Dirt stains Aaron's boots as he finishes digging the third grave. He won't dig a fourth until they find a body, something to put to rest, but Josette and Ric deserve their own peace, and Hope Mikaelson will find her hell. Beside him, Elizabeth nails a grave marker to the ground, a simple stick to mark the place of death.
The approaching horse does not tear his attention away as he walks over to Elizabeth, silently nodding his support. A voice sounds from behind, "I take it you're Elizabeth. Hello, Aaron."
He had only encountered the woman once before in passing. She had visited Stella's home, but Aaron was hurt and practically asleep when they argued. The words never made sense from what he could remember, but he does know Hope left empty-handed and upset. Stella had assured him that nothing would happen. She was wrong.
"You must be Hope Mikaelson," Elizabeth says as she narrows her eyes. "You're shorter than I thought."
"I dug this grave far too large, then," Aaron quips, hands on his hips.
Hope glances down at it. "So long as it fits both of you. Should we get right to it, then?"
"My sister's dead because of you, my uncle's dead because of you, Stella is dead because of you, and my father may yet die because of you, so we have nothing to discuss."
"You think either of you is faster than a vampire?" Hope asks, a hand hovering over her pistol.
"We'll find out when you draw," Aaron replies. "Did you give that same option to Stella?"
Hope's steely gaze falls on him. "She begged like you will for my mercy. Maybe I should've killed you long ago. Ladies first."
"I'm not a lady anymore," Elizabeth snaps.
It all happens to fast. Elizabeth reaches for Damon as Aaron grabs hold of Stefan, both raising in the air, but Hope is faster. A bullet pierces through Aaron's leg as one hits Elizabeth's shoulder. They fall to the ground, but Aaron does his best to crawl between them as Hope advances.
"You have a dark side, just like Josette and Stella," Hope says. "I could use people with that kind of grit. So, it's your choice." She cocks the gun. "Dead or alive." She offers her hand.
Aaron meets Elizabeth's eye, his finger twitching over the trigger. "I choose," she rasps, "dead." She swings her foot out as Aaron knocks her onto the grave marker. He helps Elizabeth to her feet as Hope stands, ripping the wood from her chest.
"I'm a tribrid. You can't kill me."
Aaron fires first into her shoulder. Hope stumbles back before Elizabeth shoots, sending her down into the grave. As they rush to the graveside, they watch as Hope's body disintegrates into ashes, floating away in the breeze.
Elizabeth sighs. "There's always a loophole."
Clapping echoes through the clearing. Aaron holds a hand out, trying to hide his limp and Elizabeth behind him as he turns to meet the sound. A figure walks towards them steadily, the air whipping around them violently as they become clearer.
"I have to thank you. You two did brilliantly," Stella says, soot covering her palms.
"Stella," Aaron breathes, limping a step forward. "But...how? They said you were dead."
She barely looks at him as her eyes dart to the grave. "Like puppets led on a string. You eliminated the problem effortlessly. My cousin never stood a chance."
"Your cousin?" Elizabeth breathes. "Josette is dead, you know."
"Sweet, naive Elizabeth. You know I would give my life for your sister. Jo?"
The woman materializes from thin air, walking up to Stella's side and taking her hand. Blood stains her dress, but she smirks as she says, "Told you. We're not done."
Elizabeth begins breathing heavily. "How? What's happening? I killed you."
"Yes, and we truly did not expect that," Stella replies. "It did not please us. But, to do this." She motions to the graves. "You've excelled."
"You two must be so confused," Josette sighs. "Poor little doves."
"Hope Mikaelson needed to die," Stella says. "She knew too much, had too much power, but we just couldn't find the weapon. But then Aaron mentioned a vampire hunter, one with a weapon that could kill the tribrid."
Aaron furrows his brows, his heart clenching. "You used me? You're my friend."
Her expression falters as she looks away. "I'm sorry, Aaron. It had to be done. She was threatening my family. She tried to kill me." As he looks closer when she cranes her neck, fang marks scar along her throat. "But I lived. I serve a new purpose now."
"Your family?" Aaron exclaims. "Your family is gone! I was your family!"
She tilts her chin up. "I kept it from you. To keep you safe." Josette tightens her grip on Stella as she speaks. "Isaac Lahey took me in when I left my family, but I never forgot them. My name is Stella Hale, Aaron."
Hale. The Hale gang. Always allied with the Mikaelsons, but it was a strenuous allegiance. It was rumored that members were creatures of the moon, serving ancient gods and ancestors.
"Stella had to protect herself," Josette says. "We hatched a plan. One that ended with the Mikaelsons' destruction. But most importantly reminded you of your roles in this world."
Stella holds her hand out. A mark burns itself into the grass by Hope's grave: a half moon. The same pendent on Hope Mikaelson's necklace that was missing from her other gang members. It feels like a punch to the gut.
"You won't stop us," Stella says, but her voice sounds hollow. Wind rushes past them, a storm brewing overhead. "The tribrid is gone now. It's just us. I don't want to fight you, but I will."
Josette nods. "Leave now before we do what they asked us to."
Aaron takes Elizabeth's hand and says, "Ok, we'll leave. But we'll come back. This isn't you. I know you, Stella. You wouldn't want this."
"Then you don't know me at all."
~~~~~
She watches from the shadows. How she got here, she does not know. Maybe it's because of the bond or roaming the subconscious realm in her endless sleep, but Stella stands in a room of darkness, lights shining down from overhead.
Yet she stays in the shadows.
A breath of relief falls from her lips as she sees Josie wandering towards the light, but she also sees two others—others she does not want knowing she is here.
"Josie?" Lizzie asks through the lights. "This is awkward. The exit room's supposed to be empty whenever you leave therapy."
Aaron follows behind her. "What are you doing here?"
Josie tucks her hands under her arms. "Hope came to the school while you were gone. She trapped me in the therapy box."
"Of course she did." Something like suspicion rests in Aaron's tone.
Silver flames ignite between her fingertips. Stella stands far behind the group, but she knows Josie can see. Josie always sees her.
"Well, she didn't kill me," Josie sighs. "Maybe you were right. Maybe there is something there. She's not too far gone."
"Well, I will be, as soon as this stupid thing reboots," Lizzie says. As they circle each other, Stella lets the flames pucker out, melting back into the shadows. "Don't worry, Jo. I know exactly how to fix this situation. Aaron and I have this."
Aaron nods, though his gaze wanders. "We have an idea. Maybe it'll help Stella."
"Meaning what?" Josie asks.
"It's ok, Jo," Lizzie smiles. "Your game's just beginning. But mine's over, and I won."
Stella wills the lights to converge on Lizzie and Aaron until they dissolve into nothing. She waits a moment—silence. Another, and she is racing across the room and jumping into Josie's arms. "Oh, I missed you," she sighs.
Josie spins her around, her arms tight around her. "You did it." As they pull apart, Josie cups Stella's face. "How'd you do it?"
"Hope never saw it coming. Simple suggestion, and now you're here. We're here. Together." Stella holds Josie's hands against her cheeks. "We have a lot to do. Are you ready?"
Josie nods. "What about them? They were weird, right?"
"Right now, Aaron and Lizzie are not the problem," Stella sighs as she lets their joined hands hand between them. "We have bigger fish to fry. They're waiting for us."
Josie nods as Stella holds her hand out, purple mist covering them and revealing an endless cosmos of stars and realms. Stella leads Josie through her mind, through the path of starlight beneath their feet as two people appear before them.
Fenrir and JJ grin. "Are you ready?" JJ asks. "We do this on your command."
Stella meets Josie's gaze and nods. "Your decision," she whispers.
Josie purses her lips. "I'm ready. It's time to finally be powerful enough to stop them. We're ready."
Got some plans, folks! I know chapters are shorter than the last book, but I am losing momentum, so don't be surprised if chapters are short or if I leave some stuff out if it's just a character addition and not something specific to the plot.
Hope you enjoyed!
-L