"I am not proud of what I did. But let's be real. You're the reason she went dark in the first place."

A sullen grasp escapes the mouth of the occupants in the hallway. A wave of anticipation blankets them.

One beat.

Two beats.

Three beats.

Lizzie waits. Her face doesnt give away the sting of vipers all over her body. She had mastered the art of masking her pain. Another wave of heat washes over as the knowledge of needing to practice this skill in front of hope sets in.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Hope was supposed to be her best friend. Hope was supposed to protect her. But all she has done in the last few days is the antonym.

As if going behind her back and manipulating Josie wasn't enough, Hope was now blaming Lizzie for Lord Josiemort.

The heart beating in her begged through the razor-sharp nails clawing at it for Hope to take it back. To tell her she didn't mean it. To say it was in the heat of the moment.

She does not.

Instead, the Mikaelson witch turned on her heel and Lizzie could only watch as she rounded the corner and was out of sight- ripping out the last ounce of trust she had left and taking it with her. She dropped the wet towel on the wooden floor.

Taking in deep breath she turned her glare to the students around. "What are you overgrown gorillas looking at? Get your ass back to your rooms," she growled menacingly. The magic radiated on her pale skin, ready to commit a heinous crime she would not be proud of later. Afraid to cross the blonde even more, the supernaturals stumbled back to the dorms they came from, tripping on each other in the process.

"I am not proud of what I did. But let's be real. You're the reason she went dark in the first place."

Those shrill words echoed in her mind as she trudged out into the world and away from her friend- former friend.

"You're the reason she went dark in the first place."

"My fault." A hollow laugh bubbled up her dry throat.

The wind picked up around the siphon witch. Leaves and little rocks slammed into each other in a rhythm that put a vampire's speed to shame. An animalistic scream tore through her mouth sending large boulders into trees and lighting cackled above her.

She screamed. Again and again until her voice gave up. The metallic taste in her mouth was the telltale sign of how much she was going to regret it later on. It was then, that she realised the sky had darkened to a hue of red and black.

She scanned her surroundings for hop- any sign of life. The little faith in her longed for it to be proved right. For hope to show up and apologise.

Again, she did not.

The blonde dropped to her knees, leaning her cramped back against a tree trunk, heaving slightly. An episode always takes a lot of her. Or maybe it's the damned emotions.

It is not her fault that Josie went dark. It was her choice to continue dabbling with dark magic despite Lizzie's multiple warnings. She knew full well, that it affected her sister just as much. Hell, I almost died because of that. Albeit, the brunette didn't exactly have a choice at that time. Alyssa Chang was the one who took the cake for that. Hope, of all people, knows that- should have known that. She was the one who figured out what happened first.

Unable to fight gravity any longer, her form slumped forward until she was lying on her back. The stars twinkled brightly and Lizzie could sigh at the tears that willingly left her blue orbs. The air was getting chilly and her bones were shaking.

She didn't care. No one else did.

Alaric was too busy getting drunk in his office. Josie- her sister who was by her side her entire life- was at another school. Because of Hope's stupid plan. Lizzie didn't blame her for wanting her own life. In fact, she was happy because Josie was happy. I just wish there was another way we could be happy.

Caroline cared. Lizzie knew that. The blonde vampire was always the one she could count on. No matter what. But right now, at this moment, she was halfway across the globe.

Hope Andrea mikaelson. Bitter enemies turned friends, turned best friends, turned lov... best friends. We are best friends. But her best friend wasn't there anymore. This was someone else. Someone so wrapped up in herself and her boyfriend that she failed to notice what was happening around her.

Lizzie was falling apart. She needed hope to be by her side. To hold her and reassure her that everything would be okay.

The crunching of leaves brought her out of her reverie. Normally, she would have been jumping to her feet and readying a spell to attack. Today, she doesn't have the energy to deal with another monster of the week. So remains there- on her back, eyes glued to the sky that looked like droplets of white had been dropped on a raven canvas.

"Hey," the person, hope, Lizzie recognises, calls out. Her tone is tight and cautious. She hasn't taken that with her ever. Not even when they were bitter enemies. The hostility would have been glaringly obvious then. This isn't normal, not what she wanted. It only makes her cry harder. "Can we talk?"

The younger witch rolls her eyes in exasperation. "Go away, Princess Mary Sue. I am sure you have a gremlin to take care of. Or maybe the burning bird is looking for his bodyguard." she croaks out, missing the edge of meanness her voice usually had.

Hope seemed to notice too because it doesn't scare hope away. "The gremlin has been taken care of and Landon is with Cleo." She sets herself down beside Lizzie. They wait in uncomfortable silence. The auburn-haired girl is getting restless by the second. The hands on her stomach fidget incessantly.

"I am sorry." the older girl starts. She couldn't stand the awkwardness between them. She hated it.

It takes a minute before Lizzie responds. "I didn't ask for it."

"I know but..."

"I didn't ask for Josie to break the sand clock," she clarifies. "In case you have forgotten, I almost died because of it. If anyone, Alyssa should be taking the blame. I asked her to stop, Hope. Time and time again. She didn't listen."

"I know. I know. And I'm so sorry Lizzie. It's not your fault. I don't know what came over me. I just...I am sorry." She experiments by reaching over and taking Lizzie's pale hand on her own. She realises a breath she didn't know she was holding when the blonde doesnt pull away. That relief quickly turns into worry when she realises how cold the blonde is. Knowing it was useless to try and get her to go inside, she cast a simple warming spell under her breath.

Lizzie relishes the heat that floods her chilled nerves. "Thanks," she mumbles barely above a whisper. She feels hope nodding her head, indicating she heard it.

They continue staring at the stars. "Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you fight back?"

"Because I trusted you to not hurt me."

Any retort she had died in her throat. What was she supposed to say to that? I messed up big time.

"I am so sorry, Lizzie. I shouldn't have said that. Whatever happened to Josie was not your fault. None of this is your fault.

"I've tried. I am still trying to change and become a better person. That stupid bracelet. Miss Mystic falls. Taking my pills again even if they make me feel sick. Spending all of the summer break with shrinks and doctors. Being there for Josie and respecting her decision to put away her magic and now go to Mystic Falls High. I don't like it but it makes her happy so I sucked it up. Nobody at school sees it. I am still Josette Saltzman's evil twin."

"You are not..."

Lizzie cut her off with a sniff. "I don't care about them. But I didn't expect that from you, hope. I thought we understood each other. There was no need to hide in-in front of you."

Hope sat up and cradled the girl silently crying into her lap. Holding her close, she whispered into her ear. "I am sorry, Liz. I am so sorry. You don't have to hide from me. I saw it all. I have seen the progress you've made. You are not or you were never the evil twin. I am sorry for whatever I said. I don't mean it and if I could, I would take it back."

"You're lying." Lizzie whimpered and curled in on herself further. She couldn't take it. It was all too much.

"I am not."

"You are lying. Just like all those people at school. You think that I was responsible for whatever Josie did. You don't get it!" she wailed.

"Then explain it to me. I wanna understand it."

"I can't do it anymore. I can't pretend like everything is fine! I can't fight it anymore. Every Morning I wake up and look for something to keep me going. Something to keep me from ending it all. Dad doesnt care and mom is not even here half the time. It was Josie. She kept me alive this whole time. And now..." she trailed off. A gut-wrenching sob shook her frame and hope rubbed circles on her back.

It was getting harder for the redhead to keep her own tears at bay but she had to. For now, she needed to help her best friend. "I am not lying. I can't say I completely understand what you're going through but I'm trying. and I should have been more attentive. Instead, I've been so wrapped up in Landon that I didn't see how much you needed me. I Promise I'll do better. I am going to help you get through this Lizzie. Always and forever."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." The siphon tried to pry herself off hope, but the older girl won't budge. She only held on tighter.

"This isn't a promise I can't keep," she intertwined her fingers in her lap and planted a soft kiss on the back of Lizzie's palm. "It's a promise I will die keeping."

"You can't because they are right. I am broken and needy. Eventually, you'll get tired and leave."

Hope cleaned her jaw at the thought of someone saying such things to Lizzie. "Who said that to you?" she gritted out.

Lizzie chewed her inner lip. "Doest matter. They are right."

"You are Lizzie Saltzman. A brilliant, funny, strong and dedicated woman. Sure, you can be bitchy at times, but your heart is in the right place," and that is why I love you. "Ten years down the road when you are living your best lives and dreams, all of those people who called you names and bullied you will regret it. Because you, Elizabeth Jenna Saltzman, are one special person. Anyone would be lucky to be with you."

"You mean that?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

They sat there in that position for god knows how long. The blonde had stopped struggling and allowed Hope to hold her as she cried herself to sleep. The sun rays shone brightly through the canopy indicating that the dark night had ended. A brand new day awaited them.

The Mikaelson witch gently shook Lizzie awake. "Morning."

"M-morning." the girl stammered out, her cheeks flushed taking in the position they were in. "We should head back to school." she abruptly got up from Hope's lap and they started making their way back.

"Forgive me?" Hope asked as they reached the doors to the Salvatore boarding school.

Lizzie sighed and looked at Hope. She could see the worry lines forming on her forehead. "Not yet. Whatever you said really hurt hope," seeing the disappointed look, she quickly added. "But with time, I will."

"I'll wait because you are worth it."

"Don't go soft on me, Mikaelson." the blonde called over her shoulder taking off down the hallway.

"Only for you Saltzman."

A/N: A story request by  @user45918052. Don't forget to R&R!