Yes, this is late AF. Enjoy the conclusion!

The door comes down and the woman howls as Hope and Elijah break into the room. "Leave me and my baby alone!" she screams. She means Abby, the missing werewolf girl. The woman is holding her close, standing before a basin of water. There is candlelight in its reflection.

"Get away and let us be!" she repeats. "You aren't takin' my baby from me!"

"That's precisely why we are here," Elijah starts, but Hope calls for silence.

"I'll do this part," she says, hands up. She takes a quiet step closer. "Épiphanie?"

"You know my name?"

Another step. "We need you to put Abby down. Can you do that?"

But the woman is confused. "Who is Abby?" she wails. "No, no, only my Elsie."

Hope remains patient. Still. "The girl in your arms," she says. "Her name is Abby -"

"No, Abby. Only Elsie!"

"Well, you tried," Elijah sighs, and the woman grows frustrated too. She is suddenly angry; suddenly violent.

"This is Elsie," she keeps saying. "See her beautiful soul?"

"Yes, let me see," Hope coos. "Hand me your beautiful girl and let me see her."

But the woman snaps and holds Abby over the water. "You get away from her! You stay away - you go!"

"We're not here to hurt you," Elijah explains, but Hope wishes her uncle had stayed in the car with Faith. The situation doesn't need his head-on approach. He is coming at it as a man; she must come at it as a mother.

She gestures again for Elijah to keep quiet. Then, three more steps, until her toes hit the metal tub. Until she can reach out and touch the woman's hands with her own.

"Why don't you tell me about Elsie?" Hope asks. "About your beautiful girl?"

"Oh, my poor daughter! How I prayed... that she had a better life."

"I hear you," Hope nods. "My parents prayed the same."

"And they lived with that hope?"

"In more ways than you know."

The woman's face softens. She looks down, rocking the child in her arms. She is crying. "Oh, my Elsie. They buried you in a grave with strangers. I had to get you back. You belong here with me. With your mama."

"I understand now," Hope says. And she does. "You are being a good mother - to Elsie. And I want to be a good mother too, you see? So let me see Elsie, how good you are to her. Let me hold her and see."

Épiphanie stills. Then slowly, she looks up. "But what are you, child? I sense all kinds of magic on you."

Hope nods. She means her. "I'm a wolf, just like Abby, but I mean neither of you harm."

"No," the woman says.

"No?"

"No, "she repeats. "Not 'on' you, 'in' you. And when your babies are beautiful too, you'll never want to let them go."

A shiver runs down Hope's back. "And I won't," she says, and she is crying too now. "I promise you I won't."

She reaches out her arm and Épiphanie opens up hers. As soon as Hope has Abby safe she quickly retreats. Elijah has a look of utter shock on his face and she knows exactly why.

"Let's get Abby home," she tells him, looking tired. "Everything else can wait."

The hotel is quiet. There are no more reporters. In the lobby, Owen and his wife sit, and wait, clutching each other, holding their daughter Grace.

Suddenly, the lobby is flooded with light. They're back.

"Oh thank God," Owen says, jumping up. "Please tell us..."

"...did you find her?" Emily asks.

Elijah just steps aside, smiling. Hoping is leading Abby through the double doors. .

"Mama!" the girl cries. Her parents smother her with kisses. "Mama, Daddy! Grace!"

Abby's big sister swallows her whole with hugs. "Everybody, everybody!" She excitedly waves. "This is my sister! My sister's come back!"

"Oh, this is your sister," Aidan says with a smile. He plays the part so well, kneeling to shake the little girl's hand. "Hello, Abby. It's nice to finally meet you. You were very brave."

"I know," Abby smiles.

Owen smiles too, at last. It has been a very long day. The longest day of his life. Emily too is unspeakably grateful. She looks around the room, to all the faces who helped bring Abby home. "Thank you, everyone, for finding her," she says. "You have no idea what you have done for our family."

Elijah and Leah share a look with Faith between them.

They know.

And now Hope knows too.

The next night, the DeFleurs tuck their children into bed for the night.

"Bon nuit, Grace."

"Good night, Dad."

"Bon nuit, Abby."

"Night, Daddy."

"Bon nuit, Samuel."

"Bon nuit, Mom and Dad."

Finally, they are all home.

"Happy Graduation, Faith!"

Everyone toasts as balloons rain down from the ceiling. Leah pours another round for the room then helps Hope set out the desserts.

"Wow. What army are you feeding?"

"I learned how to bake in only one size," she laughs. "Too much?"

"Just enough. We were right to bump up the celebration for Faith after all the drama these last two days. Any excuse to be a little closer to family is well worth it the food coma."

They turn to see Aidan welcoming the DeFleurs to the Compound.

"Thanks for coming, Owen. Emily. It means a lot."

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world, Thompson. And the girls miss Hope."

Graces run up to Hope with a handmade card: Merci, it says. The R is backward.

"Merci?" Hope asks.

"It means "thank you for saving my sister!" Grace laughs.

"Shh, shh!" Aidan hushes the room. He's turned up the volume on the TV. It's the same pushy reporter who Elijah scared away.

"And as a follow-up, I'm happy to report that Abby DeFleur was recovered unharmed and has been returned to her parents. Again, I would like to apologize, publicly, for my misleading and insensitive reporting during that case. In fact, the allergy medicine turned into a blessing as young Abby is reported to have slept through the ordeal until she was rescued."

"Good job, Team Mikaelson," Aidan hoots.

"Can we get shirts now?" Faith asks through a mouthful of chips.

"Slow down, kid. Save room for the cake."

Aidan smiles knowingly just as Hope returns from the kitchen with yet more food; this time. a gigantic sheet cake. The green and blue icing reads: Welcome Back to New Orleans!

Faith squeals. "Are those Tulane colors?! Does this mean...? "

"You can go," Elijah nods.

The squealing continues. "No way! For real? What made you change your mind?"

"You did, Faith. The day I adopted you, I... I remember thinking... 'She is gonna be something.' And who am I to stand in the way of Fate?"

"Also, I convinced him," Leah pipes up. "Let's just say, the last two days have made all of us see the light. Watching you grow up has been one of the great joys of my life, Faith."

"Our lives," adds Elijah. "And letting you go is... about the hardest thing I've ever done," he ends quietly.

"But that's how we know it's the right thing," says Leah. "Your father and I are so proud of you, Faith. No matter where you go, New Orleans or Boston, you'll always have a home. We love you more than you'll ever know."

"Thanks, Leah," she smiles. "And Dad. I love you both."

Aidan watches the family hug, not realizing Hope has a cake for him too. It's half pink and half blue and the icing spells: Surprise!

"I know it's more cake but I couldn't help myself," she says. "I was stress baking and didn't know how else to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Aidan stares. "What surprise comes in pink and - oh."

Hope figures her husband's finally got it when he clear faints to the floor.

Her parents owe her five dollars.

Owen comes into work the next week. It's the end of the day, several hours after 5, but there's still one office light on as always. He knocks on the boss's door.

"Working late?" he asks smiling. Aidan looks up from his desk.

"Owen, why are you here, you should be home with your family."

"I could ask you the same," the werewolf points out. "Congrats by the way. I heard the good news."

"Thanks, man, I'm still processing. I mean, talk about a surprise."

"You wait long enough and anything's possible in this town," Owen smiles. "Hey, tell Hope: Emily's dying to host the baby shower. She's been looking for a way to pay you both back for finding Abby."

"You don't have to -"

"We definitely do. No debate, we owe you and your family everything, Thompson. I'll even work your campaign for free to show my gratitude. Know come fall, no one's gonna fight harder for your re-election than this man right here."

"Sorry, mate," Aidan chuckles. "I'm afraid you'll have to settle on buying me a beer instead. I'm not running for re-election."

"For real? But the third term's the charm. What about your new plan to restore the Ninth?"

"I don't have to be Mayor to help people, but I can't be Mayor if I want to be there to help my family. And it's growing, man. It's growing strong."

Owen nods and clasps Aidan's shoulder.

"You're a good man, Thompson. Now come on, let's get home."

"Now that's a plan I heartily endorse."