"I'LL TELL YOU A STORY"
Waking up at the school with no roommate to talk to was going to be hard for Kayla as she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling.
Every morning, Penelope would be the one to wake her up, throw her uniform at her and work on her make up while Kayla took a shower.
This morning, there was no music playing on the room, no one humming the lyrics while applying mascara. Just silence.
Well, until there was a creak at the other side of the room.
Kayla frowned and rolled over on the bed, holding back a gasp as she saw a familiar brown haired head, sleeping on Penelope's bed. Warily, the siphoner stood, throwing the blankets away from her quietly, tiptoeing to the other bed, peering at whoever was sleeping in her ex-roommate's bed. Her eyes widened, stepping back, scratching the back of her neck, awkwardly when she saw who was it.
Josie.
Kayla nodded to herself, backing away, picking up the uniform from her nightstand, making her way to the bathroom, not wanting to be present when Josie woke up and engage in a weird conversation.
~8~
Once Kayla got out of the bathroom, Josie was no longer there, the bed made as if no one had slept in. Her shoulders fell, sighing softly, glancing to her nightstand to a photo of her and Penelope at Kayla's sixteen birthday that had been kept quiet and only Penelope, Hope and Alaric knew about. Penelope had given her a birthday muffin that morning where she demanded to get their picture taken. To be honest, she was glad she insisted for it as it was the only picture they had together.
A small smile played on her lips, looking at her reflection, fixing her hair, picking up her bag and leaving her room.
~8~
Class had gone by quick and Kayla found herself paying more attention than she usually did.
She left the classroom of the witch class with Hope, who seemed distracted.
"You alright?" Kayla asked, holding her books to her chest.
"Something's just wrong" Hope told her as they walked down the hallway. "Landon left the school and sent a message to Dr. Saltzman that doesn't make sense. He told him to say hi to Jed"
Kayla's eyebrows furrowed, "But they're not friends. Why would Landon ask that?"
"Exactly" Hope told her, "He must have known we'd know he's in trouble for that"
"Maybe he's just trying to get your attention?" Kayla suggested.
"He's angry at me, he was blunt about it" Hope told her, shaking her head, "He wouldn't want to talk to me. I'm telling you, Kay. He's in trouble. What if Triad took him? They sent Medusa for him at the pageant"
"Then he should've stayed here" Kayla told her. "This is the safest he could ever be. If he got in trouble is because he was an idiot to leave it because he couldn't handle being lied to"
Hope sighed, shaking her head.
~8~
Hope and Kayla got inside the kitchen, stopping in shock at the mess.
"Wow" Kayla mouthed, slightly wide eyed.
"Was there a monster attack in here?" Hope asked, walking closer to Lizzie who was at the middle of the mess, wearing an apron.
"There you are" Lizzie told them, "I got tired of waiting, so I attempted a banana cream pie by myself"
Kayla looked around, picking up a banana peel with the tip of her fingers, "So, where is it?"
"In the garbage" Lizzie answered, "I said 'attempted'." She walked closer to them, taking off her apron, giving it to Hope. Kayla threw the banana peel to the trash can in slight disgust "So we're gonna go back to plan A, and you two are gonna make it for me" She turned around, walking to a table, nonchalantly "Status update: Josie didn't come back last night. I think she slept in Penelope's old room, which is a really good way to get hepatitis B"
"Confirmed" Kayla told her. Lizzie whirled to face her cousin, expectantly "She slept in Penelope's bed. Scared the crap out of me this morning. Had to be silent in my morning routine to not engage in a conversation. She was gone the moment I stepped out of the shower"
Lizzie pointed at her, triumphantly "Ha! I knew it"
Hope gave Lizzie a concerned look, "Have you slept at all? You seem a little-"
"Focused?" Lizie asked forcefully and cheerfully, "Motivated? On point?"
Hope looked at Kayla hesitantly, nodding at Lizzie, forcing a smile "Sure"
Kayla nodded, playing along "Yeah"
"Not sleeping in the same bedroom means that Twin Forgiveness Cuddle is off the table" Lizzie told them. "But she's been holed up in the library, so a snack offering should do the trick"
Lizzie threw food in a bowl, anxiously.
"At some point, you might actually have to apologize" Kayla told her, raising her eyebrows.
Hope had updated her on the similarities between her relationship with Landon and the twins'relationship. Neither of them were talking to each other and Lizzie and Hope had made a deal to help each other out to get their relationships fixed.
And like with every Hope/Lizzie's schemes, Kayla was dragged into it. Not like she was complaining. At least she'll have something to do instead of just studying.
Lizzie gasped as if offended, "Never apologize"
Kayla whispered, "Okay"
Hope's lips twitched, awkwardly.
"Trust me, okay?" Lizzie told them "This is what we do. I'm selfish, then she sulks, and then I offer baked goods"
"Someone else's baked goods" Hope corrected.
"It's giving you something to do with yourself, isn't it?" Lizzie replied. Hope fell silent. Lizzie turned away, "Your turn for an update. Any word from our mop-headed elf?"
Hope sighed, briefly looking away "He says he needs time to think"
"Hmm" Lizzie hummed thoughtfully, glancing at Kayla.
Kayla shrugged, making a face.
"I don't know" Hope told them, "I feel like if I could figure out the right thing to say, then he'd come back"
Lizzie blinked, "So, practice" Kayla tilted her head curiously. Hope looked at Lizzie expectantly "Emma has this prism that simulates a conversation. She makes me use it to talk to my mom and my dad when I'm in a state" She began walking to them, a small smile playing on her lips with an idea "I'll trade you one prism for a banana cream pie"
Hope chuckled softly.
"You got yourself a deal, Saltzman" Kayla told her, picking up a bowl and a banana.
Hope looked at them, gratefully.
~8~
While Lizzie and Hope were doing their thing. Lizzie trying to get into Josie's good graces and Hope practicing a way to apologize to Landon, Kayla sat in her room, reading the Rivers' grimoire. Initially, when she took it with her the day she was leaving her house but ended up burning it when her family prevented her from leaving, her goal was to burn it to the ground, mocking and destroying their magic. However, once they were gone and guilt washed her over at the thought of being the cause, she decided not to as it was the only thing she had left of her family.
The spells containing the book were rare and some seemed like self invented and a waste of time. The one that caught her attention though was the 'sanguineous maxima' spell. It supposed to expand someone's blood when you drank it. It grossed her out because, who in their right mind would want someone else's blood in your body to expand enough to temporarily replace your own?
Her family was crazy.
Didn't matter. It wasn't like she was going to use those spells right? It was merely just curiosity.
Suddenly, the lights began to flicker and the air crackled with magic, almost making her want to siphon it. Kayla stood, sensing someone losing control and closed her eyes, trying to pinpoint the source, opening her eyes, running out of her room, all the way toward the twins' room.
She found Hope running closer from the other side of the hallway, barely giving each other a glance as their priority was the blonde freaking out inside the room.
"Liz" Kayla called out in worry, seeing the lights flickering and anything Lizzie touched breaking. "Hey, it's okay. You're okay"
Lizzie turned to them, face contorted in pure panic "Stay back" Kayla grabbed Hope's arm, pulling her back as electricity buzzed around them. Lizzie's hands shook as she took deep breaths "It's fine. It'll pass"
Kayla's eyes flickered to the lamp as Lizzie grabbed her head, "What do you need right now, Lizzie?"
"Do-do we to do the yelling-in-the-woods thing?" Hope asked, stammering in worry.
Lizzie shook her head, panting "No, I just, I need to find out what this Merge thing is, okay?" She began pacing around the room in panic making her magic flare up and lose more control. "I feel like it's a spell that she's gonna use to just leave or break us up or something!"
Kayla stalked forward, grabbing Lizzie's shoulders, siphoning the magic from the school Lizzie was unknowingly using making the lights shatter and engulf them in darkness "Hey, hey, hey" Lizzie seemed in the verge of crying as Kayla helped her sit down. "Deep breaths, Liz. Deep breaths"
Hope knelt besides them, eyeing Lizzie in worry, "I'll call my Aunt Freya she'll know something about the Merge. Okay?"
Lizzie grabbed Kayla's hands in her shoulders, trying to anchor herself, taking deep breaths, nodding shakily "Okay"
Hope squeezed Lizzie's shoulder, "Okay" She stood, running away, stopping at the door, "Kay?"
Kayla didn't take her eyes away from her cousin. "Go. I'll stay here with Lizzie. I don't hink she should be alone, right now"
Lizzie breathed in shakily, her hands not leaving her cousin's as if proving her statement.
Hope nodded, leaving the room hurriedly.
Kayla stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Lizzie when the blonde began to sob softly, resting her chin in her cousin's shoulder, letting out her frustration and anxiety through tears.
She knew she had to know what this merge was. She had the feeling she knew but nothing was coming to her. It was making her feel crazy. She didn't want to lose her sister, more than she already did.
~8~
Lizzie was calm now.
Kayla walked in, giving her a cup of tea, sitting next to her.
"Thanks" Lizzie murmured, hands still shaking slightly. She felt slightly embarrassed her cousin had seen her lose control like that but there was no judgment in her eyes which made her feel a little better. "I guess this happens when you don't take your meds"
Kayla held her hands in her lap, sighing softly "At least you can blame your meds and your body chemistry for this. I never had an excuse for when I had mine"
"Lucky me" Lizzie murmured, sighing in sympathy for her cousin, letting her head rest on Kayla's shoulder almost instinctively. Both girls froze. Lizzie for a moment had forgotten Josie wasn't there and it was easy for it as Josie always took care of her after her episodes. Kayla only let Hope use her shoulder as a pillow which made this awkward for them both. Lizzie raised her head "I'm sorry. I-"
"It's okay" Kayla told her surprising them both. "You said you needed twin cuddling. I'm no Josie but, you can pretend I am"
Lizzie relaxed, letting out a small breath in relief, slowly resting her head on Kayla's shoulder again, "Thanks"
Kayla sighed softly with a small smile "No problem"
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"I want to be alone if you don't mind" Lizzie told her quietly. Kayla hummed softly, nodding "I really appreciate what you're doing for me but I need to find out what this merge is about. And if I'm right, it also concerns you for being Gemini too"
"I am?" Kayla asked, raising her eyebrows.
"You are, idiot" Lizzie told her, raising her head, rolling her eyes "You have our blood too. We are family, that includes being the last three members of this coven"
Kayla chuckled, standing up "Alright" She began to walk away, hesitating at the door, turning to Lizzie who sat on the floor, placing candles around her to not be in the darkness. "You gonna be okay?"
Lizzie nodded "I will"
Kayla nodded and slowly backed away, leaving.
~8~
Kayla found Hope at Alaric's office, talking over the phone with her aunt.
Hope's eyes were slightly wide as she beckoned Kayla to come closer, placing the phone between them, hearing what Freya knew about the merge.
When Alaric entered the office, Freya was just finishing explaining, hanging up.
"I need to talk to you about Raf, Hope" Alaric told her.
"We have to say something first" Hope told him, frowning "Freya just explained the Merge" Alaric went rigid, looking at them in worry "Josie's pretty much figured it out, and, uh, Lizzie is spiraling. So, either you do it or I or Kay will, but it's time to tell them the truth"
Kayla crossed her arms, looking at him seriously, worrying about her cousins' fate
She didn't want to lose either of them, the only family she had left.
~8~
Hope had finally realized something she hadn't earlier. Landon was truly in danger so she got back to the office, bringing Roman with her.
Kayla was reading her grimoire when they both walked in.
"Kay" Hope told her. Kayla looked up "We need the phone to hear Landon's message again"
Kayla frowned, closing the grimoire, pulling out the phone, pressing a button to play Landon's message.
"Hey, Ric, sorry to take off like that, but I just needed a little time, so I'm going camping for a while" Landon's voice came through the beeping machine.
Roman tilted his head, listening intently into the recording. "I can hear shoes on a tile floor"
"Hopefully, I can catch up on classwork later" Landon's voice continued.
"An air conditioner running" Roma informed.
Kayla and Hope stared at him, intently.
"Tell Raf and Jed hi for me" Landon finished.
Roman shook his head slightly, "Keycards being swiped"
Hope nodded in frustration, throwing her hands up, letting them fall slowly "Mm, Triad. I mean, it has to be them"
"Makes sense" Kayla told them, tapping her chin with a pen "They've already tried to come for him once"
Hope stood, gesturing at Kayla to stand up and follow her.
Kayla made a face but stood, following her as Hope began to walk to the door.
Roman stood, turning to face them, looking between them, "What are you gonna do?"
Hope sighed, stopping, turning to face him "I'm gonna go full Wonder Woman, that's what"
Kayla walked pass Hope, toward the door.
"Do you need any help?" Roman asked.
"No" Hope answered, glancing at Kayla, "I have Kay by my side and our own Super Squad" Kayla mock saluted with two fingers, walking toward the door. Roman nodded slightly. Hope smiled slightly, "But thank you for everything"
Roman stood, nodding in acknowledgement "Hey, uh Ric said I should probably head back out into the field, and I was actually coming to find you and say goodbye earlier, but, uh, then I heard you on the dock" Hope and Kayla raised their eyebrows slightly. Roman shrugged not looking apologetic, "Can't turn off my vamp hearing. I wasn't trying to spy or anything" He cleared his throat, sparing a glance at Kayla who looked at him knowingly. She was aware he still had feelings for Hope but after what he did to her and how he saw her with Landon, he wouldn't act upon them. Kayla respected him and admired him for it even if she wished Roman and Hope to be together more than Hope and Landon. Hope looked down, clearing her throat, slightly awkward "You're not a mistake, okay? The cosmos is lucky to have you. So is Landon. He'll figure that out"
Hope leaned forward and kissed his cheek slightly, grateful for his support.
Kayla smiled a small smile but glanced at Hope with a frown.
Did she seriously thought she was a mistake?
How wrong Hope was. She was everything except a mistake.
~8~
Hope and Kayla were at Hope's room, ready to go find Landon.
Hope was looking through her drawers while Kayla had both her own grimoire and Hope's family grimoire, flipping through the pages as she looked for any useful spells.
Rafael walked in, "I'm coming"
Hope and Kayla looked at him.
"Hello to you, too" Hope told him, sarcastically. "Uh, and, no, you're not".
Rafael looked between the girls, seeing Kayla was getting ready too, "Look, last time you two did this without me, it was a disaster"
Kayla huffed slightly, "Except we're not gonna go alone this time"
Hope nodded, counting with her fingers "We're gonna draft the twins, MG, Kaleb... We're going before Dr.
Saltzman comes back" She shrugged as Kayla finished writing a spell from her grimoire, shoving the paper to her jacket. She had the feeling she was going to need it even if it looked useless at first thought. "It'll be like a Super Squad Assemble. I don't know" She made a face, looking at Kayla "Is that a thing?"
Kayla shrugged, "I don't know. We should ask MG"
Hope nodded, chuckling, turning around, picking up her jacket and Kayla's.
"Yeah, I'll ask him myself" Rafael told them, rolling his eyes.
Hope turned to him again, seriously "Raf, Dr. Saltzman told me about the side effects" She handed Kayla her jacket. Kayla accepted it, folding it over her arm. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you come" Rafael looked away uncomfortably, crossing his arms. Hope sighed, softening her voice. "How do you feel now?"
Rafale sighed, sitting on a chair next to the bed, looking down slightly "Like my brain's split down the middle" Kayla looked toward the window feeling a slight pang of guilt of what he was going through, remembering she had helped Hope with the elixir to help him find Landon. Hope seemed even more guilty, looking down, fidgeting with her necklace "I keep having these flashes like I can't control myself, and-"
Kayla turned away from the window to fce him, face void of the guilt and sympathy she was internally feeling for him "That's why you're not coming on the mission"
Rafael looked down, disappointed.
Hope sat down, sad and worried, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Rafael hesitated, looking away briefly "You know why"
Hope looked guilty, sighing, closing her eyes "Raf..."
Even Kayla looked guilty, knowing what he meant.
"I don't know how to be around you, Hope" Rafael told her. "I don't want to feel this way, so I push it down, and that just makes the split in my brain worse, which makes it harder to hide.
And the only person that I want to talk about it with is the only person I can't"
Rafael looked down, embarrassed and sad.
Hope sighed softly, looking like she was going to cry out of guilt as if it was her fault Rafael had feelings for her she did not reciprocate "Raf you're a good brother. But for once, you need to put yourself first. Do what you need to get better" She seemed to get an idea, standing up. Kayla looked at her curiously. "If things get really bad..." She walked to her vanity, picking up a ring, giving it to him, sighing softly. Rafael looked at the ring curiously. "Use this. It's a long story, but, um, it was a gift from a family friend. But it's essentially like a reverse kyanite ring. When you use it, you can turn yourself at will" Rafael looked up, surprised. Hope nodded slightly, "In your wolf mind, things are less complicated. You know that. It'll buy you time to heal. Only catch is, um, you can't turn yourself back, so, if you do use it, all you have to do is come find me when you're ready to be yourself again"
Rafael nodded, smiling gratefully, looking down. "I am really glad I know you Hope Mikaelson"
Hope laughed slightly.
Kayla groaned, "Oh, God. Don't say it like that" Rafael and Hope looked at her. Kayla walked closer, stopping in front of them, crossing her arms, "When you say it like that, it's almost like you feel this is gonna be the last time you see each other. Don't jinx it. We've have very bad experiences with jinxed missions in the past
Hope nodded slightly, amused "Yeah"
Rafael smiled slightly, "I am very glad to have known you too, Kayla Rivers" Kayla rolled her eyes, but couldn't help her lips from twitching slightly in a small smile. Hope smiled. Rafael sighed, nodding at them, "Now, go. Go save our boy, Hope. And don't let anything stop you. Either of you"
Hope and Kayla looked at each other, determined.
Nothing would stop them.
~8~
A/N:
Next chapter season finale.
Who's as excited as me??? Someone who knows what's exactly gonna happen? *insert little evil laugh*
I don't know yet if I'll continue season two in this same book or put up another with a different name and all. I may or may not. Depends on how I feel with the ending.
This chapter, I was supposed to update it on Saturday but I kinda finished it today, two days earlier so I could have more of a week to do the final. I couldn't really resist not updating.
It was short but I liked it as Lizzie/Kay's relationship is developing even more. Now they do see each other more as family and act like it. Don't know how long it's gonna last though, so....
Thoughts on the end? What do you think it's gonna happen?
I had two different paths i could take. Hope jumps and Kayla forgets her like everyone else and maybe get to see a little dark Kay because of it or she jumps with Hope to the Malivore pit as she found a way to help Hope destroy Malivore for ever and everyone forgets about them both....
Express yourself. What do you think would happen and what do you want to happen?
Thank you everyone for reading and to be patient with me. My year of social service at the hospital is killing my free time to write... And I barely have a month in. Imagine the next eleven months? I'm gonna be dead.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Peace and Out,
De