Damage Control

Chapter Two

She pulled her arms over herself, trying to fight the cold. She had no idea where she was or how she got here but everything about the experience was more than familiar. Hope had spent what seemed like years in the Malivoire pit, and it felt as if she had landed herself here once again, but this place was slightly different. There was nothing but darkness, except for... you guessed it, a light at the end of the tunnel. Of course there was. There was also nothing to do but follow it, just hoping it would not lead to death.

She remembered everything that happened. MG mind-dived her into Josie's head, finding her, trying to help her fight herself. Once Dark Josie hit her with that last spell, she ended up here... wherever that was. Hope wished more than anything that Josie was able to find her light, to find a way to get over her darkside. Josie was strong, she always had been, she was just living in the shadow of her sister. Hope wanted to show Josie that she could be strong and not be bad, that she could be powerful and be good, if Hope Mikaelson could do it then so could she. Even if Hope wasn't sure that is who she was, that is who she was always fighting to be. The name Mikaelson came with power but also with fear and evil, that is not who Hope wanted to be, she wanted to be more. And the last thing she wanted was Josie turning into something like she had witnessed a lot of growing up, even if her family tried their best to hide it, she knew the family Legacy.

There was nothing to do in the darkness but think, and walk. She wondered if what she did was the right thing, but to Hope, if there was even the smallest chance that Josie recovered because of her actions, it was worth it. Josie needed someone fighting for her, and Hope was always going to be that person, no matter what.

She wondered how the others were doing. If Lizzie was okay after the almost Merge, how Dr. Saltzman was handling it. She had been so busy trying to help Josie that she hadn't seen Landon in awhile but he was busy with Raf. There had seemed to be a gap with them recently, like they both loved each other but had different paths to travel for the time being, Landon trying to figure out his Phoenix powers and now Raf that he is back; and Hope trying to protect him but getting side tracked with the Malivoire monsters and now Josie's dark magic. She still remembers choosing to save the Saltzman's over him, and almost losing him because of it. It still hurt.

Hope had been walking a long time and the light was not getting any bigger. She wondered how long she would have to walk, how far she'd have to go. Maybe she should stop thinking about the past and start thinking of a way to get herself out of here, in her Hope Mikaelson way that had the others rolling their eyes. Hope needed a plan.

Josie watched as her father nervously bit his fingernails. They waited just over the threshold of the front door, Freya was due to arrive any minute and Josie's father was getting increasingly more nervous, even though he was fully armed, though Josie wasn't sure if that was going to help against an Original witch.

Footsteps sounded from behind them. "Is she here yet?" Lizzie asked excitedly as she arrived, standing on the other side of their father, things had been a bit rocky with her twin ever since she woke up and Josie had been too busy with Hope to talk about it yet.

"I thought I told you to wait upstairs." He looked out the window briefly.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Come on Dad it's not everyday you get to meet a powerful badass witch... even if she is related to Hope." A shrug. "And besides if Jo gets to be here then so do I."

That had been an argument, their father didn't want any of them having contact with Freya but considering this all happened because of Josie, and she had already seen the witch once and walked away, it was hard for her father to say no. It was easy for him to say it to Lizzie but they both knew she wasn't going to listen. "I'd prefer if both of you went upstairs, if your mom finds out she is going to kill me." At the mention of their mother, Josie's heart sank, it had been awhile since they had seen her.