"What?" The word was out of Klaus' mouth before he could stop it.
"Thats impossible, Mother. Vampires cannot have children" Rebekah said. She would know. For centuries she wished she could have a family of her own.
"Your brother is no ordinary vampire" Esther reminded kindly. "I have been watching over all of you from the other side, and I can sense the power coming from her. She is a part of our family"
Vulnerability was shown on Klaus' face despite his efforts to hid it. Tears were still visible in his eyes. "Whatever you saw on the other side was a lie. I do not have time to deal with such foolish beliefs, no matter who they come from. I would know if I had an 18 year old child"
"Niklaus-" Elijah started
"No. I dont want to hear it, Elijah." Klaus said before walking out of the room, thoughts flooding through his mind.
Hope watched him go and took a step back from the rest of her family.
"So you are truly Niklaus' child?" Rebekah questioned. "I suppose that explains why you do everything he asks of you. But how would we not know Niklaus could have children?"
"Because he can't have kids until he broke his curse" Hope said finally
"But he only did that a couple of months ago. Wait- Are you from the future? How can that be possible?"
"A spell"
"I suppose mother is far from the first witch to dabble in black magic" Kol said, relaxing on the couch now that Klaus was gone. "Though I've studied magic for centuries and have never heard of anyone moving throughout time"
"Neither had I before I was suddenly back in time before I was even conceived. And I was trying to keep anyone from finding out"
"Well as long as you don't try to dagger me in a box or get anyone else to do it, we should be fine. Are you trying to get back to your time?"
"Of course. I mean part of me wants to stay, but I need to get back" Hope said
"I could help" Kol offered. "I have helped other witches create spells before"
"Trying to get rid of me already?" Hope teased.
He chuckled a bit. "Just trying to ensure your existence since you seem far more tolerable than your father. Even if you did shock me"
"In my defense, you were attacking my dad" Hope pointed out, noticing that Esther was leaving the room. She would talk to her later. And she definitely had words to say. "Excuse me" she said and headed up to Klaus' art room, knowing that was likely where he went. She hesitated before knocking on the door.
"Whoever it is, I am not in the mood to talk" Klaus said.
Despite his words, Hope cracked the door open and peered her head through. "It's me"
Klaus' face faltered, and he lowered his paint brush before turning to face her. "Hope" he said, his voice both gentle and closed off if that was possible. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Hope fully stepped inside and closed the door behind her, lifting out a soft sigh before turning to face him again. "It was dangerous for me to. Everything depended on me keeping it a secret. The future. All of it"
Klaus stepped towards her, emotions swimming in his eyes. "I couldn't believe it. Not at first. It seems impossible. And... terrifying to think I could have a child. And I'm still moments away from going back to thinking this is all a deception. Some plot used to lower my defenses"
"Its not" Hope said gently, approaching him. She put her hand on him, only for him to pull away. She tried not to let it bother her as she stepped back to give him space.
"I know. I mean, I dont. But... I dont know how i am supposed to feel about this. There's one side of my brain convincing me this is a trap and the other is remembering all we had done together and saying it makes sense. But I also can't see myself being the good father you seem to believe me to be"
She looked at him, fighting back her own emotions that were threatening to take over. "You are"
"And your certainty there is only feeding into my belief that this is all a lie. Feeding into the idea that this whole time you've just been trying to get close to me and making me believe someone genuinely cares about me. But that you dont. And I dont know what to do. I need time to think about all of this"
Hope took another step back, nearly bumping into a table. "I'll go. I- I'm sorry for causing you to feel that way. I never wanted that" The words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she headed out of the house quickly, ignoring the other Mikaelsons questioning her.
Klaus was staring at the doorway Hope had fled from, blinking back tears. He couldn't help but feel he had just made a mistake, but he wasn't sure what to do. Not yet. So he finally turned back to his canvas and started thinking as he painted.
It was a couple of minutes later when Rebekah barged in. "What the hell did you do?"
"Coming from the person who stabbed me, I dont think you should be questioning me on my decisions" Klaus said, not turning to look at her.
"You were planning on leaving me daggered again!" Rebekah defended herself. "You deserved it. Now tell me why my newfound niece just left the house, crying"
Klaus slowly turned to look at Rebekah. "Crying?"
"Yes. Two seconds of you being a father, and you're already ruining it and making her cry"
"I told her i needed time to process all of this. She's the one that decided to leave" he replied, looking at her. "I didn't want her to leave the house"
"Then go after her perhaps" Rebekah said. "Fix things without making a much larger mess"
"I'll talk to her tomorrow" Otherwise the hybrid knew he could make things worse, something he didnt want.
"Whatever. But if you just lost the only person that actually cares about you, then you really screwed up again, which isn't a surprise for any of us"
Rebekah turned and left the art room, leaving Klaus to stare at his painting, unsure of what to do.
------------------------
Hope reached the first house she thought of and knocked on the front door. After a moment, the door opened, revealing the newest Petrova doppelganger.
"Hope?" Elena questioned in surprise at the sight of her.
"Hey, do you mind if I stay here tonight?" she asked.
"Damon might have a few choice words if he finds out. But I don't. Not at all" she stepped to the side to let Hope in
Hope walked inside, clutching the small bag she had quickly grabbed before leaving the mansion. "Thank you" She carried her bag over to the couch.
"You're welcome. Mind if I ask what's wrong?"
"You just did" Hope joked lightly and wiped the tear that fell. "Just a small falling out with my... with Klaus. It could last a while or be over tomorrow. I'm not sure. He didnt tell me to leave the mansion. But I figured it'd be better to give him space."
"Well, I hope you fix things for the sake of how you're feeling. But you might be better off without him" Elena said, going into the kitchen.
"I'm not" Hope replied, shaking her head. He was her father after all. She looked down a bit in thought. "I'm sorry if my presence here disrupts any plans"
"After Alaric nearly died, my plans consist of making sure he is resting. I finally convinced him to use a bed here and not go back to his apartment"
"Speaking of, any news on who might have done it?"
"No. None" Elena sighed softly as she came back over to the couch, offering Hope some ice cream and a spoon. "Here. This always helps when my friends and I are upset"
"Thank you" Hope took the bowl and spoon and took a bite. "My friends back home and I did that as well. Not often but when we really need it. Also cuddles"
"Are you asking me to cuddle with you too?" Elena raised an eyebrow with a light chuckle.
Hope shook her head. "Just making a statement. Well, I hope whoever is doing this is caught soon"
"The weird thing" Elena said as she took a seat "is that everyone that was attacked was a human that sympathized vampires. And was a part of the council. I mean Ric isn't founding family, but he sort of became a part of it, being Jer's guardian"
"Jer? Jeremy, your brother right?" Hope asked, causing Elena to nod.
"We compelled him away for his safety, but he is going to call and keep in touch"
Hope nodded. "If it's going after human vampire sympathizers, then I'm assuming he would be in danger. Plus what - Klaus did, trying to get him killed. You're still in danger though."
"I'm too wrapped up in this. Klaus wants my blood. He won't just let me leave"
"He would want you to live and be safe. And away from the Salvatores" she took a bite of her ice cream and sighed softly. "Settle down with some nice human and have kids"
Elena shook her head. "I can't leave" she said firmly and took a bite of Hope's ice cream. "Especially not when..."
"When what?"
"Especially not with how I feel about the Salvatores. And not while there is still danger for everyone else"
They both fell silent before suddenly there was a knock on the door.
------------------------
Elena stood up and headed over to the front door. When she opened it, her body stilled a bit at the sight of Elijah Mikaelson, despite how they had gotten along. Her last memory of him was finding out that he had backed out of killing Klaus.
"Hello, Elena. I came to speak with Hope. May I come in?" Elijah asked, looking at Elena.
"Um, of course" Elena said with a small nod and stepped to the side to let him in.
Hope looked over and saw Elijah walking in. "I'm not ready to go back, Elijah"
"I do not know what Niklaus said to you, but he merely needs time to adjust to the news" Elijah replied
"I know" Hope said, "but that doesn't mean I want to be in the same house as he processes it. I don't want him looking at me like this is all a deception and I've betrayed him. Because I would never do that"
"I understand, but you are family"
"Says the guy who was about to just abandon his brother forever if your mother was not back and if my truth hadn't been revealed"
"You are my niece, Hope. And I can't imagine what must have happened to bring you here, but I wish to help. We all do, despite our disagreements with each other" Elijah said.
Elena's jaw dropped a little at the news. She hadn't fully left the room, and she had heard everything. She finished leaving as Hope looked down at her ice cream bowl. "I'll be back in the morning, Elijah" Hope said finally.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then. Mother looks forward to getting to know you. And we all do, so I do hope you will be willing to talk about yourself"
Hope gave him a small smile before bidding him goodnight, and the Original Vampire left. Hope's face fell once he was gone as memories rose up inside her. She sighed and sat back down on the couch, grabbing her bowl again for the last bit of ice cream.
----------------------------------------
Elijah arrived back at the Mikaelson mansion and walked over to Klaus, who was now pouring himself a much needed drink. "Niklaus"
"It's a trick, Elijah" Klaus said, emotions swimming in his eyes.
"No, brother. It's a gift. It's your chance. It's our chance"
"To what?"
"To start over. Take back everything we lost. Everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, all that you have ever wanted, all that we have ever wanted, was a family"
"I will not be manipulated" Klaus said firmly, taking a sip of his drink.
"Do you really think you are being manipulated or are you just afraid?" Elijah looked at him.
Klaus scoffed and took a seat. "Time travel is not possible. Elijah. It can't be. This is just a ploy to make me vulnerable and take my power"
"Family is power, Niklaus. Love, loyalty. It's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago, before life tore away what little humanity you had left, before ego, before anger, before paranoia created this person before me..." Elijah said, looking at him. "Someone I can barely even recognize as my own brother. This is us. The Original family. We remain together, always and forever. I am asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stand by you. I will be your brother"
Klaus looked at his brother for a moment before downing his glass and leaving the room.
"Let me guess, it didn't work for you either" Rebekah said as she walked in the room Elijah was in.
"I couldn't get through to him" Elijah said. "He's doing what he does. Given a chance at happiness, Klaus runs in the opposite direction
"So let him run. Hope is better off without him. And if even the bond he already formed with her isn't enough for him to care, then that is that. We can still be there for her regardless"
"He's not better off without her, Rebekah" Elijah said firmly.
"Darling, kind Elijah. Our brother rarely brings us anything but pain" Rebekah said "At what point in your immortal life will you stop searching for his redemption?"
"I'll stop searching for his redemption when I believe there is none left to be found"
"We will get through to him" Esther said, walking inside. "He needs time. As much as I love your brother, he does not react well to hope. And now he has a daughter who was someone he had already been bonding with. We need him to believe it himself. To feel and care about Hope"
"Do you really think he will do that, Mother? He left me daggered for centuries. I can hardly see him caring about his child" Finn said, following her inside.
"He will. He already does. It is why he is afraid of being there for her." Esther said. "Now, let Niklaus work through his emotions on his own. I need help getting things ready for tomorrow. I wish to have a ball here to celebrate us reuniting as a family and have the town welcome us"
---------------------------------------
Elena and Hope were sitting on the couch, watching a movie. They both had popcorn in bowls and were staring at the screen. However, neither of them were really paying attention. Hope was thinking about her dad and what she could say to him the next morning. Elena was thinking about what she had overheard in regards to Elijah and Hope.
"I overheard what you and Elijah were talking about" Elena said finally. "What did he mean when he said you were his niece?"
"Does it matter?" Hope asked, looking at her.
"Not really. I just.... If you're part werewolf like Damon said, you'd have to be Klaus' daughter, right? Is that why you care so much about him?"
Hope nodded. "If you, uh, if you haven't told your friends, don't. The least amount of people that know, the better."
"I won't. They'll figure it out on their own" Elena said. "So the falling out this morning must have been pretty rough on you for you to leave your home"
She nodded. "He didn't know I was his daughter until today, and my dad has trouble believing in good things happening to him, so he needs some time to process"
"If things still aren't better tomorrow, you can stay another night" Elena said. "I mean you did save Ric's life today. And you found me a good enough person to come visit when you needed somewhere to stay"
"Thank you. And i appreciate the offer, but it is probably better if I don't" Hope told her. "I need to get back to my family tomorrow morning"
"You're welcome" Elena said. "Just know it's open if you change your mind"
"I know" Hope said with a small smile before turning back to the tv.
-------------------------------
Klaus Mikaelson was in his art room again, colors thrown on his palette, mostly dark colors. His brush was going across his canvas, but he wasn't paying much attention to the overall image of what he was doing. He focused on what felt right in that moment. Thoughts were going through his mind about Hope. Memories. Memories that now caused his emotions to stir in confusion as they took on a whole other meaning.
"You're not a monster" Hope was telling him.
Klaus had watched Hope curiously, thinking back to how quick she was to jump at his defense. She didn't know him. Why would she say that? No one said that. He was a monster in everyone's eyes. Even his siblings. But somehow not Hope. And he didn't understand why. "I need to speak with you." He finally said. "Not right now. Later. However I do need to speak with you. And you need to answer any question I have. I let you keep your secrets. I'm afraid that isn't something I can do anymore. Not if those secrets are related to me."
"Well then I'm afraid we have a problem. Because I'll help you and stand by you. But the questions you want answered I'm not going to answer" Hope had told him. "It's better that way. Now let's go make some hybrids"
But he hadnt let her just dismiss it. "I'm afraid this isn't a matter of choice Hope. I need to know why you insisted on helping me when we first met. Why, even after hearing what my own family thinks of me, you're still here. I need to know why you view me higher than anyone else I have ever met. It does not make any sense. And I desperately need it to."
"Why can't you just accept that this isnt something I want to discuss? I'm not going to answer your questions. Not these questions. And if you keep pushing me to, I'm going to have to leave. And I don't want to do that"
Klaus has been terrified at the possibility she could leave him as well. "That is not fair. You cannot expect me to sit here and wonder all of these things whilst you not only give me zero answers but also attempt to manipulate me into letting this go. You told me I was not a monster. How can you know that? How can you be so sure? You are a complete stranger and yet you seem to care more about me than my own siblings do. That is not normal. That is not just brought on by your being a hybrid as well. It can't be."
"I'm not manipulating you. I'm telling you how it has to be. I can't give you the answers you want. Even if I wanted to." Hope said. "It's just better for me to keep my secrets."
"Better for you." Klaus said quoting her own words back to her. "Not better for me. Do you have any idea how many people have behaved as though I am worthy of them and then turned out to be lying, using me for information, or simply unaware of the true horrors that come with knowing me? You need to tell me why you are acting this way. Because what I am imagining is so much worse than whatever truth you believe will destroy me."
"I dont want to keep things from you, but I can't tell you. It could change everything. Im not betraying you or using you for information. I dont like keeping things from you. I just can't tell you the answers you want to know."
"You do realize that you telling me you are not lying to me does not actually make me believe you correct? All I want, is some piece of evidence, other than your word, that you truly feel the way you do when it comes to me. That you genuinely believe me to be good enough. To be worthy of your company. I need to know this is not another trick from my enemies or...my mother or father. If you cannot give me that then perhaps we truly are better apart."
"I'm sorry. I want to tell you who I am. Where I come from.. I want to tell you everything. Be completely honest with you. But it is too dangerous for me to. It could destroy everything. One day you will understand everything. Why I can't tell you. Why its better this way. But today can't be that day"
None of it had made any sense. He couldn't understand why she was saying what she did. But now, knowing that she was supposedly his daughter, it made sense? What didn't make sense was the idea that he was a good father. It didn't make sense that he hadnt majorly messed up.
When Klaus stepped back away from his large canvas and looked at it as a whole picture rather than pieces, he saw what he had been painting. It was a painting of him and Hope. His face was mostly covered in dark colors in a way that resembled shadows. Bits of dark red blended in with the black shadows, expressing the blood he had shed over the past thousand years. And she was vibrant. Because despite her helping him achieve his goals, she was truly good. Another reason it was so hard for him to believe she was his daughter.
He needed to fix this. But he wasn't sure how.