The Red Herring Revives: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 55: Enough Is Enough Is Enough

"I wasn't expecting to hear from you." Marcel said as he walked into the shoddy bar. "I thought you were—whoa."

Once I turned and he saw that I wasn't with child anymore, currently guzzling Hennessey by the bottle, he exclaimed in shock.

"I didn't realise you had the baby." He said.

"I didn't."

"Did you—did you lose it?"

"In a way." I said with a sigh. "Hayley's doing the final lap for me."

"I don't understand." Marcel said in confusion. "What happened?"

"Your mom finally got her way and punished me." I answered with a shrug. "She took the pregnancy from me and gave it to Hayley."

"What?"

"It's kind of ingenious when you think about it." I continued. "She punished me, Klaus and Hayley in one fell swoop."

"Iliana, I am so sorry."

"That's it?" I said in surprise. "You're not gonna protest? No 'I know my mother, she would never.' Nothing like that?"

"I know what Fiore is capable of." Marcel murmured. "This is up there, but I'd be lying if I thought this was the worst thing she's done."

"Can I tell you something awful?" I began, tears in my eyes. "When I realised the baby was gone...I was relieved."

"You don't mean that."

"I do." I continued. "Because the baby was gone but it wasn't my fault. It was like a free pass or something, I don't know. And I still feel that way. Relieved."

"Are you okay?"

"I love the baby, okay? I love her." I insisted.

"I know."

"Then why am I okay with this?" I asked him as the tears began to flow freely. "Why aren't I angry or upset? Why do I feel okay?"

"When you love someone that much, it can feel like it might kill you." Marcel began. "When you don't feel like you're enough, it can feel like someone else is better suited for this. Any of that sound familiar?"

"In my defence, Hayley has multiple wolf packs that would die for her." I said as I tried to wipe away some of my tears. "What do I have to offer?"

"You." Marcel said as he took my hand in his. "You have you. And that is enough, okay? You are enough."

I finally broke down and collapsed into Marcel's shoulder, who quickly did the best comforting anyone had been able to do all day.

~Elijah POV~

"So where is Iliana now?" Klaus asked Hayley as she recapped what happened when Fiore came around.

"I don't know." Hayley said with a shrug. "She kind of just left."

"And you didn't follow her?" The hybrid snapped.

"She has been through enough Niklaus, the last thing she needs now is further antagonising by you." Elijah told his brother.

"Fine." Klaus huffed. "We'll have a room made up for you in the compound."

"Hard pass."

"Excuse me?" Klaus asked indignantly.

"Look dude, I'm not even okay with having a baby and also simultaneously finding out that I'm gonna be a mom now." Hayley began. "If you think I'm also gonna let myself be adopted into the Mikaelson family too, you're out of your damn mind."