For Good | Hale- TO/TW [8]

13 | Mutilated Her

Klaus stands in his study and faces the town below him. The sun is just starting to set in the distance as two Hales come up behind him. Teddy stands farther back as Derek leans against the railing of the balcony.

"I sent your hotline squad back to the precinct, where they belong," Derek says. "I assume you compelled them? Won't remember a thing?"

"They were useful," Klaus says. "Unlike the rest of you."

"They were your playthings," Derek scoffs as Klaus moves inside. "I think you have enough of those in your dungeon."

Klaus waves him off, electing to drink a glass of aged bourbon. Derek shakes his head and sighs as Teddy speaks up. "Your goodbye letters didn't do any good, you know. And now, instead of looking for Hayley, the vampires and werewolves are back in their corners, paranoid."

"It was your father's motivational speaking that failed, not my letters," Klaus snaps.

Derek rolls his eyes. "I don't know what happened between you and Elijah." Klaus tenses, turning to face the wolves. "But I do know that if he were here, he would know what to do. I also know that shoving hostages in a dungeon is not the right thing to do."

"Elijah's not here."

"But we are," Teddy says, stepping up to his father. "Look, I know you probably don't trust me, but we're as close to family as you've got right now. Listen to us when we say that you played this wrong. Let the prisoners go."

Klaus narrows his eyes. "You think I should be weak? Just give in to my enemy?"

"If keeping Hayley alive makes you weak, yes," Derek says.

"Don't presume to lecture me, Derek," Klaus snaps. "You are not your wife." Derek clenches his jaw as Teddy glanced between the two supernaturals. "For centuries, I have bent the will of countless fools to do my bidding because they feared me. I know how to protect this family."

"This is our family!" Teddy exclaims suddenly. "For the last sixteen years, I have been a phone call away whenever Hope needed me, not you." Grief flickers over Klaus' face. "We are trying to talk you out of the biggest mistake of your life. To protect you from yourself. So we don't have to tell Hope that you're the reason her mother is dead—"

"He knew!" Klaus yells, rage covering his face. Teddy clamps his mouth shut. "Ok? Elijah knew who he was, and he still abandoned us to this." Derek's expression drops to one of understanding. "He didn't want anything to do with any of us, even Hayley. He's gone, Teddy. And so was your mother. Even now, she is not here to help us. They're both gone."

"Klaus," Derek walks forward, gripping the hybrid's shoulder. "I understand." Klaus rolls his eyes. "I do. Lexi's left more than once to help you, remember? I know what it's like to feel alone. I understand that pain. But you have to move through it, ok? You can't let it cloud your judgment. Not with Hayley's life on the line."

Suddenly, all three creatures look at the door. Distant rattling fills their ears and a loud thump echoes through the compound. Klaus races down with the Hales behind him. They find a small wooden box on a coffee table.

"What's in the box?" Teddy asks hesitantly as Klaus picks it up. Derek stands next to Klaus as the hybrid opens the lid.

Horror covers his face as he sees the crescent birthmark upon severed flesh. Derek takes a step back with wide eyes. Teddy can smell the fresh blood.

"They mutilated her," Klaus breathes. He hardens his expression, dropping the box on the table. He begins stomping towards the basement.

"Klaus, wait!" Derek calls after him, panic in his voice. "They're goading you—"

"And they will pay." Klaus is on the verge of breaking.

"If you kill those hostages, then what do you think will happen?" Derek demands. "Klaus, we are the only people with you. Honestly, your only friends."

"Derek, please, I'm going out of my mind!" Klaus runs a hand through his hair. "Look at what they've done to Hayley! I don't do well without Elijah and Lexi."

Teddy steps forward. "Just let us help."

Klaus looks between the green eyes before he speeds away into the dungeon. "Shit," Derek mutters as Vincent bursts into the compound.

"Where is he?" Vincent demands, fear in his voice.

Derek just starts running. He can tell Vincent and Teddy are behind him. He pushes through the passage as a scream reaches his ears. He comes to a stop at the open gate. "Klaus, stop!" He yells.

Klaus drops the dead witch. Josh is cowering in fear next to the werewolf's corpse. Klaus turns to face Derek, a dark look on his face.

"I warned you, Klaus!" Vincent's voice echoes through the passage. Klaus falls to his knees, coughing up blood. "All the good people that you've feasted on," Vincent walks past Derek, his hand outstretched. Teddy stops right next to Derek. The older wolf covers Teddy's eyes, pulling him into his chest. "All that innocent blood that you've spilled, it's time you gave that back."

Derek looks away as Klaus vomits more blood, the scent sour. He feels a rush of wind and the sound of pain stops. He looks back to see Vincent standing over the dead witch. He lets go of Teddy.

"Are you ok?" Derek asks hesitantly.

"Where the hell were you?" Vincent demands, spinning back to him. "You said you'd stop him."

"You think we wanted this?" Derek exclaims. He grabs Vincent's arm and begins to drag him upstairs. Vincent shouts for him to stop, but a flash of red renders the witch silent.

Derek pushes Vincent towards the coffee table before hegiras the box. He faces Vincent and opens the box, showing the contents. "This is why he went out of control. They mutilated her, tore off her birthmark because she's a hybrid. And they sent it to him. You want this to stop, help us find Hayley!"

"They what?" Derek's eyes snap behind Vincent. Both of his sisters stand there, staring at the box. Laura has tears in her eyes. "What did they do, Derek?" Cora demands.

Laura snatches the box from his hands, her eyes moving over the skin. She barely contains a sob.

She drops the box and grabs Vincent by the throat. He chokes but refuses to use magic. Her eyes glow red. "You find her," she orders. "You fucking find her. Use anything and everything you can, because they are torturing her because she's different. Find her, Vincent, before I go on a rampage."

She drops the witch, letting him fall to the ground. He quickly gets back to his feet and says, "Get Lexi back here. She's our only hope to control Klaus."

"We'll think about it," Cora says as she crosses her arms.

Vincent sighs before he solemnly walks back to the dungeon. The moment his heartbeat is lost to the stone, a sib escapes Laura. Her knees buckle and Derek rushes to catch her.

Cora rushes over as Laura cries into Derek's shoulder. The youngest sibling wraps her arms around them as she tries to contain her own cries. "We'll get through this," Derek whispers. "It'll be ok. I hope."

Nothing seems good at the moment, and I promise I will make my own content soon (this is mostly just the same plot as the episode). 

Hope you enjoyed!

-L