Last flame | Hayley Marshall

𝟻.𝟹: 𝙽𝚎 𝙼𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎 𝙿𝚊𝚜 (𝟷𝟹𝟷)

-Narrator's perspective-

(Short chapter)

Hayley was still sadly missing. But only this time, someone had abducted her.

Klaus Mikaelson had arrived too late at St. Anne's, seeing the church attic destroyed and full of blood and mayhem. He had hoped this would be an easy task to accomplish but he was most indefinitely wrong. He sent Hope back to Mystic Falls, making sure no one would harm her as well in the process of saving her mother. But mostly because he was planning on getting his brother back.

He went back to Europe, hoped that Elijah cooperating with him to save Hayley would work but it seemed like Elijah did research on his own and despised the family he once protected and cared for. Klaus did everything he could but his best was just not enough.

"See, I ran into Marcel Gerard a few years ago in New York City. He tell you about that? I didn't recognize him, of course, but he did say my name. And that was all that I needed to learn about my former life. So, yeah, I don't have all the memories, but I know all about you... and Rebekah, Kol, Freya, Hope, Hayley, Danielle and even Audelia. And I don't care about any of you." Elijah's words hit Klaus like thunder and struck him down harder than anyone could.

Mentioning those names like he didn't care about a single on puts Klaus in a vulnerable moment. He didn't stop there and pulled his phone out, dialing a number he hadn't touched in a while. As expected and to his disappointment, she didn't pick up. Klaus didn't have a choice but to leave a message, "Dani, I need your help... Hayley's missing and I don't know what to do. I know you still love her and I am begging you to come home. Hope's in Mystic Falls and she'll be far from you when you decide to help me..."

"...I need you now, sister. If not for me, then for Hayley. I would understand if you will still choose to leave after we find her but for now... she needs you." Klaus finishes and Danielle throws her phone against the wall, completely shattering it and leaving a dent.

She saw her wall had a dent and her phone screen was completely broken and scattered on the carpet floor. Danielle exhales shakily, the door of her home opened and saw Audelia came back after an errand. "What's going on?" She asks, closing the door behind her.

"I had her." Danielle starts, turning back to the living room with a shaky tone and edgy movement as she kept pacing back and forth. "I was there! I saw the people who took her get in the van just as I was going in St. Anne's, thinking they were praying and not executing an abduction!" She exclaims and almost trashed her whole house.

It was true. When Danielle arrived on the church, she saw the attic covered in blood and completely destroyed on the inside. The image never left her head and scarred her at this day. She blames herself for hesitating on even going. When Audelia told her that Klaus and Hope was arguing back in the Compound, Danielle couldn't resist and went to see Hayley if she was safe.

But the moment she decided it, it was far too late and people had abducted her instead. Danielle got a bit close to the Compound in a habit and accidentally triggered a warning to her brother and niece. But they thought that Danielle was in France, talking to Elijah but they were wrong. She's in New Orleans the moment she heard that Hayley was missing.

"It wasn't your fault." Audelia tries to calm her down. "Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't have prevented."

"But I hesitated!" Danielle yells, holding her head and turns around to collect herself for a second before looking at the vampire again. "I thought about what to say if I ever find her awake on that coffin. If I could just run and leave her alone after freeing her. For the past 7 years, that's all I have been doing. Running. Endlessly. When I saw Nik and Hope in that small bar where Elijah works... I stopped functioning. My heart beats but I couldn't move. Every ounce of my being told me to stay, don't run. I ended up being a coward and fleed without a word spoken."

"They understand. Hope didn't but she's just a kid who saw her Aunt who looked perfectly fine but left anyways. Klaus saw his sister who didn't look well, who looked like she needed company instead of being alone. He knows and that's why he needs your help at finding Hayley. This might be your chance at making it all up, Dani."

Danielle stays silent, looking back at her phone on the floor and thinking on how this could end well. She took a deep breath, "The only advantage I have with our enemies is that they think I'm still in Europe. Niklaus would no doubt publicly announce that he is in fact here and would do anything to bring Hayley back."

"So, what are you going to do? Let me help, she's my best friend." Audelia crossed her arms.

"They wouldn't expect someone stalking them, studying their every move. If they took Hayley then I will play my cards exactly right. No mistakes. If they want to go off and kidnap the woman that I love then that is their mistake. They might expect Niklaus but not me."