpy, but Josie loved in nonetheless. And on the left side of the window frame was Josies simple stick finger drawing of two girls happily holding hands.
Josie snapped back into reality when she felt Hope adjusting herself, hiding her face in Josies stomach, as she placed small kisses there. Josie laughed and let out a yelp when she felt Hope bite into her stomach, softly.
"Why do you always do that" Josie laughed, trying to lift Hopes head up, but to no avail. Hope hung onto Josie tightly. "Baby" Josie called out to Hope before attacking her with kisses along her cheek and down her neck, biting it.
It was Hopes turn to let out a yelp, sitting up straight.
"How long was I asleep for?" Hope yawned leaning against Josie, trying her hardest not to fall back asleep. But Josie was just so comfort, Hope couldn't help it.
"About an hour and a half" Josie looked down at her phone.
Hope felt something on her chest, looking down seeing a sticky note stuck to her. She raised a brow pulling it off, and reading the cute note Josie left behind.
"So it doesn't hurt anymore" Hope read out loud. She smiled as a soft chuckle left her lips.
"Does it still hurt?" Josie asked.
"Does what still hurt? My heart" Hope said still looking down at the purple posted note. Josie simple nodded placing her hand on Hopes chest, right where her heart was.
She felt the soft thumbing press against the palm of her hand. Hope took a hold of Josies hand, bringing up to her lips and kissed it, before placing it back and holding it there for a moment.
"It doesn't hurt as bad as it did the night you left. It doesn't ache as much as it does when we fight. It isn't breaking into pieces as we speak. But there is pain... but its the good kind of pain" Hope smiled.
"Good kind of pain? I don't think pain can feel good" Josie said looking at hope with a raise brow. But then again she was talking to her girlfriend who took her mattress and rode it down the stairs because Kaleb had dared her, and slammed face first into the wall once she reached the bottom and knocked herself out.
"When you hit Landon in the face, how did it feel?" Hope smiled remembering her new favorite moment.
"It felt... good." Josie slowly spoke. "But my hand still hurt. Left a mark" Josie shook her hand a bit, shaking off the imaginary pain she felt as she recalled that moment in time. The way her fist made contact with the boys jaws, and how the stinging sensation made her hand throb.
"Thats how my heart is. It's getting better." Hope smiled taking Josies backpack that was off to the side, and pulled out her pocket sized note book. She leaned into Josie, her back pressed to the younger girls chest while she wrapped her arms around her.
Looking through the new booklet, Hope read all the things Josie had re-written for her. The things she learned, the memories she had thought of in the moment. The good and the bad.
She felt Josie lightly kissing her temple and the top of her head repeatedly, reading it as well. Every memory the two shared together.
"What if life could be this way?" Hope said, running her fingertips through the dried up ink.
"Like what?"
"Only the happy parts, none of the terrible, not even the mildly unpleasant. What if we could just cut out the bad and keep the good? This is what I want to do with you-- give you only the good, keep away the bad, so that good is all we ever have around us" Hope softly speaks flipping through the pages, one by one, until she lands on one of the bad pages.
A memory she had written down when her anger was at an all time high she felt like she could kill someone.
It was during the time she was away from Josie for almost two month.
"Hey babe look at this" Josie called out trying to reach for whatever was hiding underneath the couch. When she finally was able to slide it towards her, she picked up the paper like square.
"How did this get here" Josie smiled seeing the picture of her and Klaus, Hope's dad.
"Isn't this the picture you two took when you spend summer vacation in New Orleans without me."
"Oh yeah when your dad kidnapped me" Josie laughed admiring the picture.
"That was one of the worst time of my life. Who's idea was it to spend time away from each other" Hope sighed rolling her eyes.
"Yours'. You said and I quote, 'Why don't you spend time with my family and I spend time with yours over summer vacation'. When you told your family they basically came to school the next day and took me to New Orleans. Aunt Bex bought me an entire new wardrobe." Josie says.
"I thought it would be nice for them to spend time with you but I didn't release just how sucky 2 months without you would be like." Hope chuckles, her eyes soften never once looking away from the picture.
"My time with your family was amazing, but it wasn't the same without you. How I would wear your sweater and cuddle your pillow pretending you were with me."
"The nights were always the loneliest" Both girls said in unison. They looked at one another, letting out a soft laugh.
_____________flashback______________
"Hello" Josie shouted, walking into the gym room of the house. She looked all around. There was a small cage ring in the center of the room, along with a few weights and other exercise equipment.
And right by the window was Klaus jumping rope.
"It was you who told Aunt Freya to send me here?" Josie yawned, rubbing her eyes. She was tried, knowing that she was just woken up at 6 in the morning because someone wanted to do some training.
"My dear Josette" Klaus stopped his jump roping, looking kindly at the younger girl. "If you are going to date my daughter, I want to be sure she is in the right hands. I know you can be there for her, and help her when she needs someone to talk to. But sometimes a little physical protection can come a long ways" He let out a loud chuckle.
"My dad says violence in never the answer"
"Well your dad is stupid" Klaus tsked. "From now on, I'm your trainer, and master"
"Can I go back to bed." Josie gives a pout.
"There's no sleep, no absence, no mercy!" Klaus says firmly. Josie only groans. "By the way, I'm very competitive"
"I think the word is 'Homicidal' but sure," Josie shrugs, taking the MMA gloves from Klaus.
Throughout every mornings, Klaus would be teaching Josie how to fight. He taught her the correct way to form a fist, and how to punch. Teaching her how to hit the punching bag hard without hurting oneself, and other exercises.
Sometimes Klaus would allow Josie to play her music, and somehow by the end of it, she was teaching Klaus the newest BTS choreography. Klaus would never admit it, but those dance moves were a work out all on their own. This would be their own secret, no one was allowed to know Klaus was dancing to Kpop because of Josie.
But Josies favorite was when she would get to spar with Klaus. From time to time Rebekah and Kol would stop by and go a round or two with the brunette, trying to teach her some of their favorite finishing moves. Kols favorite was the arm break, while Klaus taught the girl how to choke someone out and if a life threatening situation arises how to snap a neck.
"Keep your eyes wide open" Klaus said, watching as she went one on one in MMA with kol. "Not like that" He sighed when Josie missed an easy punch.
He groaned, stepping into the ring.
"Your waist, use your waist" He instructed, showing Josie to twist her waist when punching someone in the gut. Klaus took the boxing gloves from Kol and put them on, lightly tapping Josie on her forehead pushing her back just a bit.
Josie got into her fighting stance, and began swinging, left, then right, but Klaus would continue to dodge. Every time Josie would swing Klaus would lightly smack her arm away, or move away. He shielded his face, allowing Josie to get a few body shots.
Working out and training, that was their morning routine everyday. Then when they would finish the rest of the Mikaelson clan would fight over who's turn it was to hang out with the young girl. A rock paper scissors battle always took place, someone always ended up getting hurt. It was Kol.
"Remember at our wedding when you said you'd take me for better or worse from that day forward until death shall part us?" Rebekah excitedly exclaimed pulling her husband Marcel by his arm towards the car.
"What did you do?" He sighed knowing his wife did something insane.
Rebekah open the back door of her G-wagon; Josie sitting in the back seat, trapped by the seatbelts, unable to escape. Josie slightly waved since she couldn't raise her hand.
"No, d-did you kidnap Josie, again"
"What no, don't be ridiculous. Kol is taking an involuntary nap so im taking Josie out..." Rebekah smiled. "Dont forget Josie you get 20 bucks for every time you call me mommy..."
"Mom?, Bex what are you doing" Marcel rolled his eyes, he already knew this would be a long day.
"Showing Caroline that Josie loves me better than her" She says snapping a picture of her and Josie.
"You're making Josie look like a hostage"
"I am a hostage" Josie sighed.
"Josie, there you are. Freya wants you to help her out in the kitchen. Klaus and Elijah are helping out as well" Keelin said rushing out of the house.
"Move it or lose it, Josie and I are going shopping" Rebehak said hopping into the drivers side. When she went to turn on the car she noticed she didn't have the eyes, and when she looked out the window she saw freya walking out the house with a smug look and the car keys in hand. "Well shit" Rebekah sighed.
"Its okay mom I still love you, because you are the best mommy in the world, and of course mom has the best fashion sense. So if you want mommy we can go shopping after I help aunt freya, right mommy. And mommy we can go out to eat at the one restaurant you, mom would love. So what do you say mommy. Hang out later because you love me, mommy. Look aunt freya mommy is going to take me shopping later, and then mommy and I will go to the movies, because my mom is the best." Josie smiled.
"Awww, I lov---"
"I take cash" Josie smirked
"You cheeky little--"
"Bye mommy" Josie said getting out of the car and running back towards the house.
When Josie walked into the kitchen, Keelin and Freya following behind, she saw Elijah and Klaus by the counter rolling dough. Josie smiled opening one of the drawers and pulling out two aprons. She saw just how messy their clothes were getting.
At first Klaus and Elijah refused to wear the cheesy aprons, but like Hope the Mikaelsons have been compelled by the young girl, and couldn't say no to her. They blamed it on her pout.
"What kind of men doesn't have any strength! knead the dough with more power Klaus!" Freya said, laughing as she put more pasta ingredients on the countertop.
"What about Him?" Klaus pointed at Elijah. "He isn't very good either"
"He's way better than you" Freya rolled her eyes.
"Its okay papa Klaus I'll help you out. Hope loves when I make her pasta. its all in the wrists" Josie said rolling up her sleeves. "You have no idea what Im capable of"
"Dont take it personally, but I feel like I'm being threatened by a cupcake" Elijah grinned, watching as Josie just stuck out her tongue at him.
"No Josie, your job is helping me chop up these vegetables" Keelin said pulling Josie to the other side where the cutting board and veggies laid.
"Aunt Keelin, promise you'll at least pay me minimum wage. Or I'll report you for unfair labor practices." Josie raised a brow grabbing the knife.
"Pst kiddo" Klaus whispered. Josie turned to the older man. "Report for me too and I'll bump your allowance"
"They're scheming!" Freya shouted, causing Klaus and Josie to quickly get back to work. Everyone couldn't help but laugh.
Josie took a breath. She loved this. She loved spending time with Hopes family, cooking, training, shopping, and playing games. She loved how much of a bond the family had, and just how much they loved each other, even if sometimes they wanted to kill one another.
But the longer she stayed at the mikaelson mansion, the more she wished Hope was with her.
Hope wanted Josie to spend quality time with her family, because that meant everything to her. She already knew they loved Josie, and Josie loved them, and wanted them to just hang out together. And as much as Josie loved and was all for this idea, she yearned for her girlfriend.
Every time they sit around and eat a meal they would always tell stories about Hope when she was a baby and Josie would just smile, imagining the stories in her head. And each time she would miss the older girl even more.
It was only for 2 months, and even though Josie was already one month down, she was counting the days to go back to her. Sometimes the days would go by in a flash, keeping her mind busy, and forgetting her longing, other times there would be a pain in her chest. During those nights, Klaus would bring Josie some warm Milk and talk to her until Josie fell asleep, or count sheep for her. One night Josie woke up, hearing Klaus count softly; he had made it to 5 thousand 6 hundred and 47.
That night, hearing Klaus counting, as he was slowly drifting to sleep, Josie thought about her dad. She didn't know what it was, but she knew her dad hated Klaus. He never liked it when he would visit the school to see Hope, and he wasn't pleased when Caroline allowed her to stay the summer over at the Mikaelsons. He would always say how evil, and horrible Klaus was. He had a criminal record and did a lot of things during his youth, but Josie knew just how different he was from the stories she's been told.
Rebekah told her that when Hope was born, Klaus shaped up, and got his life together, trying to be a good father. Even though he didn't know how to be a dad, he made an attempt for hope. And how Klaus loved Hayley, and when she died, he was scared he was going to ruin his daughter life. So he did the only thing he could think of and send her to a boarding school Caroline told him about, since they were good friends.
The more she thought about it, Josie knew her father simply hated Klaus. But she didn't care. She loved him like her own father, especially since Alaric always neglected her for either Lizzie, or even Hope. At least with Klaus, it felt like she had a dad, someone she can actually talk to and would help her out.
Klaus taught Josie to fight and defend herself, while Alaric only taught Hope, and forbid Josie from fighting. He wanted Josie to be the good kid, he knew she was.
This night was no different. Josie was really missing Hope, and couldn't sleep.
"You going to sleep any time soon?" Klaus gently knocked on the door before Josie gave him the green light to enter.
"I don't think so. I-ah... I just got off the phone with Hope, and I just miss her. I was thinking I'll watch some movies... maybe dear John. Again. The more I watch it while sleep deprived the more it starts feeling like some sort of surrealist commentary on-- what are you doing?" Josie raised a brow, watching as the older man grabbed a box from outside the door, and placing it by the tv.
He began to set everything up.
"Staying up with you. But im not watching some sappy movie. We're playing video games"
"Is this because I beat you in Mario kar--"
"Its because you beat me in Mario Kart" Klaus said mockingly.
"As much as I would love to beat you another 100 times... Im not really feeling it" Josie said sitting down next to Klaus.
"Anything I can do for you? Want me to get you a warm glass of milk?" He asked sweetly.
"Can I... can I give you a hug?" Josie asked.
"of course love. You my dear, never have to ask. But any particular reason?"
"I've been really down, and I just want a hug"
"want to talk about it?"
"No. But I think a hug would help"
"your logic is sound. Come here" Klaus smiles wrapping one arm around the young girl, while Josie wraps arms around him. She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest as she slowly tighten the hug.
"Papa Klaus" Josie mumbles.
"Yes dear" Klaus softly replied, as he began to turn down the volume of the tv. He looked down and saw that the young girl had her eyes closed, and her breathing was shallow, but she wasn't asleep, not yet.
"Im going to marry Hope one day, is that okay?" she asked letting out a soft yawn.
"You really love my daughter that much" He said. Josie only nodded. "What if... one day, you two decided to call it quiets. What if one day you realize your perfect relationship... isn't prefect anymore. If Hope is anything like me, there be times when you'll feel like murdering her, I know Hayley felt that way all the time" Klaus chuckled. Josie hugged him a little tighter and let out a sigh.
"I'm in love with her. I care about her beyond all rationality." Josie said, smiling as the words escape her lips.
"Josie, if Hope has gotten anything from me, besides her dashing good looks, its her temper. I know she resents me in some way for leaving her at the school. But let me tell you one thing my dear. When you love someone you just don't stop, ever. Even when people roll their eyes, or call you crazy or say insults about your relationship, even then, especially then. You just, you don't give up because if you could give up... If you could just take the whole worlds advice and move on and find someone else that wouldn't be love. That would be... that would be some other disposable thing that is not worth fighting for."
"Wow papa Klaus I never taken you for the inspirational type" Josie giggled, not bothering to open her eyes. But she kept the smile on her lips.
"Actually it was Hayley who spoke those words to me once upon a time... when she was fighting to keep our relationship from falling"
"She sounds smart, I can see why you fell in love with her"
"She was insanely smart, incredible human being. She, just like you, who would do anything for our marriage to work. She wouldn't give up... then she realized something... wanna know what it was?"
"what is it?" Josie said, pulling away from the mans hold just a bit, to be looking into his eyes.
"the part where you accept the apology because it's easier than addressing the root of the problem. One day, an apology won't be enough anymore"