Forever Original | Alaric Saltzman

Chapter 45

The Compound had erupted into chaos in the time they'd been gone.

The two siblings walked in to the sound of angry yelling and furniture being broken. They sped into the courtyard beside Freya and Jackson while Hayley and Klaus fought on the balcony high above.

"NIKLAUS!" yelled Elijah as Hayley hit him hard in the chest. The Original hybrid did not seem to want to fight back.

"She deserves something better than what we had!" spat Hayley, still shoving Klaus back and ignoring Elijah. "All I have ever wanted for her is something better!" She grew increasingly frustrated that Klaus was simply letting her hit him. "Fight back! FIGHT BACK!"

But Hilda knew that Klaus was aware that he was in the wrong. How could he bring himself to hit Hayley back when she was completely correct? He had taken her daughter from her and had ruined their relationship as co-parents.

Klaus had faltered, and Hayley realized that he was looking at something that was behind her. She saw Hope had crawled out of her crib and was toddling along the balcony, looking up at her parents in shock. Hayley looked incredibly guilty as she looked down at herself. She was drenched in blood, but she chose to ignore that, and walked over to her daughter as she walked in her direction.

"Oh," said Hayley softly. "She's walking... when did she start walking?" She picked Hope up and kissed her forehead, holding her close. "I missed it... I missed everything..."

Still holding her daughter to her chest, Hayley drew several deep breath and made her way to the stairs, descending them slowly, looking as though she might break down crying any second, but holding it in. It was only when she came down to the courtyard level that Hilda became aware of the fact that both Hayley and Jackson were still human, and not wolves.

"What happened?" said Jackson as he moved forward to hug Hayley and Hope. "Is the curse broken?"

Hayley cast him an exhausted look. "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."

This angered Klaus. "If you think I will allow Hope out of my protection for a second—"

"What you'll allow doesn't matter, Klaus!" snarled Hayley. "Welcome to a twenty first century custody battle. Moms win them now."

Elijah quickly stepped between them. "If I may? The apartments across the street have recently been renovated. I might pay a visit to the management."

Klaus was still visibly unhappy by this, and Hilda moved in front of him. "She'll never be out of earshot. You will be able to see her from the balcony. Calm down."

"So we are to listen as my daughter is raised by savages?" he spat.

Jackson scoffed. "Because everyone here is so civilized?"

Elijah held his hand up and looked at the Original hybrid. "Brother, you created the problem. This might well be the solution."

Hayley nodded immediately. "Put the place in Jackson's name. Klaus won't be invited in." She walked off with Jackson and Hope, Elijah following behind. Freya cast Klaus a disappointed look before going to her study. Hilda remained rooted in front of her brother, arms crossed.

"Are you going to lecture me, sister?" he said weakly, looking sick of everything. "Rest assured, I will not sit still to listen to your incessant jabbering."

"I'm not going to lecture you," she said simply. "You know right from wrong. You know that she deserves one hell of an apology. It's up to you to decide whether you're going to perpetuate the antipathy between the two of you, or you're going to work to fix it. Hope deserves parents who at least respect each other, even if they're not romantically involved. Do right by Hayley, and fix this. That's all up to you."