Hello, my lovely readers. This chapter is not quite as dark, but it does deal with the aftermath of the last chap. On with the show...
Chapter 15: Lean On Me
Hayley
There was a slight chill in the air. It was the last day of October. Halloween. Hayley and Elijah Mikaelson might have been at home, trying to decide how they wanted to spend the evening, or sleeping through the night, but they got a phone call that made the decision for them. Leaves crunched under their feet while they flanked the short woman between them. She wore a hoodie, trying to keep her identity hidden. Someone must have said something, because a flock of reporters stood in steps leading away from the front entrance to New Orleans' Police Department. And the second the trio exited the building, microphones aimed at the woman under the hood. Hayley wrapped an arm around the woman. Elijah moved on front of them. It still was not enough.
"Dr. Claire!" The reporters began to call out. "Dr. Claire! Tell us: What does it feel like to be a real-life heroine on Halloween?"
"You faced the New Orleans Stalker, and lived to tell the tale!" Another reported shouted, moving closer.
"Get away from her!" Hayley snapped, pushing a microphone put of Davina's face as Davina pulled her hood lower over her face.
"Dr. Claire!" They continued to call, trying go follow the group. Elijah pulled the back door open to his car. Davina slid in the back, and Elijah glared at a reporter who jammed himself between the door and Davina.
Elijah pointed at the police department. "Do I need to ask an officer to order you to leave Dr. Claire alone?" he asked.
"Hey, man. We just want an comment." The male reporter grinned until Elijah stared at him silently. Finally, the reporter let put a cough and backed up. Elijah pushed the door closed. Hayley opened the passenger side door and got in. She took time to buckle up before she turned to look at Davina. She could not see the expression on her sister's face because Davina still had her hood up. But Davina had her arms crossed over her chest, leaning over, trying to make herself smaller.
Elijah got in, buckled his seatbelt, and blew his horn at the remaining idiots who refused to back the hell off. Soon, they were able to escape the parking lot, and head home.
The silence in the car was only disturbed when Davina called, "Can I stay with you? Tonight?" She pushed the hood back, her eyes were wide as she stared at Hayley.
Glancing at Hayley, Elijah answered for them. "Of course, you can," he replied.
Hayley leaned back, to place a hand on Davina's knee. "You'll be okay."
Davina nodded, looking out the window. "I know." But she did not look okay.
~0~
Two hours later, Hayley, Davina, and Elijah sat in Hayley's and Elijah's house. The women were on the couch. Elijah sat in a comfortable chair. An animated Halloween movie played in the background while Davina laid under a blanket. Her head was on Hayley's knees. The older sister stroked the younger's hair. Eventually, Davina would go to sleep, or so Hayley had been thinking for the past hour.
Then the doorbell went off and everyone tensed. Davina shot upward, the blanket falling to the floor ad her arms and legs went around her body. Rising, Elijah looked to Hayley. "If it is a reporter; I will send them away." He strode toward the front door while Hayley watched with a frown.
It was not a reporter. Elijah moved aside after speaking with the person at the door. Hayley rose as Philip Walters strode in. His hair was a mess, like he'd been running his hands through his curls, again and again. His sweater had moth holes, and Hayley did not know he had a pair of jeans that old. Nor did she know that her biological father could look this much like a distraught parent. His eyes met Hayley's. "Where is she?" he asked.
"Dad?" Davina moved around Hayley and ran to Phil. She began to sob. Phil hugged Davina tight. Hayley folder her arms over her chest, watching them.
"You're okay?" Phil cupped Davina's cheek.
Davina nodded. "Not okay-okay, but not dead." She let out a sniffle.
Phil let out a quiet laugh. "Well, I will take not dead aby day of the week. Here." He led her back to the couch, and Davina sat down, Phil leaned down. He picked up the discarded blanket. Standing up, he laid the blanket over Davina, tucking it around her. "It's a bit chilly outside. So, why don't make us some cocoa. Then grab some cookies. How does that sound?"
The first smile since they got back to the house appeared in Davina's face. "Sounds good."
Phil smiled and headed for the kitchen. "I'll help you," Hayley called, moving to follow her father into the kitchen.
Still not pleased, Hayley watched Phil begin to search her cabinets. "Hales, mugs?" Phil called to her, not looking at his oldest daughter. Hayley made her way over, opened a door, withdrew four mugs, and set them down. "Thank you," Phil said. He turned to make his way over to the fridge and opened the door, removing a bottle of milk.
"What do you think you're doing?" Hayley demanded, staring at her father while he took a sauce pan and filled it with milk.
Brows rising, Phil seemed amused. "Making hot chocolate. You do have chocolate, don't you?"
"Yes." Hayley opened another cabinet door, pulled put a box and tossed it on the counter, giving her father a pointed look. "I'm referring to all of this! Trying to play 'Dad!' I heard you conversation with Mom. But she isn't gone, yet. So, you don't have to try so damned hard. Davina and I have our mother."
Pausing in the act of turning on s burner under the milk; Phil let a sigh. "Hayley, I am not trying to replace your mother. But we are going to lose her. I just want to be part of your lives. That's all. I had a good life. But I also missed out seeing your Halloween costumes, and dances, and crushes, and skinned knees, and tucking you two on bed at night. And if you think I didn't care; you're wrong. Every single time I went to see my friends, and saw their kids, all I could think about was if you and Davina were safe. I can't change our past, but let me try, just try to give us a future... Please..." Phil stared at Hayley and she did not know what to say. He edged closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and she placed her head on his shoulder.
"Hey! I thought you were making cocoa?" Davina said, clutching the blanket under her chin and looking like a very tall five-year-old. Phil held put an arm, and she moved to join their hug. Family. Hayley decided, maybe she could try to make this work.
~0~
In the morning there was a text from Mikael. He was forcing most of the staff to participate in a mandatory meeting to discuss safety. Elijah and Hayley pulled into the parking lot, but did not get out right away. "Hayley," Elijah said softly, glancing at her, his fingers moving to link with hers.
"Yes?" Hayley turned to face him.
"I was thinking... Why don't we adopt? Niklaus and Caroline seem to be happy with their choice. I did not wish to wait any longer to expand our family." His eyes moved to meet Hayley's.
Hayley stared at Elijah. "I know I haven't gotten pregnant, yet, but-"
"I would be pleased if you did-" Elijah began when Hayley leaned over and kissed him on the lips.
Pulling back, Hayley nodded. "Let's look into it. There are still so many kids who need a home."
"And the Mikaelsons are known for being a large family," Elijah replied.
Hayley nodded. "I know. Could you see us with, like, seven kids?" Her husband's eyes lit up. "Okay. Let's start with one, and see how it goes from there?" Elijah nodded, leaning over to kiss her, again. They were gong to be late for work. And Hayley did not care.
Marcel
Perched on the end of Rebekah Mikaelson's bed; Marcel Gerard watched his girlfriend sleep. She looked peaceful. Her chest rose and feel in a rhythmic pattern as she laid, curled up on her side. It felt like she might sleep the day away. Marcel felt guilty. Maybe he should leave her alone. She obviously needed the rest. He looked at the bag that he'd set on her nightstand. If he had known he'd be leaving so soon, he would have left a rose beside it, with a note, but he thought she would be up by now.
Well, he could still write her a quick note. Just needed to grab a pen and paper- His thought was interrupted by the sound of Rebekah phone letting out a loud beep. She let out a loud curse: "Damn!" Before she rolled onto her back, blindly reaching for her phone. With a yawn, she sat up, blinked and then let out an ear-piercing scream.
"Bekah, it's me!" Marcel moved forward on the bed, to place one hand on her knee, and the other on her cheek as Rebekah placed her own hands over her chest, breathing heavily. "Hey! Hey! It's just me!" He leaned over to kiss her on the forehead, a loud banging sound came from behind them. Now, it was Marcel's turn to feel afraid.
"Hands in the air!" Tiffany Marshall shouted, a shotgun in her hands.
"Bloody hell!" Rebekah shouted as Marcel placed his hands into the air, as instructed.
Tiffany frowned. The gun lowered and she rolled her eyes. "There are too many people who have access to my house. I am sorry, Dr. Gerard, after the news, last night, I thought someone might have broken in..." She chuckled. "Should have known it was just one of Rebekah's suitors. Well, I am off to bed. Have a good day in the OR. God, I wish I were in your place," she was saying on her way out.
"Who let that woman have a gun?" Reba slid off the side of the bed. She scowled picking up her phone. "Oh, good. Father texted about a bloody meeting on safety. If only he'd though on that one before Davina Claire nearly made us a new headline. I must call Hayley to tell her to disarm her mother. Have you spoken to Davina?" She glanced at Marcel.
"No." Marcel intended on swinging by Davina's place, to see how she was, after work, but he really wanted to be able to talk to Rebekah. "I came by to-"
"What's this?" Rebekah's nose wrinkled as she sniffed the air. "Poppy seed bagels?" She opened the bag and pulled one out. Taking a bite, she groaned, "So good!"
"There's cream cheese, too. And a decaf, French vanilla cappuccino." Marcel watched Rebekah grab the cup and take a long sip. "Bekah, I wanted to ask you a question..."
Rebekah nodded as she opened the cream cheese and shoved a piece of bagel in it. "Um-hmm." Her eyes moved to him
Marcel felt nervous. Why did he have to feel so damned nervous. His hand went to his pocket. Pulling out the small, black box, he slid off the bed, and onto one knee. "Rebekah Mikaelson, will you forsake all others, and agree to be with me, always and forever?"
Freezing, Rebekah stood with cappuccino in one hand, bagel in the other, still in her comfy PJs, hair standing out one side, with a bit of cream cheese stuck to his of her mouth, and she was still the most gorgeous woman Marcel had ever seen. "Bekah?"
Phone beeping, again, Rebekah set down the bagel, and the drink. She turned back to Marcel. Her yes had begun to glitter with tears. Her left hand rose, and she held it out to him, breathing slowly. He slid the diamond onto her finger. "Is this a 'Yes?'"
Rebekah nodded. "Yes! Yes!" She threw her arms around him as he got to his feet. He paused to whip the cream cheese away with his thumb and licked it off before he kissed her deeply. "I am making you late for that meeting," he said, picking her up, and laying her across the bed.
"And as long as Hayley's mother does not try to shot us, again, I will allow you to," Rebekah replied, only quieting when Marcel began to kiss her.
Vincent
Book open in his lap, Vincent Griffith was reading for fun. His roommates found this to be hilarious; so Vincent was sitting on the empty doctor's lounge. He flipped a page. Sherlock Holmes had just found the culprit attempting to murder-beep. Eyes flicking to his phone screen, Vincent froze. His breath caught in his throat. Will. Detective Will Kinney's name lit up on Vincent's screen as the phone buzzed away. The device seemed to be irritable because Vincent could not will-no pun intended-himself to answer.
Finally, Vincent exhaled. He closed his book with care. It was meant to keep him calm prior to his first surgery with Dr. Klaus Mikaelson. His hand been so steady, all morning long. It had been a week since The New Orleans Stalker had been hauled off to a jail cell. A long week. And Vincent had found a place in his mind to keep that man.
Thumb sliding across the screen, Vincent said: "Hello, Will."
"Vince. You're not busy, are you?"
Incentives shook his head before saying. "Nope. What's going on?"
Will hesitated. That's when Vincent knew. His eyes closed as Will began to speak. "Vincent, we talked with him. With Delacroix. At first, he didn't want to talk." Will paused, "He had a request... He wanted to be able to meet with Davina. And she agreed. For that, he made us a map. We recovered Eva..."
"You're sure it's her?"
Teeth coming to together, Vincent leaned forward in his seat. He held back a scream as Will said, "Yes. Dental records gave a positive ID.
Will did not say anything for a moment. "Vince-"
"Where... Where did you find her..." Tears were swimming in Vincent's eyes as he ran a hand over his face, falling back in his seat.
Another pause. "There is a warehouse. About a mile from the market you said she was going to that day..." The day he took her.
"Anyone else. I mean... Did they find anyone else... To give their family some damned..." Closure. Vincent meant to say 'closure,' but the word caught in his throat.
"No. But we're going to keep looking." Will did not speak and then, "Me, and Cami, we don't think you should be alone tonight. It can be a bit chaotic, with the kids, and everything, but you should come over. Have dinner with us-"
"I'll be fine, Will. Thank you... Thanks, man." Hanging up, Vincent silenced his phone and dropped it into his lab coat. His hand went to his book. He had to ready for surgery in give hours. Re-opening it, it took him several tries to find his place, but he did. He could get through this. He would be fine.
~0~
"Usually, I do not allow resident to touch my patients," Klaus Mikaelson said, his eyes flicking from the baby on the gurney, to Vincent who stood across from him. "However, everyone raves about you. Most especially my darling sister, Freya. I thought I would see what all the fuss was about." He smirked and held out a hand, "Ten-blade!" he called.
A nurse slapped the tool into Klaus' hand. He worked with precision and accuracy. Klaus' skill was pure artistry. Yes, Vincent needed to leave all of his emotions at the door of the scrub room. He had plenty to learn at this exact moment. "Your turn." Hand turning, Klaus held out the blade for Vincent to make a second incision. The path had been marked. Nothing to fear. Just losing his career. Worse yet, harming this poor little girl who had never done anything to anyone in the world, and becoming the monster that her parents reviled, the way he reviled the man who took his Eva.
"Dr. Griffith?" Klaus stared at Vincent as Vincent let out a tagged breath. Gripping the ten-blade in his hand, Vincent could see his wife's face. He hears her singing. Her hands. Oh... She was gone. She'd been gone, lying alone in that building that Vincent must have passed by...so many times...
"Vincent?" Klaus called.
Raising his eyes, Vincent shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Doctor. I can't...can't cut into this child...I can't risk taking her from her family... I have to... I have to... I have to go..." He dropped the blade on the floor, turned and took off.
This would mark the end of Vincent's career. No one would ever let him inside an OR, ever again. But he could not do it. He'd taken an oath to do no harm. His work did not matter. That child. She did.
~0~
Kneeling outside of the building that Will had said Eva had laid, for years; Vincent set a bouquet of flowers. They were wild, like Eva. The kind they had for their dinner party that night. He placed his thumb and forefinger around the bridge of his nose. He'd forgotten how to pray, felt like he'd been forsaken. But he would pray for his Eva. He would pray hard that she found peace. His free hand went to the ground. A sob wracked his body.
A hand came to his shoulder. Vincent's head snapped up and he found Lucien Castle and Oliver Keener standing over him. He opened his mouth to speak and found himself unable to as Ollie laid a bouquet of flowers down beside Vincent's. Lucien laid another bouquet down beside that one. His friends knelt beside him. With the smallest of smiles, Vincent locked hands with these two men. They closed their eyes and Vincent lowered his head once more.
Time went by before they rose. "How did you find me?" Vincent asked.
"Lucien's been stalking all of us, using his tech geek skills." Oliver smirked at Lucien who rolled his eyes. "Tyler's running a little late. But he'll be here, too."
"Thank you," Vincent placed a hand on Lucien's shoulder. Looking to Oliver, Vincent nodded. "Eva would be happy to know that you were here. She always worried about what would become of me if something ever happened to her..."
"Eva, he's gonna be okay. You can rest now." Oliver called to the sky.
One cloud went drifting by and Vincent liked to think Eva was on it. "I think she heard. You guys want to go home?"
"I'll text Ty," Oliver said. "And cook dinner."
"No!" Vincent and Lucien cried.
"I thought you guys liked my rabbit!" Oliver have them a suspicious look.
Lucien pursed his lips. "With a good merlot, anything is tolerable."
"I'll show you tolerable!" Oliver cried, chasing Lucien who took off in a run.
Vincent looked to the sky, one more time. "See what you left me with, baby?" he called, but he was smiling. "Idiots."
Thank you for reading, faving, following, and reviewing. :)
Be safe,
-J