Lightning Strikes Twice

Fourteen

"What was that?" Méalla asked Klaus, standing up and extending a hand to Hayley, who took it and also stood up.
"The human fraction sending a message." Klaus responded darkly.
"I know what you're about to do, and brother, make it painful." Méalla growled at her brother, furious at the attack. Who knows who could have been majorly hurt. What if her baby or Hayley and Hayley's baby were hurt? What would happen then?
"I will, indeed." Klaus nodded his heads, eyes gleaming darkly.
Watching this exchange, Hayley realized she had forgotten a part of the nature of the woman she just had a lovely day with. This was a dark Méalla, an angry one, and Hayley thought it should have scared her, but it didn't. She just realized she should remember that Mèalla was a thousand year old conqueror, fighter, and has centuries of blood on her hands, and her getting angry had consequences.
Klaus turned on his heel and left, leaving Méalla and Hayley where they were standing. Méalla's phone rang. It was Elijah.
"Now's not a good time, Elijah."
"You remember your little friend Alex?"
Méalla snapped to attention with that.
"What happened? Is she okay?"
"She was attacked by one of the vampires trying to help one of the non local wolves. She's okay, but terrified and asking for you."
"I'll be right there." Méalla hung up on Elijah.
"Alex was attacked. I'm going out to the Bayou. Would you like to come with me?" Méalla asked Hayley.
"No. I think me being out there would worsen Klaus' mood. Just be careful, okay?" Hayley answered, searching Méalla's face for any emotion.
The hybrid's face softened. "I promise I will be. You make sure to keep yourself out of trouble as well." Hayley nodded.
Méalla then sped off, on her way to the bayou.

Elijah had waited by the entrance to the start of the bayou and expertly led her back to an encampment through a twisting path of swamp and trees. As soon as they came out into a clearing full of trailers, a tiny blur came rushing at Méalla.
Alex wrapped her small arms around Méalla and as Méalla picked her up, Alex cried into Méalla's neck. Méalla held the girl tight, ignoring the stares from her siblings and the wolves in the area. She murmured softly and stroked Alex's hair until her sobs turned to hiccups.
Soon the young girl fell asleep in Méalla's arms and she felt okay asking what happened. She spotted Eve watching her from a couple of feet away.
"Do you know what happened? Where's her dad?" She asked softly, trying not to wake Alex.
"She saw a wolf frantically looking for a hiding spot, and before anyone could stop her, she ran out to help him get to a safe place. A vampire aiming for the man instead attacked her, but he dropped her before any real physical damage was done."
Méalla nodded. "Marcel's rules about kids. And her dad?"
Eve shook her head. "No one's seen him for a few days. She's been staying with some girls who haven't activated their genes, but as soon as we tried to calm her down, she kept asking for you. Seems you made quite the impression on her."
Méalla didn't respond and instead hugged Alex tighter.
Elijah and Rebekah stood watching her, taken aback by her fierce protectiveness over the young wolf.
"I haven't seen her this worried about a child since you, Kol, and Henrik were children." Elijah murmured to Rebekah, who looked at him quizzically.
"Maybe it's the hormones?" Rebekah suggested.
Elijah shook his head. "No. There's something more. I'm not sure what, but in any case, we have to make sure she's safe as well. I'll ask Eve to keep us updated on Alex."

Klaus was reading a book when Hayley walked in to the common room.
"Those werewolves you ordered killed, that's my family." Hayley put it bluntly.
"Not for long, love. I mean, this so called family of yours, they haven't done you much good, have they?" Hayley avoided his gaze. "You said it yourself, they abandoned you and left you on your own. Now it's simply your turn to do the same."
"Maybe they had their reasons." Hayley defended.
Klaus tossed his book to the side angrily. "Yes, while I have reason too, little wolf. If the werewolves are dead, then the vampires have less desire to kill you. I am trying to keep you safe. Not that you appreciate the effort."
"And as soon as I have this baby, what happens to me then?" Her question was met with awkward silence. "Right. Well, lucky for me I have a little while before I find out." Hayley smiled bitterly. "And in the meantime I will find a way to pay you back for this. As long as I'm in the family, you can't do a damn thing about it." She turned and stalked out, leaving Klaus with her words.