Recap:
"Yeah, and I'm sorry I made you worry. But why exile Aiden?" Hope paused. "Oh, my God. Exile. You haven't...?" When Klaus shook his head, Hope sighed. "I don't believe this. You promised not to interfere, not after last time." Hope swung on her jacket and sped out.
"Well done, Nik," Kol said cheerfully and he walked out.
Klaus scowled, tempted to snap Kol's neck.
Freya looked disappointed.
"I'm gonna try to make her see reason." Freya sighed as she sped away, Vincent and Marcel following.
Klaus looked at Elijah, his mouth open, but Elijah did not care to hear his younger brother out.
Finally, Klaus turned to Rebekah, who refused to meet his eyes. Hayley waited until Rebekah was gone. Finally, she spoke.
"If she refuses to talk to you, it's your own fault, Klaus." Hayley said to Klaus before she walked out.
Klaus scowled silently. He looked down and sighed, feeling worried that he had lost his daughter for good.
********
Chapter Eleven:
Running faster than the wind, Hope looked around, her heart thudding as she listened out desperately. Aiden, please be okay, please be okay...feeling sick in the pit of her stomach, Hope came to sudden stop. Her phone buzzed. Glancing at it, she groaned.
I'm sorry for my brother's actions, please come home. We're getting worried. xxx
Quickly replying to Rebekah's text, Hope pulled her jacket closer and carried on walking before deciding to take a detour across the bayou. She had just reached the bayou when she stopped.
"Whatever you've got to say, I don't want to hear it."
"We all know your father is a pompous asshole but he means well," Marcel said.
"Since when were you Dad's biggest fan?"
"Since I know how much he loves you. Hope, don't you understand how lucky you are, Hope! You have a loving family, wonderful friends, a home. You have it all, being the daughter of the world's oldest hybrid. Many would kill to be in your position."
Hope faced Marcel, Freya and Vincent, the latter of whom were watching her silently.
"Just how I would kill to have a normal family. A mother and a father. Maybe even siblings." Hope sighed. "Why does he always mess things up?"
"He doesn't mean to, my beautiful angel," Freya smiled as she walked towards Hope, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Hope, your father loves you very much, he just doesn't know how to show it or what it even means."
"Will he ever?" Hope scoffed.
"He will, I'll make sure of that, my child."
"It's so unfair," Hope whispered, her fists curled up into balls. "Dad knows how much Aiden means to me yet he just..."
"There's no point getting all worked up, sis," Marcel said. "We all know Klaus can be a bastard but he loves you."
"If you say so," Hope mumbled. "I need to find Aiden. I'll see you all at the house."
"Let us help." Vincent suggested.
"No, I need to be the one to find him. Please. Thank you, Vinny." Hope sped off and Vincent smiled at his old nickname.
"I'm really worried about her," Freya admitted to Marcel and Vincent.
"She'll be okay, after all, she has Mikaelson blood flowing through her," Marcel smiled.
Vincent chuckled.
"Come on, we better go back before something else happens."
Meanwhile, Hope had come to a stop. She looked around and sighed.
"Where on earth are you?"
Suddenly, Hope heard a steady heartbeat. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythmic sound.
"Aiden..." Hope whispered, "Where are you?"
Warm energy ebbed through Hope's mind, tingling her nerves. Finally, she opened her eyes. Hope smiled as she looked into the distance, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes. Seconds later, she was gone.
"Hey..."
Aiden looked around before seeing Hope. He did not smile. His normally perfect hair was messy as if he had been running his hands through it all night.
"I heard what happened." Hope whispered.
"I didn't poison you." Aiden murmured. "I would never hurt you, Hopey. Please believe me."
"I know," Hope whispered. "I'm sorry for what happened before."
Aiden looked at Hope before running towards her and enveloping her in a warm hug. After some time, he pulled away and sighed.
"What do you know?"
"Well..." Hope held Aiden's hands and sighed. "Mum told me that Dad was pissed off at you, because you said you were the one who poisoned me. You weren't..."
"I didn't." Aiden repeated. "Look, Hope, I don't know why I said it was me, but I promise it wasn't me. I swear on April's life."
"No, don't do that!" Hope put her hand over Aiden's mouth. "Don't swear on your niece's life, Aid, please."
"Why not? Please tell me you believe me?" Aiden's voice wavered. "Hope?"
"I do!" Hope sighed. "But how could you be compelled when you drink vervain?"
"That's what I've been trying to figure out." Aiden paused and groaned. "I haven't been drinking vervain for the past two days! I've been out drinking with Kol and he's been making me coffee the next day to sober me up. No wonder! The coffee I made myself always had vervain it in, but Kol wouldn't know to put some in!"
"That must be it!" Hope laughed. "Come on! We must tell my family before they start something else." Hope pulled Aiden along with her. "Quickly. I can't believe I never thought of that myself!"
"I don't blame you," Aiden murmured.
"I'm sorry." Hope sighed as she rested her forehead against Aiden's.
"We're gonna be fine. As long as we don't leave each other's side." Aiden said in a determined voice. "They can't get to us if we do that. You know that, baby."
"Maybe we should..." Hope closed her eyes and smiled before she looked into Aiden's eyes, her bright blue eyes clashing with his deep brown ones. "Come on, let's go home."
"Back to your parents' home?" Aiden asked.
"No..." Hope smiled sadly. "Back to London."
Aiden's eyes widened.
"No, Hope. I can't let you do that. This is your home. I can't take you away from your family just because I feel bad or whatever."
"Maybe coming back truly was a mistake." Hope murmured as she played with Aiden's hair. "I don't know...if we went back to London, my family would be upset...which is an understatement...but if we stay, then we're in danger from Aurora, her creep of a brother and other enemies. It's a lose lose situation."
"We can handle them," Aiden said softly. "You said it yourself. Your family is the strongest in the world. The first vampires. You're a mixed breed too. Wolf and vampire...human too."
"Mixed breed? You make me sound like I'm a dog," Hope smiled.
"You're a cute one, in that case,"
"Shut up," Hope giggled as Aiden hugged her. She sighed softly, a worried frown on her face. "What should we do?"
"We need to stay. Your family happens to like me, dare I say it. We must stay, Hopey."
"Suppose you're right..."
"I'm always right, babe," Aiden smiled.
"Sure you are," Hope winked. "Come on, let's get out of here before my family sends the whole of New Orleans out looking for us."
"Now that would be a welcome sight," Aiden laughed.
"You wouldn't say that if you knew what it's like!"
Aiden smiled as he put his arms around Hope.
"I'm so lucky you're mine."
"You'll continue to be lucky, for I will forever be yours," Hope kissed Aiden gently. "Come on, Aid, let's go home."
At the Mikaelson Mansion, Kol and Elijah were watching Klaus, who was sitting in front of the fire, deep in his thoughts.
"They're on their way," Vincent was back.
"And Hayley?" Elijah asked.
"She's still pissed," Marcel said, his eyes on Klaus. "You shouldn't have said what you did."
Freya remained quiet.
"She needed to hear it." Klaus murmured.
"Why would you tell the mother of your only child you would kill Tristan and his sister to make sure Hope stays?" Elijah asked calmly.
"Because I will kill them, brother, make no mistake." Klaus snarled.
"You do that and you start another war," Rebekah finally spoke up. "We have only just got Hope back. I won't lose her, not again."
"What do you suggest, Rebekah?" Marcel asked.
"We let her know that we are there for her. But we will do everything in our power to ensure her safety and that of Aiden."
Klaus made an impatient noise.
"Problem, Nik?" Kol asked in a bright voice.
"You know damn well what the problem is." Klaus snapped. "I still don't think Aiden is trustworthy."
"Klaus, don't," Freya warned.
"And why is that?"
Everyone turned around to see Hope standing there.
"Hope, I-" Klaus began.
"Why, Dad?" Hope asked again and her voice wavered.
"Darling," Rebekah smiled. "Where's Aiden?"
"Never mind where Aiden is," Hope was staring at her father. "Why isn't he trustworthy?"
"Sweetheart," Klaus walked towards Hope, "he is a human being. They're not as trustworthy. They also get hurt easily."
"Hope," Elijah said, "Not all of us share the same views as your father,"
"That's comforting," Hope murmured. She cleared her throat. "So, I wanted to tell you that Aiden and I are flying out to England as soon as possible."
"What?" Marcel was aghast.
"When did you decide that?" Kol asked furiously.
Hope looked into her father's eyes.
"I decided a few seconds ago," Hope looked down and sighed. "There's nothing you can say to change my mind."
Klaus was stunned.
"Hope," Rebekah sped in front of her niece. "No, you can't go back. We won't let you."
"There's a number of reasons I wanna go back," Hope sighed. "I want to keep Aiden safe. Not be here to see Tristan and his ugly sister. Not have to deal with..." Hope glanced at Klaus sadly. "Please. I need to do this for myself and Aiden."
"I support your decision." Klaus said in a tight voice.
"Are you serious?" Rebekah asked.
"Thanks," Hope smiled as she looked at her father. "I mean, I was gonna go anyway."
Klaus nodded and sped out.
Hope looked at the others.
"He's pissed off, isn't he?"
"Can you blame him?" Marcel asked. "Just when I thought I got my sister back, bam, you're leaving again."
"I need to do this to save Aiden. Surely you of all people understand? When you tried to protect Cami by sending her away."
"And look where she is," Vincent said. "She's dead."
"Aiden could go the same way if we don't leave!" Hope screamed. Seeing that the other were watching in disbelief, she bit her lip. "Please, why won't you understand? If you all truly love me, you'll let me go."
"It doesn't work like that," Rebekah murmured.
"Why not?" Hope looked at Freya. "Say you understand?"
Freya did not speak.
"So much for family. Always and forever, what a crock of shit," Hope whispered before she sped out.
Some hours later, Hope had called her family to Marcel's old studio. To her dismay, Rebekah, Freya, Marcel and Vincent did not turn up.
Kol watched as Hope stared at her phone.
"What are you gonna do?" Kol asked softly.
"The one thing that will ensure Aiden is safe and forgets I ever existed." Hope put her phone in her pocket.
Hayley gasped.
"No. No. Hope. No, damn it." Hayley had angry tears in her eyes. "You cannot do that to him, damn it. It's cruel!"
"I'm being cruel to be kind," Hope whispered as a tear fell.
"I won't let you do it," Hayley said fiercely. "That's the worst thing you could do to Aiden. He loves you!"
"Your mother is right."
"Uncle Elijah, how long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough," Elijah walked in, looking down and his hands in his pocket. "Compelling Aiden to forget he ever knew you? That is not like you."
"I gotta do this," Hope wiped her tears away. "I love him so much, but I can't have him hurt or even killed by a million enemies we have." Hope looked at her mother. "Please, mum. Please say you understand."
"Hope, you have all of us there to protect you and Aiden. Why would you want to leave New Orleans again?" Kol asked. "Unless..."
"Unless you are leaving because of Niklaus?" Elijah asked. "Darling, your father will come around. Leaving your family again will only serve to hurt you and Aiden."
"I'm doing this for Aiden."
"Sounds like an excuse," Kol said in a disappointed tone.
"It's not..." Hope walked to Hayley. "Please, mum. Surely you understand my reason?"
"I love you so much, baby, but I'm sorry, I can't support you in your decision." Hayley kissed Hope's forehead and sped away.
Hope nodded, feeing crushed. She inhaled shakily and looked at her youngest uncle.
"Uncle Kol?" Hope asked.
"Compelling him to forget? That's cruel, darling, even for me," Kol murmured as he cupped Hope's face. "But I'm still here for you." He too, sped off.
Her eyes pricking with more tears, Hope turned to face Elijah only to find that he was gone.
"God," Hope whispered as she sniffed. "What should I do?" Remembering the way her father looked at her with disappointment, she closed her eyes and sped out into the dark.
So, has everyone turned their back on poor Hope?