There was a lot about Atlantis that was appealing, more than anything, it was the hope that her parents might have a chance of showing up here, of course Hope didn’t tell anyone that, she barely even let herself think it. She’d accepted what had happened and she had moved on, her parents were gone and that was that.
She was walking around, simply exploring when she saw Josie, it was weird having Josie here and not Lizzie, she actually wondered if Josie loved it or hated it that her twin wasn’t here.
“Hey,” she greeted as she approached. “I need to ask you something.”
Josie had a wary smile for Hope. They’d been becoming friends, but they weren’t totally there yet and before coming to Atlantis Hope’s favors had involved dark magic and usually them all getting into trouble. Truthfully, though, Josie kind of liked Hope. She had so many walls up and Josie couldn’t blame her for that after losing both of her parents, but she wished she’d just let people in sometimes.
“Sure, what is it?” she said. At least whatever it was, she didn’t have to worry about it ending in Disappointed Dad face.
“Why’d you decide to stay?” Hope asked in a pretty direct method. “Was it just because your Mom is here and Stefan? Or was there something more to it?”
“That was a part of it,” Josie admitted. “Getting to know my Aunt Liv and Stefan and getting to spend some time with my mom is something I couldn’t do at home, but what they’re doing here seems pretty important, too and maybe they won’t let me really be a part of it when I’m only 15, but I kind of want to do my part, maybe even learn more offensive magic while I’m here.” A lot of those reasons sounded pretty selfish, but they were honest ones.
Hope nodded, she didn’t say anything because she didn’t know what to say, and she was taking it all in. There weren’t really people here she wanted to get to know but she could see where that was a good reason for staying. She personally didn’t really care about getting to know Stefan, she had it in her mind that he probably would hate her based on her name alone.
“Yeah, well, you’re a Siphoner, there is probably a lot of use for someone like you here.” Hope could see how that would be a very useful skill.
“And Dad’s not here to tell me it’s too dangerous,” Josie pointed out. She loved her dad, but sometimes he could be really overprotective of her and Lizzie and she kind of hated that a lot of the time. She hoped in Atlantis she could actually do things to help and not always be treated like a kid.
“Are you thinking of staying?” she asked, wondering if that’s why Hope had posed the question.
“I don’t know, considering what’s happening at school right now, here might be safer,” Hope ventured with a shrug.
Hope nodded again. “Yeah, I’m thinking about it.” She wasn’t sure she should elaborate or not.
“You’re probably right about that,” Josie admitted. School wasn’t exactly a safe place right now. She didn’t know if Atlantis would actually be safer, but she thought she could learn to defend herself better here, at least. She missed her dad already, but the pros of Atlantis seemed to outweigh what she would be giving up by staying. Besides, there was always a change the people she missed could show up here.
“We can go home anytime we want, right?” she offered. “You could always try it out and see how it goes. It’s not like you couldn’t change your mind later.”
Hope didn’t really feel like she had a lot to go home to anyways. It wasn’t like she had a lot of friends or anything, and sure she’d miss a few people but she didn’t see them that often anyways. She thought for a moment and nodded. “Yeah, they said you can decide to leave anytime you want to.” Hope didn’t know what she really wanted to do.
“I think we have a little bit more time to think about it, I’ll think about it.” She smiled softly. “So, how is getting to know Stefan Salvatore?”
“Weird,” Josie admitted, “but pretty great.” She’s been really young when he had died, only about four years old or so, and she didn’t remember that much about him, just little bits and pieces and stories she’d been told. She knew the school was named after him and that he’d sacrificed himself to save a lot of people. She knew he was a good guy, but now she was actually getting a chance to get to know him. “It’s good to see my mom so happy, too,” she added. Even after years, she knew her mom and everyone else really missed him. She was really happy for them to be getting a second chance here.
“It’s kind of surreal, how people who died can end up here with a second chance,” she said, thinking out loud. “Weird, but in a really good way.”
There was a small piece of Hope that was jealous, she knew Caroline had meant a lot to her Dad as well but she didn’t dare bring that up, that would be a bad idea and she knew it. Hope didn’t see the point either. It wasn’t like her father was ever going to show up here, she was a Mikaelson she didn’t have that kind of luck. Too many years of her family karma for good luck to happen.
“I’m glad he’s here for her,” she meant it too. “And for you,” Hope added. She really did mean it but it was just weird and a little difficult for her.
“Thanks, me, too,” Josie said. She felt a wave of sympathy for Hope, even though she tried not to show it. She knew the last thing Hope wanted was anyone’s pity. Besides, it wasn’t like she could honestly hope for more Mikaelsons to make an appearance here. She’d read enough to know how dangerous that could get. “I’m glad you have some people here, too,” she said instead.
“Yeah, thanks.” Hope didn’t really feel like it was something anyone really meant, no one wanted Kol Mikaelson around, at least not anyone who had read Stefan’s journals, but Hope didn’t mention that either or the hypocrisy of so much of it. “I should probably go,” she said with a somewhat forced smile. “I’ll see you later Josie.” She needed to go talk to the right people about if staying was even an option for her.