"I walked into the café were Klaus and Camille were apparently meeting, after finally breaking Marcel to spill, and walked in with the hottest of all attitudes.
I saw them at the far corner, but simply acted as if I didn't. When Aiden walked in to meet up I greeted him loudly and joyfully, which must have attracted Klaus' attention.
"Thanks for meeting me here Aiden" I said as we sat down
"Jackson said you're considering coming back to us" he got straight to the point
"Yes, that's true…The last time we spoke you weren't this keen to have me back though" I commented
"I, along everyone else, made a mistake" he replied
"So, I've heard you're sort of the leader now?"
"Yes, ever since Jackson got too preoccupied with his fiancé and own happiness. He refused to rule pretty much after we banished you"
"He's loyal"
"That he is"
I tried to check on Klaus without getting noticed.
"So, are you aware that Klaus Mikaelson is here and are deliberately avoiding him or is something more complicated going on?"
"The latter" I replied with a devious grin
"Are you trying to involve me in a jealousy scheme of some sort? Because I have a boyfriend" he said warningly
"No, I just need him to believe I saw them together coincidentally"
"Oh…is he cheating?"
"No, no, don't worry"
"Let me point at him then, so you have an excuse to turn around and see them"
"That's not a bad idea" I replied "Go on, do it"
And he did. I acted as if I just noticed them and walked up to him, sassily.
"Hayley" Klaus said as he stood up to greet me
"What are you doing here?" I asked as I kissed him hello
"Just, we had to discuss something that is all"
"Hi Camille" I said as I turned my head to her
"How have you been holding up Hayley?" she asked
"Fine since no one has tried to attack me with a wolfsbane covered stake" I replied angrily
"Hayley that was more than a year ago, I have apologised so many times"
"I gave you my time and effort. I tried to make life easier for you. I spoke to your brother for you and your thank you in return was believing witches rather than me"
"I was foolish and very distraught-"
"And I got staked not while trying to save Klaus but you, who I knew would get killed if she attacked the almighty hybrid and his protégé"
"I know Hayley I just got sucked into the witches' foolish lies"
"Enough, I can't discuss this without getting angry, and I don't want to get angry" I snapped and turned my head towards Klaus "You told me I misunderstood"
"Yes, I knew you would be uncomfortable, so I chose not to tell you"
"I'm not uncomfortable as long as you aren't when you look into our daughter's eyes after spending so much time with her almost murderer"
"Hayley, I get it, you may be jealous but Klaus and I-"
"I am sure as hell not jealous of you two!" I snapped "I am engaged to him, I'm awfully certain he knows better than to cheat on me"
"Of course" Klaus whispered
"I just can't see why Klaus refuses to speak to me when he opens up to you so often"
"Maybe he just doesn't want you to see him vulnerable"
"Camille" Klaus snapped warningly
"It's your choice Klaus. Do what you want"
With that I went back to Aiden's table and sat back down.
"Can we go back to the business at hand?"
"Yes, go on, you were saying?"
"We want to organise a ball in honour of your official return as our leader. We could also celebrate your engagement while we're at it"
"Sure, that sounds lovely. Send me an invitation with the details and if by then you haven't done anything to change my mind, I'll attend"
"Great, I'll do so"
"See you later then" I said and left with sass
That night Klaus came home looking worn out and guilty. I went up to him as if nothing was wrong and placed a kiss on his cheek.
"Is everything alright?" I asked with a smile
"Yes, yes it is. Is everything alright between us?"
"Of course" I said and went back inside. He followed me closely "I meant after the whole run-in incident-"
"Klaus there's nothing to worry about. I leave the choice to you. I trust your instincts" I said and kissed him on the lifts softly and breaking apart, making him long for more
"It's just that speaking to her made me feel better. She's good at understanding and-"
"She clearly didn't understand that I had her best interest in heart and put myself into a lot of stress by allowing my hauntings to proceed in order to see her brother"
"Hayley that was almost two years ago. She understood her mistake. Her allegiance lies with us"
"I don't know Klaus. I just don't"
"Sometimes I think about it, maybe we don't know each other well after all" he said surprisingly
"What?"
"Think about it love, we were simply allies but we ended up sleeping together. Then you got pregnant and we were sort of pushed further close. I'm not saying anything bad about this relationship, don't get me wrong, but I think we may have skipped some steps on our way to this engagement which we covered up with sex, amazing sex, but sex nonetheless"
I simply stared at him for a good thirty seconds before gaining the energy to speak up
"This is not coming out of your head. She put it in there"
"She didn't put anything in my head, she simply helped me uncover some stuff I want to think but don't dare to"
I felt my eyes water and looked away. I had to act cool and chill, but I was breaking into a million pieces. I lifted my head up and looked into his eyes proudly, sucking in the tears.
"The wolves are organising a ball in honour of my return as their leader. I'd appreciate it if you joined me and stood by my side. They're supposedly going to celebrate our engagement as well. Well I'm not sure if there is much to celebrate about it now" I snapped
"Hayley come on" he tried to say convincingly
"No. Don't." I said coldly "You got what you wanted. Now there is something wrong between us"
I stormed off, not leaving him a chance to reply. Kol tried to stop me on the way to say something but I shoved him away so hardly he collapsed against the wall.
I hurried out and didn't know where to go now that I did. I heard Kol call something out after me worriedly, but I couldn't be in that house.
I started walking away as rain, which was uncharacteristic for New Orleans, began to fall. I swore under my breath because I wasn't in the mood to get all wet but was too proud to go back and grab a jacket.
So, I ended up wet and hurt at the door I always went to until a while ago.
"Hayley? What the…come in" Marcel said as he gave me space to walk in
I took steps inside but stopped and turned around before going further in
"He told me it's a mistake" I whispered as I began to cry "Not literally but he meant it" My sobs became louder every passing second
"Shh come here" he said as he opened his arms and I hugged him "I'm glad you came to talk to me"
"I don't know why. My feet led me here" I replied
"Don't ruin it" he said jokingly "Now, tell me everything"
I sat by his side on the couch and explained, quite passionately, what had happened. He listened carefully, nodding occasionally, and took a deep breath when I finished.
"Perhaps you overreacted to the whole Camille thing?"
"You too?"
"I mean, well no offence, but you're being a hypocrite honestly. You put Klaus against yourself when you believed he killed Joe. How is that any different?"
I stood up and hurried to the door, unamused by his reaction.
"Hayley listen to me-"
"Go to hell. This is why we're not friends anymore" I snapped and left, slamming the door behind me.
Could they have been right? No. I was far too stubborn to admit defeat.
I went away from the city centre and into the Bayou instead. I lurked between the trees and turned into a wolf. Setting myself free in the nature in my true form.
But I still didn't feel content. Maybe it was because I wasn't in my true form, after all? I turned back into a human, finding my clothes in the place I left them, and sat down by the river.
I took one deep, un-concentrated breath, allowing all my haunting to take over. First there was a little girl running around, then screams coming from all around. But suddenly I noticed someone sitting on the bank, glaring deadly at the water.
"Who are you?" I whispered
"My name is Jaren" she replied, her eyes still on the water "Jaren Lockhart"
"Were you killed here?"
"I wasn't killed here, but my body was dumped here"
"How did you die?"
"Why are you talking to dead people?"
"I see you for a reason. You need help and I want to-"
"You're a banshee?" she asked to my surprise
"I, well yes, how do you know?"
"I too was a banshee" she replied "Then they killed me to end us for good. How do you exist?"
"How were you killed? Why didn't you protect yourself?"
"I was killed around three years ago. It doesn't matter why. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all"
"How were you killed?" I repeated
"I got stabbed" she elaborated "Then dismembered and dumped here"
"My god…" I whispered
"Yeah, it had to look as human as possible so the Vampire King could get away with it without attracting Kieran's attention"
I gasped in horror
"A vampire did this to you?"
"You're shocked" she noted "Don't you get it? Vampires are everyone's enemies. There's no escaping their lust for killing everyone fangless"
I refused to admit that.
"Sufficit. Sufficit. Sufficit." I repeated on and on again.
"Go on, say the magic words in Latin and make me disappear. But how long will you deny it for Elizabeth?" she asked as she disappeared
She called me Elizabeth. Did that mean my birth parents called me that as well? Suddenly I wanted to know more. I couldn't care less if she told me Marcel was evil or that every vampire was bad. I had to know about my identity. But even as I let myself loose no one appeared in front of me. I shook my head in denial and looked around, before getting startled by a tall, dark haired, bony woman standing before me.
"Hello?" I asked hopelessly
"My, my" she whispered "You have more power than they did don't you?" she asked as she took a step towards me "Banshees have always been my least favourite if the creatures. Your voice is simply terrible"
"Excuse me but who the hell do you think you are?" I snapped angrily
"I'm Dahlia and don't worry child, you will get to know me quite soon" she whispered "Tell Klaus what he has heard is true. I stand behind my promises, and I will be taking her" she said
"What are you talking about?" I demanded to know
"We shall meet again, soon" she said and disappeared
No. No. Everyone had to stop dropping hints and disappearing. I began ordering for them all to come back but no one did. I clasped my head and screamed in pain of annoyance and agony, falling down on my knees. Birds from the trees began falling dead all around me to the sound of my voice. Everything alive around me stopped living and I became the only source of noise between the trees.
I was exhausted and broken when I arrived back home, practically crawling. The door was shut and there was no one outside. I could hear Hope laughing at something in the distance as I got closer.
"Hayley?" a voice asked from behind me "What's wrong with you child?"
It was Mikael
"I'm fine"
"You're covered in blood" he said and I looked at myself to see nothing
"What did you say?"
"I said you look dead" he explained
"If only" I said under my breath
"It has only been twenty years Hayley. If you start wishing death now your immortal life will be a pain"
"I can't do it" I said simply, with no explanation
"Do what? Live an eternity?"
"Do anything. I thought I could be strong, but I played it out wrongly and now I'm the one drowning"
As I said drowning I reminded myself of Jaren and how she said she had died. Paranoia was taking over me as I looked up at Mikael pleadingly.
"Who is Dahlia?" I asked out of thin air
"Dahlia?" he asked, hoping to confirm
"Yes, Dahlia"
"I cannot say, I've known many Dahlias throughout my life"
"I want to complicate things" I said "I'm complicating everything in my life"
"That's not a good idea"
"Don't let me do this to myself" I whispered "I cannot go on like this"
Suddenly the front door opened and Camille stepped out with Klaus. Their eyes were locked on each other and they were discussing something in a low whisper. He said something that made her laugh, which made him smile in return.
Mikael was saying something but I simply blocked it all out. Everything felt unrealistic as I saw flashes of images all surrounding me. My brain was torn apart between being a banshee and blocking my senses, so I saw pleading ghosts one second and only Klaus and Camille walking towards me the next.
"HAYLEY" Klaus said loudly and tore me apart from my visions "Can't you hear me?"
I nodded as I rubbed my eyes
"Camille came here to talk to you, so you could understand how she's only trying to help me so I can be a better husband for you once that step is taken"
"Yes Hayley, you should understand that Klaus' ultimate goal is always seeing his two girls happy…"
"Sufficit. Sufficit. Sufficit. Sufficit. Sufficit. Sufficit. Sufficit. Sufficit." I whispered under my breath
Mikael took a step closer and leaned into my ear
"Say Quaeso, obsecro" he suggested
I looked into his eyes and repeated after him. Surely enough, the vision slowly disappeared completely, leaving my brain to relax.
"Thank you" I replied with a broken smile
"I see that you are still too stubborn to listen to what I have to say" Camille commented "I'll leave now"
She hurried away, leaving Klaus behind, staring at me disappointedly.
"I'm trying to fix this"
"Klaus give her a break" Mikael tried to intervene but Klaus raised his hand, interrupting him
"It's your turn to take a step love. I won't be speaking to Camille ever again, just to make you happy. I really hope you are"
Why wasn't I?
Hey guys, I wrote this chapter like ten sentences at a time so I kept writing in between things, when I felt different emotionally, so if it feels like a roller-coaster I apologise. Next chapter Hayley will take a step for Klaus and for Hope (even though she is unaware of this) that will change her life forever, but her announcement of this to Klaus won't go as planned. The next chapter will be a bit sexually explicit, a bit emotional and definitely developmental for Hayley's character. Please leave a review! It's so hard for me to write in between chapters, at least your feedback makes it more worth it!
