Chapter Text
The picnic was exactly what Josie needed. Time alone with Hope to be in each other’s presence, enjoying each other’s company, laughing, telling stories, enjoying the music silently playing in the background and eating good food. Being with Hope was all the brunette needed.
During the picnic, it felt like Hope and Josie were the only two people on this earth. Even if they were not alone, the other girl was the only person they could focus on. And it has stayed that way for the following months.
After talking with Caroline and Alaric, the Trbrid confirmed she was ready to retake classes. Especially to gain the knowledge and skills she unfortunately forgot.
Even though the twins were not her teachers anymore, her friendships with both siphoner witches bloomed over the following months. Although to everyone except Hope and Josie, it was obvious that they had gotten closer than Hope was with Lizzie. Which the blonde Saltzman twin was not surprised by, knowing the history her sister has with the Tribrid (A/N: Don’t worry, everything will be revealed -N)
CAFETERIA OF THE SALVATORE SCHOOL
The blonde Saltzman twin stormed into the cafeteria during lunch break in true Lizzie fashion. Getting the room's attention sometimes seemed too easy if your name was Elisabeth Saltzman.
“Hold up, Lizzie. What’s happening?” MG asked his crush, slightly overwhelmed by her entrance.
“What’s up, Milton? I’m telling you what’s happening! Only the highlight of the year, apart from mine and Josie’s birthday, of course.” Lizzie hissed, not believing that no one in the room knew what she was so excited about.
“PROM! You idiots, how could you forget about the annual PROM! I thought Hope was the only one with amnesia here.” Lizzie explained with a raised voice. “No offence, wolfie.” She said softer while looking towards her friend, making Hope chuckle. “Non-taken.” Hope responded, holding back her laugh.
“What are you guys doing just sitting here?” Lizzie asked in astonishment. “Help me spread these placards around the school.”
Josie stood up with a slight eye roll while MG was eager to help.
Once Josie was left, Hope dared to think, ‘Maybe this is my chance.’
Later that day, after Hope had finished her last class, she was aiming to find Josie to ask her out for prom, not liking what she saw.
Josie was leaning on the wall in front of her classroom while the same douchebag from the pack who hit on Josie months ago was hovering his arm next to her. The déjà vu turned her stomach upside down.
“So, Josie, I was wondering if you want to go to prom with me?” he asked her with a smirk so full of himself.
Hope could not bear to hear her answer. So, instead, she ran into the woods, and her wolf would not stop running.
A few days of Hope ignoring Josie have passed. After much convincing from Jed, he convinced the overthinking Tribrid to get ready for the prom tonight.
“UGGGHHHH JED, I don’t even know what to wear.” Hope expressed her frustration as her best friend entered her room.
“Well, Red, you are lucky that I confirm the stereotype of gays having good taste in fashion,” Jed smirked at her as he pulled out a beautiful dress, having a feeling she would not have a prom dress to wear.
“Oh my god, JED, I could kiss you right now. This is gorgeous.” The redhead hugged him in gratitude.
“Safe it for your brunette.” He answered with a smirk that grew wider as she gave him a friendly but loving kiss on the cheek.
(A/N: Am I the only one who believes that Jed and Hope never becoming good/best friends was such a waste of potential? Like so many things in Legacies, unfortunately.)
AT THE SBS PROM
Jed was right; he does have great taste in fashion. The gown not only fitted the nickname the wolf had for the Tribrid, but it fell perfectly on her beautiful curves, with her ginger hair falling in loose curls and red lipstick. She was “red”. But even more magnificent than usual.
When Hope entered the room with Jed, all eyes were on the Trbrid. She was indeed one of a kind, not only in her species. But the red beauty did not care about people looking at her. Well, except for one person, who she looked at just the same.
From afar, Hope and Josie admired each other. Not realizing the rapid beat of their hearts. Not realizing how much time had gone by, looking at each other at this moment felt like an eternity of slow motion that unfortunately passed by too soon.
And it indeed was too soon for Hope when she was pulled away from her trance as Lizzie Saltzman talked to her.
“Damn, wolfie, you look hot! But don’t even think about competing for prom queen. Because as much as I must admit you look great tonight, that crown is mine.” Lizzie defended her future title.
“Don’t worry, Liz, we all know that crown is yours.” Hope assured her friend, knowing how much she wanted it.
Before Hope could move further, the DJ played ‘Dance the Night’ by Dua Lipa, one of Lizzie's favorite songs, and Hope was pulled into a group dance, if she liked it or not. The redhead must admit that dancing in the choreography MG and Lizzie started to make everyone dance to was fun. But just when the song was about to end, her senses saw that Josie, who was turned too hard by MG, uncontrollably circled in Hope's direction, and her instincts would not let the brunette fall.
“Hey.” The brunette in the white dress said, catching her breath after Hope caught her just in time. “Hey.” The redhead repeated. Ocean blue eyes unable to tear away from the chocolate ones. And just as Hope pulled Josie up again, the music changed to ‘Lover’ by Taylor Swift, and everyone started to slow dance.
“Can I have this dance?” Hope asked, trying to hide her blush.
“After just saving me? Of course.” Josie replied as she took Hope's hand in hers and started to dance slowly while being closer to Hope than she ever thought she would be again.
“You look gorgeous tonight.” Josie compliments Hope as she is hiding her face in Hope's neck. Having Josie’s face in Hope’s neck while dancing closely together felt like the most natural thing in the world for the pair.
“Thank you. You’re very beautiful as well. But I’m sure your date has already told you that.” Hope says with a slightly bickering tone at the end.
“What date?” Josie raised her head in confusion.
“Didn’t that jerk from the pack ask you to prom last week?” Hope explained in frustration, making Josie laugh.
“Well, yes, he tried, but I told him off as I am interested in someone else,” Josie said with a smirk.
“Oh, do I know them?” Hope felt defeated as her grip on Josie loosened, being too oblivious to get the hint.
“Hmmm, let's see if you know them.” The taller girl pulled the redhead back to their dancing position.
“They are the most beautiful, selfless, and strongest person I have ever met. They love the people they care about deeply and would fight for them until the end of the world without ever thinking of themselves. To everyone else, they seem like the toughest person around, and they are. But with me, they are soft, creative, funny, and vulnerable. And even though we have just reunited again, I have loved them since we were young without them even realizing it.” Josie continued as she leaned closer to Hope.
Hope’s mind was blank. She could not think, nor would she ever dare to think that Josie was talking about her. All she could do was feel. Feel how suddenly close Josie's face, her lips were. So close that she felt her breath.
“Oh shit, guys, I’m so sorry.” Wade apologized as his clumsiness fell into Hope and Josie, separating the pair. To make things worse, he slipped his drink on Josie's white dress.
“WTF Wade?! Can you not read the room?” Hope was angry as she grabbed onto his blazer. For a minute, her eyes turned into the mesmerizing mixture of red and gold. A rare combination that only she possessed to have.
“I’m so so sorry, Hope,” Wade wined, begging Hope to let him go, and she did.
But when the Tribrid turned around, the one person her heart was aching for was gone.
What Hope did not know was that Josie’s heart was aching as well. The moment they just shared was too beautiful to be true. Josie could not believe that she just almost kissed Hope. As the brunette siphon witch was on her way to her room, her mind was spiralling everywhere.
Does Hope even feel the same?
Would she ever remember what they had in the past?
Josie could not handle that she was falling quicker for Hope than she thought, even if she would never fully be ‘her’ Hope. The one who reciprocated her feelings. The one she was in love with since they were both young.
Josie almost ripped her dress off in her room, changed her outfit and started packing a bag. Only one person could help her, and the brunette desperately needed that help.
“Josie, what’s wrong? Is Hope ok?” Freya asked, knowing something must be wrong when Josie Saltzman called her this late.
“Freya, I can’t handle this anymore. I’m on my way to the airport. I don’t care how long it takes. We need to find a way to get her memories back. We need our Hope back. I need her back.” Josie said in frustration, holding her tears back as she stormed out of the school.
“Ok, I’m booking you the next flight. Check your E-Mails.” Freya said with a sigh.
“Thank you, Freya. I will call you when I land.” Josie says thankfully.
THE NEXT MORNING – NEW ORLEANS – MIKEALSON MANNER
“Hello Pancake, I was waiting for you.” Freya happily greeted Josie as the elder Mikaelson witch opened the door to the manor. Josie gratefully hugged her in return.
“Come on, you must be hungry.” Freya led the younger witch to the kitchen and handed her a plate of fresh pancakes and a cup of coffee.
“Thank you. I really appreciate it, but they are still not as good as Hope’s,” Josie says as she eats her feelings in the fresh pancakes.
“I thought you’d say that.” Freya chuckles, knowing what the brunette meant was far from an insult.
For a moment, they both share the same memory of when Hope invited Josie to stay in New Orleans for winter break. Back when times were easier. When they were both madly falling for each other but had not admitted it to themselves nor the other yet. Back when everyone knew about their obvious feelings for each other before the pair understood their feelings themselves. Hope discovered early in their blossoming friendship (turning relationship) that Josie’s favorite breakfast was pancakes. So, while Josie was staying in New Orleans for winter break, Hope woke up early and made breakfast pancakes. To this day, Josie has never tasted pancakes that were better than those by Hope Mikaelson. Sure, they tasted great, but deep down, Josie knew Hope’s pancakes were made for her, made with love. Ever since then, Hope’s family started calling Josie “Pancake.” Josie loved the nickname as it showed Hope’s family approved of her. (A/N: #RedeemThePancakes)
“How are you dealing with all of this?” Freya asked worriedly, knowing about their ‘almost’ relationship and catching Josie by surprise.
“You know that Hope tells me everything, especially when a girl she’s falling for is involved,” Freya explains with a smirk, making Josie choke on her pancakes.
“I mean, it’s not like you two weren´t super obvious anyway,” Freya continues with a smirk, making Josie blush.
“I’m not going to lie. It’s painful,” Josie speaks in frustration once her mouth is free of pancakes. “I was so excited when I first saw her in my dad’s office and thought she was back. But once I realized that she didn’t remember me and who we were, it took everything in me not to start crying on the spot. I love her, and I would do everything for her. But sometimes it feels so strange. Falling for the ‘other version of her’ without her memories of us. Sometimes, it feels like I’m betraying the old Hope—my Hope who reciprocates my feelings and who wants to be with me. I don’t know. It’s so hard to restrain myself from kissing her on the spot, holding her the way I used to, and just being friends. It takes every part of my willpower to wait for my Hope to return. I know it sounds selfish, and I’m so grateful to have her in my life at all. I will always and forever be by her side. It's just so hard not being able to be with her, especially in those moments lately when she gives me those small signals that she might feel the same again. That my Hope is still in there. I’m just too scared to act on it. Because I don’t know if I could handle her not feeling the same after my Hope felt the same for me.” Josie explained as her voice was slightly breaking, not even realizing that a few tears fell down her face.
“I am so sorry, Josie. I’m so sorry I took her away from you. It was never our intention. We could not handle seeing her in pain any longer. It was like she had no motivation to live anymore.” Freya sincerely apologized to Josie, as a few tears also fell from her face. She could not imagine what she had done to Hope and Josie’s relationship, especially as it had just started. Just imagining that Keelin would not remember her anymore made her heartache.
“I get it, Freya. You and Rebekah felt like you had no other choice. I wish she would’ve let me be there for her when she was grieving. I HOPE she will do it when we get her memories back. Please, Freya, we need to get her memories back!” Josie pleaded towards the end, letting her tears loose.
“And we will. I have been researching since she ran to the school, and I think I am close to the solution. No matter how long it takes, we’ll get her memories back.” Freya assured Josie, but mostly herself.
ONE WEEK LATER
Finding a solution to get Hope’s memories back turned out rather quickly with Freya’s months of research and Josie’s support. After many failed theories, the witches are confident they have found the solution. A spell that Josie, together with Freya, reverse-engineered, but as Rebekah's compulsion took Hope’s memories, Hope would also need to drink a vile of her vampire aunt's blood, which the Original happily gave Josie without question.
“Thank you for everything.” Josie thanked the two blond Mikaelsons as she was about to leave for the airport.
“Thank you, pancake, for never giving up on our niece and staying loyal with your love for her,” Rebekah said, receiving a nod in agreement from Freya.
“I promise. Always and forever.” Josie assured them, knowing how much value these three words hold in the Mikaelson family, making Freya and Rebekah slightly emotional as they leaned in to hug their hopefully future niece-in-law.
“Well, before you leave, darling, we have something for you,” Freya says as she gives Josie a necklace that is all too familiar to Josie but slightly variated.
“I took the liberty to quickly steal the talisman that Hope gifted you years ago. It still has the ability to make quiet things heard, but now it’s connected to our Mikaelson Crescent underneath it. The Crescent is enchanted and holds enough magic to last you a lifetime. So that you always have your own magic with you and know that we will always consider you a part of the family. Always and forever.” Freya explains as she puts the necklace on Josie, making all three slightly emotional.
With one last hug goodbye, Josie enters the Taxi to leave for the airport. “Go give our girl her memories back!” Rebekah shouts. “And text us when you land and if the spell worked!” Freya adds. “I will,” Josie shouts back with a smile as the Taxi driver starts the route to the airport.
EVENING OF THE SAME DAY – SALVATORE BOARDING SCHOOL
When Josie entered the school, students and teachers looked at her in surprise as they had noticed her absence in the past week. But especially her parents.
“Josie, where have you been? That one text that you don’t know when you’re coming back had us worried sick.”
“Honey, we were worried sick. Why didn’t you reply or call us back?” Caroline and Alaric asked, both frustrated that their daughter left without warning and at the same time happy that she returned safely.
“In New Orleans with Freya and Rebekah. I found a way to get Hope’s memories back. Where is she? I need to find her.” Josie said quickly as she kept on walking. Her parents followed suit.
As Alaric started to argue that she should’ve called them back that she was okay and where she was staying, Josie turned around and asked again, “Where is Hope?” and then Caroline saw it. Josie was wearing the Mikaelson Crescent connected to the talisman that Hope gifted her years ago. That was all her mother needed to know.
“She was just training with Jed and Kaleb. I just saw her go to her room,” Caroline responded as she interrupted Alaric, receiving a thankful nod from her daughter.
Once Josie reached Hope's room, not caring that she still had her bags with her, a freshly showered Hope opened the door for the brunette siphoner witch.
“Josie, where have you been? I have been worried sick. I swear if you didn’t respond to my calls, I would’ve done a locator spell to find you.” Hope immediately hugged the brunette, not caring that she was still in a bathrobe and a towel holding her wet hair. Although Josie didn’t want to, she eventually broke the hug and turned around, giving Hope the chance to change as she started to talk.
“I have to tell you something. While you spent time with the super squad, I went to see your aunt, Freya.” Josie started speaking, biting her lip, knowing Hope was changing behind her.
“What? Why? Is everything okay?” Hope asked, confused, before she tapped Josie on the back, telling her she could turn around, facing a fully clothed redhead.
Josie continued to explain as they sat down on Hope's bed.
“It’s better than okay. We found a way to get your memories back.” Josie becomes emotional.
“OMG, Josie, that’s amazing! But why are you crying?” Hope said in excitement.
“I kept my promise; I never lied to you. But there is one thing I haven’t told you yet.” Josie sighed.
“You can tell me whatever it is,” Hope reassured her as she gently wiped the small tears off her face.
The brunette took a deep breath before she started to speak. “Before your parents and uncle died, while you were already living here, you and I got very close. When I finally had the guts to tell you how I really felt, you kissed me, and it was the best moment of my entire life.
But then, shortly after, you had to get back home to New Orleans, and soon after that, your parents and uncle passed away. I wanted to be there for you, to be the shoulder you can cry on. I would’ve done anything in the world to make you even slightly feel better. But my parents wouldn't let me fly over to you. Your phone was always off, which I can’t blame you for. Months later, Freya suddenly called me, telling me you were still grieving and needed time. I knew she was right, so I stayed patient until you suddenly came back months ago.” At this point, the pair both tried their best to hold back tears, failing miserably.
“I know you don’t remember this, and I completely understand if you don’t feel the same anymore.” Josie started to ramble.
“NO, no. It’s not that I don’t feel anything towards you. It’s quite the opposite, actually.” Hope interrupted Josie as she took her hands in her own. “When I first laid eyes on you, I got this overwhelming feeling of comfort. I couldn't explain what it was, but you felt so familiar from the start, although I could have sworn that I had never seen you before.” The redhead continues.
“So, what do we do now?” Josie asked carefully.
Hope takes a deep breath. “I want my memories back. I want to feel like my complete self again, even if it means unbearable pain and grief.”
“If you let me, I would like to be there for you this time.” Josie carefully rubs Hope’s right cheek.
The Tribrid lovingly nods in agreement, giving Josie the sign that she can start the spell.
“Here, drink this, please. It's Rebekah’s blood. The spell won’t work without it, as she was the one who compelled you to forget.” Josie explains as she hands the vile to Hope, who eagerly drinks her aunt's blood.
Josie takes a deep breath as she siphons magic from her necklace, chants the spell, and blasts Hope with the spell.
Hope stayed sitting there, her body completely still, while a hurricane of memories was let loose in her brain.
Josie stayed sitting in front of the Tribrid, waiting patiently. She figured it would take Hope's brain a while to cope with the gained memories. But deep down, she prayed that it worked while she quietly admired the beauty before her—the woman she loved with her entire being.
After a while, which seemed like an endlessly excruciating eternity, Hope opened her eyes, which at first were the mesmerizing mixture of gold and red before they turned back to ocean blue.
“Jo,” Hope said softly, the way she said her name full of love.
“Hope? Do you remember?” Josie asked, afraid of the answer.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Hope said in a loving rush as she passionately kissed Josie, the woman she loved with her entire being.
THE END