Damage Control

Chapter Three

“Run that past me again?” Josie barely heard what her father had asked the witch. Freya thought Hope was still trapped in Josie’s subconscious. 
Freya held a cup of tea in her hands, Josie’s dad had made them all something, his with a bit of spirit, for the conversation they had just had. “When the vampire,”
“MG.” Lizzie interjected. 
Freya gave her a look like names really didn’t matter right now. “When MG vampire dove Hope into Josie’s subcontius, she got stuck in there when Josie turned her to stone." Freya pointed at Josie which made her want to shrink away. "She is unable to come out because she is trapped in the stone form." 
"So how do we get her out?" Josie asked, sitting on the edge of her chair. 
Freya gave her a soft look. "We need to put you back in there to get her out."
Her father stood. "Absolutely not, I am not sending my daughter into a place Hope is already trapped."
Freya leveled him with a look. "So it is okay for Hope to make that sacrifice for your daughter but not the other way around?"
He crossed his arms. "I didn't allow Hope to do that, she trapped me in a game…"
"So your students have control over you?" She lifted an eyebrow.
Her father opened his mouth and closed it again. "No… Hope is just very resourceful."
Lizzie was now sitting in their father's chair, her legs up on his desk as she filed her nails, she had her Everything is about Hope again face on as she did so. "Can I go now?" She asked as if they were making her stay. When no one answered her, she just got up and left mumbling something about how she would leave them to their staring contest and to get her if something fun happened.
"Dad," Josie called his attention. "It is my subconscious, it wouldn't make sense to send anyone else."
"I'll go." He demanded.
Freya sighed loudly. "It has to be her Ric, it can't be anyone else." He made a face, working on an argument, Josie saw Freya twist her wrist and her father fell to the floor.
"Dad!" She jumped up and raced to his side.
Freya stood to lift him from the floor. "Don't worry he is only asleep, I will wake him when this is over."
Josie looked up at Hope's aunt. "I guess that is where Hope learned it from." There had been many times over the years, more so recently when Hope asked Josie for help with spells, that she mentioned her aunt Freya. Josie had heard a lot of stories about her power.
Freya shrugged. "The problem with mortals is they are easy obstacles to remove." She said looking at Josie's sleeping father, now in his chair. "I don't know how he runs this school when he is so easily incapacitated." She shook her head and returned to Hope's side.
Josie didn't care too much for her words. "We respect him, that is how." She could hear the defense in her voice. "No one would harm him."
"Except people who need him out of the way." Like Hope when she put him in the game while trying to help Josie. She hated that Freya was right. 
"How do we do this?" She changed the subject knowing she wasn't going to win this argument.
Freya looked at Josie then to Hope. "Simple, I put you into a deep enough sleep to access your subconscious, you go in and find Hope and lead her out with you." That sounded simple but after Josie's last encounter with her subconscious, she wasn't so sure. "I will need about an hour to prepare everything and a few ingredients." 
Josie pointes to the corner of her father's study. "You should be able to find most of the ingredients in there." It was his secret stash. "If not, check the witch classrooms, no one should be on campus." 
Freya raised an eyebrow. "And what will you be doing?" 
"Getting back up." She stood and left the room.

Josie debated taking back her syphon power. She wasn't sure she could do this without it, but the fear of waking Dark Josie stopped her. Instead she found MG and Lizzie in one of the sitting rooms, they were both sitting pretty close, looking over comic books and laughing, it was nice that someone could smile. "Hey guys." She said as she entered, they sort of sprung apart. 
MG smiled at her. "Hey Josie." Josie took a seat on the arm of a chair. "How is Hope doing?"
Josie moved some of her fallen hair, to behind her ear. "Freya has a plan on how to wake her up, she is preparing now." 
"So you've come to hang out with us while she wakes her?" Lizzie asked with suspicion.
Josie swallowed. "Not exactly… she wants to put me under a spell to access my subconscious, she thinks Hope is stuck in there." She didn't like the look Lizzie was giving her.
Lizzie sat forward. "And dad is okay with it?" 
"Freya put him to sleep." She mumbled to herself.
"She what??!!" Lizzie was on her feet, she sounded excited, not angry. 
Josie looked at them nervously. "She put a temporary sleeping spell on him so he wouldn't interfere." 
"That's cold." MG commented. "But probably necessary." He closed his comic book. "So what did you need us for?"
"I was hoping you'd be like my guards or something, I don't know, it's not that I don't trust Freya but…"
"She is a Mikaelson and she just put Dr. Saltzman to sleep." Josie nodded. "I mean I am not sure what we can do against a super charged spell caster but I'm in." He clapped his hands together.
"There is no way I'm letting her put you to sleep without me there to learn it." She knew it was a joke. "Maybe I can use it on the others later." MG rolled his eyes.
Josie stood. "We better get back, she is probably waiting for me." Half of the super squad started their mission.

Freya was kneeling in the middle of the room encircled in candles. She was mixing some herbs in a bowl and there was something burning next to her as she did. "I was about to come looking for you." She didn't turn as they entered.
"Sorry," Josie stepped around the circle.
"Getting backup?" She didn't sound offended. 
Josie wasn't sure how to answer. "I would just feel more comfortable." 
A nod. "Understood." She stood and turned to face them. "You can go sit in that chair." It was the chair next to Hope's bed, which was in the circle.
Josie walked over hesitantly. "How exactly does this work?"
Freya picked up her bowl. "You are going to drink this while I chant, once the spell takes hold you will be sent into the deepest part of your subconscious, there you will find Hope and bring her back with you." She handed Josie the bowl.
The liquid was blood red and just as thick, she was afraid to ask what was in it. "How do I bring her back?" She asked nervously.
Freya shrugged. "You'll know when you're there I guess." A small smile. "Are you ready?"
Josie tipped the liquid to her lips. "As ready as I'll ever be." She took a gulp of the warm drink, it tasted like dirt and slime, she almost threw it back up. For Hope. She told herself as she kept drinking.
She heard Freya start to chant words she couldn't make out. She could see MG and Lizzie staring at her as her eyelids started to fall. It only took seconds for her to fall into the darkness.