Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1 – Swearing out the beating in my chest.
Penelope slumps onto the passenger seat. A slight throbbing was slowly but surely assaulting her head. To make matters worse, she just knew she’d get a good talking to from her mom at the sight of the nasty cut on her lip, later on.
“Stupid lying bloodsucker.” She mutters dejectedly under her breath. Still fuming at yet another failed lead, she doesn’t notice when the other side of the car door opens and closes, her blonde companion, far less bruised but equally as pissed settling into the driver’s seat.
Caroline Forbes, the mother of the girl she loves, turns to her with disapproving eyes.
“What did I say, Penelope?”
Penelope groans, bracing for impact. “Don’t engage unless you say so.”
“And what did you do?” Caroline asks in almost a patronizing tone that makes Penelope wince. She couldn’t exactly blame the older vampire though. Fine, she may have overreacted when she realized that the shady French guy who had promised them a solution to the merge actually just wanted them to become his afternoon cup of tea.
“Nothing wannabe-twilight didn’t already have coming.”
“You almost blew his head off!” Caroline snaps incredulously.
“How was I supposed to know he had back-up?”
“You don’t. You keep a cool head, and take caution. Always. What if I wasn’t there?”
“I’d blow all of their heads off,” she answers with a smirk pulling at the cut on her lip.
Penelope expects the adult to retaliate with a sensible scolding, but Caroline only shakes her head and starts to drive off onto the road, a defeated silence enveloping the two.
Penelope was used to it by now. The feeling of utter loss taunting them after, once again, coming up empty-handed with a solution to the day they were both dreading. The merge. She’s also so used to the familiar twinge at her chest at the thought, that the pain felt like routine at this point. Then again Penelope had only been actively at this for 6 months. She can only imagine how Caroline feels, after spending years away from her twins. Not getting to see them grow up on her watch, in a bid to save their lives, must be absolute torture. Penelope decides not to give her a hard time for now.
After what felt like 20 minutes of nothing but quiet, and the dirt path finally giving way to bustling city streets, Caroline finally speaks. “I know you’re frustrated, but I won’t let you stoop that low.” Penelope doesn’t expect this. She also doesn’t know what she means. She just raises her brow in question.
“I don’t want you to know what it feels like to have blood on your hands.” Penelope thinks Caroline pauses for effect. “A life, in your hands,” she finishes. “You’re too young to carry that kind of pain.”
Penelope all but scoffs at this. They lived in a world where less than pleasant supernatural creatures like them lurked at every corner, ready to pounce at their next snack. Penelope would rather not use her magic to fight but if the situation called for it, she knew, at some point, that having to kill someone was far more likely to happen in her lifetime than the opposite. Besides she was doing this for her. For Josie. There was absolutely nothing she wouldn’t do, no blood she wouldn’t spill if it meant that Josie could live a long happy life past 22. Even if that life didn’t include her, or her bloodied up hand.
“You don’t get it.” Penelope says. “I would give up all sense of sanity if it’s the only way to save Josie from this idiotic, barbaric tradition.” She declares with utmost certainty.
It takes Caroline a second to answer, but the sudden soft tone shift is still a bit jarring.
“Because you love my daughter.” Caroline only replies with a resigned sigh, as if stating an unquestionable fact that god himself had set. “Trust me. I get it.”
The vampire offers Penelope a soft smile. “The crazy things we do for love.”
Penelope silently answers with her own, before staring out the window. She’s not shy about her feelings for a certain tall brunette. Not even when it’s the said girl’s mother. Everybody who has ever met her, and will ever meet her, knew that her heart was already spoken for, much to the dismay of almost half the witches at her new school.
Besides, practically declaring her undying love for Caroline’s daughter was the only way she could get the vampire to agree to letting her help. She still remembers the two of them staging a battle of wills, waiting for the other to concede, when she randomly showed up unannounced at Caroline’s doorstep almost 6 months ago. She won. Of course, she did. She’d always win for Josie.
The comfortable silence continues for a short while until--
“But still. No killing people, vampires, werewolves, or any other kind of potentially dangerous supernatural being. Unless I say so.” Caroline suddenly says. “Got it?” She finishes pointedly, as if she only just remembered, ten minutes after, that she still had to be the responsible adult between them. She tugs at her denim jacket, trying to prove a point.
Penelope simply chuckles, gives her a two-finger salute. “Aye, aye captain.”
Just then, Caroline’s phone blares out with an annoying 2000s pop song that sounded vaguely of Gwen Stefani’s ‘Rich Girl.’ Penelope can’t help but scrunch her nose at the sound.
“What? It’s catchy.” Caroline defends, moving to answer the call.
“Has anyone ever told you not to use your phone while driving?” Penelope says rather jokingly. “So much for being the responsible role model.”
This time it’s Caroline’s turn to roll her eyes. “Hold your horses, Nanny McPhee. I’ll put it on speaker.” Penelope grins in victory. She loves winning.
Caroline presses the call button.
“Hel-“
“Mom, finally!” an exasperated voice blares from the other end of the line. Penelope jumps slightly, before her eyes widen. She knows that godforsaken haughty tone, which just means—
“Lizzie, don’t yell.” There it is. That soft yet firm voice. It’s like music to her ears after 7 months of depravation. Josie. Suddenly, Penelope’s heart rate increases with just those three words. And with the amused smirk playing on Caroline’s mouth, she’s sure the vampire had already picked up on her flustered knee-jerk reaction.
“My girls!” Caroline almost coos. “Oh, I miss you both so much.”
“We miss you too, mom” the twins say at the same time.
“How are you? How’s everything?”
“Well—” Lizzie starts. Penelope rolls her eyes but keeps her mouth shut. Technically, she’s not supposed to be in the car right now as far as the twins know. “we have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise? I love surprises!” Penelope has to cover her mouth from laughing at how childlike the big bad blonde vampire sounded.
“We’re coming to visit you!” Lizzie all but yells again.
Caroline pales and her jaw drops. Penelope’s eyes widen even further with panic. They’re about to turn the curve leading to Caroline’s apartment building when she abruptly steps on the break, almost flinging them both onto the window shield. For once in her life, Penelope’s actually glad she wore a seatbelt.
“You--you are?” Caroline says with the most faux excited tone she can muster.
“Yeah, in Paris!” Lizzie continues. “We could go shopping, talk about boys, and…" she sounds chipper. Penelope didn't expect that. Not after everything.
“Oh,” Caroline says. The two women in the car breathe out in unprecedented relief as Lizzie riddles on about her dream vacation.
“You don’t sound too excited?” Josie chimes in. Penelope wants to turn the volume up on Caroline’s phone by a hundred.
“Please tell me you’re not there yet.” Caroline says apologetically.
“We’re still in school, mom. Dad’s about to buy the tickets though.” Josie replies steadily.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want us there?” A more frantic Lizzie questions. Penelope can’t tell if she’s annoyed or angry, or both. Knowing Lizzie, she settles for both. Caroline starts driving again after a few impatient cars honk at her from behind.
“No-no, honestly, it’s not that. Of course, I want to see you girls for the break.” Caroline appeases her daughter quickly. “There’s nothing I’d want more. It’s just that…well…I’m not in Paris anymore. You know, with these recruiting missions, I can never stay put.”
“We know,” the twins simultaneously say again. There’s a certain lilt to their tone that Penelope can’t quite place.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter. We’ll just tell dad to buy us a flight to wherever you are.” Lizzie says.
“If that’s ok with you, of course.” Josie seconds.
Always the considerate one, Penelope thinks.
“Of course, it is. Why would you even ask that, honey?”
Caroline looks to Penelope. Her face both an apology and a question. Penelope doesn’t understand why. It’s not like she could stop Caroline from seeing her own children, or vise versa, so she just shrugs her shoulders as if to convey this isn’t any of my business.
“Alright, girls. Tell your dad to get you the next flight out to Antwerp, instead.”
“Antwerp?” Lizzie says, she can hear the confused scowl that must be forming on the blonde's face.
“Wait--” Josie interrupts. There’s a strain to the brunette's voice that hurts Penelope.
A beat.
She can practically hear the gears in Josie’s head turning. The anticipation raps at her chest. “You mean, you’re in Belgium?”
“Yes, sweetie.”
A miniscule “Oh” comes out from Josie’s lips. It reaches Penelope’s ears from the other side of the world and she just wants to snatch it up and put it in her pocket.
“Is something wrong, honey?” Caroline asks. She knows damn well why Josie would react that way, but still, she does so for good measure.
“Nothing!” Josie squeaks a little to frenziedly. “Nothing’s wrong. Why would anything be wrong. See you in a few hours, mom. I’m so sorry I have to go. I just remembered I have homework to do.”
“But we’re on break.” Lizzie points out.
“Bye.”
Before Caroline can even get a word in, they hear hurried footsteps echoing from the hardwood floors of Alaric’s office. A door slams shut, and Penelope sinks to the bottom of her seat, covering her head with her palm. She hates this. Judging from Josie’s reaction, the other girl probably resents her (even more than she already did) for leaving so quickly, right after dropping that huge bomb on her life, and is dreading even the slightest chance at somehow magically bumping into her, no matter the relative size of Belgium.
“That was weird.” Lizzie says. And suddenly, Penelope fumes with anger at how insensitive Lizzie truly is to her sister’s feelings. She’s not exactly sure what went down after she left and the twins finally unearthed their parents’ grim secret, but from the sound of it, it seems like her least favorite twin hasn’t changed a bit. She can’t quite grasp how that’s possible, but before she can open her mouth with insults and inevitably reveal herself, she feels a hand on her shoulder holding her down, as if to say ‘not now.’ Looking to Caroline who has her eyes trained on her phone, all Penelope sees is a mother fondly missing her daughters.
“Talk to your sister, Lizzie. Please. I’ll see you soon.”
Lizzie sighs. “I’m sorry.” Wait what? Penelope didn’t expect the apology to come so quickly. “I will, mom. See you.”
“I love you both.”
“We love you too.”
They hear the phone click, and only then does Penelope realize that they’ve been sitting in the apartment building’s parking lot for the past few minutes. She lets out an involuntary shaky breath that she didn’t even know she was holding, receiving a warm sympathetic look from Caroline, who knows not to say anything just yet.
“Guess I’ll have to pack my things first huh?” is all she ends up saying, her voice unusually hoarse. Although she’s quite certain it’s because she misses Josie so damn much, her chest feels like a dumpster fire on crack.
Caroline just nods. Right now, she doesn’t know how to appease the teenager’s fast beating heart. She’s worried it just might run out of Penelope’s chest at the rate it’s going.
Young love, Caroline thinks. God, help them.
------------------------------------------------------
She had emptied out her room at lightning speed, or at least the one she had been borrowing at Caroline’s apartment for long school breaks like this. Then again, there wasn’t really much to pack. Much of her stuff were boxed, still at home, while some of them were in her dorm room in her all-witch school. What she had left, she had brought here. Just a few changes of clothes, books to distract her, and two small picture frames. One of her family, and one of her and Josie from back when they were together. They were laying on Penelope’s bed, Josie peacefully sleeping on Penelope’s chest, memories of better times. She can’t do anything else but drink in the photo in her hand now, Josie’s voice still ringing in her head. Her curt good bye to her mom from earlier, like she couldn’t get out of there fast enough, mocks Penelope like a broken record.
Finally, she gets herself to stash the photo into her bag, carefully, of course, and zips it closed. Penelope takes a final sweep around the room, making sure it’s completely clean, no random sock, unruly ribbon, no trace of her in sight. Just like how Josie would want it. Then again, she hopes Caroline’s smart enough not to give Josie this room when the twins arrive. She’s sure there are two more vacant rooms that would better suit the brunette.
She finds Caroline in the kitchen, gingerly sipping at a glass of blood, when Penelope comes out of the room with her one packed weekender bag. The blonde lifts up her head at the sound of approaching footsteps and offers her drink to Penelope. “Want some?” she says cheekily. “Just kidding. Here,” she picks up the glass of orange juice on the counter.
Penelope takes it, she furrows her brows in the process. “Ever the comedian, huh?”
Caroline sets down her glass. “You okay? You seemed a bit flustered earlier.” She points out without preamble.
Penelope just shrugs it off and says “It’s Josie.” Hoping it was good enough of an answer.
Caroline nods in understanding.
She isn’t sure when her relationship with her ex’s mom turned from uncomfortable car rides to an unknown location, to quiet supportive sighs under the too bright lighting of Caroline’s kitchen. Maybe it’s the weight of the situation they’re in, or the shared frustration and disappointment with each passing hopeless lead that comes their way. Either way, Penelope appreciates the shift. She never knew she could be at muddled peace with a vampire. Let alone Josie’s mother of all people, but here they were.
“Did you tell your parents you’re coming home?” Caroline asks.
Penelope shrugs. “Actually, this couldn’t have happened at a better time. They really are expecting me home. Mom’s throwing a party in two days.”
“A party?”
“You know, like one of those charity galas.”
“Didn’t she just have one like 3 months ago?”
“Oh, that was just a regular party. You know, the one where she shows off how powerful and rich she is.”
“As opposed to this one?”
“This one’s to flaunt her perfect little philanthropic family. Read this: we’re the Parks, and we care!” Penelope waves through the air with her open hand. There’s no masking the annoyance in her voice.
“What, does your mom plan on running for prime minister of Belgium or something?”
Penelope doesn’t answer, just sips at her tangy drink.
“Seriously?”
“I can never tell with her.”
Caroline really doesn’t have anything to say to that.
A short beat passes with the two women just standing there, taking in their respective glasses.
“Oh no, that won’t do!” Caroline says, cutting through the silence so off-handedly that Penelope almost spills her orange juice.
“What won’t?”
“That huge ass cut on your lip. Oh my god, your mom’s gonna have a field day with me!” Caroline groans. Penelope reaches up at the mentioned anomaly, wincing at the unexpected pain. She had forgotten all about it with the rush of the twins’ phone call.
“It’s okay, Ms. Forbes. I’ll just use a healing spell on it.”
“Are you sure? I have betadine.” It was a weird thing to hear from a vampire who can self-heal.
“Yeah, I think my magic will do just fine,” she concedes. “When are they arriving?” Penelope tries to ask with total nonchalance. It barely follows through.
“I’m picking them up tomorrow afternoon.”
“You must be thrilled.”
“Obviously.” Caroline says with gleaming eyes, but it’s gone seconds later, and instead, she leans on the counter top, towards Penelope, her hands now intertwined, eyes squinted in seeming deep interest. “But we already knew that. How about we talk about you and your feelings?”
Nope.
“Well, I’m off!” Penelope turns abruptly. As much as she appreciates the woman’s concern, she’s not quite ready to think about what she would do or say if she saw Josie again. Just the mere fact that the two of them would just be a drive away from each other in a few hours, hasn’t even sunken in yet.
“Penelope.” Caroline tries.
“Thank you, Ms. Forbes, and I’m sorry about earlier. I’ll see you in a few weeks, I guess.” Penelope hurriedly opens the door.
“Hold on!” The vampire’s firm tone is enough to stop her in her tracks. You can’t deny, the ostensibly barbie-looking princess can be quite terrifying when she wanted to. She rounds the counter and walks towards the restless witch.
“What are you going to do when Josie gets here, and she decides she wants to look for you? You’re not planning on hiding from her are you?” Penelope can practically see the protective mother slowly creeping into Caroline’s fixed stance, back straight, arms crossed, all kinds of intimidating. “I mean, you were the one who tipped her off about the merge. Which, by the way, I’m still pissed about.”
“I won’t be hiding. I’ll just be at home.”
“I’m serious.”
“Why does it matter? From the way she sounded earlier, I’m the last person she’d want to bump into.” Penelope says, fighting hard to keep her bubbling emotions at bay.
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do,” she takes an unsteady deep breath, hating how desperate the next words that come out of her mouth sound. “I told her I loved her. Twice. And she just stood there. Up until that moment I hadn’t given up on looking for a reason to stay.” Her voice cracks only slightly. She doesn’t exactly know what she had waited for in the moment. She didn’t need Josie to say it back, she knew she wouldn’t. Asking her to stay wouldn’t have worked either unless the other girl promised to actually try and put herself first for once. All she knows right now is that she just wants to end this conversation already. “But nothing came.”
Caroline is looking at her with pity now and Penelope absolutely abhors the thought, hates herself for letting her walls come down so quick.
The vampire purses her lips. “So why’d you show up at my door 6 months ago?” she continues to prod, gently now, as if she’d break Penelope in some way with just the wrong question. Penelope hopes she’d stop asking at all. “Why did you fight your way into all of these dangerous missions, risking your life, just to find a loophole to the merge, if you’re so sure Josie doesn’t feel the same way you do? Why not just stay in your new school, and leave it at that? Maybe have a grand, happy life as the future prime minister’s daughter.”
The young witch is taken aback at that. She simply shakes her head and ignores the subtle jab at her mother. The answer should be obvious right? To a vampire who’s seen so much and gone through hell and back for the people she cared about, it should be obvious. She shouldn’t have to say it out loud.
But she does anyway.
“Because true love never asks to be loved back.”
Caroline doesn’t answer after that.
She doesn’t have to. This kid, she thinks, how is she just seventeen?
They simply exchange yet another one of their understanding sighs before Penelope leaves with a forced smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.
“I’ll be back, Ms. Forbes.”
Caroline gives her a soft smile. “I have no doubts about it, dear,” she says.
Then, remembering “Oh and don’t forget to spell that cut away.”
Penelope manages a small chuckle “Yes, ma’am.”
The door closes shut behind the witch.
With one deep breath, Caroline starts cleaning the place, getting ready for Josie and Lizzie’s arrival.