take me back to the night we met

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/16781257.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/F
Fandom: Legacies (TV 2018), The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Relationship: Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, rafael
waithe/josie saltzman, Hope Mikaelson & Josie Saltzman & Lizzie
Saltzman
Character: Josie Saltzman, Lizzie Saltzman, Penelope Park, Hope Mikaelson,
Landon Kirby, Rafael Waithe
Additional Tags: Fluff, Angst, soft!penelope, Friends to Lovers, Best Friends, Jealousy
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2018-11-29 Words: 2,765 Chapters: 1/1

take me back to the night we met

by lovechonis

Summary

in which penelope park remembers the day the moon shined a little brighter on josie
saltzman.

Notes

See the end of the work for notes

if you asked penelope park if she had any regrets in life, she would say a hard no — regrets were
for cowards, and penelope park was not a coward. at least thats what she had told herself
repeatedly these days. but as she stood at the end of the main corridor at 12:34 pm precisely,
coward was the only word that seemed to describe the brown haired girl. she had stood there many
days before, hoping she would be able to catch josie right after she finished gathering her items
from class and head to lunch. each time, she would take a peek at her bright smile down the
hallway and lose her nerve, quickly fading into the crowd of students before josie could spot her
staring. it began to be a daily routine for penelope to do this, knowing she would never get caught
for her lingering gaze, until today.

penelope had decided to wait and extra minute. just one more minute staring longingly at the dark
haired girl wouldn't hurt, josie usually spoke with rafael for at least a few minutes before
proceeding to lunch anyway. it wouldn't hurt to even have thirty more seconds. what penelope
didn't expect was to not see rafael in sight, waiting for josie as he usually did. josie walked out of
the classroom, still looking through her assignments from the class before, until she looked up,
meeting penelope's gaze. their stares lingered for a moment. penelope felt embarrassed. she had
been caught, in the dumbest way ever. her mouth gaped as she froze in position for a good ten
seconds, no girl saying anything, only holding their gaze. penelope was the first to break, looking
away and hustling back to her room, locking the door behind her.

penelope never felt like this — so HUMILATED. she had been caught by the one person she had
actively tried to avoid from this situation. of course she knew other people had noticed before, but
no one dared to say anything about penelope park to anyone in the school. they knew the
consequences.

the look on josie's face as she saw penelope gazing at her burned in her mind. she looked shocked,
even hurt maybe? normally, penelope could read josie like a book. she had always told josie that
she knew her better than she knew herself. a bitter chuckle escaped penelope's lips. she tried to not
think about the good parts anymore, just the ending. it hurt too much to think about how they were
before. but it's days like these she wants to remember; she wants to remember the smile she would
put on her face and the way her laugh sounded when they were in a room alone, how her hand
lingered over hers without even trying. penelope laid down on her bed, grabbing her phone and
opening up her music app, revealing a playlist that was just titled 'j.' there was only one song
penelope loved to listen to on this playlist, but this time listening to it, felt a little different from the
rest.

it was nights like these that penelope wanted to get away. she, of course, knew she really couldn't.
so she just went to her spot in the garden outside of the school. night had already fallen and no one
was supposed to leave the doors of the school after dark but penelope knew she could get away
with it, she had before. sneaking out one of the kitchen doors that lead outside, penelope headed to
the garden where her favorite flowers were in bloom. she loved the smell of amaryllis so much that
she had sneaked planting them one day when they were expanding the garden earlier. by the time
anyone found out, it was too late and they had let her keep it there. she could feel her smile already
growing, anticipating to sit next to her flowers. that was until she saw someone already there. her
eyes widened in surprised. no one ever was there at this time of night. it was almost midnight and
everyone was usually already in bed, guess penelope wasn't the only one having a crappy night.
she tiptoed closer until she could see who was the silhouette by her flowers. as she got closer, she
saw it was none other than josie saltzman.

penelope had knowing the girl in passing. they had talked briefly before but never in depth, they
ran in completely different circles. josie's circle mostly being her sister, mg, and sometimes hope
mikaelson. she had never really paid attention to josie but as the moon shined on the girl, she
looked different. penelope inched closer, trying to see what the girl was doing out here this late. she
could see her staring down at a book, actually writing in it. penelope wondered what she could be
saying in that journal of hers. she inched closer one again before SNAP!

"who's there?!"

"it's just me! penelope park," she assured her, stepping closer.

josie looked up at her, her lips parting at the surprise of seeing anyone else around. why was
penelope park here of all places? she didn't seem like the type to hang out with the flowers and
embrace the nature. she stood up, "oh, um sorry. did you want this spot? i can just go," she said,
gathering her stuff.

"no! no, it's fine. we can both enjoy the garden. there's no dibs on who gets to sit at the garden,
right?" penelope placed a hand on her arm, trying to get her to stop from leaving. she didn't know
why she wanted her to stay. she didn't seem like bad company, it couldn't be so bad to have
someone admire the flowers with her.
"oh. okay, i guess." josie sat down again on her blanket she had laid out on the ground, making
room for penelope to sit.

penelope plopped down right next to josie, giving her a brief grin before gazing up at the stars that
hovered above them. she cleared her throat, "so i know why i'm here, but why are you here,
saltzman?" she took her gaze away from the sky to look at the girl next to her.

josie hesitated for a moment, letting a small chuckle out. she normally wouldn't talk to anyone
about her problems. she usually kept them inside or wrote them down in her journal. in fact, that's
what she had been doing before penelope showed up. looking back at her, she felt a strange
comfort in her. like she could tell her anything. "my sister is having a moment again. hope and my
dad spending so much time together really has her on edge right now. and of course she's mad that
i'm not as angry as her about it. its just something i've become used to, i guess. but she's kind of
unbearable right now so i thought i could just get away or something. i dont know." she trailed off,
looking down at her fidgeting hands as she told her. "but what about you? what is the great
penelope park doing out this late at night? i've never seen you here before. i always thought this
was my secret little place."

penelope was taken aback by that. her secret place? this was definitely penelope's. "ah yes, one of
lizzie saltzman's great meltdowns. i'm sure this school has seen or heard a fair share of those. no
offense." she smiled at her before thinking about what took place before she came down here. "it's
just one of those nights. i miss my mom, like a lot. and it just doesn't seem like she misses me back.
every time i try to call her, it just seems like there's an excuse for her not to talk to me. whether
she's busy with work or she wants to sleep instead of talk or something. i just thought being her
only daughter, we would be closer and she would miss me. guess that isn't the case. whatever, i'm
probably overreacting. it's not that big of a deal." penelope felt exposed after saying that, regretting
what she said right away. she had never told anyone about her family, especially her mother. it had
always been a sore subject since she was little. but as much as she felt exposed, she felt a weight
lifted. she had never realized she held that all in until that moment. she shook her head and smiled
once again, clearing her throat from the lump in her throat that had formed while recounting the
story of her relationship with ehr mother. "also? this is most definitely not your spot. i came up with
this spot, saltzman. i planted these flowers. if i could've, i would've made them put a plaque or
something to signify this is my spot."

"none taken, don't worry. lizzie and i are very aware people know of her tantrums. at least no one
points it out to her face." she shrugged and laughed a little. she zeroed in on penelope's facial
expressions as she spoke. if you had just paid attention to her strutting down the halls of the school,
you would have never thought this happened behind closed doors. penelope always seemed
confident and happy, like life was always going her way. no one would've guessed different, but
hearing the pain in her voice as she spoke made you see her different. josie reached out and placed
her hand on penelope's shoulder, not hesitating that this might be uncomfortable for both of them as
they weren't that close. all she knew was that penelope was obviously in pain, but just hiding it
deep inside of her. "penelope, you're definitely not overreacting. trust me, i live with the most
dramatic person ever and i know this isn't overreacting. i'm so sorry that it's like that for you and
her.i would've never guessed, you just seem so content?" she shrugged, not wanting to say the
wrong thing and upset her or diminish her feelings. "okay, park. i guess we have to start calling this
our spot then. we can both share it." she smiled softly at her.

hearing josie's words and feelign her comfort felt nice, like she was taking a breathe of fresh air for
the first time. she had never had this before — comfort from someone who actually seemed to
care. not just some therapist that was mandated to check on her and every other student in the
school. but someone who genuinely cared and looked at her like a person and not just something to
be feared. penelope felt as if she had known josie forever, like she could trust her with anything and
everything. "you're the first person ive ever told that to. so thank you." she looked at her, still
feeling josie's hand on her, not wanting her to move it. "yeah, i guess maybe we can convince your
dad to put a plaque with both of our names or something." she joked.

"thanks for what?" josie asked, tilting her head. there was nothing josie did, just be there. if
anything, josie should be thanking her for sneaking out on the same night she did so she didn't have
to talk to the flowers or her journal about her problems once again. for being there. josie laughed
and shook her head at the girl's joke. it was a solid idea but not anything her dad would ever do,
especially if he found out how it became to be their spot. he was very against breaking the rules
there.

"for being there."

josie's breathe hitched in her throat. it was as if she could read her mind. she nodded and looked
back at the sky, as penelope did the same. they sat there in silence for a few minutes, neither
wanting to interrupt the sounds of the crickets chirping and the brisk wind flowing between them
and the garden. it wasn't until josie spoke that either of them looked away from the moon. "so
penelope park, tell me more about yourself. now that i know the bad stuff, tell me about some of
the good, before we get caught out here or something." she smiled and gazed at her, admiring how
the moon hit her hair at the perfect angle. the night sky radiated off her skin and hair so perfectly, it
was if josie was seeing one of the world's greatest wonders up close.

the two girls sat there for what seemed like hours, talking about their grades and how mystic falls
people were the absolute worst and how they both had very traumatizing experiences falling out of
tall trees when they were younger. they were learning so much about each other in such a short
span, if an observer would watch them, it would seem as if they knew each other for years without
bright their smiles shined to each other. they laughed at the dumbest jokes they told each other,
even if it wasn't funny. eventually they grew tired and decided to lay down, talking. they didn't
want to leave that moment; their place.

"i want to show you something," penelope spoke as she pulled out her phone from her phone and
headphones from her back pockets. she pulled up her spotify and typed in 'the night we met by lord
huron.' "you did say you were into that soft type of music and shit," she laughed and handed one
earbud to josie. they both laid flat on their backs and stared up at the sky as the first chords of the
song began.

i am not the only traveler

who has not repaid his debt
i've been searching for a trail to follow again
take me back to the night we met

and then i can tell myself

what the hell I'm supposed to do
and then i can tell myself
not to ride along with you

i had all and then most of you

some and now none of you
take me back to the night we met

i don't know what i'm supposed to do

haunted by the ghost of you
 oh, take me back to the night we met

when the night was full of terrors

and your eyes were filled with tears
when you had not touched me yet
oh, take me back to the night we met

i had all and then most of you

some and now none of you
take me back to the night we met
i don't know what i'm supposed to do
haunted by the ghost of you
take me back to the night we met

as the song ended, penelope looked over to josie, who had had her eyes closed. she smiled at the
calmness that had washed over her face. she looked so happy and at peace. she was gazing so long,
she didn't even notice josie had reached down and grabbed a hold of penelope's hand, keeping it in
her grasp, grazing her thumb over penelope's.

"play it again."

and she did, over and over again. she didn't remember how many times. all she remembered from
that night is that they listened to it until the sunshine peaked over the trees and they realized they
needed to go inside before anyone else woke up. she gathered their things and walked back into the
salvatore boarding school, hand in hand.

penelope had thought of that night a few times since they broke off. most of the time, it just came
in dreams or in glimpses when she saw her in the halls. she had swore that she had seem that same
peaceful smile on josie's lips as she talked to rafael, shattering her heart into a million pieces. but
penelope didn't deserve any better. she had her and then lost her. she sat up and wiped the tear that
managed to escape. how silly she was for crying over someone who didn't feel the same as she did.
suddenly she heard a knock on the door. she sighed, figuring it was becca from lunch, who always
managed to notice when penelope was gone and always made sure to bug her asking why she
wasn't there. she stood up and started walking towards the door.

"becca, if that's you, i have told you time and time again that sometimes, i might just not want to
have lunch with you. sometimes, i need my sp—," she opened the door to reveal the one person she
never thought would be back here.

"josie?"

"can i come in?"

End Notes

hello!!

just want to say a quick thank you for reading this! this was my first fanfiction that i've
 written in years so i thought i would try it out once again with my new faves! i would love
more feedback and if you guys would ever want any continuation/other fics after this! any
feedback can be left in the comment or on my twitter @peneiopeparks and instagram
@karclinadeans!

- annie

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