Hello, my lovely Klayley fans! I have decided with the long awaited season of The Originals to come, to write a short story (8 chapters long) about the forgiveness between Klaus and Hayley when she finally returns from the terror she has been placed in the bayou. Freya and Klaus have started bonding as she observes his new relationship with Cami. This is a story about forgiveness, love, heartbreak and family, between the Hybrid King and his destined Queen.
PLOT: Six months had passed since the defeat of the one wicked witch Dahlia, and the Original Hybrid had managed to settle down in the city he loves, with his daughter, and the woman he fancies, but his happiness is to be tested the moment his sister, Freya informs him of Elijah's new discoveries. As a long awaited confrontation arrives, Freya reveals to her brother what feelings he holds deep inside of his heart for the little wolf. She proposes eight steps, which will bring him forgiveness and redemption, distancing himself from the things he thought would make him happy.
Freya Mikaelson had been accepted into the life of her brothers, after showing her courage and wisdom, as well as loyalty…something which seemed to be a big problem in her family. She remembered six months before, the look on Rebekah's face when she showed her the body of Eva St. Claire. There was the sort of happiness on her face. She never believed she had seen her this way before. It was the happiness of being able to make a choice on her own, for the first time in a long time. Freya realized it was something that her sister had missed, the freedom of given a choice and she did choose. She chose to take the body, the one which did not belong to her, in order to start over. She wanted to leave her family, because it had caused her nothing but heartache. And this city had as well. Rebekah left her brothers and now, it was Freya the one ready to take her place, as the family's peacekeeper.
She walked through the compound late throughout the night when she heard the baby scream. It was not something she hadn't gotten used to throughout the months of living here. The child was screaming more than usual. It was a sign, a sign that she had been rid of her chance of having her mother sing to her a lullaby. The little baby, Hope, her niece, was deprived of her mother months before. Freya ran her hand through her hair as she kept walking towards the nursery, trying to figure out the best way to get her to stop yelling this time of night. Freya had tried many times through these past few months to search for the perfect spell to cast on her niece, but her heart ached for her, when she saw the sadness a little baby could produce. Freya could remember how Dahlia had deprived her of her own mother.
It was impossible to find it in her heart to cast a spell to prevent the child from showing her true emotions, so Freya decided against it, and simply filled in the role of the aunt Rebekah had promised to be to the child, before she left them. Usually, she sat in the rocking chair and held the baby in her hands, kissing her forehead or pressing her small and rubbery hand against her cheek. She wanted to show this baby comfort, to show her that she had a family who loved her. She had a father who loved her. But every child needed a mother. Freya often thought about the vision she had, once before…it was a vision she had gotten from reading the mind of her brother.
Niklaus Mikaelson was a man known for his cruelty towards the people who stood by him, and cared for him, as he showed them nothing but betrayal in return. But Freya had seen something inside of him, the moment she entered his mind a long while ago. She entered his mind and saw happiness, but not just any happiness. She saw his happiness alongside someone…and that someone was not his only daughter. That someone was the Werewolf Queen he had imprisoned in her wolf form, as well as her family of blood, in the bayou, six months ago. It was the kind of happiness which made Freya wonder about Klaus' taste in women. That vision of him and Hayley, standing side by side with their child, brought some sort of smile on her face, as she realized what could redeem her brother. But he was blind. Freya was shaking her head as she thought about Niklaus' many flaws, the flaws which clouded his judgement and made him bring pain to the people he shouldn't and couldn't afford to lose from his life, and that one person could very well be Hayley Marshall, the mother of the everyday crying child.
Finally, Freya found the courage to open the door that night to the nursery and her heart dropped as she saw Hope Mikaelson, her teary face and the look of despair, as Klaus held her in the rocking chair and Camille beside him. She watched them for a moment as Cami asked for the baby and the moment she received the child, Hope's screams started echoing through the walls of the compound. Camille scrunched her face, as she handed the baby back to Klaus and said, "She really doesn't know when to stop now, does she?" Klaus chuckled and shook his head, saying, "I know, love. She can be quite stubborn at times. She takes after…" His voice trailed off as Freya listened through the door. Finally, she opened it and cleared her throat as Klaus greeted her with an amusing smile on his face. "Sister, what brings you here?" he asked as Freya simply stepped over and caressed the baby's cheek and whispering in Latin, the spell she needed, "Hoc adipiscing commodo puer pacem meruit."
At that moment, Hope stopped screaming and yelling her eyes started dropping. Freya hated doing this, but it for the best. After the racket had finally stopped, Cami sighed with relief as she smiled at Freya. "Thank you. You just saved our lives." There was a small laugh that came out of her mouth but it didn't match Freya's. The Original sister simply offered her a kind smile and said, "You're welcome. Cami, could you please excuse us for a couple of minutes?" Cami looked over at Klaus in surprise, who kissed her cheek gently, making her flush, as she left the siblings to talk. Freya looked over at her brother and noticed that the smile did not reach his eyes. The smile was not genuine, not even when he kissed Hope's sleeping face. She took a seat in the place where Camille was sitting not too long before and whispered, "You know what tonight is, don't you?" At that moment, Klaus' smile disappeared, as he continued watching his daughter sleep in his arms. He refused to look into his sister's eyes.
"Brother…I know that you must feel betrayed. Betrayal is…hard to accept. I know it because I felt the same thing when I looked into my mother's eyes. I could never truly forgive her for giving me away to Dahlia, but after I gave it a long time of thinking in these past six months, since I last saw her, I realized that…sometimes the worsts things could happen with a reason." Klaus looked up and stared into a wall in front of him with his face not showing any emotion. Perhaps she could reach out to him, as they have shared the same childhood experiences. The only difference was that Freya was loved by Mikael, whereas Klaus was not. "I know Hayley broke your heart…" She started and that made him snap.
The Original Hybrid stood up with the baby in his hands and walked over to the crib, setting her there, as she continued sleeping. "I have said this to Dahlia and I now feel the need to repeat it to you, sister. I have never cared enough for Hayley, as you might think I have." "Really? And that is why you have given her the worst punishment out of everyone in this family who has upset you." "I saved her life through this curse. That is what I have done. I have saved her bloody life! The least you and Elijah could do is to be grateful for that!" Freya shook her head as she saw the anger on his face. "Brother, please keep your voice down. The child is sleeping." "Then I suggest you stop with these horrific questions and thoughts. I did what had to be done, and I had hoped that we had cleared this up a long while ago." "You killed Gia, Niklaus." Freya reminded him and Klaus stilled. "Elijah loved her. He loved her like no other and you took her from his life. She was an innocent girl..." "Another sacrifice one must accept. If I had not killed her, Dahlia would have never believed that I no longer held any loyalty towards my family. I needed to make sure that she trusted me to full extent and I have succeeded and that is the reason why my daughter is safe, Dahlia has disappeared to never return and you…you have been granted the freedom you always wished to receive from our twisted aunt."
She bit her lip as she realized that it would be tough to argue with him there. He and Elijah had not spoken for weeks, as the noble brother claimed that the only reason he was still in this town was to look after the baby, as Hayley had requested of him. It was true that she did want her freedom more than anything. She had been searching for it for a 1000 years but the price…it was hard to bear. Freya loved Elijah, as she had known him since she listened to him in her mother's womb, and she hated to see him suffer. On the other hand, she couldn't turn her back on the brother who had offered her the greatest gift of freedom and family, something had not been able to offer Rebekah fully. She felt lucky. She felt loved, to have family members who cared about her. But yet again she thought, at what price? "I will forever be grateful, Niklaus, but…" "There is no but! There is nothing!" "Niklaus, you have not placed Hayley and her pack under this curse for so long to save her life. If that was your plan, you would have freed her after Dahlia's disappearance but you haven't. This was your way of revenge."
Klaus stood there, looking at her for a moment before motioning for her to leave the nursery and let the child sleep soundly. "The moment Hayley married Jackson…she no longer put her faith in me to protect our daughter. She only put her faith in him. She no longer trusted me. She gave me no choice, when she decided to leave town with my baby AND HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ELIJAH AND NOT ME…!" He stopped talking as Freya placed her finger over her lips. The compound was silent and it was empty. It felt empty for months and Klaus could not deny it. His brother was angry, and he knew that centuries would pass before he would forgive him for the death of Gia. Marcel had turned his back on him, now ruling the city with Davina by his side, as he was left alone, with Freya, Camille and his daughter. "So, you do agree that she hurt you, and that is why she received such a punishment." Freya finally whispered and Klaus growled, looking away.
"Niklaus, you cannot possibly realize that Hayley has done nothing to offer you betrayal." His eyes widened and before he could respond, Freya held up her hand calmly and whispered, "Let me finish." He closed his mouth as Freya continued. "Do you really think that Hayley wanted to turn her back on you this way? She was frightened by you and by your actions. You started to follow your own plan to protect Hope…without informing anyone but Cami, and that too, a little late. You lied that you killed that young werewolf, Aiden, when you hadn't. What was she to think about you? You lied to her and you tried manipulating her. She believed that you were going over the edge and she reacted like any rational mother would have done. She was scared, brother. She was scared of your reckless actions which could bring her daughter misery." "My actions were just…and I never had a different priority other than killing Dahlia and saving this family from the misery you claim I could inflict about my own daughter! Hayley should have known better than to trust that pup of a husband, instead of me! Now, she is paying the price and she is to know that I will never let anyone take my daughter from me!"
He turned around to leave when Freya said, "Elijah found the cure." He stopped in his tracks, as his mouth parted and his eyes showed fear, fear which his sister could not see. He slowly turned around and tried to keep himself calm as he asked, "What cure?" "Davina found a way to break Hayley's curse. A potion and she gave it to Elijah. The werewolves will return to their original state tonight." She could see how much her brother was affected by the news. He turned around and started walking towards the interior balcony, placing his hands firmly on the railings and he squeezed in anger. Freya stepped over to him and said in a whisper, "I can help you, brother. I can help you find happiness again, just as you were destined to find." Klaus turned around in anger and growled, "What are you talking about?"
"The eight steps towards forgiveness. That is what you want isn't it? Forgiveness?" When her brother didn't answer, Freya continued, "Your soul is conflicted, and there is no happiness in your heart. You feel incomplete and I think deep down, you understand why." This was the moment she saw the sadness pass through Klaus' eyes. No matter how much he tried to hide it, he couldn't. "I feel nothing but contempt for her." He whispered menacingly, turning around and placing his hands back on the railings as Freya could finally see how stubborn he really was. "You know that is not true. I have seen it, brother. She is the key to your happiness, and I want to help you…" "I have all the happiness I need, sister." Klaus said, taking her hands in his with a small smile. "I have you, my daughter and I have Cami, who offers me enough happiness at it is. And she trusts me. She always has."
Freya shook her head and whispered, "You gave her reasons to trust you and despite all of that, she continues to see you as a monster, needed to be fixed. Is that what you have been searching for your entire life brother? That is what makes you happy? You want change to come from someone else's work, not from yourself?" Klaus let go of her hands as once again his smile disappeared. Freya shook her head and touched his cheek. "You are looking at everything the wrong way, brother and it will hurt you eventually." "You barely know me. How could you possible understand what I need in my life?" "Because I had a vision…of you and Hayley." There was shock written on Klaus' face. "I refuse to tell you about my vision. But I will council you. There is a child in there, brother, who needs not only her father, and one of the many women he brings into her life…she needs her mother too."
"Hayley did not seem to think as you do!" Klaus snapped. "Hayley thought of the moment, but maybe if you take the time to put herself in her shoes, you will understand why I defend the decisions of someone I barely know." She took another deep breath as she said, "You have given me so much, brother and for that, I have to find a way to repay you. I can offer you the council you need to find your true happiness and redemption through eight steps." Klaus scoffed but Freya insisted. "When Hayley returns to the compound tonight and believe me, she will return…things need to get out into the open."
"Hayley would never take the time to understand my pain." "As you have never cared to understand hers." Freya completed and Klaus was lost for words. "Can't you see, Niklaus? You have both made mistakes, but your actions have inflicted pain on so many loved ones. Pain, which I do not believe you have the power to take back, but you can give yourself a chance at forgiveness for the future. Hayley is hurt just as much as you are…because she never thought that you would go so far as hurting her the way you have. I can understand the torment and your confusion, because she has hurt you too. But like I said that child needs both of her parents and you cannot co-parent her unless you find a way to work out your issues." "And how would you suggest I do that?" Klaus finally asked her. "The eight steps. The first can be the hardest. Have a long talk together when she returns."
Klaus turned away from her but Freya insisted, "Listen to me! It will help you!" "She won't stand to see me, after what I have done to her and her pack." "Being able to talk about the situation that occurred will make it easier to handle yourselves later on. This is the first step, Niklaus and if you ever want to have Hayley in your life again, it is you who has to make the first move." "She will never listen to me." "Insist on it. Please, brother. I know how much you care for her. Do not let her leave your life." "Why would you insist on this preposterous ideal of forgiveness? How are you to know of my relationship with Hayley?" "You have forgotten the moment I searched your mind…and I have seen your true desires. I have had visions, Niklaus and I know…all there is to know." They stopped their conversation as their heard footsteps. Klaus and Freya watched as Elijah was bringing a woman, covered in towels, towards the room she belonged in.
"She's here." Freya whispered as Klaus watched with horror on his face at the look on Hayley's face. She looked horrified, dirty, and her hair was sticking out from many places, as she kept her eyes closed, and her mouth was trembling. "Shhh." Elijah whispered in her ear as they entered her room. "What is going on?" Klaus asked and Freya responded, "She may be a hybrid, but six months in wolf form have done her a lot of damage. It will take some time now, of course." Elijah came out of Hayley's room and saw the two of them standing there. "The potion that has been given to her has broken the bond between her and her pack. They are no longer hybrids." He said with his eyes on Freya only. "How is that possible?" she asked. Elijah shrugged. "Her marriage to Jackson is no longer valid, because the curse was the only thing tying them together, as Dahlia had placed the curse on them. Davina can offer you more details. To you, Freya. I am not sure that her feelings towards Niklaus have changed over the past months."
Elijah moved away and Klaus started saying after him, "It was you who came up with the plan to trick Davina into reviving our mother and not Kol, so do not dare to put this on me, brother!" Elijah didn't reply to his remarks, as he had refused to do so for the past six months. Freya looked over at her brother and motioned for him to enter the room. "No. She is probably tired, and I do not wish…" "…to face her? Is that why you have been putting it off getting her back? Why don't you face the truth, brother? You are afraid of what she might think of you now. You have been for the past six months." Their eyes met for a moment as Freya whispered, "The first step is having a talk, a long talk. You do that and let me know how it goes." With that, Freya retreated.
…
Klaus opened the door to the room gently as his teeth clenched. He could smell the shampoo and realized that she had taken a long awaited bath and revived her body. He was starting to regret coming here and was about to leave when she came out, with a towel wrapped around her body. Their eyes met for a long moment before her mouth parted and her eyes looked glassy. Neither one of them could move from the spot, as her nostrils started flattering in anger, and he stepped closer to her, with regret showing after six months of waiting for the moment he would have to face her. "We need to speak, little wolf." He said as softly as possible. "Get out!" she responded in a hoarse voice, with spite and disgust on her face, at what he was suggesting. The anger he himself was holding inside of him came out and he pointed a finger at her, "You will listen to me."
"GET OUT!" Hayley screamed this time, keeping her hands close to her body, afraid that her towel might fall. In anger, she lunged at him and he caught her hands before she could do anything. "NO!" he yelled back in her face, as the frustration hit him. "You will listen to me." "I told you to let me go and leave!" "I did what had to be done…" "YOU BASTARD!" Hayley yelled out and grabbed her hands back and started hitting his chest with her fists, and tears streaming down her face. His heart was breaking at seeing her like a true mess that she was, after six months of living in the body of an animal. She stopped struggling after a while and said, "I want my daughter." "Hayley…" "NO! I WILL SEE HER NOW!" she yelled in his face and pushed him aside, heading for the nursery. He shook his head with a sigh, as he returned after a couple of minutes, with a determined look on his face, to do what his sister had requested, what she called, the first step towards forgiveness.
He entered the nursery and saw her in the rocking chair, with little Hope in her hands, and a glowing smile of her face. Klaus stood there, in awe as he watched her play with her child. The look on Hope's face was one he had not seen in a long time, and realization hit his face that his sister was right. The child needed her mother. The glow on Hayley's face reminded him of the moment he had felt the baby's kick in this nursery a year and a half ago. She was happy, and he was happy with her…and with their child. "I know you do not wish to speak to me…and on some parts, it is understandable. But I do wish you will take your time to listen to what I have to say." The smile disappeared on her face, but her eyes were on Hope constantly and not on him.
Klaus sighed as he started speaking. "Your actions have reflected badly in my mind, due to your mistrust. You chose Jackson as a better father for Hope, something I have felt you would do eventually, deep inside of my heart. But I know…in your mind, you were doing what was best for our daughter, as I was thinking otherwise. It shows our different perspectives when it comes to protecting our child…and I could never truly respect that this child has a mother, who has every right to make decisions for her, just as I, her father, have that right." There was a long pause, as he waited for her to say something and when she didn't, he continued. "Dahlia wanted to kill you. She wanted you out of Hope's life because she knew you would resist and you would die before you would give Hope to her. But giving her up was exactly the plan I had in mind. I wanted Dahlia to trust me. I had agreed to her thoughts that she could help Hope control her powers, like she thought she helped Freya."
Hope let out a small burp, as her eyes landed on her father, but Hayley still refused to look his way, and Klaus added, "Dahlia thought that you were a threat, and needed to be eliminated. I, of course, couldn't let that happen and went along with her plan, until I convinced her to place the curse on you. It was the only way…I could be seen on your side, but also keeping you alive. I could have searched for the cure to your curse a long time ago, as Elijah had been trying but I didn't…because I wanted to punish you. To make you suffer for the way you have made me suffer…the most." He was done talking and with a sigh, he stepped out of the nursery, realizing that she was not going to respond. Her missed Hayley's eyes closing and tears dripping from them.
A/N: Ah, I have been waiting to write this for a while now. So, Klaus and Hayley are on the path of forgiveness. Freya suggested eight steps, as she knows from reading her brother's mind, of the secret feelings he holds for Hayley. There will be more of Camille in the next chapter. I have a hard time writing Klamille scenes, because I find them boring and completely useless, but for the sake of the story, Klaus and Cami continue their superficial love affair and see how that impacts on Hayley.
Thank you for reading and please leave me reviews.