This sets in season 3 after Lucien took the serum. I changed Hope's age a little, she's 5 in this. Warning, there will be some difficult themes in the story, including a very complex and somewhat abusive mother/child relationship. Don't read if you're sensitive.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Once in a lullaby…

The pink IPod was playing Hope's favorite song; she hummed while placing the little teacups on the small table. She was having a tea party with her dolls and plush toys. Her Aunt Freya had also promised to come and play with her after finishing something important in the living room. Just like Hope's parents and her uncles, Aunt Freya often had important things to do. No one ever spoke about those things to Hope, but she wasn't stupid. She was already 5-years-old and she could understand much more than anyone knew.

Her parents always tried to be nice to each other in front of her, but she had seen and heard them fighting. About her. Her whole family wanted to keep her safe, that was why they fought. It made her feel bad and she had tried her best to fix things by being as good girl as she could. But as hard as she tried, she could never be good enough. She couldn't make the pain in her daddy's eyes to go away. He always said that she was the most precious thing in the world to him, but still he often looked sad and tired. All Hope wanted was her family to be happy.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me…

Sometimes she hoped that she would have friends to play with, but she didn't complain about her loneliness. Everyone kept saying that they only thought what was best for her; they all wanted to keep her safe. She was a special girl. The truth was that she didn't want to be special; she wanted to be like everyone else. She wanted to go outside and play with the other children.

Her daddy had once taken her to a playground, but that hadn't ended well when couple of older boys had tried to pick on Hope. Her daddy had completely lost it and roughly grabbed one of the boys by the collar of his shirt, threatening to break his bones. The boy's mom had screamed, but daddy hadn't let the boy go before Hope had begged him to. She knew how much her daddy loved her and she loved him, but sometimes she felt that she was causing the pain in his eyes. She was doing something wrong.

Oh, somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to,
Oh why, oh why can't I?

Hope picked up the little teapot and poured the invisible tea to all her guests. She was so immersed in her activities that she startled when she heard something. Someone was screaming.

"No! Stay away from her!

Quickly she stood up and ran to the door.

"Aunt Freya?" she called when she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. The whole house was quiet now.

"Aunt Freya?"

Hope gasped when someone was suddenly standing in front of her. A man with dark brown hair and brown eyes, he was smiling at her.

"Hello there," he said. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

"That's okay," Hope replied and looked at the man's face. For a moment she thought that he looked like an angel.

"You must be Hope," he continued and got down on one knee. "I'm Lucien, a friend of your father's."

Uncle Elijah had always stressed Hope the importance of good manners, so she held out her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, sir."

The man looked a little surprised, but he took her hand and shook it.

"The pleasure is all mine, little lady." He paused and observed her for a brief moment before continuing. "You have your father's eyes."

Hope nodded, although she picked up something strange in the man's tone of voice.

"Daddy says so too."

"Hmm. The thing is that your daddy sent me here to look after you."

"Why?" Hope asked. "Where's Aunt Freya?"

"She had to leave urgently, your daddy needed her help. She told me to keep you safe; you need to come with me."

Hope shook her head.

"Daddy has told me never to leave here without him, mommy, Uncle Elijah, Uncle Kol or Aunt Freya."

The man smiled.

"Well, I'm sort of like your uncle too or perhaps more like your brother."

Hope's eyes widened.

"My brother?"

He nodded.

"Yes, your daddy made me what I am, so I guess that makes us family. Your daddy wouldn't have sent me here if he wouldn't trust me." He paused and smiled. "You can trust me too, darling."

"Are you taking me to daddy?" she asked.

"Not yet," he replied. "I'm taking you to a safe place because I know how much your daddy loves you. He would just…die if anything would happen to his princess."

Hope bit her bottom lip.

"I don't want him to worry about me."

"Let's go then," Lucien said and stood up.

Hope looked into his eyes and saw something very dark. That didn't scare her; she had seen the same darkness before in her father's eyes. And Uncle Elijah's. And Uncle Kol's. She didn't hesitate to take Lucien's hand. Unlike most children, Hope had never been afraid of the dark. Why would she when it had always been a part of her life.