Secrecy (Hosie)

Hope stays in the library for several hours after her emotional and tumultuous memory walk, trying to figure out a way to sever the link between Landon and the Necromancer without harming him.

The task at hand has proven far more difficult than she'd expected, given that the Necromancer's dark magic is the only thing keeping Landon 'alive.'

Though Hope is unwilling to accept it, Landon has already died.

And his body is the puppet, strung up and manipulated to carry out the monstrous puppeteer's plans.

She feels soft hands land on her shoulders, lightly massaging to relieve the tension she holds in the muscles there, and then a sweet kiss to her cheek, "Any progress?"

Hope sighs, shaking her head as she leans back into her girlfriend.

Josie ushers her head at the center of the table, where a large knotted ball of rope sits, "What's this?"

"There's a spell that I used when I was little to unlink my Aunt Davina from the Hollow after she was resurrected from the ancestral plane. I used this to do it. I was hoping that I could find a way to rewrite the spell for Landon and the Necromancer. I just..haven't figured it out yet."

"But you will,"
Josie tries to encourage her, but she knows that Hope has been increasingly discouraged since her memory walk.
She moves from behind the girl to settle into her lap, running her fingers through her auburn locks,
"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Hope furrows her eyebrows in confusion, "Talk about what, love?"

"Whatever it was that you saw in Landon's memory...I know that must've been really difficult for you.."

Hope sighs, closing her eyes as Josie caresses her cheek, stroking her thumb against the soft skin,
"It hurt, yes. But you don't have to worry about me, Jo. I'll be okay."

"I know I just..I want you to know you can talk about it if you need to. And I only worry because I love you."

Hope opens her eyes to study her girlfriend's expression, "I know, Jo. And I love you too."

Hope gives her a small smile before leaning in to capture her lips in a slow kiss.

Josie deepens the kiss by swiping her tongue against Hope's bottom lip, pleading for access which is granted immediately.

Neither of them push to hasten the kiss, instead remaining comfortable in their gentle pace.

Unfortunately for the both of them though, the universe quite rarely ever works in their favor.

MG vamps into the library, clearing his throat and looking away from the two, "Um, sorry to interrupt, but Hope, we need you in the basement. There's something you're gonna want to see. It's urgent."

————

Alaric stands outside the cell door of the first transition space, turning to Hope when she descends the staircase into the basement.

"We found him sneaking around campus. I'm not sure what he's doing back in town."

Hope rounds the corner to peer into the cell.

And she sees none other than Ryan Clarke, the rogue agent of the human faction of Triad.

"I gotta say, I'm surprised to see you back. I thought you learned your lesson last time."

Clarke grunts, trying to break free from the restraints of his chair as Hope enters the cell to come face-to-face with him.

"Someone has to stop you from making the same mistake."

"And what's that?"

"I put it all together, before my research was destroyed in the fire."

Hope smirks slightly, "Right, sorry about the mess by the way."

He glares at her, "You, Hope Marshall, continue to aid the Mikaelson child—the Tribrid...I just can't figure out why you would want to."

Hope chuckles softly before leaning down to be at eye level with the intruder, "Oh Clark, you were so close to figuring it all out."
She brings her voice to a taunting whisper, "But you missed the one detail that was right under your nose the entire time...'Hope Marshall' doesn't exist."

He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

Until realization reaches his eyes, and his jaw falls slack as an astounded whisper escapes his lips, "Hope Mikaelson."

Her smirk widens, confirming his thoughts.

"You're the Tribrid."