Last flame | Hayley Marshall

𝟹.𝟺: 𝙰 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚔 𝙾𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚂𝚒𝚍𝚎 (73)

-Narrator's perspective-

The time when Danielle needed to blow
off some steam, She would go to St. Ann's to cool herself down after a confrontation from her hybrid brother. Even seems that Elijah brings her there for them to spar, both needed it to steady themselves over not killing their brother over his actions. But when her Elijah was busy tending on what to do with his sire line, Danielle was taking her anger out on a punching bag.

Even though she wished it was Elijah's face, she made use of it. The stress of Estella's announcement that she is very well indeed alive, Tristan confirming it for her, has taken a deep toll on her behalf. One needn't be so furious but Danielle couldn't suppress it any longer once she managed to punch the punching bag with much strength, it flying across the room and hit the wall.

"Something the matter, Danielle?" Hayley asks, just in time to see the hybrid calm herself down. "There's something that you wanna talk about, like, The Strix?" She asked in question.

"What do you know about The Strix?" Danielle asked in confusion, wiping her sweat away with a cloth nearby.

Hayley waved the card around for her to see. "That's why I'm here. 'I am waiting for your arrival, old friend.' Signed, Tristan." She showed it to her and Danielle had a breath of relied that it wasn't Estella. To make sure, she took it off her hand. "I was picking up Hope when some random vampire dropped it off. Along with Elijah's and I gave it to him and now I'm here. He won't say anything and told
me to ask you. Care to fill me in?"

"That bloody..." Danielle trailed off, resisting the urge to curse her brother for eternity. Once she looked back to Hayley she exhaled frustratingly. "The Strix's story isn't mine to tell. Ask Elijah again." She walked past her.

"Oh." Hayley said, holding her arm to stop her from walking away again. "I would rather hear it from you." She used her vampire speed and pushed the original against the metal fence. Danielle frowned, grunting as her back hit the said, metal fence.

"Why don't you start talking and tell me what's really going on?" Hayley continued while having her arm against Danielle's collarbones. "I'm part of this family too, Dani. I thought you of all people would act like it."

By her hold over Danielle, the Mikaelson didn't faze and looked at her directly in the eye while saying, "Ask me what you want to know." She breathed out, feeling her stomach turn over by how close they were.

"Oh. Good. It's my not-so-loving baby sister and elder brother and my former one night stand. What a nice, normal family gathering." Klaus greeted in mockery once the three mentioned walked inside the study.

"Charming." said Hayley who looked at him in disbelief. "Elijah and Danielle was just catching me up on how you have no clue which one of your long lost buddies you can trust and which one is trying to kill you."

"Well, clearly what the situation needs is more opinions. I assume you told her about the bloody prophecy?" He asked the two.

Danielle chuckled lowly, "We were just getting to that bit." She said once that Hayley looked back at her.

"Now would be good." Hayley and looked towards the male original hybrid.

"Well, it appears my old mate Lucien has acquired a genuine seer, and in an effort to prove his good intentions, he got her to show us some rather dire visions of future doom. It's grim stuff, really. Not for the faint of heart." He explained not-so-shortly.

"Whose doom are we talking about? Because if it's yours, then, I think we're all okay with that." Hayley said with her arms crossed in front of her.

It made Klaus laugh mindlessly. "Well, sadly, we're all on the chopping block. But chin up. This witch claims her visions are constantly evolving. So, you may just get your wish."

"Well, I wanna meet this psychic witch." She answered and looked back to Danielle, "Tonight."

"Choose the red one." Danielle spoke up from behind the girl who turned around. "It'll fit you perfectly." She added more further, stepping inside the room to grab and give it to Hayley.

"Thanks." She replied, hesitantly taking it before going to the side of the room for her to change. Danielle stayed glue on her feet, already in her formal attire for tonight. She turned to look at the other side of the wall so she wouldn't accidentally see something from the hybrid changing. "I'd wear my own clothes, but, I don't usually lean towards formal wear."

"I assume your husband is fine with our little masquerade party?" Danielle asked. Just by saying the word husband made her feel ill all so suddenly.

There was a slight pause before Hayley came out, all dressed up for Danielle to see once she turned around. "Yeah. Jackson is cool. He knows that I can handle myself." When the Mikaelson gave her a look.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know." Hayley answered, eyes searching for the girl who slightly nodded. "So.. What exactly am I walking into tonight?"

"An annoying organization full of centuries year old vampires the world has ever known." Danielle answered and it somehow lifted a smile on Hayley's face. The Original took a deep breath before continuing, "Hayley, I'd have you know that there will be someone from my past coming tonight." She added, a little
more serious than last.

Hayley furrowed her eyebrow, "I mean, didn't you help Elijah create the Strix?" She said as an assumption to everyone recalling the girl since it's been centuries.

"Yes, but, uh, I always thought she was dead." She answered further and Hayley was getting more confused. "It's Estella."

"Estella? I thought she was dead." Hayley said and now she was worried. The name has only been brought up once or twice around her but whenever it did, Danielle would always have some type of reaction. What she feared was that they had a past. And they did. Intimately.

"So did I. But she's very much alive and has associated with Tristan and The Strix." She explained more, seeing an unfamiliar emotion flash between Hayley's eyes making her frown. "Are you... okay?" Danielle asked, not really knowing what's going on.

"Yeah. It's just... just how close were you two?" The Marshall asked, a little embarrassed to be even asking the question but it had already slipped out of her mouth.

Still, Danielle had acted like she was clueless but didn't had the strength to stop a smile
on her face. She continued to explain, "She's the first girl I've been involved with." She said honestly and saw the disappointment in Hayley's face. "People would say that I have never been close with anyone romantically. They just didn't know who Estella was."

"You love her?" With lots of very much hesitation, she asked. Hayley was fidgeting on her fingers in front of her. A second flew by when The Mikaelson had answered.

"Loved." She answered with nothing but the truth which only seemed to disappoint Hayley more. "I know this isn't what you want to
hear-"

"-No, No." Hayley interrupted, clearing her throat. "I wanted to know what I'm getting myself into tonight. Even if I have to kick a thousand year old vampire's ass in front of everyone to get her to stay away, I'll do it."

Danielle lets out a genuine smile and soft laughter. Which brought Hayley to smile as well over hearing it. "I'd look forward to seeing that." She joked and the two laughed at the same time.

It was yet another moment when Danielle realized why she has fallen in love with the girl standing right in front of her. But there was a slight mixed of emotions seeing as how much Hayley cared. At this rate, she didn't bother and let the world fall into places for her. Hopefully, it will be.