Chapter Twenty-One
Love Is The Only Force Capable Of Transforming An Enemy Into A Friend
After catching Cami up on what Hayley had discovered this far about her own past, including the baby she had lost, which Hayley made Cami promise she would never reveal to anyone, especially Klaus until Hayley herself was ready to do so, she felt a lot better and more hopeful for the future and more convinced she was making the right decision keeping this baby.
She would make sure that Klaus let Cami come back. Hayley went to seek him out, heading up to the second floor figuring he'd be in his studio. He wasn't, but entering it again, hit her with a rush of sense memory that made her heart race a little faster.
Her eye was drawn back to the painting with the little girl. She now knew that it was her and now so did he.
She heard him enter the room. "Thanks for leaving Cami and I alone to talk."
"Yes well, if you two were going to talk about the latest episode of The Bachelorette, I didn't want to be spoiled," he joked.
She couldn't help laugh at that and the way his face lit up at the sound made her heart squeeze. She looked away from him and back to the painting. "You loved her very much, didn't you?"
"I did."
"I saw it. That flash of pain in your eyes when I told you I was going to kill the baby. That was part of why I did it. To hurt you for back in the cemetery. I wanted to hurt you."
He clenched his jaw. "I have long ago taken the power away from anyone to hurt me. You can't hurt a man who feels nothing."
"Right. But you and I both know that's not you. I may not remember much about my own life, but I do know you. It's all here. Everything you feel is in this room. Maybe you don't want to feel and that's what makes you such an asshole. I need to believe that if I'm going to have this kid and not have it grow up with a monster for a father." She looked back at the painting. "What do you think she would think about all this? Andrea Labonair. About what you've done. This war you're so determined to fight."
"She'd be horrified, but Andrea refused to believe that I was a monster. In the end she paid for it with her life."
"Yeah, and was reborn a monster herself."
Klaus grabbed her so fast Hayley jumped. "No! You may not remember who you are, but let me assure you, you could never be a monster."
The passion in his words and in his eyes made it hard to fight the part of her inside that wanted to believe him, that wanted so much more.
"You don't know what I've done, Klaus. I don't even know what I've done for whole centuries of my life."
"We could find a spell to bring your memory back," Klaus offered.
"Yeah, Cami suggested the same thing. Well, not a spell obviously, but hypnotherapy. I'm kind of freaked to do it. I think it's time though, for this little one's sake. I think it would be cool if at least one of his or her parents had all their marbles."
Klaus lips quirked in a smile.
"Cami also said something else. About you and Marcel. That you once loved each other like family. What happened?"
She watched the warmth fall from his face and almost wished she hadn't bought it up, but she needed to know what she was facing as Marcel's friend and Klaus's…well…whatever the hell they were to each other.
"I made Marcel everything he is. Over a hundred years ago my father found us, here in New Orleans and ran us out. We thought Marcel had died. Instead of seeking us out, instead of sticking together, he made a choice, to take everything we built and make it his own. That 'M' he stamps everywhere. It's not for 'Marcel'. It's for 'Mikaelson'," he replied, his voice cold. "I want it all back and if I have to push him out to get it then that's what I'll do."
Hayley ran a hand along the painting, her heart breaking for the little girl she had been. "Marcel is one of my best friends. He helped me more times than I can count, kept my secrets, saved my life. I won't let you hurt him. He is also like family to me."
Klaus pinned her with his gaze. "Do I need to remind you that it is my child you carry? That should be where your loyalty lies."
Hayley stiffened. "My loyalty is to this baby. It is not to some power grab that will destroy its home and I will make sure that it grows up safe and loved and I will be too happy to remind you of that, should you need it." She walked past him and left him in the studio alone.
She was waiting for Rebekah outside by the pool after dinner. "Cami is bringing a doctor friend of hers here to give me a check up since Klaus won't let me leave while the witches are out there waiting to pounce."
"He wants to keep you and the baby safe. Though he'd never come out and say it, of course," Rebekah pointed out.
"Right. Well instead of aligning himself with Marcel against the witches, he's going to make war against him and I refuse to let that happen so…" Hayley reached down and pulled out wrapped daggers from underneath her seat. With a surety that she was doing the right thing, she handed them to Rebekah.
Rebekah looked at her curiously and unwrapped the fabric, giving a little gasp when the daggers were revealed. "Where did you find these?"
"Now you can get Elijah back without worrying about Klaus sticking you in a box."
Rebekah stared at her in amazement, then reached over and hugged her. "Thank you."
Hayley stiffened in surprise. "Oh. Um, okay." She hugged her back awkwardly at, then found herself settling against her as a warmth and affection moved through her and she could imagine at one time she must have loved this woman very much. "I have a condition though," Hayley warned.
Rebekah pulled back and looked at her warily. "Oh I know that look."
"I'm coming with you to find Elijah."
Rebekah groaned.
"Come on. Elijah was kind to me. I owe him and I cannot stay cooped up in this place all day. Fresh air. That's good for the baby, right? And you'd be with me so I'd still be protected," she grinned eagerly.
Rebekah gave a soft giggle and shook her head. "You may not remember being Andrea but you still retain the uncanny ability to make those around you do what you want whether they want to or not with a sweet smile and a guileless look."
"Awesome, so let's go."
Rebekah drugged Klaus's evening tea (how very English, Hayley remarked) to knock him out for the night while she and Hayley snuck out of the house.
"I feel like I'm sneaking out of my house to get drunk," Hayley whispered as they made their way outside. She paused then. "Was that even real? Any of it?"
Rebekah flushed guiltily in the darkness. "I don't know. I compelled you to forget your past and put you on a ship to America, as far away from Mikael and our family as I could get you."
"And then washed your hands of me. Got it," Hayley snapped, a fresh burst of anger gripping her. She closed her eyes. "Sorry. Still a bit bitter about the whole 'not knowing anything about my past' thing."
"You're entitled," Rebekah said. "I compelled a family to take you in as their child. Making them believe they had adopted you as a baby. After that…I don't know."
Then a whisper of knowledge in the back of Hayley's mind. Every time her vampire self became known, she'd have to run. Century after century. There'd be moments of home, of safety, family, friendship and then she'd have to run.
Rebekah took her hand. "You don't have to run anymore."
Hayley wanted to believe her, but she didn't.
They stopped outside Marcel's club, empty at the late hour except for Camille and Marcel, apparently on a date. Rebekah went straight for him. "Where is my brother?"
"Hello to you too," Marcel said then made the introductions.
Rebekah grabbed Marcel and shoved him against the wall.
"Hey! Easy!" Hayley insisted but Rebekah paid her no mind.
"What the hell?" Camille asked looking at Hayley.
She shook her head.
"Tell me where my brother is or I will kill you!" Rebekah screamed at him.
"Oh geez," Hayley groaned. "Bad cop. Bad cop."
The air suddenly changed as Marcel met Rebekah's gaze head on and smiled. "No. You won't."
Hayley didn't dare look at Camille because no one could miss the way Marcel and Rebekah looked at each other…like they wanted to devour each other whole.
They reminded her of-
"You're right. I won't." Then in a lightening quick move Rebekah had Camille up against the wall and choking her. "But I will kill her."
"What the fuck, no!" Hayley shouted. "This was not a part of the plan. Let her go right now!"
"Fine," Marcel said. "Leave her alone and I'll take you to Elijah."
Hayley gave Camille an apologetic look and Marcel compelled her to go home.
"We're gonna talk about this later," Hayley snapped at Rebekah as they followed Marcel out of his club.
"Yes, I'm sure we are. You can spank my bottom after we find Elijah."
Marcel took them to Father Kiernan, Camille's uncle's church.
"You didn't bury him did you?" Hayley asked.
Marcel led them up into the attic where they spotted what had to be Elijah's casket.
Hayley and Rebekah stopped in the doorway and found they couldn't move. Hayley rolled her eyes. "Really?"
Marcel cocked an eyebrow. "You and I are going to have a chat about you going along with this ambush later but…Come on out, Davina."
A beautiful young girl with dark hair and green eyes, who looked no more than sixteen stepped closer to him.
"Invite them in," Marcel said.
In a soft, sweet but wary voice the girl instructed them to enter the room. Rebekah went straight for the coffin while Hayley looked around, noticing the various paintings and drawings and the large bed.
"Who are you?" Hayley asked her. "Do you…like…live here?"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Davina warned Rebekah as she went to remove the dagger from Elijah's chest.
Hayley felt relief swamp her when she turned and assured herself that yes, Elijah was there in the coffin, if not necessarily safe and sound, then at least whole.
Rebekah glared at the teenager. "Who the hell are you?"
"Davina," she replied, all hostile teenager.
She rather reminded Hayley of herself…or what Hayley thought had been herself at that age. Angry at the world.
"Rebekah's an Original which means she can't be killed."
"She's not very nice," Davina sneered.
"She can be," Marcel said, meeting Rebekah's eyes. "But she hasn't been very nice to me tonight."
"Then I'm afraid it's time for you to leave," Davina said and pushed both Rebekah and Hayley against the wall with her mind.
Hayley watched in shock as Davina sent Rebekah through the open shutter out the window.
Marcel looked at Hayley in annoyance. "Her you can let down. Easy though, she's pregnant."
"Really?" Davina asked, curious eyes moving to Hayley's belly.
"Did you just throw her out a window?" Hayley rushed to the window but the shutter slammed shut. She turned and glared at Davina. "Listen, kid."
"No, you listen," Marcel said. "What the hell are you doing traipsing around in the dark with Rebekah where the witches can just grab you off the street?"
She pointed at the coffin in the corner.
"That is between me and Klaus. It has nothing to do with you."
"Elijah is a friend of mine. I'm not just going to let you keep him up here like some kind of ghoulish souvenir!"
"Yes, you are. You don't know what Klaus is capable of, okay? I do."
"Oh don't you dare!" Hayley snapped. "Don't you dare use my memory loss against me. That is not fair!"
Marcel lifted his hands, instantly apologetic. "I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean it like that. Really. I just mean, as a matter of fact, the Klaus you knew and the Klaus I know are two very different people."
"But you loved him once," Hayley reminded him softly, watching as the sadness moved across his face before, like Klaus, the cold mask dropped over his face. Klaus must have taught him that, she thought. "Cami told me you were like family before Mikael found them again. Does Cami even know what you're doing?"
A guilty flicker.
"Of course she doesn't," Hayley confirmed for him. "Because Elijah is a friend of hers too and you know she would have your ass on a plate if she knew you what you were doing!"
"Hey, Klaus, came to me. What was I supposed to do? Turn his offer down?"
"Yes! For Cami's sake and for the undeniable fact that no one is going to win this war."
He smiled, a fake, pacifying smile that made Hayley's teeth clench because she knew what his bullshit smile looked like directed at others. "Babe, there's no war this way, see? I hang on to Elijah for insurance, Klaus and I keep the peace, everybody's happy."
"Yeah. That might work on anyone who doesn't know you. How are you okay with this?" This she directed to Davina. "You're a witch, right? How are you okay with Marcel trying to destroy you're people or…Christ, Marcel are you keeping this child hostage too?"
"Marcel is my friend! And I'm seventeen." Davina insisted, looking about ready throw her out the window next.
"The witches are after Davina so I'm protecting her."
Hayley groaned. "Okay, why would the witches want to kill one of their own?"
"To complete an ancient harvest ritual so they can strengthen their magic," Marcel explained.
"You all are giving me a fucking migraine."
"Don't worry about it, okay? Stress isn't good for the baby, right?"
Hayley pinned him with a glare. "Pregnant or not, I will kick your ass."
This time his smile was more genuine. "I'm just asking you to keep quiet about Davina for a while."
Hayley exhaled and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, but then stiffened and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, you like making deals, let's make a deal. You give Elijah back to his siblings, and I won't tell Cami you kept him in a coffin in her uncle's attic and I won't tell her or anyone that you've got an seventeen year old witch hiding up here too. You don't and I go straight to her."
True to her word, Hayley said nothing to Cami though she hated keeping anything from her friend. As it turned out, her friend was debating how to tell her something as well and had been trying the day after Hayley and Rebekah had snuck out to find Elijah.
"I wanted to wait until you could get out of here and go home but this thing with Klaus and the witches and Marcel doesn't seem to be blowing over any time soon and I need to do it before Klaus finds out I know and compels me to forget it which I would not put past him."
Hayley sat up straighter on the back step. "What is it?"
"Klaus told McCready and the rest of the police department that you're a hybrid. They're kicking you out."
Shock and fury moved through her at the same time. "He what?"
"Yeah. They're going to be asking you for your badge. If it helps, McCready went to bat for you with the mayor, reminding him about your exemplary record but that asshole refused to hear anything other than you're one of them," Cami replied with air quotes around 'them'.
"That bastard," Hayley seethed. Looking back into the house. "That miserable fucking…I'm going to kill him." Getting to her feet, she stormed through the door and down the hallway. "Klaus!"
"Look, Hayley, I get that you're angry but you need to stay calm for the baby's sake, okay?" Cami warned. "I didn't tell you this so you could-"
Hayley smiled, her blood boiling. "I am perfectly calm, Cami. I'll talk to you later. I will remain perfectly calm as I tear Klaus Mikaelson's limbs off one by one."
"I'm not leaving you alone in case he hurts you," Cami insisted.
"He's not going to hurt me while I'm carrying his baby. KLAUS!" Hayley shouted again.
Reluctantly, Cami left and Hayley ran up the stairs to kill the father of her child. She found him in his studio, painting without a care in the world. "Did you not hear me calling you?"
"I heard a barking fishwife, is what I heard," Klaus said, not turning around.
Hayley saw red. Grabbing a tin of paint off the table, she threw it at his head.
With irritating ease, he whipped around and caught it.
"You told them! You son of a bitch." She grabbed a jar with brushes soaking in it. He caught that too but the murky water splashing into his face did give her some satisfaction.
"You'll have to be more specific, love," he said, reaching for a towel and wiping his face.
She rushed at him with her fists, catching him on the jaw. "McCready. You asshole! You told them all what I was and now my career is over. How could you?"
Klaus looked at her. "How could I?" he asked softly. "How could I indeed." There was an eerie stillness to his voice, to his entire being that should have warned her but she was too furious to heed it.
Rage was roaring in her ears so loudly that she was sure she'd heard his next words wrong, a frisson of dread moving through her. "What?"
He stepped closer, towering over her, his breath warm against her face even as his words chilled her. "What. Happened. To. Our. First. Baby?"