Chapter 36

Hayley was covered in blood and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"My parents left me!" she screamed, hitting Klaus hard in the chest and shoving him back, though he wasn't actually fighting back anymore. "Yours turned their backs on you! Look at us now, Klaus!" She let out a rageful cry as Elijah and Beatrix jumped into the courtyard beside Freya and Jackson.

"Niklaus!" called Elijah loudly.

"She deserves something better than what we had!" Hayley screamed as she kept hitting him. "And all I ever wanted fo her is something better! Fight back! FIGHT BACK!"

But Klaus wasn't about to do that. There was a forlorn look in his eyes that Beatrix recognized as regret. He was silent as he looked toward what was behind Hayley— Hope, toddling out and cooing slightly up at her mother.

"Oh," Hayley said softly, her mouth open in shock. She brought her hand up to cover it, then slid her palm to her chest, looking overwhelmed. "She's walking. When did she start walking?"

She moved forward and picked the baby up gently, and starting to cry as she rubbed her back slowly. "I missed it," she whispered. "I missed everything..."

She began to walk to the stairs, clutching her daughter close and kissing her head gently as she came down. The others were not about to ruin the moment, therefore they remained completely silent until Hayley made it to ground level.

"What happened?" asked Jackson as he approached them. "Is the curse broken?"

Hayley let out a quiet sigh. "I'll explain later. We're safe... for now."

"Good for you," said Klaus, having come down as well. "I'll have your bedroom made up."

Hayley glared at him. "The only way that I will stay under your roof is if I'm in a coffin."

Klaus gritted his teeth. "If you think I will allow Hope out of my protection for a second—"

"What you'll allow doesn't matter, Klaus," she sneered. "Welcome to a 21st century custody battle. Moms win them now. Beatrix may have allowed you to act like this with Marcel, but I will not let you do this with Hope."

The Heretic made a face, clearly not happy to be included in this in such a manner, but Elijah intervened quickly.

"If I may?" he asked. "The apartments across the street have recently been renovated. I might pay a visit to the management. The fact that Hope will never be out of earshot should assuage your incessant paranoia."

Jackson scoffed. "Because everyone here is so civilized?" He looked at Freya and Beatrix. "Sorry, no offense to you two."

"Brother, you created the problem," chided Elijah. "This might well be the solution."

Hayley nodded gratefully before Klaus could respond. "Put the place in Jackson's name. Klaus won't be invited in." She turned on her heel and Jackson followed her out. Elijah followed behind, and then Freya.

Beatrix looked over at him and crossed his arms. "You could apologize, you know," she said. "I know that you are sorry. I can see that you feel ashamed."

"I will not apologize," said Klaus sharply. "I did what I had to do."

She frowned, and sighed, putting her hands on his shoulders. "It'll mean a lot to her if you actually try and show her your remorse. You don't want to lose your daughter, do you?"

"Of course not. That's a ridiculous question."

"You can't base yourself off of how we raised Marcel. It was different. Times were not what they are now. He was already ten when he came to live here. He was a boy, and there weren't many enemies out to get you. Things were better. Please... just try and work with Hayley. You worked so well with me, and it was a good thing for Marcel to have. Hope deserves for her parents to at least be on civil speaking terms."

She went upstairs when he didn't reply.

She went to her room only briefly to kick off her shoes, before going into Hope's room and seeing she was with Jackson. She could hear the shower running, presumably for Hayley.

"Hi," said Beatrix gently as she came over to peek at Hope, who was very enthusiastically showing Jackson some of her toys.

"Hey," he replied quietly. He glanced up at her. "He's sorry, isn't he? He just won't say it."

"He's not the kind that apologizes so blatantly," she sighed. "He tries to make up for it in different ways. He knows what he did was wrong. And I'm sorry that I wasn't here to end this curse sooner."

"Not your fault," he said. "Elijah told me what happened when I saw him in the woods and we were looking for Hayley. It sounded terrible. My condolences, seriously. I don't know how you're still here. I would have dropped everything and everyone and left to like... Bali or something to be alone."

Beatrix offered him a smile and looked down at Hope. "I wanted to stay. For her."

"She's a precious little thing," he chuckled quietly. "Listen... I know I'm not Hope's dad but I really do want you to be a part of her life, even if you and Hayley aren't on the best terms. I think you're a good influence for her to have. You keep Klaus in check, and he needs you if he intends to be a bigger part of Hope's life."

She patted his back. "Thanks, Jackson. I appreciate it." Her ears perked up hearing the water turn off in the nearby bathroom. "I think I should go talk to Hayley. I'll see you around, alright?"

"Sure, thanks," he said, smiling as she left.

She found Hayley dressed and packing a duffel bag in her old room.

"Hey," Beatrix said quietly. "I was wondering if you needed help with moving stuff. I've gotten quite good at moving spells."

Hayley turned around and the Heretic realized this had been a mistake. Beatrix was the last person she wanted to see right now. "We don't need your help," she said coldly, looking shaken. Beatrix had a nagging feeling that her anger wasn't just stemming from Klaus. "Is there some creepy thing going on between you and Klaus? Why are you so insistent on remaining behind to comfort him every damn time he does something terrible?"

Beatrix blinked. "I wasn't condoning his behavior, Hayley. If you'd listened, you'd know that."

"You have the power to remove this curse, don't you?" she snapped. "And you didn't. There is no way that I believe that Davina was able to do it and you weren't. Freya, I give a pass to because she was forced to sleep one hundred years repetitively throughout time. But you?"

"So that's what Davina wanted checked," said Beatrix aloud, leaning into the doorframe. "Hayley, I don't expect you to believe me, but I have been trying."

"How hard did you try?" she spit. "Not hard enough, considering you always take Klaus's side! Did he put you up to it? To pretend to help Freya, or something."

"For your information, I wasn't here for four months, so I didn't exactly get to work with her at all," she snapped.

Hayley just scoffed, too overwhelmed to try and see reason. "You know what— I don't even care to ask what you were doing. I just won't invite you in either— I don't want you to be in Hope's life. You're excusing her father's terrible behavior to follow your own agenda."

That was it. "You don't get to act like this with me when I came to help you," Beatrix said loudly, her fists balling up. "You have no idea what I've been through these last months, and even so, my priority was your daughter!"

"I don't want you anywhere near my daughter!" Hayley screamed.

Elijah came from behind Beatrix and stepped into the room, between them. "Let's not do this," he said sternly. "After all, Hope is in the next room." He held up a set of keys and handed them to Hayley. "All arranged." He turned to Beatrix. "Please, go rest. You haven't yet slept, and you look exhausted."

"I'm not exhausted, I'm bloody furious!" she snapped. "Tell this bloody wolf—"

Hayley lunged forward but Elijah kept her from launching at Beatrix, who just huffed and stormed out of the room, though she could still hear the conversation taking place behind.

"None of this is Beatrix's fault," Elijah was saying. "Do not take it out on her."

"She always sides with Klaus and it's—"

He must have held his hand up to silence her. "He is her sire, and they are quite close, therefore, I understand how you have mistaken this as her supporting him. If you must know, it is Beatrix who has many times in the past and even now, gotten my brother to comport himself in a better manner. She chastises him amidst affection so that he will learn and understand his mistakes properly. She has never been like the rest of us, just snapping back at him. She approaches him gently, but do not think that she is allowing him to behave this way."

"Where the hell was she, then?" Hayley demanded. "She— I know she knows more magic than most of the stupid witches here— where was she and why didn't she do anything?"

There was a pause before Elijah spoke. "She was imprisoned, Hayley," he said in a hard voice. "She was trapped once more in a prison world, and when she got out, she lost the man that she loved in the most brutal manner imaginable. She turned her humanity off because the pain was far too great to bear with, and she's only just recovering.

"I have never seen her so hurt, not even when she and Klaus's relationship ended. Even now I am afraid she will never truly recover. Her mind attacks her when she's in such pain. This loss took a toll on her, and yet, her priority has been your daughter. She has been caring for Hope and the rest of us, and she has been working on breaking the curse ever since she felt better. You know why? Because she knows what it would mean for Hope. She knows that your daughter deserves her mother. And even despite the animosity that exists between you both because of me, she made her primary goal to reunite you. She has been lecturing and talking with Niklaus to make him be better."

There was silence, and Beatrix just barely heard Hayley's breath hitch.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Oh God... Elijah... I feel terrible. I didn't know... I didn't bother to ask..."

"And now you know," responded Elijah. "There are many things about Niklaus and Beatrix's dynamic that I still do not understand, but I promise you this— that woman will never let him hurt your daughter, and she will fight to make him be better. I have never seen Klaus listen to someone as much as he does to her. She is not you enemy or your competition, Hayley. She can be your family."

Beatrix stopped listening there.

She found Klaus in the evening later, with a drink in his hand, looking wistfully out the window at the apartment across the way, where the image of Hayley and Jackson embracing was on full display.

"I suppose you've come to share my furious sentiments?" inquired Klaus as he heard her come in. "After that conversation you had earlier with Hayley."

She shrugged and came to lean on him as he turned away from the window. "I don't wish to fight with her, Klaus. Really, I don't."

"She has many a reason to despise you," he muttered as he put his arms around her. "You were her competitor for Elijah's affections and it drove him to choose neither of you. And now, you are most loyal to the person she hates the most. She sees you fitting into this family without a hitch. Though, she does not know much of the history that's led to that point."

Beatrix shrugged and let her head rest into his chest. He rubbed her back, and let out a sigh. "I do not understand how it is you have it in you to keep attempting to be kind to her even now. I envy you for that."

"I suppose I want to be the better person. I hated who I was when my humanity was off, and I want to show that I am not a terrible being. I want to be in Hope's life, I really do."

The next day, at least, proved to feel somewhat better. Beatrix spent the day with Freya, babysitting Hope since apparently, Hayley was feeling on edge and Jackson was taking her out to get the stress out.

Klaus and Elijah had spent the day trying to figure out what Lucien was doing in New Orleans to begin with, and digging into information that could lead to a more accurate prophecy than whatever Lucien's psychic was flaunting about.

On the morning of Halloween, Freya and Beatrix had tried to do some yoga, as Freya insisted there was far too much negative energy. She insisted it would be good for Beatrix to try, even though the Heretic was nowhere near flexible enough or patient enough. She, at least, did her best to follow along and mimic Freya's movements.

"I'm surprised to see you both here," said Klaus's loud voice as he walked in just as they stood up.

"We live here," said Freya blankly.

"Well, Freya, I just hadn't realized you were back from wherever it is you go to when you leave! Perhaps I was thrown off by the lack of strange gentleman callers perusing the contents of my refrigerator this morning," he said with a cheeky grin. "As for Beatrix, I never would have expected to find her here cooped up with you."

"Your concern for our whereabouts is touching," said Beatrix as she tried to stretch her arms the way Freya was doing, her tank top riding up slightly. Freya was confident enough to be in only a sports bra and yoga pants, but Beatrix didn't want to show off her tummy.

Klaus poked at her now exposed belly and made her drop her arms. "I simply want to know who is here at any given moment! I hardly think that's too much to ask."

Footsteps, and within seconds, Hayley and Elijah were joining them in the room. Well, as long as we're taking attendance," mused Hayley as if she was trying to be funny.

"Oh, good!" said Klaus mockingly. "It's my not-so-loving older brother and my former one-night-stand! What a nice, normal family gathering."

"Charming," answered Hayley. "Elijah was just catching me up on how you have no clue which one of your long-lost buddies you can trust and which one is trying to kill you."

Klaus cast Elijah a look. "I assume you told her about the bloody prophecy?"

Elijah cast back a wry grin. "I was just getting to that."

"Now would be good," said Hayley sharply.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Well, it appears my old mate Lucien has acquired a genuine seer, and in an effort to prove his good intentions, he got her to show us some rather dire visions of future doom. It's grim stuff, really— not for the faint of heart."

"Who's doom are we talking about, here?" said Hayley. "Because if it's yours, I think we're all okay with that."

Klaus let out a chuckle. "Well, sadly, we're all on the chopping block. But, chin up! This witch claims her visions are constantly evolving. So, you may just get your wish!"

Hayley smiled. "Well, I want to meet this psychic witch. Tonight."

"And what might tonight be?" said Beatrix, crossing her arms.

Elijah hesitated. "The Strix, as you may recall, are throwing a gala."

Beatrix raised her eyebrows. "They're still at it? I thought the Strix were long gone by now."

"Oh, come now, Beatrix, the only reason you're not in the know is because you're from my sireline," said Klaus, amused. He looked over at Hayley. "Once, long ago, when Elijah and Beatrix were together, the Strix Coven tried to reel her in as a witch, because of her power. She said no, obviously and they... were not too happy. How many did you kill that night, love?"

Beatrix took a second to count. "About forty of them that were nearly three times my age, ten that were twice, and twenty others who were a bit older and younger, give or take a decade. I think the total was up to seventy?"

"All with one spell," mused Elijah. "Yes, I remember that. You were asleep for a week after that but by God were you pleased with yourself." His expression then became serious. "Not a good idea for you to make yourself known there."

"Well I wasn't invited," said the Heretic. "I don't assume I would even be allowed in." She looked at Hayley. "They sent you an invitation?"

Hayley hesitated to answer, looking a bit mortified to be addressed so directly by Beatrix after what had happened the other day. They hadn't yet spoken privately about it. "Um... no, they didn't. I was just... thinking I would be Elijah's plus one."

There was silence.

"Fine by me," said Klaus loudly when he saw the look on Beatrix's face. "I need my little witch here to help me smooth things over with Lucien a tad. After all, he is rather infatuated with her, from what I can see."

"He is not infatuated with me," she said quickly, her cheeks red.

"Yes he is," he said, tugging her arm. "Now get out of those ridiculous clothes, we're going to Rousseau's."

She dashed out of the room quickly to get ready.

She went to take a bath first. Her body was shaking and she wasn't sure why. Was it jealousy? Was it shock that Hayley was being civil to her? Was it worry because the Strix were back in the neighborhood? She wasn't sure, but he needed to drown in bubbles.

"You waste water like it's free."

She looked back over her shoulder at Klaus, and rolled her eyes. "It is free as long as you let me stay here. But of course, if you want to charge me rent, I'm more than willing to pay."

"Don't be absurd, I'd never charge you for living under my roof when you've been such a diligent aunt to my daughter," he said, coming to lean onto the wall opposite her. Beatrix was thankful for the bubbles that covered her from his view.

"Hayley would like to speak with you, I believe," said the hybrid as he looked over at her sink counter, picking up the random makeup utensils she needed. He held up her eyelash curler and scrunched up his nose. "She was lingering in the room as if she had regretted not saying something to you."

"Well, if she wants to talk, she can seek me out and be upfront about it."

"She knows she had no right to snap at you. I believe perhaps she may be wanting to apologize. No doubt her husband convinced her to. He seems fond of you."

"Ew, no! Jackson loved her before he knew her. He and I just related to each other quite a bit. We're friends, if anything, but he is not fond of me."

"Alright, then. But Lucien is certainly—"

"No, he isn't. I don't trust him either way. He's good looking but he's narcissistic. Plus, wasn't it a whole issue the other day that they thought him to be that killer that Cami was investigating?"

Klaus chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you could do better than him. I recall Tristan had an eye for you, years ago."

"He may have had an eye but he certainly doesn't like me after what I did. Plus, I was with Elijah during that time, so he had no chance. Still doesn't. Even if he publicly pardoned me for the mass murder of Strix members, I wouldn't go for him. He was the one that tried to get them to force me into the Coven because they saw me as an asset. He didn't understand that I don't do covens. Not in any bloody way. Especially not that coven. They're terrible."

"You would not reconsider being part of it, now?" he inquired curiously.

She made a face. "I want nothing to do with the Strix Coven. I know their techniques by memory, dangerous as they are. I don't need to be a part of it to know that they only take. They promised so much that didn't make sense in my mind. They just want power. Besides, I don't want to take sides in anything."

Klaus chuckled. "Oh, I understand that. Certainly. You side with me, you could get hurt. You side with Elijah, you could get hurt. Not a good outlook for your future prospects. Speaking of which, do you ever intend to reconnect with my brother? I can see the yearning look in his eyes for you. But he is holding back after recent mishaps."

She snorted. "I don't know, Klaus. It's still too complicated. Why? Do you want me to get back with him or something? Think it'll make him listen to you more because I'll coax him into it?"

"Not at all, little witch," he said, coming over and ruffling her damp hair. "I would prefer you remain available as long as possible. I think it'd be rather fun to watch him fight and beg for your affections."

"So your source of entertainment is going to be watching Elijah try to get me back?"

"Why not?" he said. "After all, as long as you're available, you're less vulnerable. You haven't the ties that weaken a person."

She raised her eyebrows. "Do you know something that I don't?"

His expression was serious. "No. But I implore you... for your safety. If you were to attach yourself to him in the near future before this is resolved, I fear you will be dragged into conflict with the Strix. Last time, you were nearly killed, all because they craved you due to your undying loyalty to Elijah. I will not let such a thing happen again. My family always drags you into terrible things and I'll be damned if I allow my brother to indirectly put you in harm's way."

He sped away to not hear her answer.