Chapter Text

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Chapter 1: Idiot Go Home

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“Lizzie, are you okay what’s happening do you need me to come back to the school?” Josie questions the concern clear in her tone having already tried to work out something with Freya Mikaelson to get Hope Mikaelson to turn her humanity back on but failing 

“No, stay in Belgium or wherever you are. I just needed to hear your voice one last time,” Lizzie says in a calm resigned tone 

“One last time? Lizzie, what are you planning to do?!” Josie questions very much alarmed since the last phone call Lizzie had already died and become a Heretic 

“Nothing that you, mom, or dad would be proud of, but I figured out the cost of Hope’s humanity. It’s a long shot and if things go south like they inevitably do for us, I want you to know that I love you and I want you to live for the both of us. If you see Mom or heck if Dad ever wakes up, tell them I love them too and I’m sorry. There wasn’t any other solution that I could find,” Lizzie says full of emotion in her tone 

“Lizzie, please whatever you are about to do, don’t do it! There is another way we will figure out something!” Josie says with desperation 

“Yes, there might be another way, but how many will die before we figure that out?! Will Hope even want her humanity turned on the longer it’s off?! She turned it off because she lost her so to say epic love and she was put into a crap situation. She didn’t turn it back on after killing me or stabbing her Aunt Rebekah, and your dark magic self didn’t get her to turn her humanity back on either. You can’t talk me out of this one Jo. Because a world without Hope is no world I want to live in and as cheesy as that sounds, you know it to be true. Why else would you decide to leave? You were strong enough to try and move on and I applaud you for doing that, but I’m not ready to move on and let Hope suffer in silence. Maybe someday in the future, we can have a laugh about this, but for now, goodbye Josie,” Lizzie says before hanging up the phone 

“Lizzie? Lizzie! Damn it!” Josie curses as she realizes her sister hung up on her 

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Josie was irritated with Lizzie in that Lizzie had told her to stay away yet Lizzie had died when Josie was away. Josie had only gone to Belgium to see Penelope and potentially run into their Mom, Caroline. Josie was trying to come up with a plan to get Hope's humanity back, but she felt she couldn’t do that back at the boarding school. Josie had been trying to formulate a plan with Penelope and Freya when Lizzie had called her. The last time Lizzie had called Josie was right before Lizzie died thanks to Hope’s No-Humanity hands. Josie didn’t want Lizzie killing herself again and she also didn’t want Hope to kill Lizzie again since she felt that Hope would be devastated after getting her humanity back. Josie had to call her Mom, Caroline, to try and figure out a new plan. Josie wanted to save Lizzie and Hope one last time, if not Hope then Lizzie since Lizzie had already given Josie the opportunity not to have to fight in the cursed Gemini Merge ritual.  

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“Who dares to disturb and call upon me? What is it that you desire and what are you willing to sacrifice in return?” Nature asks in an ominous demanding tone 

“I want Hope Andrea Mikaelson’s father and mother back alive with their hybrid status and full memories intact. As for what I am willing to sacrifice name your price,” Lizzie says knowing this move would likely kill her again, but this time more permanently than her move against No-Humanity Hope 

“The cost is steep. Surely one such as yourself will not be willing to give that much and all for a fleeting thing such as love with no guarantee of it working to your favor,” Nature mocks with a scoff 

“I’m here aren’t I?” Lizzie challenges with a huff 

“Ha, Ha, foolish youngling, there are things worse than death, things you can’t even imagine. Before I grant you what you seek and tell of the cost, let me tell you a story. Malivore was created to help bring and maintain peace between supernatural and non-supernatural, but he became lonely and sought to create his own kind. To correct this we had his first son betray him and then later granted the birth of Hope Andrea Mikaelson as a way to correct our mistake with Malivore. She completed her task, but we have no control over her. While we normally would be fine with No-Humanity vampires or hybrids, we can see a future where she runs rampant. You give us an excellent tool to intervene before things get out of hand, that is if you are still willing to pay the cost,” Nature says only to be interrupted by Lizzie 

“If you want me to kill Hope think again I came to you to ask to bring back Hope’s father Klaus and her mother Hayley! I am not here to be your pawn!” Lizzie argues 

“There is a natural order to things youngling and for your request to be fulfilled it will cost you a great deal of suffering, some would even say everything. This deal you are making will require you to endure all the pain felt by each of the Mikaelson family members including the members who married into the family. Another thing is you will also have to endure the pain of their victims as well.  Each cut, burn, stab, drowning, neck-snapping, bone-breaking, and the list goes on. This is only part of the deal, the other is you must save 7 random people from death. Blood pays for blood. One other thing you can’t die permanently until you have saved 7 random people and lived for just as long as the rest of the Mikaelson family. Your sentence will be 1055 years of pain. Do you think you can handle that? The last part will cost your soul or as you would call it your humanity more specifically, it will be off and no amount of vampire compulsion can bring it back on nor your sheer willpower. Your willpower allowed you to break the sire bond without compromising your humanity, so this time we will not allow that. Your humanity will only come back after you have saved 7 people and a person who knew you before your humanity was shut off reciprocates the romantic love you held for them. If a person can accept you without your humanity and you have fulfilled all the other conditions then your humanity will return,” Nature explains calmly stating the terms of the deal 

“Okay that sounds kind of rough, but there has to be more. What’s the catch?” Lizzie says crossing her arms not wanting to be used as a pawn or played for a fool

“You catch on quick youngling. The pain I talked about you will be feeling constantly, but will not be able to express anything about it aka you can’t scream, or grunt in pain, until after your humanity is restored. Even talking will hurt,” Nature comments 

“I was referring more to Klaus and Hayley, but great to know that I will be cursed with pain regardless of my humanity switch being on or off. Are there any strings attached to bring them back? I mean I’m not going through this just for you to kill them the minute Hope sees them again,” Lizzie says with slight irritation 

“No strings attached. The seven innocent lives, the pain you will endure, and your humanity shut off until someone can love you unconditionally. Niklaus Mikaelson will have this chance to live forever once more as will Hayley Marshall-Kenner. I’ll even throw Elijah Mikaelson into the fold if your little scheme succeeds in turning Hope Andrea Mikaelson’s humanity back on.  Fail and no Elijah along with adding to your guilt that you will never be able to express. There might be other painful stuff for you to endure should you fail, but you’re the idiot asking for the pain and a way to create balance so who are we to turn down your request,” Nature answers back 

“Okay, do it, bring them back and curse me,” Lizzie says after a second to take in the fact she could potentially restore the Mikaelson family but lose everything else in the process 

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Lizzie knew once the criteria were laid out, that she would not be seeing her humanity for a long time. It wasn’t like Lizzie felt as if she had any other options either so it was take the deal or let Hope suffer more in silence. Lizzie knew deep down that she had a romantic crush on Hope, but felt that crush would either go away or never be reciprocated. Lizzie didn’t want Hope to like her back just because Lizzie helped to bring back Hope’s parents. 

Lizzie knew Nature was probably not telling the whole story, but if this is what it took to get Hope’s humanity back then Lizzie would endure the pain. Lizzie figured saving seven people would be a breeze, but enduring the pain would be more of a challenge coupled with the fact she doubted that she would get her humanity turned back on after the deal was complete.

Lizzie practically confessed her romantic feelings to Hope and Hope snapped her neck and if that wasn’t a definitive rejection Lizzie wasn’t sure what was. Granted Hope didn’t have her humanity but Lizzie still felt that was a rejection. Lizzie would have to live knowing her humanity wouldn’t come back and the next 1055 years of pain didn’t sound great either. Lizzie just prayed the Mikaelson family hadn’t been through a lot or dealt a lot of pain to others, but Lizzie had a feeling that was just wishful thinking. 

Nature wasn’t thrilled that the Red Oak Tree had been burned since it would be harder to take out the Tribrid if the Tribrid went rogue. Nature wanted balance, but it would take more time to create that balance now the Tribrid no longer held their humanity. Nature could potentially rely on the God named Ken but there was also no controlling Ken the God either. 

Nature had been pleasantly surprised by Elizabeth Jenna Saltzman’s request. Nature figured if the girl’s plan worked then balance would be restored. Nature didn’t tell Lizzie everything, but figured if the girl was willing to endure 1055 years of pain then why not allow Lizzie the opportunity to earn back her humanity?

Granted the way that Lizzie would have to get her humanity was tricky, but it wasn’t impossible after all Nature knew why Lizzie had a sire bond to Hope and why Hope in her No-humanity self killed Lizzie. Nature thought humans and creatures born from humans were fragile with their love and yet Nature did have to respect that many humans and other creatures who held such emotions as love had done great deeds as well. 

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“Where is your sister now?” Freya questions on the phone with Josie 

“I don’t know but, she probably did something drastic,” Josie comments over the phone 

“Being killed by our niece was a bit drastic then again she did go after Hope even knowing the girl doesn’t have her humanity on,” Rebekah comments 

“Lizzie thought she could get through to Hope or kill her trying, but Hope pulled a reverse uno and now I have no clue where Hope is or where Lizzie is. I am tempted to call my Aunt Bonnie and see if she would be willing to help,” Josie says with a deep sigh of aggravation 

“Well more witch power could certainly help, but Hope needs to be contained either here in New Orleans or back in Mystic Falls,” Marcel comments 

“Why would my Littlest Wolf need to be contained, Marcelus?” Klaus comments as he comes back to hear Marcel’s comment 

“Klaus?!” Rebekah says in shock and confusion at seeing her brother alive again 

“Hello sisters, and Marcelus,” Klaus says with a playful smirk 

“Josie, we are going to have to give you a call back later. Niklaus, how are you back?” Freya questions as she hangs up the phone 

“He’s not the only one. You aren’t the ones to bring us back?” Hayley questions as she too comes back to life 

“How is it possible for you guys to be back?! Not that we aren’t happy for you to be back.  But D, Freya, and all the other witches looked for a way to bring you back and there was none,” Marcel comments still in shock 

“That’s …not exactly true, there was a way, but that goes back to old magic. Magic that is older than any of us here. The cost for that, for you two to be here and back at your prime with all your memories and abilities intact …. It would be astronomical and no smart witch would ever make that bargain for it would cost them everything and more. There are worse things than death and whoever made the deal to bring you two back must have had a reason to sacrifice so much the question is who? There is also the question of why too? As far as I know, I never told Hope about the spell,” Freya confesses and questions 

“Josie’s sister, we were just on the phone with Josie trying to get Hope to come to Mystic Falls or New Orleans, but the plan fell apart with Elizabeth disappearing perhaps she made the deal to bring back Hayley and Klaus,” Rebekah reasons 

“Okay, but why on Earth would Lizzie bring Hayley and Klaus back? Last I checked the girl tried to kill Hope and got killed in return becoming a heretic,” Marcel questions 

“Isn't it obvious? The girl clearly fancies Hope why the bloody hell would she be willing to sacrifice gods know what to bring back Hope’s parents,” Rebekah declares like it’s the most sure thing in the world 

“Freya, what exactly did Lizzie sacrifice and why would she need to sacrifice anything? Also, do I want to know why she tried to kill Hope?” Hayley questions curiousity in her tone

“Hope shut her humanity off after beating Malivore, and finding out her boyfriend Landon was dead. As for what Lizzie sacrificed …. It could be a number of things, but when I did look into it, Nature demanded I feel every single bit of pain that has ever been inflicted on us and to our enemies and victims. This was only part of the bargain, there were other aspects of it that I couldn’t go through with, so I never took the deal. Nature demands a balance of power.  To bring back even one person never mind two … it takes a powerful witch and an unwavering amount of love and loyalty,” Freya answers 

“Well now that we are here is there any way to help our daughter?” Klaus questions 

“The key would be in trying to track her down either Lizzie or Hope and then figure out how to bring them back here or Mystic Falls,” Marcel comments 

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Klaus knew something was off when he all of a sudden was in front of the Abbitor with Hayley at his side and Elijah was gone. Not only that, but everything was darker. Up in Peace things were bright and Camile was with him as well as Elijah. Klaus could only see parts of Hope’s life journey from up in Peace but now he quickly found himself back on Earth. Klaus wanted to see his daughter and he wanted answers for why he was pulled from Peace. Klaus had quickly decided with Hayley they needed to talk to Freya. Once they had determined the reason for why they were pulled back to Earth Klaus desperately wanted to find his daughter. Klaus knew having No-Humanity was a curse in itself where you could feel but the main emotion was apathy as a way to avoid other feelings. 

Hayley had been surprised to be brought back to life back on Earth. Hayley had been at peace with dying and was okay with having gone up to Peace. To be brought back was a bit jarring. Hayley was concerned when hearing about Hope’s situation. Hayley wanted to find Hope, just as much as Klaus, and get Hope to turn her humanity back on. Hayley like Klaus had been able to see small parts of Hope’s life from Peace but she hadn’t known the full story. Hayley had been confused as to why Lizzie would sacrifice anything to bring herself and Klaus back, but she also wasn’t going to give up the chance to hug her daughter Hope again. Hayley would thank Lizzie if Hope’s humanity came back and if Lizzie could be found since it seemed that Lizzie had gone radio silent like Hope was. 

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Swoosh. Lizzie grabs the clearly dazed girl from Hope’s clutches. 

“Go home. If anyone asks, you had a rowdy night and drank a bit too much. You never saw us,” No-Humanity Lizzie says compelling the girl to leave 

“Way to kill the fun,” No-Humanity Hope says with a barely contained snarl after noting who took away her fun 

“Go home, Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie says flatly choosing to watch the dazed girl rather than turn to address the No-Humanity Hope 

“Which one? The boarding school where I put your Dad in a coma or back to New Orleans where my Aunt Bex tried to put me to sleep with a dagger?” No-Humanity Hope says again barely containing her anger and anoynace 

“Doesn’t matter. Just go home,” No-Humanity Lizzie says flatly with a lack of passion and sass she would have had if her humanity weren’t off

“What’s wrong, did I break your spirit? You don’t sound like your self. Also, took you long enough to find me. How did you find me just so I know to prevent others from finding me,” No-Humanity Hope comments and taunts curiosity just under the surface of her lack of humanity 

“Go home, Mikaelson,” No-Humanity Lizzie states again before moving to leave only to be stopped 

“Where do you think you’re going? Answer me when I talk to you,” No-Humanity Hope says annoyance barely contained 

“Go home, Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a lack of warmth that annoys No-Humanity Hope

Swoosh! Thud! Hope pins Lizzie by the throat to a tree not all that amused by Lizzie’s lackluster response

“Turn it back on,” No-Humanity Hope says trying to compel Lizzie to turn her humanity switch back on 

“You’re wasting your breath. Go home, Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts flatly after a breath noting there was no tug internally to fulfil her former sire’s demand 

“Turn it back on or I will kill you again and then again just for entertainment,” No-Humanity Hope demands harshly her anger being barely contained by her lack of humanity

“To wonder what your parents must think. Go home, Mikaelson. You’re Humanity is starting to show the more you threaten me,” No-Humanity Lizzie muses and taunts out loud in a very apathetic tone unphased by the threat of death

“What do my parents have anything to do with why your humanity is off?!” No-Humanity Hope says with a scoff letting Lizzie go

“Go home, Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie says one last time before taking off at vampire speed knowing that Hope was conflicted 

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Lizzie felt so much pain and she couldn’t even express it. Lizzie had woken after the deal to find she couldn’t scream and could barely move. Just as Nature told her talking hurt too. It took Lizzie some time, but she managed to block out some of the pain enough to get up and start moving. Lizzie’s first goal was to save seven innocent lives and if she happened to see Hope to tell the girl to go home. 

Lizzie was under no delusion to the fact her sister Josie would probably try to find her so she put up a locator blocking spell on herself before setting about to save seven random people’s lives. Lizzie was surprised to find Hope, but Lizzie couldn’t express this surprise nor could she turn her humanity back on. Lizzie wanted to have her usual sassy comments, but her lack of humanity would not allow for it. There was also the fact it hurt to even talk. The words she spoke hurt like acid in her mouth and even so she knew some words needed to be said even if it hurt. 

Lizzie was impressed with the fact that her humanity switch didn’t flip on with Hope trying to compel it back on. Lizzie was also confused why Hope would care that she had her humanity off. Lizzie had to brush this concern off since the deal was done and Lizzie wasn’t going to get her humanity back anytime soon. Lizzie came to terms with losing her humanity right before accepting the deal. Lizzie rushed off to continue saving seven random people as her mission was done so to say Klaus and Hayley were supposedly back to the land of the living. 

Hope was a little irritated that Lizzie had broken the sire bond, released Aurora, and snapped her neck. Hope had contemplated hunting the Heretic down and beating her within an inch of their life but figured if the Heretic really did love Hope then she would be back. Hope had even thought of going back to the school to kill everyone to show Lizzie chose wrong. Hope only held back from visiting the school to see if the Heretic would come back out of hiding and if she could catch and kill Aurora. 

Hope had been blowing off some steam in getting her fill of blood when Lizzie had showed back up. It had only been two days since Lizzie had originally left Hope in the motel room and now she was all different. Hope felt something was off with Lizzie immediately and upon finding out Lizzie had shut off her humanity Hope wanted the old Lizzie back. Even with No-Humanity, part of Hope didn’t like the idea of Lizzie being so cold and emotionless as her current self. 

Hope had been confused that her compulsion didn’t work and she had been irritated that Lizzie brought up her parents. Hope knew she shouldn’t be feeling irritated, but even with her humanity off Lizzie was still able to push Hope’s buttons. Hope’s No-Humanity self had to reason out that following Lizzie was more entertaining than trying to track Aurora down. Hope’s No-Humanity self was desperately trying to maintain control since it was clear that Lizzie breaking the sire bond affected Hope more than her Aunt Bex trying to dagger her or Lizzie trying to stake her. There was also the issue that Lizzie or in this case No-Humanity Lizzie kept urging Hope to go home. Whatever was waiting at her home Hope didn’t want to know and it was much more entertaining to follow No-Humanity Lizzie around. 

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“Okay so you just saved four people from drowning, and you saved the girl I was going to drain plus a kid from nearly being hit. I thought shutting off your humanity was supposed to make you not care about humans?” No-Humanity Hope questions as she comes out of the shadows to mock Lizzie for having her humanity switch be faulty 

“Go home, Hope” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly ignoring Hope’s line of questions 

“Well, look who we have here? I am curious why you shut off your humanity Elizabeth, you had already broken the sirebond without shutting your humanity off, so why the sudden change?” Aurora says coming to the clearing that was a little away from the crash sight of where Lizzie saved 4 people from drowning with zero help 

“Aurora!” No-Humanity Hope nearly growls 

“Leave Hope alone Aurora. If you have beef with Klaus go bring it to him, not his daughter,” No-Humanity Lizzie says in a firm monotone that would have been harsher if they had their humanity 

“God, you're an idiot, Klaus is dead and you gave it all up for her when you know she will never love you back. I should put you out of your misery,” Aurora says in disgust ignoring Hope to glare daggers at the young heretic 

“Aurora, go home,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with very little emotion 

“What is your obsession with telling people to go home?” No-Humanity Hope huffs barely containing her irritation 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. So I am telling you and everyone I come across to go home,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers with a shrug before moving to walk away from the vampire and Tribrid 

“Sweet child, I don’t believe for a minute that you could hurt a fly if it landed on you, especially given the state you are currently in,” Aurora scoffs and taunts 

“Hate to side with the crazy vampire, but even I have to call your bluff. You are a terrible liar, you sucked at lying when you were human and now you’re even worse as a Heretic. Plus, it’s laughable to think you could hurt me. I killed you once and I could easily kill you again,” No-Humanity Hope adds to the older vampire’s taunting 

“Why don’t you then?” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts flatly 

“She’s got a point you haven’t killed her even though you could,” Aurora muses 

“I don’t have to answer to you. Plus, she’s the idiot who keeps telling us to go home when she’s the one who doesn’t have much of a home to return to,” No-Humanity Hope says with mean snark 

“I’m leaving,” No-Humanity Lizzie says flatly before moving to leave not wanting to engage with the older vampire and the Tribrid 

“Well, I guess that leaves you, little birdy, to die by my hands. Thankfully I snatched one of the small stakes that Elizabeth had on her before she parted ways with me to be an idiot,” Aurora says with a smirk pulling out a stake with a smirk as Lizzie left both her and Hope’s sight 

“I’m going to rip you to shreds and then I’m going to hunt Lizzie down to beat her with your dismembered limbs,” No-Humanity Hope nearly growls at seeing the red oak stake her eyes glowing their distinct golden yellow and black 

“Mm, cute your father spoke such sweet words to me, not too disimilar to what you stated now,” Aurora muses before raising the stake up to throw 

Swoosh! Crunch! Splat! Lizzie used her vampire speed to rush behind Aurora and punch through Aurora’s back to grab at the older vampire’s heart. 

“I told you, to go home. I also told you to never go after Hope again,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly states as her hand is holding Aurora’s heart in Aurora’s chest cavity 

“Lizzie?” No-Humanity Hope says with timid confusion at seeing Lizzie hold her enemy's life in their hand 

“E…Elizabeth … she’s not… worth it… she will ruin you … as that is all … the Mikaelson’s family is … c… capable of …ugh,” Aurora gasps struggling to reason with the Heretic holding their undead life in their hands 

“I warned you. You had the chance to walk away, to go home, wherever that may be and yet you clung to your vengeance. As such I’ll make your death swift. Close your eyes and sleep Aurora de Martel, once more this time, forever. Ad somnum ,” No-Humanity Lizzie says in an almost compassionate tone putting the older vampire to sleep with the Sleeping Spell before quickly ripping out the older vampire’s heart 

Squish! Splat! Thud! Lizzie rips out Aurora’s heart and lets Aurora’s body collapse to the ground with a wet thud. Spooking Hope a little but not enough to make Hope’s humanity switch turn back on. 

“You … You killed her,” No-Humanity Hope finally says after a minute or two of awkward silence

“I gave her a warning, she chose to ignore it. Now, go home Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly addresses with an impassive tone 

“What are you playing at? You killed her now and not when I ordered it of you? As for going home why don’t you go home?” No-Humanity Hope scoffs barely containing her frustration at not understanding Lizzie’s actions 

“Go home, Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers blankly before moving to leave 

“Well I didn’t see this coming, but I guess neither did you. Someone has to keep an eye on the idiot. Thanks for returning that stake. Goodbye Aurora, I would say it was lovely to get to know you, but then I would be lying. At least my Dad can be happy that you are no longer a thorn in our family’s side,” No-Humanity Hope comments picking up the red oak stake before moving to try and catch up to Lizzie 

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Aurora had wanted to kill Hope while Hope was unconscious in the motel room but  Elizabeth convinced her to leave it alone. Aurora, like Elizabeth, the girl, reminded her of herself. The biggest difference was that Elizabeth didn’t hate Hope or the Mikaelson family like Aurora did. Aurora had wondered how Elizabeth broke the sire bond without turning her humanity off. Aurora had been attracted to the smell of blood when she heard Hope’s voice leading Aurora to seeing Elizabeth again. Aurora didn’t understand why Elizabeth had shut off her humanity and highly doubted that Elizabeth would kill her since the girl had saved her previously. Aurora also figured the girl had left since the girl didn’t have their humanity so maybe they would let Aurora kill Hope. Aurora had been shocked by Elizabeth’s actions then again the girl did warn her to not try anything against Hope. Aurora was grateful that Elizabeth recited the sleeping spell before killing her. One of Aurora’s last thoughts were that she prayed things would work better for the Heretic than they did for herself. 

Lizzie hadn’t wanted to kill Aurora as she had found commonality in the older vampire before her humanity was shut off. Lizzie wouldn’t let Aurora kill Hope for a few reasons, one of those being that Hope was the only person who could bring Lizzie’s humanity back. Secondly Hope had yet to get her humanity back and Lizzie was curious to see if her plan worked or not. The final and third reason for not letting Aurora kill Hope was because she had given the older vampire a warning before hand. Lizzie’s morals even without her humanity would not allow her to go back on her word. Lizzie knew that once her humanity came back if it ever did she might be torn over killing the older vampire, but with her humanity off Lizzie didn’t feel guilty about killing the redhead. Lizzie was mildly annoyed and confused with Hope since the girl kept following her around. Granted Lizzie couldn’t exactly express her annoyance or confusion she still found it odd that Hope with her humanity off chose to be near Lizzie. Lizzie felt the only good thing about Hope being near her was that Hope wasn’t off killing people indiscriminately or having pointless sex to fill an empty void. 

Hope was confused by Lizzie’s actions. Not only was Lizzie’s humanity shut off, the girl seemed to be moonlighting as a hero. Hope also found it odd that Lizzie would leave only to come back and kill Aurora when Hope was in true danger. Hope was going to fire off a spell before Lizzie had appeared behind Aurora grabbing at the older vampire’s heart. Hope had been shocked at Lizzie’s suden appearance, but not enough for her humanity switch to be flipped. Hope found it curious that Lizzie even without their humanity put Aurora to sleep before ripping the older vampire’s heart out. Hope was frustrated with No-Humanity Lizzie’s lack lustered responses, but some response was better than none especially from a girl who used to be able to talk at length about the most trivial things in life. Hope didn’t understand why Lizzie now without her humanity would kill Aurora when Hope had ordered Lizzie before to kill Aurora. Hope’s No-Humanity self had to justify Lizzie’s actions by saying Lizzie didn’t have her humanity on and that was why killing was no problem still a small part of her protested that Lizzie might have killed Aurora regardless of humanity switch being on or off. Hope had to deny her killing spree and lustful ways because No-Humanity Lizzie was far more interesting to observe. 

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“Lizzie?” Josie questions over the phone 

“Try again Josie,” No-Humanity Hope says answering Lizzie’s phone that Lizzie had tossed at Hope while she went to town to save two teens from being gang raped in a bar 

“Hope?! Hope where are you? Where is my sister?!” Josie questions 

“She’s a little busy pulling a guy’s …small intestine out? Yep, that’s the small intestine … but I will be sure to let her know you are concerned about her. You know I thought her No-Humanity self would be a buzzkill turns out she’s not too bad once a would-be rapist is in front of her,” No-Humanity Hope says with barely contained amusement as she watches No-Humanity Lizzie work 

“Hope, if you felt anything at all for her you would stop this madness! Lizzie would never kill anyone if she was in the right headspace and you know it!” Josie says irritation in her tone 

“She seems to be doing a good job killing now, maybe it was her pesky emotions that were getting in the way,” No-Humanity Hope says not all that phased by Josie’s pleas 

“Damn it, Hope,  just bring my sister home. She did something stupid that’s why her humanity is off!” Josie says in frustration 

“Well I hate to break it to you, but her humanity is not coming back. I tried compelling her to turn it back on and it didn’t work. So unless you got something to bring her humanity back I doubt she would be willing to just come home although she keeps telling me to go home. Not sure why though considering most of my family is too busy for me and the school sucks for always having me fix their issues,” No-Humanity Hope rambles 

“Ugh, Josie, you are not getting the point across to her. Hope, your Dad and Mom are back and we think Lizzie had something to do with it. Also, could you please keep my daughter from becoming a mass killer with her humanity off? Freya seems to think that whatever Lizzie did to bring back your parents would cost a hefty price aka her humanity and other stuff most likely that she probably can’t answer or is avoiding. Did she tell you anything?” Caroline says over the phone 

“You’re lying there is no such spell to bring back my parents from the dead and if there were I would have done that spell a long time ago!” No-Humanity Hope says irritation clear in her tone her humanity nearing the breaking point of coming back 

“Hope, can you at least tell me where the two of you are? I would rather look over my No-Humanity daughter than leave her alone. Also, come home to New Orleans if you aren’t going to give us an answer to where you are. If I am lying about your parents you are free to try and kill me. In the meantime, I would like to not add to my daughter’s suffering. It’s bad enough I wasn’t there when Josie killed her the first time and even worse the second time around since she had your No-Humanity self to keep her company, …no offense it’s just vampires without their humanity are not the kindest. I should know I shut my humanity off once before,” Caroline says with an exasperated sigh 

“Lizzie and I will be in New Orleans by tomorrow afternoon if your claim is wrong about my parents which it most likely is. I will kill Lizzie in front of you and then kill you!” No-Humanity Hope says with barely contained anger as she hangs up the phone 

“And that Josie, is how you get things done,” Caroline says with a smirk once the call had been cut off 

“Well, Sweetness certainly has a way with words, you could learn more from your Mom,” Rebekah says looking at Josie 

“Hey, I didn’t think Lizzie was going to pick up, and honestly how are you supposed to convince a No-Humanity person to come toward you?” Josie argues 

“Better than you did, though I do think my daughter’s humanity is far closer than she would like to admit if her tone of barely contained anger was anything to go by,” Klaus says with a smirk 

“Shouldn’t Lizzie’s humanity have come back on if Hope compelled her?” Hayley questions 

“Not necessarily, especially if Lizzie made a deal with Nature and part of the bargain slash punishment was not being able to get her humanity back with ease,” Freya answers 

“So the kid’s an idiot,” Marcel questions 

“An idiot who brought back Hayley and Klaus at the cost of probably more than her humanity,” Keelin chimes in 

“Hey, she’s my daughter!” Caroline squeaks

“I am too and I don’t do nearly as much idiotic stuff as Lizzie,” Josie add-in 

“At least she is living life to the fullest,” Caroline says with a cheerful optimistic tone

“She has been killed twice all before hitting age 18, with one of her deaths at the hands of her sister and the other death by arguably one of her closest friends, our niece Hope. This you pointed out to Hope not too long ago. So when you say she is living life to the fullest I question what you mean by that phrase,” Freya points out 

“Okay, trying to stay positive people! Klaus, your older sister is great for a reality check, but horrible if you want to not hear the facts so bluntly. Then again no one in your family pulls punches,” Caroline retorts 

“Are you handing out free compliments, Love?” Klaus says with a smirk highly amused with Caroline's antics

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Author’s Note: Lizzie gives Josie a head up then Lizzie makes a deal with Nature. Hayley and Klaus come back to life startling Freya and the others. Lizzie surprises No-Humanity Hope with her No-Humanity self. Aurora ignores Lizzie's warning and is killed by No-Humanity Lizzie. Hope talks with Josie and Caroline only to be convinced to drive to New Orleans. 

Note I originally wrote this with no inner monologues but I went back a few days after I had finished the whole story and felt it was missing the monologues.

I finished this story on 06.30.2024 all while still working on a Naruto fanfic story and a Wednesday TV fanfic story as well. Then I went back to it and didn’t like what I wrote. I had 6 chapters written and scraped all the chapters except for chapters 1 and 2. There were 7 chapters in total. 

I came back to the story on 12.02.2024 did not like what I wrote from chapter 1 and started to rewrite the whole thing. I got to 5 chapters fully written before Christmas 12.10.2024.

I finished my Naruto fanfic and came back to this story didn’t like some of the dialoge and wanted to expand some stuff so I started from chapter 1 all over again on 12.27.2024. 

Next Up Hope confronts her family 

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 2: We’re Here 

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“We’re here, Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie says cutting the engine off as she parks the car not too far from Jackson Square in New Orleans’s French Quarter 

“Mm, that we are. I’m surprised you didn’t drive in a different direction just to spite me,” No-Humanity Hope says as she wakes up from her nap to take in her surroundings 

“You demanded I take you, so here we are,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains with a shrug and a relatively blank face that looks out of place on a girl who used to wear her emotions on her sleeve 

“You know I might have bought you wanting me to go home if you had any inflection in your tone besides the robotic dry emotionless tone you are giving now. Also, come on, my home is this way, and I promised your mom if she lied I would find her and kill you in front of her,” No-Humanity Hope says with a slight huff of barely contained irritation as her Humanity is desperately trying to come out 

“Lead the way, Mikaelson,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts with a monotone not rising to the bait that No-Humanity Hope was putting out 

“Mm, the first stop is my house,” No-Humanity Hope says leading her No-Humanity friend toward her home trying to ignore No-Humanity Lizzie’s lack of reaction 

It didn't take the duo long to reach their destination. Neither of them was talking since they were unsure of what to say to the other. Hope was more curious if this whole thing was an elaborate trick. Lizzie wanted to scream, but couldn't physically do so. Lizzie didn't want to be here with No-Humanity Hope since it was clear the girl was at a breaking point and Lizzie couldn’t offer support the way she was. 

“Welcome home Little One. Ah, you must be Caroline’s other daughter Elizabeth, thank you for bringing Hope home,” Rebekah says in greeting the pair 

“Can we cut the pleasantries, where’s Mom and Dad,” No-Humanity Hope says barely containing her anger 

“Hope would have come home eventually,” No-Humanity Lizzie responds politely with very little passion in her tone with her Humanity off 

“Speaking of, should we be worried that whatever powers you messed with will take Klaus and Hayley away?” Marcel says as he comes out to greet the duo 

Swoosh! Thud! Hope pins Lizzie to the nearest wall harshly with one hand at the taller girl’s throat.

“So this is an elaborate trick,” No-Humanity Hope says with a barely contained growl her eyes changing to their distinct golden yellow and black as she plunges her hand into Lizzie’s chest to grab at the girl's heart 

Crunch! Splat! Hope’s hand easily punches it’s way into Lizzie’s chest cavity to grab at the Heritic’s heart. Lizzie can’t scream and her face doesn’t show signs of flinching as Hope’s hand holds on to her heart. Lizzie can barely grunt in pain as the deal she made with Nature didn’t allow her to express pain be physical or mental. 

“Sweetie, think about what you are about to do!” Hayley says concern and alarm in her tone as she comes out to where her daughter has another girl pinned

“You’re not real, this is all just a magic trick. I can prove it!” No-Humanity Hope says before ripping out the Heretic’s heart 

Swoosh! Squish! Thud! Klaus vampire speeds to grab his daughter away. Coming up short as Hope had already ripped No-Humanity Lizzie’s heart out making the taller girl’s body collapse to the ground dead. 

Splat! Thud! Lizzie's heart gets dropped as Klaus makes Hope move away from Lizzie’s now downed form. 

“No!” Marcel shouts in shock and dismay

“Dad?! No, you … you can’t be real!” No-Humanity Hope says in shock and disbelief at feeling Klaus’s hands on her arms holding her in place tears starting to form her humanity clawing its way back 

“We’re here and we’re as real as you, Hope,” Hayley says moving to get closer to her daughter and Klaus 

“Please come back to us. Hope, we can sort through the trouble your No-Humanity self-inflicted. You know we will always love you,” Klaus adds as he and Hayley hold Hope who starts to cry her humanity switching back on 

“You …. You weren’t … t… there!” Hope cries in her father and mother’s arms finally breaking down her humanity returning 

“You know we would have been if we could have. We’re here now and we don’t plan to go anywhere anytime soon,” Hayley says tearing up glad that Hope’s humanity was back 

“Oh, god what did I do!” Hope sobs at how cruelly she had acted with her humanity off 

“Your humanity was off, Little One, and you were hurt,” Rebekah says feeling relieved that Hope seeing her parents made Hope’s humanity come back 

“We believed that you would be strong enough to never resort to turning your humanity off, but we understand why you did it,” Freya says as she along with everyone else has tears of joy in their eyes with Hope’s humanity back 

“We’re here for you, Hope, always and forever. I’m sure if Kol and D could have come out they would have same with Keelin, but they are here in spirit and we love you and there isn’t anything you could have done to make us stop loving you,” Marcel says moving to stand in front of Lizzie’s body as Hayley was also blocking Hope’s view partially

“Well said Marcel, do you hear that Littlest Wolf you are loved by your brother and everyone here, but more than anything you are loved by myself and your mother Hayley, very much,” Klaus says gently wiping away a tear from Hope’s face 

“We’re here and we aren’t going anywhere if we can help it,” Haley adds in 

“Thank you. I love you, Mom, Dad, and everyone. I … I didn’t get to say it last time … and I … I’m sorry,” Hope sobs and whimpers still coming to terms with the rush of emotions that she had been avoiding and blocking out with her humanity off, but now the flood of emotions were raw and all-consuming 

“She knew Hope, and I am sure her last thoughts were probably about saving you,” Elijah says entering the courtyard and making everyone stare at him in shock 

“Elijah,” Hayley says shock, joy, and confusion all in her tone 

“I’m here. I’m not sure exactly how, but I’m here and I believe I owe your mother Hayley, that dance,” Elijah says with a mix of joy, confusion, and shock too

“How?!” Klaus says with shocked relief in his tone 

“Lizzie must have been on a timeline,” Freya answers with slight confusion, but still full of joy at seeing her brother back 

“Lizzie? … Crap! LIZZIE! … Oh God! …What did I do?!” Hope says with horror in her tone at seeing Lizzie on the ground with a hole in their chest eye not seeing but still open 

“You thought Klaus and Hayley were an illusion … I'll call Caroline. You guys should go,” Rebekah says with a somber tone 

“No, there has to be a way to get her back … Aunt Freya?!” Hope says in distress 

“I'm sorry Hope,” Freya says with a head shake 

“No … But Marcel you came back after getting your heart ripped out,” Hope says still in denial over Lizzie being dead 

“I drank a serum before Elijah ripped my heart out. We're sorry Hope,” Marcel says with a frown knowing this death would weigh heavy on his little sister 

“Hope, sweetie look at me, it will be okay, we’re here and we aren’t going anywhere,” Hayley says getting her daughter to look her in the eyes rather than at the corpse that was Lizzie’s body

“H… how can you say that? L.. Lizzie is dead for a third time and this time she’s not …g…getting back up!” Hope says with tears streaming down her face tempted to turn her humanity off again 

“Because death is never an easy thing to deal with, but we’re here for you now and that is what matters. Don’t shut your humanity out again Princess, my Littlest Wolf, be brave. We are here for you,” Klaus says full of compassion for his daughter 

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Author’s Note: Lizzie drives Hope to New Orleans and the two meet up with the Mikaelson family. Hope in her No-Humanity state rips out Lizzie’s heart believing her parents were an elaborate trick. Hope’s humanity turns back on. Rebekah urges the family to leave so she can call Caroline about Lizzie’s body. Hope is tempted to turn her humanity off again but doesn’t with Klaus’s pleading. 

Note I was going to have No-Humanity Hope bite and poison No-Humanity Lizzie but then I thought that wasn’t dramatic enough. 

Note I  had this idea to write about what it would take to bring back Hope’s humanity. I also didn’t care for how season 4 of Legacies solved the issue of bringing back Hope’s humanity and then introducing the gods when the show was canceled. I think the show tried to stuff too much into the end season and some things were not executed well while others had some sweet moments that referenced prior seasons. 

Next up Hope feels guilt over killing Lizzie and No-Humanity Lizzie runs away 

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 3: She Hates Me 

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“Hey, how did it go?” Caroline questions on the phone as Josie is looking at clothes with Penelope 

“Well, do you want the good news or the not-so-good news Sweetness?” Rebekah retorts with a sigh 

“Um, tell me the bad news first,” Caroline answers 

“Your daughter is dead,” Rebekah says over the phone 

“Okay, dead as in Hope snapped her neck again or dead as in … well dead?” Caroline questions with slight confusion over Rebekah’s words 

“Dead as in she has a gaping hole where her heart should be, dead,” Rebekah with another exasperated sigh 

“Um… okay … that’s … okay tell me the good news and I will come up with something to tell Josie after,” Caroline says trying to block out the fact she didn’t get to say goodbye to her daughter 

“Are you sure you don’t want to just tell her? Also, the good news is that Elizabeth’s plan worked Hope has her humanity back unfortunately it cost your daughter dearly,” Rebekah says moving away from the corpse to look at some birds that happened to fly overhead 

“She might hate me later, but for now I don’t think Josie could process losing Lizzie at the moment. I can barely process it myself. So I’m going with the lie that Lizzie ran away after getting Hope’s humanity back. I mean it’s not a far reach, Lizzie didn’t have her humanity on according to No-Humanity Hope. Also, eek! Sorry, I’m just so happy that Hope got her humanity switch flipped back on!” Caroline explains with a squeal of excitement at the end at hearing Hope was going to be okay 

Swoosh! No-Humanity Lizzie gets up and silently runs off with Rebekah’s back toward her. 

“We all are excited at Hope getting her humanity switch flipped back on, but we also know she is going to take killing Elizabeth pretty hard. Speaking of what do you want me to do with Lizzie’s body?” Rebekah responds 

“Um, put her body in the basement for now I guess and once the coast is clear I will have her buried back in Mystic Falls,” Caroline answers 

“Consider it done Sweetness, see you later,” Rebekah says ending the call to do as instructed only to turn around and note Lizzie’s body was gone 

“She is going to hate me now, …Fuck!” Rebekah cursed softly to herself as she was going to now have to explain how a dead body disappeared on her watch

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Lizzie woke upon overhearing the phone conversation between Rebekah and her Mom, Caroline. Lizzie had quickly noted that Rebekah had her back to Lizzie making it easy for Lizzie to run off. Lizzie didn’t want to stick around to get scolded by everyone. It wasn’t like Lizzie could go back on her deal with Nature and part of Lizzie felt that Hope would still hate her. Lizzie would stay in New Orleans for a bit, but under the invisibility cloaking spell knowing that Hope’s family and her sister and Mom, Caroline would probably try to look for her. Lizzie felt it would be better that her sister and Mom not see her as she was now. Lizzie already knew from Hope’s No-Humanity self and even Aurora that she was different from how she was with her humanity. It also hurt to talk so she wasn’t much of a conversationalist and having her heart ripped out hurt just as much as she thought it would. How she came back was beyond her, but maybe that was the curse as she was to endure 1050 plus years of pain. Couldn’t exactly endure pain if one was dead so until 1055 years passed she was practically unkillable. Lizzie should have been mad at the fact that No-Humanity Hope had killed her yet again but with her humanity off she couldn’t feel mad all Lizzie felt was pain that she couldn’t even express. Lizzie also understood why Hope killed her or she had the idea that No-Humanity Hope thought that No-Humanity Lizzie had pulled an elaborate trick on her and everyone with magic and that was why death was warranted. Lizzie wanted to say that things would be okay, but she wasn’t sure if Hope would forever hate her for getting Hope to turn her humanity back on so she would keep her distance for now. 

Rebekah was annoyed and confused at how Caroline’s daughter Elizabeth could have disappeared if the girl had a hole through their chest. Last Rebekah had checked most people didn’t get up after having their hearts ripped out of their chest, never mind the fact that Rebekah felt she should have been able to hear if Elizabeth had miraculously woken up. Rebekah had tried smelling out where Lizzie’s body might have gone but her vampire sense of smell was not nearly as good as a werewolf or a hybrid. Rebekah wasn’t about to ask Hope or Klaus since Rebekah knew Klaus had a temper and Hope might not be in the head space to try and look for the girl she had just killed. Rebekah would have to ask Freya or Keelin’s help since Freya could potentially do a tracking spell and Keelin might be able to sniff out where Elizabeth’s body went. Rebekah could also ask Hayley, but wasn’t sure she also wouldn’t be confused at how Rebekah lost a dead body. Rebekah herself had found it startling the fact that No-Humanity Hope had been so ruthless to ensure that No-Humanity Lizzie wasn’t bluffing about Hayley and Klaus being real. Rebekah felt on some levels it made sense that No-Humanity Hope would kill the Heretic with having deep seated trust issues, still the manner and how ruthlessly it had been done was a shock. Rebekah wondered if Hope wouldn’t be torturing herself with the Heretic’s death for years to come as it was because of the Heretic that Hayley and Klaus were back or that is what everyone assumed. 

Caroline was shocked when Josie came to her and called her asking for help. Caroline had been irritated that Alaric didn’t mention anything regarding the threat of Malivore and that Hope had shut off her humanity. Caroline saw Hope like a third daughter and felt terrible that Hope had decided to shut off her humanity. Caroline was even more distraught over the fact that Lizzie died three times since she last saw her. Caroline knew lying to Josie might backfire on her but Caroline herself hadn’t even gotten a proper goodbye from her daughter Lizzie. Caroline knew she had to be strong for Josie and Alaric when and if Alaric came out of his coma. Caroline hated Lizzie for not asking for help but more importantly, Caroline hated that she hadn’t been there for Lizzie when it was clear that Lizzie had not been doing okay. Caroline felt like a terrible mother and there wasn’t anything she could do besides bury Lizzie’s body. Caroline felt it should have never been on Lizzie’s shoulders to chase after No-Humanity Hope. At the same time Caroline was proud of the fact that Lizzie would have sacrificed nearly anything to try and get Hope’s humanity to be turned back on, Caroline just wished it hadn’t cost Lizzie their humanity either. Not to mention Caroline really wished that Rebekah was just messing with her and that Lizzie was still out there just without their humanity because that would mean there was a shot to get Lizzie to come home. 

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“Oh, god please tell me that Josie isn’t here,” Hope whines 

“She will be here in a few minutes, Rebekah confirmed that with Caroline a few minutes ago,” Hayley answers as the group get back to the Mikaelson residence noting that Lizzie’s body was no longer in the courtyard 

“She’s going to hate me,” Hope groans 

“You could lie to the girl. After all Rebekah has removed the body so your friend would be none the wiser,” Klaus suggest 

“Dad, I put her Dad in a coma and killed her sister twice I think Josie as a right to hate me,” Hope says with an exasperated sigh 

“You put Dr. Saltzman in a coma?!” Hayley questions a little shocked 

“I sort of broke his back nearly killing him, my humanity was off and I had just killed Landon or Malivore who was using Landon’s body. Dr. Saltzman didn’t even fight me just urging me to not be like Dad,” Hope says with some shame and guilt in her tone 

“Then the idiot is a fool, you are my daughter and you just lost someone close to you. What right would he have to tell you to not go on a bloody bender?” Klaus says with a scoff 

“Okay, while Klaus isn’t exactly wrong, you could have just broken his arm or something to get your point across that you didn’t want to hear him talk?” Hayley suggest 

“Yeah, I know that now and that is why Josie is going to hate me. Plus, I did end Lizzie’s human life by snapping her neck. I also forced Lizzie to stay with me when she expressed not wanting to be near me. I did this by abusing the sire bond,” Hope confesses with a frown 

“Well your humanity was off and Lizzie was the idiot who got too close to you. So I don’t believe it’s entirely your fault for killing the blonde twice,” Klaus says with a shrug 

“Klaus,” Hayley says in warning disbelief 

“What? It’s not like I am wrong the girl’s only saving grace is that she got us back and her plan worked to bring Hope’s humanity back,” Klaus argues 

“Dad, not helping I already feel guilty for killing Lizzie the first time around, the second just compounds the fact I was a jerk to Lizzie with my humanity off,” Hope says with an exasperated sigh 

“Hope, I’m so glad you got your humanity switched back on. Also, play along,” Caroline says whispering the last part as she hugs Hope with Josie and Penelope coming into the kitchen area where everyone was situated 

“Hi, Miss Forbes,” Hope says as the hug ends and Caroline takes a step back to allow for Josie to give Hope a hug

“Thank god my sister’s idiotic plan worked for once,” Josie says with relief as she moves to give Hope a quick hug 

“Yeah, thank god it worked,” Hope says cringing a bit 

“Glad to have you back to you, Mikaelson, now where is the idiot?” Penelope says with a teasing smirk 

“Penny!” Josie scolds 

“What? Your sister is an idiot for going after Hope and probably more of an idiot for doing something like raising the dead, no offense Hope’s parents, it’s just those who play with the dead usually don’t get away with things scot-free,” Penelope says with sass 

“Yeah, and she didn’t. She ran away after Hope’s humanity switch was flipped back on. Plus, Freya said that she probably was paying for bringing back Klaus and Hayley. Which means we are going to have to hunt for her or wait for her to show back up,” Caroline says before Hope, Klaus or Hayley can say anything earning a quizzical look from all three that Josie and Penelope thankfully miss 

“What? How do you know that? Also, why didn’t you tell us?” Josie questions her mom 

“Rebekah called me to tell me that the coast was clear and that Hope’s humanity was back on, but Lizzie had taken off before anyone could catch her. You and Penelope were in a store looking at some clothes so I didn’t want to spoil the surprise and I also didn’t want you to be mad at Lizzie,” Caroline says trying to justify why she didn’t say anything to Josie and Penelope 

“That’s a little hard to not be Mom, she ran away!” Josie says with exasperation and frustration 

“It was probably nothing personal she did have her humanity off,” Klaus chimes in with a shrug adding to Caroline’s lie 

“She also didn’t exactly want to come with me. I sort of demand that she come with me to New Orleans,” Hope adds in cringing a bit with adding to the lie that Caroline started 

“You killed her and then she played with the dead and shut off her humanity. Yeah, I wouldn’t want to stick around even with my humanity off either. I don’t blame Lizzie for taking off. She saves us from her crazy melodramatic antics,” Penelope says with a shrug and scoff brushing off Lizzie’s running away 

“Josie, do you want to tell your girlfriend to shut up or do you want me to call her Mom and tell her Mom that she has been fooling around with Dark magic?” Caroline cheerfully threatens 

“I’ll keep my mouth shut about Lizzie, Miss Forbes,” Penelope says with a gulp not wanting Caroline to call her mom 

“Good, now you two are going back to Belgium to finish your schooling and I am going back to Mystic Falls to look after the Boarding School. If and when Lizzie decides to come back around we will be waiting, but in the meantime try not to hate Lizzie,” Caroline says putting an end to the conversation

“Penny and I will start packing now. Great to see you again Hope sorry it’s so short and not in the best circumstance,” Josie says before taking off with Penny to go back to their things 

After it was clear both Penelope and Josie were out of earshot Hope, Klaus, and Hayley turned to look at Caroline for an explanation about the lie of Lizzie running away. 

“So you do know the truth right?” Hayley questions with a quizzical glance to the blonde vampire 

“Yes, and that is why I told Hope to play along. Josie’s not ready to deal with Lizzie’s death and neither am I if I am being honest. God, I still have to pick up Lizzie’s body in your basement later all with the hope that Josie and Penelope are too involved with each other to look in the trunk of the car,” Caroline answers with an exasperated sigh 

“I’m really sorry about Lizzie,” Hope says full of guilt in her tone 

“It’s not your fault Hope, you had your humanity off, and … I wasn’t around so it’s not on you. Just do me a favor and don’t tell Josie you ripped Lizzie’s literal heart out. I think she would actually hate you and that is not something I think you need either even if you feel you deserve it. Now if you don’t mind I need to go collect Lizzie’s body,” Caroline says leaving the group 

“She hates me,” Hope groans with a sigh 

“She doesn’t hate you, Littlest Wolf, if she did she would have snapped your neck so to say get even knowing you would still come back. I’ve known Caroline for quite some time now and she has too big of a heart to hate you for a simple misunderstanding. She might give you a cold shoulder or not want to interact with you much, but she would never outright claim to hate you especially knowing what it’s like to shut off your humanity switch,” Klaus says as an offer of comfort 

“I find it hard to believe that Caroline wouldn’t be a little mad over the fact that one of her daughters is dead. But since she is your ex and you have known her longer than I have we don’t have a lot of choice but to trust your judgment,” Hayley says being more realistic about the situation 

“I agree with Mom on this Dad. I drove Lizzie to the point of shutting her humanity off and then ripped her heart out because I thought the two of you were an elaborate trick of the eye.  I think Miss Forbes is too kind to tell me that she hates me. Which her hating me is fair considering I did kill her daughter twice,” Hope retorts with guilt in her tone 

“Okay, well we can’t change the past so how about we move forward yeah?” Klaus says not wanting Hope to drown in guilt over killing the blonde heretic 

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Hope had gone with her Mom and Dad to feed and to get away from the dead body that was Lizzie. Hope had been trying to focus on enjoying spending time with her Mom and Dad as opposed to dwelling on the fact she killed one of her closest friends. Coming back home and realizing that Josie and Miss Forbes would be coming made Hope feel more guilty. Hope had been surprised and confused at Miss Forbes telling the lie of Lizzie running away. Hope felt that her Mom, Hayley, was more realistic about the fact Miss Forbes was probably not Hope’s biggest fan at the moment. Hope was appreciative that Miss Forbes didn’t want Josie to hate Hope, but Hope felt Josie had a right to hate her since she did kill Lizzie twice now. Hope was not looking forward to when Josie would learn the truth because Hope knew Josie would hate her. 

Penelope didn’t understand why Josie cared so much to see her sister Lizzie. Penelope thought it pretty clear that Lizzie didn’t want to be seen especially with the Heretic turning her humanity off. Penelope was only grateful for the fact that Lizzie helped flip Hope’s humanity back and that Lizzie died so Josie wouldn’t have to. Penelope knew her line of thinking was a bit cruel, but she would rather Josie be alive and human than Lizzie. Penelope found Lizzie selfish for cutting into Josie and her time as a couple so with Lizzie out of the way Josie could finally stop worrying and start to enjoy living. Penelope wasn’t stupid she knew that Miss Forbes would murder her if she continued to speak poorly of Lizzie. Penelope thought it reasonable and also unreasonable since it wasn’t like the Heretic was really dead; she just ran away with her humanity off. 

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“Hello, Elizabeth,” Nature says starling the heretic 

“What do you want?” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a monotone that hide her slight annoyance at being bothered 

“There’s a cult of witches that are eager to sacrifice 25 kids in a school in Georgia, Atlanta. I need you to kill those witches,” Nature states ignoring the nearly startled comment of the heretic 

“Can’t you kill them yourselves? You are Nature,” No-Humanity Lizzie tries to argue 

“I could, but you took a deal to bring back two powerful hybrids and Malivore was vanquished by the Tribrid. Since I can’t contact those who have never contacted me I am asking you to do what Malivore’s original job was. I can add in the fact that I will cut your pain situation in half if you serve me for a time,” Nature says with a shrug 

“Serve you how? I already turned Hope’s humanity back on,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a huff that should be exasperation if she could truly express that emotion 

“Yes, and I added in Elijah Mikaelson if you succeeded which you did. The thing is it’s been a long time since we have had a direct player on the board and you volunteered when you made the deal with us. Don’t look so glum after 1055 years you will be able to die like any other hybrid and you will no longer feel the pain. Plus, if you do as I say I might be more lenient with cutting the pain part. Granted you still have to find someone to love you even without your humanity. Plus, the person who loves you without your humanity also has to have loved you before you lost your humanity, this is for your humanity to return. It’s not a hopeless task, just a challenging one,” Nature says with a shrug and a smug smirk 

“She hates me, so getting my humanity back is not happening anytime soon. I’ll go,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a defeated tone if it were not for the monotone getting in the way 

“Splendid decision, I will be sure to come to you when I hear of other horrid acts that need to be prevented. Good luck kid,” Nature says before disappearing 

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Lizzie had been planning to shadow and stick around New Orleans under the invisibility cloaking spell, but that plan got thrown out with Nature’s orders. Lizzie felt she sold her soul and now she was a slave to literal Nature. Lizzie didn’t want kids to die, but she also wanted a life outside of the pain she agreed to endure. Lizzie felt Hope would never return her romantic feelings and part of Lizzie was fine with that since she believed that just because one has a crush on another did not mean that crush had to reciprocate the feelings. Lizzie also felt that Hope killing her twice sent a pretty clear message that Hope hated her. Plus, leaving New Orleans to fulfill Nature’s orders might be a better time than watching Hope like a creep from the shadows who couldn’t properly deal with their emotions. Not that Lizzie could express any true emotions with her humanity being off. Lizzie wasn’t sure how she would even tell Hope the truth if the two crossed paths. Lizzie should be mad at Hope or even Nature but with a lack of humanity she couldn’t exactly hold a grudge. There was also the fact Lizzie hated the pain more than either Hope or Nature since while she agreed to the pain, it still hurt and she didn't think of herself a masochist as she didn't get any pleasure from the pain.

Nature had let the young Heretic get used to the pain and the lack of humanity before greeting the girl once more to capitalize on the deal that they had arranged. Balance was key to all things this Nature knew and it was why the cost of Hope’s humanity had cost so much. Nature was just making the best of the deal and as far as Nature was concerned, ordering the Heretic helped the hybrid to not dwell or wallow in their own situation. Nature didn’t mean to come off as cruel, but to them balance was key and considering part of the deal required that the Heretic live for the next 1055 years at the minimum Nature figured the girl could be useful. There was also the fact that Nature had not lied; they would cut the Heretic’s suffering by a bit depending on how much the Heretic did for Nature. 

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“Caroline, I thought I heard you coming in,” Rebekah says as she greets the younger vampire 

“Yeah, you told me to come back with Josie and Penelope. I just told Josie and Penelope that Lizzie ran and got Hope, Klaus, and Hayley on the lie too. Also, where is Lizzie’s body?” Caroline answers looking around the basement only to note Freya and Rebekah in the basement with Freya chatting some type of spell 

“Well that lie is no longer a lie, Elizabeth’s body is gone, and as you can see my sister is trying to do a tracking spell on where Lizzie’s body might have disappeared off to. I sent Elijah, Keelin, and Marcel out to try and pick up your daughter’s scent as well,” Rebekah retorts matter of factly 

“You lost my daughter’s body?!” Caroline shouts shocked and floored by what she is hearing 

“Shh! You don’t want Hope overhearing you! Also, temporarily misplaced is what I would like to call it. I mean she could still be alive and just ran,” Rebekah says trying to calm Caroline and argue her own defense 

“Dead bodies don’t get up and run away! You told me her heart was ripped out!” Caroline says somewhat freaked out 

“It was and I can’t find her so she either put up a locator blocking spell or someone is messing with our heads by stealing her body,” Freya responds holding up Lizzie’s ripped-out heart 

Ring. Ring. Rebekah’s phone goes off. 

“Please tell me you found her,” Rebekah questions over the phone putting her cellphone on speaker 

“Well hi to you too Babe. Also, no her scent ends at the car that Hope and she brought to come down to New Orleans. The girl is either dead or someone is messing with us in which case we got bigger fish to fry,” Marcel answers 

“Rebekah, how did Freya’s locator spell go?” Elijah questions over the phone as Marcel puts his phone on speaker 

“It didn’t and Caroline is here and she is not too pleased with us losing her daughter’s body,” Freya answers curtly 

“That’s a pretty fair reaction considering dead bodies don’t usually move especially ones that don’t have a heart in their chest,” Keelin comments in a sympathetic tone over the phone 

“Thank you, Dr. Keelin, now what are we going to tell Klaus, Hayley, and Hope?” Caroline questions with a huff of slight irritation over the phone 

“Tell us what? Also, Freya, little Nik seems to want food and I wasn’t sure what you had him on so I thought to come down and see you. Hope and Klaus are painting with music on. Why are you all in the basement?” Hayley questions curiosity in her tone 

“See you soon Babe,” Marcel says over the phone before hanging up 

“Thank you for getting me, Hayley. You two can tell her the news,” Freya says placing Lizzie’s heart back on the ground as she leaves the basement to go tend to her son 

“Okay, so what’s the deal and why did Freya have Lizzie’s heart in her hand?” Hayley questions confusion clearly in her tone 

“So, you know that lie I told Josie about Lizzie running away?” Caroline starts 

“Yeah, but that was a lie. We saw Lizzie’s heart get ripped out by my daughter Hope. Rebekah, Freya, Klaus, and Marcel were there. Speaking of, where's Lizzie’s body?” Hayley responded with a quizzical look on her face looking to Rebekah and and then Caroline 

“Her body disappeared while I was on the phone with Sweetness over here. Much to my utter annoyance I then contacted my darling older sister Freya to help me along with most of the rest of the family. We just got off the phone with them and they can’t find any trace of Elizabeth which means the girl is either still alive or someone is messing with us yet again,” Rebekah explains with an exasperated sigh 

“Hope’s going to hate this and Klaus might too,” Hayley says after taking in what was explained to her 

“Yes, which is precisely why I didn’t contact you or Klaus when I figured out Lizzie’s body had gone missing. Plus, if anyone should break the news it should be Sweetness. My brother has a thing for her blue eyes and her annoyingly perky attitude,” Rebekah retorts offering Caroline as the messenger 

“I’m right here!” Caroline says in slight protest 

“Yes, which is why when Hope goes to bed or goes out to run in her wolf form you will break the news to Klaus while the rest of us are out of the house,” Rebekah says with a smirk 

“You just don’t want to admit to losing Lizzie’s body to Klaus,” Hayley concludes with an incredulous look of disbelief 

“Well would you? I’ve known my brother for ages and he is quick to anger at least with you or Sweetness he will hold some restraint as you two are past lovers,” Rebekah answers with a scoff 

“Okay never mind what Rebekah has said. Has anyone tried calling Lizzie’s cell phone? If not I am going to try that and you two can do whatever you normally do,” Caroline says with a huff walking away from Hayley and Rebekah 

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Author’s Note: Rebekah breaks the news to Caroline that Lizzie had her heart ripped out by Hope and that Hope got her humanity back. Hope feels guilt over killing Lizzie and then has to interact with Josie, Caroline, and Penelope. Caroline’s lie becomes more than a lie when Lizzie’s body goes missing. Freya, Keelin, Marcel, and Elijah try to hunt down Lizzie only to come up empty-handed. Hayley finds out that Caroline’s lie about Lizzie running could have some truth to it. 

Note that I had thought of having a scene of Lizzie either at a bar or talking to a random bar keeper explaining that she thinks Hope hates her. I also thought of a scene of Lizzie talking to a corpse instead of a bar keeper but I scrapped both ideas thinking them too goofy for this story. 

Next up Time Skip Lizzie lends a hand to save Hope and the rest of the Mikaelson family from a dire situation  

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Next up Time Skip Lizzie lends a hand to save Hope and the rest of the Mikaelson family from dire situation

Chapter Text

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Chapter 4: How Are You Alive

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“Any last words?” Ken says as he looks down at Klaus 

“Get bend,” Klaus growls out in defines glaring at the God before falling unconscious with the rest of the Mikaelson family and Caroline unaware that help was on the way 

“Ugh!” Ken groans in pain being brought to his knees as his power is rapidly drained from him 

BOOM! Ken twitches his fingers to call forth lighting to strike the enemy draining his power 

Thud! No-Humanity Lizzie lands 20 feet away from Ken. 

“Mmph that will teach you, leach! Now, back to executing the family who dared to challenge me,” Ken says with a scoff as he moves to retrieve his sword to behead the enemies in front of him 

“ Motus ,” No-Humanity Lizzie recites the spell to take Ken’s sword making the God turn around 

“How are you alive?! You should be dead. I shot you with the most lethal lighting I could harness!” Ken questions in shock and anger 

Swoosh! Lizzie charges at Ken, turning invisible before reaching him making it harder for Ken to detect the heretic. 

“Show yourself, you coward!” Ken shouts in annoyance 

Swoosh! Squish! Thud! Lizzie sinks Ken’s sword into his heart making Ken look down in surprise as his knees hit the ground for a second time. 

“H… How? Ugh,” Ken groans before he explodes having been killed with a weapon made by a God 

“Stupid God,” No-Humanity Lizzie huffs with what would be annoyance if her humanity was still intact

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Lizzie had been following Nature’s orders for the last month since having her heart ripped out by Hope. It was a lonely month of saving various people and killing others all while making sure those she saved wouldn’t remember her. Lizzie could see why Malivore had wanted to rebel against Nature since Nature didn’t seem to care for anyone or anything. Lizzie knew there were no personal feelings for Nature’s prime directive was to keep balance and Nature was capitalizing on Lizzie’s lack of humanity. Lizzie also felt that in following orders she could forget her past and why she was now alone or try to. 

Lizzie did not enjoy being hit by lightning, but she would be damned if she let Hope and Hope’s family along with her Mom, Caroline, die at the hands of a self-righteous jerk hell-bent on destroying the natural order of things. Lizzie brought everyone back to the school, finding the school pretty empty thanks to it being summer. Lizzie knew that if she left the group they would never get closure and while Lizzie didn’t owe them anything she did wonder how her Mom was along with the girl she gave her heart to. Much to Lizzie’s annoyance, Nature called and told her that there was more work for Lizzie to do. 

Hope for the last month had been getting to spend more time with her Mom and Dad which she enjoyed, but there was also a reminder that she only had her parents back because of Lizzie. Hope was able to finally let go of losing Landon, but the loss of Lizzie still haunted her. If anything Lizzie’s loss haunted her more than Landon’s. Hope had only been back at the Salvatore School for a week before Ben and Jen requested help to avoid their father’s wrath. Hope wanted to tell Jen to deal with her own issues but both Jen and Ben said that Ken would go about destroying half the population and they were not strong enough to beat Ken. Something that annoyed Hope was that Jen asked for Lizzie since it was Lizzie who had brought Jen to her knees previously. 

Hope had called her parents for help and so she along with her Aunt Bex, Aunt Freya, Uncle Elijah, brother Marcel, and Miss Forbes had set about to face the God named Ken. Hope had not wanted to call Josie and Lizzie was dead so it was just her family and Miss Forbes to face Ken. Hope with all her power and a good chunk of her family was no match against the God named Ken. Magic had not worked on the God named Ken which both Freya and Hope found out the hard way. Hope had been training with weapons but she wasn’t nearly as skilled as her father Klaus, her Uncle Elijah, her brother Marcel, and Aunt Bex. One by one Hope saw Ken render her family unconscious in a one-sided beat down. Hope believed her Dad, Klaus, was the last one still standing beside her before she passed out from the amount of punches and kicks the God had landed on her. 

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“Ugh,” Caroline groans to awake 

“Oh, good Sweetness is awake maybe she can tell us what happened,” Rebekah states 

“She was out almost the same time as you and Freya,” Marcel says unconvinced 

“Ben and Jen failed to mention that magic doesn’t work on Gods,” Freya grumbles 

“Well Jen was looking for Lizzie and Hope had said that Lizzie had brought Jen to her knees,” Hayley counters 

“Yes, except that Elizabeth is nowhere to be found and her sister Josette is in Belgium,” Elijah points out with slight irritation in his tone 

“What … What happened?!” Caroline questions clear confusion in her tone as she noted she was on one of the couches in the Salvatore Boarding School common room 

“We were hoping you could tell us, except that I am pretty sure Klaus was the last one standing or Hope was,” Hayley says 

“Ugh! Wha?! What happened?!” Klaus growls as he wakes up to note he is not on the battlefield and they are back at the boarding school 

“Calm yourself Niklaus, it appears we have found ourselves in a predicament. There seems to be no trace of Ken and none of us know how we ended up back here. You wouldn’t happen to know how we ended up here do you?” Elijah says trying to get Klaus to calm down 

“If I bloody knew I wouldn’t be confused.  That prick could have killed us in the field and now he just disappears before finishing the job?!” Klaus says with anger and confusion 

“Mm, Dad?” Hope groans as she wakes up 

“Hope, baby what do you last remember?” Hayley questions 

“Mom? How are we alive? Why are we back at school?” Hope questions as she gets her bearings of her surroundings 

“Oh, cool you’re all awake. I wanted to say thanks for killing my Dad, but you guys were pretty out of it when I saw you guys in here earlier. I’m actually a little surprised you guys lived considering you didn’t look to be in great shape and well you didn’t bring Lizzie with you to the fight,” Jen comments with a shrug as she walks into the common room and gets everyone’s attention 

“We didn’t beat Ken. Also, what is your fascination with my daughter?!” Caroline questions with confusion and skeptical accusation annoyed that this supposed god liked Lizzie 

“Well someone did because the dude is dead. As for Lizzie, she’s funny and powerful. I mean never met a girl who could bring me to my literal knees without it being in the sexual sense. Speaking of you guys never said where she is at and why she hasn’t been around. I sort of figured she would show up thanks to her,” Jen answers and questions nodding her head toward Hope as the last time Hope had been in danger Lizzie came and brought Jen to her knees 

“She’s not around because I killed her! … You get that?! Mm? She’s dead and she’s not coming back!” Hope shouts in anger glaring at the goddess 

“Got it, dude, I’m out! Thanks again for trying and or getting someone who could deal,” Jen says before fleeing not wanting to be near the angry Tribrid 

“Stupid Gods,” Hope huffs in annoyance

“Glad that the jerk of a God is dead, but that doesn’t explain how the hell we lived since last I checked none of us remember beating Ken!” Marcel points out also irritated with the situation 

“There has to be another player then, someone clearly stronger than any of us and even a God,” Hayley muses out loud 

“Yes, but why would they let us live? Surely they know of us!” Klaus says slightly offended that he was spared 

“Brother be glad they took pity on us, as there was no possible way for us to have made it here if not for their help,” Elijah says trying to speak reason 

“Well I just bloody hope that whoever helped us doesn’t call in a favor, it’s rather humiliating to have to be saved at this point in our lives,” Rebekah says wanting to forget about the God Ken 

“I second that sentiment and really wished Jen told us that magic didn’t work on a God before we tried to fight one,” Freya comments with an exasperated sigh 

“At least another crisis has been averted. We can worry about the how later, right now I want to take a nap or get a drink either or, maybe both,” Caroline says trying to make everyone in the room feel better or put the topic to rest

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Hayley was grateful to have more time with her daughter and with those she loved but she did wonder just how they all survived the encounter with the God named Ken. From what Hayley remembered it was a one-sided beatdown with herself and everyone getting the stuffing beat out of them by Ken. Thankfully Ken didn’t kill Freya who was a bit more vulnerable than everyone else. Hayley did find it odd the fact that Jen had been so fascinated with Lizzie and while there had been no sign of Lizzie for the past month who else could make a God go to their knees? Hayley prayed that whoever helped the family was an ally and she also hoped that against all odds it was Lizzie the girl who consumed most of her sweet daughter’s heart with heartache. Hayley knew she should tell Hope that Lizzie could be alive but she also didn’t want to give her daughter false hope that Lizzie was still alive since there had been no signs of her. It was an unspoken agreement among the family to keep the fact that Lizzie’s body disappeared from the Abattoir away from Hope. Caroline fed the lie that Lizzie ran away to Josie and Penelope but that was to cover Hope’s ass and Hayley didn’t want to break it to Hope that lie might be true or some elaborate scheme of an enemy. 

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Time Skip 1 year since Ken’s defeat 

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“Damn,” No-Humanity Lizzie grumbles as she goes about untying both Elijah and Hayley from bloody chairs 

“Mm …. Plea… please … stop,” Hayley groans confusion and pain in her tone 

“Shh,… you’re safe now,” No-Humanity Lizzie says trying to be compassionate even though her tone came a little flat with her humanity being off 

“Elijah?” Hayley says confusion clear in her tone 

“Afraid not Little Wolf, but he’s okay, just like you will be, …sleep now,” No-Humanity Lizzie says trying to be reassuring 

“Thank you, Klaus,” Hayley mumbles before falling back to unconsciousness confusing Lizzie for Klaus thanks to the nickname used

It doesn’t take Lizzie long before she drops both Elijah and Hayley’s unconscious forms back at the Abattoir. 

“Who … who are you?” Elijah says grabbing Lizzie’s wrist before she can leave the Abattoir 

“Sleep, you’re safe,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers ready to leave as Elijah was clearly out of it and had let go of her wrist 

“What did you just do, who are you and how are you alive? We were in a stronghold of over 100 vampires and 35 witches,” Elijah questions confusion clear in his tone 

“You will forget me. Klaus saved you and Hayley. All those in that stronghold were dealt with. You are safe now,” No-Humanity Lizzie says compelling Elijah to forget her 

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Lizzie for the last year since beating Ken had been working in the shadows. Occasionally her path would cross with the Mikaelson family and each time she would be gone before they woke up. It was just now that she had been unlucky with Elijah waking up. Thankfully because Lizzie was working for Nature she could compel Elijah to forget her. Part of Lizzie knew playing dead was cruel, but at the same time, she wasn’t exactly sure how to confront Hope or her family. Talking hurt but it was getting slightly more manageable with time. Lizzie understood now more than ever why Nature called her foolish. All the pain and emotional heartache that she endured was a burden that Lizzie would never wish upon even her own enemies. Something that Nature conveniently left out or more the fact that Lizzie overlooked was that in order to feel all the pain that the Mikaelson family had felt or committed she would have the memories of all who interacted with the Mikaelson family and the Mikaelson family too. 

Thankfully Nature had held off on flooding Lizzie with the memories until after Ken was dead. It took months to sort out and remember who Lizzie was and there were days she would forget that she was Lizzie Saltzman and not Klaus Mikaelson or any of the other Mikaelson family members. Even if she lost her mind there was no way to kill herself until after the 1055 years of pain were up. She had tried only once and she woke up still in pain and Nature looking back at her with an indifferent, unfeeling look that screamed you signed up for this, now deal with it. Lizzie never tried to kill herself again after that and tried her best to let go of her life before going to work for Nature. Lizzie did warn Nature that she wouldn’t listen to any orders if Nature allowed anyone in the Mikaelson family to die without warning Lizzie first. 

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“I should have not let you stay in charge because clearly your leadership skills are lacking!” Klaus argues and scolds Marcel 

“How is it my fault that a group that has beef with you came out of nowhere to capture Hayley and your prick of a brother Elijah?!” Marcel argues 

“Boys?” Rebekah says trying to intervene 

“Stay out of it!” Both Klaus and Marcel shout before glaring back at each other 

“Enough with the shouting! Children!” Elijah says with a huff as he emerges from a balcony overlooking the courtyard of the Abattoir

“Elijah?!” Freya remarks confusion and shocked relief on her face 

“How are you alive?!” Marcel questions with bewilderment in his tone 

“I believe we have a miscommunication, since Klaus saved myself and Hayley or I would assume so since Hayley was resting beside me momentarily before I woke to your shouting. Are our enemies not dead?” Elijah explains and questions 

“I would love to believe that brother, but I didn’t save you or Hayley. By the time we broke into that stronghold there wasn’t a trace of you or Hayley. Our enemies dead inside the stronghold but no traces of you and Hayley,” Klaus answers concern in his tone 

“If you didn’t save us then who did and why?” Hayley questioned as she moved to stand next to Elijah 

“I would question how since it took all our combined power to even break into that stronghold,” Marcel questions confusion also clear in his tone 

“Whoever they are, they are starting to piss me off! Saving us, but being cowardly to not show their bloody face,” Klaus grumbles annoyance clear in his tone 

“Maybe they are just being kind,” Rebekah says optimistically 

“Rebekah, no. Hayley is right to question the why since it’s clear this hasn’t been the only instance of one of us being saved before,” Elijah muses out loud 

“You think the person or thing that saved you and Hayley tonight is the same person who saved all of us against Ken?” Freya speculates 

“How could it not be, but the question is how they are still alive and why they would be helping us. If they had an ulterior motive surely it would have come out by now,” Elijah comments concern in his tone 

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Elijah was deeply concerned over the fact that he and Hayley were not saved by Klaus as he thought for sure Klaus saved them. Ever since returning to the land of the living Elijah couldn’t help but feel he owed a great debt to the girl who sacrificed it all for his niece’s humanity. Elijah couldn’t imagine what the cost of Hope’s humanity was and just what Elizabeth Saltzman gave to bring back himself, Hayley, and Niklaus. The fact that Elizabeth’s body went missing a few hours after No-Humanity Hope ripped the young Heretic's heart out was suspicious if not concerning. Then there was the instance of a good portion of the family fighting a God whose name was Ken and there being no recollection of how they all survived the scuffle. Elijah had found it odd that Hope knew about Elizabeth being able to bring a God to their knees. From what Elijah knew Josette was in Belgium and Valerie the only other person who could siphon was in Chicago at the time they were fighting a God. The only person who was not accounted for was Elizabeth but it was assumed that her body was stolen as very few walked away from getting their hearts ripped out of their chest. Elijah was grateful for this opportunity to love Hayley once more, but he did wonder about the cost and if Elizabeth was truly gone or just working in the shadows protecting the family, his family. 

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“How are you alive?! I left you to drown at the bottom of a lake,” A witch says confusion clear in their tone at seeing Lizzie 

“Yes, real original, that one,” No-Humanity Lizzie quips flatly as her humanity is off and she is soaking wet before she moves to snap the lady's neck 

Swoosh! Snap! The witch dies with a quick neck snap. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but I need you to go to Mystic Falls, Virginia. It seems your darling sister might be tempted with dark magic and too much of that will not be great for balance. You have to stop her from playing with things she best not play with,” Nature says with tone of indifference 

“I’m not killing her,” No-Humanity Lizzie counters not exactly wanting to go 

“I didn’t say you had to, only that she could cause an issue if she becomes too immersed in Dark magic. You agreed to serve us in exchange for cutting down part of your pain. If you don’t want to serve, your deal still stands and you will finish out your 1054 years that you have left of your contract. I merely informed you about your sister, since you had seemed miffed about the time I barely gave you enough warning to save the Mikaelson family and your Mom from that God named Ken. You would have been angry with me if you could fully express it, but that’s all water under the bridge since your one and only failed attempt at trying to kill yourself two weeks after beating Ken and that was over a year ago now,” Nature rambles and explains with a tone of indifference

“Mm …Thanks for the reminder,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a huff of what would be frustration if she had her humanity 

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Nature didn’t believe themselves to be cruel per se, they believed in balance. Nature knew that lesser men broke with what Elizabeth had to endure. Nature even recalled meeting with Freya Mikaelson who, similar to Elizabeth, had wanted a deal. Nature knew that Freya would not take up the deal as the cost of bringing back the dead was steep and there were no cheat codes to get around paying. In one form or another there was always a price to pay. Something Nature admired about Lizzie was that even knowing the cost the young Heretic didn’t look for a loophole to get around the deal. The only time that Elizabeth rebelled against Nature was when they so foolishly tried to end their pain by trying to kill themselves. Granted Nature had flooded Elizabeth’s brain with the memoires attached to some of the pain that the Heretic was to endure, so that could have contributed to the suicide attempt. 

Nature felt that Lizzie had done remarkably well in filling the void that was supposed to be Malivore’s original role. Nature also knew that Elizabeth had one of the biggest and purest hearts to willingly endure the pain both physical and mental that came with the deal that was made. Nature had not been lying about Josie looking into dark magic, but another reason for Nature to get Lizzie to Mystic Falls was to see the girl get a chance to gain their humanity again. When one is around for as long as Nature has been then they know that Elizabeth is a one-of-a-kind type person that only comes around once an eon and their impact would be the stuff of legends be good, bad, or somewhere in between. Nature was hoping to capitalize on Elizabeth’s big heart to bring balance where the world had been lacking recently. 

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“Mom watch out!” Josie screams as she catches sight of a girl walking into the middle of the road 

Screech! Caroline slams on the car breaks at seeing Lizzie in the road. The car stopped only a few centimeters from touching Lizzie. 

“Is that Lizzie?!” Josie questions with shock 

“How is she alive?!” Hope blurts out forgetting that she never told Josie that Lizzie’s heart had been ripped out 

“I don’t know, stay in the car,” Caroline says before exiting the vehicle 

“Are you insane? I nearly made you into roadkill! Also, how are you alive?!” Caroline says shock and bewilderment clear in her tone 

Click. Click. Two doors open and close signaling to Caroline and No-Humanity Lizzie that Hope and Josie stepped out of the vehicle. 

“Where have you been for the last year? Also, why does Mom and Hope keep questioning why you are alive?!” Josie questions in bewilderment and slight confusion 

“Anything to add, Hope?” No-Humanity Lizzie offers after a beat of awkward silence her tone bordering on apathetic thanks to not having her humanity 

“I echo your Mom and your sister’s questions more or less,” Hope answers timidly unsure how to react to seeing the person she thought she killed over a year ago 

“Well, are you going to answer us?” Caroline asks her tone a bit impatient 

“ Motus ,” No-Humanity Lizzie says reciting the telekinesis spell to take the dagger from Josie’s jacket coat 

“What? Hey, give that back!” Josie protests 

“I think not,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly states with a shrug as she drains the dark magic out of the dagger 

“Lizzie?! What are you doing?!” Caroline says with an exasperated and confused tone 

“Leaving,” No-Humanity Lizzie says flatly turning to walk away slow enough that Hope her Mom Caroline could catch her 

Swoosh! Snap! Hope uses her vampire speed to get to Lizzie and snap the Heretic’s neck. 

“You don’t get to come back and then leave without an explanation,” Hope grumbles as she picks Lizzie’s unconscious form up 

“Hope, did you just snap her neck?!” Josie says with bewilderment in tone 

“She did. I don’t exactly approve of snapping necks but in this case I will let it slide. Especially as I want to know where Lizzie has been and how in the world she survived getting her literal heart ripped out of her chest,” Caroline says moving to follow Hope back to the car

“Hope, did what?!” Josie says shock in her tone 

“I killed your sister twice with my humanity off, now come on let's get this over with,” Hope answers as she puts Lizzie’s body in the backseat with herself 

“Wait, Mom, you knew?!” Josie says in disbelief 

“Yep, and we still haven’t forgotten the dagger that Lizzie took from you. We will be talking about that later right now we still need to stop by to see your dad at the hospital,” Caroline answers putting an end to the conversation 

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Author’s Note:   Lizzie saves the Mikaelson group from getting killed by Ken. Ken shoots Lizzie with lighting and then is promptly killed by Lizzie after being bewildered that Lizzie was still alive. Lizzie brings the Mikaelson family back to the Salvatore.School. Jen informs the group that Ken is dead and Hope yells at Jen in regards to Lizzie’s absence. Time Skip to Lizzie saving Hayley and Elijah from an enemy stronghold and making Elijah forget seeing her. Lizzie kills a witch and is greeted by Nature to do another assignment. Lizzie confronts Josie who happens to be with Caroline and Hope. Caroline questions Lizzie’s unexpected arrival and Hope prevents Lizzie from running away. 

Note  I was originally going to have Lizzie talk more, but with her humanity off I figured she wouldn’t be talking that much. 

Next up Lizzie answers some questions 

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 5: Why

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“I know you're awake, so you can drop your act of pretending to be asleep,” Hope huffs with slight irritation 

“Are you going to say something? … Anything?” Hope says with exasperation as there was an extended moment of silence from Heretic

“Really the silent treatment?! What are we 5? …. You said more to your enemies and those you have saved then to me since you flipped your switch. Why? …Why did you run?!” Hope huffs and rambles annoyance clear in her tone as Lizzie continues to be silent and unmoving 

“Ugh, just why won’t you answer me?!” Hope says with a frustrated sigh 

“I promise to not run if you get your family and mine,” No-Humanity Lizzie says in a tone that seemed apathetic to Hope’s ears 

“Why? Why do I need to get my family and yours when you won’t answer just one of my questions?!” Hope demands with irritation and confusion in her tone

“I don’t repeat. Get your family and mine if you want the why,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts coldly 

“Pinky promise me, pinky promise me that you won’t run the minute I leave,” Hope asks knowing that the Heretic could probably escape if they wanted to

“I pinky promise, that I, Elizabeth Jenna Saltzman, will not try to make a run for it the minute that Hope Andrea Mikaelson leaves,” No-Humanity Lizzie says in a formal tone after moving to interlock her pinky with Hope’s outstretched pinky through the jail cell bars 

“I believe you,” Hope says after their pinkies had intertwined before moving to leave 

////////

Hope was irritated since it had been an hour since she got off the phone with her parents and they were still an hour or two from driving to the school. In Hope’s irritation, she had gone to see the unconscious No-Humanity Lizzie. Hope had been shocked, confused, and relieved to see Lizzie even if the girl no longer possessed their humanity. Hope wanted to know why Lizzie ran, why Lizzie had come back, why she had stayed away so long, and why Lizzie brought Hope’s parents back along with her Uncle. Hope has many questions and now that she knew Lizzie was alive or undead in this case she wouldn’t stop to get an answer from the Heretic. 

Another question that lingered was how Lizzie did what she did, Hope’s Aunt Freya along with the rest of the family seemed reluctant to answer or they would say they didn’t know how Lizzie did what she did. Hope knew that her family was trying to protect her, but she also wanted the truth. If there was one person that Hope could always get the truth from, it was Lizzie at least it had been before Lizzie became a Heretic. Hope knew that Lizzie was stubborn so no matter how much Hope wanted Lizzie to answer her questions she knew that No-Humanity Lizzie would refuse her until their demands were met. Hope went to paint in her room until her parents showed up as she trusted Lizzie to keep her pinky promise, humanity or not intact. 

//////////

“Why you insisted on the deal you did, I am not sure I will ever fully comprehend. She already haunts your ever-waking undead eternity and she doesn't even know it,” Nature muses out loud to Lizzie appearing to the young Heretic 

“She doesn't need to know. As for why I did what I did, if I recall correctly you were rather eager at the prospect of making the deal. I mean you got me doing your bidding, you kept the world balanced with Hope not staying in a No-Humanity phase and the Mikaelson family seems to be dealing with Vampires, Witches, and Werewolves in New Orleans pretty well in check with Elijah, Hayley, and Klaus back,” No-Humanity Lizzie counter argues not giving Nature much attention as her gaze was on where Hope had walked off 

“All fair points child, but that doesn't explain why you let yourself be captured by your sister, mother, and the girl you gave everything for,” Nature points out 

“They deserve closure to some extent,” No-Humanity Lizzie states in a matter-of-fact tone 

“You must think I’m the cruelest maker. Yet, I did leave you, hope, I left you a way to get your humanity back, all you have to do is endure,” Nature comments 

“Mm, that’s almost laughable considering the price to get my humanity back … I wouldn’t …. I know what I did was rash to some, yet I couldn’t …. You know why I did what I did …my question is why would you come now to taunt me? I’ve barely been able to hold on to who I am,” No-Humanity Lizzie rambles with a hint of irritation as her lack of humanity was not allowing her full emotions and passion of words to be expressed properly 

“You knew the cost would be steep, and I did give you a warning before you took the deal. So I think the better question is why would you sacrifice everything for something so fleeting? Was it out of selfishness? Was it out of a sense of doing the right thing? Or was it the truth you hide behind now that you don’t have your humanity …. Why did I make your humanity switch to be as tricky as it is? All great questions that you have eternity to contemplate …or less,” Nature says in a somewhat teasing superior tone as they faded from the cell with footsteps approaching 

////////

Lizzie hated the mental prison her mind and body had become. Lizzie felt trapped alone with just the voices and echoes of lives past and of course of the pain inflicted upon and by the Mikaelson family. Lizzie wasn’t lying when she started to argue with Nature about letting herself be captured. Lizzie had run from every encounter after saving the Mikaelson family because she wasn’t sure if she could bear their pity. Lizzie also didn’t want to tell Hope the cost of her humanity as yes the cost was steep, but Lizzie had walked into it willingly. Part of Lizzie had come to peace with the fact that she would never be able to talk with passion anymore and another part of Lizzie hated it. 

Lizzie also knew that Nature in their own twisted way was trying to thank Lizzie for setting things right by interrogating Lizzie. Lizzie had slayed many witches, vampires, werewolves, humans, and other creatures all in the name of balance for Nature. Lizzie wasn’t completely blind to who Nature told her to go after, Lizzie did her research if there was time or she would look the person up after the fact. In some cases, all Lizzie had to do was steal an artifact or compel a few to forget. All Lizzie knew was that she didn’t believe that her humanity could be turned back on and that she would try to make everyone who ever knew her forget her after this interrogation that was sure to happen with the Mikaelson family and her own. 

///////

“Why did you steal the dagger from me?” Josie questioned as she came down to the basement to see if her sister was awake 

“Are you going to answer me or just sit there in silence?” Josie questions with concern and confusion at the lack of response 

“God, do you even care?! You’re like a completely different person,” Josie says with an exasperated sigh moving to leave since Lizzie had not said anything

“Why Dark magic?” No-Humanity Lizzie calmly questions as she knows someone is listening in and it looked as though her sister would leave 

“What?” Josie questions confused as to why Lizzie asked her that question 

“Why did you go for Dark Magic? You know what it does to you.  So why did you consider it?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions coldly moving to look at her sister with a blank face already having some inkling to know why Josie would do what she might have

“Why? …. Why do you care?! You ran! You left Mom, and I with Dad who is still in a coma! As for what Dark Magic does to me …. I know I’m stronger …. You didn’t have to steal my dagger! I could have saved Dad with that dagger,” Josie huffs with a mix of anger and conviction 

“At what cost? You fail to understand magic dear sister and that is why you can’t handle Dark Magic. I’m sure I’ll see you later, but I do think someone else is here to pay me a visit,” No-Humanity Lizzie responds calmly and cooly as her humanity was still off 

“Right, forget you could hear my heart. Josie why don’t you go see Hope or go wait in the common room area for everyone to get here,” Caroline says revealing herself to her daughters 

“Mom?  I … God this is the worst version of you, no wonder why you left,” Josie says with a huff of irritation glaring at her sister before storming away from both her Mom and sister 

/////////

Josie had been looking into all things magic to try and bring back her Dad, Alaric. Josie knew that Dark Magic was risky to use but she had done okay with it last time against No-Humanity Hope. While she hadn’t delved too deeply with it in trying to get Hope’s humanity back she felt she might have to in order to get her Dad out of the coma he was in. Josie wanted to know why Lizzie, who had at one point looked at magic books to get their Dad out of his coma had so coldly shut down Josie’s idea. Josie didn’t like No-Humanity Lizzie as they didn’t ramble or have any passion in their tone. Josie also hated that every question that she had asked went pretty much unanswered. Josie felt hurt with No-Humanity Lizzie’s lack of response or care in terms of empathy. 

Josie had wanted to know why Lizzie had run and also to thank Lizzie for getting Hope’s humanity back but this No-Humanity Lizzie was hard to talk with. Josie didn’t think No-Humanity Lizzie would even respond to her with many of her first questions going unanswered. Josie wanted answers and No-Humanity Lizzie seemed rather evasive in terms of answering anything. Josie hated this version of Lizzie and wasn’t afraid to say it since it seemed this version didn’t even care to react. 

/////////

“You didn’t have to be that harsh to Josie,” Caroline states after Josie rushes off in a huff 

“My words are a mercy compared to the real cost that she would have had to pay,” No-Humanity Lizzie calmly states 

“Yeah, and what cost did you pay? I mean … Why did you do what you did? Not that I’m unhappy about you saving Hope. It’s just … you’ve been gone for a over a year with no word or way to contact you,” Caroline rambles with a frown 

“Well, are you going to say anything?” Caroline questions after a beat of silence and noting Lizzie had kept her mouth shut 

“Why do you care?” No-Humanity Lizzie ultimately says just as Caroline has turned to leave 

“What?” Caroline questions confused at the question that No-Humanity Lizzie posed 

“Why do you care? I died, as people died every day. Why do you care that I have been gone?” No-Humanity Lizzie challenges with a straight face with very little warmth in her tone as her humanity was still off 

“I know you're hurt and that I hurt you and Josie by not being around, but I’m here now. As for why I care, I care because you're my daughter and you are clearly in pain! Why else would your humanity be off?! Just turn your humanity back on and things will get better, not all at once, but over time,” Caroline says after taking a deep breath knowing that No-Humanity Lizzie had been trying to push Caroline away 

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly states retreating from the bars to lay back down on the ground 

“Why? Why don’t you just consider turning your humanity back on? Hope has her humanity back, and you stopped your sister from absorbing Dark Magic. Shouldn’t you be celebrating?! You did good things even when you didn’t need to. So why can’t you have your humanity while doing it? ” Caroline argues 

“So that’s it? You’re just going to keep your humanity off and ignore me? Ignore all of us?!” Caroline huffs with exasperation seeing No-Humanity Lizzie kept their mouth shut 

“Before I go, can you tell me if there is even a prayer to get your humanity back?” Caroline asks in desperation 

“There is a chance … but I wouldn’t hold your breath,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers honestly before closing her eyes set on ignoring any more questions until everyone showed up 

“Thank you,” Caroline says knowing that No-Humanity Lizzie wouldn’t answer anything else 

//////////

Caroline knew what it was like to shut off their humanity so in some regards she understood that Lizzie had all the reason in the world to shut off their humanity. Caroline felt terrible for having let her daughters down. Caroline had been trying this past year to be there for Josie and she thought she had done pretty well until No-Humanity Lizzie showed up and revealed that Josie had been planning something dark. Caroline was grateful for No-Humanity Lizzie’s intervention in stopping Josie, but Caroline was also confused as to why No-Humanity Lizzie had yet to return home. Caroline felt if it had only been about Hope then No-Humanity Lizzie would have come home, but maybe there was more to Lizzie’s humanity being off. 

Caroline worried about Lizzie especially with the fact that Lizzie’s humanity had now been off for over a year. Caroline knew from experience that the longer the switch was off the harder it was to have their humanity switch be flipped back on. Caroline wanted so much to give her daughter a hug and tell her things would be okay, but No-Humanity Lizzie was right Caroline couldn’t promise that things would get better. Caroline had no clue what No-Humanity Lizzie had been up to if they had committed numerous murders, had a bunch of one-night stands, tortured people for the hell of things, there was an endless possibility of cruel things that No-Humanity Lizzie might have committed this past year. Caroline couldn’t be certain that Lizzie would be okay if her humanity came back. All Caroline could hope for was that No-Humanity Lizzie didn’t commit cruel deeds with their humanity off. With everything being said and done Caroline was relieved that there was a chance to get Lizzie’s humanity back even if it was small. 

//////////

“So you stayed,” Hope comments as she enters the basement area to see Lizzie doing push ups in the jail cell 

“She knows we are here right?” Hayley questions as Lizzie had yet to acknowledge anyone 

“Is she deaf?” Klaus questions as he notes that Lizzie was continuing to do push ups without looking up 

“She’s not deaf, she’s just … Lizzie, all of us are here. Can you please stop what you are doing and talk to us?” Caroline defends and then questions with a whine 

“Lizzie, quit being childish!” Josie retorts with annoyance as she along with everyone else watch Lizzie do push up after push up 

“Elizabeth, can you at least acknowledge that you hear us?” Elijah questions confused by the Heretic 

“Well I have to say the kid’s stubborn, but they have nice form,” Marcel comments with a shrug watching Lizzie go up and down 

“Marcel, not the time,” Rebekah lightly scolds 

“Why the silent treatment, Lizzie,” Freya questions wanting to try a different approach 

“And done. I was busy. Nothing personal to you people. It's like asking why snap my neck when a sleeping spell does the same thing. Granted neck snapping makes things more personal and the sleeping spell takes more time to set in they both have the same end result to a vampire,” No-Humanity Lizzie finally says with a shrug poking at the fact that Hope had snapped her neck before moving to a sitting position to face everyone who came to see her 

“I…, you were going to leave what was I supposed to cast the sleep spell only for you to block it? Snapping your neck ensured you wouldn't run,” Hope huffs trying to defend her earlier action

“I was walking away pretty slowly. If I had wanted to flee I would have gone without you noticing I had taken Josie’s dagger. If I had really wanted to not get captured I wouldn’t have stopped my Mom’s car in the middle of the road. Trust me the the sleeping spell would have worked,” No-Humanity Lizzie comments pointing out the flawed logic of Hope’s argument 

“Are you insulting my daughter?! If so I can easily find a better use for your tongue, perhaps it would look good cut out and nailed to one of my art canvas as a dramatic art statement,” Klaus taunts and threatens as he glares at the Heretic

“Dad,” Hope says in a warning tone not wanting Lizzie to run 

“Or I could have your mouth sewed shut so you may never utter lies again,” Klaus continues to taunt and threaten ignoring Hope’s warning 

“Apologies to the Old King, that I don’t fit Mikaelson standards, but my humanity is off and I must have missed the formal invitation to be a blind sheep. Last I checked you would still be in Peace along with Hayley, and Elijah if not for me. So forgive me for my lack of decorum. I’m not your entertainment, your majesty, ” No-Humanity Lizzie quips with what would have been sass if her humanity was fully intact that came out more muted then she had wanted as she takes a mock curtsy to company her talk 

“Well she got you there, Klaus,” Marcel muses with a smirk and a shrug enjoying the dig that No-Humanity Lizzie threw 

“Marcellus let the adults talk,” Elijah lightly scolds 

“Why did you bring us back?” Hayley questions wanting the answer to that question that had been bothering her since her return and ignoring the other’s bickering 

“I thought it was pretty obvious. But if you want an answer to your why, then the answer is because I felt at the time Hope needed something she could not get with those still alive,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers Hayley in a flat but serious tone 

“Okay, but why turn your humanity off for it?” Josie questions confusion as to how things went down exactly 

“I didn’t, Nature did it. I struck a deal with them. Freya, did you not fill everyone in?” No-Humanity Lizzie answers and questions looking to the older Mikaelson witch with slight confusion 

“I wasn’t sure that you would make a deal with Nature so I didn’t want to explain things in full just in case I was wrong. I did have an idea that you might have made a deal just to get Hayley, Klaus, and Elijah back, but … that would require a cost that I’m not sure anyone would be willing to pay least of all someone who barely knows us,” Freya answers concern and curiosity in their tone 

“Why what was the cost? … Well is someone going to answer me? What was the cost of my humanity?!” Hope questions concern and anxiousness clear in her tone looking around to see who would answer her

“Hope, Sweetie,” Rebekah starts to answer only to be cut off 

“Everything… You wanted to know the cost to bring back your parents, it was everything. When it comes to details I will not disclose that with you. I will tell your parents and the rest of your family, but I will not tell you. You might guess it, but I don’t think you’re ready to hear what the cost was, not in full,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers cutting off anything that Freya was about to say 

“I can handle the truth! Or I can handle it better than you with you’re not turning your humanity back on!” Hope argues annoyed that No-Humanity Lizzie had refused her 

“Why are you yelling at me? I have done nothing to you,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers calmly 

“Exactly! You sit there with your monotone voice not answering me or telling me that I can’t handle the truth when you know damn well that I have lived my whole life with hard truths! Does it really not cross your mind about why we here all have questions for you?!” Hope scoffs with passion and irritation clear in her tone 

“I don’t have my humanity. If you want to know some of the deal that I took you can ask Freya since she had thought about it, but she ultimately backed down from it,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly 

“Okay, then how do we trigger your humanity to flip back on?” Caroline questions changing the topic seeing as No-Humanity Lizzie would probably not budge on the cost she paid 

“Forget that my humanity is off,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers like it's the most obvious answer 

“Is that the hint?” Hayley questions echoing everyone’s confusion 

“Yes,” No-Humanity Lizzie sharply retorts with a head nod

“Why not save Dad? Not that I am unhappy about you saving Hope and that you brought her parents back, but why save them and bring them back with little guarantee that Hope’s humanity trigger would be flipped back on?” Josie questions after a beat 

“Dad wanted us to be there for Hope and Hope for us,” No-Humanity Lizzie responds flatly like it was the most obvious thing 

“How did you know bringing Hope’s parents back would work?” Elijah questions 

“I didn’t,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers truthfully 

“But you asked, and now you are paying for the cost aren’t you?” Rebekah reasons 

“I am, and I will be, even if I get my humanity back, I will be paying for a long time to come. Why Nature thinks I can get my humanity back … I think laughable, then again they are the one who created the deal to get Klaus, Hayley, and Elijah back. If Hope’s humanity had not returned Elijah also would not have come back. Klaus and Hayley would have still been around even if my plan failed,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains 

“Wait, why didn’t you ask for Landon to come back or more importantly why didn’t you tell me I could bring my parents back?” Hope questions 

“Don’t you think the Hobbit suffered enough? Why would I give a No-Humanity version of yourself that type of power? The deal one makes with Nature is not something to frivolously spend as there is no guarantee things will work out and just like a Jinni, Nature can be a cruel bitch. You wanted me to have blood on my hands and I do more than I think you do or did with your lack of humanity killing spree. Granted, you lost a loved one and Aurora was being a pain in your ass, you didn’t have to take out your cruelty on me or the ones you fucked and had me dismiss come morning sunrise,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts cutting deeply at Hope’s guilt with a cold glare 

“I … look I’m sorry for what I did … I …. Could you please turn your humanity back on?!” Hope nervously responds trying to get all eyes off her and what No-Humanity Lizzie alluded to 

“You didn’t tell them, did you? I wonder why that is? I already gave you the hint to turn my humanity back on. Why I would want it back now seems rather inconsequential as you all seem to think I am better with it. Yet, you have hardly given me a chance without it, not that I have given you much time to interact with me,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers with a shrug rambling 

“Why can’t you just turn your humanity back on? Is it that you couldn’t stand to be near family or friends after finally doing something good in getting Hope’s humanity back?!” Josie argues with hurt clear in her tone 

“You hate me, and yet you still want to fix me. You can’t fix me Jo. You should have moved on and forgotten me. I broke the cycle that Uncle Kai made so you wouldn’t have to die. Don’t fall for the temptation of Dark Magic or I will leave you a harsh reminder in the form of a broken bone or two,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly states 

“Lizzie?!” Caroline scolds 

“You really are a bitch!” Josie says before running away with tears in her eyes 

“You don’t sugar coat anything do you?” Hayley muses out loud with slight concern in her tone 

“She never did even with her humanity on. I’ll go make sure Josie is okay,” Hope says with a sigh before moving to leave knowing that she wasn’t going to get much more out of No-Humanity Lizzie 

/////////

Josie didn’t like the implications that she couldn’t handle Dark Magic and she also didn’t like what No-Humanity Lizzie had alluded to in terms of Hope. Sure No-Humanity Hope said a few mean words to the Super Squad and beat them pretty roughly but what No-Humanity Lizzie implied made it seem that No-Humanity Hope was much worse than what she had seen. Josie didn’t want to believe that Hope would be that cruel even with their humanity shut off. Josie wasn’t too thrilled about No-Humanity Lizzie’s threat either talking about if Josie touched Dark Magic again. Josie just wanted her sister back, not this unfeeling cold version that seemed to talk in riddles and threats. 

Hope was annoyed with No-Humanity Lizzie but at least she was brutally honest like she had been before shutting off her humanity so there was still that. Hope wanted the answers to why Lizzie made a deal with Nature and while No-Humanity Lizzie gave a vague answer Hope wanted more. Hope knew it might be unconventional but she could do a linking spell to feel what No-Humanity Lizzie was feeling just to get more insight into why the Heretic did what they did. Hope did feel guilty about what she had made Lizzie do when her humanity was off, but it wasn’t exactly like she could apologize to No-Humanity Lizzie. Hope knew that No -Humanity Lizzie was probably just trying to push her away, but Hope wanted to know why Lizzie did everything that they did all to just run away from Hope, not that Hope exactly blamed them. 

/////////

“So you want to explain what the cost was or why you did what you did?” Freya questions once Hope is gone 

“Why did you want to make the deal? My answer is similar. As for what it cost… as I stated everything and more…. I didn’t want to tell Hope the cost because I didn’t want her to feel guilty. I chose the path I am on and I have to live with it. In terms of details, how old are you Freya?” No-Humanity Lizzie explains calmly 

“Um … I’m 41 but if you are counting the years I was in and out of sleep then …” 

“1054 years,” Elijah says concern in his tone 

“What does Freya’s age have to do with anything?” Klaus questions 

“Everything considering she is your eldest sibling… In exchange for bring you, Elijah, and Hayley back I had to save 7 lives. Life pays for life and there were seven original Mikaelson siblings. I also have to endure ….” No-Humanity Lizzie starts to explain only for Freya to interrupt 

“No … No, please tell me you didn’t!” Freya begs fear and dread in her tone

“Didn’t what?” Marcel questions 

“I did,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly retorts 

“No … No you… How can you be standing here? …. Why would you do that?” Freya practically begs in disbelief 

“Why would she do what?!” Caroline questions confused as to why the Mikaelson witch was distraught 

“Will one of you bloody explain what Elizabeth did?!” Rebekah says with slight frustration at the lack of clear communication 

“She… She has to endure every pain that we ever inflicted or had inflicted on to us. Married in members count too,” Freya says with a frown astounded that the Heretic would paid the steep price to get back Klaus, Hayley, and Elijah 

“But you guys killed thousands, Klaus alone committed numerous murders! I’ve …,” Marcel says in shocked disbelief 

“Why would you do that to yourself?” Hayley questions with disbelief now getting why the Heretic might have wanted to avoid telling Hope the answer 

“1054 years of pain, and for what end?” Elijah questions confusion and disbelief in his tone 

“Well she can’t bloody feel the pain her humanity is off,” Klaus says trying to point out the flaw in the argument 

“My humanity is off, but I can still feel the pain and it was to be 1055 years of pain regardless of my humanity switch being on or off. I have only 1054 years left on my sentence until the pain stops. Part of the deal was that my humanity be shut off and that I could not turn it back on nor could it be compelled back on. Nature left a slim chance for me to gain my humanity back, but to get it back, that would require someone to love me without and with my humanity. It would also require that I had loved that someone before my humanity was shut off,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains 

“Bloody hell that is one messed up deal,” Rebekah retorts disbelief and sorrow in her tone

Before anyone else can respond they all hear a scream. 

“AAHHH!” Hope screams in absolute pain as the linking spell works making everyone with super hearing in the basement know something was wrong 

“Hope!” Hayley shouts with worry as she along with everyone rush to see the tribrid leaving No-Humanity Lizzie locked in the basement 

 “Freya! Do something!” Klaus shouts at his sister seeing there is no enemy to fight in Hope’s room but his daughter is on the ground crying and screaming in clear pain 

“I need to know what spell she cast to undo whatever she did! Josie … Josie?!” Freya questions trying her best to diagnose what was wrong with Hope and why Josie was unconscious too

“Allow me,” No-Humanity Lizzie says calmly appearing in the room shortly after everyone else as they had left her in the jail cell before rushing off to see who screamed 

“How did you get out of the cell?!” Caroline questions confused as to how No-Humanity Lizzie escaped the cell 

“I’m a Heretic, there isn’t a cell in the world that can hold me for long without my wanting to be there,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers with a shrug 

“If you think you can help her then do it,” Hayley says with conviction in her tone not liking her daughter Hope to be in pain 

“Shh… easy Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie says in as compassionate of a tone as she can muster as she siphones the linking spell off Hope making the shorter girl stop her screaming 

“Hope?” Klaus questions concern and care in his tone after she stops screaming 

“H… How are  … y …you? …Why …. Why are you in so … so much pain?!” Hope gasps out scrambling backwards and way from the Heretic after the linking spell was siphoned off her

“You shouldn’t have done that spell Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly states before moving to siphon off the sleeping spell that was over Josie 

“I … What? Lizzie? Hope was … Everyone is here?!” Josie questions in confusion after taking in her surroundings 

“We came running when Hope started screaming in pain,” Caroline explained 

“Why would she scream in pain and why did you put me to sleep?” Josie questions confusion clear in her tone before looking to Hope 

“I used a linking spell to try and feel what No-Humanity Lizzie was feeling and I knew you would or could stop me so I put you to sleep before doing the spell,” Hope explains with a sigh not liking the fact that she had to explain herself and that she was caught 

“Yeah, but why were you screaming? Lizzie isn’t even screaming?” Josie questions still confused

“I can’t scream. It was part of the deal I took, same with the pain. You shouldn’t have done that spell Hope,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains flatly 

“So what, you're just going to suffer in silence?! Why would you hide that? And how are you even standing that pain is worse than breaking bones! I should know I break my bones to transform into my wolf form when I am feeling restless,” Hope huffs trying to get a straight answer from Lizzie 

“I know, it’s worse. It’s why I told you, you shouldn’t have done that spell. I walked into making that deal of my own free will. I would not subject even my worst enemies to the pain you got a lick of this afternoon. I only allowed you to snap my neck after draining Josie’s Dark Magic dagger because I knew you wanted answers. Now, if you don’t mind I will be sleeping on the couch it’s been a long day with you all questioning me,” No-Humanity Lizzie huffs with mild annoyance that still comes out muted as her humanity is still off 

///////////

Lizzie wanted to scream or to break something but she couldn’t scream and breaking things wouldn’t take away the pain either. Lizzie had not wanted Hope to know the true cost, but now that the older girl knew, it was up to Hope whether Lizzie would gain her humanity back. Part of Lizzie feared getting her humanity back as she knew the pain that she felt now would only be amplified. There was a small part of Lizzie that did want to feel love, but it was hard to think of anything when pain consumed much of her waking moments. Hell talking as much as she did hurt her too. It’s why she only answered some questions as each word hurt to speak still even after a year of already enduring the pain.

Hope felt extremely torn up about Lizzie’s situation. While No-Humanity Lizzie stated that they were okay with the pain, Hope couldn’t believe just the amount of raw agony racing through No-Humanity Lizzie’s veins. Hope knew that Lizzie wouldn’t lie to her, sure she would keep things from Hope but she would never lie even without her humanity Hope felt she could trust Lizzie. Hope couldn’t believe that Lizzie could still love her with the sire bond broken, but knowing the cost, there was no denying why No-Humanity Lizzie had run. Hope knew that things were in her court now, but she wasn’t sure if she was brave enough to ask the Heretic to stay. Hope was also unsure if she was brave enough to get to know this new version of Lizzie. 

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Author’s Note: Hope tried to engage in a conversation with No-Humanity Lizzie only for the Heretic to turn her down. Nature taunts Lizzie with the possibility that her humanity could come back if No-Humanity Lizzie allows it. Josie confronts No-Humanity Lizzie only to be told off by Caroline. Caroline simply asks if there is a chance to get Lizzie’s humanity back. The Mikaelson family and Josie and Caroline quickly learn that No-Humanity Lizzie made a deal with Nature to get Hayley, Klaus, and Elijah back to the land of the living. No-Humanity Lizzie threatens harm to Josie, making the girl run and Hope to chase after the brunette. The Mikaelson family learns the details of Lizzie’s deal that she made with Nature and what exactly was the cost of Hope’s humanity. Hope does a linking spell only for Lizzie to have to siphon the spell off. No-Humanity Lizzie lightly scolds Hope for daring to do a linking spell. 

Note I wasn’t sure how I wanted Lizzie to reveal the amount of pain she is in to Hope. Their dynamic I find is hard to write in that I don’t want them to seem forced to be together. The sire bond makes it sound like Lizzie had far more affection for Hope than Hope ever had for Lizzie and while that might have been true in canon I am trying stuff here in this story. In real life some crushes are never reciprocated and the one crushing has to either move on or figure out how to deal with their affection not being returned. 

Next up: Lizzie is placed in tough conversations 

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 6: Tortured

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“What are your intentions with my daughter?” Klaus questions as he finds No-Humanity Lizzie in the kitchen 

“Well, good morning to you too, Klaus. As for intentions I have none. Last I checked your daughter hated my guts,” No-Humanity Lizzie states with a shrug like that fact didn’t hurt her ego 

“Yes, but you love her,” Klaus counters confusion clear in is tone 

“I can’t love, period. My humanity is off, and even if I … She doesn’t return that type of affection. Just because someone has a crush on you doesn’t mean you have to return their affection,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly unsure why Klaus of all people was interrogating her on her love life or lack of one 

“So that’s why you didn’t want Hope to know about the cost. You didn’t want to influence her one way or another,” Klaus concludes out loud 

“She has the right to reject me, in fact I am pretty sure she rejected me soundly by killing me twice not that my timing was any good. She had just gotten out of a serious relationship and I was angry that she took out her loss on crippling my Dad and abusing the sire bond. I understand pain and hurt I do, but she didn’t need to be as callous as she was with her humanity off,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains with a huff that would have been exasperation if not for her humanity being off 

“But you still love her don’t you?” Klaus questions wanting to know if his daughter still had a shot 

“Klaus, quit interrogating the tortured Heretic. Elijah tell your brother to quit harassing Elizabeth, she’s suffering enough as is,” Rebekah whines and calls out from the common room next door 

“Niklaus,” Elijah says in a warning tone from a different room not too far from the common room 

“I’m not doing anything! Lizzie back me up here,” Klaus argues and urges 

“Klaus is just being a concerned father you guys can stand down. No one’s dead, yet, or needing to be killed, … yet,” No-Humanity Lizzie comments wanting to cover all her bases 

“You would sound more convincing if you could put more definition in your tone, but your humanity is off which given the circumstances might be helping you,” Rebekah says as she enters the kitchen area with Elijah and Marcel 

“Now, who’s harassing the tortured Heretic,” Klaus claps back 

“She’s standing right over there, Klaus, you don’t have to talk about her like she isn’t here,” Marcel points out 

“I apologies for their behavior Elizabeth some people just don’t have any decorum,” Elijah says with a scoff 

“My name is Lizzie, and thanks for the fake concern, but I’m just trying to have a cup of tea before heading out,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers 

“Heading out? Where would you be going?! Your sister and mother are here and so is Hope,” Rebekah questions concern in her tone as she too wanted to question the Heretic more

“I would be going out… As for the people you just listed, why would they matter in terms of me going out?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions confused at the older vampire’s sudden interest in her 

“She just wants to know if you will be sticking around is all,” Marcle chimes in 

“Yes, because in this cruel world, love must find away as she is a romantic,” Klaus adds in with a smirk enjoying poking fun at his sister 

“Oh, hush, now Klaus, Lizzie is already lonely as it is. She can stay with us, can’t she? I mean we do owe her a great debt in getting Hope’s humanity back. Plus, she got your stubborn ass, Hayley and Elijah to come back to the land of the living to suffer with us all,” Rebekah whines and sasses 

“Rebekah, no. Elizabeth probably doesn’t want anything more to do with us than she has already dealt with,” Elijah argues back 

“I see we are torturing the tortured this morning?” Freya muses as she walks into the kitchen area with Caroline to see Lizzie looking miserable or as miserable as she could get without her humanity in tact 

“Really guys?! Couldn’t you leave my daughter a moment of peace?” Caroline scolds lightly not liking that everyone was interrogating Lizzie 

“According to my little sister, Hope,  Lizzie’s in a constant state of pain so what peace are you talking about?” Marcel quips 

“The tortured Heretic is leaving. See you later,” No-Humanity Lizzie says before making a speedy exit before anyone can stop her 

“Great, now you’ve scared her off,” Klaus whines and huffs 

“Like you would have gotten an answer from her, she’s a tortured soul like Elijah. You have to drag things out of them,” Rebekah argues 

“I resent that,” Elijah argues lightly in complaint 

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Klaus loved his family fiercely and as such wanted to know what the Heretic’s motives were. Klaus was fairly sure that Lizzie fancied Hope, especially considering the fact that the girl figured out a way to bring himself and Hayley back along with Elijah. Klaus wasn’t sure if he would classify Lizzie as a fool or noble. While it was noble to sacrifice her humanity along with enduring 1050 plus years of pain it was also a bit foolish when there was no reward for her sacrifice except to see Hope happy without her potentially. Klaus would rather be stabbed then admit out loud to anyone that he was grateful for the opportunity that Lizzie had provided himself, Hayley, and Elijah as that would wound his pride too much. Klaus wondered if his pride was worth nearly as much as what Lizzie had sacrificed just to try and get Hope’s humanity back and it was a question he didn’t want answered as he knew deep down Lizzie had sacrificed far more than most would have been willing. 

Klaus would think it more of a torture if he had loved a woman only to have to watch said woman be happy without him. Klaus knew the sting of unrequited love and while time had certainly helped him be less violent in the aftermath it was still a bitter pill to swallow. Klaus wanted to know if Lizzie still loved his daughter as that would explain why the Heretic had run after getting their literal heart ripped out. Klaus did have to admit both his sister’s description of Lizzie was brilliant. The Heretic was tortured as it could be clearly seen in the fact the girl’s humanity was off and it was the way she explained things even in her monotone that expressed their torture. In some regard Klaus could respect Lizzie but he would never willingly admit out loud that Lizzie might be the only person he would give his blessing to if they so desired Hope as the girl had shown to love Hope regardless of real words. 

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“So are we going to talk about it?” Hayley questions as she and Hope come to a stop in a forest clearing 

“Talk about what?” Hope questions 

“The tortured Heretic, who clearly left things in your court?” Hayley provides as an answer 

“Right, um … I … God I was awful to her,” Hope nervously says before confessing with a defeated sigh 

“You couldn’t have been that awful,” Hayley says trying to reassure her daughter 

“She was sire bonded to me and I made her not only sit and listen to me having sex with others, but I made her dismiss the one-night stands. That’s not even covering the fact that I made her watch as I tortured Aurora when she clearly did not want to torture the older vampire. Hell, even No-Humanity Lizzie was gentle with Aurora’s death putting the older vampire to sleep before ripping their heart out,” Hope confesses with a huff of slight frustration and defeat 

“Oh, wow, okay, ... so … she knows you were in pain right? That you didn’t mean to hurt her? You didn’t really mean to hurt her did you?” Hayley says trying to reason out why her daughter would do what she had done and also a bit curious about the truth of things

“She might have, I mean she kept trying to reason with my No-Humanity side saying things about love and hate, but I … I thought I finally succeeded in getting her to see I was unredeemable with her breaking the sire bond. Except she came back and told me to go home. As for wanting to hurt her, I … she made me feel even when I wasn’t supposed to so in a sense I wanted to hurt her for making me feel, ” Hope confesses with an exasperated defeated sigh 

“How did she break the sire bond? Last I checked for a werewolf it took lots of wolf shifts and not having any gratitude to the sire. With vampires I thought one had to shut off their humanity to get rid of it?” Hayley questions 

“I thought so too, but Lizzie isn’t like any old vampire. She actually broke the sire bond without turning her humanity off. I wasn’t sure at first about it, but Aurora confirmed it before Lizzie killed the thorn in our side. Honestly I’m still not sure how Lizzie did it. Then there is the fact that as she stated she could have asked for anything when taking a deal with Nature, yet she asked for you and Dad to come back. It … It just doesn’t make any sense … Why would she break the sire bond just to bring you back and then run?” Hope rambles with self defeat and confusion clear in her tone 

“Do you think that she might still love you?” Hayley suggests 

“She can’t possibly love me! She broke the sire bond and I mean, she ran for over a year!” Hope scoffs at the suggestion 

“You ripped her literal heart out. I don't think even I would have stuck around if Elijah or Klaus did that to me. Her running makes logical sense, regardless of if she loved you or not. In my eyes it makes even more sense that she would run if she loved you as you ripping her heart out was a clear rejection of her humanity or not,”  Hayley reasons with a huff of disbelief that her daughter would think Lizzie would have stuck around 

“I thought she was tricking me! Also, yeah, I know I messed up, but the question is how do I fix it?” Hope questions and argues 

“You could apologize, or at least try to see if No-Humanity Lizzie will tolerate your presence? Sorry, she doesn’t seem the most …warm, but that’s probably the tortured No-Humanity aspect of herself shining through,” Hayley offers 

“My apology will mean squat, especially if we can’t figure out how to turn her humanity back on. Plus, she said in not so many words she would continue to be in pain regardless of if she had her humanity or not. It’s like she will be forever tortured regardless of what I do,” Hope huffs with a defeated sigh 

“It’s not forever, …it’s just … a really long time,” Hayley answers trying to reassure Hope that Lizzie would not be tortured forever 

“She told you the details of her deal didn’t she? What were they?” Hope questions eager to know what the cost was 

“Um … well… she didn’t want you to know it all because she thought you would feel guilty if you knew the details and … yeah, they aren’t exactly great. Plus, something tells me she was keeping a few things from us too as she doesn’t seem the type to enjoy pity regardless if her humanity is intact or not,” Hayley says trying to get out of telling Hope what the details were 

“Mom, I already feel guilty you telling me the details isn’t going to make me feel more guilty,” Hope argues trying to convince her Mom to spill on the details 

“It’s sort of might and I would rather not add to your misery, but since you want to know I will tell you the pain for her stops supposedly in 1054 years?” Hayley says cringing at the last part knowing that was a pretty long time to be in constant pain 

“1054 years?!” Hope exclaims in disbelief 

“Yeah, it was originally 1055 years, but now she is down to 1054 years,” Hayley answer sheepishly 

“That’s a really long time to be tortured just for trying to do a nice thing. Also, why so long? Why 1055 or 1054 years?” Hope questions still in disbelief over the fact that Lizzie regardless of having their humanity would be suffering  

“Apparently it has to do with your Dad, and his side of the family. I figured you know maybe 100 years or less but 1050 plus years seems a bit extreme in my eyes to be tortured just for trying to bring someone back to life,” Hayley muses out loud

“Well, she did ask to bring you and Dad back so it would stand to reason that the price to pay wouldn’t be cheap. Also, of course things have to do with my Dad they generally do. When it comes to not giving me all the details I guess I can’t be too mad at you. Lizzie even without her humanity is still trying to look out for me which makes me the worst,” Hope huffs with exasperation 

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Sweetie. You were going through some pretty rough stuff and your Dad and I weren’t there for you when you needed us most. With that being said, we are here now and we don’t plan to part with you anytime soon,” Hayley says as she offers to give her daughter a hug 

“Thanks,” Hope says hugging her Mom 

“Anytime, now we should probably see what your Dad and his siblings are up to. Hopefully they aren’t torturing the tortured Heretic,” Hayley comments in a loving tone 

“They aren’t that bad … Okay, maybe you are right. Aunt Bex can be a bit much same with Dad,” Hope starts to defend only to get a look from her Mom that makes her rethink things 

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Hayley enjoyed getting to spend time with her daughter and the fact that Hope opened up a bit more after No-Humanity Lizzie spoke with all of them. Hayley had been content to wait for Hope to process what she had done without their humanity on their own time, but No-Humanity Lizzie forced Hope to confess a few things that gave more context to Hope’s behavior over the last year. Hayley noted that Hope seemed to avoid most bars and that her daughter avoided any talk about sex or relationships in general. Now knowing the contexts of why, Hayley didn’t blame Hope for the guilt she carried. Truthfully she felt that Hope was torturing herself and that she would work great with the tortured Heretic. This all under the assumption that No-Humanity Lizzie gave more hints to getting their humanity back as their monotone made it a bit challenging to figure out their true emotion. 

Hope knew that what she had done without her humanity would haunt her and she thought she could avoid most of it as she had been all throughout the year. Seeing and talking with No-Humanity Lizzie just reminded Hope just how cruel her No-Humanity version of herself was to Lizzie and others but mostly Lizzie. Hope did feel slightly better after discussing things with her Mom. The big thing was that Hope knew she needed to talk with No-Humanity Lizzie to find a way to turn their humanity back on or at least apologize since Hope hadn’t been the greatest to Lizzie without her humanity. Hope also wanted more answers from Lizzie and she couldn’t get them if she avoided the Heretic.

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“Hello, tortured soul, what can I get you?” The bar keeper questions in a friendly tone 

“Ginger Ale, for now thanks,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts ignoring the comment about her being tortured she had gotten it at any place she went since her humanity had been shut off 

“I don’t usually do this but you don’t look like a Ginger Ale type of girl. This one’s on the house provided you only drink one. Stay safe kid,” The bar keeper says pouring a drink to put in front of the Heretic and moving on to talk to various other patrons 

“Thanks,” No-Humanity Lizzie says before the bar keeper has left her with the drink 

Lizzie sips the Johnnie Walker Double Black as she turns to observe the people in the bar. The place wasn’t packed by any means and the night was just starting. Lizzie had already done a job for Nature earlier in the day and she didn’t feel the need to be interrogated further by the Mikaelson family. Lizzie hadn’t been in the bar long before she spotted a familiar blonde vampire march in and toward her no less. 

“Lizzie, you can’t just hide in various bars to keep away from everyone,” Caroline lightly scolds as she walks over to where Lizzie was sitting 

“I wasn’t,” No-Humanity Lizzie tries to argue only for her Mom to take her drink and take a sip 

“Ugh… really scotch? Well, at least you don’t fall from your Dad. His pick of poison was Bourbon. Also, who let you have this? You aren’t exactly legal age in terms of drinking as you are only 18. You didn’t compel the bar keeper did you?” Caroline rambles and lightly scolds 

“No, she gave it to me. No questions asked,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers taking her drink back from her Mom to continue to drink 

“Careful with that one, she’s got this tortured soul vibe. Also, can I get you a drink?” the bar keeper questions at seeing Caroline before the older vampire can question the Heretic further 

“Um, yeah, I know she’s my daughter and I’m taking her home. Here this should cover the drink, thanks for looking after her,” Caroline says with slight exasperation putting a 20 dollar bill on the counter 

“Not a problem. I only gave her one drink as she doesn’t seem like the Ginger Ale type of girl. Maybe now she has you around she won’t be as tortured. See you around but hopefully neither are you have this tortured vibe going on,” The bar keeper quips with a polite tone before leaving the two blondes 

“Well, she was nice. Plus, she isn’t wrong you got this whole tortured soul vibe to you now that your humanity is off,” Caroline comments after the bar keeper is out of hearing distance 

“Thanks? I think?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions unsure if it was a compliment or not 

“That’s not a compliment, it’s more of an observation. I mean are you here to pick someone up or just here to have a drink?” Caroline comments and questions curious what her daughter was up to 

“Drink,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly before taking another sip of her drink that was almost done 

“Really? Just a drink?! You should be having fun or well … trying I mean your 18 going to be 19 soon. Shouldn’t you try to have some fun? I mean I know your humanity is off, but when mine was off I went out and partied and had lots of meaningless sex. While looking back the meaningless sex was not the greatest thing for me to have done, it got my mind off of why I shut my humanity off in the first place,” Caroline says at first in disbelief and then trying to reason stuff to do while Lizzie’s humanity was off 

“That explains No-Humanity Hope then,” No-Humanity Lizzie muses not amused by her Mom’s line of thinking 

“Wait a minute are you saying you have avoided sex just because No-Humanity Hope was having tons of it? …Shut up! You’re a teen, shouldn’t you want sex? I mean when I was your age I wanted sex like yesterday. I mean I walked in on Josie and Penenlope a few too many times already that I had to set ground rules. No wonder why you are tortured among other things, you haven’t had sex in a long while. Wait, when was the last time you had sex?” Caroline exclaims in disbelief 

“No, no, and two, maybe 3 years. Can we move to a different topic this is not a conversation I am enjoying,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers wanting to change topics 

“Well, of course you're not enjoying it. You haven’t had sex in the last couple of years, not to mention your humanity is off. But since you are so insistent on changing the topic, can you give me a hint at who you loved before you lost your humanity? I mean I have a guess, but I want to hear you say it,” Caroline retorts 

“No,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly 

“What do you mean no!? It’s pretty obvious that you loved Hope before your humanity was shut off. So I guess the more appropriate question is if you still love her?” Caroline whines 

“Doesn’t matter,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a shake of her head before taking another sip of her drink that was almost finished 

“Of course it matters! You gave up your humanity along with having to endure 1050 plus years of torture. If that isn’t a love declaration in its most extreme format I am not sure what is? Plus, if there is even the slightest chance that she could return your affection shouldn’t you stick around to see if that triggers your humanity to come back on?” Caroline gently argues 

“I’m not made for love, Mom. Regardless of my humanity, it never really seemed I was destined to have it. I’ll see you back at the school,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers placing her empty drink on the counter and leaving the older vampire to think 

 “You’re not loveless Lizzie, and yeah I’ll see you back at the school,” Caroline says with a sigh of sorrow for her daughter’s outlook on life  

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Caroline wanted to get to know Lizzie and while talking with her briefly gave some insight into Lizzie’s life post human death it wasn’t exactly easy talking to her. Caroline missed the fact that Lizzie used to ramble about everything and nothing at all. Caroline wanted desperately for her daughter Lizzie to get her humanity back but more importantly for Lizzie to know that she was loved and would be loved. Caroline also had to admit that the bar keeper was right in that Lizzie was a scotch type of gal especially given the fact she was a tortured soul. 

Lizzie appreciated the fact that her Mom, Caroline, was trying. While there had been times that Lizzie felt abandoned by both her Mom and Dad, she knew deep down they still loved her or she hoped they did. Lizzie wanted more than anything to talk with her Mom, like she used to, but the act of physically talking still hurt. Yesterday she had forced herself to keep talking as much as she could stand the pain since she knew everyone had questions that only she could answer. Lizzie had found in the year she spent alone she had been extremely isolated. Being around the Mikaelson family and her Mom and sister was refreshing as much as it was exhausting. 

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“Mm … Jo? …Josie?” Alaric groans as he wakes up from his year long coma 

“Dad? Oh, thank god you’re okay,” Josie says in relief 

“What happened? How …. How long have I been out?” Alaric questions 

“You’ve been under for a year and a little more, and lots happened Dad,” Josie says with tears in her eyes 

“Over a year? What happened, is Hope still?” Alaric questions 

“No, Hope’s good. It was only a month or two of her without her having her humanity,” Josie starts to explain only to be cut off 

“How, …who triggered Hope’s humanity to come back?” Alaric questions confusion and relief in his tone 

“Her parents,” Josie answers 

“Her parents?! Josie, Klaus, and Hayley are dead and gone. They have been for a while,” Alaric says quizzically confused by Josie’s answer 

“About that,” Josie starts to say only to be cut off 

“What did you do?” Alaric questions concern in his tone 

“It’s not what I did, it’s what Lizzie did,” Josie explains 

“Okay, and what did Lizzie do? Also, where is she and your Mom? I would have figured you would all be here when I woke up,” Alaric questions 

“I need to start from the beginning. After we last spoke to you Lizzie was hell bent on trying to hunt down No-Humanity Hope. In doing this, No-Humanity Hope killed Lizzie … Let me finish before you interrupt. Thank you. Lizzie came back as a Heretic and then stuck around with No-Humanity Hope for a while, probably a month at best before I got a call from her saying she was going to do another stupid thing. She had called me the night before her human life ended so this call freaked me out. To make a long story short Lizzie made a deal with Nature to bring Klaus, and Hayley back to the land of the living to try and get Hope’s humanity to be triggered back on. This worked and allowed for Elijah Mikaelson to also come back to the land of the living,” Josie explains only to take a breath as there was a lot to say 

“But? I sense a but coming,” Alaric comments concern in his tone 

“But Lizzie lost her humanity, and is in a state of constant pain regardless of if she were to have her humanity or not. She also can’t scream even though she is in pain,” Josie answers with a cringe 

“You’re sister Lizzie … she’s a Heretic without their humanity?! Also, what do you mean she’s in pain?” Alaric says a bit alarmed 

“Um, well you see Hope was really annoyed with No-Humanity Lizzie not giving us full answers so Hope did a linking spell to try and feel what No-Humanity Lizzie was feeling. Turns out No-Humanity Lizzie is feeling crippling torture and yet she is still some how able to walk and talk like any of us. Her tone inflection is more monotone now that her humanity is off but that’s the only big difference. She also doesn’t talk as much or what she does say is much shorter and to the point. Less metaphors and a tone of interference is her default now. Also, she just came back out of hiding recently so she’s had her humanity off for a full year. I thought she had run and Hope thought she had killed No-Humanity Lizzie and No-Humanity Lizzie still has not explained how she survived getting their literal heart ripped out,” Josie explains 

“Whoah, did you just say she got her literal heart ripped out?!” Alaric says even more alarmed 

“I mean I wasn’t there, but according to Mom who got their information from Rebekah, No-Humanity Hope thought No-Humanity Lizzie was tricking her with an illusion of her parents so … I think you get the idea. No-Humanity Lizzie ran after waking up or I think that is what happened? We still haven’t gotten a straight answer from her about what exactly happened. Which with her humanity off and the fact that her heart had been ripped out previously …Yeah, I wouldn’t have stuck around if I had been her either,” Josie further explains 

“Wait, so let me get this straight, Lizzie ran after No-Humanity Hope, and was subsequently killed. Lizzie as a Heretic stays with No-Humanity Hope until breaking away from No-Humanity Hope to make a deal with Nature to bring back Hope’s parents. After No-Humanity Lizzie and No-Humanity Hope see Hope’s parents? This then triggers No-Humanity Hope to rip out No-Humanity Lizzie’s heart to see that her parents are not an illusion,” Alaric starts to explain to try and clarify things

“Yep, pretty much what I got,” Josie confirms 

“Once Hope’s humanity is back, No-Humanity Lizzie runs  and you haven’t seen her until now? Am I getting that right?” Alaric questions 

“Yeah from what I understand that’s true,” Josie answers with a shrug

“Okay, but why did she show back up when she was gone for a year?” Alaric questions 

“I think it’s because I was contemplating using Dark Magic to try and wake you out of your coma. All I know is that she took the Dark Magic dagger I got from Penelope or more that I stole off Penny,” Josie says sheepishly 

“Josie, I wouldn’t have wanted you to use Dark Magic to bring me back, and magic can only do so much. But I do thank you for wanting to bring me back. I love you,” Alaric says opening his arms to give Josie a hug while he was sitting up in the hospital bed 

“I love you too dad,” Josie says as she hugs her Dad

“Speaking of love, is there any chance anyone has thought of a way to trigger Lizzie's humanity? She can’t stay tortured forever, since I don’t think that’s any way to live,” Alaric comments as the hug naturally comes to an end 

“I mean we have asked her to give us a hint and she says to forget that her humanity is off which isn’t exactly easy with her monotone and the fact that she doesn’t talk much. But I think Hope wants to work on getting her humanity back since Lizzie is the one who pretty much got Hope’s back,” Josie answers 

“Well, let's see if we can’t get Lizzie to turn her humanity back on. Right, after we get out of here,” Alaric says in a kind tone

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Josie had gone to the hospital by herself to apologize to her Dad’s unconscious form about nearly falling for Dark Magic. As much as Josie hated what No-Humanity Lizzie inferred, she knew deep down that the Heretic was right. Their Dad would have not wanted Lizzie to waste a wish to save their Dad when Hope was also hurt. Josie was relieved when her Dad woke up and had to wonder if Lizzie had done something since there had been no sign that he was going to wake anytime soon. Josie felt guilty when her Dad, Alaric, confirmed that he would not have wanted to be brought back through Dark Magic. Something else that Josie hated was as much as she had called Lizzie selfish in the past, Lizzie had always looked out for Josie when it really mattered. 

Alaric was relieved to hear that Hope got her humanity back, but he was concerned about Klaus, Elijah, and Hayley being back. Alaric had nothing against Hayley, but Elijah and Klaus had done some pretty terrible things in the past. Alaric was also deeply concerned over the fact that Lizzie died twice and no longer had their humanity. Something that also puzzled Alaric was the fact that No-Humanity Lizzie was supposedly tortured with pain, but could not express it. Alaric understood why Josie had wanted to bring him back with Dark Magic but he was happy that she didn’t or that she was stopped from doing so. Alaric now wondered where Caroline was and also just how tricky it would be to turn Lizzie’s humanity back on. 

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“I would have thought you would be happy or at least as happy as you can get without your humanity now that your father is out of his coma,” Nature retorts 

“Did you have a hand in it?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions as she looks at a small campfire she made rather than looking at Nature or the manifestation that Nature chose to appear to her as 

“No, but I can see why you would think that. My warning to you about your sister and then your father coming out of his coma seems like a coincidence. I can assure you I would rather take a natural course. You’re already tortured enough. Granted you willingly sacrificed years of your eternity to bring back two hybrids and an original vampire,” Nature quips 

“They want my humanity back,” No-Humanity Lizzie flatly states changing the topic and understanding Nature isn’t one to lie, trick perhaps but never outright lie 

“I know, and you have already given them the tools to get your humanity back. It’s up to the Tribrid if your humanity comes back. If you wanted to change that deal then another deal would have to be made but the cost for your humanity … well … let’s just say you’re a special case…. It’s not like any witch, wolf, vampire, or combination could stand toe to toe with a God and win. Let’s not also forget the torture you are currently enduring and will continue to enure even if or after your humanity is flipped back on. I told you before you took the deal you were foolish to even consider the deal,” Nature says with a shrug explaining things 

“You didn’t discourage me,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts sharply

“No, we didn’t. Hope Andrea Mikaelson might have been our solution to Malivore, but when we saw the potential havoc they could create …. Well the Red Oak tree didn’t last long and it wasn’t like we could manifest anything to stop the Tribrid without careful planning that would take time. The loophole that we were looking for came when you asked for a deal. Everything comes with a cost and balance is paramount. We know a good deal from a bad one. It was up to you to decide on if you would agree to pay the price. We offered you work as a way to help cut the cost, but in a way you are still paying for the two hybrid lives and vampire life you had us take back from Peace,” Nature explains 

“Humans, or well creatures capable of love are a fascinating study. You torture yourselves with the decisions and in-desisions that you take. Even vampires without their humanity torture themselves because their natural state is to have emotions. With you, you’re torture is a bit more complex since you can’t even get your humanity back on your own and you will still have physical and emotional pain after your humanity is back. It makes me wonder if you will break when your humanity comes back, you were already close to a breaking point before taking the deal. We also can’t forget your failed suicide to get out of the deal. Granted I had bombarded you with the memories attached to the physical pain you feel. Of all the creatures I have come across that had human origins you have quite the impressive mind being able to block out various aspects of pain or simply enduring the torture. I know you hate me at times, but I push for balance and your natural state is to have your humanity. There is also the fact humans are a social creature and you have been neglecting to interact with your kind outside of work. Here’s your opportunity to heal or try to. Why torture yourself more than necessary? Let the Tribrid have a shot to get your humanity to flip back as she had given you a shot to turn her humanity on once before,” Nature rambles and explains after a beat of silence knowing the Heretic would not answer 

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Author’s Note: Klaus tries to figure out No-Humanity Lizzie’s motives. Hope and Hayley have a conversation regarding what Hope did when her humanity was off. Caroline tries to connect with No-Humanity Lizzie at a bar. Alaric wakes up and is filled in on events that he missed by Josie. Nature taunts Lizzie about not being happy about Alaric coming out of his coma. Lizzie question’s Nature’s motives even though Nature had been pretty clear with Lizzie. 

Note that Nature isn’t trying to be cruel as they don’t exactly have emotions like humans or other creatures. Note that I wasn’t sure how to deal with Alaric being in a coma but just assume he did not go to a purgatory place where Landon was. In my story Landon is dead and gone to Peace not stuck as a ferry person in purgatory. 

Next up: Josie questions No-Humanity Lizzie, and Alaric tries to forgive both Hope and Lizzie. 

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 7: Forgive

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“So who’s the hypocrite now using magic to bring Dad out of his coma?!” Josie says in a hostile tone when she catches Lizzie in common room area 

“I didn’t,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly 

“What do you mean you didn’t?! How are Mom and I supposed to think you didn’t have a hand in his coming out of his coma?! It’s been a year since your disappearing act and now all of a sudden Dad’s better?” Josie says with an accusing tone 

“Think what you want Jo. I didn’t have a hand in Dad’s coming out of his coma. If I did, don’t you think I would have bragged about it?” No-Humanity Lizzie remarks with a cold glare 

“The old you would have but, this new version of you is cold, but equally destructive! I know I should be happy that you got Hope her humanity and that Dad is out of his coma, but … I can’t forgive you! … I can’t forgive you for running and for getting yourself killed! I hate that your humanity is off and I hate that you gave me the opportunity to live without fear of the Merge!” Josie cries out pushing at Lizzie’s chest to get a reaction as she breaks down crying

“Just … turn it back on!” Josie cries as she punches on Lizzie’s chest only for Lizzie to hold her steady 

“Shh … It’s okay… I’m sorry for what it’s worth … you know I can’t … I would if it were my choice,” No-Humanity Lizzie says in tone that is close to compassion as she can get with her humanity off as she hold her sister 

“Bull! You have the power to bring Hope’s humanity back and give the Mikaelson family a happy ending. Don’t tell me you can’t turn your humanity back!” Josie shouts in anger pushing away from Lizzie and storming off with tears still in her eyes 

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Lizzie felt guilty for Josie’s anger, but at the same time Lizzie couldn’t undo what she had already done. Lizzie’s humanity would be off until the end of time or until Hope returned romantic affection for Lizzie. Lizzie had no control over how Hope felt towards her and Lizzie didn’t want to manipulate Hope into a forced relationship. Lizzie knew Josie was hurting with the decision that Lizzie had made, but Lizzie couldn’t and wouldn’t change what she had done. Lizzie had already thought out the repercussions of losing her humanity and what that might entail to those who had once known her. Lizzie felt the deal she made was to help not only Hope, but Josie in that Lizzie knew Josie cared deeply for Hope. Lizzie would rather Josie hate her and her lack of humanity than dare guilt Hope into a relationship. Lizzie felt guilting Hope into a relationship would be terrible for all involved as Lizzie had loved Hope to be herself even if that meant Hope didn’t love her. 

Lizzie loved and hated that Josie wanted her humanity back as Lizzie felt part of the reason her humanity was off was because everyone left her alone with No-Humanity Hope. Sure Josie and others said that Lizzie shouldn’t go after No-Humanity Hope, but they never tried too hard to prevent Lizzie from chasing after No-Humanity Hope. Lizzie loved that Josie wanted her humanity back as it showed her sister did care about her even if it was a bit late in Lizzie’s mind as there was no turning back on the deal with Nature. Lizzie was also conflicted about Josie’s attitude towards her as Josie’s dark alter ego had killed Lizzie before so the fact that Josie was angry at Lizzie’s lack of humanity greatly confused Lizzie. It wasn’t like No-Humanity Lizzie had killed Josie or tried to kill Josie. If anything Lizzie felt she had plenty of reasons to go on mass killing sprees, but thanks to her humanity being off she didn’t really have the capacity to commit to that all consuming rage and blood lust. 

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“Dr. Saltzman, hey, how are you adjusting?” Hope questions with some nervousness in her tone as this was the first time she had been alone with the former headmaster since her humanity had come back 

“Oh, I’m doing as best as a human can. Thanks for asking. If you have some time I was hoping to talk for a bit. You know figure out just what I missed,” Alaric says taking a seat his cane resting near him 

“Of course. What exactly did you want me to fill you in on,” Hope answers taking a seat across from her old headmaster 

“I want to preface this with the fact that I forgive you, Hope. I know you were in a dark head space and in a tough situation so I don’t hold what you did with your humanity off against you,” Alaric starts only to be cut off 

“But, there is a but coming isn’t there?” Hope says with some nervous apprehension 

“There is a but coming and again like I was trying to say is I do forgive you first and foremost. But why did you kill Lizzie twice? According to Josie, you merely beat the super squad and told them off, but with Lizzie …” Alaric comments confusion and concern in his tone 

“I killed her twice, both times not knowing she would come back,” Hope response looking down for a second as the guilt was evident in her tone 

“Why?” Alaric questions 

“The first time when my humanity was off I justified the thought that she had a stake that could kill me so I snapped her neck for daring to try and hurt me. The second time … I guess I was hurt that she would bring my parents back to taunt me … So to prove to myself that Lizzie was a liar I  … I ripped her heart out. I shouldn’t have been able to feel hurt or betrayal with my humanity off, yet Lizzie started to make me feel. I … I had to make it stop so I … I killed her to try and get rid of the feelings but then my Mom and Dad weren’t disappearing and their shocked faces! I … I can’t ever forget or forgive myself for having killed your daughter twice. I’m sorry. I really am and I know I will be trying my whole life to make up for the fact that I killed her,” Hope confesses tears coming down her face as she tries to wipe them away 

“I don’t think you should be punishing yourself, Hope. From what Josie and Caroline have told me, Lizzie wanted you to live life to the fullest regardless of if she was in the picture or not. In some ways I think both Landon and Lizzie would have told you that they forgive you and that you don’t have to put your life on hold for them. Most of the things you did with your humanity off was because you were hurt and while I don’t exactly approve of killing sprees or treating your friends like trash, it is explainable. Have you talked with Lizzie? Like really, talked with her? I mean I haven’t yet, but I think she’s avoiding me,” Alaric comments in a kind forgiving tone 

“No, I’ve kind of been avoiding No-Humanity Lizzie. Especially since I found out that she is going to be spending the next 1054 years in a state of constant agonizing pain regardless of if her humanity comes back or not,” Hope huffs with a sigh of exasperation her tears dried up and a sense of just guilt eating at her

“She what?! Wait, I’m still confused as to how she can feel pain if her humanity is off?” Alaric says in disbelief 

“Yeah, a lot of people are, but I can tell you for a fact that she is feeling pain and a lot of it! I did a linking spell to her to try and figure out what No-Humanity Lizzie’s motives were, but all I felt was excruciating pain. She had refused to tell me the cost of my humanity aka the cost of bringing my parents and my uncle back to the land of the living so that is why I tried to do the linking spell. Thankfully No-Humanity Lizzie has pity or some form of it and siphoned the spell off me. It’s odd, in some respects Lizzie is still Lizzie even without her humanity but she’s also so different,” Hope muses 

“She’s my daughter Hope, she’s always going to do the right thing or at the least try. Caroline and I raised Josie and Lizzie to always try to do the right thing. The fact that even without her humanity she tries to do the right thing tells me that her humanity can’t be that far gone. As much as I want Lizzie’s humanity to come back, I mostly want her to be happy and feel loved. I don’t think she’s felt loved for a while now and that scares me because in my experience those without love tend to become cruel to others. It’s not on you or Josie to talk to Lizzie on mine or Caroline’s behalf, but I am grateful that you’ve tried to stay friends with Lizzie. I’m also sorry for making you feel like you had to do things just because you had the power to do things. I should have treated you more as a kid, that you were rather than a junior hunter. I hope you can forgive me for putting that type of pressure on you,” Alaric rambles in a kind compassionate tone 

“I think I can forgive you if you can forgive me,” Hope says with a smirk appreciative that Alaric was able to show his faults too

“I forgive you and I also thank you, Hope. Now if you can wait a little longer I need to talk to Lizzie and see if I can’t figure out why her humanity is off besides the deal that Josie and Caroline told me about,” Alaric says moving to get up and leave with a nod of respect to Hope 

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Hope felt relieved after talking with Dr. Saltzman. Hope had been fearful that Dr. Saltzman would never wake up and that would be just another mistake that she could never take back. Hope carried a lot of guilt throughout the year after her humanity switch was flipped back on. Hope was able to get closure from Landon with her Aunt Freya’s help through a spell to talk for a few minutes to a person lost through a magical artifact. The only downside to the artifact was that it could only be used once by one user so there was no way that Hope could contact both Landon and Lizzie, who at the time Hope thought was dead. Hope had been happy that Landon had reached Peace and that he had forgiven her for his death. 

Hope was thankful that Dr. Saltzman admitted that he had faults as she now felt he wasn’t such a hypocrite on things. Hope hadn’t liked the fact that Dr. Saltzman would scold her on various things only to tell her to do things that none of the other students were allowed to do. Hope could appreciate the fact that Dr. Saltzman had tried to be good to Hope especially since Hope’s Dad Klaus wasn’t always around, but Dr. Saltzman wasn’t her Dad. Sure Dr. Saltzman would sometimes fill a fatherly figure in Hope’s life, it still didn’t replace who Hope knew to her real Dad and that was Klaus. 

Hope now just needed forgiveness from Lizzie. She felt that to get Lizzie’s forgiveness she had to find a way to bring Lizzie’s humanity back. Hope knew her Mom, Hayley and everyone else in her family were hesitant to tell Hope any further details about Lizzie’s deal with Nature. Hope wasn’t exactly sure why, only that they all spoke of how No-Humanity Lizzie expressed not wanting Hope to feel guilty. Hope knew she couldn’t go to Josie since Josie was more in the dark than Hope herself in terms of Lizzie’s deal. Hope knew that she was a big part of why Lizzie’s humanity was off the question was how to get Lizzie’s humanity back on. There was also the question of what would be the cost to get Lizzie’s humanity to come back and if Hope could pay it as Lizzie had paid the cost of Hope’s own humanity. 

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“What are you doing out here?”  Alaric questions as he approaches No-Humanity Lizzie who is sitting by a campfire they created 

“Right, you don’t talk much. Your Mom, Caroline mentioned as much to me. God, what happened to you?” Alaric questions as he moves to take a seat on a log stump near the Heretic 

“Sorry, that was probably insensitive. The others told me you gave up your humanity for 1054 years of pain. … I guess since you aren’t exactly in the talkative mode I will tell you what I think. I think I was unfairly harsh to you. Your Mom, Caroline, and I. We talked a lot about how we were going to raise you and Josie, and how we were going to be fair to the both of you. Make sure neither of you felt unloved or that you would end up like your Uncle Kai. But as you have experienced, talk doesn’t always mean practice and …. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for letting the rumors fly and for not protecting you and Josie in equal measure. I let my past experience with your Uncle Kai color how I viewed you and Josie. Especially as you two grew to be teens I couldn’t help but see hints of your Uncle Kai in you and that made me fearful of what you could become,” Alaric confesses 

“I’m not him,” No-Humanity Lizzie states coldly showing some acknowledgement that she had been listening to Alaric talk as she continues to stare into the flames of her campfire 

“You … right, you’re not him and it was unfair of me to treat you like him. Josie and you are not like your Uncle Kai and I shouldn’t have assumed or have been looking for any resemblance of it out of the two of you,” Alaric continues to explain only to be cut off again 

“Wrong,” No-Humanity Lizzie says cutting off Alaric’s explanation 

“Excuse me? Wrong how?” Alaric questions confused by No-Humanity Lizzie’s response 

“His blood is my blood, as much as you are mine. We can live in the shadow of our ancestors or we can forge our own path, but we still hold the legacy of our ancestors whether we like it or not,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts calmly before looking to Alaric 

“That’s some pretty wise words … How are you? I mean how are you really doing with your humanity off? Hope and the others say you’re in pain, but you don’t seem to be expressing it much,” Alaric questions with concern in his tone 

“I can’t express it since my humanity is off. As to how I am … that’s complicated … for now I’m here. I also forgive you. I know you tried … I just hope that you can forgive me,” No-Humanity Lizzie says pausing here and there to try and find the right words 

“Why would I need to forgive you? You did everything in your power to help others, even when there was no reward for you. I’m just sorry that you had to die twice, to help Hope out of her dark place. I shouldn’t have pushed you and Josie so hard to do everything for Hope. But as I told you while in my coma I had wished that you guys could grow up as siblings, as a found family if you will. I’m sorry that I put a wedge between you three it wasn’t my intention,” Alaric comments guilt and remorse clear in his tone 

“I was a brat in my pre teenage years. I’ve also gone against your number one rule of no killing,” No-Humanity Lizzie bluntly states 

“Is that why you have been avoiding me? Also, I sort of expected you to go against that rule considering your humanity is off and you are now a Heretic. I can’t hold killing against you since it’s now part of your nature. I mean I’m not exactly thrilled at the prospect that you have to kill sometimes or that you might kill by accident with your blood lust, but it’s now just a part of who you are,” Alaric says in a compassionate tone 

“Thank you,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers before looking back at the flames 

“So that's it? You're just going to go back to staring at your fire?” Alaric questions with clear bewilderment

“My humanity is off, and the others explained all there is to say. I forgive you if you are seeking that, but I have nothing else to offer you,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly remarks not taking her eyes off the fire 

“Then give us a hint to turn your humanity back, a way to end your pain,” Alaric argues 

“Nothing? Seriously? Are you really not going to respond back to me?!” Alaric says with a scoff of frustration throwing his hands up in the air 

“I gave everyone the tools to figure it out, the fact you can’t either means you’re incompetent or were not listening when I spoke earlier. I don’t mean to come off as cruel, but I don’t like repeating myself. You want the hint to turn my humanity back talk to the others I’m not saying it over again like a broken record just because you weren’t around or failed to listen to the others,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly states her biting tone not as biting as it would have been if her humanity hadn’t been off 

“Right, well, forgive me for wanting to have my daughter back with her full range of emotions. Also, forgive me for trying to want something good for my daughter. Who despite her flaws tried to be good no matter the personal cost,” Alaric huffs before getting up and leave in as fast of a pace that he could using a cane 

“For what it’s worth, …I’m sorry,” No-Humanity Lizzie calls out just as Alaric is about to be out of ear shot 

“I am too,” Alaric laments as he continues to walk away from No-Humanity Lizzie unsure if he can trust the Heretic 

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Alaric had never wanted to see one of his daughters become a Heretic. Another thing that Alaric never wanted was for his daughters to have experienced death. Much to Alaric’s dismay Lizzie had been killed three times already that he knew of and she was a Heretic. More damning in Alaric’s eyes was the fact that Lizzie no longer had their humanity. Alaric knew from past experience that Heretics were extremely powerful and for Lizzie to not hold any remorse scared the crap out of him. Alaric was confused about No-Humanity Lizzie being able to feel pain but not express it, but in some regard Alaric felt that oddity helped keep No-Humanity Lizzie from becoming a ruthless monster. 

Alaric knew it had been shameful of him to ever compare or see similarities in his daughters with Kai, but in some regard Alaric couldn’t help it. Part of Alaric was fearful of ever raising a miniature Kai since Kai was a self described sociopath. Alaric knew from researching the Merge ritual that the stronger will power would win if the twins ever had to merge. Deep down Alaric knew that Josie had been scared of the Merge and being less powerful. With Lizzie, well she had been terrified of ever hurting anyone. Alaric knew that when Josie had been consumed by Dark Magic, Lizzie would let Josie win. As much as Lizzie was portrayed as selfish, Alaric saw her as selfless. Alaric hated that he ever thought that Lizzie could be a miniature Kai since with the Dark Josie and then with No-Humanity Hope, Lizzie proved she was better. 

Alaric just wanted Lizzie to feel loved and be able to love again. Alaric forgave Lizzie for bringing back Klaus, Hayley, and Elijah, but he just wished it hadn’t cost so much. A selfish part of Alaric wanted Lizzie’s humanity back because how else could he know for sure that Lizzie cared back. Alaric also feared that he would never get a hug back from Lizzie now that Lizzie’s humanity was off. Alaric really wanted to tell Lizzie that things would work out and she would be happy in the future, but how could he when this version of Lizzie was lacking any real emotion besides a tone of apathy and bored monotone. 

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“I’ll save you the breath. You’re forgiven,” No-Humanity Lizzie calls out as she continues to stare at the camp fire she has going 

“I … You didn’t even hear what I have to say,” Hope says with a huff of slight irritation before taking a seat near Lizzie 

“Didn’t need to. My Dad already came by asking for me to forgive him so I assumed you wanted the same,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly still watching the flames 

“I do, but in my experience you can’t be capable of forgiving me at least not fully and not with your Humanity off. So, until your humanity returns I will hold off on asking for you to forgive me. Part of me knows that you shouldn’t forgive me, after all, I was terrible to you. I mean I don’t think even I could possibly still lov… like someone who had used my affe … my um … loyalty… to make me do things that I didn’t like. I guess what I’m trying to say is … I’m sorry. I’m sorry for abusing the sire bond and I’m sorry you had to see me at my worst,” Hope confesses keeping her eyes on the flames as she wasn’t brave enough to look the Heretic in the eyes 

“If that was your worst, then I have nothing to fear,” No-Humanity Lizzie says turning her head to look at Hope 

“What?! I  … Are you forgetting what I had you do while sire bonded to me?!” Hope says confusion clear in her tone as she turns her head to look at No-Humanity Lizzie with bewilderment 

“No, I could never forget, but I know you were hurting at the time and while it sucked … curse my monotone … you didn’t want to feel anything so you shut your humanity off. You lost someone that you didn’t think you could lose and to grieve you took that pain out through the cruelty of your one-night stands and ordering me to do things that I had not cared to do,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers bluntly 

“Okay, yeah, you didn’t forget … Here I was sort of hoping your lack of humanity ment you lost your brutal honesty,” Hope says with some exasperation not really wanting to get back into what she had done so brushing it off to change the topic a little 

“Bitch please, you love my honesty,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts with what be sass if her lack of humanity didn’t mute some of the delivery 

“Did you just try to deliver sass? Also yes, I do love your honesty even if it can be brutal at times. At least I know you won’t lie to me about how you feel about various things if I ask,” Hope says with a slight smirk happy that Lizzie could still joke around even in their state of constant pain

“Well, you did tell me that I suck at lying. Speaking of honesty, did I fail to mention your hair is much improved since you ripped my heart out,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a shrug her monotone still in affect as her humanity was still lacking 

“Ouch! I was in a dark place at the time,” Hope says with a shocked but happy tone 

“I know, I was there. But I do have to admit you pull off black better than what my sister attempted the first time she killed me,” No-Humanity Lizzie comments as she looks back to the flames 

“Okay, are you making a jab at the hair dye or the fact that I was wearing black? Also, you are one to talk, your wearing black right now,” Hope argues and comments gently as she also turns to look back at the flames 

“Hair dye obviously. As for wearing black, it goes with almost anything and doesn’t show the stains as much.  When it comes to wearing black you did pull off the black punk goth girl style better than my sister,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers 

“Wow, I didn’t know you were checking out my outfit so much. Another thing is how exactly are you talking in general shouldn’t you be unable to talk with the amount of pain coursing through your veins?” Hope retorts changing the topic 

“Why do you think I was silent for some time when your No-Humanity met my No-Humanity self? Am I in pain, yes, but I’m also me, so talking is a must, even if it hurts me,” No-Humanity Lizzie scoffs like pain wasn’t a big deal 

“You could have written me a note saying you couldn't talk rather than hurt yourself further,” Hope huffs

“Don't give me that look,” Hope says after looking over to see No-Humanity Lizzie's facial expression 

“What look?” No-Humanity Lizzie says with slight confusion 

“That, look, the look that you know stuff but your tortured soul isn't allowing you to say otherwise. I get that you couldn't exactly write to me with your moon lighting as a vigilantly hero, but I might have been less pushy. …Okay, maybe you were right to be somewhat silent with me at the beginning, but did you really have to make me believe I killed you for over a year?!” Hope says with slight exasperation at seeing No-Humanity Lizzie’s facial expressions 

“You’re family and my Mom could have told you the truth at any time. I was a bit busy trying to figure out how to talk among other personal issues,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers with a shrug 

“At least you are better with your facial expressions since I ripped out your heart. I mean I could almost forget your lack of humanity with your facial expressions being as they are now. Did you practice during the year you played dead?” Hope comments and questions poking some fun at the morbid topic they were discussing 

“As a matter of fact, yes, I did. Thank you for noticing. Did you practice having more sass and empathy now your parents are back and their never ending list of enemies still lurk?” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts 

“Mm, always here to remind me of reality, I see. Also, yes I worked on it or … I avoided some of it since your Dad was still in a coma and I thought for sure you were never going to come back. I couldn’t exactly summon your dead ass to talk to like I did with Landon. I got closure from Landon and his blessing to move forward, but I could never fully allow myself forgiveness,” Hope confesses 

“And you and your family call me tortured,” No-Humanity Lizzie muses 

“You are tortured. Never ending agonizing pain for the next 1054 years, plus you hurt each time you talk?! If that isn’t some form of torture I’m not sure what is, especially as you love talking or your past self did before you became a Heretic and even then you threatened to talk my ear off regardless of the fact that I didn’t have my humanity at the time,” Hope gently argues with a scoff 

“If there is anything that I have learned from my torture it is that your family are experts on both dealing it out and enduring it. You say you don’t want my forgiveness until after my humanity is back, and yet you still seek it. My humanity is gone, and part of me is fine without it. I’ve come to peace with it. It’s up to you to be okay without it, I can’t change me just because you or someone else demand it,” No-Humanity Lizzie responds 

“I thought I was good without my humanity too, but you pushed me to realize I was just hiding and avoiding the hurt. So what are you avoiding?” Hope questions and challenges

“You tell me, Mikaelson? When you get the clues together come find me. Be it a day from now or 200 years in the future, I’ll be waiting for you. As I once promised you I would be with you till the bitter end, and Princess we got forever ahead of us if you want it,” No-Humanity Lizzie remarks before getting up and leaving using vampire speed so that they can’t be questioned further and to allow the older girl to think 

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Author’s Note: Josie confronts No-Humanity Lizzie, who tries to show some compassion to the brunette twin. Alaric talks with Hope to forgive the girl and seek some forgiveness too. Alaric confronts No-Humanity Lizzie after talking with Hope. Alaric leaves frustrated like Josie had before him. Hope talks to No-Humanity Lizzie to try and seek forgiveness and to clear up a few things. No-Humanity Lizzie leaves Hope to think about how to trigger the blonde Heretic’s humanity back on. 

Note that I was going to have a bit with No-Humanity Lizzie and Caroline and then also a scene with Klaus and Hope but I cut that as I feel I am beating a dead horse. No-Humanity Lizzie pretty much spelled out to Hope and everyone how to trigger her humanity back on. There is also the fact that Nature’s prime directive is to make sure that all things go back to their natural order. It would stand to reason that Nature wants Lizzie to have her humanity back. 

Next up: Hope contemplated No-Humanity Lizzie’s words 

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 8: Don’t Know

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“I don’t know what to make of it,” Hope confesses with a deep sigh of uncertainty 

“Well it’s clear the girl still fancies you,” Rebekah huffs as if it’s the most obvious thing 

“Elizabeth’s humanity is off,” Elijah points out 

“Maybe she just has good taste,” Klaus chimes in with a shrug 

“Klaus, Hope came to us for advice,” Hayley lightly scolds 

“What?! It’s not like it’s untrue. I mean I remember a time where my humanity was off, but I still had good taste. Caroline’s child must have good taste if they like our daughter,” Klaus argues back gently defending his stance 

“No offense, but I also share my sister’s sentiment. I mean … if I had been Lizzie I would have ran and never come back, you people are a death sentence! I mean look at me and look at her she’s …” Marcel starts to ramble only for his neck to be snapped 

Snap! Thud! Marcel’s neck is magically snapped making him fall to the ground temporarily unconscious 

“Thank you, Freya. I would have snapped his neck if you hadn’t,” Elijah calmly states 

“Freya! I was going to have him help me pick out a new outfit later. Though I do suppose he put a dower mood on things,” Rebekah whines a little 

“I’m sure Caroline can fill the void or I will, but the bigger issue is what to do with the tortured soul that is Lizzie. It’s clear from Hope’s account that No-Humanity Lizzie is waiting for something, the question is what,” Freya muses 

“Thank you, not for snapping my brother’s neck, but for spelling it out. I have been trying to think back on what No-Humanity Lizzie was hinting at, but I can’t seem to figure out what she meant,” Hope says with a huff of frustration 

“Well, have you asked her to stay or give you more hints?” Hayley questions also unsure how the heretic would love Hope after everything that No-Humanity Hope had done 

“I mean I asked but she just looked at me like I was an idiot for asking her to give more hints. Ugh, there has to be more that I’m not seeing that’s why I shared my memories of the conversation I had with her to you guys,” Hope says with an exasperated sigh of defeat 

“Then many we are asking the wrong question,” Elijah muses thinking over the memories that Hope had shared 

“Well, care to enlighten us brother or do you intend for us to try and read your mind?” Klaus snarks 

“I was just thinking, there is no need to get snippy Niklaus. Elizabeth mention that her humanity would come back if we treated her like she had not lost it,” Elijah retorts 

“Okay, and how does that help us?” Freya questions 

“It helps that her humanity depends not on herself, but on others. The question is how will it be triggered back to on if we treat her as if she still had her humanity,” Elijah continues 

“I still think it’s love,”Rebekah says almost dreamily 

“Yes, because we live in a fairy tale world where love is the answer to everything. Grow up Rebekah. If the answer was love, then Lizzie’s humanity should have been switched the minute she saw and recognized Hope’s humanity was back on,” Klaus gently chides 

“Not necessarily. Rebekah might be on to something,” Freya muses 

“Not necessarily how?” Hayley questions confusion clear in her tone 

“Of course I’m on to something, what exactly am I on?” Rebekah says confidently only to look to Freya for answers 

“Love, it’s one of the most powerful emotions that a creature can exhibit. Klaus isn’t necessarily wrong but that is under the assumption that Lizzie’s trigger is anything like the typical vampire we have encountered. Rebekah can’t be to far off either since to endure that type of torture there has to be love or loyalty of some sort to even entertain that sort of pain,” Freya explains 

“Okay, so say my Dad and Aunt Bex are right, that still doesn’t explain how to trigger Lizzie’s humanity back,” Hope huffs 

“It doesn’t need to, she gave you the answer in letting her be,” Hayley says awed but also still confused as to why Lizzie would do what she had done 

“But that would mean she loved me even without my humanity?” Hope says with awed confusion 

“I guess the question is if you could love her back or at least ask her to stay,” Klaus suggest after he too saw the answer

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Hope had been wrestling with the idea that Lizzie still loved her even with their humanity off, but it hadn’t made any sense to Hope as to why. Hope knew Lizzie must have had a sense of loyalty or love for Hope in order for the sire bond to have formed. Hope thought for sure with Lizzie breaking the sire bond that it meant that Lizzie no longer loved Hope or had any loyalty for Hope. The more shocking part was that every action and in-action that No-Humanity Lizzie took screamed to say that they still loved Hope regardless of if Hope had their humanity or not. Hope wasn’t sure she or any of her family members could say they could love someone as deeply as Lizzie had proven to love Hope. 

Hope was frankly terrified at the notion that someone who wasn’t blood related to her would sacrifice so much for her and her family. Hope wondered why and if she was worth the pain to love. Hope was scared to ask No-Humanity Lizzie to stay as she didn’t want to torture the poor girl further than she had already in the past. Not that the bar could sink much lower with No-Humanity Hope killing Lizzie twice and making the poor Heretic dismiss the one-night stands like they were garbage. There was also the omni present cruelty of the deal that Lizzie took meaning the poor Heretic would feel pain for the next 1050 plus years regardless of if they had their humanity or not. 

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“Is that …” Josie starts to say only to stop mid sentence 

“Lizzie,” Hope says finishing Josie sentence as she moves to go toward the heretic covered in blood 

“Lizzie, what happened? Are you hurt?” Hope questions trying to look over the Heretic and discern what blood was theirs and wasn’t 

“No,” No-Humanity Lizzie responds flatly 

“No you aren’t hurt? Or what? Hope asked two questions,” Josie says concern in her tone 

“I don’t understand,” No-Humanity Lizzie says slight confusion in her tone even with her monotone 

“What don’t you understand? That we care or that we are concerned for what caused you to have blood all over you?” Hope with slight disbelief 

“Yes. I thought you both hated me,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers bluntly 

“Lizzie, I don’t hate you. I’m mad that you were reckless and didn’t think about saving Dad as well as Hope, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about you. I just hate that your No-Humanity self didn’t once think to contact us for over a year after Hope had her humanity back. She’s all yours to figure out Hope,” Josie says with a huff walking off since she didn’t care for this version of her sister 

“I’m sure Josie will come around. I also don’t hate you. I just … I don’t know how to feel about you truthfully, but I do care for you. Come on let's get you a blood bag to drink just in case you were injured,” Hope says leading the Heretic back into the Boarding School building 

Lizzie follows Hope wordlessly into the kitchen and takes the offered blood bag even though she didn’t need it as she had fed on the witches that she had killed. 

“So, did you want to talk about it?” Hope says nervousness in her tone 

“Nothing to say. The deed is done. Thank you for the blood bag even though it wasn’t necessary,” No-Humanity Lizzie comments as she takes a sip of the offered blood 

“Look, I get that talking hurts for you, but could you please give me more to work with then your cryptic non-answers? You came back to the school covered in blood and said the deed was done. Who did you kill? Why did you kill and why is your humanity not back?!” Hope huffs with slight frustration 

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” No-Humanity Lizzie coldly states ignoring all of Hope’s questions 

“What?!” Hope says in disbelief caught off guard by No-Humanity Lizzie’s response 

“It’s clear you and everyone here want my humanity back. I can’t give you that as it’s not up to me, so I’m leaving tomorrow. The blood on me was of witches who attempted to play god. Nature doesn’t take kindly to disruptions of balance so had me eliminate the witches, thus the deed was done,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains coldly 

“So that’s why you came back to stop Josie. What about when Ken wanted to take over the world? Where were you then?!” Hope says with slight anger in her tone not knowing who had saved her and her family 

“Who do you think saved you and your family that day? Nature wanted to see if you and your family could pull it off without me. When it became clear you couldn’t and might even die they told me you and your family were in danger. I killed Ken with his own sword and dropped you and your family off here back at the school figuring someone would find you and inform you that Ken was no more. I wanted to stick around but, Nature told me I had more work to do and I was unsure about how you would react to my not being dead,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains 

“Would you have come back if Josie hadn't been playing with Dark Magic?” Hope questions after a beat taking in the fact that Lizzie had saved her and her family 

“Well? Are you going to answer me?” Hope demands after silence falls for a bit too long for her liking 

“No,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers cold and curtly

“No you aren't going to answer or no, you wouldn't have come back?” Hope questions slightly confused at No-Humanity Lizzie’s response 

“I knew you were good without me. Same with my Mom and sister. I had checked throughout this past year. Nature needed me more than I needed them so after the mess that was Ken, Nature would tell me if any of your family members were in a tight situation. In exchange I would serve them, eliminating threats that Nature thought challenged the natural order of things. If my sister had not peeked Nature's interest I would not be here,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains truthfully

“We weren’t good, we were just dealing! How… You were just going to let us believe you were dead and gone?!” Hope says with disbelief and irritation 

“You ripped my literal heart out, I didn’t owe you anything. Least of all to save you and your family from Ken and other enemies. If you had been in my position … no, you were in my position once, remember when you came out of Malivore?” No-Humanity Lizzie argued 

“How could I forget, you were the one to tell me I should tell everyone I was back. What happened to that girl who gave me the advice to know that I was worth something?” Hope gently argues back 

“They died and lost their humanity. Thanks for the blood bag. I should say my goodbyes to my sister, Mom, and Dad,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts coldly before moving to leave the kitchen 

“Wait,” Hope says grabbing at Lizzie’s wrist making the Heretic stop from leaving 

“I know you don’t owe me or my family anything especially after everything you have done… but …I ...I want to know if I let you go … will this be the last time I see you,” Hope pleads guilt and fear clear in her tone 

“Yes. You deserve a love without guilt, and I can’t give that to you. I don’t have my humanity, the thing you and everyone else seem to miss more than my mere presence could afford. This isn’t the end, but when I leave this time, I’m not coming back. I told you if you figure out the answer to my humanity you can call on me, but until that day comes this will be it if you let me go,” No-Humanity Lizzie calmly states 

“What if I don’t want to let you go?” Hope questions nervousness and fear in their tone 

“Are you a masochist, as well as a martyr? You hate my lack of humanity and yet you still ask me to stay?” No-Humanity  Lizzie says with disbelief in their tone or as much as they can muster 

“I don’t hate your lack of humanity, I hate what it represents! The cost of my humanity, of my selfish acts caused you to give up everything and now! … How could I be so cruel to let you go knowing that Josie, and Dr. Saltzman might never get to see you again without your humanity intact? I might be my father’s daughter, but I’m also my mother’s daughter too and I don’t like seeing you suffer more than you already do. If I were to let you leave without a fight, that would make me a terrible friend and more than that I don’t know why … but even when my humanity was off I couldn’t bring myself to abandon you completely,” Hope argues and confesses 

“You killed me twice with your humanity off. Those kills would have been fatal had I been anyone else and not planned for worst case scenarios,” No-Humanity Lizzie argues calmly and factually 

“I know, and I know that me saying sorry can’t cover for the fact that I killed you, but you aren’t just anyone Lizzie. You’re one of the strongest and smartest people I have had the honor to meet. I don’t know that I’m worthy of your love. I say love because I figured out the reason behind your humanity being off. It’s because you loved me even with my humanity off you still loved me. I don’t know what I did to earn that type of love and I don’t know if I can love you as you are, …but I can’t love you if you leave me. So I’m asking you to stay, …please,” Hope confesses and pleads 

“Just because I loved you before my humanity was shut off doesn’t mean you have to love me back. I knew any hope of my humanity coming back would be slim to none before taking the deal. For you I will stay, but I can’t love you as my humanity is still off,” No-Humanity Lizzie says moving to whip a tear away from Hope’s cheek 

“I know, and I don’t know if I am going to be able to bring your humanity back and that scares me. But I know I can’t bring it back if you leave and stay gone,” Hope admits as she leans into the hand caressing her face 

“You shouldn’t worry about things you can’t control. My humanity might or might not come back, but one of the reasons I have stayed as long as I have here is because Nature wants my humanity back. Unfortunately they don’t have the power to suddenly turn my humanity back on since it was incorporated with the deal I took to bring back your parents,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains taking a step back as Hope’s tears had subsided 

“Wait, why would Nature want your humanity back if they are the one to force you to lose it?” Hope questions confused about what No-Humanity Lizzie was talking about 

“They want it back because Lizzie’s natural state is to have their humanity as all human based species are born with humanity,” Freya answers as enters the kitchen with Hayley who looks slightly guilty for eavesdropping 

“Point goes to the Mikaelson witch named Freya. Nature didn’t realize the box they had written themselves into by allowing Hope to be born and nor did they know the cost of hope for balance and humanity as a whole after Malivore was beaten. Nature didn’t know if Ken would be able to kill the tribrid named Hope and if it would have been already too late as they knew Hope had lost her humanity, but Ken seemed to revel in destruction. Nature knew there was little they could do to challenge a No-Humanity Hope and the God named Ken especially with so little time on their hands. Nature didn’t take into account that I would ask for a deal and they also didn’t know if my plan would succeed. Nature is powerful yes, but even they can’t use that power without a cost being paid,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains 

“So you paid for the cost to be Nature’s … tool?” Hayley questions unsure of what other word to say that didn’t come off as mean 

“No, I paid to get you and Klaus back to the land of the living, Elijah coming back was a bonus if my plan succeeded which it did. I only started to work for Nature after No-Humanity Hope ripped my literal heart out. Nature saw how powerful I could be in keeping balance and their last tool Malivore had rebelled on them so the position was open. Nature convinced me that sulking in the shadows like a creep would be a waste of my long sentence and told me that if I helped them they would help cut the pain part of my deal. Of course I would still be paying a price, but this time in the form of service rather than in years of pain,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains 

“So that’s how you survived getting your heart ripped out, the deal you took made it so you can’t die not until you have served the 1050 plus years of pain,” Freya says the realization dawning on her 

“Yep, that wasn’t exactly a fun death, but it proved Nature’s deal true,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers with a shrug 

“How many times have you died since then?” Hope questions concern in her tone 

“Three times, a witch stabbed me with a stake, got my head decapitated by a werewolf, and sun exposure without my daylight ring. Surprisingly Ken’s lightning didn’t kill me, but I think that was because I absorbed a crap ton of his god magic before he struck at me,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a shrug like she was talking about the weather 

“Wait, you fought Ken?” Hayley questions with slight bewilderment 

“Yes, Little Wolf, I not only fought Ken, I killed Ken with his own sword to boot. You didn’t think I’d let that prick of a self righteous God live after he nearly killed you, Hope, Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, Marcel, Freya, and my Mom did you? I even tried to kill myself to spite Nature since it was their fault for not informing me that you guys were going to be facing off against Ken until it was almost too late,” No-Humanity Lizzie scoffs with her explanation 

“The sun exposure,” Hope says putting the pieces together 

“Point to the Tribrid. After failing to kill myself Nature told me they would keep a closer eye on those who I had held dear, it’s why I saved Elijah and Hayley from the stronghold of over 100 vampires and 35 witches,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers 

“Okay, but how did you hear the nickname Klaus gave me and why did Elijah think Klaus had originally saved us?” Hayley questions uncertaining and confusion clear in her tone 

“I compelled Elijah to believe it was Klaus who saved the two of you. Nature allowed that power to flow to me since I was working for them to keep balance. When it comes to the nickname, I would rather have not learned it as I learned far too much about you, and Hope’s family members than is comfortable. Nature failed to mention when I took on all the pain that would include memories associated with the reasons for why,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains 

“How did you not lose your mind?!” Freya questions bewildered at the prospect of getting so many memories along with pain thrown at one individual 

“I did, it’s another reason why I tried to kill myself since the memories were worse than the pain. I had to keep reminding myself of who I was as there were times that I wasn’t sure if I was Klaus, Elijah, Kol, or Marcel. Their memories were the strongest as they had the most blood on their hands. I didn’t take a year away from people for fun. I was still interacting with people, but made people forget me. It was only recently that I have a firmer grasp on my mind to know who I am and why I did what I did,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains 

“So you ran because you didn’t know who you were?” Hope questions trying to summarize why Lizzie had run 

“That was part of it, but you also ripped my literal heart out, I’m pretty sure that was a sign you didn’t like me. Granted you didn’t let me explain things before ripping my heart out nor were you in a good head space to deal with the fact that I would never be intentionally cruel to you even with my humanity off,” No-Humanity Lizzie quickly quips back 

“You’re not going to let me live that down any time soon are you?” Hope says with a cringe 

“Not a chance in hell, Princess, especially since you have yet to give an explanation of why you killed me, not once, but twice. Sure, I can reason out some things, but if you want me to stick around with my lack of humanity, I will be a pain in your pretty ass until you give up on getting my humanity back. Or until you answer my questions of why since I have answered all your questions. Now, I’m off to get cleaned up and see if I can’t salvage these clothes from the blood stains that are threatening to ruin them,” No-Humanity Lizzie fires back before leaving the kitchen 

“Did she just call you pretty?” Freya questions unsure if the No-Humanity Heretic was flirting with her niece 

“She has a point,” Hayley muses thinking No-Humanity Lizzie had a good argument of not letting go the fact that Hope had killed her twice 

“I’m going to regret asking her to stay now aren’t I?” Hope comments cringing at the points her Mom and Aunt made along with what No-Humanity Lizzie pointed out 

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Author’s Note: Hope talks with her family to try and make sense of her last conversation with No-Humanity Lizzie. Josie and Hope spot Lizzie coming back from a job and question her appearance. Josie runs off, annoyed by No-Humanity Lizzie’s lack of humanity. Hope asks Lizzie to stay. No-Humanity Lizzie divulges more about why she has been away and the true cost of the deal she struck with Nature. 

Note I wasn’t sure when I wanted Lizzie’s humanity to return and contemplated having it return here but I felt it wouldn’t be right as Hope has not had the chance to spend too much time with No-Humanity Lizzie. I also realized that Hayley, and others didn’t know that Lizzie had been the one to kill Ken so I added that in this chapter. Note that I felt many of the Mikealson family members would ship Hope with Lizzie as Lizzie proved to go to lengths that not many others in the past would have. 

Next Up: Time Skip Hope keeps getting questioned by friends and family about her and Lizzie’s status 

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 9: Shut Up 

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Lizzie made an effort to meet and hang out with Hope for the last month since Hope had requested she stay. While Lizzie was around she tried all she could to get on her sister Josie’s good side even attempting to bake some sweets for her brunette twin. Granted the baking was a disaster and Hope along with Hayley found her trying to extinguish the flames of a burnt cake. Lizzie was subsequently banned from using the oven as Caroline put a new rule up that Lizzie was not to touch the oven without supervision like she was a child. Lizzie might not have her humanity but she would try to do small things to try and make her Mom, Caroline, her Dad, Alaric, and her sister, Josie’s life a little better. Leaving her Mom fresh bags of B positive Blood every other day, making sure her Dad’s weapons were nice and sharp, and getting Josie school supplies for her upcoming college experience. 

When Lizzie and Hope hung out they would usually hang out in the woods or by the lake. Lizzie would explain who she killed and or what she did for her family members while Hope talked about some of the art classes she was looking into or what the latest drama was with the crazy supernatural hierarchy covenants in New Orleans. They didn’t talk much about how Lizzie’s humanity was still off nor what Hope had done in the past when her humanity had been off. They barely talked about the year they spent apart as they both seemed to want to put things behind themselves. Lizzie didn’t question if Hope was romantically involved with anyone and Hope didn’t question Lizzie about any romantic flings either. Lizzie felt she didn’t have a right to Hope as Hope had already rejected her in the past. Hope didn’t comment on if she had anyone romantically so Lizzie let old wounds stay. 

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“So, are you and my sister like a thing? If so that’s fine I was just curious,” Josie questions as she and Hope are having a coffee 

“What?! No! I mean? What are you talking about?” Hope questions bewildered by the question that Josie threw her way 

“She clearly still love you,” Josie says like it was the most obvious thing 

“She doesn’t … she doesn’t love me, she can’t her humanity is off,” Hope says in a harsh whisper after looking around making sure no one in the coffee shop was listening to them 

“Relax, no one is paying attention to us. Also, so what if her humanity is off you could still have sex with her since she is still clearly into you,” Josie says with a scoff 

“Shut up! Also really? That is your sister you are talking about,” Hope lightly scolds 

“Yeah, and if she wasn’t related to me and looked as good as she does and I wasn’t with Penny I would go after her. Maybe not for a full time relationship, but she looks as though she would be good in bed,” Josie comments 

“Josie?!” Hope says in bewilderment 

“What I’m not blind Hope my sister is hot and last I checked still available,” Josie answers with a shrug 

“Shut up. Please just shut your mouth. Josie that is your sister, you shouldn’t even be entertaining the idea of her sexually,” Hope says with an exasperated tone 

“I’m not, I’m just saying she’s pretty and if you don’t get on her then someone else might,” Josie argues gently 

“What, like MG or Jen? MG is a scared nervous puppy dog near her and Jen hasn’t been around since I yelled at her that Lizzie was dead,” Hope scoffs with slight jealousy if one was listening carefully 

“She could be picking up someone from her mysterious work that she does?” Josie suggests 

“She’s not picking anyone up from her work if anything she’s killing people not having sex with them,” Hope argues 

“Well, have you asked her? She was never the one to share her sexual conquests and last I checked she had only had sex twice. Raf went off to be with his parents and Sebastain is dead so it’s not like they can share if she was good in bed,” Josie questions 

“Will you shut up about your sister’s sex life or lack of please! This is not the place,” Hope huffs in exasperation 

“Yeah, but you’ve had sex more than twice haven’t you? I mean No-Humanity Lizzie suggested or alluded to the fact you had lots of one-night stands,” Josie comments 

“Oh my god, please shut up! Yes I have, but that’s none of your business and again this is not the place to bring that up,” Hope says full of annoyance and exasperation 

“Okay, just curious was all, you don’t talk much about what it was like with your lack of humanity and I’m still not talking much to Lizzie as she still doesn’t have her humanity and I refuse to fall for lack lustered attempts to win me over and gain any forgiveness from me,” Josie comments letting the topic change 

“Lizzie can’t control when her humanity is going to come back and she really is trying to be good to you and the rest of your family. She tells me about what she does for each of you, you know she bought you some post-it-notes for your upcoming course,” Hope says in defense of the blonde heretic 

“I can’t be bought, Hope. I just … she was gone for a whole year and then some and she couldn’t save Dad or show any sign of herself to you or me? She didn’t even think to consider what her decision would do to others around her, she just gave me a warning call and then next thing I know your No-Humanity self is promising to come to New Orleans with No-Humanity Lizzie in tow! …You know part of me is happy that she’s in a state of constain pain, because she didn’t give me the option to not live. Another part of me hates that she’s the better twin between us as she was willing to sacrifice everything! Did you know that she let me win in the fake Merge?” Josie confesses full of emotion 

“Josie,” Hope says in a kind compassionate tone 

“All this time, everyone including myself bought into the lie that she was the villain, the bad twin, when in reality, she’s far kinder than anyone has given her credit for. Did you know she never wanted anyone to die or to hurt anyone? She was terrified of what her outburst could do so she would run to the woods to avoid injuring others, it was one of the things that Mom taught her and Dad enforced. I just … I hate that I left her alone when she was already drowning in isolation. I’m sorry, but I hate that your No-Humanity self is what she latched on to. I can’t forgive Lizzie, because that would require me to acknowledge that I had a hand in her suffering in that I told her not to do anything, but I never physically tried to stop her. Our bio Mom told us to look out for one another, and while I tried, I gave up on Lizzie because part of me was scared of her,” Josie confesses 

“Why would you be scared of her?” Hope questions with slight confusion in her tone still trying to process everything Josie was confessing 

“Because her magic wasn’t practiced it was raw and … she could handle dark magic while I couldn’t! She had the power to beat me in that Merge and she chose to let me win. Do you know how humiliating and fear-inducing it is to know your sibling, who doesn’t practice nearly as much, could beat you without blinking an eye if they so choose?! Even though I won, I lost because she didn’t fight me in truth. The time I fought with her before the Merge I only won because I siphoned off from the school barrier spell while she had a small spell book for her disposal. Even so I was the first to fire my spell and she was just reacting and I still nearly lost to her! Now … Now she’s unbeatable, she can’t die, if she does she just gets back up and worse her humanity is gone. How can I not fear that one day she will want to burn the world to the ground? Her humanity isn’t keeping her in check and I’m too scared to look her in the eye and know that as a sibling I failed her on some level when she really needed me. She’s my sister and at every opportunity I either abandoned her or blamed her for things she couldn’t control. She, on the other hand, tried to give me everything I asked for when I asked for it! I just didn’t think I had to ask for some things and that is what got me to resent her to some level,” Josie confesses and explains further 

“And now? How do you feel about her now?” Hope questions unsure where her friend was going with this line of thinking

“I fear, and admire her, but I’m also fearful for her as her humanity is still gone and what becomes of a person without their humanity? How much fake empathy can she give before she grows tired of it and takes off again? I’m going back to college and she’s already spent a year and more without her humanity. What's to say that she will ever get her humanity back?” Josie confesses with worry clear in her tone

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m working on her humanity just give me a bit more time,” Hope says trying to reassure her friend 

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Hope wasn’t sure what had prompted her friend Josie to ask about Lizzie nor to confess about being scared of Lizzie, but Hope was grateful to understand her friend a bit more. Hope knew that part of Josie was right. Lizzie was powerful even without having become a Heretic, Lizzie had raw power. Hope didn’t think that Josie was weak per say, but in terms of raw magical power she didn’t come close to Lizzie. Hope would say that Josie’s power came in the practiced control that the brunette had where Lizzie’s power came from a primal raw state of being. Even when Hope didn’t have her humanity she could see the value of Lizzie’s siphoning ability. Part of No-Humanity, Hope didn’t want Lizzie to ever go against her because she wasn’t sure she would be able to beat Heretic Lizzie in a fight. Hope knew Lizzie was powerful, maybe even an equal if not higher than her in potential so she understood Josie’s fear. 

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“Klaus I thought I told you to be gentle with her,” Hayley harshly growls 

“I was, I merely snuck up behind her and snapped her neck that was a few hours ago she should be waking up soon enough Little Wolf,” Klaus argues 

“Mm,” No-Humanity Lizzie groans cracking her neck to check before opening her eyes to see where she was 

“See all is well Little Wolf,” Klaus says with a smirk only to get a glare back from Hayley 

“You two kidnapped me, why?” No-Humanity Lizzie muses as she notes her hands were tied as well as her feet to a chair she was placed in 

“We just wanted to know if you are dating our daughter and or if you still like her?” Hayley reluctantly says after Klaus looks to her to answer 

“She hasn’t asked me on a date, so I don’t believe we are dating. In terms of liking her, I can’t emotionally speaking as my humanity is off. Please note my monotone voice as a key observation of my lack of humanity,” No-Humanity Lizzie calmly and politely states 

“Then what the bloody hell are you doing every afternoon? If not dating or having sex? You’re not defiling my daughter are you?! I asked what your intentions were before, if you seek to have my daughter’s hand we should talk about a dowry, no?” Klaus questions in a threatening tone 

“Klaus!” Hayley exclaims in bewilderment to his line of questioning 

“What is it not a fair question? Each afternoon Lizzie here, absconds with our daughter for an hour or two,” Klaus huffs trying to defend his argument 

“We talk, she tells me about the art courses she’s interested in and how her brother Marcel is doing in New Orleans. I tell her about who I killed or saved and if I did anything for any of my family members,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains flatly not too phased by Klaus’s antics 

“No sex?! What are you a saint?!” Klaus questions bewildered at the Heretic’s answer 

“Klaus! Shut up,” Hayley says with disbelief 

“No, I’m not a saint, I just have no desire to have meaningless sex. I’m pretty sure I am the last person Hope wants to … have sex with,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers taking a breath to clear her through to answer the last part 

“Woah .. wait how can you not have any desire to have sex?! You’re a teenager and you don’t have your humanity,” Hayley questions with bewilderment as she too found it a bit shocking that Lizzie’s sex drive was not up as Hayley and quite a few others she knew had a healthy appetite for sex 

“Thank you!” Klaus exclaims 

“Join the club with my Mom, why don’t you with you all questioning my lack of sex drive. I saw No-Humanity Hope and her long string of one night stands, it left a sour impression. So forgive me for not wanting to jump on the sex orgy wagon of meaningless sex. It’s also not like I can get any the way I am,” No-Humanity Lizzie scoffs 

“The way you are? What with your lack of humanity? I had plenty of sex without my humanity in the past yours being gone shouldn’t stop you,” Klaus questions confused by Lizzie’s argument 

“When I said the cost was everything, I meant everything,” No-Humanity Lizzie says looking down to her crotch area breifly as she was tied up 

“Um … you don’t have a dick to cut off,” Hayley questions still confused looking to the Heretics crotch and then up to the girl’s face 

“If I had my humanity I would probably be mortified. I lost the thing that makes you considered a woman if you could still reproduce if you catch my drift,” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a slightly exasperated tone 

“If you don’t have … then how do you pee?” Klaus questions also confused as he glances at the Heretics crotch 

“Everything needs balance Klaus, so if my parts that allowed me to reproduce as a female were taken, what would that be replaced with?” No-Humanity Lizzie proposes 

“Wait, are you saying you have a …?!” Hayley questions with bewildered not finishing her sentence as she was shocked trying to wrap her mind around how that all worked 

“Yes, and now you know why I have abstained from sex among other facts. No-Humanity Hope, and my sister Josie made sex seem absolutely disgusting,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers 

“Are you fertile?” Klaus questions 

“Klaus! Shut Up,” Hayley exclaims 

“What it’s good to know and might be the reason the why they have abstained from sex. Unless, you’re not a virgin are you?” Klaus argues before turning to question the Heretic further

“I’m not a virgin! I’ve had sex twice, and yes, I am fertile not that I have tested it. Nature just insisted that I would never bear a child, but I could sire one if I desired,” No-Humanity Lizzie huffs mortification hidden as her humanity was still off 

“But your part vampire, shouldn’t you be … not fertile?” Hayley questions unsure how to word that question eloquently 

“I asked Nature the same question and they told me its a reward as much as a punishment and told me I should cut lose from time to time it might brighten my mood,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers 

“Now, there’s a real bitch if I hadn’t heard of one. Have you tried masturbating?” Klaus comments and questions 

“Klaus, shut up! She probably isn’t thrilled about this conversation and I’m seriously questioning if this was the right move too,” Hayley argues with disbelief 

“It’s a bit hard to get in the mood when I feel pain 90 percent of the time I am awake. Let’s also not forget my humanity is off and I got self worth issues a mile high that don’t exactly scream go to a bar and pick up a chick for the night or a guy who wants to get freaky. Plus, I would have to actually like people to want to even touch them or let them touch me sexually and have you met people? They can be the absolute worst,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts her sass coming a bit flat as her humanity is still off 

“Right, I forgot you were in pain. So … you and Hope are …” Hayley says cringing a bit 

“Just friends with a crap load of history, not including the sire bond, or her killing me twice,” No-Humanity Lizzie quips 

“Ha, so you admit it, you love my daughter!” Klaus exclaims with joy and triumph like he won a bet 

“I didn’t deny having loved your daughter, I just told you I am incapable of loving currently as I am. There is a difference, also if you are done interrogating me can I leave?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions 

“Um, sure let me just …” Hayley starts to say only for the Heretic to break free 

Snap! The ropes holding Lizzie break off her like she was never tied down. 

“Never mind,” Hayley finishes as she and Klaus watch No-Humanity Lizzie stand up 

“Next time soak the rope in vervain, and have Freya put a binding spell on them, that would at least make it a bit more of a challenge. Like I told my Mom there isn’t a prison I can’t get out of. See you around,” No-Humanity Lizzie comments as she walks away from the two hybrids 

“I think she just out played us,” Klaus muses 

“Shut up Klaus, you wanted answers just as much as I did,” Hayley says with slight exasperation as the two of them watched the Heretic walk off 

/////////

Hayley knew as well as everyone else in the Mikaelson family group that Hope was busy from 2pm to 4pm on most afternoons since the Heretic came back. Hayley had been curious about it as had everyone else. So Klaus had suggested kidnapping the Heretic. Hayley didn’t think the heretic would hold a grudge as they didn’t have their humanity and well they seemed rather truthful if not brutally honest. Hayley had been surprised that No-Humanity Lizzie wasn’t sexually active and even more surprised at the fact that the Heretic now possessed a dick. Granted, Hayley and Klaus didn’t physically check the Heretic they did believe the Heretic was telling the truth. Hayley was surprised that Lizzie could sire offspring but given all the other odd things that surrounded the Heretic she was inclined to let it be. Hayley was curious about Lizzie’s lack of humanity, but maybe Hope didn’t love Lizzie like Lizzie supposedly had at one point. 

/////////

“Hope, just the one I was looking for,” Cleo comments at seeing the tribrid in the hallways 

“Hey, what did you need me for?” Hope questions curious about what the witch needed 

“I was just wondering if you and Lizzie would be available tomorrow afternoon to go on a double date at the Mystic Grille they are doing a special for couples,” Cleo says and explains 

“Um, Lizzie and I aren’t a couple, but thanks for the offer,” Hope answers unsure why Cleo was the second person to question if she was dating the heretic 

“Oh, my apologies, I just assumed you two were dating with the fact that you two are often seen together in the afternoons,” Cleo says in a polite kind tone 

“We’re just friends!” Hope huffs 

“Yes, friends with a ton of history. In any case I will inform MG that Elizabeth is still on the market then,” Cleo says in an unconvinced tone before moving to a different topic 

“Wait what?!” Hope exclaims not liking the idea of Lizzie on the free dating market 

“Well, if you are not dating Lizzie, MG was going to try and ask Lizzie out. The only reason he has yet to approach her is because you two seemed close and he didn’t want to invade on your privacy,” Cleo explains further 

“Did he and everyone else forget that Lizzie doesn’t have their humanity? As in they can’t reciprocate love, they can fake it to a degree, but they can’t feel love,” Hope says with an incredulous stare and argument 

“I am sure her humanity will come back a some point, as it’s not a natural state to have a vampire without their humanity for too long,” Cleo gently argues 

“Shut up! You don’t know anything about why her humanity is off nor how to bring it back so don’t tell me her humanity is going to come back when you can’t guarantee it! As for MG tell him Lizzie’s not on the dating market. Not now, and certainly not in the future if I have anything to say about it,” Hope all but growls her frustration and jealousy as she walks off away from the other witch 

“I guess someone is jealous,” Cleo muses after watching the tribrid storm off 

////////

Hope was annoyed that yet another person asked her if she was with Lizzie. Hope wanted to help Lizzie but Lizzie still didn’t have their humanity. Hope didn’t understand why MG or others would seek Lizzie out when the girl was incapable of reciprocating love. Hope knew what it was like to have No-Humanity and that was a torture in of it self never mind the fact that Lizzie’s No-Humanity was far worse then what Hope had experienced. Hope didn’t like the idea of anyone dating Lizzie as she didn’t think anyone was worthy of Lizzie’s love least of all MG or Jen two people who didn’t even understand why Lizzie’s humanity was off to begin with. 

////////

“Hey Lizzie, you got a moment?” MG questions seeing Lizzie in the kitchen making a sandwich 

“Right, um, are you and Hope … you know … dating?” MG questions nervously after getting a silent hand motion from the Heretic to continue to talk 

“No, why?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions slightly confused as why she was being questioned 

“Oh, that’s great!… I mean would you like to go out with me …like as a date to the Mystic Grille tomorrow night?” MG exclaims before nervously asking his crush out 

“No,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly 

“But I … you? You just said you are free?” MG questions confusion and hurt clear in his tone 

“I didn’t say I was free. I said I wasn’t dating Hope at the moment,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts 

“Oh, so then your seeing someone else? If so that’s okay too, I can handle it. I got forever to wait for you and you know your worth waiting for. Did you know that Ethan is going to collage well I am too but … MG questions and then gently argues only to be cut off 

“Oh, for the love of all things holy and unholy please shut up! I’m not seeing anyone as my humanity is off please note my monotone voice as a key example of my humanity being off. You are a good vampire Milton, but I don’t love you and I have never loved you like the way you want to be loved by me. I can’t love you with my humanity off and even if I had my humanity I can’t love you the way you would want to be loved. You deserve someone who is going to love you just as you are and allow you to change and grow when necessary. I’m sorry you fell for me and that I can’t reciprocate, but I can’t change myself to be what you want or need, I shouldn’t have to if I really loved you and you really loved me,” No-Humanity Lizzie argues 

“Well, you’re going to get your humanity back at some point and you wouldn’t have to change for me. I like you just as you are,” MG argues 

“You don’t know me, MG, you only know what I have let you see of me. You don’t even know why my humanity is still off and why I can’t bring it back! I’m trying to be nice to you MG I am, but if you knew the real me, you would be horrified. You think your ripper state is monstrous, you have not even scratched the surface of the twisted thoughts that run through my mind. I could rip your literal heart out right now and not feel a damn thing. I could have a sex orgy in front of you and not feel guilty about it. I could tie you up and make you watch as I systematically rip apart every last living family member you have. If I wanted to be really cruel I would link you to me so you could feel raw agonizing pain. So much pain you can barely move a muscle. You would scream as though you were being bloody murdered in a slow torturous demise,” No-Humanity Lizzie harshly states with an ice glare 

“But… But you’re not going to do that because … because you’re better than that you care about me even if it’s not love you still care, it’s who you have always been Humanity or not, you have always been good,” MG nervously argues 

“You will relinquish any romantic feelings you once had for me. You will just think of me as a good friend and nothing more,” No-Humanity Lizzie says compelling the vampire 

“I will relinquish any romantic feelings for Lizzie, I will only think of her as a good friend and nothing more,” MG says in a trance like state confirming he was compelled 

“Hey MG, so where are you heading to college?” No-Humanity Lizzie says pretending to have just walked down the hall just as MG shakes his head and remembered he is in the hallway 

“Oh, hey Lizzie, right now I am to the same place at Ethan and did you know that he and I got randomly assigned roommates,” MG says in a enthusiastic cheerful tone 

“Shut up, that is crazy cool,” No-Humanity Lizzie says faking some enthusiasm for her vampire friend 

/////////

Lizzie had been surprised by MG’s questions, but also not too much as his crush was very obvious. Lizzie realized that MG wouldn’t give up on her so to help ease her friend’s poor heart she made MG relinquish his romantic feelings for her. Lizzie didn’t want to exactly hurt MG like Hope had hurt her, but with MG not listening she was left with little choice, but to compel her vampire friend to forget her in a romantic sense. Lizzie also knew that MG would get over her with Ethan being around as the two had a nice conection that anyone with eyes could see from a distance. Lizzie had been able to save Ethan before she ran off to chase after No-Humanity Hope unfortunately Ethan did lose his supernatural invisibility transportation super powers but he was alive which was good with everyone else. Lizzie knew that both Ethan and MG liked her but she believed they confused friendship for romance. No-Humanity Lizzie had been avoiding them as she had been avoiding most of the other super squad as she didn’t want to have to explain herself and what the cost was of Hope’s humanity. Lizzie also hated to play pretend and talking to anyone on the super squad would be playing pretend since she could not express her true feelings about them and how she felt they were lucky to never know the cost of hope and how hopeless things could have been if Lizzie hadn’t made the sacrifices she did.

////////

“Work run a bit late today?” Hope questions as Lizzie joins her by the lake 

“Among other things, here take this peace offering,” No-Humanity Lizzie grumbles offering a drink to Hope 

“Mm, peanut butter blast, from the Mystic Grill, thanks. Did you get anything for yourself?” Hope questions after taking a sip 

“No, but a waitress tried to slip me their number,” Lizzie muses as she looks out over the lake 

“What?! Why?! I mean … did you take their number?” Hope says initially in shock and then trying to cool her emotions to sound less jealous or invasive 

“No, I told them I was married, but they would make someone else happy I am sure,” No-Humanity Lizzie muses ignoring the outburst that Hope had 

“But you're not married, …you’re not married are you?!” Hope questions now a bit unsure if No-Humanity Lizzie had someone 

“I’m married to my job, so when I told the girl I was married I just left the fact I ment to my job out. Still they told me to keep their number if things didn’t work out much to my utter confusion,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers flatly 

“Well, do you like them?” Hope questions timidly hating the pit in her stomach that seemed suspiciously like envy and dread 

“No, my humanity is off,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts like it’s the most obvious answer 

“Yes, I know your humanity is off, but if it hadn’t been would you go out with her?” Hope questions uncertain if she really wanted the answer or not 

“If I had my humanity we wouldn’t be in this situation. Plus, she’s not really my type if I am being honest, going after a person who is married that screams trouble in my eyes. I got enough trouble for this life and the next thank you very much. Speaking of what’s got you so interested in my love life or lack of?” No-Humanity Lizzie answers with a shrug 

“Um.. nothing.. You’re the one who brought it up with the fact that the waitress tried to give you their number, Mm..” Hope says nervousness clear in her tone as she tries to brush off the topic taking a big sip of her drink as an excuse to not talk 

“Mm, guess I shouldn’t mention any of the other guys and chicks who have tried and failed to pick me up during my so called year of absence,” No-Humanity Lizzie taunts 

“Shut up, what do you mean, others?!” Hope says with disbelief and jealousy clear in her tone as she stops taking a sip from her drink at No-Humanity Lizzie’s confession 

“Do you want to crank that possessiveness down a notch or two? I said they failed. Unlike you when you didn’t have your humanity I have not sought out meaningless sex to fill a void. I have enough self loathing without adding meaningless sex to the mix. Speaking of sex since we are on the topic, I wasn’t too terrible to your No-Humanity self was I, when you did your every night a new bed buddy? I can’t remember all details, but I remember the emotion of annoyance as you forced me to stand by the door and listen to you rail the poor sap that you chose for the night,” No-Humanity Lizzie retorts coldly 

“Okay, I guess I deserved that. I wasn’t exactly great to you and yes, you were fine if not annoying in telling me that meaningless sex wouldn’t bring back Landon or get me any closer to killing Aurora,” Hope huffs putting the drink down knowing full well what she had done to Lizzie with her humanity off was far crueler than anything that No-Humanity Lizzie had done or even alluded to 

“If your No-Humanity self didn’t want me to state the obvious they could have let me go, or in this case you could have make me shut up with the sire bond. Not exactly hard to see why I broke the sire bond after the few weeks of taking orders from you,” No-Humanity Lizzie muses 

“Why did you break the sire bond, but  moreover how did you break it? Auror mentioned that you broke it without compromising your humanity. Yet, you still ended up killing Auror,” Hope questions wanting to put to rest the lingering questions that had not been addressed 

“There’s a few reasons why I broke the sire bond, the first is because my morals, my humanity wouldn’t allow me to kill Aurora in the fashion that you wanted. The second reason for breaking the sire bond was because I knew I needed to save you and I couldn’t do that if you kept ordering me to shut up. The third reason for breaking the sire bond was to get back at you and show you that I wasn’t going to stand your No-Humanity being cruel for cruelty's sake. Yes, I killed Aurora, but I had given her a warning telling her that she was not to go after you. She went to make a move at you and I delivered on my word, humanity or not I keep my word. When it comes to how I broke the sire bond, all I know was that it was painful. Nature explained to me it was my will power that allowed me to keep my humanity and break the sire bond. Nature striped my ability to turn my humanity back on with sheer will power, just as they made it so no amount of compulsion can turn my humanity back on,” No-Humanity Lizzie explains flatly like she was reciting facts of life 

“Do you want your humanity back?” Hope questions after a beat 

“I’m not sure. I’ve spent so long without it … I don’t know what good it will do me. I could get lost in this empty void of nothing, but pain. I would have if you had not asked me to stay a month ago. I would have gone back to work believing, hoping that my family and yours would be well without me around,” No-Humanity  Lizzie answers honestly 

“Why did you kill me twice?” No-Humanity Lizzie after a comfortable silence had passed 

“I was scared,” Hope says with a vulnerability shining through in the words she spoke looking out to the water of the lake not wanting to face the Heretic 

“Look at me. Why?” No-Humanity Lizzie gently demands wanting to see the older girl’s face to know the girl was speaking from their heart 

“Because I wasn’t supposed to feel, and you and your speech, your declaration … that type of unwavering love … I didn’t want to be tempted to fall for you just … just to lose you. So I killed you. I figured Nature, fate, whoever they couldn’t be that cruel to make me fall in love again,” Hope confesses tears threatening to fall as she had turned to look at the younger girl when gently asked

“But I came back,” No-Humanity Lizzie muses a slight frown on her face 

“You did, and I wanted to kill you again, but I also realized maybe Nature, fate, whoever was telling me that I shouldn’t kill you. So I let you be, I didn’t like it since you got my No-Humanity self to feel fear and I shouldn’t have been able to feel that,” Hope says concern and vulnerability in her tone 

“Why were you scared of me? You had the sire bond to control me,” No-Humanity Lizzie questions confused by Hope’s admission 

“I was scared because you got me to feel even though I wasn’t supposed to and there was also the fact that you brought Jen, a literal goddess to her knees! How could I not be scared, you were always the best to push my buttons. Even with my humanity off you could elect emotions and feelings that I thought I buried with my switch being off. Yeah, I had the sire bond, but you broke it! I couldn’t control you and … your lack of humanity scared my No-Humanity self. I wasn’t sure if I could rely on you and there was the fact that you kept taunting me to go home,” Hope argues and explains 

“So the second time you killed me?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions flatly 

“I was scared again. I thought my parents were a grand illusion that you created so I jumped to killing you to ensure my parents weren’t fake,” Hope confesses 

“You think me, that cruel?” No-Humanity Lizzie says with a slight scoff of disbelief 

“I didn’t know what to think as your humanity was off! I was cruel to you with my humanity off so why wouldn’t you be cruel back? It didn’t make sense and that scared me, but as soon as I knew my parents were real I broke down. I knew there was no way for you to come back and still I pleaded with my Aunt Freya and my Brother Marcel to bring you back somehow. I looked for spells to bring you back even though I knew there was none. I still looked because how was it that you were able to bring back my parents and I … I couldn’t bring you back!” Hope confesses tears running freely 

“Why would you want me back? You said you were scared of me?” No-Humanity Lizzie questions letting Hope cry 

“I wasn’t just scared … I was scared because I was falling for you! Landon’s love was sweet, but it wasn’t ever going to last. I knew that subconsciously and yet I still held onto him like my life depended on it because who else would love me?” Hope continues to confess whipping away some of her tears 

“I would,” No-Humanity Lizzie answers with as much compassion as she could offer with her lack of humanity 

“I know that now, and … part of me always knew … but never wanted to accept it. How could I? I always tried to push love away fearing the fact I could lose it and you … you’ve always looked for it. How could I be certain that I was enough for you and that you would stay for me? The first and second time I killed you, I was scared, not only because I could see a future with us in it, but because I wasn’t ready to accept your love. I shouldn’t have been so cruel to you as I was when you were sire bonded to me, but I couldn’t believe you would love me. So I pushed you away by trying to get you to stop loving me. With you breaking the sire bond, it meant you no longer loved me so seeing your No-Humanity self scared me as I didn’t have your love to protect me from any anger that you would have rightfully been free to have towards me. So yes I was scared when I killed you the second time because you stopped loving me by that point and I …,” Hope confesses and explains only to be cut off 

“I never stopped,” No-Humanity Lizzie states cutting off Hope briefly 

“What?!” Hope says confused at the Heretic’s words 

“I never stopped loving you. Even after I broke the sire bond. I broke the sire bond because I knew you were hurting and I loved you for trying to be brave even with your humanity off.  It was why when I broke the sire bond I was confused as I still had my humanity. More than that I still loved you even though I should have hated you for abusing the sire bond. I couldn’t bring myself to want harm to you intentionally, not before taking the deal and certainly not now after I have brought your parents back,” No-Humanity Lizzie says trying to express as much compassion as she can in her tone 

“If you never stopped loving me why didn’t you stay?” Hope questions confusion clear 

“I didn’t think you loved me back or wanted to be anywhere near me as I had tricked your No-Humanity self into giving up control, to let you feel again. I ran because I was struggling to try and talk and keep control over my mind. I ran because I loved you enough to let you go and pray that one day you could love again even if it wasn’t me. I ran because…,” No-Humanity Lizzie confesses only to stop as Hope cuts her off 

“Shut up, please just stop talking! I … mm… you can’t just say those things to me and not expect me to feel guilty for the fact that I … I love you! I … I love that you wanted to protect me when I didn’t have my humanity and I love that even without your humanity you still want to protect me. I love your brutal honesty, and I love your heart, because with or without your humanity, you have a big heart and I would be honored to love you if you let me,” Hope confesses with new tears in her eyes 

“AH!” Lizzie gasps as her humanity switch flips on and the pain she felt previously hits her harder making her tear up and also sink to her knees in pain 

“Lizzie?! What happened, are you okay?!” Hope says whipping away her tears as she moves to be closer to the Heretic 

“No! No, HOPE ANREA MIKAELSON I am not okay! Ah! Just give me a minute please,” Lizzie yelps her head bowed down to the dock and both hands clenching and unclenching in pain 

“Your tone changed? You have your humanity back?!” Hope says in bewilderment and awe 

“YAAH! Wow, I didn't realize how much my lack of humanity was holding back. Also, thanks for the long dramatic love confession. To answer your confession I don’t think there could be a thing that could make me stop loving you humanity or not, you have my heart till the bitter end Mikaelson whether you or I like it or not. I’m yours forever and always,” Lizzie says  compassion and love in her eyes as she looks Hope in the eyes 

///Warning Kiss Scene Ahead///

“Shut up and kiss me,” Hope says with smirk and joy in her eyes that Lizzie had her humanity back 

“Make me, Miss former Sire. I will have you know that I killed a god for you and that … Mmph,” Lizzie starts to say with sass only to be cut off with Hope kissing her 

Hope, taking matters into her own hands. Hope kisses the Heretic to get the younger girl to stop talking. Hope was pleased to note that Lizzie kissed her back without hesitation. Hope has her hands wrapped around the younger girl’s neck and face to keep the Heretic close. Hope can even feel Lizzie’s hands around her waist which sends sparks of arousal to run throughout her body. 

Lizzie was over the moon with joy at Hope saying she loved her back and she was enjoying the kiss too. Lizzie had her hands at Hope’s waist but only to hold the girl she gave her heart to closer. Lizzie knew they would need to stop before things got too heated as she would have to explain her lack of female anatomy but first she would indulge the older girl in her arms with more kissing. 

“Mm,” Hope groans in arousal as Lizzie has moved to kissing her neck and pulse point 

“Mm … we … need to … stop,” Lizzie says with a slight groan of protest as she peppers Hope’s neck with kisses 

/// End of Kiss Scene///

“What, why?” Hope gasps breathlessly 

“Because as much as I would love to ravish you here on this dock of all places, I need to explain a few things to you. Once I have explained some things that might make you reconsider wanting to be with me,” Lizzie says with a solemn expression 

“I doubt whatever you are going to say will change things for me,” Hope says moving to sit across from Lizzie as Lizzie had moved a little away from Hope 

“Just … remember when I told you that the cost to bring your parents back was everything?” Lizzie starts looking to Hope to get a confirmation 

“Yeah, what does that have to do with you stopping what would have been a good long make out session?” Hope retorts with a head nod 

“Please, you wanted sex not just a nice long make out session!” Lizzie huffs with sass 

“I … fine I wanted sex are you happy?! I haven’t had sex since you broke the sire bond,” Hope confesses with a huff of slight irritation 

“Oh, big boo hoo! I haven’t had sex since Sebastian and I only had him once. Sheesh what is with all you people and sex! I mean my Mom questioned me, and you’re loving parents kidnapped me earlier to interrogate me on what we have been doing too,” Lizzie huffs with an exasperated sigh 

“They did what?! Also, Sebastian was two almost three years ago now. How are you not wanting to have sex?!” Hope exclaims confusion and bewilderment in her tone 

“Hope are you forgetting that I’m in pain, like 90 percent of the time that I am awake, nevermind asleep? It’s a bit hard to get into mood if I feel mostly pain and even tougher if I was turned off by the idea of sex having seen your many one-night stands and of course my sister’s sex-escapades. Plus, let's also not forget my humanity was off until recently no thank to you finally figuring out that yes, I loved and still love you,” Lizzie explains with sass and exasperation 

“Oh, right I forgot,” Hope says cringing at the fact she forgot about Lizzie’s long term suffering 

“Thanks, having my humanity off was torture and pretentind that I didn’t have it on sucked more. But I’m getting side tracked. What I wanted to tell you is that Nature being the weird balance freak they are gave me a bottom sex change,” Lizzie retorts 

“Excuse me, they did what?!” Hope says baffled by why that was necessary 

“It was to be a punishment as much as a reward, in that I can never birth offspring, but I can now sire them if I so chose. Before you ask, Nature said the fact that I am a vampire or partly one doesn’t matter. In fact they encouraged me to enjoy the gift as a way to get over the pain. I didn’t go with that approach because I think it would be odd to tell a chick or a guy hey I have a dick did you still want to have sex? It doesn’t really roll off the tongue easily and I didn’t want meaningless sex to begin with. So now that you know what everything means in terms of cost, did you still want to be with me?” Lizzie answers and questions 

“If I had unprotected sex with you, would that mean …” Hope questions trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Lizzie could still have kids just not the traditional sense 

“Um, I don’t know … but if you wanted me to ask Nature I could next time they are giving me orders? I mean as far as Nature told me I am fertile. I also felt the need to tell you about the fact I have a dick since I didn’t want to surprise you and well I feel that could have been a deal breaker,” Lizzie says nervously 

“Lizzie, shut up. You saw me with girls and guys, you having a dick doesn’t change the fact that I still love you,” Hope says in a loving teasing tone 

“Oh, well that’s nice, thanks. I would love you too if you all of a sudden had a dick rather than a pussy,” Lizzie muses with a shrug 

“Thanks, I think. Also, why did my parents kidnap you?” Hope questions curios about the answer 

“There you two are. I see you keep to your word, and aren’t defiling my daughter,” Klaus says as he approaches the pair by the dock 

“With all due respect Sir, I’m pretty sure Hope would be having her way with me if I didn’t stop her before things got out of hand. Plus, she owes me at least one date before I agree to sex and I need to find proper protection so you don’t hunt my ass down for accidently knocking her up. Not that I am positive yet on if she can get pregnant, but you know rather safe than sorry. Plus, I do believe you wanted a dowry and my job is not the highest paying, but I could scrape something together if push came to shove,” Lizzie rambles with a sassy explanation 

“Lizzie shut up and run before I stake you myself,” Hope huffs not all that amused by Lizzie’s rambling answer 

“Right, because nothing says romance like death threats, and promises of bloody violent torture. I hate to break it to you, Love, but I am tortured on the regular, humanity or not that pain didn’t and will not go away anytime soon. Oh, and I do believe, my Mom will want to know my humanity is back so, see you both around,” Lizzie quips with sarcasm and sass before taking off before Klaus or Hope can get a word in edgewise 

“I wouldn’t normally approve, but she has proven to be quite the powerful ally, and more than that she seems to love you deeply. Can I assume you are now an item?” Klaus says after getting over the shock that the heretic had their humanity back and very much sassed him 

“Thanks, I think. Also yeah, she is willing to try if I am and I think I am,” Hope says happy to have her father’s approval 

///////

Author’s Note: Hope and Josie talk about Hope hanging out with No-Humanity Lizzie. Josie confesses her fear of Lizzie and Hope tries to assure Josie that she can get Lizzie’s humanity back. Klaus and Hayley kidnap No-Humanity Lizzie to ask about the heretic’s relationship with their daughter Hope. Cleo asks Hope if she is interested in a double date at the Mystic Grill assuming that Hope is dating No-Humanity Lizzie. Hope storms off but not before stating MG should stay away from Lizzie. MG confronts No-Humanity Lizzie for a date only to be turned down. No-Humanity Lizzie compels MG to forget her as a romantic interest. No-Humanity Lizzie and Hope meet up and they finally get into why No-Humanity Hope had killed Lizzie twice. Lizzie gets her humanity back and Hope and Lizzie kiss. Klaus approves begrudgingly but only because Hope likes Lizzie and the heretic did do him a big favor by getting him, Hayley and Elijah back to the land of the living. 

Note that  I wanted this story to explore the dark side of playing with magic. Sure I didn’t go extremely detailed with what Lizzie would be feeling, but I alluded to the fact that Lizzie even with her humanity now returned will still have to live with the pain of the deal she took to bring back Hayley and Klaus which helped trigger Hope’s humanity to come back. 

Note this story was not about sex or having Hope and Lizzie be kissing constantly, you want a story that has sex in it you can look at some of the other stories I have already written. This story was more focused on the hurt and agony that is losing one’s humanity and trying to find it. I also just enjoy writing the build up of two characters coming together.  

Next up I got lots of various stories in the works. Two stories for this fandom I am working on and then outside of this fandom I am working on other stories. I am still in the process of writing a Wednesday TV fanfic plus I need to go back to finishing the Naruto fanfic series that I already started. I have also been working on an Avatar the Last Airbender TV (Nick cartoon, not Netflix) fanfic story. In short I got lots of ideas for various fandoms and writers block can be a pain along with other life obligations. 

I want to say thank you to those who have read this story and left a comment, a bookmark, a subscription, and or a kudos. It has been much appreciated. I love getting feedback to know that people are enjoying the chapters I put out. I also enjoy talking about the stuff from the fandom. I hope you all have a great day, night, or whatever time you read this. Sincerely, Adopted_Dyslexic