Damage Control

Chapter Twenty-Six

Hope stood back from her painting and glared at it. A mix of grey, black, deep blues and purples swirled in the abyss it created upon the canvas. She gripped her brush tight in her fist, so tight she heard the wood begin to splinter. She let out a loud sigh as she relinquished her death hold on it and she tossed it aside with her pallet.

She was still staring at it when her bedroom door opened, she didn't need to turn to know Cleo had entered, first no one else would dare enter without knocking, and her scent gave her away. Hope began moving the not yet dry painting from the easel and went to go lean it against the wall, somewhere she didn't have to see it until she could figure out what was wrong with it.

The springs of Cleo's bed groaned when she sat down on them, Hope kept her back turned to her as she took off her painting shirt, she could almost feel Cleo's eyes absorbing the painting, trying to figure it out. It was an interesting surprise to learn Cleo was also an artist, though that meant she always had something to say about Hope's work, even if she didn't want to hear it. "There is a lot of anger and sadness in the painting." Cleo observed.

Hope already knew this, it was one of the reasons she wasn't happy with it, she was supposed to be painting something happy for class but this is what she came up with. "Yeah I think I need to remove those colours from my pallet tomorrow."

Cleo was leaning back on her hands. "Why would you limit yourself, it is a beautiful piece."

Hope shook her head. "It isn't what I was supposed to be painting."

Cleo shrugged slightly. "Who says what we paint, our souls to the work."

Hope gave a short laugh. "Well I think the fact our project is supposed to be about a happy memory, tells me what I should be painting."

"Then what is the problem, you have a beautiful girlfriend, you should just paint her."

Hope felt her lips twitch slightly. "I am sure Josie would not be excited to have me paint her for my whole class to see." Cleo was right, Josie was pretty much the centre of her happiness at the moment.

"What about something else? There are no memories you carry that are happy?"

That was a loaded question. Though she and Cleo had been quite close since her arrival, she hadn't really gotten into the deep parts of her past, she probably never would. "I do, but most of them are clouded by a lot of sadness and loss." Hope took a seat on her bed. "I've lost a lot in my life and trying to remember anything happy about that makes me remember what I lost and makes me even more sad."

"And mad." Cleo said pointing to the painting behind Hope. "It is good to let it out."

Hope resisted the urge to roll her eyes, she definitely had a problem with letting anything out, at least the healthy way.

"Maybe what you need is to reconnect with your past, when is the last time you've been home?"

Hope swallowed hard. "Not since my father died." She looked around the room for a moment. "I couldn't bring myself to go back."

"Perhaps it is time to learn to heal the right way Hope Mikaelson."

Hope didn't like the sound of that.

It only took two weeks to get everything situated. Hope knew she could always go home if she wanted to, to her real home, New Orleans. Long ago she had made the Salvatore school her home so she could feel connected to something other than the pain that the city brought. Since both Josie and Cleo had brought it up to her recently, she could not help but think about it, it had been more than four years since she had been home. It was time for her to go back... but with a bit of help.

Lizzie was sitting in the driver's seat of the car she shared with Josie, looking like she wanted to go back to bed. It was the beginning of spring break and Mrs. Salvatore and Dr. Saltzman gave the three girls permission to drive twelve hours to New Orleans together to stay with Hope's aunt Freya for the break. Lizzie insisted on driving even though she looked like she got about an hour's worth of sleep.

Josie was going to sit in the back with Hope until Lizzie grumbled about it. Hope told her to take the front, they would be taking turns driving anyways, there would be time for Hope and Josie to sit together. Hope did consider bringing Cleo with her as well, but she thought it might still be too early in their friendship to see all Hope's dark past, at least the twins knew most of it.

Dr. Saltzman was leading towards the open driver side window. "Make sure to drink the vervain, and don't go anywhere without a weapon." He had already loaded a duffle bag full of supplies for them in the trunk.

Josie shook her head. "Dad we will be fine."

Hope could see Dr. Saltzman was trying very hard not to say something bad about Hope's hometown, overrun with vampires, witches and werewolves, probably even more than Mystic Falls. "Just be careful." He settled on. "And call me at every stop so I know you're okay."

Mrs. Salvatore walked up and smacked his arm. "Leave them alone Ric they will be fine." Dr. Salzman gave them each a look like he was serious, just making sure Caroline couldn't see his face. "Have a good trip girls and give our best to your aunt, Hope." She pulled Dr. Saltzman's arm so he had to step away. Lizzie started the engine and zoomed off down the driveway. There is no place like home... hopefully.

When your update takes almost as long as the hiatus... sorry I've been busy at work :/ 

Quick disclaimer for next chapter... I never watched all the originals... just Hope and Freya parts but I got the idea of it, and also the timeline is a little blurry so forgive me. But what Originals characters do you want to show up? And TVD characters for later chapters?