Josie cradled Hope in her arms, her breathing evened out as Hope was focused on was Josies touch.
'Josie wasn't leaving her', she reminded herself. Hope didn't know if that comforted her or scared her more, she didn't want to think too deeply about it.
Hope moved her head from Josies chest and looked at her girlfriend. Her perfect, beautiful, amazing human being who wanted to be with her forever.
"I forgot to say I love you. And thank you," Hope started, "for not leaving," she smiled slightly.
Josie saw her eyes were red from previous tears making the glow of her cheeks all the more noticeable. She was so pretty even after crying.
Josie kissed her forehead before holding Hope again. Hope was sat, her back leaning on Josie as Josie wrapped her arms around Hope's stomach.
"I love you so much," Josie whispered in her ear.
She felt Hope relax into her and was so unbelievably grateful that Hope found comfort in her.
A butterfly landed onto Hope's wrist and she smiled. Noticing it's wing was broken, she cast a spell to heal it. Josie watched as Hope seemed so perfectly innocent, using her powers for such a what some would call meanial task Josie found it adorable.
Hope was still struggling massively, her trauma attached to her like a paper kite she couldn't let go of. But she wasn't holding it alone, Josie helped.
She was tired, weak, empty but no longer by herself.
The two sat in the field of tall flowers for hours. Not talking, just being comforted by the presence of eachother and the sounds of birds across the sky.
Josie pulled Hope to lie down. The two were now facing eachother as Josie moved a strand of hair from Hope's face.
"How bad do you feel right now. From one to 10. 10 being the worst," Josie asked as she joined hands with Hope.
She knew Hope was tired and probably not up for talking about how she felt in depth.
"7 and a half," Hope responded honestly, "but only because I'm with you. If you weren't here then 9," Hope said as she smiled slightly.
Josie smiled too.
"Well then I guess I'll just have to be here with you all the time," she responded.
Of course Josie was still worried about her, watching her body language constantly for signs of stress. 7 and a half was still terrible, but it was better than she was. Josie would take any sort of betterness from her and protect it with her life.
"Can I tell you a story from when we were younger?" Josie asked. Partly because she could see Hope was fighting sleep and this would help, and partly to cheer her up a bit.
Hope nodded tiredly.
"It was in 6th grade, Mr Williams was teaching us the origins of species by letting us paint the different creatures. We were allowed to pick our creature. Mine had a witches hat and green skin from the many times Lizzie made me watch the wizard of Oz. And I walked over to look at yours. Of course your brilliant painting skills still amaze me to this day, but it was a painting of a wolf: they had vampire teeth and a witches mark. Of course the school didn't know what species you were then, you still went by Hope Marshall at the time, and we all thought you were a regular witch.
I said what you had drawn wasn't real. And you looked at me and said 'it's what I'm going to become someday'. Of course 7 year old me was in disbelief, but you trusted me enough to tell me about your family. How your dad was your superhero, and how he taught you to paint. How your mom braided your hair before school everyday. And you told me your real name. I knew that I was supposed to be scared of you. I mean we had heard storied about the big bad Mikaelsons. But I never was. Not once. I knew in that moment that everything we had been taught about monsters, villans, and even Mikaelsons was just from one perspective. Because I knew that someone that pretty and kind would never hurt anyone," Josie spoke as she stroked Hope's hand with the back of her thumb.
Hope's eyes were fighting from fluttering shut as she smiled at Josies story.
"You thought I was pretty?" Hope spoke innocently.
"Always," Josie responded as she kissed her.
"It's at a 6 now," Hope muttered, her eyes now closed.
"Get some rest my love," Josie spoke as Hope moved closer to her and wrapped her arm across Josies waist, holding her like she was clutching a teddy bear.
Josie heard footsteps approaching them as Hope slept in her arms.
"How is she?" Rebekah whispered from behind in utter adoration at their love.
"Better than she was but still not very good," Josie responded as she stroked Hope's hair.
"I hate to do this, but Alaric has asked for her to come back to the school. He won't make her or you go to lessons, he says he has to keep and eye on her. And make sure she isn't a danger or whatever nonsense he's calling it," Rebekah tried to whisper but her hidden anger made the volume increase slightly.
"Okay. Can you just give us a few minutes?" Josie asked. Rebekah nodded and returned back to the school.
"Hope?" Josie whispered gently.
There was no response, the red haired girl was practically passed out in her arms.
"I'm taking you back to the school. I'm not leaving we are just moving locations okay?" Josie said as she picked her up.
Hope still couldn't hear but Josie said it anyway. Any sort of comfort Josie could give her Josie wanted.
Carrying Hope to her dorm, Josie was greeted by her dad at the gate.
"Dad go away. If you wake her up and she sees you she'll be 100 times worse than she is," Josie urged as she tried to move past him, being careful not to wake Hope.
"I need her to wear these," Alaric stated as he held out a pair of magic nullifying shackles.
"No" Josie sternly whispered as she moved back away from him to protect Hope. "She is not being put in shackles again after what just happened to her!"
"Josie.. remember what happened last time she was this upset, the school almost burned down!" Alaric complained as he moved closer to put the chains on Hope. Josie moved back again, her arms siphoning Hope incase she needed to protect her more powerfully.
"She only did that because she was alone and scared and you were treating her like a monster. Now step back and let me take my girlfriend to her room so she can sleep comfortably. Or else you and I are going to have more problems than we already do," Josie spoke angrily as she used her magic to shove him out of the way.
Rebekah watched from a distance and smiled, she could already see the Mikaelson in Josie.
Hope stirred in her sleep as Josie was about to set her down.
"Please stop," she whispered. Josie checked to see if she was awake, scared she was hurting her but Hope was still asleep.
"Please someone help me," she said louder, "please," she cried.
Josie held Hope again as her nightmare caused her to start sobbing in her arms. "I want Josie," Hope cried as she started hyperventilating.
"Hope it's okay I'm right here. I'm here," Josie conforted as she stroked her cheek, wiping tears away with her thumb.
Hope woke up scared as she clung to Josies shirt. Josie of course held her, protecting her. She would kill the people in Hope's nightmare if she could.
"Shhhh its okay. I'm here. You're okay you're safe," Josie repeated until she felt Hope's breath even out.
"I'm sorry," Hope sniffled
"Dont be sorry. It's not your fault it's okay. Can you tell me what you saw?" Josie asked as Hope now sat up facing her.
Josie noticed Hope's hesitation. "It's okay take your time," she soothed.
"I was back there. And he was hurting me and I couldn't move. And I'm scared," Hope sobbed quietly
Hope's use of present tense when describing her fear made Josie wrap her arms around her. Hope buried her face into Josies shoulder as Josie whispered comforting things to her.
Josie figured that it was probably Alaric and his god-damn shackles that triggered her nightmare. She never hated him more.
"Baby why don't you try and get some more rest you're sleepy," Josie urged as Hope was practically being held by Josie as she leaned on her.
"But I'm scared. The number is an 8 now," Hope said groggily almost angry at herself for letting the number get higher.
"It's okay I'm going to be here the whole time. And you can have fluffy with you. Nothing is going to happen I promise," Josie spoke as she handed Hope her teddy.
"Okay now go to sleep. It's okay," Josie whispered as she traced circles on Hope's forearm which gave Hope butterflies everytime she did it.
As she began to fall asleep, Josie whispered as incantation for good dreams and she comforted Hope into a peaceful rest.
Double update today bc the legacies finale comes out in a few hours ( I'm in UK and can't watch until tomorrow tho so :(((. )
Anyway I hope u all have a great day and this is ur reminder to drink water if u haven't.
Ily <33333