Hayley's Point of View
I know that when Kelsey wakes up she is going to hate me, but we had to do something. She is so blinded by her love for Klaus that she can't see clear enough to know he isn't helping anything. And one day I hope she'll understand that I'm only trying to protect her and the twins, that I'm not the bad guy.
The plan was to continue to snap her neck every time she begins to stir, until we are far enough away that she doesn't have a choice but to go with us. However, she hasn't came to yet. We aren't entirely sure why, but we have a theory. When Elijah daggered Klaus with the dagger Davina and Kol made, we think it affected her too. However, since we snapped her neck before Klaus was daggered her skin isn't littered with gray veins like his. She is just unconscious and if we are right she will stay that way until Klaus is undaggered.
After a phone call from Elijah, I immediately rush to find Jack. We had left the safe house after Kelsey was unconscious. Now, we are out in the Bayou. Both babies are on either side of my hips as I approach Jack.
"Elijah called." I inform him. "Freya's doing a locator spell to find us. We need to leave. Now." When, I make it to him I look at what he is doing. "Wait." I say in confusion. Aiden's initials are carved into a piece of wood, like a headstone and there is a big hole in front of it. "You're burying Aiden? Here?"
"We can't keep carrying him around forever." Jack sighs. "Give me a minute to get him in the ground."
"You said that is how wolves bury murderers and traitors." I point out, adjusting Bexley. "I know Aiden was answering to Klaus, but he was loyal to the pack in the end. That's what got him killed."
"You don't think I know that?" Jack exclaims in frustration. "You think this is how I wanna put Aiden to rest? I don't have a choice, Hayley. You said it yourself, we gotta go."
I shake my head in denial. "It's not right. If we expect the wolves to put their lives on the line then they deserve to know that those lives matter to us." I pause for a second. "We'll take Aiden downriver. Give him a true Crescent funeral. Too much has been taken from our pack, I won't let them lose this too." Jackson turns and walks over to the grave. He pulls the headstone out of the ground and tosses it to the side and into the woods.
_____________________
The pack, Jackson, and I walk through the woods. A few wolves walk in front of us holding a coffin with Aiden's body inside. And behind us two wolves are holding each end of a stretch that holds an unconscious Kelsey. The twins are strapped to my back and my chest in baby carriers. Jackson, among some others, are strapped down with bows and arrows and any other weapons they have.
"You ran these woods when you were cursed to your wolf form?" I ask Jack.
"And before. I was an angry kid." He explains. "I was pissed we were exiled, I was pissed at my parents, pissed you were gone."
"Every kid with the wolf gene is angry. I was a nightmare." I tell him. "Triggering the curse actually settled me down."
"Not me. I got worse. Of course it was different. When I triggered my curse the Crescent curse kicked in, so I was stuck as a wolf all month. One full moon, our Alpha didn't show up. He was killed. So I stepped up." Jack says. "Protected these people, kept them safe. That calmed me down, at least for a little while." Hope starts crying in the baby carrier strapped to my chest.
"I need to stop and feed them." I try to bounce a little to sooth her.
"There's a hideout about a half mile south." Jack replies as he and I come to a stop. "Grab some guys to watch your back. We'll make a perimeter. The Bayou's our territory. We'll defend it."
____________________
When the girls are feed my phone starts to ring. So, I put them in their Pak-n-Play. Seeing Marcel's name across my screen, I answer it. It's just the twins and me in this tiny shed. The others are outside keeping guard.
"Marcel."
"Hayley, someone else killed Aiden to turn everyone against Klaus."
"So after all that, Klaus wasn't the one that killed Aiden? Kelsey was right?" I inquire in confusion.
"Thought you'd wanna know."
"Why would he take the blame?" I ask him, before answering my own question. "Because he's stubborn and irresponsible on top of being a blood-thirsty, murdering lunatic."
"You doing okay?" He asks in concern.
"It's... Pack morale isn't exactly awesome right now. Jackson's heartbroken. Aiden was our friend. And I basically kidnapped my best friend and her kids." I sigh, regret bubbling in my belly.
"You're a leader who cares for her people. I get it." He replies. "Right now you're a leader at war. You can either be their friend or their queen. You can't be both. All right, those wolves, Jackson, they'd die for you. Question is, are you going to let them? If the answer's yes, then you gotta live with that. As for Kelsey, she's gonna be furious, but she sees reason. She'll eventually see that you are just trying to protect her and the twins. Just be patient."
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
_____________________
I packed up the twins and put them back into their carriers, strapping them to me. As I walk outside the cabin I hear commotion. I follow the noise and see the wolves surrounding Elijah and Jackson, who are having a stare off. Rolling my eyes I approach them.
"And speak of the devil." I hear Elijah tell him.
"Elijah." I state. "You shouldn't be here."
"We have another plan." He informs me, keeping his back to me as he and Jack glare at one another. "Rebekah and Davina have found a way. If we can replicate Hope and Bexley's magic, we can lure Dahlia into a trap. After which, I'll kill her myself." Finally, he turns to face me. "All we need is a vial of their blood."
I look and Jack over Elijah's shoulder and I can see his reluctance. But, if this can take Dahlia out, it's worth a try. "I'll give you their blood." I sigh. "Kelsey would want me to, but I'm trusting you, Elijah."
"The moment our home is safe, you can return with Kelsey, Hope, and Bexley to where you belong." Then, he turns to the side but doesn't look at Jack. "With family."
____________________
I enter the cabin to see Jack putting the twins to sleep. My heart warms at the sight. But, it also tugs at the knowledge that I will never be able to have children.
"The pack's gathering for the funeral." I inform him, pushing away the thought. "They're just waiting on one more." I walk over to the initials craved on the wall and glide my hand over them. "You, Aiden, and Ollie used to hang out here, huh?"
"Yeah, we were like brothers." He answers. "Always looking out for each other." He, then, looks at me. "Hayley, before you came to New Orleans, our pack chose me. Not just to lead them, but to stand for them. We've lost too many to the Mikaelson's this year. And Elijah wants you to go back to their family when this is all over." He walks up to me. "But I can't live under Klaus' roof and be the Alpha this pack deserves."
"What are you saying, Jack?" I ask him in confusion.
"I love you and I will honor our vows, always. Kelsey and the twins are important to me. But I need to know who your family is." He says. "If you wanna go back to the Mikaelson's with Kelsey, I can't stop you. If they really are your family then I got to protect my own." He gently grabs my face and kisses my temple, before pulling back. "I'll give you some time to think."
Jackson leaves and I grab a blanket and walk over to the twins, who are fast asleep. I cover them up and then exit the cabin. I walk out to the river where the pack stands, some using torches for light. Aiden's body is covered and on the bank, ready to be pushed over into the river. Jack stands closest to the body with his back to the pack and me. I go up behind him and intertwine our hands.
He looks at me in surprise, but I just connect our lips in a comforting kiss. Then, I pull away and look in his eyes. "I don't need time, Jack. I'll never abandon Kelsey, but I spent my whole searching for my family and I found you. And the pack. We need to do right by them. Starting with Aiden."
Tension builds, making me turn and look at the pack. Josh slowly makes his way through them. Heartbreak is clear on his face. The wolves are on edge and watching him cautiously, unsure what he's doing here. They even go as far as to bloke him from coming any closer to us and Aiden.
"I told Josh where he could find us." I tell Jack.
Jack approaches them. "Let him through." He orders. They follow his command and Jack holds his hand out to Josh. Josh shakes it in thanks.
A groan is heard and I fling my head around to Kelsey, who is still laying in a stretcher on the ground. Will, who is one of the wolves in charge of keeping her guarded and safe, panics. His eyes widen as she moves her head, not opening her eyes yet. Quickly, he snaps her neck to the side, breaking it again and rendering her unconscious. Then, his eyes dart to my shocked ones and I nodded at him.
I turn to Jackson, who looks just as worried. Neither of us knowing what her waking up means for Klaus and if he is awake or not.
Josh goes to Aiden and pulls the sheet away from his face. Jackson joins me by my side. Josh looks at Aiden for a while, before leaning forward and placing a goodbye kiss to his forehand. Then, he stands and faces the rest of us.
"I never thought much about the immorality part of being a vampire." He tells us. "Suddenly, forever feels like a really long time."
He slumps his shoulders and walks to me and I pull him into a hug as Jackson goes to Aiden. I squeeze him tight, before he pulls away and helps Jackson push Aiden on the river. A wolf shoots a fire arrow onto him body catching it on fire.
___________________________
As I sit in the cabin with the twins, I call Elijah.
"I can't be apart of your family anymore. And when Kelsey wakes up and we are far away, I hope she realizes to same for her and the twins. Because all Hope and Bexley's life, their family has tried to destroy them. That can't be their story." I sigh into the voicemail. "Family is suppose to love you. Even if their free of Dahlia's firstborn curse, they will still be Klaus' daughters. They'd inherit a thousand years of enemies, all his anger and rage. I don't want them or Kelsey to be Mikaelsons. All the pain that comes with that name, they don't deserve that. Kelsey will soon see that. Elijah, goodbye."