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"I'M HOME." A smiling seventeen year old calls as she enters the compound, bags in hand. "Dad? Dad? Where is everyone?"
"Hope." Klaus greets his daughter, a smile of his own on his face. "How are you, sweetheart?"
"I'm good. Schools been good." Hope replies, hugging her father. "I'm just glad we're on break."
"Hope." A cheerful voice sounds through the compound, causing both Klaus and Hope's attention to turn.
"Mom." Hope drops her things, running towards her mother. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you, too." Cullen laughs, squeezing her daughter.
"Now that is unfair." Klaus cuts in, pointing towards the two women he loves most in the world. "You can not favor one parent just because they send you money on a weekly basis."
"That's not why she favors me." Cullen jokes, wrapping her arms around Klaus' torso, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. "When is everyone supposed to get her?"
Klaus glances towards the watch on his wrist. "In a couple hours. We have some time to our selves."
-
"I can't believe Nik is turning one this year." Cullen drawls as she folds laundry, doing mindless chores until the rest of the family shows up.
"Yes, I do love that little troublemaker." Klaus smirks.
"Only cause he's named after you." Cullen shakes her head, a small laugh passing her lips.
"That is a perk." Klaus smiles, his eyes moving around the room until they land on the pictures from his and Cullen's wedding, the second one they had where Cullen finally got to wear her pretty white dress. "I miss Italy. We should go back soon."
Cullen groans, the memories of the beautiful city coming to mind. "It's so pretty there during the spring. Once New Years is over we should go."
"I think that can be arranged." Klaus drawls, pulling Cullen closer to him so he can kiss her.
"Mom, dad- Oh, am I interrupting something?" Hope runs into their room, only to stop when she see's her parents embraced.
"No." Both parents laugh, pulling away from each other. "What is it?"
"They're here." Hope exclaims, bouncing out of their room.
"C'mon." Cullen mumbles, pulling Klaus out of their room to greet the rest of the family. Everyone was there. Freya, Keelin, and their son, Nik. Davina and Kol. Marcel and Rebekah. Elijah and Hayley, and of course Klaus, Cullen, and Hope.
"Merry Christmas." Rebekah states, reaching Cullen first as the long time friends embrace. "I've missed you."
"I missed you, too." Cullen pulls away before reaching for Marcel. "Where have you guys been? Rome or Paris?"
"Paris." Rebekah smiles. "It's amazing there, but I will say I missed New Orleans."
After that everyone greets one another, all the family having been split, busy with their own lives. Things had been calm since the Hollow. Of course there was a murderous witch or vampire here and there, but it wasn't anything Klaus and Cullen couldn't handle.
Their relationship after Cullen's sacrifice had only strengthened, though that isn't to say Klaus wasn't enraged when he woke up from the sleep the dust had put him under. He scoured New Orleans searching everywhere for Cullen only to find her passed out deep in the bayou. When he saw her lifeless body his heart had stopped, things had only gotten worse when he couldn't hear her heart beat.
He rushed her body home, alerting the family of what Cullen had done. Freya and Davina had both jumped into action, Davina trying to heal Cullen's body while Freya searched her mind. Discovering what Cullen had done shocked Freya and when she described her actions to the rest of the family Klaus couldn't hold his tears in any longer, especially while having to witness the look on Hope's face when she ran downstairs, seeing her mother's lifeless form.
Days had passed and no matter how hard Freya and Davina tried Cullen did not wake up. Each day that passed Klaus' heart grew a bit darker, the thought of living in a world without Cullen killing him.
It had been because of Hope that Cullen finally woke up, her daughters touch having been the key. One night when Hope had been saying goodbye she reached for her mother's hand, placing a kiss on her two fingers when Cullen suddenly shot up. They had all been ecstatic seeing Cullen alive, but the woman was confused. She was meant to die. That was her sacrifice, without it the Hollow would still be alive. What she hadn't realized at the time was that while she needed the Hollow's power to get rid of the ancient witch once and for all that power had been hers all along. The power the Hollow wanted to feed on was Cullen's power, she was always powerful enough.
For days Cullen walked around happy, but powerless. Her magic was gone and she was only a vampire and while she knew what she was giving up she didn't think she would miss her magic so much.
She remembers distinctly the night she got it back. She still doesn't know how it happened, but she had been walking around New Orleans with Hope when a dead flower crossed their path. She sighed as she looked at it, knowing she could do nothing to fix it when suddenly it bloomed. She remembers turning to Hope, a look of confusion on her face. "Did you do that?" Cullen questioned.
Hope shook her head, a look of confusion on her face as well before something behind Cullen caught her eye. "Mom." Hope breaths out, eyes wide. Turning Cullen's eyes widen as well, her hand going over her mouth in shock. The all ready lively street was now covered in bright flowers, all having appeared from thin air.
Going home that night Cullen had been thrilled, a smile so large it could tear her face in two as she described to Klaus what had happened. From then on she could feel her magic, always with her, now even stronger than before.
"Cullen." A voice calls, snapping her out of her memory. "How was Thailand?"
"It was cool." Cullen tells Freya before cooing at the sleeping baby in her arms. "But I have to agree with Rebekah, I missed New Orleans too."
"Okay." Hope speaks up as the family quiets down, looking towards the young woman. "We decorate the Christmas tree together and then we get the bonfire out." At her words more laughs and cheers fill the room as they crowd around the Christmas tree, music beginning to play in the background.
"This is what I missed." Cullen whispers when a pair of arms wrap around her. "Maybe we should forget about Italy for a while, force everyone to stay here for a bit."
Klaus laughs, though it would bring him nothing more than absolute joy to see his family together again. "Whatever you say Mrs. Mikaelson."
Cullen turns her head just a bit so she can make eye contact with Klaus. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Mom, dad." Hope raises her voice over the laughter and music. "C'mon. Come help us."
Cullen smiles taking one last moment to look over her family before she joins the rest of them. She will never be able to understand how she got so lucky. Nineteen year old her would have never imaged that this is what she would find when she decided to come to New Orleans, but she's so glad she did. The magic of this family is ever-lasting and it's obvious to Cullen as she watches her daughter smile. This family will always and forever be her hope.
