16 | same old city

Hope

"This isn't exactly what I was expecting to find when I came to visit my only daughter."

My eyes fluttered open at the sound of my dad's voice. I was met with a dress shirt that was slightly unbuttoned and a scent that was a mix of amber, cinnamon, and a hint of scotch and coffee.

I'm sleeping next to Tony Stark.

Panicking, I immediately moved away from him, earning a look from my dad when I fell to the floor. Graceful, Hope, real graceful. You really didn't make your dad even more suspicious.

I stood up from the floor and smoothed down my dress. I was still wearing my black dress from last night. In fact, I was still wearing everything that I wore last night, including the heels. Did we fall asleep like this? I don't even remember. I just remember agreeing to date Tony and we just talked for hours.

I don't remember us falling asleep. I can only imagine my hair being so messed up and my full face of makeup now smudged.

"Hi, Dad." I greeted with a full, enthusiastic smile.

Though, he didn't return it. He simply narrowed his eyes at me, bordering on glaring before averting them towards Tony, who was just waking up.

Tony stretched his limbs, then when he opened his eyes, he immediately groaned.

"You...what do you want?" Tony complained.

Tony had become so fearless that he's being sassy with my dad a.k.a. the most brutal creature to ever exist. Does he think that being my friend grants him some sort of immunity? Well, I do hope so. Because knowing Tony and knowing my dad, it's likely that both of them would annoy each other to death.

"I need you to stop canoodling with my daughter. It's already bad enough that she sees you as a friend." My dad said.

Well, this is a great start to a morning.

Tony sat up while rubbing his eyes. Tony with his bedhead is something that I want to paint. There's a certain purity in this look of his that is so alluring. It's a sight that makes me want to pull an Edward Cullen type of crap and watch him sleep.

Don't ask me how I know Twilight. It's MG's fault and his constant ranting about how ridiculous it is.

It is.

"I haven't even planned the first date and yet here we are already having the Dad Talk." Tony said, brushing his hair with his fingers.

Goddammit, it's hard to focus when Tony's just-woke-up look is breathtaking.

"Oh, trust me, mate, you won't live to see your first date with Hope if I really do the Dad Talk." Dad threatened.

That's my cue to cut in.

"Boys." I said, because they're acting immature right now...even though it's slightly hilarious. "Why don't we have breakfast first?" I suggested.

The scowl on my dad's face instantly vanished and was replaced by a smug and amused one as he flickered his gaze towards me.

"Lovely! Is he our breakfast?" Klaus taunted and pointed at Tony. I rolled my eyes. Here I thought my dad has actually moved on from the topic.

Unfortunately, Tony hasn't either.

"I actually wouldn't mind Andrea making me her breakfast—" Tony was immediately lifted in the air when my dad sped to pearls him and grabbed him one-handed by the throat.

My heart basically leaped out of my chest in shock before I spoke.

"Dad, put him down!" I exclaimed.

Dad cast me an annoyed glance and I raised my eyebrows at him. In five seconds, if my dad hasn't released Tony, I'm gonna spell both of them to stand in their own freaking corners.

Luckily for me, and for Tony, one look from me was enough for Dad to revert back to his rational state. He sighed in frustration before letting go of Tony, letting him collapse on the couch once again.

Tony immediately gasped for air while his hand caressed the spot on his neck where he was held. I looked back at my dad and saw him with a casual look on his face, as if he didn't just choke the guy I like.

"I'll be on the porch." My dad said, sparing Tony one last glare before heading outside.

When Tony and I were left in the living room, silence swallowed both of us. I was just standing there, not knowing what to say. And from the looks of it, even Tony doesn't know.

"I have no idea how we fell asleep." Tony clarified, still sitting on the couch with his hands clasped together. He was weirdly sitting in a rather formal posture. And that's weird because his dress shirt is a bit crumpled with some of the buttons u hooked and his hair was slightly messy.

"Yeah, me neither." I replied.

I scratched the back of my neck as I looked away.

"You look cute, though." Tony suddenly said and I whipped my gaze towards him to see him smiling softly as he stared at me. "You normally look gorgeous and badass, but seeing you when you just woke up, it's cute. I like it."

The same goes for you.

I cleared my throat and looked away again. I felt all my blood rushing to my cheeks and I suddenly felt hot.

"I'll just go freshen up. " I said.

I didn't bother to wait for Tony's response and simply rushed out of there, all while cursing under my breath.

When my eyes landed on my reflection in the mirror, I almost jumped. My eyeshadow and mascara were smudged, my hair was dishevelled, and my lips were chapped. Now, I know Tony is making fun of me.

After I've finally fixed my appearance, I went downstairs as quickly as possible because the longer I leave Tony and my dad alone, the greater the chance of Tony getting killed.

"Blood or coffee?" He asked me while holding a coffee pot and a blood bag when I reached the kitchen.

I watched him as he instantly scrunched his face into a grimace as soon as those words left his mouth.

"Yeah, I'm not gonna get used to that." He shook his head before setting down both on the kitchen counter.

He looked like he just got out of the shower a couple of minutes ago. His hair was still a bit damp.

"So," I sat on one of the stools as he stood from across me, his hands on top of the counter while looking at me. "What's the agenda for today?"

"Two things." He smirked. "First one is our date."

I shot my eyebrows upward as an amused smile curled on my lips, my teeth showing. "Our date?"

He shrugged casually before pouring coffee into two mugs. "Yeah, why not? I mean, you agreed to date me, right?"

Yes. Yes, I did. And I am now just feeling the gravity of the fucking situation I just created.

"Well, yes..." I said, looking down on my hands which were previously resting on top of the counter and are now fiddling with each other in uneasiness.

"Oh, God, here we go." He set down the coffee pot and looked at me. "But...?"

I looked at him and saw how he was already expecting me to say something that could potentially disappoint him.

"But...if a way to go back home to my own timeline turns up, I'm going to take it."

I can't go back through the Malivore Pit now that I'm a fully activated tribrid. I'd die first before I could get back out. So far, I haven't had any leads as to how I could get back home. And to be completely honest, I don't know if that frustrates me or relieves me.

"Oh..." I could tell based on Tony's facial expression that he wasn't expecting me to say that. Traces of his usual playful self were nowhere to be seen on his troubled face. It was obvious how he was trying to conceal his reaction. "Right."

I sighed deeply as I closed my eyes, not wanting to see anymore of his disappointed look.

"I know that that kind of defeats the whole purpose of us dating. But—"

"But, it's okay."

I stopped when he spoke. I lifted my gaze to meet his eyes and saw him smiling. Not the incredibly charming one nor is it the playful one or the flirty one—yes, I know, he has many smiles—but one where it was small, but the sincerity is as clear as day.

"'It's okay'?" I echoed, making sure if I was hearing that right despite my senses already heightened.

Now his sincere smile turned into his charming one.

"Yeah. I mean, that has always been the goal, right?" He said, looking down at his phone which looks unusually advanced, by the way. I thought phones here in the 90s were supposed to be those big ones with the antenna? "I get it. It's your home. Your family and your friends need you. I just wish there'd be enough of you to go around."

I wish that, too.

"Are you open to cloning?" He suddenly asked, once again lightening up the mood in just a second. "'Cause I think I can build a machine to do that. You can send the less interesting clone back to your year and the original, sexy, badass tribrid will stay here with me."

I shook my head, a smile stretching on my lips as a laugh escaped through them. I looked at him and pursed my lips before responding. "That's tempting."

"It really is." He answered, before laughing softly.

Then the room descended back into silence. He was leaning on the counter and I was simply sitting there while he stared at me. And not like in a creepy way or in an annoying way. If I'm not mistaken, and I mean this with every humble cell in my body, I think he's admiring me.

Because the way he's looking at me right now, with his gaze soft, his lips almost smiling, and his head slightly tilted, he looks like he is.

"Tony." I called him.

He looked like he just snapped back to reality when I called his name. He immediately straightened up and blinked rapidly before answering. "Hm?"

"What's the second one?" I asked. I remember him saying that we have two things to do today. We have gotten a bit off topic, so he didn't get the chance to tell me what it is earlier.

"The second one..." he trailed off. He once again looked down on his phone, looking reluctant as he continued to stare at it. Does he have the list on the phone or something? And why is he hesitating to tell me?

"Right. The second one." He ripped his gaze away from the phone before putting it in the pocket of his pants. "We need to get your dad to not try to kill me every time he looks at me."

"Oh, I already have a solution for that." I said.

He cocked an eyebrow, interested in what I'm about to say.

"Really? Well, what is it?" He asked.

I clasped my hands and leaned forward and against the counter before replying.

"Stop annoying him." I said.

I know. What a plan, right?

Tony's interest immediately dropped at my answer. "Andrea, that's not a solution. That's a dead end."

"Okay, you're right. For some unknown reason, you can't help but tease everyone around you." I said, straightening my posture and stealing Tony's cup of coffee.

"It's like breathing for me." He answered.

I just shook my head and just continued to drink my coffee.

After my conversation with Tony, I went to the porch to see my dad still there. He wasn't doing much. He was just leaning against the railing and looking ahead. But he does look troubled.

"Why do I feel like you have bad news?" I said when I reached him.

He turned to look at me and simply gave me a small, sad smile before speaking.

"That's because I do have bad news." He answered.

My lips parted and exhaled. Being a Mikaelson is hard, because it means that problems don't stop coming.

"What is it?" I asked.

He straightened his position and gripped the railing with one hand, looking down on his feet, probably finding the right words to say.

"I'll be gone for a while." He said. "I don't know for how long."

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at him in confusion.

"What? Why?" I asked.

I saw him swallow hard before looking away, drawing breath. When he finally mustered up the words to say, he looked back at me.

"I'm sure you're aware who your...grandfather is." He told me.

He didn't need a verbal response from me because when I closed my eyes and sighed deeply, he already took that as a response.

"He's catching up to me. I have to leave." He said.

I shook my head as I gulped. "You don't have to leave. In fact, you don't have to run anymore. I can take him down."

He shook his head as well. "No. He doesn't know you and I would very much like to keep it that way. You already know the lines he's willing to cross to stop me from becoming a hybrid. And you being a tribrid...I can't imagine what he would do to you."

"He can't hurt me. I'm so much more powerful than him!"

"I'm not willing to take that risk, love."

I suddenly found everything familiar. Like we were back in New Orleans again and arguing about how I want to do whatever it takes for our family to be whole only for my dad to stop me because he doesn't like me being in the front lines.

"I need to lure Mikael out of Miami and away from you. If he does something to you, I will never be able to forgive myself." He said.

Who was I kidding to think that the nightmare is over? That everything could finally be okay with me and my dad even if we're in a different timeline?

Who was I kidding?

He probably saw how gloomy my expression had become. Who wouldn't? It's particularly hard to hide my emotions when they're currently washing over me like a tidal wave.

"I'll be back." He said.

While my emotions are a tidal wave, I could see that my dad is experiencing the same thing through the ocean in his blue eyes; sullen and tempestuous.

"What if I'm not here when you get back?" I asked.

It doesn't sit well with me that there's a 50/50 chance that this could be the last time we'd see each other. At this point, I've learned that no matter how powerful I am, I will always have no idea what the future brings.

Who knew that the future would bring me to the past?

"Well..." he gently pushed a strand of hair away from my face and caressed my cheeks. "You never thought that you could see me again before. But here we are. I think it's safe to say that someday, we will again. Littlest wolf."

I don't know if my heart is breaking or it's growing every time he calls me his littlest wolf. I love how the nickname just shows how much he loves me and how much he's willing to do everything for me. But I hate how hearing it right now just reminds me of the fact that in just a couple of minutes, I wouldn't again.

I don't trust myself to talk without my voice cracking. So, I simply nodded, all the while trying to hold back the tears that are forming in my eyes.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." He said. "In the meantime, keep your friend in check. The little devil makes me want to gouge my eyes out and stuff them in his mouth just to stop him from talking to you and about you inappropriately."

I couldn't help but laugh at his statement. "It's his default setting. Beautiful lady equals extensive flirting."

"Well, at least he got one thing right. The Mikaelson genes never fail to amaze." He replied, the signature Mikaelson smirk tugging on his lips.

After that, silence has befallen the Stark residence. With my dad off to God knows where with my psychopathic vampire hunter of a grandfather tailing him, it inevitably puts me in a bad mood.

"Ms. Andrea." Called Jarvis.

I looked up. "Yes, Jarvis?"

"Mr. Stark asked me to remind you of your date taking place this afternoon." Jarvis stated.

With my dad on the run, I don't think I'm in any mood to have fun today.

"Can't we reschedule it?" I asked.

That's when Tony appeared from the corner.

"What?! No. I'm not gonna let Daddy Demon take this away from me." Tony complained as he hooked the last top buttons of his maroon dress shirt.

I shot him an unamused look. "Watch it. That's my dad you're talking about."

Tony held his hands up in surrender. "You're right. I'm sorry. I know you're already missing him."

He sat down next to me on the couch. I felt my body rise a bit at his weight. I looked over to him and found him already staring.

"I also know he doesn't want you moping around while he's away." He said. He then looked down to my hand and for a split second, I saw the hesitation on his face before it quickly vanished at the same time he reached for my hand and held it.

"Which is why I want to make you feel better." He added.

I know I should look at Tony and smile at him after he said that. But all I could focus on was the fact that he was holding my hand. For years, I've closed my heart and had myself convinced that I would never put anyone through what Landon went through. No one is worth having me and my chaos in their life.

Now, I'm sitting here, eating up my words. Because once again, I'm willing to take that risk.

"Where are we going?" I asked when I finally ripped my gaze away from our intertwined hands and towards his face. That's when I saw his teasing smile.

"It's a surprise."

—

"I'm not going in there if you're not going to tell me where we're going."

Tony and I are standing in the middle of a freaking airport field with a private jet in front of me all ready. Where the hell is he taking me that we have to get on a private jet?

"Don't worry, we'll still be in America when we land." Tony said

He has his black coat in his hand as he rolls up the sleeves of his maroon dress shirt. He turned to me with still his black shades on before he curled a smile on his lips.

"Come on." He urged before gently dragging me towards the jet.

I simply rolled my eyes and let Tony pull me. He then sat me on the chair across from him.

"You can sleep first if you want to. I'll wake you up when we're there." He said.

And I did sleep. When I woke up, I wished I hadn't.

"'New Orleans Lakefront Airport'?" I read the sign in front of me after we got inside the airport where we landed. "We're in New Orleans? You took me to New Orleans?!"

"I got the feeling you would yell at me..." Tony slowly moved away from me as we stood in the middle of the airport of New Orleans.

"Why would you take me here?" I said.

New Orleans had put me through so much. Even if it was my home, it was barely even one because of everything that had happened while I was here. Getting away from here was one of the most rational decisions I've ever made. If I didn't leave this place, I would've suffocated because of everything.

"You mentioned that this is your home—"

"Was my home. It's not anymore." I said, my hands balling into fists because I could once again feel the vibration of magic coursing through my veins shake a little out of control again.

Henry's death. Mom's death. Dad's and Uncle Elijah's. Even Jackson. I barely knew him because I was only a baby when he was killed but my mom would tell me stories about how he had done everything in his power to protect her and me.

I might be in a different year but the city still reeks of blood and chaos.

"Memories of what happened here...It's made me hate this place." I said.

For the second time today, Tony reached for my clenched hand and held it.

"We'll make new ones." He told me. "If you'll let me, that is."

I sighed deeply as I looked into his pleading eyes. Should I entrust what's left of my happiness in the hands of Tony Stark?

Too late to ask that, Hope. Because you already did.

"Fine. But the second I see someone familiar, we're leaving." I said.

—

There wasn't any celebration going on but the streets of the French Quarter are as lively as ever. The people were having the time of their lives, the music was blaring through the speakers and the live band, the air smelled of sweat, moonshine, and gumbo from Rousseau's.

I sort of missed it.

"So...?" I glanced at Tony when he spoke. He looked as he was waiting for me to comment on what I feel so far about being here.

"It's okay." I shrugged.

Tony held my arm and stopped us from walking in the middle of the crowded street. He looked at me with what I could only tell was an offended look before he spoke.

"Nuh-uh. This is our first date. I'll be damned if I'm going to let our first date be just 'okay'."

He looked around and settled his gaze on the sign of Rousseau's before grabbing a hold of my wrist and dragging me towards it. "Come on."

We went inside the bar and found it half-empty. I guess with the sun still in the sky, the party still remains on the streets.

"Stay here." He said as he sat me on one of the bar stools before stepping out of the place again.

I sighed deeply and rolled my eyes before looking away from the door. A bartender was behind the counter, serving people. I've heard from some people that the bartender's job is not exactly to serve people drinks, but to listen to their customers' problems. Which makes a lot of sense.

Though, I can't exactly do the same when my problems involve time travelling, black monster goo, and a sociopathic heretic who went on a murder spree this same year.

"No, that's not for you. Your mom will kill me." I looked at the girl who came from the bathroom to see her tending to a baby in a stroller. Who brings a baby to a bar? And who leaves them alone, at that?

The girl was obviously still a teenager. She looks like it. But the baby bump on her stomach makes me think that she really is as reckless as she looks. I'm not judging teen moms, but I'm also not tolerating the idea. Something like that shouldn't be normalized.

Maybe that's just me being bitter about the fact that I won't be able to have that in the future given my new status.

The baby glanced at me and I saw her holding a crystal glass meant for liquors. Well, she's too young to be too curious. She was shaking the glass like it was a rattle toy. And she was enjoying it.

"Give me that." The girl said before taking the glass from her hand.

"Mom, why would you let her take this?" The girl said to the female bartender while she gave her the glass.

Okay, that explains why she brought the baby to the bar. They own it.

"It's clean. No need to worry, Jane-Anne." Said the bartender. "And Dorothy didn't bring any of her toys. She looked so sad."

Her name sounds oddly familiar.

While they were chatting, I looked at the baby and saw her looking indeed sad. She looked like she was about to cry based on how her melancholic green eyes started to gloss over.

I looked around to check if everyone was busy with their own thing before glancing back at the baby. I muttered an incantation under my breath. And after a second, a rattle toy appeared in her hands. I noticed how her head jerked and looked at the toy in slight surprise before a cute smile curled on her lips.

Who knew that out of everything and everyone in this bar, the one to keep me entertained is this adorable baby?

"There she is! My sweet daughter." a woman immediately said when she came through the doors. When she reached the baby, the woman's smile lessened and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Jane-Anne, did you give this to her?" She asked the teenage girl.

Jane-Anne looked at the baby and saw the toy I gave her.

"N-No, I didn't." she replied.

The woman suddenly looked scared. And if someone is as paranoid as her, that just means that she knows more than moonshines and festivals in this haywire of a town.

"It's me." I told them and they immediately whipped their heads toward me. "I gave it to her. S-She just looked sad. I thought it was..." I cleared my throat. I think I'm saying too much. "I'm sorry, I overstepped."

"No, it's okay." Said the woman. "She's a very sensitive girl. Needs to be taken extra care of."

I smiled and nodded.

"What's her name?" I asked.

The baby kept shaking the toy and smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile at her too and wave at her.

"Her name's Davina Claire." the woman answered. "She's 2 months old."

I froze on my seat.

Is this the same Davina who is my aunt and the love of Uncle Kol's life? That Davina? The one that showed my uncle that he still deserves love after everything he went through?

"Andrea." I looked to the left to see Tony who just came in. "Let's go. I want to show you something."

I slowly nodded at him. But I looked back at the baby. Now that I know her name, I suddenly found her perfect green eyes familiar. And I smiled.

"She'll be amazing one day." I told her mom.

Aunt Davina might have tried to kill my family more than once, but in the end, she's part of it. Like I said, my family's dysfunctional. I'm glad she and Uncle Kol has each other.

The fact that the wildest of the Mikaelsons was the first to find love and peace just gives me one more reason why I should take the risk with Tony.

I looked at Tony and smiled.

"Let's go."

—

Sorry the update was delayed. I watched NWH and then episodes 3,4, and 5 of Hawkeye and then Last Night In Soho sksksksk. Btw, I believe Davina's mom's name wasn't mentioned in the show, so I just made one up Hehi.