the greatest films of all time were never made

Josie is enjoying her time off after a long day on set doing reshoots for Ring of Life. They had officially wrapped the season two weeks ago, but some mishaps forced most of the production team and cast back on set. 

After multiple costume and makeup changes in just one long day Josie is exhausted and totally fed up with her job. 

The only thing that kept her sane throughout the day: text messages from none other than Hope Mikaelson. 

At first the text flow from both of them had been very timid and a little awkward. Hope texts the same way she speaks, very calculated and always grammatically correct. She even finishes her texts with periods. Josie is the opposite and had to explain most of the abbreviations she uses. 

That’s how they broke the ice eventually and Hope seems to be getting the hang of friendly small talk.

Josie is still in shock that she’d managed to have a conversation with Hope without fainting on her. The liquid courage she’d started ingesting the second Hope had shown up at the event had certainly helped.
She can’t believe she actually gave away her number just like that. To Hope Mikaelson of all people.

To Josie’s surprise the other woman is actually pretty funny and charming. 

Every hour or so Josie gets a meme, recipe or inspirational quote delivered to her phone with Hope’s occasional commentary. Just like now. 

Josie is wrapped up in a cozy blanket tucked away in the corner of her l-shaped couch. Stefanie is sprawled out taking up most of the space left and the tv is set to how I met your mother reruns. It’s late and Josie is about to fall asleep for good when her phone screen lights up.

Checking the sender immediately puts a smile on her face. Hope sent a text.

I have always had a crush on Robin.

Earlier she’d asked what Josie had been up to and promptly decided to do the same. Josie thinks it’s incredibly flattering that Hope Mikaelson is so invested in their new found friendship. Even if it had taken some work to get there. Hope constantly points out how inexperienced she is with the concept of friendship and always asks Josie what she should do differently when there really isn’t anything wrong with the way she texts.

Josie is about to send a text back, something along the lines of cobie smulders is something else, but her best friend has other plans. 

“Okay. I have enough of this …!” Stefanie is suddenly up in her face interrupting Josie’s thought process. “Who the fuck is texting you?”

Josie locks her phone immediately and loses the smile. “Nobody. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her friend is up on all fourths getting closer and closer, almost pinning her down in her little corner.

“Nobody? What the fuck, Josie. I’m not blind.” Stefanie is basically on top of her now. “Unless you somehow got Odysseus’ number, I doubt that’s nobody.”

Josie tries to deflect by mimicking the way Stefanie usually speaks when insulting people.

“Oh girl, look at you! Being all smart and referencing greek mythology!”

Stefanie pauses. “I do not sound like that.”

“You sure do.”

Josie throws her phone to the other end of the couch preparing for the unavoidable confrontation that’s about to happen. Stefanie is obviously taking the bait and no longer interested in her texting history.

They start tickling each other with no mercy and giggle like little children.

“Take that back!” Stefanie is now taking a pillow and hitting Josie with it.

Josie has no trouble blocking the blows. “Never!”

At this point it is impossible to tell where Stefanie starts and Josie ends. They’re an unrecognizable pile of limbs.

“Eugh. This is an image I didn't need imprinted in my brain.” A voice startles the both of them and they halt. “Salvatore. Could you stop engaging in this seriously messed up foreplay with my twin?”

Josie thinks she’s so sleep deprived that she’s seeing things that are not really there. Like for example her sister who is currently making a shit ton of money in Europe standing here in her LA apartment. 

“Close your mouth please Josie, we are not a codfish.”

The Lizzie Josie is picturing is even quoting Mary Poppins. Her mind can really come up with some strange things. Josie keeps staring, but closes her mouth.

“Wow.” Lizzie is placing her handbag on a carry-on suitcase right next to her. “You know, I expected at least some kind of reaction from my only sister.”

“Hey, what about me? I’m your sister, too.” Stefanie detangles herself from Josie and after a few quick steps she throws her arms around the blonde Saltzman. “Welcome home!”

Okay, Josie is genuinely confused now, because Stefanie can see Lizzie and is able to touch her. This can only mean one thing. Lizzie is real and not some dream fragment. 

“Well, blood runs thicker than water, but I’ll take it. My actual sister is clearly losing it over there.”

Lizzie hugs Stefanie back, but makes a show out of it by rolling her eyes and awkwardly patting her friend on the back. The smile on her face betrays her though and shows that she is actually appreciating the good old Salvatore hug.

“Wait, are you real?” Josie is slowly standing up. “Are you actually home?”

“No. I’m a hologram. Help me Josie-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.” Lizzie says with a stern face. She even bows a little to flip the imaginary switch to end the transmission.

Josie leaps forward and embraces her sister with way too much force. Luckily Stefanie is right there and balances the sisters before they fall over.

“Oh my god!” Josie squeezes tightly. “You’re actually here”

Lizzie makes a strangled noise probably because Josie is cutting off all of her air supply.

“Not for long if you keep this up!” Lizzie manages to say through clenched teeth.

Josie takes a step back reluctantly and gives her sister a once over.

“You look so good!”

“I know.” Lizzie hasn’t changed a bit.

Josie hugs her again and this time Stefanie joins them and it’s a perfect group hug.

“But how?” Josie lets go. “Why?”

Lizzie sighs and almost looks embarrassed. She doesn’t meet her sister’s eyes and fumbles with her baggage. 

“I just had enough.” Lizzie confesses. “I needed some time off with my sister and some good old American fast food.”

Josie is pretty sure that there’s more to it, but doesn’t press for more information right now. She’s so happy her sister is back. She eyes the tiny carry-on suitcase and the handbag her sister has.

“Is that all you brought?” She asks.

Lizzie’s eyes snap up in disbelief.

“Seriously? You think I would be able to survive with the little amount of clothing that’s in here?” Lizzie looks offended. “There is more in the car downstairs, I need your guys’ help.”

Turns out the driver Lizzie had hired for her return trip from the airport already unloaded all of her stuff in the lobby. Josie doesn’t exactly count, but it looks like her sister brought home ten suitcases and it takes them what feels like 20 trips total to get all of them up to her apartment. 

Right after the last trip they hang out on the couch and Josie sneaks in some time to post a photo to her instagram celebrating her sister’s return with a cute selfie of the two of them sitting there nursing hot cocoa. Stefanie’s head is also in frame, coming up sneakily behind the backrest and leaning in.

@josiesluck

 reunited with my sister(s) @lizziejsofficial @stefsmess

@stefsmess: my sistaaaas <3

@mg.eek: wait she’s back???

@lyss.chang: why are y’all in la when I’m out of town?

Just thirty minutes later the three of them are tucked away nicely in Josie’s king sized bed and it reminds them of the sleepovers they had back in their disney channel days. Stefanie had walked in on day one as the edgy best friend character to the twins and they had become besties in real life right away. The bickering and teasing between Lizzie and Stefanie has been a constant in their friendship from day one. 

After the excruciating shooting days they often ended up sneaking into each other’s hotel rooms to spend the night together cuddled up as an inseparable trinity. 

Lizzie is telling them all about her modeling jobs and the people she’s now friends with. Stefanie and Josie are both dozing off, while Lizzie seems to get more animated by the second, because she'd slept 8 hours on the plane. 

Josie is situated in the middle, in between her sisters and feels incredibly safe and comfy. She’s loving this so much. Having both of them so close. 

Suddenly light illuminates the room. It’s coming from the nightstand where all their phones are charging. Lizzie reaches out and grabs the one with the notification. She turns it around to see whose phone case it is since they all have the same iphone model. 

“Josie, it’s yours.”

Josie doesn’t think clearly, her mind foggy with sleep. She really doesn’t want to open her eyes. 

“What is it about?” She gives Lizzie permission to check the notification for her. It’s probably just someone commenting on her post. 

But then even in her sleepy state Josie finally remembers who else this notification could be from. A beat of silence goes by and then she jolts up. “Wait!”

It’s too late. Lizzie stares at the screen and what is undoubtedly the preview of a text.

“What the hell, Josie???” Lizzie screeches. “Since when do you text Hope Mikaelson?”

Josie covers her face with her hands, she is too tired to go and wrestle her phone out of Lizzie’s grip and there is no way for her to escape the interrogation that’s about to come. Stefanie shoots up from her side of the bed suddenly wide awake.

“THE FUCK?!” Stefanie throws herself on top of Josie to get a better view of the phone screen in Lizzie’s hand.

“Show me!” She urges in disbelief while Josie groans in pain from the new weight on her belly.

Lizzie stares at the text preview and gasps, her mouth hanging open. 

“She says and I quote: that post on your instagram is very sweet, can I like it or are you not comfortable with that?” Lizzie starts hitting Josie with the hand that’s not holding the phone. “What the actual hell!”

One hit for every word, but then she just keeps going in order to get the answer out of Josie. 

“Ouch!” Josie finally blocks the hits and shifts out of reach, Stefanie is now climbing over her fully to take a better look at the phone.

“Holy mother of god.” She says. “Is that really her or did you name one of your contacts Hope Mikaelson for some weird ass roleplay stuff?”

“What?” Josie looks at them with wide eyes. “That’s messed up! I would never!”

They still stare at the notification and are somehow respectful enough to keep the phone locked, even though they both know the passcode.

“Josette Lucas Saltzman. We need answers. NOW!” Lizzie is even offering the phone back. “You have her number? Since when?”

Josie sighs and takes her phone back, quickly scanning the message. She tries hard to keep a straight face, but the fact that Hope texted with perfect grammar again makes her smile. 

“AHHHH! She’s been doing that all day!” Stefanie is pointing her finger at Josie’s face. “I knew something was up!”

Josie sinks back into a sleeping position and gets comfortable for the rather uncomfortable conversation she’s forced to have.

“Okay. So I met Hope at an audition.” She starts.

“Lame. We know that.” Lizzie interrupts. “And we know about her tweet!”

Of course they do. Josie had not been able to shut up about meeting the actress and acting out a scene with her. Stefanie had seen Hope too and had obviously milked Josie for information after the audition. 

They don’t know about the event and the talk at the bar though. Josie had kept all of that to herself. At least up until now.

Josie rolls her eyes at the interruption. 

“Well, remember that event I attended a few days ago? Turns out Hope is now represented by Emma and she was there, too.”

Lizzie and Stefanie’s eyes go wide.

“She’s in our agency?” Lizzie gasps for air and her mouth hangs open. 

“Close your mouth please Lizzie, we are not a codfish.” Josie uses her sister’s own quote against her.

Lizzie looks incredibly insulted and sticks out her tongue instead of following through with Josie’s request.

“Wait.” Stefanie is deep in thought. “That event was on Saturday. It’s Tuesday today…”

She’s about to make a good point, but Lizzie chimes in.

“YOU’VE BEEN TEXTING HOPE MIKAELSON FOR … one … two … three... at least three days now?” Lizzie basically screams while using her fingers to count. “AND YOU DIDN’T TELL US?”

Two pairs of eyes look at her accusingly. 

“This entire conversation is the reason why I kept it to myself. You’re way too invested in my personal life and I wanted to have something all to myself.” Josie bunches up some of the blanket around her to get cozy. “I gave her my number, we’ve been talking and it’s going great.”

A weird mumble jumble comes out of Lizzie’s mouth. Something along the lines of you gave her your number?

“Yes. She said she doesn’t have any friends, so I offered to be her friend.”

Silence follows as Stefanie and Lizzie take in all the news. Stefanie looks genuinely surprised but also proud.

“Smooth, Saltzman. It sounds like you were actually able to talk to her for a change.”

“Thanks.” Josie is all set for the night. “You can ask me everything you wanna know tomorrow, I need some sleep now.”

With frustrated groans and inappropriate words of protest the other two finally settle in as well and ten minutes later they’re all dead asleep. Except for Josie. She’s still clutching her phone in her hand on its lowest brightness setting and opens her thread of messages with Hope. It’s 1.30 am and she doubts the other girl is awake.

why do you even ask? It’s a public post lol

She’s about to lock her phone when the bubbles indicating an incoming response appear. Why is Hope still up?

I just wanted to make sure you’re okay with it. 

I remember how upset you were about the tweet.

Josie smiles.

you can like it

I don’t mind

Hope replies immediately.

Done! Can I follow you?

Josie freezes. Hope doesn’t follow her on instagram, right. She knows that. But how had Hope seen her post then? The realization hits Josie and she can’t help but grin like a fool. There is only one possible explanation for it. Hope had been checking out her profile.

of course you can

stalker (;

Instant regret. She facepalms herself and the sound echoes through the otherwise quiet bedroom. She’s being very annoying and Hope might not take it well.

Guilty. 

But can you blame me?