Chapter Text
Six Years Later
“Will Auntie Lizzie be there?” Nyssa bounced up and down in her seat.
“Yes, and Auntie Josie,” Hope replied.
“I go too?” three year old Finn pleaded. Aside from his blue eyes, he was a perfect miniature of his father.
“Not yet. You can stay with Mama and Dad for a little bit longer.”
“Why?”
“Because Nyssa is going to be staying with the Aunts while she goes to school.”
“Will Auntie Josie become a vampire too?” Nyssa asked next.
“You’ll have to ask her.”
“But you and Auntie Lizzie and everyone else are vampires. She should become one too.” Nyssa folded her arms across her chest.
“Becoming immortal is a very personal decision for those who were born human,” Ryan said gently. “Some people don’t want to live forever.”
“I’ll make her,” Nyssa vowed stubbornly.
Hope sighed and shook her head. Nyssa had just recently learned that death meant people went away forever after Seylah died in a car accident and she was devastated. Now, she was determined that everyone around her had to live forever too. If her parents, her mother’s family, and Uncle Landon were immortal, everyone else had to be as well.
“No, Nyssa. We don’t make people live forever when they want to stay human. Auntie Lizzie became a vampire to protect Auntie Josie and Auntie Josie wants to have children, but vampires can’t have them.”
“She can become a vampire later.”
They pulled into the long drive of the Salvatore School and all talk about Josie becoming a vampire disappeared.
“Hope!” Caroline greeted her warmly.
“Grandma Caroline!” Nyssa ran from the car and leaped into Caroline’s arms.
“She’s excited, especially about learning magic from her aunts.”
Caroline gave Hope an awkward one armed hug around Nyssa, then set the little girl down on her feet.
Ryan pulled Nyssa’s luggage out of the back of the SUV and then Hope helped Finn out of his seat.
“Alright, let’s get Nyssa settled into her room.”
Caroline led the way into the house.
“My dad seems to like being around the wolves,” Hope commented when she caught sight of her father’s smiling face as he talked to the gathered pack of wolves.
“He does enjoy having an audience,” Caroline replied, her expression soft.
As they set up Nyssa’s bed in the lower grade girls’ dorm, a lump formed in Hope’s throat. Her daughter was growing up and she was going to have to say goodbye for a while.
“There.” Nyssa nodded, satisfied. Then, terror filled her eyes. “You won’t leave me here forever, right?”
Ryan got down on his knees and wrapped is arms around Nyssa, “Your mama and I will visit every few weeks and then you’ll come home on the holidays and for the summer.”
“And you’ll be able to be with your aunts.”
“And soon to be new Uncle, but you didn’t hear that from me,” Caroline whispered.
“MG finally getting the nerve to pop the question?” Hope asked.
“I think so. He’s just a little nervous because he’s got two dads to impress, along with me.”
Hope laughed, “He’s MG. We all like him.”
“We know that, but still, he wants it to be perfect.”
As they drove away from the school, Hope allowed herself a small smile. Life was never going to be perfect, but this was as close to perfect as she could have ever expected.