Author's Note

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

That should really be the first rule of writing fan fiction but better five months late than never at all. Yes, I am finally publishing the sequel to "Freaks in the Middle." When I first conceived of a follow-up to "Freaks" in August 2014 I had every intention to write this story quickly and post it over the course of two months as I had done with "Freaks." Obviously I was underestimating my free time as a full-time student, the frightening depths of my own perfectionism, and ultimately the exact nature this story would eventually take on. Writing really is like trying to rein in a wild animal—more often than not the story gets away from you and does whatever the hell it wants.

This story is a very different beast than its prelude. Unlike "Freaks," "Real People" aims to be many things at once: a comedy, a tragedy, and above all else a love story – perhaps, however, not the type of love story you are expecting.

I would like to publicly recognize two people without whom this story would still be in my drafts folder and an embarrassing mess besides. To Beth (sqrlb8), eternal and inexpressible gratitude for your flawless directorial skills, the endless hours you devoted to these characters, and your undefeatable love for Leah and Elijah. Secondly - to Laura (ElleHarper47): our conversations about Hope and Hayley and all these characters over the last few months has reminded me of the writer's need to turn characters into people. Your enthusiasm is more invigorating than any cup of coffee or energy drink and made all those nights staying up to 4am editing these chapters absolutely, completely worth it. Any errors that remain are my own.

And to my readers, thank you as well for your patience! I will be posting one chapter every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from today until we are done. Your reviews as always are encouraged and appreciated and I hope you enjoy "Real People" as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Irene

Principles of Magic

Part 1

It began as it would end: with a celebration.

Hope Mikaelson leaned over the balcony to survey below. She was not at all dismayed that the courtyard was still empty at this hour. There would be time to decorate and set up the catering. There would be time for the cake and the champagne and the presents as well. In whatever she had thrown on this morning, Hope wasn't even yet dressed for tonight's party.

Presently the Mikaelson princess had bigger and better surprises on her mind.

She checked the time on her phone anxiously; they should be arriving any minute now.

Tilting her head toward the side gate, Hope strained her ears for any sound from the garage. Some were driving in, others were flying; they were all coming back for her.

Each had their reasons for leaving but Hope alone could bring them back.

It had been months since she'd seen her aunt in Paris and over a year since her uncle Elijah had come down South, and though they talked every week over the phone or video chat the last time Hope has seen her best friend Leah was last year's party.

Only for her birthday would they hit pause on their busy lives and return to New Orleans.

Hope started. She had definitely heard something: a car engine, a door slam, familiar voices. Shoving the phone back into her sweater pocket, the youngest Mikaelson thundered down the staircase, rushing into the courtyard just as the gate opened.

"Rebekah!"

Launching herself into her aunt's open arms, Hope couldn't care less that she was probably too old for such exuberant shows of affection.

"My, my, I swear you keep getting taller."

While Hope had been graced with her mother's disposition, Rebekah was proud that she shared those oceanic eyes with her niece. Taking in the sight of her fully, she couldn't help but notice that Hope did indeed look older and was beginning to age out both her and her hybrid mother.

Nevertheless, Hope's smile was as youthful as ever. She buried her aunt under a barrage of questions.

"How are you? How was your flight? I can't believe you're here! How's Philippe? Where's Philippe?"

"Ah," Rebekah cooed, taking her niece under her arm. "He'll be right along. You know him–he insists on doing everything the good old fashion way. Which means it takes forever…"

Right on cue, the tall, ashy-haired witch appeared, shouldering his way through the side gate, both arms weighed down by suitcases and garment bags.

His glasses were slipping down his nose.

"By all means, leave the weak mortal to carry in all the bags."

Rebekah watched him struggle endearingly but offered only a blasé wave of her hand.

"Ever heard of a thing called magic, Philippe? Did you forget that you're a witch? Why don't you simply levitate them or something?"

"Magic is not a short cut, Rebekah," he chided playfully, approaching the Mikaelson women and dropping the bags at their feet. "Anyway, I could use the exercise."

He turned his attention to his wife's niece.

"Joyeux anniversaire, Hope. You grow more beautiful by the year. I am sorry we missed each other in Paris… but… I did get you a present to make up for it, it's… it's somewhere in all these bags. My darling wife somehow managed to convince me she simply had to bring her whole wardrobe –"

"I did."

"–for a simple weekend visit. I told her she could just buy a dress once we arrived, but you know how attached she is to her clothes. Sentiment," he concluded.

"Sentiment," Hope warmly agreed.

Rebekah tossed one of Hope's loose curls back into place absentmindedly.

"Yes, well let's hope I stay as attached to you as I am to my clothes, Philippe. Anyway, I for one could use a shower after all that traveling. I'll find you in a bit, yes? Then we can have a proper catch up, my sweet Hope. Happy Birthday, love, and here's to another good year."

She watched as Rebekah and Philippe ascended the stairs to the upper level and master suites. Although she was certainly excited to see her aunt Hope's pulse had begun to race with eager expectation realizing who was likely to walk through that gate next.

Hope checked her phone again. She had been texting them all day, demanding to know when they passed into each new state as they traveled down from Massachusetts.

She bounced on her feet in utter excitement; the constant travel updates had stopped about half an hour ago, which probably meant they were already off the highway and should be reaching the Quarter just about…

Now.

Two car doors slammed, one after the other, and then Hope heard that familiar laughter that could only mean one thing…

Leah and Elijah.

She spun on her heels, her floral sundress twirling at her knees at the sound of their voices just outside the gate.

"Fine, on the way back you can play all the boring Classical music you want."

"I simply suggest we not play the same song on repeat - for hours."

"But it's my favorite song – and you still don't know the words. It's 'baby, you're a northern light; guide me through this endless night.' At least get the first line, Elijah."

"Forgive me. I seem to lack your propensity for popular music."

"It's not music," she said in all seriousness, pushing open the gate. "It's poetry. I mean, come on: 'When my dreams are full of fear, baby, let me know you're here' – just listen to those lyrics. That's art. That's —ah! Hope!"

"Leah!"

Running forward, they collided in the middle of the courtyard. Hope threw her arms around her best friend and nearly knocked Leah down in her enthusiasm. It had been far too long.

The two had been friends since meeting in college, sitting next to each other on the first day of senior year. That was back when Leah was just a witch who couldn't do magic. They had soon learned that defect was actually because she was a werewolf. And of course, the lowest point of Leah's senior slump was that unfortunate business in the cemetery that had resulted in her transitioning into a vampire born from a werewolf bloodline—a hybrid.

A hybrid who had been studying her ass off in Boston for the last five years and was long overdue for a visit back to the Crescent City.

"I'm back!"

"It took you long enough! What's kept you so busy?"

"That would likely be me."

"Elijah!" Hope exclaimed, falling into his welcoming arms. He pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head as if she were still a young child.

"Hello, Hope, and happy birthday."

"Left the suits at home I see."

"Indeed. Leah has introduced me to the idea of 'vacation clothes.'"

Hope looked at her friend with stunned incredulity.

"Is this so?"

"Yeah, but let me tell you, it was a...battle. I was like, 'would it kill you to put on some jeans? They make fancy jeans. Fancy jeans are a thing.'"

"And what happened?"

"Clearly I won," she boasted, proud of her work. Elijah's expensive Italian jeans may have been as casual as he got, but it was symptomatic of the effect she had on him in general: lose the ties, loosen up and enjoy life.

It was the perfect recipe for happiness.

Looking at how happy and carefree they seemed now, Hope couldn't agree more. He was good for her; she was good for him: they were good for each other.

No matter what she ended up getting tonight, having Leah and Elijah here was the best birthday present ever: Hope just couldn't get over the fact that this crazy couple was back in her life. It really had seemed like ages since she'd seen them and yet Leah's bright face, which hadn't felt the effect of the passing years thanks to her gift of immortality, looked the same as ever.

Well, almost the same.

"You cut your hair."

"Just a few inches," Leah assured her, pulling on the ends as they curled in at the shoulder.

"I like it," Hope decided. "Super sophisticated."

"I do too," Elijah declared, wrapping a protective arm around Leah. "Now her students won't mistake her as their peers."

"That happened once," she recalled with spirited chagrin, "and we both agreed it was a hilarious misunderstanding and we wouldn't talk about it again."

"Well you're going to have to tell me the story," Hope demanded, "right after you tell me when you started teaching undergrads. See, we miss so much not being in the same city! So…does this mean it's Dr. St. Ann now?"

"Not teaching, just a TA for the History department. And not quite yet; I defend my dissertation in August."

"Got any plans for the summer?"

"I have been trying," Elijah spoke for her, "to convince Leah to visit Australia and the Subcontinent with me. She appears to have other plans," he lamented, pulling Leah even closer to him and kissing the side of her head.

Leah waved off his delicate disapproval.

"I told you, Elijah, there's plenty of time to see the world after I finish my next degree. Elijah," Leah now complained to Hope, "thinks I'm too school for cool—well, not in those exact words of course."

"Speaking of," Hope suddenly gasped, "thank you, thank you, thank you, Elijah for the books!"

Leah looked up at her companion with an incriminating glare.

"You got her books for her birthday? Elijah—I said buy her something useful but fun."

"She did not want a horse and already owns several small islands."

While Leah flushed, Hope shared a secret look with her uncle. Tormenting Leah was their favorite bonding activity.

"That's the last time I put you in charge of buying presents—who would want books as a gift?"

"Says she who made us move house to have her own personal library."

"What? Those books were for school! It was either buy more bookcases or move out of the apartment and into someplace bigger. The townhouse was the better investment."

Elijah smiled brightly and Hope devolved into rolling laughter until her cheeks ached. She had missed Leah and her refreshing logic.

"Well, you don't have to worry, Leah, I really do love them—the books I mean. I actually did need a law dictionary for my exam in June."

"You're taking the LSAT too!" Leah screeched. "Get out! No way!"

"Someone has to fight for truth and justice," Hope began.

"Ah! This means we need to plan where we're going to apply! We can go anywhere together, any school, any city—well, except this one of course."

"Ladies," Elijah wondered, sensing a shift in the conversation. "Perhaps I should bring in the bags?"

"Oh, duh," Leah realized, "I totally forgot – wait, Elijah… you'll need the keys. They're in my pocket…"

Receiving the car keys from Leah, Elijah kissed her cheek quickly before nodding to Hope and heading for the garage gate. The girls watched him leave, Leah in particular admiring how well the jeans she had picked out ended up looking on him.

"Leah," Hope whined, hitting her friend's arm, "try to control yourself…at least when I'm standing right here."

"Uh-huh," came Leah's cheeky reply. "You're one to talk…and where is frat boy werewolf superstar Mr. Thompson this evening?"

"Aidan," Hope drawled, "is at work until six. He has an actual, respectable job doing…business…stuff, anyway don't worry; you'll see him at the party tonight."

"And what a party this is going to be. I mean, you only turn 27 once."

"Uh, don't remind me, I'm so old."

"Simply ancient," Leah joked, squinting at her friend's hairline. "In fact, is that a grey hair I see?"

Hope punched her playfully. There was a commotion above them.

"What is all that racket?"

The two friends turned to look up at the balcony. The younger Mikaelson brother waited for them at the top of the stairs with a mischievous grin and a welcoming gesture.

"Either the carnival's set up or Leah has joined us at last."

"Sorry to disappoint, Klaus. No circus today – just me."

Leah waved to Hope's mother who had suddenly appeared on the upper balcony as well.

"I thought that was you," Hayley smiled, leaning over the railing and pulling her shawl around her shoulders. "Did you just get in?"

"Like five minutes ago."

"And did I also hear Elijah?"

"Oh yeah." Leah mentioned idly. "He's out back bringing in the suitcases."

Klaus chuckled, leaning against the banister.

"It appears Philippe and my brother will have much to bond over tonight. Chauffeuring, taking orders, carrying the luggage: how cruel is the servitude of such lovely mistresses."

"Watch it!" Hayley interjected, warning him lightly. "Don't think that you won't be right there commiserating with them, Klaus. Keep on like that and I will give you something to howl on about. In fact, the event people should be here already for set up. Go call them and figure out what's the delay."

With a knowing nod at Leah, he pulled out his phone.

"You see?" Klaus conceded good-naturally. "Cruel and demanding mistress."

Hope and Leah smiled as Klaus left to make the call to the caterers. When Elijah showed up, suitcases in hands and bags in arms, all three of the women tried their best to hold back their laughter.

"What?" Elijah blinked. "What did I miss?"

"Welcome home," was all Hayley said before disappearing back into the upper suites.

Hope grabbed her friend's hand.

"Come on, Leah," she tugged, leading her toward the front gate. "I want to show you something."

"Leaving me already, Leah?" Elijah wondered, repositioning the bags under his arm.

"I'm not stealing her forever," Hope pointed out as she pulled Leah along, "and we'll be back well before the party starts."

Elijah ignored Hope's response, addressing Leah directly again.

"We're been in the car all day, are you sure you don't want to eat something first perhaps?"

Leah blew out an inpatient breath. He was always jumping on her about feeding nowadays but she was here to have fun and hang out with Hope. The last thing Leah wanted to do was waste time sucking on some lukewarm blood bag.

"I'm fine," she answered him with a cool tone. "I'm really not hungry, but if it makes you feel better, I'll have two slices of cake at the party."

"Oh my god, you would!" Hope teased. "Come on, Elijah, let her go—just for an hour. I haven't seen her in a whole year! Go find dad—he's been looking forward to boring you to death with Faction stuff for weeks."

Hope yanked on Leah's arm again and pulled her across the courtyard. Elijah allowed them their fun and watched as they left; he was comforted by the fact that she'd probably be fine as long as she wasn't wandering around the Quarter on her own.

After all, Leah wasn't really alone – she was with Hope.

"Need a longer leash, brother?"

Klaus had finished his call with the event planner and had been watching the scene below from the top of the stairs with an amused smirk.

Elijah's own grin grew as he addressed his brother.

"She'd only latch me to it, Niklaus. It's good to see you again, brother."

"Then come," he demanded, "we have much to discuss. Leave the bags and let's go bond over a bottle of scotch, shall we?"