"The entire cafeteria had gone silent in an almost suffocating way. Murmurs spread rapidly among the tables, with shocked students commenting on the absurdity they had just witnessed.
— Holy shit... Did you guys see Ethan's strength? He lifted another werewolf like the guy was made of paper! — whispered a student in the back, in disbelief.
— Oh, come on, idiot... Don't you remember Jed getting humiliated the exact same way a few days ago? — another retorted.
— Yeah, good point... — muttered the first, swallowing hard.
While the movements ran wild, Ethan looked down at the pieces of his food scattered across the floor and huffed, clearly annoyed, running a hand over the back of his neck:
— Dammit... You guys ruined my entire dinner, you idiots.
Landon, still breathing heavily and massaging his injured hand, crouched down next to Rafael, who was still gasping for air after having his throat released, holding onto his friend's shoulder to check if he was okay.
— Hope... — Landon called out, incredulous, looking at the tribrid with the expectation of support.
But Hope wasn't on their side in the slightest. Her face was pure smoke from anger over the sheer idiocy they had just pulled.
— Enough. Both of you get the hell out of here, you've done enough for today — she snapped, in a sharp and authoritative tone that left no room for discussion.
MG and Kaleb sighed at the heavy atmosphere, got up from where they were, and went to help Rafael up, dragging a sullen and resentful Landon out of the cafeteria.
— Tch... — Ethan grumbled, shaking his head in disdain. He simply turned around, ignored the rest of the hall, and headed toward the counter to build a new plate of food.
This isn't going to end like this, mark my words—Ethan thinks to himself.
Hope stood frozen in place, watching his back retreat with a mixture of frustration and pure electricity running through her veins.
— Ethan... I need to talk to you. This is serious, come with me right now — she says, marching toward him.
Ethan let out a long sigh, feigning boredom, and nodded with his chin toward the back exit of the cafeteria:
— Ladies first.
Hope took a firm step forward, leading the way out of the main building toward the dark, isolated lawn at the back of the campus, where the night breeze brought the scent of the forest. As soon as she reached a private spot, she crossed her arms tightly and fired away, lacking any patience for beating around the bush:
— Spit it out already! I know I know you from somewhere, Ethan, and I'm not leaving here without immediate answers!
Despite her firm pose, deep down Ethan felt the adrenaline still pulsing strong in his veins after the commotion. He stared at her with an ironic and defiant smile.
— I said it before and I'll say it again... You can have any answer you want from me, but this time, the bill is going to come out a lot more expensive for you, Hope.
Because of your little friends.
Hope clenched her teeth so hard her jaw cracked, feeling her blood boil with indignation.
— Listen here, you jerk: you're not going to force me to kiss you again! I already did what you wanted, I kissed you and... and I pulled that crazy stunt with you in the cafeteria, damn it! Now I want my answers, and I want them now!
Besides, Landon did that because you keep hitting on me and egging him on, so it's your fault; you can't blame me for that.
Ethan took a step forward, closing the distance between them with an irritating calmness.
— I didn't force you to kiss me at any point, Hope. You did it because you wanted to. Besides, the one who's desperate for answers here isn't me... it's you.
— Yes, but you owe me! — she retorted, pointing a finger right in his face, her eyes flashing with frustration. — I already did what you asked! Now you have to honor your part of the bargain!
— Like I said, the deadline was one day, and that time has already passed — Ethan countered, his voice cold and unshakable as he sustained her gaze.
Hope clenched her teeth so hard her jaw popped. Her chest rose and fell out of control, a suffocating mixture of anger, humiliation, and an overwhelming attraction that terrified her to the core.
— You want to know what? 'Go to hell, Ethan,' she fired at him, giving a violent shove against his chest, determined to turn her back and walk away never to look at his face again.
But Ethan was faster.
Before she could take her first step, he firmly grabbed one of her arms, pulling her back to him with irresistible force. In a fluid movement without hesitation, he collided their bodies together and captured her lips in a deep, hot, and hungry kiss.
Hope froze for half a second. Instinctively, she began to struggle, planting her hands on his chest and trying to push him away at all costs. She used all the strength she had to break free, but it was useless—his body was like a stone wall.
As the seconds passed and the heat of his mouth dominated her senses, Hope's resistance simply began to crumble. Her clenched fists on his chest slowly opened, grabbing the fabric of Ethan's t-shirt, and she surrendered to the kiss. The world around them seemed to evaporate, the sound of the wind in the trees vanished, and gravity lost all meaning.
And, at the peak of that desperate surrender, Hope's mind suffered a violent jolt.
A crack in Malivore's magical fog opened for a brief second in her consciousness, and loose images invaded her head like lightning in an overwhelming flashback:
The image of a night at the Salvatore School appeared vividly in her mind. She saw herself, younger, with eyes welling with tears, while Ethan stood right in front of her, looking at her with infinite protection and tenderness.
— It doesn't mean you have to deal with everything alone... — Ethan's voice echoed from the past, perfectly matching inside her head.
— You make it sound so simple — she let out an irritated sigh in the memory, turning her face away with a tight chest.
— I don't think it's simple — he replied, without any trace of humor this time. When Hope looked at him in the flashback, Ethan sustained her gaze with absolute gravity. — I just think pretending you didn't do it probably won't make the pain stop.
The revelation dropped like a bomb in Hope's chest.
Startled by the weight of the memory, the electric shock of the revelation made the tribrid abruptly break away from the kiss. She took three steps back, pushing Ethan's chest and pulling desperate gasps of air into her lungs.
Her hands shook visibly as she brought her fingers to her own lips, her blue eyes wide with absolute panic, looking at Ethan as if she were seeing a ghost right before her.
— You... I... — Hope stammered, her voice choked and gasping for air, feeling her brain spin with the real memory that had just invaded her mind.
Once again, Hope brought her hand to her head, feeling a sharp pain and being swallowed by a new wave of flashbacks:
— I understand... — Ethan said, placing his hand over hers. — What do you say you take me for a tour around New Orleans to clear your head? I've only seen the basics of the city so far.
Hope blinked, dropping her cautious stance and flashing a small smile.
— Sure! It's way better than staying locked up in this room.
Ethan smiled, stood up, and extended his hand:
— So... shall we?
As they walked down the patio staircase, Klaus appeared under the stone archway with his arms crossed.
— Where do you two think you're going? — he interrupted.
— I'm going out for a walk with Ethan, Dad. I'm going to show him a little bit of New Orleans — Hope replied, keeping her cool.
In another flashback, Ethan stepped forward calmly, adjusting his dark linen gloves and extending his hand to her.
— May I have this dance? — he asked in a low tone, making Hope's heart flutter.
With a radiant smile, Hope placed her hand in his.
— And the gloves? — she asked, curious.
— Your aunt Freya gave them to me — Ethan explained, nodding toward the engaged couple. — That way I can touch you without putting everything at risk, and we can dance without worries.
The soft melody of the violin and drums began to float through the garden. Ethan pulled Hope close, placing a hand on her waist while intertwining his other hand with hers. Hope rested her forehead against his chest, feeling the cozy warmth he emanated.
In that embrace, the chaos of New Orleans, the Hollow, and the guilt simply vanished. Dancing to the slow rhythm, Ethan murmured:
— You look incredibly beautiful tonight, Hope... seriously.
— Thank you... — she whispered, resting her cheek against his shoulder. — Thank you for being here, Ethan. With me.
The scene shifted to a night in the Mystic Falls town square, to the distant sound of blues and jazz.
— That's not really my music style — Ethan joked.
— Is that so? What would your ideal style be, Mr. Ethan? — Hope teased, crossing her arms.
— Classic. Pure rock and roll, loud enough to drown out the world.
Hope let out a light, genuine laugh:
— I figured. With your mysterious bad boy persona, rock fits perfectly.
— Bad boy? Me? I am the embodiment of gentleness! — he dramatized, eliciting a laugh from her.
Ethan looked at her affectionately under the streetlights:
— You know you look breathtakingly gorgeous when you smile like that?
With her cheeks burning with embarrassment, Hope pointed a finger at him:
— Shut up, Ethan! Wait for me over there, I'm going to get us some ice cream.
...
Shortly after, in the exact same spot, the atmosphere grew heavy.
— Ethan... are you sure about what you're going to do tonight? There's still time to back out — Hope pleaded, her voice trembling.
— Yes, Hope. I'm sure — he answered with extreme serenity.
— You don't have to absorb the Hollow! It's dangerous dark magic, you could die! Why are you throwing your life away like this?
Ethan swallowed hard, looking deep into her eyes with a green, vulnerable glow:
— Because I love you, Hope... I couldn't live in a world where you don't exist. If anything happens to me... it was my destiny.
...
Moments later they are dancing, with the music playing in the background:
— I'm scared, Ethan... Scared of losing you — Hope confessed against his shirt.
Ethan gently lifted her chin, staring at her with total devotion:
— Look at me. You're not going to lose me. I'm right here and I'm staying until the very last second.
The intensity of that look disarmed Hope. In a desperate impulse of fear and love, she asked:
— Lean down a little...
She stepped closer and sealed her lips to his in a soft kiss, laden with pain, promises, and an overwhelming passion.
In another memory, Ethan pulled a black cord from his neck with a wolf pendant.
— My mom gave it to me when I was little. It was her talisman — he explained, extending the necklace.
— Why are you giving me this, Ethan? — Hope asked, her heart tightening.
— Because there's a chance everything could go wrong today... and I want you to carry something to remember me by, just in case things take a different turn — he said softly under the full moon light.
Hope pressed her hands against her body, feeling the tears burning in the face of his sacrifice.
— Hope... what's wrong? — Ethan asked, his voice cracking slightly as he knelt completely on the cold grass, right in front of her.
Unable to formulate another word, Hope raised her tear-filled eyes, her face completely wet and distorted by the pain of the reunion. In a desperate impulse, she lunged forward and hugged Ethan with all the strength she had, burying her face in the curve of his neck and digging her fingers in desperation into his back, as if she feared he might evaporate if she let go.
Ethan remained completely paralyzed for a second, totally caught off guard by the intensity of the gesture.
— What happened? — he murmured, his voice coming out in a stunned breath.
Hope closed her eyes tightly, letting the tears wash over her skin as the words came out muffled and trembling against his skin:
— I... I remembered everything...
The exact second the phrase echoed between them, Ethan's eyes widened in absolute shock. The barriers he had built to protect himself from rejection and pain collapsed in a fraction of a second.
A knot tightened in his throat. Without thinking twice, he pulled her firmly toward him, wrapping his strong arms around her body and pressing her against his chest with a fierce and protective intensity, burying his face in her hair as the relief and longing of twenty years compressed their hearts into a single embrace.
The silence of the dark courtyard seemed to close in around them, broken only by the sound of Hope's trembling breathing and the accelerated beating of both their hearts. Twenty years of an insurmountable void, of memories forcibly erased and of a silent sacrifice, crumbled right there, in that tight embrace on the cold grass.
Ethan buried his face in her hair, inhaling the familiar scent he had kept in his soul for two decades. The rigidity and self-defense posture he had maintained since the moment he stepped foot into the Salvatore School simply evaporated. Right there, holding her in his arms, he wasn't the mysterious newcomer, nor the feared werewolf who had terrorized the cafeteria minutes before; he was just the boy who had come back from hell for her.
— You remembered... — Ethan murmured, his voice hoarse, almost an incredulous whisper against her skin. His green eyes shone intensely in the dark.
Hope sank her face even deeper into his chest, as if she wanted to merge into Ethan's body, absorbing all the warmth and certainty that he was real. Her hands shook violently as she grabbed the collar of his shirt.
— I remembered everything, Ethan... — she sobbed, her voice muffled and broken by overwhelming guilt. — From the day in the square, the necklace... the sacrifice... you walking into the Hollow for my sake. My God, what did I do to you?
She raised her face, wet with tears, her blue eyes gazing into his with a mixture of adoration, pain, and profound remorse.
— I was cold to you... I pushed you away, treated you like an annoying stranger, while you... while you were suffering alone all this time trying to reach me... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please...
Ethan raised a trembling hand, bringing his fingers to wipe away the thick tears stubbornly falling down her cheeks, offering a soft, prolonged caress to Hope's face.
— Hey... look at me — he asked, his voice firm, yet incredibly tender. He sustained her gaze with infinite sweetness. — Don't apologize for anything. It wasn't your fault, Hope. That Malivore spell erased everything... you didn't know.
— But I should have felt it! — she countered with a muffled groan, closing her eyes for a second. — My body knew. Every time you got close, my heart raced, the anger vanished out of nowhere... I felt like I belonged to you, but my mind was blocked and I... I was a jerk to you the whole time!
Ethan let out a short laugh, a sound loaded with relief and affection, as he shook his head.
— You were never a jerk. You're Hope. And you want to know something? If I had to go through all of that again—the years in the dark, the cold, everyone forgetting me—I would make the exact same choice. A thousand times. Because my only goal, from day one, was to make sure you were alive and whole to breathe this air.
His words cut through Hope's heart like a warm blade, but in a way that seemed to heal old wounds. She swallowed hard, feeling the intensity of that absolute love disarm any trace of resistance left in her.
Unable to contain the impulse burning in her veins, Hope lunged forward. She clasped her hands around the back of his neck and pulled Ethan's face close, pressing her lips to his with desperate urgency.
This time, there were no games, no deadline demands, no blackmail disguised as swagger. It was a kiss of reunion, of total surrender, and of a love that not even the darkest magic in the world could truly erase. Hope's lips tasted of salt from her tears, but the heat radiating from Ethan enveloped her like a bonfire in the middle of a winter night.
Ethan answered the kiss with the same fierce intensity, wrapping his waist firmly and pulling her down as he lay back on the grass so she would fit snugly against his body."