Chapter 190

"Good morning, Klaus!" Buffy said, answering her phone as she accepted a coffee from Angel.

"Good morning, love." Klaus said.

"How's the hunt coming?"

"We had a breakthrough."

"You found her?"

"We received a…. Piece…. Of her."

Buffy stopped walking and Angel dodged out of the way before he ran into her. "What?"

"They sent a sliver of her skin…. Her crescent moon mark to be more specific…. With a coin from a foe I thought to be rid of long ago."

"Klaus, that isn't a breakthrough."

"That wasn't the breakthrough I was speaking of. The coin was from Greta."

"Greta." The blonde nodded. "Honestly, that doesn't surprise me. She was way too vocal about wanting to put Henry down because of his hybrid status. It makes sense she would go after Hayley. You could be her next target. Or Hope."

"Or you. Most likely all of us, love. Don't fret. Marcel and I have her locked tightly away in my old holding cell."

"Did she kill Henry?"

"I imagine she had a hand in that. She will pay for what she's done to young Henry and to Hayley. I promise you that."

"You bet your ass she'll pay. I'm coming down there."

"Dearest one, I need you to stay in Mystic Falls. You are the only one I trust with my whole heart to protect Hope right now."

"Klaus…."

"I give you my word that justice will be had against those that have wronged our family and your student. Please, protect Hope." He hung up and Buffy sighed, closing her eyes tightly.

"Sounds like things aren't quite going smoothly down there." Angel said.

Buffy ducked into her office and Angel followed her, shutting the door behind them. She had started to cry and he pulled her to him. "They mutilated her, Angel." To his surprise, she growled. Her tears came from anger. "They killed Henry. I want to go down there and rip them all to shreds. And I want Greta to watch."

"You can't think like that."

"Why not!? I'm a Vampire Slayer. They're vampires. I should be down there taking care of them. It's my job."

"Buffy, your job is to be here and take care of Lily and Josie, and Hope, and your students. They need you. Klaus can handle this." He reached into the minifridge Buffy kept in her office and pulled out a bottle of water.

She took it gratefully and sucked down a couple of swigs as she sat down behind her desk. "They cut off her crescent moon mark."

"Are you going to tell Hope?"

"I don't think so. No. No, Hope doesn't need to hear that."

"Where is she today?"

"I gave her a pass to hang out with Freya. I figure the eldest Mikaelson witch can teach the youngest Mikaelson witch some things. Freya talked about her mother's grimoire and things Hope might like to know." She plucked a tissue from the box and dabbed at her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Don't ever be sorry for your feelings, Buffy. They're entirely valid."

"Including wanting to rip apart some vampires?"

"Especially that."

"This is just…. A lot. More than usual, you know?"

"It's nothing you can't handle." Angel squeezed her hand.

"Almost makes me long for the days when my biggest concern was passing algebra, killing a vampire on patrol, and finding time to make out with my cradle robbing, creature of the night boyfriend."

"Those were simpler times." He grinned at her. "What's on the agenda for you today?"

Buffy grabbed her planner out of her drawer and opened it up to the current date. Since she had cut her New Orleans trip short, everyone had demanded a piece of her. "A couple of video conference calls with some parents of potential students, lunch with Damon, a meeting with Rick when I get back, then a meeting with Xander and Rick about more construction plans, and finally Jaden Wells wants a counseling session after sixth period. He's concerned his demon side is evil. You?"

"Three ethics and morality classes and three of the werewolves have requested private tutoring so they don't fail the term."

"Wanna trade?"

"Not for a million dollars."

"Scaredy cat."

Damon sat across from Buffy at the Mystic Grill. He watched her push the food around her plate, clearly distracted. He was mostly used to it after all these years with her. He had learned not to push her because she would tell him eventually.

"You remember our first date?" He asked her.

"Hmm?" Buffy looked over at him, her fork stopping it's motion mid sweet potato.

"Do you remember our first date?"

"What do you consider our first date?"

"Officially, we came here for dinner and drinks before heading home and we spent all night talking."

"That was you paying up after losing our bet."

"That was our first date. I knew that night that I was never going to let you walk out of my life."

"You did not."

"I did. I watched you sleeping in my arms and I just knew."

"You sure had a funny way of showing it."

Damon shrugged. "I was scared." He reached over and took her hand, leaning down to kiss her palm. "What do you consider our first date?"

"The evening after I finally agreed to be your girlfriend, we went for that midnight stroll through the town square."

"I bought us ice cream."

"And we sat under a tree talking about nothing until the sun started to rise. It was extremely romantic."

"When exactly did you realize you had feelings for me?"

"If I'm being honest…."

"Which I hope you would be."

She grinned. "When you kidnapped Elena and I and drove us to Georgia."

"Really?"

"It was the first time I realized I didn't hate you. There was a moment at the bar after we had done shots…. I almost kissed you."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because a larger part of me still hated you."

"I'm glad you got over that."

"Me too." They both laughed.

"If you had told me when I moved back to Mystic Falls that the sexiest woman on the planet was going to be my wife forever and give me the chance to be a father, I would never have believed you. I would've probably killed you."

"You did kill me."

"That was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I was so scared that it wouldn't work."

"I had no doubt in my mind that it would work." Buffy looked up as the door of the Mystic Grill opened and her eyes widened. "Klaus?"

He rushed over to her. "Where's Hope?"

"She's with Freya today. What are you doing here?"

"Marcel told me of Freya and Hope's plan. Freya intends to bind Hope."

"What?!"

"Where would they be? I tried your house, but no one was there. I went to the school and Tara said you were here, but Hope hadn't been there all day."

"I know where they are." Buffy led the way out to her car with Damon and Klaus right behind her. She drove to the school and instead of going in, she made her way towards the old mill in the woods. As soon as they heard Freya chanting her spell, Klaus rushed ahead and took the glowing red stone gripped in Freya's hands away.

Klaus glared at Hope. "I will not let my past become your future. Do you understand? Do you understand?"

"Marcel told you." Freya said.

"He didn't have to. A thousand years of family has taught me to expect betrayal from those I hold most dear. Bind her? Really? How many times have you heard me rail against the shame our parents gave me?"

"How many times have you heard me cry, devastated over having lived my life without my mother?" They were quiet for a moment.

Damon noticed the plants around them beginning to die. "Klaus, you can't stay here with Hope."

"I know!" Klaus turned to his daughter. "Hope, listen to me. This ends now." He kissed Buffy's cheek before rushing away, leaving Buffy and Damon standing in the clearing with Freya and Hope.

"Hope Andrea Mikaelson, get your ass back to the school this instant. I'll meet you in my office" Buffy snapped. "Damon?"

"I'll make sure she gets there and stays there." Damon walked over and took Hope's arm, leading her away.

"Freya…." Buffy turned to the witch. "How could you even think to do that to her?"

"She made a very convincing argument." Freya said.

"She's a child! And she's in my care. You should've come to me about this. You should've asked me before you even thought about saying yes."

"I'm sorry."

"I appreciate you coming. I always love getting to see you, but please…. Go home. I can take it from here."

Freya nodded and Buffy rushed away. When the blonde tribrid reached the school, Angel and Alaric were standing outside waiting. "Buffy…." Rick started.

"Don't. I am not going to go easy on her for this." Buffy snapped.

"She's worried about her mother."

"So am I! Do you even know what she tried to do?"

"Damon didn't give us much in the way of details…."

"She tried to get Freya to bind her! To take away a part of herself and give into the demands of a vampire in New Orleans who's threatened by her."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh. She's not getting off lightly." Buffy turned on her heel and headed for her office. Angel and Alaric followed closely behind her. Damon stood just inside the door and Hope was sitting in one of the chairs in front of Buffy's desk.

Hope stood up. "Aunt Buffy…."

"Sit down." Buffy ordered. Hope obeyed. "Have you lost your mind?"

"No."

"Give me one good reason, just one, that you would even think about binding yourself?"

"I'll give you three. One: My mom never wanted me to trigger my werewolf side. Two: I'm partially responsible for her being taken. And three: I'm not even sure I even want this freakish side of myself."

"She never wanted it because it meant killing someone. To trigger your wolf side, you have to take a life. She didn't want you to trigger your wolf side because it meant sparing you from the guilt that comes with taking a life. It has nothing to do with actually being a werewolf. Your mother takes pride in who and what she is." Hope looked down at her hands and started to fiddle with her fingernails. "Hope." The teen looked up at her aunt. "It's not your fault what happened to your mom."

"It is! If I hadn't…."

"No, you shouldn't have done what you did. I'm not saying that. But what happened to her is not your fault. The people that took her are going to pay. Your father is making sure of that."

"Come on." Damon said, helping Hope up out of the chair. "School's out for the day."

"I'll be home in a little while." Buffy said.

"Am I grounded?" Hope asked before she walked over the threshold.

The blonde laughed. "Of course you are." Hope rolled her eyes and walked out with Damon.

Alaric looked at Buffy. "Not going easy on her?"

"What part of that was easy? Did you miss the grounded part?"

"I didn't miss it." Alaric chuckled and walked out.

Angel looked at Buffy and she held up her hand to stop him. "I don't need you laughing at me too."

"I wasn't going to laugh." Angel said. "I was going to commend you, actually."

"Really?"

"You were tough on her, but you were fair. I always knew you would make a great mom."

"I'm glad someone did. I've been going at it blind for thirteen years." Buffy sighed and pushed her hair back. "Ok, I need to get back to work."

"I'll leave you to it." Angel smiled at her and shut her office door behind him.

Buffy walked into the boarding house with Alaric, Lily, and Josie. The twins dropped their bookbags on the bench under the coat rack and headed upstairs. Alaric headed for the library and Buffy went into the kitchen. Damon was sitting at the table in the kitchen working on his laptop.

He looked up and smiled. "There's my beautiful wife."

She leaned down and kissed him, slipping onto his lap. "Hi, baby."

Damon wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. "How was work?"

"Uneventful after the drama with Hope. Is she up in her room?"

"Been there since we got home."

"I'll go up and check on her." Buffy kissed her husband before standing up. "What's for dinner?"

"Whatever your making."

"Then it's whatever you want to order because I'm not making anything." She grinned at him and headed upstairs to Hope's room. When she opened the door, she found clothes laying on the bed, the window open, and a note laying on the dresser.

I'm going to fix this. Please don't follow me, aunt Buffy.

Buffy growled. "Damon!"

He appeared a moment later. "What the…. Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"Pack a bag, sweetie. We're headed back to New Orleans."