Lizzie and Jed had come to see them.

Rhysaenya and Ryan knew it was going to end badly from the moment they saw the pair sitting on a couple of chairs in the hotel lobby. Hope wasn't afraid. Why should she be? She didn't care about them. But Rhysaenya did. And she knew that Lizzie and Jed might end up dead for having come to challenge her. Why else would they have come?

The worst part was that she was sure Hope could easily keep her and Ryan from interfering in whatever was about to happen. It was all in the hands of the Seven now.

"Not who I was betting on," said Hope, leading them into one of the hotel's conference rooms. "But I guess I did underestimate your stupidity."

"You killed Ethan's mom," said Jed angrily. "For no reason."

"Oh, what is it going to take for you people to understand that my humanity being off means I don't care?" She stopped in her tracks once Rhysaenya closed the door, gesturing to Lizzie's jacket. "Think a stake is going to help you?"

At least they hadn't come unarmed. But Rhysaenya wished they'd brought a better fight. This wasn't going to help their case. What were the odds of them taking Hope down even if she, Ryan, Lizzie, and Jed worked together? Hope could probably flick her wrist and break all their necks at the same time.

Lizzie smiled darkly, holding out her weapon and revealing it was carved from red oak. "It's not just any stake."

Hope raised her eyebrows. "I honestly didn't see this coming." She didn't seem too worried.

The blonde tried to look smug. "The real Vardemus actually has a pretty useful therapy box that helped me discover a new side of myself."

"The side that cosplays as a vampire hunter with her rabid dog?" Hope snorted, ignoring the offended look on Jed's face. "Do you honestly believe Dumb and Dumber can pull this off?"

"We're willing to do whatever it takes to end this," said Jed coldly. "We were all there that night, Hope. We saw what The Watcher did to the school after coming back from saving your ass."

"Pity you couldn't save Sebastian."

"We would have stood by you through anything. We knew it wasn't your fault Raf died. But turning it off? Demanding we all pitch in to bring you back? Then going and doing this? Sheriff Machado did nothing to you. And Dr. Saltzman–"

Hope held out her arms. "And how exactly do you expect to fight me without dying?"

"I like our odds," said Lizzie, seeing that Rhysaenya and Ryan weren't exactly leaping at the chance to stop them. But they weren't trying to jump into the fight, either. Ryan kept looking at Rhysaenya as if to convince her that they needed to get the hell out and let nature run its course. Lizzie and Jed had dug their graves.

The tribrid began to circle them. "See, here's the thing you need to understand about therapy. Knowing what you need to do and going through with it are two different things. You've never killed anyone, Lizzie. Everyone else in this room has." She brushed her hair away from her chest. "Now's your chance. Let's see if you have it in you."

Lizzie hesitated, perhaps hoping someone would stop her. Had she not thought this through? Had she not expected she might need to deal the final blow?

Rhysaenya was praying they hadn't come alone, praying that this was all part of a larger plan, that the Mikaelsons were waiting outside to take Hope away from all this and fix her. There had to be more to this, right? They couldn't have been stupid enough to come so ill-prepared...

The witch held the stake up, hand trembling as Hope moved closer, giving her a clean shot. Rhysaenya knew she wasn't going to go through with it. She couldn't. Not even Jed seemed keen on being the one to kill Hope.

The only one in their group who could probably manage it was Ryan, if he could even be considered one of them. Probably not. Second in line was Rhysaenya, solely based on the fact she was more desensitized to murder than the rest of them. Hope knew that everything was going to work out perfectly for her, that was the problem. She wouldn't take them seriously. They'd lost from the moment they came looking for her.

"Do it," said Hope, egging her on, knowing damn well it wouldn't amount to anything. Lizzie couldn't do it.

"I came here wanting to make you hurt," said Lizzie, still holding the stake but making no move to actually kill Hope. As if she ever expected she could make one of her friends her first kill. Despite all of Lizzie's cruel actions, murder wasn't something she was capable of. "Like you hurt all of us. But seeing you in front of me, I..." she shuddered, voice shaking, "I hate this. I hate how many good memories I have of you. I hate that I have to be the one to do this, because no one else will. But most of all, I hate you for being my friend and for being a part of my weird, messed-up family and for making me love you, Hope Mikaelson. Because no matter how far you go, no matter how evil you become... apparently, I can't be the one to stop you."

Was that the plan? To incite just a bit of fear with what was probably not a real piece of red oak, to give room for a confession of sisterhood that Lizzie had been denying for the longest time?

It could be what they needed all along. Hope wouldn't come back for Rhysaenya, already knowing how much she cared and knowing that even when the going got tough, Rhysaenya would be there. It would mean more to hear, from someone who usually didn't let her know she mattered to her, that she had value and was wanted somewhere.

Rhysaenya and Ryan still didn't have any faith. It was horrible to stand there, waiting, unsure how Hope would take it.

It couldn't possibly be enough...

Hope suddenly gave a gasp, tears sprouting into her eyes. "Hope," said Lizzie softly. "Are you–?"

She nodded weakly, trembling as if the weight of everything she'd done was crashing down on her all at once. "Yeah... I'm back... oh, god, please put that away."

"It's okay," said Lizzie, handing the red oak stake to Jed. "We burned the rest of the new sapling. Long story, it was born on campus. This is the only piece we had. Josie insisted you weren't too far gone, I wanted to believe her but I couldn't so I kept a piece..."

The dragon wanted to believe that this was it. She wanted to trust that there could be a good outcome in this. Seeing Hope so tense, feeling she didn't deserve their kindness... it was too easy to cling to it.

Rhysaenya motioned for Lizzie to stop talking, rushing to Hope and hugging her tightly, relaxing as she felt the tribrid hugging her back. "You're okay," Rhysaenya whispered, drawing back to cup her face. "It's okay, breathe."

Hope tried, stepping away. "I... all those things I did..."

"We will fix it," offered Jed. "All of it. I'm sure you can heal Dr. Saltzman and if anyone can figure out how to bring back Sebastian and Raf, it's you. 'Cause you're awesome, you know that, right? You went through a rough patch. It's okay." He offered her the stake, and she immediately began to tear up more, grateful that they hadn't used it.

At least, that was the foolish assumption they'd made. Rhysaenya hated herself for not seeing it.

Maybe Ryan had been right. Maybe it was time to give up.

"You had your shot," said Hope flatly, holding up the stake. "And you didn't even take it. Incendia."

The stake ignited, burning into a pile of ash in her hand. Everyone took several steps back as Hope's expression darkened. "Your humanity," said Ryan, motioning for everyone to move toward the nearest exit. "It never came back on."

"It was a good act," said Hope smugly.

"Hope," said Lizzie shakily. "I meant what I said. Every word. Deep down, I believe that there is still some good in you."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, everyone keeps saying that! Do you know how many times a day Rhysaenya is reminding me that I asked her to bring me back? I am done with that idea. Let's prove everyone wrong. There is no good left in me. So run, fight me, I don't care. The end result is gonna be the same."

"This is stupid!" shrieked Lizzie, pushing Jed behind her. She was laughing nervously, perhaps convincing herself more than anyone. "You're not actually gonna kill us. We all know that. You haven't killed anyone that you care about. You're just being a bully, so drop the act!" She was panicking more and more with each sentence. "Okay, there are some lines that even you won't cr–"

Rhysaenya barreled into Hope as she made for Lizzie, tackling her into the ground. If she'd had the guts to burn her, she might have actually slowed her down.

Hope threw her off with ease, flicking her hand and dragging Lizzie and Jed's bodies toward her before they could even exit the conference room. She grabbed Lizzie by the throat, biting into her own wrist and shoving it against her mouth before snapping her neck. She did the same to Jed, but opted to rip out his heart, tossing it at Rhysaenya's feet.

"No!" she screamed, kneeling down beside their bodies and holding their hands, shocked that this had been the turn of events, that Hope would have taken it this far. "No– how could– how could you?"

Was she really gone?

"I love proving people wrong," said Hope, motioning for Ryan to come closer. "When they wake up..." she drained some of her blood into a small vase, "Jed will need to feed on this to transition. Lizzie can take a chunk out of Rhysaenya. Which reminds me–"

She shoved her still cut wrist onto Rhysaenya's mouth, forcing her to drink. Rhysaenya's eyes widened in fear, trying to shove her off, figuring Hope was going to turn her next. Rid her of her vampire powers, make her able to be compelled.

But she didn't. All she did was make her drink, holding the back of Rhysaenya's head and looking into her eyes, feeling nothing when she saw how scared she was, assuming the worst. Why wouldn't she?

Hope didn't care about her fear. Vampires could grow stronger drinking the blood of those like them. If she theorized that dragons could grow faster by drinking human blood, why not make them drink blood that actually accelerated such metabolic processes?

Rhysaenya would have to thank her for it someday.

If she ever forgives you for this...

Shut up.

"What the hell are you doing?" snapped Ryan, pulling Rhysaenya away. "Alright, enough!"

"I need foot soldiers," Hope reminded him. "You and Rhysaenya can't be compelled. But they will be compellable. And as soon as they wake, I'm going to find out what they know, make sure I am a step ahead of anyone who tries to come after me, and then, I'm going to find The Watcher, and send you four off to weaken her before I deal the killing blow." She wiggled her fingers. "Get a handle on that. I have an errand to run."

Rhysaenya grabbed her. "Where are you going?!"

"To find that blade that can kill The Watcher. You two can deal with them in the meantime. Oh, and Rhysaenya, keep an eye on that throat of yours. Newbies don't know how to control themselves."

They had to create a distraction out in the lobby (setting one of the sitting areas on fire) to carry the two dead bodies back up to their hotel room, laying them on the floor side by side, waiting for them to wake up.

Rhysaenya almost wished for them not to wake up. Would their existence be better forced into servitude under a tyrant that would send them right to their deaths against The Watcher? Would they ever truly be able to enjoy the vampirism they were now saddled with? How could Hope think this a good idea? Lizzie and Jed barely knew how to fight as a witch and wolf, how would they take advantage of new abilities?

At the same time, she had been so scared when she realized Hope's humanity was still off and that she was definitely going to kill the two of them. The fact she'd taken the time to feed them her blood was the only reason she would get to see them again. She hadn't lost her friends.

If she had, she wasn't sure she would have stuck around.

"Those idiots," said Ryan, pacing by the window. "How do you come here without a better plan or just several plans in case one doesn't go your way? How do you let your weapon be known so easily?"

"I don't think they have experience with this sort of thing," murmured Rhysaenya. "We are so screwed. I... I can't give up on her but she's making it so hard."

"We don't have to stay here. We're not compelled. We could take their bodies and get the hell out. Figure out where everyone else is and go from there."

"Let me see what I can find out on my own first."

Josie was in shambles, glued to Alaric's bedside at the hospital. He was in a coma, and neither MG or Kaleb thought their blood would heal him. There was a high chance he was going to die.

Caroline had vacated the school, getting all the students back to their parents. For those who didn't have families they could rely on, there was a shelter in place thanks to a generous donation by Elena and Damon Salvatore, along with several Protection Spells by Bonnie Bennett. The Super Squad (none of them feeling very super) were all that remained. The Mikaelsons were not yet ready to enact their plan, but with the news Rhysaenya delivered, had no other choice than to be ready at a moment's notice.

This was their time to strike. They couldn't wait any longer, or Hope would continue to kill them all. MG and Kaleb, she just had to torture and bleed of vervain and then she could turn them into soldiers, too. Cleo and Wade, she'd probably kill. Landon, she wouldn't use. He couldn't be killed or controlled. Maybe she'd put him to sleep the way Aurora had been. As for Josie, she might kill her permanently if she didn't feel she needed another Heretic. It didn't bode well. Everyone had all but given up.

Lizzie was the first to wake up, gasping loudly and scaring the crap out of Rhysaenya, who had been zoned out, trying to figure out what they could do before Hope came back.

"Stay calm!" she squeaked, reaching out to hold Lizzie. "I'm going to let you feed, but it can't be from my neck, so please–" she shook her firmly when the girl started to hyperventilate. "Lizzie, for the love of the Mother, stop whatever you're doing!"

Rhysaenya raised her knife, slicing open her wrist and offering it to her. Lizzie didn't hesitate to bite in, feeding as long as she needed to complete the transition, then immediately drawing away, gagging and wiping her mouth.

"Ugh, that is so gross!" she complained.

"Only you would complain about becoming a vampire," said Rhysaenya weakly. "How do you feel?"

"Still hungry," she said, vampire face emerging.

"I'll drain my blood into a cup for you. Don't–" she held out her arm to keep her from going for Ryan. "He doesn't have real blood, you're not going to get anything from him. Ry, could you check Hope's fridge? Maybe she has a blood bag."

He sprinted out immediately. Lizzie tried to follow, but ran right into the wall at full speed. She groaned, holding her head. "Okay, that was embarrassing. Still getting the hang of my new powers, so bear with me."

"I think we have bigger problems than what's 'embarrassing' or not," said Rhysaenya awkwardly. "Lizzie, we need to get vervain for you and Jed before Hope comes back so she can't compel you. The Mikaelsons are heading here right now. We have to be prepared for whatever they're going to do."

"No, I'm not waiting around for any Originals. I'm going to kill Hope Mikaelson."

"If what you said is true, you'll need to find another red oak sapling."

"Way ahead of you." She plucked a thin piece of wood out of her hair. "It's a big tree. I made more than one stake. Even cute ones."

"How did you even know that was red oak?"

"Hope told us herself that her family said there was a chance the red oak wasn't completely gone. Another one was bound to pop up, and it did. Nature won't want Hope to live. And neither do I."

Rhysaenya kept her from leaving the room. "Lizzie, I know you don't want to listen to me right now, but killing her isn't going to help your dad. She's probably the only person who can fix him."

"And do you think she's going to do that? Hell no. Hope Mikaelson is a self-serving piece of–"

"Stop! We can't just give up. If we do, we're letting an apex predator loose and do you really think that bodes well for anyone? We're not turning our backs on her. Let's see what her family comes up with."

"Vampire powers are too fun for me not to use them against her."

"Do you have any idea how dumb that sounds? She killed you once, she will kill you again if she doesn't compel you to die for her–"

She whirled around as Jed awoke, groaning in pain and turning over, sweat all over his forehead as he reached for the vase filled with Hope's blood. Ryan skidded back into the room, tossing Lizzie a blood bag and keeping her still as Rhysaenya sat Jed up, coaxing the blood down his throat, hugging him tight and stroking his hair in her best attempt to comfort him as he yelled out in pain, eyes flashing golden and fangs emerging before he went still, breathing deeply and looking much more relaxed than before.

"Did it work?" asked Rhysaenya. "Is that all you need to be a hybrid?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "And I feel great."

"Because you're sired to her," said Lizzie pointedly. "And you think she freed you from your suffering. Newsflash, that's not a good thing. You're going to need to turn at will over and over until it breaks. Good luck with that."

"Can we focus, please?" asked Rhysaenya. "Sire bond or not, Hope can compel you. We need access to vervain and we need it right now. And you–" she plucked the small red oak stake from Lizzie. "Are not killing her!"

"I agree there," said Jed. "I really want to kill her but everything inside me says I can't let that happen."

"Sire bond!" said Lizzie in a sing-song voice.

"Might not be the only one," said Ryan cautiously. "Look, I don't know too much about vampires, but I have heard that as rare as sire bonds are, they are more likely to happen when you have any strong feelings for the person that turns you. You just admitted to loving Hope–"

"As a sister!"

"Still, love, one of the strongest emotions. We can't rule out the fact that you're sired too, Lizzie."

"And what are you, a Vampire Whisperer? I thought your expertise was limited to dragons."

"No, I'm not the Vampire Whisperer, but I do think I know more about this than you do."

"I'm actually a vampire, so I beg to differ."

"And I've lived hundreds of years more than you and actually did research on your entire species–"

"Because you wanted us all dead–"

Rhysaenya huffed in frustration. "Everyone, stop talking! Get your shit, we are leaving, we're getting vervain, and we're going to find the Mikaelsons so they can put a stop to this. We are all dealing with heightened emotions right now, some more than others–"

"Actually," Lizzie cut in, "I feel fine. Then again, my emotions have always felt heightened."

"Speak for yourself," said Jed, holding a pen in his hand and staring at it as if he thought he might make it levitate. "The colors, they're so... vivid. And it's like I can feel every atom that made it."

"Just wait 'til you have sex with somebody," said Lizzie. "I heard that's the best part. Hey, didn't you both–?"

"Shut up!" said Rhysaenya, holding her head. "This isn't getting us anywhere. I am leaving this hotel to meet with Rebekah, Freya, and Kol, and either you come with me, or you stay here and let Hope make you part of her army if she doesn't just murder you again. Understood?"

"What did I miss?"

Rhysaenya gritted her teeth, frustrated that Hope was already back, holding the ornate knife from the artifact photograph. "Got the weapon," she said. "So we're leaving this shithole and we're going to find The Watcher. And whatever you think my family's going to accomplish, think again."

Lizzie and Jed had no choice but to follow Hope. Rhysaenya and Ryan had to bear witness to Hope giving the Heretic and hybrid a very brief lesson in vampirism as they made for a new location where Hope claimed she'd find the supplies she needed for her Locator Spell.

Jed was not pleased with feeding from the vein, but Hope's sire bond left him no way of arguing against it. Lizzie adapted to it more easily, surprisingly good at keeping control (though probably because she was so grossed out by the idea of feeding). Ryan made a comment that he swore nearly all Heretics in history were Rippers of some sort. Lizzie was very quickly proving the books wrong.

"You'll have to do," said Hope, not satisfied with Lizzie or Jed's displays of strength. And she clearly didn't think them very witty. "We're done for today. Training can resume tomorrow. Let's finish heading to the hotel..." she stopped, turning around. She gestured out to the field they were in, staring into the darkness that concealed their violent feeding from the rest of the world. "I can feel you all out there."

Cleo was the first to become visible, the rest of them materializing behind her.

"Oh, here we go again," said Hope. "Lizzie, Jed, you defend me at all costs. Rhysaenya, Ryan, do whatever the hell you want but know that I will kill everyone that stands against me."

"You won't," challenged Landon. "That's not the girl we all met. It isn't the girl your parents would want you to be."

"Hope," said MG, trying to reason with her. "We care about you, okay? We want to help. This doesn't have to end in bloodshed."

She smirked. "You're right, it doesn't, but it kinda sounds like fu—"

Rhysaenya heard Freya beginning to chant, bringing Hope to her knees, screaming in pain. She held her down when she tried to lift her arms to fight, hugging her as tight as she could and burying her head in her neck, praying in her head as she heard Cleo, Lizzie, and Josie joining in with Freya, Davina, and Vincent. The Mikaelsons had arrived, and they hadn't come empty handed.

"You're gonna be okay," Rhysaenya whispered, tearing up as she listened to Hope scream in agony. "You'll be just fine, we're going to help you, I swear. We're not giving up."

"Everyone ready?" asked Kol when Hope slumped forward. "Josie and Cleo will explain the Chambre de Chasse when you go in. We'll turn her humanity back on from the outside if need be. But please... whatever you can do in there to convince her to do it on her own will make it easier."

She shut her eyes as the field disappeared.