Sackcloth and ashes

CH.4

She's picking up an extra shift at the local restaurant when she sees him,

She puts the trash bag down, exhausted.

"Are you ever gonna stop following me? I thought you said you'll leave me alone after hearing what you have to say...which i did"

His lips curl into an amused smile

"I made no such promises love,i still intend on getting my child back"

Calling her his child triggers so much anger within her,

But also a glimpse of fondness, It's another painful reminder of what could have been

"I want you to come live with me"

He must be speaking in jest,she thinks before asking

"what?"

"Our child should be raised with both her parents, under one roof..."

He looks down for a moment, avoiding her gaze

"As a...family"

She walks right past him, tossing the bags in the bin

"And what makes you think I'll ever agree to this? I thought we established the fact that i don't feel like seeing your face again"

Fallacies, she knows she wants nothing more than to believe they can be a true family

That he won't leave again

He half smirks, hiding his woe

"Because, Hayley, you don't have much choice in the matter. You either comply or it'll be the last time that you see her again"

She swallows, frozen in place

The thought of her baby being taken from her chills her to the bone

"I'll come by tomorrow, gives you more time to pack your things"

She doesn't react as her watery eyes find his,

He wishes to hold her now more than ever

She nods before going back inside, he swears under his breath and gets into his car. 

____

She's on her way home late that night, she swings by one of her oldest friends house to pick hope up,

The redheaded woman greets her at the door with a smile

"Hayley?"

"I know, I'm a little late sorry about that, i had to pick up an extra shift, trying to make meets end and all"

The young woman still appears to be a little lost,
Hayley shakes off the thought

"I know she usually gets scared when I'm late,i hope... she wasn't any trouble?"

"No, really she's been a sweetheart up until her dad picked her up!"

Hayley's eyes widened, fighting her dismay she managed to speak

"What did you just say?"

Seeing her clearly frightened, her friend stepped outside

"Hayley are you... okay?"

"Tell me where is my daughter Ashley?"

"I-I don't know, he said he's taking her home, he told me you knew"

Her friend has never met him, she knows nothing about Klaus so he must've used compulsion,

And he must have been stalking them, she deduces as she runs back home

She lets out a relieved sigh when she opens the door to find hope and Klaus playing with her quirckle collection,

And as much as she wanted to kill him in that moment she couldn't even yell at him, not with hope in the house

"Hope, sweetie go to your room, I'll be right back to  tuck you in"

The little girl bids both her parents goodnight before going upstairs.
Hayley's too fixated on Klaus to say anything back

When he looks back at her, he knows exactly what she wants, so he beats her to it

The moment they step outside Hayley lashes out

"Are you out of your damn mind? Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

"Is it really that terrible for me to pick up my own daughter?"

She runs her hand through her hair, exhausted

"You should've let me know first,you can't just barge into my life after seven years and start making decisions concerning my daughter"

"May i remind you she's my daughter too"

She scoffs,

"Yeah right, ours, except i was the one busting my ass trying to take care of her"

He can't argue with her on this, she is in fact right

" It is not my intention to take her away from you, Hayley, I'm not here claiming righteousness or even asking for forgiveness i Know i messed up,more than I can put into words, all i ask is that you let me try to at least do right by her...
By us"

She looks at him skeptically before averting her gaze,

She takes out a cigarette from her pocket

"You've got a lighter?"

She speaks nonchalantly,
He smiles reaching out for his zippo one

He leans closer, lighting her cigarette, their eyes lock and her heart skips a beat,

He must've noticed because he's still wearing that annoying smile,

"Remember when you used to take me with you to those annoying factions meetings? I'd mostly stay outside since wolves weren't exactly allowed in the city, you'd find me and offer me one of your fancy cigarettes to make it up to me"

She smiles as she speaks, the nostalgia hitting her bit by bit

He laughs

"Right,i even promised to change the rules for you,swore I'll force the community to let the packs back in the city, in those seven years i spent away i finally managed to do so, my only regret is that you weren't there to see what i did for you at last"

She sighs

"This is so like you"

"What's that"

She takes another puff

"Annoy the life out of me then say something weirdly sweet that i forget why i was even mad at you in the first place"

He steals the cigarette out of her hand for a whiff

"Hey!" She grumbles

"Cheap"

She laughs, yanking it out of his hand

"You're such a prick"

Seeing her so carefree in his company makes him feel honored,
He missed just hanging out with her, every one of his problems seems to vanish when he's around her

"New Orleans can be your home again Hayley,things have changed, i made sure of it"

"I better check in on her"

She stamps on the thrown cigarette before heading inside,

He grabs her arm

"I meant every single word i said,you and hope are all i have, just let me make things right"

He let go of her when she winced, looking away

"You're welcome to spend the night here if you want"

At that he smiles,