Hayley awoke to the sound of voices, coming from the meeting room. She got up and used her magic to change her clothes.
She softly knocked on the meeting room door and she heard the movement of a chair, and approaching footsteps.
EJ poked his head around the door and smiled warmly when he saw her.
"Morning Hayley!" He said happily, opening the door and hugging her.
"Someone's in a good mood." Hayley commented, hugging Jack tightly.
EJ chuckled softly and let her in.
Her eyes darted around the large meeting room, her skirt followed her as she spun round.
She noticed her father was somehow sat at the table and she reached for her knife, growling.
"Hello, dear daughter." The cruel, cold voice of her father spoke, his eyes fixated on her body.
She drew her knife and advanced, only to be stopped by E.J.
"Don't. You can do it later." He said, pulling her away from the prying eyes of Alex.
"E.J.... please... I'm scared.... I just want him away from me... for good..." Hayley said as she tightly wrapped her arms around him.
"I know... and I understand that, but there's a reason he's here. I wish I knew, so I could tell you, but that's the thing. Slenderman doesn't want you to know." E.J covered his mouth and Hayley growled.
She stormed to Slenderman's office, and he looked up.
"Hayley... why're you here?" He asked, his voice was cold.
"Why's Alex here?" Hayley countered.
Slenderman sighed and swallowed hard.
"I will explain everything later, my dear. But for now... please go to Bloody Painter's room or something. I don't want this to be any more difficult than it has to." She stormed out and up to Bloody Painter's room.
He wasn't awake yet, but Hayley dealt with that.
She tickled him and he squirmed.
"Okay, Hayley! I'm awake!" Painter said with a slight smile.
She smiled warmly and tugged at the sleeve of his jumper.
"C'monnnn!" She whined and he finally got up.
"Alright, alright. I'm up. Now what?!" Painter said, looking down at the child-like sixteen-year-old.
"You know what I wanna do..." Hayley said and Painter sighed.
"Fine, go get your sketchbook." He said, giving in.
"Yay!!" Hayley exclaimed happily.
She skipped to her room and grabbed her sketchbook and pens.
When she got back to Painter's room, she wrapped her arms around him.
He returned the hug and gently stroked her hair.
"Something wrong?" He asked, running his fingers through her hair.
"Alex is here... somehow..." Hayley said cheerlessly. Painter hugged her tighter.
"It's gonna be okay. He can't hurt you. He won't hurt you. We'll make sure of it."
Hayley looked towards the open door, and saw Jeff and Liu, they both had soft smiles on their face.
They came in and hugged both of them.
After a long while of messing around and tickle fighting,
Painter, Jeff and Liu could hear quiet, sweet snores. They looked down at Hayley, and sure enough, she was asleep.
They laid her in her own bed and tucked her in.
They silently left her bedroom and went to Slenderman's office.
"What is it?" Slenderman said when he saw them.
"Nugget's asleep. You're gonna need to tell her at some point."
Jeff said, leaning against the wall.
"And then what?? She'll hate me for leaving her with him?!" Slenderman practically yelled.
"She's gonna hate me!" He buried his head in his hands and sobbed quietly.
"Hate you for what?" Came a quiet voice.
Slenderman looked up and saw Hayley. The shouting must've woke her up.
Hayley flung her arms tightly around him and gently stroked his head.
She wiped his tears and tilted her head.
"I..." He began.
"I know you're my biological father." Hayley said, taking his hand in hers.