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"GOOD MORNING, LITTLE LADY," HER MOTHER GREETS HER BRIGHTLY IN THE MORNING, EARNING A TOOTHLESS GRIN IN RESPONSE.
"Goo moning, Mama," She replies cheerfully, earning a smooch from her mother.
"Aww," she coos, her hands coming to the infant's tummy to tickle her. And when she squeals, Hayley's laughter just increases. Children have a way of contaminating their happiness to others.
"Did you have a good time at your Aunt Freya's house yesterday?" She inquires about her daughter's day once she heaves her up into her arms and walks out of the nursery.
"Mhmm," Hope hums, bobbing her head with vigor. "Gumpa gave me kiwi," she says. "And thold me a sthory."
"Oh, really," Hayley asks, surprised, "You are eating kiwis now?"
"It very tasthy," The toddler replies.
"Wow," the mother says. Her eyes then find Jackson's, who had been busy preparing breakfast when they came. "Did you hear that Jackson, Hope's Grandfather fed her a fruit, which she liked very much and also told her a story?" the disbelief in her tone was hard to miss.
Jackson's pupils blew wide. "You're kidding," he says aloud, not willing to believe it. He then turns to his stepdaughter with the same expression, "Hope, really? Your Grumpy Grandpa read you a story?"
"Yes," the little one boasts, her voice slow as to not stutter and get the message across clearly. The expressions they had on their faces made her want to add something a little extra, knowing perfectly well that Mikael would kill her for even considering it. But it's not like they are gonna ask Mikael about the validity of the statement or anything. "Gumpa like me very much."
"Wow," Jackson speaks in a daze. "Now I've heard everything."
Hayley snorts at her husband's words. She then turns to her daughter with a smile, "I am sure if your father was a human, he would die of a heart attack if he were to hear you say that. But I am glad you are happy, though."
"So — the eggs are done," Jackson interrupts the daughter and mother cheerily, coming around the kitchen counter to stand between them. "And while I put on the toast, how about you girls go and freshen up. And after breakfast, we can all go out to a park or something for the day. I am pretty sure Hope missed me these last few days."
As the werewolf stretches his hands to take Hope from his wifes' hold, and as soon as he touches her, something strange happens, and before he understands the length of it, Jackson finds himself in a place he had no idea about. He searches around wildly, pupils drifting between his surroundings, trying to check where Hayley and Hope were.
He then hears a sound from his right, making him gather his bearings. He turns his chin to look at the horrifying image in front of him. There he was - his future version and Hayley's, tied to a chair, chained like some animals, looking incredibly weak as blood oozes from their body. It looked like they were kidnapped and tortured by someone.
