Tell you how I'm feeling
Josie left the room quickly, she was in a bit of a hurry, she had left the babies in the care of her father and she knew that the babies could be a big problem when they wanted to.
"Josie!" She hears someone calling her.
The brunette stopped.
"What's up Jade?" She asks the blonde.
Jade was a newly converted vampire with control issues, luckily Alaric had found her before she went in ripper mode all over town.
The blonde looked at Josie nervously. In the past few weeks, her attraction to Josie had increased to such an extent that she was sure she hadn't had any success in hiding her feelings for the witch, but apparently Josie was oblivious to that.
The vampire was about to say something, when Josie's face lit up with joy, and her mouth stretched out into a dazzling smile that made Jade gasp for breath.
"There are my babies!" She almost screamed.
A auburn-haired girl handed her a chubby black-haired baby. The brunette took the baby and kissed him on the neck, making the little boy laugh. She did the same when they exchanged the baby for the other who was holding the auburn girl, and then she brought the girl closer and kissed her on the lips.
"Did you go for them with dad?" Josie asked
"Grandpa needed a break from these little troublemakers" Hope said soothingly as she smiled at Andy. "I also wanted to take you and the babies to lunch"
Love shone in Josie's eyes.
"Josie, won't you introduce us?" Jade asked abruptly, her ego getting hit by the look of surprise on the brunette's face that clearly said she had forgotten she was there.
"I'm sorry, Jade. This is Luke "she indicated with her head to the baby in her arms, and then pointed to the baby in Hope's arms" that's Andy, they’re my children. And she is their other mother and my girlfriend Hope "
The tribrid reached out her hand, her eyes were friendly but cautious and her handshake was firm.
Jade shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket.
"I didn't know you were a mother, Josie"
"There's a lot you don't know about me" said the brunette.
"That's true" Jade said with little masked regret that immediately made Hope look at her and knew that she had been caught "well, I'll leave you for lunch"
The blonde continued her way down the corridor until she reached the corner and before turning she gave the brunette one last look. She shook her head.
"I guess you can't have them all"
Hope and Josie walked to their room when they were caught up by Lizzie, who tickled her nephew’s feet.
"Hello, wolf and lady wolf" She greets the couple. “and Hello to my miracle babies too”
"Hi, Lizzie" then Josie smiled when Luke began to move in her arms "It seems that someone is hungry, I'll be back in a few minutes" she said entering the room she shared with Hope.
As soon as Josie closed the door, Hope turned to the blonde.
"How is it possible that Jade doesn't know that Josie and I are together?"
Lizzie frowned.
"You want to slow down on your over-reaction train so I can get on board and maybe provide an explanation, mutt?"
Hope ran her free hand over her hair.
"Jade, the new vampire, she didn't know we were together, she didn't even know about the babies" she explained slowly to Lizzie.
“Look, I know how much you love jumping to conclusions” she raised her hand for Hope to hear “Josie didn't mention you or the babies to Jade, because she doesn't mean anything to my sister, not because you don’t. Never doubt that you and my nephews are the most important people in her life, well, besides me of course "
Hope smiled at the blonde.
"Thank you, Lizzie"
"That's what I'm here for, always to save the day." Lizzie smiled.
Josie left the room, holding a giggling Luke.
"I think we’re ready" announced the brunette.
"Perfect" Hope smiled, taking her hand.
"See you Lizzie" both girls said goodbye.
Later that day, Hope laid Andy, who was asleep peacefully in her arms in the crib. She looked at the two sleeping babies for a few moments and then walked over to where her easel was. She looks at the blank canvas, it felt like an eternity since she had been in front of one, she felt lost without knowing how to start.
Her mind repeated all the excuses she used to say.
What if I made up all those excuses because I was afraid?
She shook her head. It seemed to her that she made most of the decisions in her life based on fear, the fear that they would leave her, that she would lose them, that they would not love her if she spoke all the truths that she kept inside. The day her Aunt Freya had assured her that everyone was scared sometimes had been the first day she had stopped living in fear of what might happen. She had started doing what seemed right to her, starting with doing the right thing with Josie.
And She had never regretted it. But as she had discovered, the more you have to lose, the greater the fear and this time she was risking her entire world. Was it enough to risk everything she had with Josie for the hope of something that maybe she couldn't get?
She was sure what she wanted. The question was, was she brave enough to take a chance?
That night, as long red lines were reflected in the sky at sunset. She was sitting on the bed, with the babies lying next to her, her eyes staring at the little black box in her hands.
Hope smiled at the babies as she watched them move, her mind set on the mother of her children. The answer to the question she'd been so afraid to ask was simple: she wanted Josie to be her wife. She loved her more than she had ever thought possible to love someone. When did she know exactly? The day Josie told her that she had a crush on her? The day the twins were born?
She wasn't sure, but now she knew. The only thing she didn't know was how Josie felt.
She opened the small box and lifted the ring, inspecting it. It was a platinum band, with a brilliant diamond with a sapphire on each side.
"What do you guys think, should I kneel?"
The babies moved their legs and Hope knelt holding the ring up.
"Josette Lucas Saltzman, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, do you want to marry me?"
The babies made approving noises and Hope laughed anxiously.
"What do you think Mommy is going to say?"
"I think she would want to know why" was the answer behind her and she turned to see Josie standing in the doorway, a shocked look on her face.
Josie walked on shaky legs toward the auburn girl, still not sure she had heard her say what she thought she had said. She had just opened the door when she saw the tribrid on her knees holding a ring, she had frozen while listening to the proposal.
"This is not how I planned it" Hope said trying to calm her own nervousness as she slowly got to her feet.
In her worst days, Josie had thought that moment would never come. That Hope would realize that she wasn’t really what she wanted and she would leave her. In her best days, it was this moment she dreamed of, she imagined Hope taking her in her arms and telling her that she loved her, that she wanted to be with her forever. But the fear of losing all that she had come to depend on in this world, had prevented her from found out what moment the fate had brought her to. Now she was standing in front of Hope and felt like she could get everything she really wanted, but she knew the girl. She knew her better than she thought the tribrid knew. And sometimes Hope did what she thought she should do for the wrong reasons and as much as she loved her, she couldn't allow this to be one of them.
"Hope, are you sure you're asking for the right reasons? Because if this is about the boys…” She hesitated, not knowing exactly what to say, her heart still pounding madly inside her. Josie put her own confused feelings aside and tried to reassure the tribrid "I mean, your name is on their birth certificates, you are their mother and I would never try to take them away from you, if that is what worries you"
"I'm not worried about you taking them, Josie" Hope denied, shaking her head "I'm worried that someone will take you away from me"
"What are you talking about?" asked the confused brunette.
"Josie, I saw how the new girl looked at you today."
"Jade?" she remembered the vague looks the blonde had sent her that had hinted at something else. Josie shook her head dismissively "Hope, Jade is just my classmate, I'm not interested in her"
"I know, Jo" she said seriously. Jade's behaviour only made Hope realize what she had known for a long time "but one day you’ll be, one day you’ll be interested if I give in to my fears and never tell you how I feel"
"Is that why you’re doing this, because you’re afraid?" Josie asked with worried eyes.
"No" she shook her head and smiled "I do this because I'm sure of how I feel"
Josie was more nervous now but still asked the question she had wanted the answer to for months.
"and how do you feel?"
Hope's heart leapt in her chest as she approached Josie and looked into her eyes that were just as scared as hers.
“As if I wanted to tell you everything, because no matter how big or horrible something is, you always do better. You never give an inch and challenge me to do the same. I find strength and hope in you and you are the mother of the twins. What I have with you is more than what I’ve ever had before "
Tears filled Josie's eyes and her legs shook, but she was unable to do anything but stare at the auburn girl.
“But it isn’t enough for me. I want more. I want you to be the mother of all my children, because I can't imagine wanting to be with someone other than you " she takes a deep breath, holding the ring between them “I want to be the love of your life because you’re the love of mine. So, Josette Lucas Saltzman, will you marry me? "
Somehow she should have known, Josie thought, looking at her, no longer hiding her love for the tribrid. She should have known Hope would give her a moment beyond what she could have imagined, because that's what she had been doing since the second she reached a hand to her belly and told her that they were a family now. Tears spilled onto her cheeks and she smiled as she nodded.
"Yes, I’ll marry you"
Josie reached out her trembling hand, grateful to see Hope's hand trembling as well, as she slipped the ring onto her finger. She looks at her hand for a moment before kissing her. Hope raised her hand and caressed Josie's cheek, leaned closer, but the brunette pulled away a bit before their lips touched.
"There's just one more thing," Josie muttered.
"what?"
Josie smiled happily.
"I love you too, Hope"
I found my epic love, mom. Hope thought, as she looked at the amazing girl who had just given her everything she had ever wanted.
Their lips met in a soft kiss that promised as much as the ring on Josie's finger.
There was an impatient scream, letting them know that Andy was sick of being ignored. They parted with smiles on their faces. Hope took Andy while Josie took Luke.
"So little wolves, how was it?" Hope asked her children.
Both children smiled at the coppery.
"They seem to approve of it," Josie said.
"They're smart kids" said Hope smiling, knowing that the last time she had been so happy was the day their children were born "I get you as my wife and they get their moms together officially, why can't they like? "
"And what do I get?" Josie asked.
"All my love, always and forever" Hope responded seriously.
"Josie Mikaelson" said the brunette looking at the diamond and sapphire ring that shone illuminating the girl she loved and the children they created together "Sounds good, doesn't it?"
Hope smiled.
"sounds perfect"