She's Mine

Chapter Seventy

Hope POV-
I get back to the school right as the sun is setting. I stop for a minute and just watch taking a couple of deep breathes. In order for me to help Josie, I need to stay calm. I walk through the front doors and head downstairs to the basement.
When I get down there, Caroline is gone. "Where did your Mom go, Jo?" She rolls her eyes at me. "Said something about being hungry. I don't know and don't care." She lays back down on the cot and stares at the ceiling. I sit down in a chair against the wall and pull out my phone to send a text to Caroline. "Are you getting food?" My phone buzzes back after a minute. "Yes, want some?" Right on cue, my stomach begins to growl. I haven't eaten all day. "Please, thanks." I'm not quite sure what to try with Josie anymore. I hear Caroline coming so I open the door for her. "Here, Hope" she hands me a tray then turns to Josie. "Got your favorites, sweetie." She slides the tray of food under the bars. "Sorry, not hungry." Josie doesn't move.
Caroline and I eat our food in silence. I turn to look at her after we finish, "Can't we just compel her to turn it back on?" She shakes her head no. "She's part vampire now and humanity is different. It's something the individual has to want." I fiddle with my wedding ring sliding it on and off my finger. I run my hands over the inside. "I'm Yours, You're Mine."
Josie hasn't said anything yet. "Should I call Penelope? Maybe she has some idea of something to do? I think she's in town." Caroline nods her head. "Worth a shot." I pick up my phone and leave the room before dialing the number. "Hey P, it's Hope. We've got a little problem."
Penelope POV-
"You made her do what?" I know she can hear the anger in my voice raising. "Just come down here and try to help me please?" I have never heard Hope's voice so desperate, and I know she wouldn't be calling me if it wasn't an emergency. "Okay, I'll be there soon." I grab my car keys off the counter and walk out of my hotel room to get in my car.
It always feels weird coming back here. Walking the school hallways. I follow the familiar path down the stairs and into the basement. Hope is sitting down in a chair across from Josie who is in one of the transition cells. "Hey Jojo," I step through the doorway. Hope looks exhausted. She has dark bags under her eyes and a slight shake to her hands. I know she mentioned Caroline was here earlier but she must have gone upstairs to help Alaric with something.
"Hey Pen, come to break me out of here?" Josie stands up and walks over to the bars of the cell. The smirk that crosses her face is weird. It's not Josie. "You know I wish I could but Hope said you can't leave till you flip that humanity switch back on." Josie throws her hands up into the air. "What is it with you people? Hope this and Hope that. Let me make my own decisions." I can see what Hope was talking about. This is just odd to witness. I know this isn't the real Josie, this is no humanity Josie.
I look down next to me to see Hope with her head in her hands. I lean in to talk to her but I know Josie can hear me. "When did she flip it?" Hope doesn't even lift her head to respond. "This morning. But it feels like it's been longer than that." I look down to my watch. It's already 10 pm. "Have you run?" I know that's how she used to cope with everything. I doubt she stopped. "Yeah, after it flipped then I went to see my boys and now I'm here again." I nod my head.
I grab my phone and pull it out to text Hope so Josie can't hear me. "Have you done scare tactics?" She lifts her head to look at me confused after reading the text. She texts back. "No, what do you suggest?" I quickly text back. "Us fighting. You, getting injured. It might shock her into feeling again. Plus she can feel your pain. As much as you won't like it, it might work. Might trigger some flashbacks to the Peryton attack." Hope lets out a sigh. "Are you going to tell me what you two are texting about?" Josie bangs her hand on the bars trying to get our attention. Hope texts me back. "This is going to hurt."
Hope POV-
Penelope leaves to go back to her hotel and get changed. She has a work thing tomorrow morning then she said she'd come back for our fight. I just need to tell Caroline and Alaric the plan. I know they aren't going to like it. After Penelope leaves, Josie lays back down on the cot. I hear her breathing settle after a little while but I can't sleep. I should probably go run again but I don't want to leave her alone and Alaric and Caroline probably already left. Screw it. I double check that the cell door is secure then leave to go run.