Chapter 11
Back at the house Hayley entertained the new house guest, showing her to her room. Much to her dismay she got stuck on babysitting duty while Klaus and Elijah went out for a drink.
"So ...Ingrid right?" Hayley says' as she walks the steps.
"Yes." When Hayley turns around she flinches.
"You don't have to be so shy or scared around me," Hayley smiles, sympathetically,"Klaus is another story. If it's one thing he knows how to do it's kill and frighten ."
"How bad does it get?"
"It's better now, one day he actually choked me." Hayley rolls her eyes.
Ingrid gives her a look, and takes in a short breathe.
"No god no, eww! We didn't date at the time".
"Okay Hayley." She flashes her palms.
"Really, no." She walks over to the window slowly opening it, she closes her eyes letting the summer rain cool her.
"Trying not remember that special night you shared with him?" Ingrid ask.
"Just remembering what came after it." She takes a look at Hope across the hall, then smiles.
"Klaus can be a lot of things but when it's all said and done, he's a great father."
"Must be nice, me and Ezra have never grew up with one." She looks toward the window and Hayley.
"That's what you're sorta here for isn't it? I mean to give him that fatherhood?'
"No I made it very clear to Klaus, I just want help finding him-."
" Look Ingrid I'm not here to judge, and I can't really give you advice on something I'm still going through myself."
Ingrid nods.
She turns back to her."But if I had to say, it's hard and if it's not now it will be especially with Klaus."
"When did it start to get easier?"
"Never really did," she shakes her head, "like I said she has Klaus for a father."
"Right, a lot of enemies outside the family."
"Or inside, we've had that problem too," Hayley smiles, "whether by blood or bond."
"Wow."
"A mother's job is really never done.I guess situations just got a little less difficult When we stopped trying to make it about us. She comes first and her needs before we tried the sole custody thing and realized it hurt more than it helped. So I figure long as we can come home to a beautiful ,happy, healthy girl, I know we're doing an alright job." She smiles again.
Ingrid quickly nods.
"Ingrid?"
She looks up.
"What was it like back there, in Egypt?" Hayley comes to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Hot".
They both share a chuckle.
"How was it growing up?"
" on the wolves."
"Why?"
Uncomfortably, Ingrid turns her head in the other direction.
" If you don't wanna' talk about it that's fine. Sorry I even asked."
"It's okay. Where's your bathroom?"
"Down the hall toward the left."
"Thank you."
Hayley jumps at the feel of her vibrating phone. It was Klaus.
"How's the babysitting going?"
Hayley peeps around the corner before moving down the steps.
"She's a normal female, doesn't really like you, I'd say we're bonding."
"Most women disagree, some even dare to call me handsome, charming and witty."
"Good thing we're not most women and sorry to remind you but your charm and so called wit is what got us here in the first place."
"Oh spare me your lectures Hayley. You're to be the last one talking.I believe it's what got you here also."
She rolls her eyes. "First of eww. This family is weird enough without you and everyone else making comments."
He laughs on the other end of the phone.
"You sound like Elijah and there's more than enough of his disapproving to go around for an eternity. Like boyfriend, like girlfriend I suppose."
" Shame,Camille didn't rub off on you yet."
"We're not together,and I'd like to think you have something better to do than squabble on about my past affairs?"
"Kinda why you and Elijah left me here, so yeah that's exactly what I'm doing."
"Speaking of it, how's our house guest doing?"
"Good so far, she got a little touchy when I asked about her past. Something about the werewolves of Egypt, maybe that's something you guys should look into."
"Keep prying Hayley only good can come of it."
"Fine. But bring me back a bottle of bourb-," she hears the click and dial tone, "-en."
Bastard, she thought to herself. The least they could do was bring back something in return.
She hits the hold button, tucking it back in her back pocket.
She's about to go back to Hope, when she hears the front gate open.
"Ingrid," she whispers.
"Yes?" She softly answers.
(Get in the room) She mouths.
She pulls out her phone again to text Klaus.
{8:47 PM 8/15/ Someone's here, Ingrid and Hope in room, get here as soon as possible}
She cuts off the lights leaving the compound in total darkness.
She slumps behind the couch. Listening and waiting. She checks her phone again shaking her head.
She never could understand how someone could have been recently talking on the phone with you, and couldn't answer a text sixty seconds later.
The stranger's footsteps get closer, heavier. If this was a vampire, she thought, they'd have to be invited in, If it was a werewolf they'd be dead in the next ten seconds.
"Hayley it's-"
She jumps out viciously squeezing hard around the visitor's beating heart. She feels it speed up with each tug until pulls his body up to the dim light, gasping.
"Hayley-" His voice is raspy.
"Kol?"
She immediately removes her hand and he falls to the ground.
"Sorry, I didn't know it was you." She wipes her bloody hand on her shirt.
"Great way to welcome a guy back home." He breathes.
Ingrid comes down the stairs. "Is everything alright?"
They both turn to her.
"Yea just a misunderstanding. Ingrid this is Kol." They shake hands.
"Nice to meet you and you might be?"
Hayley butts in, "You brothers second baby mama, but I'll let him fill you in on all the juicy details."
Kol shakes his head.
"Where's my brothers and my first niece?"
Hayley looks around. "Well Klaus just texted me back late and she was just upstairs playing,I'll go get her."
"Hoooppee!" Hayley yells.
Hope slowly walks out of her room.
"Hope, sweetie what's wrong?"
Kol now joins Hayley at the bottom of the stairs.
"Nothing." She says a little too quickly.
"Hope if somethi-"
"Unkol!"
He runs up the stairs picking her up."Hey dah'ling, hows my favorite niece?"
Hayley smiles at the pairs interaction, happy for Hope to see her returning uncle.
While her expression showed a smile, her insides felt completely opposite. Something was bothering her little girl, and eventually she'd get to the bottom of it.