Guilt ▻ The Originals [3]

14

  Later on, after the Mikaelson family had saved their sister, Ophelia stood in her room when Jackson entered, "You ready to go?" He asked her curiously.

Ophelia walked closer to Jackson, a small smile on her face, "Look, Jack, I'm really sorry. I know I promised that we'd spend the night alone. I even had this really dumb plan that we were going to drink egg nog and watch It's A Wonderful Life together. Yet, here we are..." She trailed off with a sigh.

Jackson gave her a reassuring look, "You don't need to apologize. Today, it was me that saw their house on fire and decided not to let it burn."

Ophelia was quiet for a moment as she gave him a curious look, "Why did you decide to help them after everything?"

Jackson hesitated for a moment and rubbed his face contemplatively before he finally answered, "Instinct. I don't know. I felt like one of my pack was in danger, and I acted. I mean, don't get me wrong—my in-laws really suck."

Ophelia couldn't help but burst out laughing at his remark, "But, hey, they fought like hell to protect each other today, and I respect that," Jackson paused, smiling at Ophelia, "I was born to love you, Ophelia, and if that means I have to deal with the Mikaelsons, then okay. I'm in."

Ophelia, touched by this reaction, leaned forward and kissed him passionately, wrapping her arms around his neck as he wrapped his own around her waist.

When they broke away from the kiss, Ophelia smiled at Jackson bashfully, "If we leave now, we could still catch the end of It's A Wonderful Life..." She trailed off, nervously biting her lip.

Jackson smiled down at Ophelia, "I got a better idea," He told Ophelia, who raised a brow at him, "Hayley and Hope are already waiting for us in the hall."

Downstairs in the courtyard, Elijah, Freya, Klaus, Rebekah, and Cami were all dressed in their best holiday clothes and standing around the lit Christmas tree. Elijah had just placed a large, beautifully wrapped gift for Hope under the tree and adjusted some of the ornaments on the tree nervously as Freya became behind him and placed down a gift of her own. They then stood up and walk toward Cami, who handed each of them a glass of red wine. Klaus came out next with two more glasses of wine and smiled as Freya came over and kissed him affectionately on the cheek.

Just then, Jackson led Ophelia and Hayley, who was holding Hope in her arms, to the top of the staircase, where Ophelia immediately stopped and stared in awe at the holiday gathering below them.

When Klaus saw them, he walked toward the bottom of the steps, and Elijah, Freya, and Cami turned to look up at them with smiles on their faces.

The female duo was positively beaming as they walked down the stairs, Ophelia, looking up at Jackson affectionately as she did so, "You told me that you wanted a happy family Christmas after decades of not having one. Well, the family's all here."