Lightning Strikes Twice

Sixty Three

Night had fallen, and Hayley, dressed all in black, was sitting on the porch of her old shack, where she was writing the name "Jackson Kenner" into the Labonair Bible left to her by Eve. After a moment, Méalla approached her from behind and brushed her shoulder with her hand.
"It's time." Méalla whispered.
Hayley took a deep breath and shut the Bible before she stood to head to the funeral. Once at the lake, Méalla took a torch from one of the Crescent wolves and held it while Hayley said goodbye to Jackson. She looked down at his body, wrapped in white sheets and resting on a wooden boat as per Crescent tradition, and started to cry as she covered his face with the sheet. Hayley then grabbed a bottle of whiskey and takes a large swig of it, passing it to Alex to drink a little, before she poured the rest on Jackson's body. She turned to take the torch from Méalla and she watched her silently as she took it and set his body ablaze.
"Til death do us part."
The boat is set onto the lake, while all of his friends and family watch mournfully. Méalla holds Alex close, not daring to reach out to Hayley. She wanted to but what could she say? There's nothing that can take this pain away.

Méalla spent the day with Alex. Alex's bad leg didn't heal right again and she was in a lot of pain, despite being a wolf, so Méalla tended to her. She ignored when Klaus and Cami would pass by arguing or when Elijah would try to gather all the siblings together. Her baby had been tortured and had watched someone's heart be ripped out of their chest. She didn't care about herself at the moment. Alex had been cuddling with Saoirse and was almost in a fitful sleep when Hayley walked up next to her.
"She'll never be the same."
"No, love, she won't. I can only hope to ease her pain."
Hayley set Hope gently down on the opposite side of Alex, so that Alex had the girls on either side of her. They were all sleeping and seemed incredibly upset. They cuddled closer every time someone made a whimper.
"I'm going to stay here for a couple of days." Méalla looked at Hayley with understanding.
"Of course. Whatever you need."
They were silent for a few moments before Hayley spoke again.
"Will it get easier? Losing people?"
"Never. But that means we haven't lost our humanity."

"You have no right! Those dark objects are my family's legacy." Cami yelled at Klaus as they came through the door.
"Well, that's funny, because I seem to remember my brother Kol making them, so perhaps they've been my family's legacy all along!"
Klaus turned his back to her, so she vamp-sped in front of him to block his way before she sneered at him coldly.
"Give them back, or I will take them back, and I swear you will regret this moment."
"The only thing I regret is failing to realize how far you've spun out of control! And you can forget about leaving."
Cami continued to stare at Klaus with a blank expression as she moved so they're nearly nose-to-nose.
"She was right, wasn't she? Aurora? She did this to turn you against me, to rob me of the one advantage I have over her... My humanity. And me, like this? It's a problem for you, isn't it? Not the darkness-- that you find intriguing-- the fact that I am out of control."
Klaus scowled at her accurate assessment, which only made Cami more smug.
"I'm out of your control, and you hate it, don't you? You have spent ten centuries getting the entire world to tremble at your name, but you're the one who's terrified, Klaus. You are a scared little kid, convinced he'll be tossed aside the second he isn't needed."
Klaus angrily grabbed Cami by the arm, and she yelped in surprise.
"Let go of me!"
Just then, an exhausted and weary-looking Hayley appeared behind them.
"Méalla said that if you don't lower your voices that she'll rip out your vocal cords. Alex is finally in a somewhat restful sleep. Besides, you can't just force her to stay here, Klaus."
Klaus glared at Hayley, but Cami looked relieved.
"Finally! Someone who's on my side."
Hayley gave Cami a look. "Oh, don't get me wrong-- I remember when I turned, and you for sure shouldn't have a box of witch crap."
Hayley turned her attention to Klaus, who was annoyed by this entire situation.
"But, you can't hold her hostage, either. Let me talk to her."
"I hardly think now is the time for a women's empowerment meeting."
Hayley sighed and stared Klaus in the eyes with a no-nonsense expression.
"She died, Klaus, because she got caught up in the Mikaelson world. Just like me. Just like Jackson. So yeah, she and I have a few things to talk about."
"Niklaus... A word?" Elijah interrupted Klaus before he could argue with Hayley.
Klaus sighed before leaving Hayley and Cami to talk and joining Elijah in his study.

"Look, I know it may not seem like it right now, but what you're going through? It does get better. And there are people around you that are willing to get you to that point."
Cami was distracted.
"Cami...?"
Cami finally looked at Hayley and smiled patronizingly.
"Yes. That's very sweet, Hayley, and I think you should take your own advice."
Hayley was hurt and confused by this reaction, and after a moment, Cami continued.
"I mean, that is why you wanted to speak to me, right? To get some words of wisdom from the Mikaelson family therapist?"
Hayley frowned not knowing where Cami was going with this.
"I say admit it. It's not guilt, it's relief."
Hayley was appalled by this statement.
"What did you just say?"
Cami played dumb. "Oh, come on. It's just us girls! You don't have to deny it. It's obvious-- you're in love with Méalla, and now that Jackson's gone, you're free. It must be nice, like a weight lifted."
Hayley was furious, but did her best to keep calm. After a moment, she finally takes a deep breath and responds in a cold voice.
"You're going through a really hard time right now, Cami, but you are never, ever to speak to me of my husband again. Do you understand me?"
The sharpness of Hayley's tone seemed to cut Cami down to her old self, and she looked horrified by just how cruel she just was before she began to panic.
"I... I don't know what's wrong with me. Why would I say that?"
Hayley sighed deeply, still furious.
"You're manic. It's part of it."
Cami processed this all for a moment before she spoke.
"I think I wanted to make you feel pain like I do. And so I said an evil, unfair thing... An untrue thing, Hayley."
Hayley sighed again, but couldn't meet Cami's eyes.
"Forget it. You're not you."
"I thought I could handle this..." Cami said sadly.
"You can. You will. You just need time."
The two women sat in silence for a long moment, neither able to make eye contact with the other out of hurt and embarrassment.
"I think maybe I should go home..." Cami trailed off.
Cami waited for Hayley to say something, but when she didn't , Cami simply walked out of the room and left.

Hayley was alone in her apartment now after the search for the knight, and she's completely overwhelmed with her feelings about Jackson's death. She once again finds Jackson's flannel shirt and picked it up, savoring his scent and the feel of his shirt before she finally broke down, sliding her back down against the counter until she's sitting in the corner of the kitchen. Her sobs echo loudly throughout the apartment.
Méalla is at the stairs of Hayley's apartment, heartbroken at what she's hearing. She slowly made her way into the kitchen. Hayley eventually noticed her presence, and she calmed down enough to talk.
"I don't know what to say.."
Hayley took a deep, calming breath before she tearfully responded.
"Méalla... I've spent the last 24 hours being so angry at Tristan, at your family, at you... At Jackson, even, for always being so brave."
As Hayley talked, Méalla's eyes filled with tears as well, and she hated the thought of causing Hayley pain.
"But then, I realized that I'm not angry. I'm not mad... I'm just guilty."
Hayley started to cry silently again, and Méalla sat down next to her on the floor, not making eye contact.
Hayley sniffled. "I wanted to blame you, blame anyone... But the truth is that my husband died because he loved me."
Hayley finally looked over at Méalla and stared her in the eyes.
"And loving any of us is a death sentence... Isn't it?"
"Hayley..." Méalla trailed off softly.