Joshlynn and Hope

Chapter 5:I Hear You Knocking

Kol sat in his room upon his bed with a parenting book open on his lap that he seemed completely focused on and confused by. "You okay?" Hayley asked as she stepped through his open door.

"This is bloody nonsense," Kol spoke annoyed as he raised the book up from his lap.

Hayley walked over with a smile taking the book and examining the page and her eyes went wide before looking at the front of the book. "Kol this book is from 1904."

"So?" Kol said confused.

"It says you should give kids lard baths." Hayley continues shoving the book underarm as she crossed her.

"Exactly why I was so confused, even I know that sounds wrong," Kol says defensibly sitting up straighter.

"You don't need to read parenting books, I mean this one isn't even talking about someone Joshlynn's age," Hayley complains throwing the book off to the side.

Kol lets out a deep breath as he leans back onto his bed with a slouch. His eyes drift over to a photo of Davina holding baby Joshlynn that he'd found among the stuff he'd originally packed up all those years ago that now sat on his nightstand. "I don't know how to be a good Dad."

"Well," Hayley spoke as she sat down at the foot of the bed. "So far you've done a pretty good job, now all I think you can do is figure it out as you go. That's what I spent the last 5 years doing."

"I just don't want her to-" Kol started before an ear-piercing scream shot from the Mikaelson Home that even the humans could hear from outside. Kol and Hayley instantly shot of and practically flew to the room the sound was coming from, the sound Hayley recognized all too well. "Joshlynn,"

"You're okay." Hayley comforted as she approached the screaming and thrashing five-year-old while a terrified Kol came to the other side of the bed. "Joshlynn, hey, you're okay," Hayley spoke running her fingers over the little girl's hairline as she tried to calmly wake her up. By now the rest of the Mikaelsons minus Hope were standing at the doorway watching in.

After a few petrifying seconds, Joshlynn shot up but the screaming didn't stop. When she saw Kol her screaming seemed to only get worse as she scooted herself backward on the bed till her back met Hayley's chest which she instantly buried herself in and calmed down. Kol stood shaking as he watched Hayley wrap her arms around Joshlyn and rub her back as she whispered comforting sayings in her ear. Kol didn't hear them though as his ears seemed only capable of hearing the thumping in her chest that alone filled with anger and sadness. He'd do anything to stop whoever it was that was causing her that kind of fear but he couldn't, it was him.

Kol stood up away from the bed before making his way out of the room and to the railing outside the room looking down at the common area of the building. Joshlynn's heartbeat seemed to echo in his ears as it slowly calmed down until he felt a light tap on his side and was met with his auburn-haired niece. "Are you okay?"

Kol sat down his back leaning on the railing as he looked at Hope with a sad smile. "Yes, just too much going on up here." He said pointing to his head.

"I know," Hope answered sitting down beside him. "If you're Joshlynn's Daddy you must have as much as her right?"

"I don't know," Kol answered honestly before realizing just how helpful this connection between Hope and Joshlynn could be. "How much is going on in Joshlynn's head?"

Hope thought for a moment before responding looking down at her bracelet. "She's scared like she always is. The nightmares, the fear of hurting someone again, the fear of what she is. But there's something new now, as a voice I don't know, it's not hers."