CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
hope, i need your help

"WE CAN SLAY A DRAGON, BUT WE CAN'T GET out of here." Katelyn said, annoyed. She was frustrated. Penelope had no right to do this but then again — according to Josie and Lizzie — Penelope Park was the mistress of stone-cold hearts and does whatever the hell she wants. "I mean we're two of the most powerful beings on the planet."

"Only Penelope can undo the spell. Or the twins could siphon the magic- wait, what?" Hope looked at her sister, confusion swirling in her eyes. An unspoken question flew between the two and Katelyn realized what she had said. She just dropped the biggest bomb that she's been meaning to talk about for a while. "What do you mean two, Katelyn?" Hope pressed. 

Katelyn sighed and rubbed her hands together. "You're a tribrid, Hope."

The auburn-haired girl nodded. "Thanks. I haven't noticed." She said sarcastically.

Katelyn gave her a look. "But... so am I. We're the same blood. We have the same parents. Did you really think I was gonna be some Hybrid thing while you're here being the one and only tribrid?" Katelyn raised an eyebrow. 

Hope opened and closed her mouth several times before deciding to keep it closed. 

"Exactly. I'm a tribrid as well. I'm not a vampire yet but I have died." Hope gave her a confused look. "When Landon and I got in that car crash, the one I told you about. We both died but our magic got transferred into each other in an attempt to save us both or something. Originally, Landon was a phoenix, not a wolf while I was originally a tribrid. Our magic interlocked and he got some of the werewolf genes while I got some of the phoenix genes. I like to call myself a trinix."

Hope stared at her. Katelyn could see that she didn't quite believe the phoenix part but everything else she seemed like she totally believed. 

"Okay, we'll talk about this later." Hope said and Katelyn nodded in agreement. 

"Well, the part about the twins siphoning magic is unlikely, seeing as Lizzie probably thinks I'm standing her up right now."

"Her ego could use a little bit of deflating." Hope said as she looked at Katelyn, staring her right in the eye. 

"I'm not that girl, okay? I don't just forget about people."

"Relax. It's only been 12 hours."

"It's not that!" Katelyn shouted as she walked away from her sister, running a hand through her hair. "Look, I really like her Hope. Penelope might have screwed this up for me." 

Hope sighed. "Okay. I understand. I'm upset about not being able to see Josie as well." 

Katelyn smiled at her sister. She knew that Hope was so deeply gone for that girl even if Hope couldn't see it just yet. 

Katelyn looked to her right to check out the windows when a woman made her freeze, her face turning pale. Hope looked just as shocked as Katelyn did. 

Then the woman disappeared, the smirk that she was wearing etched into Katelyn's mind. 

Hope looked at Katelyn. "Who was that?"

"The witch that wants to bring me back." Katelyn replied, looking at her sister. 

"What?" Hope asked, panic evident in her voice. 

"She wouldn't have astral projected if she could get inside the barrier. She would have just stormed in and taken what she wanted, meaning the barriers are still active." Katelyn said, knowing how the witches worked. 

Hope breathed out a sigh of relief.

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Josie and Josette were walking through the forest as Josie explained the drama of the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted.

"So Lizzie's in love with Katelyn, but MG's in love with Lizzie. It's this whole thing." Josie said with a laugh. 

"What?" Josette asked making Josie laugh more. 

"There's this alcove that's up super high so you'll be able to see everything." Josie told her right before the woman stopped walking and fell backwards, landing on the ground with a thud. "Jo?" Josie panicked as she rushed over, kneeling down next to her biological mother. "Hey. Jo? Somebody help! I'll be right back, okay?" Josie got up and started back towards the school to find some help. 

Josette's head turned and eyes opened, revealing all-white eyes. She stood up, staring at Josie. Her skin turned back into what it looked like when she was buried in the ground as soon as Josie turned around. 

It was rotten and gross. 

Josie didn't have time to react before Josette had run at her.

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Hope and Katelyn stood right next to the barrier, looking at the clock as it ticked. It seemed that time went slower the more they anticipated for the time to come to an end.

"One more minute." Hope told her. She sighed and looked at her sister. "You know I'm not mad at you right? For keeping what you are from me." Katelyn looked at her. "This is all so new to both of us. Everything. But one thing is for certain... family is always and forever."

Katelyn smiled. "Always and forever." 

Hope smiled back at her. 

They both looked back over at the clock and saw that the minute was up. They both bolted out of the gym, running to their room to get ready. 

Katelyn got dressed in a light blue colored suit. Never, in her life, has she ever wore a dress. She wasn't going to start tonight. 

Hope got changed into a red almost maroon-colored dress. They both did their hair and then headed towards the party. 

They made it, looking up from the top of the stairs. They both scanned the crowd of students, looking for the girls that they wanted to dance with. Katelyn nor Hope could find Josie which puzzled them. Katelyn saw Lizzie dancing with MG right as a slow song started. 

"Hey, I don't see Josie here. I'm gonna go see if I can find her." Hope said to Katelyn who looked at her. 

"Do you need help?" She asked. "Lizzie and MG look fine."

"No. You go get your girl." Hope replied with a smile before walking out. 

Katelyn let out a breath before descending the stairs. Some people turned to look at her but she ignored them all as she walked over to where Lizzie and MG were. 

Lizzie's eyes met hers as she walked up behind the vampire. The younger blonde's eyes lit up as Katelyn set a hand on MG's back. The vampire turned to look at her.

"I got this." Katelyn told him and he let go of Lizzie as the younger girl kept her eyes fixated on the tribrid. "Thank you." She said to MG before moving closer to Lizzie and taking her hands in hers, caressing the back of Lizzie's hands with her thumbs. "I'm sorry I was late."

"I'll forgive you... just this once." Lizzie replied as she squeezed her hands. Katelyn smiled and stepped away from her, letting go of the girl's hands. She bowed making Lizzie smile adoringly. 

Katelyn stood back up and took her hand once again, spinning her around before pulling Lizzie into her. Katelyn put her hand on the younger girl's hip as Lizzie set her free hand on the older girl's shoulder. Their fingers intertwined as they both swayed slowly. 

"I'm sorry I was late." Katelyn said once again as she pulled the girl impossibly closer. "Penelope locked Hope and I in the gym with a barrier spell." 

Lizzie frowned. "Why would she do that— wait, with Hope?"

Katelyn smiled slightly at the jealously that was in the girl's tone. "Yep. Hope Andrea Mikaelson. The one and only tribrid. The girl I see as my sister." Katelyn said as she leaned in and kissed the blonde's lips gently. 

Lizzie smiled widely at the move and rested her forehead against the older girl. 

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"She could be anywhere, Dorian." Alaric said into the phone as he walked through the forest. 

"I've got the faculty searching the building as we speak." Dorian replied. 

"I'm on my way to the dance hall." Alaric walked through the trees. 

"Ric?" He heard faintly behind him. "Ric?" He turned towards the voice and saw Josette looking panicked as she rushed towards him. 

"Call off the dogs. I think I found her." Alaric told Dorian. 

"I think I'll keep 'em on standby. I'll tell Katelyn as well, just in case." 

Alaric ended the call as Josette came closer. "Something's wrong." She told him as she grabbed onto his shoulder and upper arm. 

"How did you get out?" Alaric asked her. 

"Josie wanted me to come to the party, and so, she siphoned the spell again. I know it was stupid, but I just— I wanted to see their Sweet 16." 

"Okay, just tell me exactly what happened." Alaric said quickly, wanting to know what happened to his baby girl. 

"I don't know. I— I was with her one minute, and then..." She lifted her hands up that were covered in dirt. "Ric, I lost time. I don't know. I must have done something to her, but I just, I don't know." She fainted and fell into Alaric's arms. She groaned softly before her eyes opened again.

"There's a knife in your possession that will buy you the answer." Josette said in a demonic voice. Alaric dropped her to the ground and took out his phone, dialing Katelyn's number. Josette laughed evilly and stood up. 

"Hello?" The phone picked up, Katelyn's voice along with some music being heard. 

"No need to rush. I'm sure your daughter has an hour before she runs out of air." Josette said, the demonic voice still evident. 

Alaric grabbed Josette by her sweater making Jo grunt. "Where is she?!" Alaric demanded as he pushed her up against a tree. 

"Dr. Saltzman?" Hope asked from behind him as he backed away from Josette who was smirking at him with white eyes. "What's going on?" 

The call had ended right after Katelyn heard what Josette said.

"Hope, I need your help." Alaric said, panting. Now Hope looked officially panicked. 

AN: Okay, I'm going to split this up into two. I didn't expect to write what I did during the time that Hope and Katelyn were locked in the gym. Don't forget to comment and vote!