Until Forever

Chapter 17

"Biological dad? I thought Stefan was her biological dad" Hope says confused as she looks around the room feeling a lot of tension.

"As far as I'm concerned he is" Josie pushed away from Alaric and backed up coming to stand next to Hope who was just standing there holding the bags of baby clothes.

"I've come to be back in your life, I've changed my ways, I'm no longer drinking and I want a chance to be there for you," the man said putting his hands in his pockets.

"You're kidding right?" Josie scoffed "where's Lizzie?" the brunette asked her mom.

"She panicked when she saw him so your dad took her out for a bit," Caroline said crossing her arms.

"I should probably go..." the auburnette pointed to the door and slowly started backing up only to be stopped by Josie who grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards her "no you're here for me don't let his presence make you leave."

"Look, I'm sorry for walking out on you and your sister, sweetie but I do want to be here for you now, and with you having a baby, maybe he can get to know his old grandpa," Alaric chuckled.

"You walked out on us when we were 5! without even so much a goodbye and would randomly show up out of nowhere very few years... when you finally stopped showing up I thought that was going to be the end of it but here you are" she shook her head "Stefan is my father, he may not be my blood but he raised me and that's more than I can say for you, and as for my son, you will never come near him ever" the brunette said before grabbing Hope's hand and bringing her to her room.

When they got into the room the shorter girl set the bags on the bed before turning to Josie who was running her hands through her hair and taking deep breaths.

"Are you okay?" Hope said softly as she stepped closer to the brunette who shook her head.

"I don't know why he does this, I was somewhat happy... then he shows up."

"Come here" Hope held her arms open and the brunette walked into them, wrapping her arm around the girl and burying her face in her neck.

"You need to calm down okay?... I know this is stressful... but stress isn't good for you or him" she rubbed the girl's back.

"I know I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry..." Hope whispered and placed a soft kiss on Josie's forehead while rubbing her back.

When Hope went to pull away Josie
clung to her tighter, pulling her in as best she could with her stomach in the way "no stay, please?"

Hope stood there for a moment before she nodded "yeah okay, do you want to lay down? we've been out all day."

Josie nodded before pulling away and making her way toward the bed while Hope just awkwardly stood there not knowing what to do.

The brunette patted the spot next to her and looked up at Hope "are you going to lay with me?"

"Oh! yes," she nodded and immediately began taking off her shoes, almost tripping over herself in the process before she climbed into the bed next to Josie.

The brunette turned to her side and Hope put her arm on the girl's waist and pulled her against her body.

Josie grabbed the blanket and put it over the both of them before turning in Hope's arms and nuzzling her face in the girl's neck.

After a couple of minutes of being pressed against Hope's body, she started to feel something hard press against her and pulled her face away slightly to look at Hope.

"You do realize we aren't doing anything like that right?" she smirked.

"What?" Hope says before looking down, seeing the bulge in her jeans "shit sorry- it happens sometimes-" she pulled away a bit only to be pulled back in by Josie.

"It's okay I don't mind," she said before laying her head back on Hopes' chest.

The auburnette took a deep breath to calm herself down. And it worked after a while and both Josie and Hope ended up falling asleep in each other's arms.

Later that night when Hope went home Josie headed to the living room where she saw Lizzie and her mom on the couch.

"Where's Alaric? lurking somewhere" the brunette looked around before sitting by her twin who laid her head on Josie's shoulder.

"After a long... long rant to me, he finally went back to his home" Caroline sighed.

"Let me guess he's still trying to be in our lives?" she scoffed and the blonde nodded.

"Yeah, apparently he just got an apartment not too far from us and wants you, girls, to come over and spend the night one day."

"Yeah that's not happening, I'm 18 it's not like he can try and get custody of me anymore, I don't want him in my life."

"Don't be mad but... I think I want to give him a chance" Lizzie said suddenly.

Both Caroline and Josie looked at Lizzie who sat up "I know he left us but I've always wanted to know him for as long as I can remember, and it does seem like he's trying."

"What if he just hurts you again?" the brunette said.

"Then he hurts me... but I think I should give him a chance to prove himself... if he doesn't then I'm cutting all ties with him forever."

"Although I don't want that for myself I'm not going to be angry at you for wanting to give him a chance, but if he hurts you I will- well I can't exactly do anything in my current state... but I will send Hope after him because you're my twin and I love you," Josie said.

"Thank you Jo" Lizzie smiled and wrapped her arms around her twin and pulled her in for a hug.

"Okay, you two get to bed, you have school tomorrow," Caroline said kissing her daughter's foreheads.

"Goodmorning" Hope said handing her a breakfast burrito as soon as she walked into the school.

"Good morning" Josie smiled before they walked to her locker.

"I heard we have a new English teacher," the auburn said.

"What happened to Ms.Meyer?"

"She's having a baby so she's gonna be out for a few months, our new teacher is the temp."

Josie nodded in response before closing her locker and walking toward their English class.

The brunette stopped in her tracks when she saw who their teacher was. Josie turned to Hope and sighed.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said looking at Alaric who was writing his name on the board.

"Oh hi, sweetie" he smiled and put the chalk down.