3rd Person POV

Hope walks to the Salvatore School in tears in the middle of the night. A party is raging and the music blasts as she walks through the crowd of people. Lizzie is getting a drink when Hope bumps into her 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Lizzie questions, turning to face Hope. Lizzie looks Hope up and down with a scoff. "Better question. Who are you?"

"It's a long story." Hope says

***

"This is all very confusing." Dr Saltzman says, his words slightly slurred

"Because you're drunk." Hope tells him. "And I really need you to focus. This is a matter of life and death."

"First things first... I'm only buzzed." Dr Saltzman defends. "Secondly, you haven't told any of us why we should believe anything that you said, Miss... Hope, right?"

"Mikaelson, actually." Hope says. "Klaus's daughter."

"Vampires can't have babies." Lizzie says. "Anyone else thinking that she's a monster?"

"I know why you'd think that, because I know that Malivore monsters exist." Hope says. "I know that the reason why you're celebrating is because you just defeated them." She looks at Lizzie. "I also know that you're a witch. An annoyed witch probably wondering why MG's off with Alyssa Chang instead of you."

"Or psychic." Lizzie says, straightening up. "She's totally psychic." She whispers to Josie

"You're a vampire." Hope tells MG. She looks at Dr Saltzman. "I'm doubling down on drunk." She looks at Josie. "Also a witch."

"Actually, I gave up my magic." Josie says

"That's gonna make this more difficult." Hope mutters

"Make what more difficult?" Dr Saltzman asks

"Do you remember that spell that Josie did to get rid of the oni?" Hope asks. "Which I know about, clearly."

"Listen, we don't doubt what you know." Dr Saltzman says. "We just doubt how you know it."

"I promise. Landon means a lot to you, too." Hope says

"I believe you." Josie says. "And I can teach it to you if it's okay with my dad." She says, looking to her father who nods

"Great." Hope says. "Now, all we have to do is go down to the wolf dungeon."

"Why?" MG asks. "What's down in the wolf dungeon?"

"Another person you've forgotten." Hope says. "She's in the transition cellars."

"Hang on, it's a full moon tonight." Dr Saltzman says, standing up. "If she's in transition, there's no way I'm letting anyone go down there."

"She's not dangerous." Hope says with a scoff

"Well I can't know that for sure if I don't remember her." Dr Saltzman says. "Do the spell, get our memories back, then we'll talk about getting your friend out of the cellars. I'm sorry, I didn't grab her name the first time."

"That's cause I didn't give it." Hope says, crossing her arms over her chest

"Okay, alright." Josie says, walking over. "Maybe you should try being a little less hostile and then we can go do the spell?" She suggests to Hope in a whisper

"Fine." Hope says. "Her name is Nightshade. Sadie Nightshade."

Dr Saltzman freezes, turning his head slowly. "I don't know anyone by the name of Sadie." He starts. "But Sarah Nightshade was killed before she got to this school."

"They're twins." Hope says. "And you'll remember everything once I do the spell. Enough chit chat, let's go." She tells Josie, leaving the room

***

DR SALTZMAN: The Salvatore School was built for one purpose... to protect young vampires, witches and werewolves from a world that would do them harm. But it has grown beyond that mission. Recently my students were forced to save the very world that has forced them into hiding. And we lost one of our own. Now we intend to find him, no matter what the cost. So school's out until we do. There was a time when I would have told you that one life is a small price to pay for saving an entire town. But then I became a father. A father figure to my students. And we will not rest until we know what happened to Landon Kirby.

Dr Saltzman busts into Hope's room. Hope and Sadie had fallen asleep in Hope's bed with their books open, doing research

"Hope. I've got an idea." Dr Saltzman tells her as Hope's eyes open. She sits up on the bed. "Come on, let's go."

Hope nods, shaking Sadie awake next to her. "Come on, Sades, let's go." Sadie's eyes open

***

Dr Saltzman, Hope, and Sadie walk into a pawn shop late at night. "We're looking for Pinky." Dr Saltzman tells the man at the counter

"You found him." Pinky says. "But I'm closed."

"Weird." Hope says. "Your sign says you're open hours a day."

"Been meaning to get a new sign." Pinky says

"Well, we'll be gone as soon as we have what we came for." Dr Saltzman says

Pinky looks at Sadie and Hope before letting out a small chuckle and pulling out jewelry

Hope and Sadie share a look. "What the hell is that?" Hope asks

"Well, a gift for you two, I'm guessing." Pinky says before looking at Dr Saltzman. "A little young, don't you think, pal? And, there's two of 'em."

"Gross." Sadie says, her face twisting in disgust

"Hey, it's none of my business." Pinky says

"Because your real business is selling black-market supernatural artifacts." Dr Saltzman says

"The kids should wait in the car." Pinky says

"That won't be necessary." Hope says, her eyes glowing

"Yeah. I see that." Pinky says. "Why don't you l-lock the door?"

Pinky brings out a box of the black-market supernatural artifacts. Hope, Dr Saltzman, and Sadie start going through the box

"It's not in here." Dr Saltzman says

"Then try being a little more specific about what you're after." Pinky says

"All we know is that it's some sort of vessel." Dr Saltzman says

"Like a ship?" Pinky asks

"Like a jar." Dr Saltzman says. "Or a container or a vase. Look, the translation's been a bit of a bitch. But maybe you've heard the story. Whatever's inside this thing 'can grant your heart's most impossible desire,' and that's a direct quote... I think."

"Buddy... if-if I had something like that, why would I sell it?" Pinky asks

"You do... and you will." Hope says

"You heard his heart too?" Sadie says to her friend

"You bet I did." Hope says

"What are you talking about - my...my heart." Pinky stammers

"Your heart started to race when you found out what it does." Sadie explains. "We heard it, which means that you still have it so now..."

"Well, now we're just negotiating the price." Hope finishes

"Then here's my offer." Pinky says, pulling out a gun

"You don't make another move." Dr Saltzman says, pulling out a knife

"Sorry, pal. But it looks like you brought a knife to a gun fight." Pinky says

"It's a ballistic knife." Dr Saltzman tells him. "So put the shotgun down or you're gonna get this blade shot through your skull."

"Tenebris anima vestra contundito mortem..." Hope begins chanting and Pinky drops his gun, grabbing at his neck and gasping. Sadie takes a few steps away, putting her arms up in surrender

"All right, Hope, stop." Dr Saltzman tells her but she doesn't and continues chanting. "That's a death spell, Hope, don't! Hey, man, get out of here... the spell won't work if she can't see you."

Pinky runs out of the store

"Relax. I was just scaring him." Hope says

"And me." Dr Saltzman says

"You promised me that we would do whatever it takes to get Landon back." Hope says. "This is what it takes. Get the hell out of my way." She says, going to push past him

Dr Saltzman grabs Hope from behind, sticking a needle into her neck and Hope passes out

"What the hell?" Sadie questions

"Don't worry." Dr Saltzman says. "She's unconscious."

"I am worried." Sadie tells him, walking over. "Why the hell do you have a syringe that can knock us out?"

"It's a long story." Dr Saltzman tells her

"Well how about you start to explain–" Sadie starts before the two hear the car door slam and Pinky drive away. Dr Saltzman sighs

***

"Look at all this destruction." MG says as him, Lizzie, and Sadie walk around the prison world. "It's like a bomb went off in Mystic Falls."

"A Malibomb." Lizzie says. "They call these things prison worlds for a reason."

"Which reminds me." Sadie whispers, grabbing Lizzie's arm and pulling both girls to a stop as MG continues to walk. "Hope just got sucked into a therapy box by your father and I'm in a prison world. How did I get roped into this little field trip?"

"You're here to help." Lizzie tells Sadie

"You girls okay over there?" MG asks from further away

Lizzie forces a smile onto her face and turns. "We're great." She tells him. She turns back to Sadie and drops her smile

"Ahh, I get it now." Sadie says. She pushes past Lizzie and over to MG. "Malivore's probably trying to find a way out." She says

"I thought we were done with that guy, thing, whatever." MG says

"Or maybe he's just lonely, so he spends his days puking up monsters." Lizzie says

The dumpster rattles and MG pulls the group to a stop. Sadie takes a cautious step forwards, staring at the dumpster as it shakes some more. A monster – a gargoyle – jumps out of the dumpster and MG shrieks

"Holy shit." Sadie breathes, putting a hand over her chest

"Scared me too." MG tells Sadie, looking at the monster

"I'm talking about you." Sadie says, slapping his arm. "You scared the shit out of me. We're astral projecting. Remember?"

"It can't see, touch or hurt us." Lizzie tells MG

"Then let's just, uh, forget that I made that sound." MG says as the group of three starts walking again

"You know what I'd like to forget about?" Lizzie asks. "You and Alyssa Chang. But we never really talked about that. How's it going?"

"Cool." MG says. "It's-it's-it's cool. We're cool."

"Well, it wasn't cool of her to destroy the ascendant that we used to make this world without telling anyone." Lizzie says and Sadie facepalms

"I don't really want to get into any of that." MG says. "So if we could get on with looking for Landon?"

"Oh, that's not why I brought you here." Lizzie says

"Then why did you?" MG asks

"One, because I needed a supernatural source to siphon to power the astral projection spell." Lizzie says

"You have Sadie here." MG says, gesturing over to Sadie who is looking around the area

"And two, what we're really trying to find is a way to convince Josie to stay at the Salvatore School." Lizzie continues

"Again." MG says. "Sadie's here."

"Sadie serves a different purpose." Lizzie tells him. "Now, we gotta brainstorm this shit."

"So Josie wants to go to Mystic Falls, huh?" MG asks. "Uh, that's a lot. Have you tried telling her how you feel?"

"In my own way." Lizzie says. "Subtle manipulation and the occasional act of emotional terrorism. Not that she's even noticed."

"So that's, that's a no." MG says

"It's semantics, okay?" Lizzie says. "You're supposed to be helping me, MG. We need to find a nuclear option, a way to convince Josie that I am right and she needs to stay at the Salvatore School with me."

"Why do you think everything you've tried hasn't worked?" MG asks

"I didn't bring you here to ask questions, okay?" Lizzie tells him. "I brought you here to find answers."

"If you can answer that question, I kind of think you'll know what to do next." MG tells her. "Now, if it's cool with you, I got to get back. Alyssa's waiting for me."

"Well, she can continue to wait, because this is a prison world, and you can't leave until we find what we came for." Lizzie tells him

"I came here to find Landon." MG says. "So if I'm stuck here, that's what I'm gonna do." And with that, he leaves

Lizzie sighs, looking over at Sadie. "Say it." Lizzie sighs

"I wasn't going to say anything." Sadie tells her

"Of course you were, Nightshade." Lizzie says. "Come on, let's hear it, share with the blonde squad."

"You like him, right?" Sadie asks

Lizzie sighs, looking down. "Yes." She whispers

"Then tell him." Sadie says. "Don't wait to tell him...because you're going to miss your chance and then you won't be able to tell him."

"Wise words, Nightshade." Lizzie tells her

"It's from experience." Sadie says as her chest aches, thinking of Raf. "If you wait too long...the person you like is going to be gone. Most of us in this school only live once. You gotta take the leap sometimes."

***

"You're a hard man to find." Lizzie says, walking over to where MG is by a broken down house and pool area

"I've been on the move." MG tells her. "I've been vamping all over town, searching for Landon. No luck."

"Same." Lizzie says. "Not even a chest hair." She says as Sadie sits down on the deck above the two talking. She listens in and watches from above

"I thought you weren't looking." MG says

"And I thought about that question you asked me." Lizzie says. "You were right. If I want Josie to stay, I just need to come out and say it."

"But you don't want to." MG says

"Oh, I totally want to." Lizzie says. "It's just that she wants something else. And maybe I have finally realized that her happiness is just as important as mine is."

"So you're cool with Jo going to Mystic Falls?" MG realizes

"I realized something else, too." Lizzie says. "The reason I wanted you here, the reason I snapped at you... it wasn't about Josie. It was about... what Alyssa swooped in and did, before I worked up the courage to stop her."

MG and Lizzie stare at each other. It's silent for a moment as Sadie watches, biting her lip in anticipation

"Destroying the ascendant." MG says, breaking the silence

"Sure." Lizzie says with a small laugh. "Enjoy your pool party." She tells him. "Remeo." She says, using her magic to send him out of the prison world

"What happened?" Sadie asks from above Lizzie

Lizzie turns to look up at Sadie. "I couldn't take the leap." She tells Sadie. "I guess I missed my chance by a long long time."

Sadie sighs, standing up and walking down the stairs over to Lizzie. "How about we get out of here? Let's go home."

Lizzie nods, closing her eyes and pulling the two out of the prison world

***

Sadie walks into Dr Saltzman's office where Hope is still unconscious with the therapy box in front of her. But Dr Saltzman looks like he's tampering with the box

"Are you sure that's safe?" Sadie asks, closing the door behind her

"Yeah." Dr Saltzman says. "I'm pretty sure." He says, fiddling with the box

"What are you doing?" Sadie asks

"I'm gonna stop the therapy box." Dr Saltzman tells her

"Alright, that doesn't sound safe." Sadie says. She looks over to Hope's body on the couch. "You don't know what it's going to do to her. She could get stuck there."

"I was told it would be safe." Dr Saltzman says

"By who?" Sadie asks but she never got her answer because Hope sits up on the couch

"I didn't say the word." Hope says, looking around. "Why am I here?"

"Well, in layman's terms, I unplugged the damn thing." Dr Saltzman says. "Which Vardemus assured me was safe to do with a single user." Hope looks pissed as she walks over to him. "Maybe he was wrong."

"No, maybe you were." Hope tells him, using her magic to throw the therapy box at the wall. Sadie takes a few steps back, her hands up in surrender.

"Hope...What happened in there?" Dr Saltzman asks her

"You should know, since this was your plan all along." Hope tells him angrily. "You didn't put me in that box to find Landon, you put me in it so I'd give up on him." She chants a spell, holding him against the wall and Sadie's eyes widen

"If that were true, why would I pull you out?" Dr Saltzman asks through groans. "Let me show you something." He says, looking at the artifact to his side

Hope drops the spell and Dr Saltzman falls to the floor. "Is that the artifact we were looking for? How did you find that?" She asks

"By being wildly irresponsible." Dr Saltzman says with a laugh. "We'll have to do some research, figure out how to use the damn thing."

"Or better plan: I make a wish, pop it open, see what happens." Hope says

"Can't." Dr Saltzman tells her

"You reek of blood." Hope tells him. "Don't tell me that you're gonna start being responsible now."

"I've tried to open it." Dr Saltzman says. "It's locked. Probably spelled shut." Dr Saltzman puts it in Hope's hands and the artifact whirrs and opens. "Go ahead, make your wish." She closes her eyes

***

"So it didn't work?" Sadie asks in a whisper, sitting next to Hope on her bed

Hope is laying on her bed with her arms wrapped around her pillow and tears in her eyes. "Nope." Hope whispers

"Why not?" Sadie asks. "I thought it was supposed to grant you a wish. Isn't that the sole purpose of the artifact?"

"I guess it was broken." Hope says as her voice breaks. "I just...I can't believe this is happening to me again." She whispers. "He's gone...I'm never going to see him again." She says, her voice breaking again with tears

Sadie wraps her arms around Hope as her friend cries. Sadie bites her lip, holding in tears of her own 

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Hope you all enjoyed that chapter!! Remember to vote and comment!! Next chapter up NEXT MONDAY

-MC