Nothing Dark Can Stay, Either

Chapter 36

Hayley was covered in blood and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"My parents left me!" she screamed, hitting Klaus hard in the chest and shoving him back, though he wasn't actually fighting back anymore. "Yours turned their backs on you! Look at us now, Klaus!" She let out a rageful cry as Elijah and Beatrix jumped into the courtyard beside Freya and Jackson.

"Niklaus!" called Elijah loudly.

"She deserves something better than what we had!" Hayley screamed as she kept hitting him. "And all I ever wanted fo her is something better! Fight back! FIGHT BACK!"

But Klaus wasn't about to do that. There was a forlorn look in his eyes that Beatrix recognized as regret. He was silent as he looked toward what was behind Hayley— Hope, toddling out and cooing slightly up at her mother.

"Oh," Hayley said softly, her mouth open in shock. She brought her hand up to cover it, then slid her palm to her chest, looking overwhelmed. "She's walking. When did she start walking?"

She moved forward and picked the baby up gently, and starting to cry as she rubbed her back slowly. "I missed it," she whispered. "I missed everything..."

She began to walk to the stairs, clutching her daughter close and kissing her head gently as she came down. The others were not about to ruin the moment, therefore they remained completely silent until Hayley made it to ground level.

"What happened?" asked Jackson as he approached them. "Is the curse broken?"

Hayley let out a quiet sigh. "I'll explain later. We're safe... for now."

"Good for you," said Klaus, having come down as well. "I'll have your bedroom made up."

Hayley glared at him. "The only way that I will stay under your roof is if I'm in a coffin."

Klaus gritted his teeth. "If you think I will allow Hope out of my protection for a second—"

"What you'll allow doesn't matter, Klaus," she sneered. "Welcome to a 21st century custody battle. Moms win them now. Beatrix may have allowed you to act like this with Marcel, but I will not let you do this with Hope."

The Heretic made a face, clearly not happy to be included in this in such a manner, but Elijah intervened quickly.

"If I may?" he asked. "The apartments across the street have recently been renovated. I might pay a visit to the management. The fact that Hope will never be out of earshot should assuage your incessant paranoia."

Jackson scoffed. "Because everyone here is so civilized?" He looked at Freya and Beatrix. "Sorry, no offense to you two."

"Brother, you created the problem," chided Elijah. "This might well be the solution."

Hayley nodded gratefully before Klaus could respond. "Put the place in Jackson's name. Klaus won't be invited in." She turned on her heel and Jackson followed her out. Elijah followed behind, and then Freya.

Beatrix looked over at him and crossed his arms. "You could apologize, you know," she said. "I know that you are sorry. I can see that you feel ashamed."

"I will not apologize," said Klaus sharply. "I did what I had to do."

She frowned, and sighed, putting her hands on his shoulders. "It'll mean a lot to her if you actually try and show her your remorse. You don't want to lose your daughter, do you?"

"Of course not. That's a ridiculous question."

"You can't base yourself off of how we raised Marcel. It was different. Times were not what they are now. He was already ten when he came to live here. He was a boy, and there weren't many enemies out to get you. Things were better. Please... just try and work with Hayley. You worked so well with me, and it was a good thing for Marcel to have. Hope deserves for her parents to at least be on civil speaking terms."