Forever Original | Alaric Saltzman

Chapter 16

Rebekah was thrilled that Hilda was staying behind with her.

"Just us girls, then!" she said happily, getting up the next morning with a peppy attitude. "No judgemental Elijah and no obnoxious Nik! Still can't imagine how that poor girl is going to feel knowing that he's the father of her child."

Hilda smirked. "I feel badly for her. She must be pretty, though. I bet their child will be very good looking."

"Yes, us Mikaelsons are gifted with good looks," said Rebekah. "Now, join me for drinks?"

"Are you still trying to chat up that human boy?"

"Perhaps. What's it to you?"

She shrugged. "Nothing at all, just asking. I was tuned out for weeks, I don't know what happened while I was gone."

"You didn't miss much. Matt and I haven't made the greatest progress but I think he fancies me, even just a little bit."

"Good for you, Bex. Now, where are we off to? Mystic Grill?"

It was strange for Hilda to accompany Rebekah like this. They could be so casual when they weren't at each other's jokes. They drank. Teased each other. When Matt came, Hilda smirked and did her best to not embarrass her baby sister in front of him. When she left to deliver some food for him, she suggested she try to stay at the Salvatore Boarding House and have a longer conversation with him. It seemed Rebekah had taken that advice, which was a bit surprising, but it made Hilda happy, and it helped her start to heal in a healthier way.

She still fed, of course, it would have been very hard not to. She went to college parties at the nearby Whitmore just to feel something. She worked out and tried to get as strong as she could for her own protection. She began to take a bit of vervain every day to be more resistant. She talked with her sister. Now that she had cried her eyes out and grieved in a reckless way, Hilda was realizing that there would, eventually, be a way for her to feel more at peace with what had happened. Though they didn't always get along, Rebekah was the only sister that Hilda had, and she was a good outlet for any words that needed to be said. It was very slow progress either way— she still curled up at night holding something of Kol's, whether it was a shirt or a notebook. For Hilda, it felt like there would always be a profound emptiness in her soul.

The weeks went on and the two sisters remained in Mystic Falls. Rebekah was tutoring Matt to help him catch up on his assignments in time for him and his friends to graduate from high school.

The day before the teenagers were set to graduate, Hilda had accompanied them at the Grill to drink. It felt as though she was hanging out with a bunch of young children, and honestly, she was very bored, but she tried to keep her complaints silent and drowned herself in drinks instead. She was still accustomed to having Kol at her side to share criticisms with.

There was a terrible howling wind outside. It was strange, given that it wasn't currently the season for hurricane-like storms to be anywhere near them. The lights went out as Hilda was getting ready to down another drink, and she groaned, turning on the light of her phone and walking out. Objects were breaking and clattering into the street. Matt, Caroline, and Rebekah followed her out.

"The power's completely out," shouted Rebekah, seeing there was no light anywhere in town.

Caroline raised her phone to her ear. "I'll call my mom!" she shouted back. "Maybe she knows what's going on." A police cruiser drove by, its sirens sounding as people moved onto the streets, trying to get home.

"I'm going back inside to light some candles," said Rebekah. Matt followed her and Caroline sped off. Not wanting to go back, Hilda flopped down onto one of the chairs outside, putting her legs up on one of the tables. She started to play some games on her phone, humming to herself.