"WHAT?!" Mazikeen snapped, loud enough for the entire school to hear. "I'm so sorry sweetheart, Caroline can't make it today." Molly repeated to the girl, as the blonde's shoulders slumped.

"This is terrible!!" The Saltzman grumbled, wanting to see her mother, especially on her birthday. "I did talk to Caroline for a while though, and she said that she'll be video calling you each real soon." The Hale vampire smiled weakly.

"This is for you, my sweet girl. Happy birthday!" Molly chirped, holding a small, wrapped box out to the siphon witch, with a smile. "Aw, thank you Molly!" Mazikeen hummed, trying to hide her disappointment about Caroline's absence, as she took the box.

The blonde opened it carefully, revealing a large crystal necklace, with the stone rose quartz. "Oh my god, it's beautiful!" Maze insisted, as she took the silver chained necklace gently out of the box.

"I'm glad you like it." Molly said, with a smile before she helped Mazikeen put the necklace on. The Saltzman held the pink stone and smiled at it, before she leant forward and hugged the older Hale.

"Thank you so much, Molly." She thanked her, as the vampire held her back. "Your welcome, sweetie."

❤︎

Mazikeen, Josie and Lizzie all pace down the corridor, to talk to Alaric about the absence of their mother. Caroline had sent the trio a gift, of three matching rings, which they all completely adored. (Seen below)

Mazikeen almost knocked herself into the door to Alaric's office, when it doesn't come open. Lizzie and Josie try to stifle a laugh, as the blonde grew frustrated with the door.

"Dad! Why is your door locked?!" Mazikeen huffed, before Lizzie snapped, "And when were you going to tell us that Mom wasn't coming back?"

"I was about to. There... There's a strike at the airport in Mozambique." Alaric responded, as Lizzie frowned, "She couldn't compel a pilot and hop on a private jet?"

"She'll explain everything later. Okay? But right now I just need you to go because I am wrapping your presents." The older Saltzman insisted.

"No, you're not. You're lying through your teeth." Josie replied, as the three siphon witches look at eachother, before they used magic to open the doors.

Beside Alaric stood a very confused looking Molly, and a familiar looking woman in some casual wear.

"Who's this trollop?" Lizzie demanded, as the three Saltzman girls entered the room.

"Oh, my God—" Josie choked out.

"You girls need you to leave..." Molly insisted, before Alaric added sternly, "Right now."

"I'm sorry. How old are you?" The stranger suddenly asked the three girls.

"Sixteen. Today.... It's our birthday." Mazikeen answered, before the woman raised an eyebrow, "You're triplets?"

"What are we interrupting here?" Lizzie ordered.

"I'm serious. Do as I say and now just go." Alaric repeated sternly. "Girls.." Molly sighed, hoping they'd obey.

"Maze... Lizzie, it's her." Josie blurted, pointing to the photo frame nearby of their birth mother Jo and Alaric.

"Holy shit!" Mazikeen blurted before Lizzie added, "You're Bio-mom."

"This is impossible. I wasn't even showing at our wedding. How..." Jo blurted, before looking amongst the trio. "And... the ultrasound only showed two babies." She admitted, confusedly.

Alaric seemed to tense up at the mention of the twins and quickly explained, "Your family's crazy coven magically implanted them in Caroline when you died. She's their birth mother."

"Caroline?" Jo asked, looking surprised before she asked, "So... you two..."

Molly tried to stifle a giggle, remembering the awkward relationship that was Alaric and Caroline.

"No. She married Stefan Salvatore. Who basically died on their wedding day, too, but that's a long story." Alaric trailed off.

"They're still very close." Lizzie piped up suddenly, as Mazikeen gave her sister a strange look, not understanding how that was relevant.

"Caroline, Alaric and I all opened this school together. Care is overseas right now doing very important recruiting work." Molly explained, with a smile, as Jo nodded, in acknowledgement.

"I'm Lizzie. After my mother's mom." Lizzie piped up before Josie added, "And I'm Josie. Josette."

Jo blinked in realisation before she said, "Like... Me."

"I'm Mazikeen. I have no idea who I am named after." Maze confessed, as Jo looked at the blonde in realisation. Molly and Alaric both had a look of worry, and tried to get Jo's attention silently, before she'd accidentally tell Mazikeen that she is actually a Parker.

Fortunately, Jo caught Alaric's eyes, and saw his expression. The Laughlin gave a slight nod, assuming she'd get some form of explanation later.

❤︎

"Does she know?" Jo asked, once the three girls were out of the room, and Alaric who needed some air.

Molly shook her head, "Caroline and Alaric have raised Maze along with Josie and Lizzie, so they think that they're triplets." She explained.

Jo nodded, finding comfort in the fact that Mazikeen hadn't been raised by Kai, but it didn't mean that Maze didn't inherit any of her fathers traits.

"Mazikeen can tell that she is different, and it breaks my heart." Molly admitted, as she sunk into the chair beside Jo. "Her magic is dark, and her temper is similar to that of her parents." The Hale added.

Jo's face fell, as she couldn't imagine how hard it must be for the Parker girl, to grow up thinking she was a Saltzman when she knew she wasn't like Josie or Lizzie.

"Will Alaric ever tell her?" Jo asked. Molly shrugged, "I actually... don't know. I mean, according to Ric her parents are shoved away in a prison world somewhere so it's not like she would ever get to see them..." The vampire admitted, wondering if it was better or worse to know who your biological parents were but they weren't in this world.

"You care for Maze." Jo noticed, as Molly nodded. "Mazikeen is like a daughter to me... I mean she has always been close to my kids so I practically watched her grow up, along with them." Molly explained.

Jo smiled, "She's lucky to have you." She admitted. Molly smiled at Jo, her eyes teary as she knew these moments with her old friend were precious and limited.

❤︎

I'm curious, what do you guys ship in this story so far? 😌