3rd Person POV
"Heads up!" A voice yells
Sadie looks over from her ab training spot at the boys training in the middle of the room
A ball flies across the gym, passing right in front of Raf and Jed catches it
Sadie stares in shock, sitting up and watching
"That almost took your head off." Jed tells him
"Yo, how long have I been here?" Raf asks, looking around
"For an hour." Jed says. "But you've been going through the motions like a zombie. You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Raf asks. "And, look, you don't need to pretend like you give a crap about me just 'cause I'm your alpha." Raf grabs the ball from him. "The game's back on. Come on."
***
Sadie walks out of the locker room, having just showered and changed into leggings and a hoodie
She moves her wet hair behind her ear as she walks down the hall
"Sadie!" Hope calls
Sadie turns around and sees Hope coming towards her
"Hey." Sadie says as the two start walking together. "I was heading to the kitchen for food cause I'm starving, do you wanna join?"
"Do you know where Landon is?" Hope asks
Sadie stops and looks at her
"He's not here?" Sadie asks
"No." Hope says. The two start walking again. "When's the last time you saw him? I mean I know you were spelled in your room for a long time yesterday but--"
"Actually, I saw him around midnight." Sadie says. "He danced with me and then said he needed to go and get some air. I thought he just needed some time outside before he went to bed."
"He left a voicemail." Hope says. "But it sounds...off...I don't know how to explain it. Dr Saltzman said not to worry about it but..."
"But that's all you can do?" Sadie pieces together
"Exactly." Hope says
"Well," Sadie starts as the two walk into the kitchen. "Woah." She says, looking around
Lizzie is standing in the middle of the kitchen...baking?
But there was a HUGE mess
"Was there a monster attack in here?" Hope asks, looking around
"There you are." Lizzie says. "I got tired of waiting, so I attempted a banana cream pie by myself."
"Where is it?" Hope asks
"In the garbage." Lizzie says. "I said attempted. So we're gonna go back to plan A, and you are gonna make it for me. 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."
"Have you slept at all?" Hope asks. "You seem a little..."
"Focused? Motivated? On point?" Lizzie says
"Sure. Yeah." Hope says
"Not sleeping in the same bedroom means that Twin Forgiveness Cuddle is off the table. But she's been holed up in the library, so a snack offering should do the trick." Lizzie says
"At some point, you might actually have to apologize." Sadie says
"Woah." Lizzie gasps. "Blonde squad is supposed to be on the same side. Never apologize. Trust me, okay? This is what we do. I'm selfish, then she sulks, and then I offer baked goods."
"Someone else's baked goods." Hope points out
"It's giving you something to do with yourself, isn't it?" Lizzie says. "Your turn for an update. Any word from our mop-headed elf?"
"He says he needs time to think." Hope says. "I don't know. I feel like if I could figure out the right thing to say, then he'd come back."
"So, practice." Lizzie says. "Emma has this prism that simulates a conversation."
"Oh, yeah, I've used it in sessions." Sadie says
"Exactly." Lizzie says. "She makes me use it to talk to my mom and my dad when I'm in a state. I'll trade you one prism for a banana cream pie."
***
Lizzie walks into Hope's room where Hope and Sadie are sitting on the bed and chatting
Hope had been waiting anxiously and she springs up on seeing Lizzie enter
"Knock yourself out." Lizzie says, handing Hope the prism
Sadie stands
"It's a little weird at first." Sadie tells Hope
"That's because you're basically talking to your subconscious." Lizzie says
"Thanks." Hope says. She hands Lizzie a book. "This is for you. I saw your dad reading it. He keeps it locked up in his office, so it's bound to have something about that Merge thing Josie's looking for."
"For once, your weird relationship with my dad actually comes in handy." Lizzie says
"Right." Hope says. "Uh, just be careful. If your dad's hiding something, I'm sure it's for a good reason."
"I'm sure I can handle it, whatever it is." Lizzie says. "I just have this feeling that everything is gonna work out just fine. Can you feel it? It's like the whole school is vibrating. We're both gonna get our people back."
Sadie starts walking out
"Oh, Sadie, wait." Hope says. "Here." She says, handing Sadie a letter. "Penelope left this for you -- told Josie it was important."
Sadie takes the letter and looks at the envelope
She is about to open it when she is stopped again
"Oh, you're supposed to open it in private." Hope says. "Holds very sensitive information."
"Well, while I'm all for drama and gossip but I have a twin to win back so I won't be getting into that today." Lizzie says turning around and opening the book
Sadie leaves the room, looking at the letter all the way to her room
***
Sadie had been staring at the letter for a while
SADIE: I hadn't opened the letter yet...I was too scared. Holding sensitive information? That did not sound like something I wanted to get into at the time...especially while Landon was missing. It turns out that I didn't even get the chance to read it yet because the floor under me started shaking...and in the room under me are the twins...more specifically, Lizzie
"Uh oh." Sadie mutters, pocketing the letter and running out of the room
She runs down the stairs and into Lizzie's room
The room is shaking and Lizzie is breathing heavily and whimpering, running around the room with broken things around
"Uh oh." Sadie mumbles again
Sadie freezes
SADIE: Normally, I have these breakdowns...I have no clue how to help them
"Hey, are you okay?" Hope asks, running in
SADIE: Thank god
"Stay back!" Lizzie says. "It's fine. It'll pass."
"What do we do? Do we need to do the yelling- in-the-woods thing?" Hope asks
"No, I just, I need to find out what this Merge thing is, okay?" Lizzie says. "I feel like it's a spell that she's gonna use to just leave or break us up or something!"
The lights blow out
Hope calms Lizzie to sit down
"All right, deep breaths. Deep breaths." Hope tells her. "I'll call my Aunt Freya... she'll know something about the Merge. Okay?"
"Okay." Lizzie breathes
Hope runs out
Sadie stands there, staring at Lizzie who is still taking deep breaths and wiping her eyes
"God..." Lizzie whispers, wiping away a few tears. "Sorry to drop this on you, Nightshade."
"Hey, it's okay." Sadie says, walking over and sitting next to Lizzie. "Blondes stick together right? Especially when we both have...episodes."
"How do you deal with them?" Lizzie asks
"Not well." Sadie whispers. "But we're both still learning, aren't we?"
"Yeah, I guess..." Lizzie whispers and sniffles
***
Sadie and Hope are in Dr Saltzman's office
Hope sits on the desk on the phone
Sadie stands close to Hope, listening in on the conversation
They're both shocked
Dr Saltzman walks in
"I need to talk to you about Raf, Hope. Sarah, please leave." Dr Saltzman says
"I have to say something first." Hope says. "Freya just explained the Merge. Josie's pretty much figured it out, and, uh, Lizzie is spiraling. So, either you do it or I will, but it's time to tell them the truth."
***
Hope is speed walking down the hall
She runs into the gym and sees the girl wolves on the bleachers talking
"You." Hope says, grabbing Sadie's arm and pulling her out of a conversation
"Hey, woah, where are we going?" Sadie asks, stumbling to catch up with Hope's speed
"Just come." Hope says
As the two walk down the hall, Hope grabs Roman's arm out of a conversation and pulls him along
"Hey, woah, where are we going?" Roman asks
"I had the same reaction." Sadie tells him
"Just follow me." Hope says
They get to Dr Saltzman's office
Hope goes over the phone
"I need your ears." Hope tells the two. "You have to listen. Like really really listen."
The two nod
They walk over to the desk
Hope starts the recording
It's Landon's voice
Sadie closes her eyes
"Hey, Ric, sorry to take off like that, but I just needed a little time, so I'm going camping for a while." Landon says
"I can hear..." Sadie starts
"....shoes on a tile floor." Roman finishes
"Hopefully, I can catch up on classwork later." Landon says
"An air conditioner running." Roman says
"Tell Raf and Jed hi for me." Landon says
"Keycards being swiped." Roman says
"Triad." Sadie whispers
"Triad?" Roman asks
"I mean, it has to be them." Hope reasons. "They've already tried to come for him once."
"What are you gonna do?" Roman asks
"I'm gonna go full Wonder Woman, that's what." Hope says
"Do you need any help?" Roman asks
"No. I've already got my Super Squad." Hope says. "But thank you for everything."
"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." Roman says. "Can't turn off my vamp hearing. I wasn't trying to spy or anything. You're not a mistake, okay? The cosmos is lucky to have you. So is Landon. He'll figure that out."
Hope gives Roman a kiss on the cheek
Hope and Sadie walk out
"So...what's our play?" Sadie asks
"We rescue Landon." Hope says
***
Sadie walks into Hope's room
"How'd you sleep?" Hope asks
"What do you think?" Sadie scoffs
"Not well?" Hope says
"Bingo." Sadie says, tapping her nose
Raf walks in
"I'm coming." Raf says
"Hello to you, too." Sadie says
"And, uh, no, you're not." Hope says
"Look, last time you did this without me, it was a disaster." Raf says
"Except I'm not gonna go alone this time." Hope says. "I'm gonna draft the twins, MG, Kaleb. I've got Sadie. We're going before Dr. Saltzman comes back. It'll be like a Super Squad Assemble. I don't know. Is that a thing? I don't know. I'll ask MG."
"Yeah, I'll ask him myself." Raf says
"Raf, Dr. Saltzman told me about the side effects. I'm sorry, but I can't let you come." Hope says. "How do you feel now?"
Raf sits down
"Like my brain's split down the middle." Raf says. "I keep having these flashes like I can't control myself, and..."
"That's why you're not coming on the mission." Hope says, sitting down in front of him. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"You know why." Raf says
"Raf..." Hope whispers
Sadie backs up to the wall
"I don't know how to be around you, Hope." Raf says. "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."
"Raf... you're a good brother." Hope says. "But for once, you need to put yourself first. Do what you need to get better. If things get really bad...use this." She says, holding out her ring. "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. 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."
"I am really glad I know you... Hope Mikaelson." Raf says
Hope lets out a laugh
"Now, go." Raf says. "Go save our boy. And don't let anything stop you."
He gets up to leave and nods to Sadie
"See you later, Sades." Raf says
Sadie nods
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