The Mikaelson-Saltzman Myth - Second Season

“Auntie Josie?” Pedro called and Josie looked at him.

“What?” She asked finding adorable his cute little frowned forehead.

“You’re my aunt, right?” He asked and Josie smiled nodding.

“Yes, I am.” She said proud.

“And Lizzie’s your sister, right?” Pedro asked and Josie frowned nodding.

“Yes, why?” She asked suspicious.

“In school, we were learning about families.” He said sweetly.

“Oh, that’s so cool. And what did you learn?” Josie asked indulging the little boy.

“That mom’s sisters or brothers are aunts and uncles but mommy doesn’t have any siblings.” Pedro said.

“Yes, your mommy doesn’t have any siblings. What else did you learn?”

“The teacher asked us to draw a geneatic tree.”

“A genealogic tree?” Josie corrected and he giggled.

“Yes, that’s it.” He said. “I drew you in there.”

“Aw, thank you.” Josie said amazed kissing his head.

“But when I drew you, you were in Lizzie’s part of the family.” He said, the little frown again on his forehead. “Belinda told me that it’s because Lizzie’s my other mom. Is Lizzie my mom too?” Pedro asked making Josie choke on her tea. Oh God. How was she supposed to answer that? “Is she?” Pedro asked again, oblivious to Josie’s despair.

“I think you should ask that to your mom.” Josie said. It was the responsible thing. She knew Hope and Lizzie were raising the kids together and she also knew that all of them knew that Lizzie was part of the family but she didn’t know if Lizzie was comfortable being called mom.

“Which one of them?” Pedro asked and Josie grunted internally.

“Hope.”

“Mommy then.” Pedro nodded happily and went back to coloring his book as if the conversation had never existed. Josie prayed that he would forget it for now so she could warn Lizzie and Hope about it but life wasn’t that kind because as soon as Josie arrived at their house to drop Pedro after spending the day with him, he ran to both of them excited.

“Mommy, mom, we had so much fun today. I met auntie Josie’s girlfriend and then auntie Josie gave me ice cream and told me that I should ask you, mommy, if Lizzie’s my mom.” Pedro babbled out. Josie looked around. Oh damn. The fact that it looked like Josie had brought up the conversation, though…

“I-” Hope started and then stopped. Josie knew she was nervous. She kept glancing at Lizzie. Josie mustered the courage to look at her sister and gulped when she noticed a deep frown on her face.

“What did you say, Pedro?” She asked and Josie stopped breathing. She had no idea what to expect from her reaction.

“That you’re my mom.” Pedro said with the sweetest of the smiles but also a little uncertain.

“Yes, I am.” Lizzie said softly kissing his head making him hug her neck and kiss her. Josie finally breathed. She should have expected, though, because every time Lizzie referred to the kids, she talked about them as if they were hers. They were hers, Josie smiled. “But what did you say before that? You met auntie Jo’s girlfriend?” Lizzie asked making Josie grunt. Oh no. In the worry of Lizzie’s reaction, she had forgotten that part. Of course that Lizzie would cling to that piece of information.

“Yes, she’s so pretty and she let me play a game on her cellphone while she was making out with aunt Jo.” Pedro said making Josie blush. What world was this that five-year-old kids knew what making out was? Pedro giggled to himself. “Clara told me that teens in her big kids school like to make out all the time.” Yeah, that sounded like a Clara thing to say, Josie though. Alyssa was always complaining about it. “Where’s Alyssa?” Pedro asked looking around.

“After Jiu-jitsu, she went to the movies with Clara and her uncles.” Hope answered and Pedro pouted. Although she was always complaining, she didn’t seem to let go of Clara. Josie rolled her eyes. Kids.

“I wanted to go to the movies too.” Pedro said with tears in his eyes and Lizzie kneeled in front of him.

“I know, sweetie but remember that we talked to you that it was Alyssa and Clara’s day? You spent the whole day alone with Clara and her dad last weekend. You also got to spend the whole day with auntie Josie and even get to meet her mysterious girlfriend that I was starting to believe that she had made her up.” Lizzie said so sweetly that Josie almost missed the indirect. Almost. “Wasn’t that nice?”

“Yes, it was.” Pedro said laughing when his dog started to jump on him. After that, any sadness was gone and he was off playing with Cookie leaving Lizzie giving Josie a pointed look and Hope amusedly looking at them.

“She should’ve known better than to give him a phone to distract him of the fact that you two were making out.” Hope said smirking. Lizzie didn’t look as chill as Hope about it so Josie decided to take the coward way out.

“I really should go right now. I spent the whole day with Pedro and didn’t have time to revise some Fire Reports that I have to file tomorrow. Thank you for letting me pick him up today. Next week is Alyssa’s time. Tell her that she can bring hershadow if she wants to.” Josie said kissing a narrow-eyed Lizzie and a smiling Hope.

“Bye, Jo.” Hope said kissing her back and then nudging Lizzie to do the same. By the way Lizzie rolled her eyes glancing at Hope before coming to hug Josie, Josie noticed that this had been a talk between them at some point. Josie blushed thinking about them discussing her while they drove to work after dropping off the kids at school or bringing the Josie topic before going to sleep.

“Bye, sister. But don’t you think that I won’t pester you tomorrow.” Lizzie whispered in her ear making Josie laugh. It was nice being this way with her sister again. It was still different from what it used to be but she guessed that things never go back to normal after something changes them. Hope and Lizzie’s relationship was different so why would Josie and Lizzie’s be the same? But this lightness accompanied by the teasing made Josie know that Lizzie wasn’t really upset but only curious about something she didn’t know; one of the things her sister hated the most.

“I know you will.” Josie said back turning away and leaving the house after shouting a goodbye to Pedro. When she closed the door behind her, she stopped and smiled at the porch. A small purple bicycle was thrown in a corner, there were two unmatched shoes and a couple of toys. Josie shook her head in astonishment before resuming her walk to her car. It was unreal to think that this was her sister. Just one year ago, Josie worried that one day Lizzie would wake up noticing that Hope wasn’t there anymore and Josie would try to pick up the pieces just to fail and have to watch her sister miserable for the rest of their lives. Now, Josie thought when she entered her car and watched through the window glass as Pedro jumped excited at something that Hope or Lizzie said and ran away upstairs leaving Hope and Lizzie staring at each other and then kissing, things were totally amazing for her. Josie looked away, starting the car and driving away. She never felt jealous of her sister; not during adult life, anyway. When they were younger, Josie would be a little jealous about how Lizzie was always so outspoken and clever but then she found out how Lizzie also was jealous of Josie being able to be “nice to people without wanting to strangle herself” and she realized that it was normal to be a little jealous so they both tried to be better. Josie became very outspoken and pursued the career she very much loved becoming one of the best in her field and Lizzie, ironically but not that much, became a psychologist and had to learn how to “be nice” for a living. So yeah, Josie had grown out of teen jealousy a long time ago but something in her chest tightened every time she watched Hope take Lizzie’s hand when she noticed that Lizzie had fallen deep in thoughts. She felt the tightening even stronger when she watched Hope and Lizzie having some silent communication like the one they just had that made Josie think that they’ve discussed her before. But what really made her heart squeeze as if it were about to break was when she was invited to their house to watch a movie or something and she watched Pedro and Lizzie falling asleep in the middle of the movie while Alyssa and Hope shared a knowing look as if it were normal; or when Josie spent a day with Pedro or Alyssa and then went to give them back and they would run to hug Hope and Lizzie because they missed their parents. At these moments, Josie would have to look away sometimes because the tightening threatened to undo her. She was happy for her sister but… she also wanted that happiness for herself. Someone to love, kids, a house with a backyard and annoying neighbors whose kid would pester Josie’s kid but they wouldn’t let go of each other.

She was just parking her car in front of her apartment when she heard the message beep of her phone. She thought that it was Lizzie teasing her one more time so she didn’t look at the message till she was inside her apartment pouring a glass of wine and picking up her computer to revise those Fire Reports. Only then she picked up her phone and read the message. Like always, it was a short message, something inconspicuous that always managed to twist Josie’s insides and make her think of infinite possibilities. She smiled.

I loved seeing you today. 

Pen ♡

For some reason, that small heart after her name was the only thing Josie could think for the rest of the night.

“No, Lizzie.” Hope answered before any word left Lizzie’s open mouth.

“I didn’t even say anything yet.” Lizzie snorted and then crossed her arms.

“I know what you are going to say and no, I’m not asking the camera footage of all the places Josie was in with Pedro just so you can finally see the girlfriend.” Hope said amused at how Lizzie blushed a little. She wasn’t embarrassed though and that only made Hope love her more. “Wasn’t that what you were going to ask?” Hope teased earning a look.

“As a matter of fact, no. I was actually going to inform you that I will be pulling the footage by myself and if you want to watch it with me, suit yourself.” Lizzie said making Hope roll her eyes.

“Okay, then.” Hope said putting away her laptop and turning on bed to watch Lizzie fidgeting with the book in her hands. She had been on the same page for the last twenty minutes. “I know you’re not going to do this. You’ll wait for your sister to tell you.” Hope said softly and Lizzie rolled her eyes putting aside her book and also shifting on bed to look at Hope.

“I’m just worried. I know that if it were up to Jo, she would have already introduced her to us so that takes me to the conclusion that the girlfriend is the problem. I don’t want Josie to have her heart broken.” Lizzie said and Hope nodded. She didn’t want the always romantic Josie to get her heart broken either.

“She won’t. Didn’t you hear what Pedro told us? She was nice and even gave him a goodbye kiss. She looks sweet enough for me.” Hope said and Lizzie nodded biting her lip. Hope knew instantly that her mind had already gone to another subject. “What is it?” Hope asked.

“I told Pedro that he could call me mom.” Lizzie said. Hope’s fingers had started to trace Lizzie’s arms up and down at some point without her even realizing.

“Are you okay with that?” Hope asked and Lizzie frowned.

“I like it.” She whispered in an adoring tone and Hope smiled blinking away the sting in her eyes. She decided to ignore for now how Lizzie’s answer seemed a little melancholic; as if she didn’t think she was fit to be someone’s mom.  

“I know, right? It’s so amazing to hold a child that calls you mom.” Hope joked making Lizzie laugh.

“Yes, it is.” Lizzie said, then pulling Hope to a kiss. “I love you.” She stopped long enough to say before pulling Hope back to the kiss. Hope sighed contently when Lizzie moved the kisses away from her mouth to her cheek and nose and eyebrows and forehead; to every part of Hope’s face. Hope closed her eyes enjoying how perfect it felt to have Lizzie kissing her like this. She gasped when she felt Lizzie biting her earlobe at the same time that her hands started their path tracing down Hope’s body. Hope gasped again when she felt Lizzie slowly pulling her shirt as her fingernails scraped Hope in a way that would definitely leave red stripes on her skin. She opened her eyes when she felt Lizzie’s breath on her n–  

“Mommy?” Hope heard and her breath caught.

“You didn’t close the door.” Lizzie hissed jumping out of Hope and turning to Pedro that was holding a little stuffed dinosaur and looking not as traumatized as Hope would expect him to be after spending an unknown amount of time – how much time? – watching his mommy moaning under Lizzie. “Hey, Pedro.” Lizzie said obstructing his vision of Hope pulling her shirt back into place. “What is it?”

“Can I sleep here tonight?” He asked pouting. Not the first time. It usually happened when Alyssa was off in Clara’s house or had spent the day with Josie.

“Yes, of course. Jump right in.” Lizzie said as her voice started to even and Pedro smiled jumping on the bed and coming to the middle.

“You two were making out.” He giggled making Hope blush and Lizzie looked at her holding her laugh.

“Let’s sleep, Mr. funny.” Hope said tickling him and then turning off the lamp on her nightstand and Lizzie did the same on her side. “Goodnight, babe.” Hope said closing her eyes as she turned to Pedro and found him with his little arms around Lizzie. She snuggled a little closer folding her arms around both of them and closing her eyes as they both answered to her.

“Goodnight, mommy.”

“Goodnight, Hope.”

The next day, they woke up and after getting Pedro ready and screaming at Lizzie at least three times to get up or else they would be late, they finally managed to leave the house. Since Alyssa had slept at Clara’s last night, Hope drove by the Greasley’s house to pick both girls up and leave them at school. She laughed when two girls left the house and laughed even more when Lizzie gave her an amused look that she had noticed it too. Alyssa, as always, was wearing the school’s black pants, white shirt and black tie. Her hair was tied up and she had an annoyed expression. Clara couldn’t be more different. She was wearing the school’s black and grey plaid skirt with the same white shirt Alyssa was wearing but with a black bow tie and stockings. Her hair was curled in a way that Hope was sure she had spent some time at it. In her hands, she was holding a blue and silver t-shirt that Hope knew it was from her soccer team. She also had the biggest smile of all. When they entered the car, it became a mess of Pedro speaking loudly and Clara answering just as loudly.

“Did you have a nice time yesterday?” Hope asked above the noise to Alyssa and she nodded.

“Tell them what I got you.” Clara said and Hope noticed from the mirror that Alyssa had blushed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I’ll tell.” She said when Alyssa kept her mouth shut. Hope felt Clara’s head popping between the front seats. “Uncle Kaleb and uncle Jed took us to the games after the movies and I got Alyssa a little keyring in one of the booths.” Clara said proud and Hope bit her lip glancing at Lizzie and noticing that she was snickering at Alyssa.

“I don’t even know what for.” Alyssa sighed as if she had said that a lot of times. Clara rolled her eyes dramatically.

“It’s the sign of my love for you, silly.” Clara declared as if she, too, had said that a lot of times. “You have to keep it and treasure it and put it in a little box that you’re going to open from time to time to remember me when, for some life reason, we’re far away from each other.” Clara continued and Hope couldn’t help a giggle that escaped making Alyssa blush more. “Wait. You need a little box. Do you have one? Do I need to give you a little box for you to keep all the gifts and letters I’m going to give you?” Clara asked with a thoughtful expression as Hope pulled in front of the school.

“Please, stop talking, Clara.” Alyssa shook her head leaving the car followed by Clara still talking. “Bye, mom and Lizzie.” Alyssa said going to the entrance with Clara next to her waving at everyone that crossed paths with them. After driving just a little more to pull in front of the kindergarten entrance, Pedro said a rushed bye and left the car running to his friends and teacher.

“I know I should probably feel guilty for enjoying Alyssa’s pleading face so much but I don’t.” Hope said and they both laughed. She would feel guilty if she actually thought that Alyssa was feeling miserable but in reality the girl had been way more relaxed and well-behaved since whatever fight they had a couple of months ago that had lead them to making peace and becoming friends. Hope noticed that Alyssa’s school complains had been less frequent, she had been more open with Hope and Lizzie and she also got to do things kids do like sleepovers, going to the movies and raiding the fridge when Hope and Lizzie were sleeping and they thought that Clara, Alyssa and Pedro were too. Things Hope herself and Lizzie were doing when they were her age.

“Why feel guilty when we know that the very next thing Alyssa will do is find a damn box to keep the keyring?” Lizzie laughed and for some reason Hope blushed; as if an assessment of their daughter’s personality was also an assessment of Hope’s. She drove them to work and they parted ways in the elevator. Hope went to her office and stopped to look around; she had been doing that a lot since she had started working again after vacation. It was different not having a captain. Hope enjoyed the liberty of not having to report to someone daily but she also missed him giving her tips or exasperated looks when Hope did the exactly opposite of what she was told. It was odd but pleasant. Hope tried to think about the good things rather than focus on the bad ones.

Hope also noted how Lizzie had become a little less rude at work since the psychologist that had been put there to keep an eye on her wasn’t there anymore. Her old secretary, Maya’s girlfriend and Lizzie somewhat bodyguard, had also been placed elsewhere. She had told Lizzie that she didn’t feel comfortable working in the same building where she and Maya had fallen in love so she asked for a reassignment and Lizzie helped her to get one that she liked. So Hope could feel how Lizzie was relaxed at not having people put there specially to watch her. It wasn’t like just because the threat was gone, Lizzie was magically fixed and things would only improve; it wasn’t easy like that. Lizzie still had to talk to a therapist regularly, as Hope had too as their boss’s requirement, and they also worried about new problems coming but it was fine because everything else was fine for now. Lizzie also had this in her; this self-preservation that kept her from going too far. Yes, sometimes she took risks and some of these risks still had life-long effects on their lives but she knew where to draw a line. Different from Hope. For Hope, lines were blurred and she could barely acknowledge their existence at all when she had work to do. While Lizzie was a think-while-doing kind of person, Hope was a do-and-never-think person. These new work dynamics also brought them apart in a work sense. Lizzie had way more responsibilities in the psychology department and Hope often had to work on some cases alone. It was good but Hope took more time to solve things when her detail-obsessed person wasn’t around.

Hope opened the files left on her desk. She didn’t have any open cases so she had asked Archive to send her some unsolved cases from the last couple of years. She had been working on them for a week when she found the first connection. Two files, that seemed totally independent from each other, at a second detailed read-over appeared to be connected. After reading other files with the mindset of looking for connections, Hope found another files that seemed to follow the pattern. Hope just wasn’t quite sure what exactly the pattern was at first but now she was worried that she had just found out. She scattered the files on the white board in front of her.

The first one was about a drug lord that was found dead; it shouldn’t be a standout because those type of people show up dead all the time but something about the way he was killed didn’t feel normal to Hope. He forgot the gas on and his house blew up. He was sitting in a chair very close to the oven. He was already dead when the house blew up.

The second one was a full gang of Coyotes. Hope knew a lot of these gangs existed and they asked a lot of money to smuggle people into the country. Although it was illegal, lots of agents and cops closed their eyes to some of them because they knew some coyotes really helped people that needed to flee their countries’ war, economy or directed hate. This gang that was found dead, though, didn’t help people. They charged them a high fee promising to get them in and then sold people into slave work and even worst things. The seven heads of the gang were found dead in their houses. All of them shot in the head. Execution style.

The third file, that Hope had just connected to the other three yesterday, was the most disturbing. At a superficial look at the woman’s life, she seemed like a normal woman. She worked as a software developer from home and almost never left her house for anything. She was in her middle thirties and had no family so she lived alone. She was found dead with three shots in the head and her house set on fire to cover the evidences. Hope remembered this case. It was four years ago and Hope remembered her captain complaining with the officer responsible about the lack of progress. It was closed after a month because no one found anything. Now, all this time later, Hope started to connect these crimes. All of them were shot in the head. The first one supposedly; with his proximity to the origin of the explosion, his skull had been too damaged to know for sure but the autopsy had said very likely. Along with these ones, Hope found another four assassinations. All of them were of really bad people but the woman with the three shots. Hope almost thought about dismissing this one as a connection to the others but her instinct told her not too. These cases… they smelled someone that Hope didn’t want to deal with.

She sighed and picked up her phone. “Hello, Josie. Are you too busy today?” Hope asked.

“It depends. Why?” Josie asked and Hope scowled before shaking her head.

“I need help with a case. I have some fires and I would like your eyes on it to tell me if it could be the same person.” Hope said leaving out the fact that the fires happened quite some time ago and Josie would have to make her conclusions from pictures and lab reports.

“Yes, of course I can. Are you thinking about a serial arsonist?” Josie asked and Hope noticed that she was walking, probably leaving her office as soon as Hope called her for help.

“Not so. I’m thinking an assassin that’s trying to cover their evidence with a fire. I’m having some trouble connecting these assassinations, so I want you to try to connect them by the fire.” Hope explained noticing that Josie stopped her walk. There it comes.

“Lizzie’s a great person to spot connections between deaths. Why didn’t she spot it already?” Josie asked suspicious and Hope grimaced.

“I haven’t asked her to.” Hope answered.

“Why is that?” She asked and Hope sighed.

“I’ll tell you when you get here. Now I have to go.” Hope said hanging up the phone. She looked again at the files. The precisions of the shots… there was only one person Hope knew that could shoot someone that perfectly. Hope also knew that she didn’t do jobs in the same city frequently but in the last four years, there had been more than ten murders with her signature here. Hope would have to find out why. Preferably before Lizzie did.

Hope arrived not thirty minutes after Hope’s call. She entered Hope’s office and threw herself on the chair in front of Hope with a questioning look. Hope gave her the files of the murders and Josie took her time reading it. Hope watched as Josie picked up a notebook and wrote down similarities between the fires, accelerants, and point of origin. Hope smiled. Both twins had a gift to spot details out of a whole. Hope was great looking at the bigger picture but they really thrived on making connections out of unsuspecting things. After a couple of hours of Hope explaining things to Josie and Josie writing down things and analyzing the files, she looked at Hope.

“I know you suspect of someone. Do you know this woman?” Josie asked and Hope looked at her surprised.

“Yes, how did you guess?” Hope asked and Josie smirked.

“I didn’t but I’ve learned with Lizzie to just say something with confidence and wait for someone’s reaction to tell you if it’s true. Thank you for proving my sister correct.” Josie said and Hope rolled her eyes. “Now are you going to tell me why you didn’t tell Lizzie? She won’t be pleased.”

“I know.” Hope grunted. “But not because I haven’t told her.” Josie said and Josie raised her eyebrows at Hope. “If I’m correct she’ll have another reason altogether to be unpleased.”

“And what is that?” Josie asked and Hope picked up the pictures of the bodies and the autopsy results.

“Look at this. Perfect shot in all the bodies. I know only one person that can do this.” Hope said and Josie looked at her questioning.

“So you think it’s her.”

“I hope it isn’t. What did you conclude in the fires?” Hope asked and Josie made a face.

“Not good news for you, I suppose. I would say that it’s the same person. Look at these lab reports. She caused them with normal everyday things that she finds at the places. You see this accelerant she used in this one here?” Josie pointed at the file and Hope looked at a chemical name that she could barely understand. “Most people doesn’t know it can work as an accelerant at all. And this combination here?” Josie pointed to another file. “Potassium permanganate and glycerin?” Josie laughed delighted. “It’s a fairly good fix to light up a fire quickly. If you look at the other things she used, you’ll see that she made sure to use different accelerants or fire starting points so no one would find a pattern but all this perfection is a pattern in itself.” Josie finished and Hope huffed at the admiring tone she detected in Josie’s voice. Lizzie wasn’t kidding when she talked about Josie’s love for watching things burn.

“Yeah, try not to look too in love with this killer. Lizzie would freak out if she had to have this one as part of her family.” Hope joked and Josie rolled her eyes.

“Do you have any idea of how to contact them? Do you even want to if you met this woman while working for CIA and this is CIA job?” Josie asked and Hope bit her lip. She definitely didn’t want to contact her. Hope owned her a favor and she didn’t feel so eager to have her collecting it. She had to sit through half a night of Lizzie complaining Hope’s ears off because of the deal she made. The other half was Lizzie watching Alyssa sleeping and begrudgingly praising Hope for thinking about it.

“I don’t think we should get ourselves involved but this one here is bugging me.” Hope said pointing at the file of the woman with the three bullets. “There’s something behind it and I have to find out.” Hope said picking up her phone. If Maya were here, Hope would pop in her lab and ask her to do this but Maya wasn’t here, Hope thought as her throat started to ache. She shook her head and pressed call. “Hey, Landon.” Hope said after he answered.

“Hey, Hope. Do you need something?” He asked and Hope grimaced. Did she really just call people to ask for favors? Hope sighed; most probably yes.

“Yes. Can you track down a number for me? And if the number is deactivated, can you please search for agent 2134567?” Hope asked listening as Landon typed what she asked. He was always in front of a computer. Differently from Maya, that although loved her job always were out in parties and traveling, Landon’s life was in front of the screen. When he wasn’t working, he was playing online videogames or writing codes. Hope waited while he kept typing.

“You know her agent number by memory?” Josie whispered and Hope huffed.

“You would too if you knew her.” Hope answered noticing that Landon had finally stopped typing. “And?” She asked.

“Hope…” Landon sighed. “What do you want with her?” He asked after a pause.

“Would you believe if I told you that I want to invite her to brunch?” Hope asked sarcastic and poor Landon sighed again. Hope could almost see hid defeated face.

“I don’t even wanna know. I’ll send you what I have.” He said and less than ten seconds later, Hope’s laptop announced an email.

“Thank you.” Hope said about to hang up.

“How are the kids and Lizzie?” He asked politely and again Hope grimaced. He was such a nice guy.

“They’re great. Vacations start next week so Lizzie and I are already crazy about how we’re dealing with them at home while we’re at work. Last year I had six sitters running away.” Hope said and he laughed.

“Well, I wouldn’t expect anything different from the girl that kicked my boss’ balls and her little brother.” Landon said and Hope smiled. “I’ll let you hang up now because I can already see that you want to go back to work. Good luck, Hope.” Landon said. Hope thanked him and hung up.

“Is this Landon the one that tried to hit on you all those years ago?” Josie asked and Hope laughed.

“Yes.” Hope answered and Josie laughed.

“Lizzie had very creative names for him.” Josie said and Hope nodded.

“Oh, I know. Fortunately, she realized how harmless the poor boy was and stopped picking on him every time they talked.” Hope said as she typed the address Landon gave her on Maps. Not surprisingly, it was one of those trashy hotels that she usually stayed when she was about to kill someone. “I’ve got a location.” Hope said triumphant, already standing up and collecting her things. “Are you in?” Hope asked and Josie nodded.

“Of course. Lizzie told me you feel very lonely when she isn’t working with you.” Josie teased as they went to the elevator.

“Lizzie should keep her mouth shut most times.” Hope said rolling her eyes and turning to the elevator’s door opening just to find a blond eyebrow raised at her.

“Wow.” Lizzie said clapping her hands. “That’s what you go around talking about me when I’m not with you. You break my heart, Mikaelson.” Lizzie said and Hope sighed entering the elevator followed by a laughing Josie. “Are you two going somewhere?” Lizzie asked already knowing there were. Hope shook her head; Lizzie seemed to have an instinct for Hope’s shit because she never bought any of it.

“We’re working on a case together.” Hope answered casually and Lizzie nodded.

“I can see.” She said slowly.

“I wanted her arson expertise in some of the old cases that I reopened.” Hope said.

“Did she provide any help?” Lizzie asked and Hope looked at Josie that was pointedly ignoring Lizzie, probably expecting her to forget the whole girlfriend thing. Josie should’ve known better; Lizzie was interrogating Hope and apparently letting Josie out just so she would get Josie in the end. So Hope just bit the bait.

“Yes, she went on and on about how the arsonist’s style was amazing and clever.” Hope smirked at Josie. “It was almost as if she was in love with them.” Hope said biting her lip as she saw Lizzie’s eyes glint with delight that Hope gave her the perfect opening. She turned to Josie.

“Oh, yeah?” Lizzie asked and Josie looked at Hope with a murderous face.

“Traitor.” She hissed.

“Talking about being in love…” Lizzie started and Hope laughed leaving the elevator and going to the car. Lizzie, apparently inviting herself to the case, also went with them. Hope was glad that she was distracted with pestering Josie because that meant that she wouldn’t notice that Hope was a little tense about the case. She didn’t want to tell Lizzie unless it was really who Hope thought it was. In the end, she could be wrong and the hotel was already empty and she wouldn’t have to bump into her so soon and Hope would just close those cases again and put them so deep into the archive room that she would forget she had ever opened them. Then she laughed unamused. She wasn’t that lucky.

Hope was hiding something. It was the first thing Lizzie noticed when Josie and Hope entered the elevator and Hope’s eyes widened a little. Lizzie was going to call her out on it but then decided to let it go. Hope would eventually tell her. If she felt the need to hide something was because she felt like protecting Lizzie of something which was annoying and Lizzie had already talked to her a lot about it but Hope was Hope and this part of her that does things herself to protect others wasn’t ever going to change; Lizzie didn’t want it to change. So instead of focusing on Hope’s frown as she drove the car wherever they were going, she focused on Josie.

“How was the date yesterday?” She asked and Josie gave her a bored look.

“It wasn’t a date. I only bumped into her while I was out with my nephew.” Josie said casually and Lizzie smiled at how good it felt to have it recognized that Pedro was hers. Then she dropped the smile and narrowed her eyes at her sister.

“It definitely became a date after that.” Lizzie said noticing that Hope started to enter a road hotel. She parked the car and Lizzie ignored her sister for a bit to look at Hope.

“Are we looking for something in special here?” Lizzie asked.

“A professional killer. Probably.” Hope said. Lizzie knew that there was more to it but she again let it go. Hope noticed that she had let it go. The three of them left the car.

“Are we just going to knock on all the doors?” Josie frowned and Hope shrugged.

“Do you have a better idea?” She asked and Josie shook her head. Lizzie did, though.

“A professional killer, you said?” Lizzie asked stopping and looking around. “They’re in that room.” Lizzie said pointing at a door on the second floor and Hope and Josie gave her The Look.

“How?” Josie asked and Lizzie smirked.

“There’s three cameras outside.” Lizzie pointed at the three. “Only two are working, see?” Lizzie pointed at how only two of them her a glowing light. “There is the blind spot of both the cameras.” She pointed at a part of the hotel.

“But how do you know the specific room? Are you just guessing one with confidence and hoping that it’s going to be the right one?” Josie asked way to accustomed with Lizzie’s antics. Lizzie did do that quite a lot but not this time. She pointed at the road.  

“The road is this way and there’s a police department two kilometers down the road so they would like to stay in one of the rooms that has a window with unobstructed view of the road.” That narrowed down the number of possible rooms. “They would want the second floor because the first floor is too easy to be ambushed and they would choose that corner because everyone knows that corner rooms are always the best rooms in hotels.” Lizzie said smirking and making Josie roll her eyes. Hope smiled at her and then they went upstairs and knocked on the door. No one answered so Hope picked the lock and they entered the bedroom. There wasn’t much there besides a backpack with some books and a piece of paper on the floor with an address. If it were really a professional killer, they would never leave the address here. Lizzie frowned.

“This feels like a trap.” Lizzie said and Hope nodded. “But we’re coming anyway, right?” Lizzie asked and Hope nodded again. So they went to the other address. It was an abandoned building. Since there weren’t any cars around, they decided to hide their car inside one of the other abandoned buildings around and hide themselves to wait for something. They waited for a couple of hours that Lizzie got bored. It was almost five and they were still waiting when Lizzie, already pissed with this, decided to annoy her sister a little more. It was time for her to tell her anyway. Lizzie had given her enough time.

"Josette, when are you finally going to introduce us to this woman?" Lizzie asked infuriated. It had been six months of Josie laughing and blushing at her phone. Six months of Lizzie trying to find out something, anything, about this mysterious woman that Josie was keeping a secret.

"Now is not the time, Lizzie. We're in the middle of work. Tell her that, Hope." Josie said but Hope only shook her head.

"You know well that I'm not stupid enough to get in between. And I'm also curious about her. Pedro told me that she looked really pretty and that you laughed when she kissed you." Hope said making Josie blush.

"Yeah, sister. There's also the fact that our kid met her before me. That's so unfair." Lizzie pouted.

"You'll get to meet her soon." Josie promised and Lizzie sighed. Then a movement caught her attention.

"I think that's our guy." She said pointing at the place she had spot them. Hope made a sign of silence and went after the person. Josie and Lizzie followed her. Hope was faster than any human being was allowed to be so the next second, the person was on the ground with Hope over them.

"What the hell, Mikaelson." Lizzie heard the person saying and Lizzie grunted. She knew that voice well. Hope pulled her mask revealing the face that always made Lizzie want to throw a tantrum.

"Park."

"Saltzman." Penelope said looking at them angry. "Let me go." She said shaking off Hope and standing up.

"Wait, how do you three know each other?" Josie asked and Lizzie frowned turning to her sister to explain. Then she noticed that Josie's face was pale. She looked at Penelope and noticed that she had the same surprised face. Oh no. No no no no no. Hope, not noticing what Lizzie saw, answered Josie's question.

"We met Penelope a few years ago during a mission."

"Saltzman's your sister?" Penelope asked with a pained voice and Josie nodded.

"Wait, what's happening?" Hope asked and Lizzie grunted.

"Well, I think we just met the girlfriend." Lizzie said looking at Penelope to say something when she noticed that her pale face wasn’t about surprise at all. She went to the woman and poked her belly.

“Ain.” Penelope hissed out.

“And I think she’s dying.” Lizzie said nonchalantly, knowing that in fact, Penelope wasn’t dying; she was too annoying to just die that easily. 

“What happened to you?” Hope asked as Josie came to Penelope’s other side and they both helped Penelope up and started to bring her to their car.

“Well, Mikaelson, remember that favor you own me?” Penelope asked finding it in herself to smirk through the pain. “Someone’s trying to kill me.” She said and the silence that followed wasn’t surprised at all.

“I can’t imagine why.” Lizzie said rolling her eyes and Hope gave her a look.

“And what do you expect us to do?” Hope asked and Lizzie knew the answer before Penelope had to say it. She knew it by the way Penelope’s lips pierced in disgust at what she was going to ask.

“I’m shot and can’t go to the hospital. I have no identity and no place to stay. You need to take me to your house and patch me up.” Penelope said trying not to sound ashamed. Lizzie wanted to pick on her but she stopped when she noticed that Josie’s astonished and scared eyes were looking Penelope up and down for other wounds. Lizzie almost grunted. Stupid Josie had to fall in love with Penelope Park of all people. How did they even meet? They entered the car and Hope started to drive them home. “You mean to tell me that Pedro, that sweet boy I met, is their son?” Penelope asked after some time and Lizzie felt both a rush of excitement when Penelope called him their son and a rush of annoyance at what she implied. Penelope scoffed. “He’s brother to that savage girl? That girl is mix of the worst things in Mikaelson and Saltzman.” Penelope said and although it should have been something bad, Lizzie actually liked it.

“You say that because she got the best of you. She has my intelligence and Hope’s strength. She's perfect and she’s going to take on the world.” Lizzie said with motherly proud. Motherly proud. She almost laughed at herself. Or cried.

“Before you take me to your house, we need to stop somewhere to pick up something.” Penelope said and Lizzie, on the front seat frowned and looked back at Penelope. Something in her voice seemed off; unsure and scared. Totally not the like her confident and caustic self.

“Why?” Lizzie asked and Penelope ignored her and told Hope the address.

“Why should I go there, Penelope? We need to get you home for Lizzie to get a better look at your wound.” Hope said looking at Penelope through the rear view  mirror.

“It’s something important.” Penelope said and Lizzie noticed how urgent her voice was; how desperate. She looked at Hope and nodded slightly. She was curious about what Penelope needed so much. She never had been one to attachment. If Lizzie recalled well, and she did, Penelope’s model was “Live a life in which you can, at any given moment, drop everything and run”. So she didn’t date people, she didn’t have friends and never lived in the same place for more than a month. Lizzie thought it was really lonely but Penelope, hateful as she was, had told Lizzie some people could be satisfied with themselves and didn’t need others to fill any hole. Lizzie, clever as she was, had seen right through the bullshit but hadn’t pointed out because that’s what a friend would point out but Lizzie wasn’t a friend.

Hope drove to the address Penelope gave and Lizzie noticed how Penelope seemed to be getting more stressed by the second. Another odd thing. She was about to ask her when the crazy woman jumped out of the car before Hope even had parked and ran to the house. Lizzie cursed trying to think ahead every possible outcome for this; from Penelope only asking them to bring her here so she could finish a job to Penelope betraying them for some reason. She ran after Penelope, Hope by her side and Josie, stunned, a little behind. When Penelope opened the door, Lizzie heard her gasping.

“No, please no.” Lizzie heard Penelope whispering under her breath as she entered the house and went up the stairs. Lizzie noticed an old lady’s body on the living room’s floor. As a doctor, she went to her but she was already dead. She didn’t have time to process it when she heard Penelope coming down again, desperate look.

“What happened, Pen?” Josie asked but Penelope didn’t even look at her. She went to the fireplace, tossing away a framed image of a lake on the floor and pressing a button that was hidden behind it. Lizzie heard a clicking noise and after a few seconds, a small elevator seemed to come down from the fireplace. Lizzie tilted her head at the cleverness of it. The fireplace had wood and seemed old enough to be frequently used but it was a distraction from the hidden compartment inside. Lizzie expected numerous thigs coming out of the hidden compartment. Guns, secret files, pen drives with stolen information; anything really. But what came out was the only thing Lizzie would never have suspected. A child.

“Mama.” A little girl cried when the small elevator was all down and Penelope opened the door.

“Her, Jamie.” Penelope said relieved picking up the crying little child and hugging her tightly. “That’s okay. I’m here. I’m here. Everything is going to be okay.” Penelope whispered to the girl while Lizzie watched in shock as the most cold woman she had ever met cried.

To say that Hope was surprised was an understatement. Of all people to have children, Hope would never have guessed that Penelope would be one of them. By the look on Lizzie’s face, she hadn’t seen that one coming either. Josie had a mix of surprise, confusion, anger and sheer astonishment on her face.

“Let’s get out of here.” Penelope said holding her child’s face into her chest for her not to see the body on the floor. Hope shook her surprise away and followed Penelope outside. Lizzie and Josie right behind her. Lizzie gave her a look and Hope answered it with her own confused look. Yeah, no idea what was happening. But this turn of events, Hope thought as they entered the car again and Hope started to drive them home, did explain why Penelope had accepted so many works in this city for the past four years. Hope looked at the mirror and at Penelope soothing her scared child. The kid seemed to be around four, so it made sense that that was the reason Penelope finally stuck around.

"Are you going to explain?" Lizzie said impatiently shifting on her seat to give Penelope a look.

"What do I have to explain?" Penelope asked and Hope felt the way Lizzie’s cells reverberated annoyance at Penelope’s response.

“I wouldn’t know.” Lizzie said looking pointedly at the kid. “Hello, Jamie. I’m Lizzie. It’s so nice to meet you. Me and your mommy are very good friends.” Lizzie said and Hope rolled her eyes.

“Are you?” Asked a soft shy voice followed by an exasperated sigh. Hope looked at the rear view mirror again and noticed that the girl’s face had a huge pink birthmark that went from her left eyebrow to her mouth.

“She’s clearly lying, Jamie. Don’t talk to her.” Penelope said and Hope bit her lip. This whole thing was unreal but Hope guessed she should have learned to expect unreal things from life. She looked again at the mirror and noticed Josie watching everything with a, Hope dared to say, pissed look.

“She’s joking. Your mommy is a total silly. She loves to joke.” Lizzie said animatedly to the child and Hope tried to hold her laugh again.

"I know. She also loves to tickle me." Answered the child and Hope again shook away the surprise of imagining Penelope tickling someone. Hope thought she heard Lizzie whispering under her breath “Well, that’s a vision I won’t get out of my mind for a very long time. Maybe never.”

They arrived home soon after that and since Lizzie was the only one with medical knowledge, she patched up Penelope’s wounds and gave her some painkillers. Hope had to take an on the blink of screaming Josie and a hesitant Jamie away while she left Penelope to Lizzie’s care. Hope gave Jamie a bath and dressed her in one of Pedro’s pajamas while Josie paced around the bedroom going in and out about lying girlfriends, secret lives and hidden children. Hope didn’t engage because Josie didn’t seem in the mood to rational talk. When Lizzie and a clean Penelope wearing some of Hope’s clothes came down the stairs, Jamie ran to her and Hope shook her head. Just like Pedro did.

“Look, mama. She let me choose one of her son’s pajamas and I chose the rocket one.” She said to Penelope that gave her an adoring look; one Hope herself gave her children.

“That’s cool. Now how about you go back to watching TV while I talk to the other adults?” Penelope said and Jamie did just that. She went to the couch and Penelope and Lizzie joined Hope and Josie in the kitchen.

“She’s not my daughter.” Was the first thing Penelope said but it lacked conviction and she looked tired.

“Last time I checked, children don’t just call everyone mama.” Lizzie snarled at her and Penelope looked ready to fight when the doorbell rang. Penelope’s eyes widened and Hope saw how worried she was that someone had followed them here.

“The kids.” Hope answered going to the door and finding MG, Clara, Alyssa and Pedro.

“Mommy.” Pedro hugged her.

“Thank you.” Hope thanked MG. Since he worked from home, he had volunteered to stay with Alyssa and Pedro when Hope or Lizzie couldn’t get out of work on time. Hope usually went to pick up the kids in his house but since today was Clara’s game at school, he said that he and Kym would take them to eat pizza to celebrate before dropping them off.  When they were gone and Pedro saw Penelope, his eyes lit up.

“Auntie Jo’s girlfriend.” He said going to her and stopping when he noticed her wounds. “You’re hurt.” He said softly caressing her shoulder and giving her a kiss. Penelope smiled and Hope noticed that she was pointedly ignoring Josie. When Pedro moved away, Hope saw Penelope’s face turning red.

“You.” She hissed looking at someone behind Hope. Alyssa. Alyssa could not be biologically related to Lizzie but the face she gave Penelope was all Lizzie and it made Hope prouder than most things in life.

“How’s the eye?” Alyssa asked annoyingly triumphant and Lizzie gave her an approving look. Hope gave them both got scolding glance because Penelope looked devastated and if Lizzie and Alyssa decided to team up against her, she would be lost.

“I have no idea how someone so sweet like Pedro can live in a house with the three of you.” Penelope said shaking her head.

“I could say the same about your daughter.” Lizzie said in a very irritating way. While Hope loved her deeply, she wasn’t blind to how of a pain in the ass Lizzie could be.

“I already told you that she’s not my daughter.” Penelope hissed as Pedro’s head tilted and he looked at Hope.

“Who’s that, mommy?” He asked pointing at Jamie that had just arrived in the kitchen. She had teary eyes and Penelope looked at her and Hope felt how guilty she felt.

“Shit.” Penelope whispered shaking her head and going to the little girl and brushing away Jamie’s tears. Lizzie whispered something in Alyssa's ear and Alyssa nodded.

“Hey, Pedro, do you want to go upstairs to show Jamie your teddy bear collection?” Alyssa asked and then turned to Jamie. “Do you want to meet the teddy bears? They even have a castle.” Alyssa said softly and Hope smiled at how Lizzie she looked being so sweet with the girl. Jamie gave Penelope one last hurt look before holding Alyssa’s hand and being guided upstairs.

“By all means…” Lizzie said making a hand movement for Penelope to explain. She sighed and threw herself on the chair again.

“She’s not my daughter.” Penelope started and Lizzie rolled her eyes.

“As you said. Three times.” Lizzie cut her earning an angry look from Penelope. Hope looked at Josie and saw how hurt she looked. Hope knew Lizzie was being extra irritating because Penelope had hurt her sister. 

“I had a job four years ago.” Penelope started and Hope’s eyes widened.

“The woman you shot three times in the head.” She guessed and Penelope nodded.

“It was supposed to be a clean job. The woman trafficked girls into prostitution and had kidnapped more than twenty girls to sell.” Penelope explained and Hope felt some kind of relief. She knew Penelope’s work was make certain type of people disappear so Hope had been bugged about that woman’s play in this. So she, too, was a criminal. “I went there, killed her, normal job. When I searched her house for negotiation papers and documents that could lead to the people she sold the girls to, I heard a crying. When I followed the cry, I found a young woman in the attic passed out holding a newborn baby. I thought that she was dead but when I tried to feel her pulse, she woke up. She begged me to take her baby away. Take care of her. Her name is Jamie. Promise to protect her. She kept saying that and after a couple of minutes, she died.” Penelope looked haunted by that memory but Hope saw how she tried to ignore how painful it was. “I was going to take the baby and drop it at the doors of a hospital or a church; someplace that they would find her but as I was leaving the house, I noticed some cameras. In the whole mess of the baby and its mother dying, I forgot to look for hidden cameras.” Penelope shook her head. “Such a stupid rookie’s mistake. I had a mask over my face, and the camera had only gotten my back when I took off the mask to talk to the mother so I wasn’t really worried. Well, after that I set fire to that place and went to drop the baby off when I noticed it. I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed it before, maybe because she was bloody from the delivery or because I was in a hurry but only then I noticed how her face had that pink birthmark. When she was born, it was a vibrant red and bigger and I knew that the camera had caught it. I knew that if I left her in the hospital, it would be easy to find her and I didn’t think that they would go after a baby but…” Penelope raised her hands and Hope nodded.

“You couldn’t take the risk.” Hope finished for her and Penelope nodded.

“So I went back to my car not even knowing what the hell I would do with that child. I put her in the passenger seat, can you believe it?” Penelope asked and Hope noticed that it was a question to herself that she had accidentally said out loud. “Anyway, after that I went to a drugstore and bought everything the internet told me a baby needed and drove away. The next two months were absolute hell until I found Rose. She lived nearby the house I was staying and she was a lonely old lady. I asked her if she was willing to take care of the baby and she said yes. A month later, I took off and left Jamie with her. Every month I would deposit money in her account to take care of Jamie’s needs. I tried to stay away but for some stupid reason I kept coming back to make sure everything was okay and stupid Rose took pictures of me and showed Jamie saying that I was her mother and what was I supposed to say? That I was a killer and Jamie’s mother was the victim of one of my victims?” Penelope asked. “Anyway, a few months ago, I moved Rose and Jamie to a house with some hiding spots just as prevention and I told Rose the truth. And now she’s dead.” Penelope finished angry and Hope wanted to say something but Penelope was never a friend so she didn’t know what to say. Hope noticed that Josie raised her hand as if she were going to put it on Penelope’s shoulder but she gave up and crossed her arms.

“Why did you shoot her three times in the head?” Hope asked after some time and Penelope opened her mouth to talk but Lizzie beat her to it.

“She wanted to distract from her M.O.. Penelope always shoots people right in the middle of the forehead. The other two shots were a distraction in case someone that was looking for her had a contact in the CIA that could tell them which agents had Penelope’s M.O..” Lizzie said and Penelope nodded. “Well, this is a mess.” Lizzie declared.

“Yes, it is.” Hope agreed. “Do you have any idea of who’s trying to kill you?” She asked.

“Sebastian’s on the top of the list.” Penelope said and Lizzie huffed.

“Not surprisingly.” She said and Penelope agreed.

“Why, though? You’re one of the best long-distance shooters.” Hope said.

“He knows about Jamie. That I screwed up the first rule by getting involved.” Penelope admitted. “That’s why I need your help.” Penelope said with determination looking between Hope and Lizzie. “Sebastian hates you two but you managed to get out unscathed for his eternal anger. You’re also alive which means that he didn’t send people to finish you so that’s my favor, Hope.” Penelope said and Hope sighed. Dealing with Sebastian wasn’t easy or clean. It usually required threats and well-placed lies that she knew some secret he was trying to keep. She and Lizzie had been working for years to find proof of his crimes but he was good and always managed to erase evidence or blame others. The fact that he was at the top of the food chain didn’t help.

“So you want us to get you a way out.” Hope said and Penelope gave her a look as if Hope was stupid.

“Of course not. I want you to take Jamie under your wings where Sebastian can’t hurt her so I can go back to work.” Penelope said.

“He’s going to kill you.” Lizzie pointed out logically. Her face or voice didn’t show any emotion but Hope knew how to read her and she noticed that Lizzie was worried for Penelope which was another surprise to the day. This one had had a lot of surprises.

“Probably but I always knew I would die in the work. But if Jamie’s with you, he won’t touch her. If I let you cut me a deal to leave the CIA, he will kill me anyway and probably kill Jamie too. You know that’s what happens to agents like me. We don’t have family or identities for a reason.” Penelope said coldly.

“You are unbelievable.” Josie shouted startling Hope. She had been keeping quiet for so long that Hope had forgotten that she was there. “Oh my God. I can’t actually believe it.” Josie shook her head and Hope noticed how Penelope grimaced. “The amount of lies you’ve told me, the fact that you’re an assassin or that you have a daughter-”

“I said that she’s-”

“Of course she’s your daughter!” Josie shouted and Hope looked to the ceiling as if she could see the children listening to it. “Of all the information I got about you today, none is more stupid or surprising than the fact that you’re just walking into your death.” Josie said. Hope looked at Lizzie and Lizzie gave her a look to let Josie say everything she wanted until Penelope was crying on the floor. Hope didn’t think that would happen but Lizzie sure was hoping it. “Almost seven months, Penelope. Haven’t you said no family, no friends, no lovers or anything just a few seconds ago? So why did you waste my damn time if you knew you would never stick around?” Josie asked and Hope didn’t know Penelope well enough to read her but the look she was giving Josie showed the exact reason she had stayed. Penelope had fallen in love. Hope’s eyes snapped to Lizzie and the disgusted look on her face showed that she had also realized it. Josie was the only one that hadn’t, apparently.

“Okay, as much as I would love to watch you shred Park to small unrecognizable pieces, Jo, the kids are probably listening and I would really want to avoid Alyssa pestering me about why soft-spoken auntie Josie was screaming her lungs off. It’s also late and Park’s wounds are bleeding again.” Lizzie pointed out. Hope looked at her stunned. Of all the people she expected to save Penelope, Lizzie was nowhere near the top. To be honest, there wasn’t a single person on the list. “Why don’t you go take a shower and change into one of my clothes? I’ll ask Alyssa to share the bedroom with Pedro so you can sleep in the other. Park can take her daughter…” Lizzie said putting emphasis on the word “…and sleep in the guest room in the attic.” Penelope said nothing. “Follow me, Park. If you need more stiches, I’ll gladly patch you up and enjoy the pain in your face.” Lizzie said as she and Penelope went upstairs leaving an angry Josie with Hope.

“I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to scream with her tomorrow.” Hope tried but Josie only gave her an angrier look. Hope sighed going upstairs to take a shower. She did it quickly and then went to Pedro’s room to find both him and Jamie already sleeping and Alyssa reading a book. When she noticed Hope, she closed her book.

“Complicated day?” She asked very mature and Hope smiled. Complicated life.

“I could say so.” She said looking at Pedro snorting softly.

“I told them a story and they fell asleep very fast.” Alyssa said and Hope entered the bedroom and kissed her head.

“Thank you. How was your day?” Hope asked sitting next to Alyssa.

“Less complicated than yours, I presume.” Alyssa answered making Hope laugh. “But only slightly.” She finished dramatically and Hope smirked.

“Oh, yeah? And why is that?” She asked already knowing the answer.

“I had to watch Clara being adored in the soccer game and then taking off her shirt to give it to Lilia, who’s supposedly her number one fan. In my opinion, she’s a little bit too obsessed. At the top of all of it? I had to hear Clara talking all day about how I have to go to Disney World with her in the fourth of July. Can you imagine me on Disney World?” Alyssa snorted and Hope frowned.

“You don’t have to worry about that. There’s no way I’m letting you go to Disney World with Clara in the fourth of July.” Hope said, noticing a little too late that Alyssa looked away disappointed.

“Oh no?” She asked casually and Hope’s frown deepened. Well, she had read something wrong in Alyssa’s speech.

“I mean, you don’t want to go to Disney with her, right?” Hope asked. That wasn’t the whole reason Hope didn’t want her to go. Fourth of July marked the one year anniversary of the kids coming to live with her. She wanted to spend it with them.

“Of course not.” Alyssa snorted and Hope’s eyes widened. Alyssa wanted to go. Hope decided to think about it later. With Lizzie soothing Hope’s complains about their children growing up too fast. She stood up.

“We can talk about it later, honey. Now, can you sleep here with Pedro for auntie Josie to sleep in your bedroom?” Hope asked and Alyssa nodded. “Okay then. Goodnight, Alyssa.” Hope said kissing the top of her head. “Lizzie will come here to wish you goodnight in a bit.” Hope finished picking up Jamie and going to the attic to find Lizzie sitting on the bed talking to Penelope. When she noticed Hope, she stood up. Hope placed Jamie on the bed next to the one Penelope was on and wished her goodnight. When they were leaving, Lizzie looked at Penelope.

“Think about what I told you. And think hard.” Lizzie said.

Penelope gasped when Lizzie finished with her wounds and gave it a little pat. The look she gave Lizzie was pure unadulterated disgust. Lizzie smiled. She sat on the bed in front of Penelope and watched her closely. She didn’t quite know what she was looking for but when she found remorseful eyes, she narrowed her own eyes.

“You can go now.” Penelope and Lizzie scoffed.

“You’re at my house. I go as I please.” Lizzie said shifting on bed to make herself comfortable looking at Penelope. “How did you meet my sister?” Lizzie asked and Penelope, insufferable, smiled.

“She bought me a drink. The rest is history.” Penelope said and Lizzie bit her cheek in frustration. It was perhaps a little immature of her to keep this dodging game with Penelope but this was how they were when they met and this shaped their relationship enough for Lizzie to be hesitant to change the dynamic. To be honest with herself, she wouldn’t have the first clue as to how nor did she particularly wanted to that much. Lizzie enjoyed things as they were without too much room for change.

“Old history very soon since she’ll dump your lying ass.” Lizzie said watching the same frustration overcome Penelope’s eyes. Lizzie almost laughed at their incapacity to wave the white flag.

“What do you want, Saltzman? My business is with Mikaelson because she made a deal with me to save that daughter of yours so we don’t really need to interact. If it’s your sister you’re worried about… well, like you said, it will be old history soon enough and I’ll be back to work and you’ll never see me again. All of you won’t.” Penelope said; a white flag of some kind. Lizzie tilted her head; she always knew that she was stubborn as hell, Hope told her so quite often, but if she ever had to guess who would lose in a stubborn contest, she would’ve guessed herself rather than Penelope. Lizzie would never admit that out loud, of course, but she always though that Penelope would win maybe for the single reason that she didn’t really care for people while Lizzie had people she loved so much that she would give up anything without thinking twice. But now Penelope did care about some people; she clearly loved the little girl and the dead old lady that took care of Jamie. There was also Josie, as much as Lizzie tried to ignore it. Not that she would condone with it at all but she also wouldn’t make her sister suffer by letting Penelope die without helping. And if Lizzie were also in the honesty mood, she would admit to herself that she wouldn’t let Penelope die without trying to help for herself and not anyone else. She sighed internally.

“I’ll make you a deal of my own.” Lizzie said and Penelope narrowed her eyes. “Just between the two of us. I’ll pay Hope’s debt. I’ll take Jamie in. She’s small and sweet and definitely needs a better mom than you.” Lizzie said casually trying not to let it show that she was paying attention to Penelope’s every breath. She smiled satisfied when she heard Penelope letting out an angry breath. “I’ll protect her and raise her with Pedro and Alyssa.” She said and Penelope nodded only once; a sign that she gave in to Lizzie even though she wanted to punch her into unconsciousness. “And you are going to leave. No note behind, no goodbyes to either Josie or Jamie. You’ll wait for everyone to go to sleep and you leave without looking back.” Lizzie said trying to sound as cold as the words she was saying. All depended on her delivering these words. “I don’t ever want you see you again.” Lizzie said noticing that Penelope’s eyes shifted to Lizzie arms, her scars, for only one second before looking her right in her eyes. Lizzie held her gaze even as her heart quickened and she waited for Penelope’s hurtful words about how Lizzie had gotten the scars; after all, that was how they both knew each other: sharp words and well-placed insults.

“Was your girl fine? After she was back with you. I noticed blood in both yours and Hope’s clothes when I returned her to you. There’s no way she didn’t.” Penelope asked instead and Lizzie’s mouth opened in surprise. She exhaled.

“You don’t care about Alyssa.” Lizzie said sharp. Lizzie imagined that this was Penelope’s way to try to get something about what had happened. Lizzie suspected that she knew that Lizzie had been kidnapped twice and that she knew some of the things that happened in the first time but the second time… well, no one really knew what happened. The official version was that Hope went there and found Alyssa’s biological mother dead, blood all over the house and Lizzie locked in a room. After they left the house for Hope to take Lizzie to the hospital, a failed flight attempt of a non-tripulated airplane fell on the house making it blow up. Two bodies had been recovered in the wreckages. A woman; Alyssa’s mother; and a man; the Writer. They hadn’t found out his identity even after death. They didn’t even know if it was really him. Hope and Lizzie knew. Hope had told Lizzie the unofficial version of it all. It gave her chills just to think about it. “But she is fine, yes. It’s… a process. But she has people that love her now. People that wouldn’t give her up.” Lizzie said watching as Penelope’s face turned almost green. Lizzie knew her story well enough to know what buttons to press.

“I’m nothing like them. I’m not giving her up.” Penelope hissed and Lizzie raised one eyebrow mustering her most superior expression.

“You’re not fighting for her either. But that’s good. With me she’ll have two people willing to do everything for her. People that wouldn’t take the easy way out.” Lizzie said and Penelope opened her mouth to say something. Then they heard the door opening. Hope with a sleeping Jamie entered and Lizzie stood up fast taking this interruption as an opportunity to look away from Penelope and breathe. She looked at her hands; trembling. She put them in her pocket and walked to the door with Hope only looking back to deliver final words.

“Think about what I told you. And think hard.” Lizzie said.

When she entered their bedroom and went to the shower, she cried. “Lizzie?” She heard Hope calling from outside the door. She finished her bath, putting a pajama and going to the bed.

“You knew it was Penelope, right?” Lizzie asked as soon as she looked at Hope.

“Yes.” Hope sighed. “I mean, I thought that I suspected that it was her and I wanted to be sure before dragging you into this because I know how you feel about her but I think… I think I was sure that it was her since the beginning.” Hope said and Lizzie nodded.

“I don’t hate her, you know.” Lizzie said and Hope nodded. “I just will never be okay with what she did.”

“Lizzie, you have to let that go.” Hope said and Lizzie gave her an astonished look.

“How can you say that after what she did? She almost- you know what happened.” Lizzie said shaking her head. It was funny how they promised never to talk about what happened but the whole world seemed to want to talk about just that every time they called them Mikaelson-Saltzman Myth. Lizzie laughed; as every myth, this one was also filled with lies.

“It wasn’t like she had a choice.” Hope said; for the first time voicing what Lizzie’s mind had been telling her for all these years. Lizzie nodded.

“I blame that on me.” Lizzie said. Hope intertwined their fingers.

“That’s water under the bridge now and there’s nothing we can do differently in the past.” Hope said giving her a kiss. “But I do think you’ve learned with that to know that we can do things different in the present. So what are you planning?” Hope asked and Lizzie looked at her. “You have your plotting face on and when I left Jamie with Penelope, she seemed like she had been forced to swallow down a jar full of scorpions.” Hope finished and Lizzie smiled softly.

“I did learn from my mistakes.” Lizzie said scoffing.

“But?” Hope asked sighing when she noticed Lizzie’s contorted face.

“Well, one can never be perfect so I may have done another mistake.” Lizzie admitted.

“What did you do?” Hope asked and Lizzie grimaced.

“I just set up Penelope as bait.”

“You did what?” Hope asked very slowly. She breathed out trying not to get angry.

“I told Penelope we would take care of Jamie and told her to disappear.” Lizzie said and Hope closed her eyes. “She probably already left. I made sure to take some time in the shower be so I would only tell you after she was already gone.” Lizzie finished and Hope felt her touching Hope’s hands. Hope held still trying not to blow up. “I should have told you.” Lizzie said and Hope opened her eyes.

“You think so?” She said regretting as soon as Lizzie took away her hand and flinched. “You can’t do this kind of thing anymore, Lizzie. Not after what happened.”

“Because you don’t trust me to make those decisions anymore?” Lizzie asked in a small voice and Hope sighed.

“No, Lizzie. Because I couldn’t bare to go through shit again. I can’t even imagine something happening to you.” Hope said.

“Nothing will happen to me.” Lizzie said taking her hand. “And Penelope is the bait.” Lizzie said trying to ease Hope’s mood. It didn’t work.

“And if something happens to her, you’re going to blame yourself for the rest of your life. Like you do with what happened in Christmas.” Hope said watching Lizzie’s eyes widened. Hope nodded. “Yes, I know everything about it. Ethan told me that you call his mom every month. Rachel told me that my captain’s boys got a generous donation from some ex-partner that didn’t want to identify themselves. Apparently, the donation is enough to pay for their studies till they finish high school. The other agents that died, their families got help with living, education, health. I don’t even know how you got all that money.” Hope frowned and Lizzie blushed.

“Most of my patients are rich kids. Doctors that can help with health or professors that can guarantee a scholarship.” Lizzie explained and Hope nodded.

“I don’t want us to keep feeling guilty so when you make a decision like this, I would really want you to tell me, Lizzie. I know that we would do this a lot when we were young; make decisions for the both of us and just trust that everything would turn out fine but…” She trailed off shaking her head and Lizzie nodded.

“Okay.” Lizzie said turning away and turning off the lights.

“Now tell me your plan because I don’t think you’re really planning on getting us another child. For god’s sake, Alyssa and Pedro are already giving me grey hair.”

“I took a page of your how to be in a relationship book and put a tracker on Penelope.” Lizzie said and Hope scoffed.

“Let’s hope she didn’t take a book out of your how to be a pain in the ass book and got rid of it in the first opportunity.” Hope joked making Lizzie laugh. “So we keep Jamie with us for now, let Penelope think we made a deal with her, she goes back to work and then we follow her and find out if it’s really Sebastian trying to kill her?” Hope asked and Lizzie nodded.

“Pretty much that. If Penelope thinks that Jamie’s safe with us because Sebastian can’t touch us, she’ll try to disappear as I told her to. We call Sebastian, make a deal with him and save her ass. After that, she’ll own us a debt that we’ll collect by asking her to never set foot in the same country we’re at.”

“And Jamie?” Hope asked thinking about the little girl.

“We give Penelope a new identity for her and the girl. They can live happily ever after.” Lizzie smiled. “If Sebastian is not the one trying to kill Penelope, then we see what we can do.” Lizzie finished and Hope nodded. Then Lizzie sighed. “I just did what I did because I know Penelope would never agree with our plan to help her. She would probably disappear in the middle of the night leaving Jamie here so it’s better if she thinks that’s our deal.” Lizzie explained and Hope bit her lip. Yes, Lizzie was right and it wasn’t like she had time to discuss the plan with Hope before telling it to Penelope, but Hope just couldn’t deal with unexpected things anymore.

“That’s okay.” Hope said turning off the lights on her side of the bed. “By the way, you should go tell Alyssa goodnight if she’s still up. I told her you would.” Hope said closing her eyes as Lizzie left the room. She thought about Josie. She would not be pleased with this turn of events. When Lizzie came back to the room and laid on bed next to Hope, she had a smile on her lips. “What?”

“What is it about this Disney World trip?” Lizzie asked and Hope grunted.

Josie was pissed. She was so angry that sleep was the last thing on her mind. She twisted and turned on bed but the restlessness didn’t leave her. She stood up and decided to go to the kitchen to drink tea to calm herself. Not that she thought that it would work. Penelope lied so much. When they met in the beginning of December, Penelope was wearing golf clothes and a bag with her bats as a backpack. Josie had found it really cute; the short skirt and the hat making her look like a spoiled rich girl that went to the club to spend half of Josie’s salary in the lunch alone. Josie was at the club for a fire risk evaluation; she sometimes did those to big clubs and companies because the many was really good.

“You look like all your balls fell in the lake.” Josie joked when she met Penelope when she was leaving the club. She stopped, perhaps a little startled that someone was talking to her, and looked Josie up and down. Her look made Josie feel hot inside.

“You look like a reason for all my balls to fall in the lake.” She said and Josie felt herself blushing.

“I’m Josie.” Josie said getting close to her.

“Nice to meet you, Josie, but I don’t really do this.” Penelope had said pointing a finger between them and Josie tilted her head trying to give Penelope a I’m-better-than-you look that Josie had seen her sister mastering at the age of five.

“And what is this?” She asked making Penelope roll her eyes.

“Flirting.” Penelope said and Josie smirked.

“So that’s what we’re doing.” Josie said noticing how Penelope shook her head trying to hold a smile.

“No, that’s exactly what we’re not doing.” Penelope said turning around and walking away.

“Maybe we could not do this over a drink.” Josie said, internally screaming at her face not to blush, her voice not to quiver and her eyes not to look away. Confidence was the key. Penelope stopped but she didn’t look back.

“I don’t do dating.” Penelope said not looking at Josie.

“Who said anything about dating?” Josie said when she had walked close to Penelope in a way that she was standing right behind her.

“Meet me at The Sailwoman’s bar in a couple of hours.” Penelope said only turning to Josie to wink at her. When she had left and Josie realized that she had been standing in the same spot for minutes, she shook her head and walked away. Only when Josie was in her house getting ready for it that she noticed that Penelope hadn’t even given Josie her name.

Josie stopped in front of Pedro’s house and smiled when she saw Alyssa and Pedro sleeping cuddling. She and Lizzie did that all the time when they were little. She walked away from their room and went down the stairs. She put water to heat and sat on the chair to wait for it. Her mind went to the little girl calling Penelope mama. She was beautiful. Light brown hair, grey eyes and freckles all over. She looked happy and again Josie felt this bitter feeling that now, in the dead of night, she recognized as jealousy. Josie shook her head. It was her fault that all this happened. Penelope had made clear in the very first day that she didn’t do dates. She hadn’t even wanted to know Josie’s last name or anything about her family. It didn’t matter that Penelope had texted Josie a winking face after their night together or that she had gone out with Josie other times or that they had been talking in the phone for months. She had never told Josie anything too personal and the only thing that she knew about Josie was that she had a twin sister, a nephew and a nice, she had been homeschooled by her mother because she and her sister had rebelled a little after their father left them and that Josie worked as Fire Security Consultant. Josie hadn’t brought herself to explain that she also worked to the FBI or any agency that needed her expertise; Penelope already seemed too dodgy and Josie knew that people usually got intimidated by her work line. Josie laughed now; all those times she had been talking to Penelope, the other woman was had probably just finished someone’s life and Josie was the one worried to scaring her away.  

Josie had just finished her tea when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She smiled, it was probably Pedro coming to his middle of the night fridge explorations the Lizzie had told Josie about. She stood up to go to him but it wasn’t her nephew. The little person on the stair was a sleepy girl.

“Did mama travel again?” She asked when she noticed Josie. She was so small in Pedro’s pajamas.

“What?” Josie asked taking watching the girl yawn.

“When I woke up to go pee, mama wasn’t on the bed. Did she had to work again?” The little girl asked. Josie cursed under her breath.

“She’s not in the room with you?” She asked again and the girl shook her head.

“She always has to go to work a lot.” The girl explained and Josie felt angry. She couldn’t believe that Penelope had ran away. She had just been shot and there were people trying to kill her. “Can you give me water?” Jamie asked and Josie grunted looking at the small girl. She also had just left the child here apparently without even saying goodbye. Josie closed her eyes for a second before taking the girl’s hand and going to the kitchen to give her some water. The girl drank it watching Josie from over the rim of the cup. “Are friends with mama?” Jamie asked and Josie almost scoffed.

“Yes.” She said not seeing the point in saying no and scaring the little girl.

“Is nana Rose coming to pick me up?” Jamie asked and Josie grimaced.

“I don’t know. Do you remember Lizzie?” Josie asked and the girl nodded. “Tomorrow when she wakes up you can ask her anything, okay? She’ll know what to say.” Josie said and Jamie nodded. Josie didn’t really know what to tell the girl so leaving this conversation to Lizzie seemed like a good idea. She always knew what to say when it came to children. After Jamie finished drinking her water, she looked at Josie with big puppy eyes.

“Can you stay with me to sleep?” She asked and Josie sighed bringing the girl to the living room and laying her on the couch. She sat there with the girl’s head on her lap as she babbled herself to sleep. “Mama works in the airplanes so she always has to travel a lot. But she’ll be back soon.” Jamie said confident and Josie smiled bitterly; at least it wasn’t only Josie that Penelope lied about the reasons she was always away. At least Jamie was young enough to never have to find out the real one.

“You call him.” Lizzie said as soon as Hope opened her eyes.

“God, for how much time were you watching me sleep? You know, when people that love you watch you sleep, they have a soft in love smile on their lips and not this crazy look you have in your eyes.” Hope said sighing and Lizzie laughed.

“Just call him already.” Lizzie said giving Hope the cellphone. Hope narrowed her eyes at Lizzie.

“Why don’t you call him?” She asked and Lizzie looked at her nails.

“He hides well but he almost pisses himself when you talk to him. That’s what we need right now.” Lizzie rushed Hope that only rolled her eyes. She put the phone on speaker before he answered it.

“I didn’t think I would hear from you so soon.” The disgusting man said and Lizzie fought the bad taste in her mouth. Sebastian was a really bad person. Lizzie had realized it as soon as she read the file of what he did when he was working undercover. He had killed, lied and stolen. He didn’t care about who he hurt in the way to get what he wanted. If that weren’t enough for Lizzie to hate him, and it was, the fact that he had just about pissed on her name after her kidnap would definitely be a strong reason. Lizzie had spent a month kidnapped, she was just back and could barely talk or look in people’s eyes. He had gone to the hospital Lizzie was staying and laughed at her. He had laughed and had told her that that was what happened to young greedy agents that thought themselves above other people. Lizzie was angry, so so angry but she hadn’t done anything. She couldn’t; she was hurt physically and mentally and her mind was only half processing what he was saying. She remember crying as he opened the door to leave. Hope, always there even though Lizzie couldn’t stand letting her inside the room, just looked at Lizzie’s tears and Sebastian’s face. At the end of the day, Sebastian had left the hospital with stitches and a broken nose and Hope had gotten a work suspension. Sebastian, angry at Hope and knowing how he would hurt her the most, started the rumors. Saltzman was crazy. She had never been good with people before and her kidnap had just snapped something that he didn’t think could ever be repaired. He was sorry because she was such a young, full of potential agent. Lizzie couldn’t even talk. She had scars on her pulses. She had tried to kill herself. She hadn’t told everything that happened to her while she was kept prisoner; she must have developed Stockholm syndrome and should never be trusted again. Those were the first rumors. After a week in the hospital, Lizzie had to go to the bureau to give an official statement about what had happened. Lizzie was tired and angry and in pain but she knew she had to go there although she was scared to hell about telling them that she didn’t remember most of what had happened. She already had told them while she was in the hospital but they had dismissed it saying that it was the trauma; that Lizzie had such a good mind that she would remember after a few days. Even the doctors had told her so. As soon as she stepped into the building, she noticed how people stopped and looked at her. She took a deep breath and ignored them; the agent that had brought her giving her a reassuring smile and leading her to the elevator. They took Lizzie to the interrogatory room and that was the first piece of the domino falling. Hope’s captain interrogated her. He hadn’t been nice. He had pressed for things Lizzie couldn’t give and had kept her there for more time than he should have. Lizzie started to feel trapped; the room felt small and the air couldn’t reach her lungs. She looked around, questions from Hope’s captain bringing back some memories that she didn’t want. Lizzie stood up ready to run away. She left the room, her vision blurry, from tears or oxygen deprivation she didn’t know, and everyone’s eyes on her that pierced her skin like a monster’s eyes were supposed to feel. She must have stopped or maybe someone stopped her but when she felt two arms around her trying to steady her, everything was too much. She knew to whom those arms belonged and although she was the only person Lizzie wanted to explain what was happening or to ask what was happening, she was also the only person that couldn’t be near Lizzie. She felt Hope hugging her and she snapped. She remembers screaming and punching Hope away. She remembers Hope trying to keep Lizzie inside her arms not understanding that it wasn’t like Lizzie didn’t want her but that she couldn’t have her that close. The pain and the memories finally overloaded Lizzie and she passed out. When she woke up, she was in the psych floor and two doctors were talking over her. They didn’t realize she was awake.

“Do you think she’s really crazy?” One asked.

“I don’t know and I don’t care. It doesn’t really matter if she is. The rumors already made her crazy. There’s no way she can escape that now. Have you heard them? The rumors, I mean?” Another said.

“Yes. She can’t speak or doesn’t want to. Stockholm syndrome. Suicide attempt more than once if the timeline of the scars that the doctors sent us is correct.”

“She didn’t help her case by hitting agent Mikaelson, her girlfriend and ex-partner, in front of everyone. And the way she screamed? If people didn’t believe the rumors before, now they definitely do.” He finished his speech. When Lizzie left the bureau that day, she asked the agent that had brough her here to take her to the hospital. When he had asked her if she was feeling bad or if one of the stiches had snapped, she only shook her head and for the first time after the kidnap, talked without stuttering.

“Not that hospital.”

Lizzie only realized she had gone deep when she felt Hope’s hand on hers and she realized that her breathing was uneven. Lizzie smiled reassuringly at Hope when she noticed how her face had gone pale with worry.

“And, Mikaelson? Have you called me to just listen to me talking? I didn’t know you were missing me that much. You’re not my type but-” Lizzie didn’t let him finish. She took the phone from Hope’s hands.

“Shut your mouth, Sebastian.” Lizzie noticing that Hope had gone into her own walk down memory lane. Lizzie shook her head. “Why are you trying to kill Penelope Park?”

“Why are you interested in Penelope Park? Didn’t she almost kill your little girlfriend?” He said and Lizzie bit her lip. She wasn’t going to take the bait.

“Why are you trying to kill her? Is it about the girl she took?” Lizzie asked and he scoffed.

“You and those little bastards you take in. I don’t care about that ugly child she’s been keeping hidden.” He said disgusted and Lizzie bit her lip harder. It was good that she had taken the phone from Hope; Hope would’ve taken the bait.

“You should know better than to mess with me.” She said in a menacing tone. She enjoyed the way that the line went silent for some time before he talked again.

“I didn’t know Park and her little pet was under your wings now. We should really meet to draw a treaty about who’s in your protections ward.” He said and Lizzie tilted her head.

“You just need to stay on your side. She’s in ours now. I don’t want you to contact her ever again.” Lizzie said.

“Okay. And what are we doing this time? Are you offering me something in return for doing what you ask or are you threatening me with something that I did but you have no proof?” Sebastian asked and Lizzie narrowed her eyes.

“Huh.” She said and Hope looked at her and mouthed what. Lizzie hang up. “It’s not him.”

“How do you know?” Hope asked frowning and Lizzie looked at the phone.

“He said yes to my deal to quickly. If it were really him, he would have denied until we threatened him. It’s not him.” Lizzie said again.

“If it’s not him, who’s trying to kill Penelope? I always thought that she was good enough to never be caught.” Hope said and Lizzie nodded. She also thought that.

“Let’s take the kids to school and go after her. I have a feeling that she’ll be after whoever shot her last night.” Lizzie said and Hope nodded. When they woke up the kids and went downstairs, Josie was sitting on the couch watching Jamie sleeping. “Jo?” Lizzie asked and Josie looked at her with red eyes. From spending the whole night awake or crying. Probably both. Lizzie sighed.

“She’s gone.” Josie said and Lizzie nodded.

“I know.”

“What are you going to do with her?” Josie pointed her chin at the sleeping girl and Lizzie looked away. She hoped Penelope would take the girl back if they were able to save her ass, but if she didn’t want to, Lizzie had no idea what she would do with the child. Probably find her a home. Rachel could help her.

“For now? I’ll ask MG to take care of her for the day while we solve this Penelope thing. We can think of something after that.” Lizzie said and Josie nodded standing up and going upstairs. After getting everyone ready and stopping by MG’s house to leave Jamie. They went to the address that Penelope’s tracker was indicating.

“You sure it’s right?” Josie asked when they saw where the tracker had led them to. Lizzie frowned and looked at her cellphone.

“Yes.” She said a little unsure.

“So Penelope is inside the FBI.” Hope said and Lizzie nodded. “Why?”

“Let’s find out.” Josie said getting out of the car and going to the building. Lizzie looked around; a strange feeling in her stomach. She felt like she was missing a detail. Something important that she hadn’t looked at.

“What is it?” Hope asked when they were in the elevator.

“I’m forgetting something.” Lizzie said as the doors opened to Lizzie’s floor. She went to her office and turned on the computer. She entered the camera footage program that she had asked the direct to have installed in her computer. The director hadn’t been happy about it but she had agreed with it knowing that having the backup of the camera footage of the whole building in another place than the security room was actually a clever idea in case anyone ever tried to erase something.

“How did you get her to say yes to this?” Hope asked impressed and Lizzie smirked.

“I may have promised her to that I would convince you to take care of security in the upcoming fourth of July presidential speech.” Lizzie said and Hope gave her a look.

“That’s it. I’m asking for the divorce.” Hope crossed her arms. “You knew I wanted to spend the holiday with you and the kids doing something nice.” Hope said and Lizzie smiled softly at her while she typed the description she wanted the cameras to search for.

“Alyssa wants to go to Disney with Clara and we might as well send Pedro too. We don’t need to keep them in to celebrate a specific date, Hope. We celebrate it every day.” Lizzie said looking at Hope. “We’ll also get some time to ourselves. It’s been almost six years since we last had sex on the couch.” Lizzie joked.

“Ew, Lizzie. Why would you want to have sex on the couch? I sit on that couch. For god’s sake, your kids sit on that couch.” Josie said with a disgusted face that made Hope laugh like Lizzie thought it would. The computer beeped and they all looked at it.

“That’s her.” Lizzie said writing down the input that the tech guy had told her that made the cameras show someone in chronologic order. “Okay. She came here in the middle of the night.”

“How did she get passed security?” Josie asked.

“She has thousands of fake ids.” Hope said and again Lizzie felt her sister processing the fact that she had been dating this person for months. Lizzie wanted to talk to her sister but now was not the time. “Why was she here, though?” Hope asked and Lizzie frowned. Good question.

“I’m starting to think she tricked us.” Lizzie admitted when she saw where Penelope had been.

“She tricked you?” Josie asked with a stunned face and Hope scoffed.

“Welcome to Lizzie and Penelope 101. In this course you’ll learn how they double-cross each other every time they meet.” Hope said in a professional tone and Lizzie gave her a look.

“Shut up.” Lizzie hissed and Hope raised her hands.

“If you pass this course and follow the next one, you’ll get to Lizzie and Penelope, Insults as Weapon course.” Hope said very satisfied with her own joke and Lizzie rolled her eyes.

“There’s a lot to unpack here.” Josie said and Lizzie grunted. After watching Penelope leaving the FBI building, Lizzie stood up and went to her therapy room just to find the tracker on the couch. Lizzie cursed.

“I take it that your plan didn’t go very well.” Hope said raising one eyebrow and Lizzie threw herself on the couch.

“She knew it. She came here to leave the tracker just to spite me.” Lizzie admitted begrudgingly and Hope nodded.

“You should’ve expected, to be honest.” Hope said and Lizzie didn’t say anything.

“What do we do now, then?” Josie asked and Lizzie looked away not to see the worried look on her face. Hope sat next to her on the couch.

“What was it that you told me that you think you’re forgetting?” Hope asked and Lizzie bit her lip.

“I don’t know.” Lizzie said lowly. “My mind hasn’t been a good friend. Why do you think I’ve been avoiding working in the field with you?” Lizzie whispered.

“You know that’s in your mind, right?” Hope asked and Lizzie fixed her a look.

“Wow, I, a freaking psychologist, wouldn’t have guessed that without your help.” Lizzie said sarcastic watching Hope laugh.

“What I mean is that it’s objectively in your mind.” Hope said tapping her own temple in illustration and Lizzie tilted her head. “Your mind is not having trouble remembering things but connecting them to answers. So why don’t you just write down every single thing you’ve noticed since we found Penelope? Maybe Josie and I can see something you’re missing.” Hope said Lizzie nodded. It was a good idea. She picked up a bunch of papers and started to write everything from the moment they found Penelope. She wrote Penelope’s clothes brands, how her shoes were tied in a double tie and how her hair was cut shorter than the last time Lizzie saw her. She wrote down about the emotions she recognized on her face when she looked at Jamie or at Josie and when she was talking to Lizzie. Lizzie had been writing down everything while Josie and Hope were reading it. They were at it for about two hours when Lizzie stopped what she was doing.

“The books.” Lizzie shouted and Josie and Hope looked at her.

“What?” Josie asked.

“At the hotel. I have no idea why those books were there. And the fact that it was a trap… we thought that maybe it was a trap for Penelope, or in that case the assassin since I didn’t know it was Penelope then, but what if it was a trap for whoever was chasing Penelope?” Lizzie asked and Hope’s eyes widened.

“What were the books?” Hope asked and Lizzie wrote down the names. Children books. Lizzie’s own eyes widened. “What?”

“Penelope thinks that the assassin was after her so she left a backpack with some children’s books as if she had bought them to gift someone; a child. Penelope did that because she knew that the person following her-”

“Knew that she had a child.” Hope completed and Lizzie nodded.

“But we, and I think that Penelope too, only thought about the possibility of someone after Penelope but what if the person…”

“No.” Lizzie heard Josie saying.

“…is after Jamie.” Lizzie finished as Hope’s hands went right for her cellphone.

“MG’s not picking up.” Hope said standing up. They ran to the car. “Keep calling him.” Hope said and Lizzie kept doing it but he wasn’t picking up.

“We should have brought her with us.” Lizzie said.

“Penelope will be devastated if something happens to Jamie.” Josie said and Lizzie knew it was true. All of them would be but Penelope would never forgive herself or Lizzie and Hope. Lizzie cursed again. Damned stupid failing mind. When they arrived at MG’s house, it was unnervingly hollow. It usually had loud music playing and MG could be found writing in the backyard. He wasn’t there. He didn’t seem to be anywhere.

“What do we do now?” Josie asked but Lizzie wasn’t really paying attention. Lizzie was more concerned about Hope face as she looked closely at the house. One second she was with her head tilted and the other she was jumping at Lizzie. As soon as Lizzie hit the ground, she noticed that Hope had saved her from a gunshot. She looked for Josie and found her kneeled down hiding from where the bullet had came from. Lizzie saw Hope making a sign to her as she started to craw away. Lizzie never quite liked this part where Hope went to save the day. It was good when the day was saved but Lizzie always had trouble breathing when Hope did this. Almost nine years of it and Lizzie hadn’t gotten used to it. Another gunshot. Lizzie recoiled. She looked around trying to find Hope but she was nowhere to be found. Lizzie bit her lip and watched as Josie’s eyes searched the close places looking for a better hiding place or a way to escape the room and resume their search for Jamie; the girl life was at risk. Fortunately, she hadn’t to look for much longer because Hope managed to get the shooter. Lizzie stood up, glancing at Hope fighting the enormous guy before trusting her to finish him like she always did and going to look for Jamie. Lizzie had barely walked to the other room when she heard the clicking of a gun behind her back. Josie stopped too.

“Where is she?” Came a male voice from behind her. Lizzie really should stop getting found by guys with guns. She sighed.

“Who?” She asked and he hit her back, right over her scar, with his gun. She screamed and Josie tried to come to her when she was stopped by the guy with the gun.

“You know who. The girl. Where is she?” He asked and Lizzie’s vision spined at the pain. She could feel the blood dripping through her fingers over the wound.

“Does it seem like to you that I know it? Didn’t you notice that I was also looking for her, you stupid.” Lizzie said, the only reason for her to say those death-wish words being the guy had his gun pointed at a furious Josie. Lizzie regretted a second later, though, when she felt a second gun pressed to her back. She should really listen to Hope when she told Lizzie to shut up. If she survived, Hope wouldn’t let her see the end of it. Lizzie was about to do another stupid thing by trying to negotiate with him, when she felt him falling on her. She hit the ground with him over her. When she managed to get out of under him, his neck was broken and Penelope was there.

“Where is she?” She asked and Lizzie shook her head. Penelope looked a mess. Blood all over and desperate look. Josie had just helped Lizzie up when they heard an awful breaking noise from the other room. They went there to find Hope over the giant’s body; his arms in a totally unnatural angle. Lizzie grimaced.

“Who sent you?” Hope asked and the guy kept his mouth shut. Lizzie knew he would. There were man sent to kill a little girl. Whoever wanted her dead, was powerful enough to send people that would never crack under normal circumstances. Lizzie looked at Josie before going to Hope and kneeling on the floor beside her.

“Josie, can you please find me a knife in the kitchen.” Lizzie asked as Hope’s eyes snapped at her.

“Don’t do it, Josie.” Hope shouted and Lizzie gave her a look.

“He’ll never talk unless you let me use all those CIA enhanced interrogation tips I’ve learned.” Lizzie said watching Hope shake her head.

“But Josie…” Hope started and Lizzie sighed.

“Josie must know already.” Lizzie said as Josie walked to her with a knife in hand and a suspicious look.

“Know what?” Josie asked looking between them.

“That your sister used to be a professional torturer.” Penelope answered and Lizzie noticed through the corner of her eyes that the guy’s breathing quickened just a little. Good.

“What?” Josie asked horrified. “But you’re a doctor, Lizzie.” Lizzie grimaced.

“And that makes me better than the others because I know exactly where to cause more pain.” She said as she brought the knife to the one place she had learned broke down men very quickly. He looked at her as if she were crazy when he felt the knife. Lizzie pressed just a little. 3…2..1…

“Stop. I’ll tell you.” There it was. “She’s Daniel Sanchez’s daughter.” He said and Lizzie scoffed. Of course it was.

“Isn’t he one of the-”

“CEOs that have a Restraining Order against me? Yes.” Lizzie said and Hope frowned. “I’ve been trying to warn people for years that he’s a sexual predator. It’s time to finally pay him a visit.”

“You could be arrested for that.” Hope pointed out and Lizzie smiled.

“Well…” She patted the guy on the broken arm. “This time we actually have evidence that he’s that girl’s father and sent killers for her.” Lizzie said giving him her phone and making sure to have him open his account in her phone. After making a quick phone call to Landon, he linked the payment the killer had gotten to one of his illegal accounts outside the United States.

“We have to find Jamie.” Penelope said after having looked her everywhere in the house. Lizzie looked at her.

“Try the basement.” Lizzie told her and Penelope looked at her as if she were crazy.

“I’ve checked there.”

“Not the panic room.” Lizzie said smiling.

“Panic room?” Josie asked.

“MG’s the Secretary of Defense’s son. Of course he has a panic room.” Hope explained. Lizzie watched Penelope run to the basement just to stop when before entering.

“I can’t see her.” Penelope said and Lizzie tilted her head. “We have to go see if this guy is telling the truth and make sure she’ll be safe.” She said and Lizzie nodded. They all went to his company. When they arrived at the lounge, three securities came to them.

“You’re not allowed here.” One of them said and Lizzie smiled.

“Tell him I know about the daughter.” Lizzie said watching Hope smile as the guy walked away to call his boss. “What?” Lizzie asked.

“You have such a smug face right now. I can’t wait to take you home and whip it out of your face for getting caught again.” Hope said bitterly looking at Lizzie’s bloody shirt. Lizzie had forgotten about the wound.

“That’s not nice of you.” Lizzie said as the guy came back with permission to let them up. When the old man saw Lizzie, he quivered and Lizzie enjoyed it very much.

“I take that one of the guys I hired opened their mouth.” He said drinking whiskey. “What can I offer you to buy your silence?”

“You really think that I’m-” Lizzie started but he laughed.

“Going to let me walk free? Yes. I’m rich as Midas. I have contacts everywhere. I wouldn’t be in prison for more than a week and you know what the first thing I would do? Hire all the fucking criminals in this world and send after that girl. She would be dead before you even got to know it and after that I would send them after your own kids.” He said and when Lizzie glanced at Hope trying to school her astonishment, he laughed. “Don’t you think I’ve been keeping tabs on you? So this is the deal, I let her live and all of us walk home to our families tonight.”

“Which guarantee do we have that you will keep your part of the deal?” Hope asked disgusted.

“You don’t but you don’t really have an option, do you? If I were you, I would accept it. It’s almost three pm and your kids are getting out of school soon, right?" He said and Lizzie felt her angry exhale. She glanced at Penelope, that looked like she wanted to kill him a hundred times and at Hope, that seemed like she would fight Penelope for the right to kill him. Josie was just plain stupefied.

“We’ll take the deal but if anything happens to any of the kids or us, jail will be the last thing you’ll have to worry about.” Lizzie said cold and his hands trembled a little. When they left the building, they all went to the bureau. MG was already there with Jamie. Hope had called a few agents to go pick him up from his house and deliver him in the bureau. Lizzie and Hope talked to him a little, Jamie sleeping on the couch. When Lizzie looked at Penelope, she was talking to Josie. It didn’t seem like a good conversation, Josie’s angry face and Penelope’s resolute one said it all. When Hope and Lizzie went to them, Josie turned away and left.

“What did you say to her?” Lizzie asked, noticing, surprisingly, that her voice was free of any accusation.

“That we’re old news; that she’ll never see me again.” Penelope said.

“So you’ll take Jamie and disappear?” Hope asked and Penelope looked away.

“You’re not taking her with you, right?” Lizzie asked and Penelope didn’t really look at her when she answered.

“Like you said, I’m not fit to be a mother. I was never one. Now that the girl-” Lizzie noticed the use of the word girl to cause detachment to her. A failed technique when they all knew that she cared more about the girl than anything. “-is safe, I can go back to my life.” Penelope finished.

“And Josie?” Hope asked because she knew Lizzie wouldn’t.

“What about Josie? She always knew that I didn’t do dates.” Penelope said turning around. She stopped before entering the elevator. “Your debt is paid. We don’t ever have to do business with each other again.” She said as the doors opened and she left.

“I can’t believe she did this.” Hope said and Lizzie, for some reason, couldn’t take her eyes away from the door Penelope had left. She couldn’t either. “She raised Jamie for four years. How could she…?” Hope said and Lizzie shook her head.

When they arrived home after picking up the kids from school, Josie was sitting on the porch. Hope and the kids entered and Lizzie sat next to her sister.

“I’m sorry.” Lizzie said and Josie scoffed.

“What happened to Jamie?” Josie asked and Lizzie sighed.

“I called the kids social worker, Rachel, and she took Jamie away. After talking to one of the special protections agents, they decided to put her in a foster house ran by two agents. They’ll have people watching the house for the next months to make sure she’s safe.” Lizzie explained. “We told them we didn’t know who her parents were; just that someone was trying to kill her.”

“Is she going to be safe?” Josie asked and Lizzie nodded.

“He won’t dare touch her.” Lizzie said and Josie nodded.

“I looked at what you and Hope have here… the kids, the toys scattered across the house, the dog and your happy faces and I thought that I could have the same someday but I guess these things aren’t for me.” Josie said and Lizzie shook her head. She knew that her sister was heartbroken and the pain was talking for her but Lizzie couldn’t bare to watch her suffering.

“Of course it is, Jo.” Lizzie said taking her hand as one single tear streamed down Josie’s cheeks.

“Why can it be easy for me like it is for you and Hope?” Josie said and Lizzie knew that again was the pain talking but she couldn’t help the flinch nor the words that followed.

“Where are you seeing the easy part, Jo?” Lizzie asked and this time, Josie was the one flinching. She looked at Lizzie with a guilty look. “It was never easy. It’s not now and it will never be.” Lizzie said and Josie looked away.

“I’m sorry.” She said and Lizzie nodded. “I’m not thinking straight. I better go home.” Josie said standing up without looking in Lizzie’s eyes.

“Josie, why don’t you stay here today?” Lizzie asked but Josie laughed unamused.

“No, thank you. I would really rather be alone right now. I’m sorry for not thinking right before talking.” Josie said hugging Lizzie and practically running away from her as if Lizzie was the devil. Lizzie sighed and went inside to find Hope in the kitchen starting to cook something. They had both taken a shower and changed into clean clothes before picking up the children but when Hope looked at Lizzie, it was like she could see the blood from Lizzie’s wounds. Lizzie looked at her apologetically and Hope nodded.

“Talk to me.” Lizzie asked softly looking at Hope’s sad eyes. It was almost too much for Lizzie to handle.

“I look at these kids, you know; Alyssa and all that shit with that monster, Jamie so small and already being chased around, Clara and what she saw her mother doing.” Hope stopped talking, shaking her head and sighing. Lizzie sighed too. She had seen Clara’s files and what she saw broke her heart. She almost expected Clara never to bring up the topic with Alyssa. It was selfish of Lizzie but she didn’t want her girl to have to deal with someone else’s pain because she already had to deal with her own and if the nightmares that Alyssa still had and all the fighting were an indication. “They’re so small and they’ve been through so much and the people that were supposed to protect them are the ones that hurt them the most.” Hope finished, her head falling on Lizzie’s chest. Lizzie kissed her head. She knew how this affected Hope more deeply than others. Her mom was a foster kid. Her parents had been assassinated when she was small and she had been thrown into foster care. One house after another. No one never kept her long enough to form bonds. Before meeting Hope’s dad and finally becoming part of a big family that loved each other and was extremely close, Hayley never felt like she belonged. So Lizzie knew that every time Hope looked at one of those scared faces, she saw her mom. Although Hope told her that one of the reasons she decided to adopt the kids was because she felt like she could help them like she hadn’t been able to do with Lizzie; Lizzie also knew that a major part in the decision came from knowing that her mother would be proud. That she would love these kids more than anything. And Hope loved Alyssa and Pedro like she wished someone had loved her mom.

“We’ll keep an eye on her. Rachel placed her close so we can check on her regularly.” Lizzie said and Hope nodded.

“I wish it could be different.” Hope said and Lizzie nodded. They intertwined their hands.

“Me too.” Lizzie said as she watched Hope finishing the food. When the kids picked up their food and went back to the living room to watch a movie while eating. They stood up on the threshold watching Pedro eat with his eyes focused on the TV while his hands kept stealing food from his plate to feed Cookie and Alyssa smiled like a dummy at Hope’s phone; the one she used to exchange messages since she didn’t have one. Lizzie smiled looking at Hope.

“We should probably get Alyssa a cellphone of her own.” Lizzie said after some time and Hope grunted.

“No. Uh uh. Not happening. You’ve already done too much convincing today. There’s no way you’ll convince me to let an eleven years old have a cellphone before she’s fifteen.” Hope said crossing her arms and Lizzie laughed.

“Is there a way I can convince you?”

NEXT CHAPTER

“Alyssa, stop looking at that phone and pack your things or we’ll be late and lose the plane.” Hope shouted when she passed Alyssa’s door and saw her texting. Hope rolled her eyes. Alyssa would freaking see the person she was texting to in about one hour. What was so important that she couldn’t wait?

“You seem stressed.” Lizzie said from over her own phone and Hope gave her a look.

“I’m going to kill you.” Hope said throwing a pillow on Lizzie.

“What was that for?” Lizzie asked and when Hope didn’t reply, she smirked. “Was it because I convinced you to give Alyssa a phone?” Hope narrowed her eyes. “Or is that I invited Clara to come with us to the trip? Oh, I know.” Lizzie said snapping her fingers. “Is it because I went behind your back and told your lawyer that you would be there for your father’s Will opening?” Lizzie said annoying and Hope threw at her another pillow.

“I’m angry at you.” Hope said buffing like a petulant child. She didn’t even know there was a Will to begin with. They had opened his Will when he and Hope’s mom died so she didn’t expect to have another one for their fifteen-year death anniversary. Was that even a thing? Hope had been informed about the Will last year close to Christmas but when all that shit happened, Hope totally forgot it and had been ignoring all her lawyer’s letters, emails and phone calls. Hope was running out of excuses every time Lizzie asked her about why the lawyer called so often. Like it was bound to happen, Lizzie found out and called Hope’s lawyer telling him that Hope would meet him in England to finally open it.

“Oh, Hope, you know you wanna know what’s in there. I’m just pushing you a little bit in the right direction.” Lizzie said softly and Hope grunted.

“You didn’t get it, Lizzie.” Hope sighed and Lizzie tilted her head for Hope to explain. “The reason I’ve been ignoring it is because I know exactly what’s going to be there.” Hope said. “All these years, there was one thing that I never saw again after they died.” Hope looked away. “Something my dad told me it would be mine someday.”

“What is it?” Lizzie asked curious and Hope breathed out. That was definitely not the topic she wanted to bring right before the trip but it was better tell Lizzie than let her to figure things on her own.

“My mom and dad engagement rings.” Hope said noticing how Lizzie’s eyes widened.

“Oh.” Was the only thing she said before looking away and Hope grunted. Not the way she wanted to bring that topic at all.