Once both of the girls were settled in their nurseries for the night, Audrey checked her phone for updates from Elijah on what was going on. He'd been searching the bayou since Audrey and the girls left, had came across the bodies of many dead wolves, but there had so far been no sign of Hayley anywhere. Eventually, he came across a injured Jackson, who was also scouring the bayou desperately for any sign of his wife. All three of them knew the truth, Hayley would fight like hell not to miss the small amount of time she got with Hope each month, so her not showing up had to be a bad sign. 

   Something had happened, and they just hoped it wasn't what they all thought it was. Soon enough, Elijah arrived back with Jackson, both of them wanting to talk to Klaus. The Gilbert girl directed them toward the the study, where Klaus stood outside on the balcony, a drink in his hand.

   "I thought I smelled swamp." He commented, turning to face the furious glares all three were giving him. 

   "What'd you do with Hayley?" Jackson demanded.

   Elijah gave his brother a look. "Tell me what you know."

   "Has Jackson misplaced his bride?" Klaus raised a brow, and gave a careless shrug. "Come to think about it, I did read that global warming was affecting migration patterns. Try Georgia!"

   The Kenner man scowled at him angrily. "I just left the bodies of people I care about to rot in the woods because you left them defenseless against poachers!" Klaus gave an empty smile at his words. "Like Kingmaker Land Development. Does that ring a bell?" Jackson continued to push, and Klaus's smile fell entirely at that. "Yeah, the CEO is Lucien Castle. Elijah tells me you two go way back."

   "So I will ask you once again--" Elijah carried on. "What do you know?"

   "As it happens, I did just come back from a romp with our good friend Lucien." He points at his brother. "You can find him in the penthouse of that gaudy new construction on Canal. And while you two are catching up, be sure to ask him about the prophetic vision he showed me of our family's spectacular downfall. You could use a good laugh."

   Audrey blinked at his words. "What are you going on about?"

   "Oh, I'm sure he'll tell you both all about it." Klaus mused, sipping his drink. "Like I said, it is rather hilarious."

   Elijah sighed in annoyance and looked at Jackson. "You stay here. Niklaus and I will handle this."

   "Actually, as long as Hayley's prowling about on two legs and unaccounted for, I'm staying with my daughter." Klaus walks toward Jackson with a suspicious look. "And, should I discover that this is yet another cock-eyed scheme for Hayley and you to abscond with her, the paltry remains of your beloved wolf pack will be sniffing at your entrails come morning."

   Audrey scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief as he began to walk away. "You're unbelievable."

   However, before he could get far, Elijah sped in his way and blocked his path. "This doesn't frighten you, brother. But, one day, your daughter will know exactly the kind of man that her father is." His smile falls, as he looks at his younger brother with a serious expression. "If anything should happen to Hayley, you mark my words-- no one will have to take Hope from you. She will, without question, leave you of her own accord."

   Elijah then leaves with Jackson without another word, leaving a stunned Klaus stood considering his words silently. "The girls are asleep." Audrey spoke after a moment. "I'm going to go help look for Hayley. I won't be long." She muttered and turned to follow the two men.

   "Audrey--"

   "Don't, Klaus." She didn't look back at him as she walked away. "Just don't."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   "Elijah! What a glorious pleasure." The bright voice of Lucien Castle spoke, as the door of the Canal penthouse opened. His narrowed his eyes at Audrey, who stood beside Elijah with her arms crossed, giving him an unimpressed look. "Aah, and you must be that miracle doppelganger they've all grown rather fond of. Amy, was it?"

   "Audrey." Audrey corrected with a flat look. 

   "Audrey, right." He nodded, as he walked further inside. "Nik mentioned you'd been in a bit of foul mood as of late. I'll take that as a reason for the less than warm introduction."

   Audrey raised a brow, looking at Elijah who just shook his head, keeping a calm expression as he looked at Lucien. "I do apologize for the late hour."

   "Oh, it's not matter." Lucien glanced over his shoulder at them. "I've long been nostalgic for the days when vampires conducted business in the dark." The couple moved to step inside, Audrey managing to step in without an issue, as Elijah got stuck at the threshold. Lucien noticed their confusion and chuckled. "It's a boundary spell. No vampire from another sireline can enter without an invitation." He clears his throat awkwardly. "Given the circumstances, you know..."

   "Lucien, we didn't come here for a chin wag." Elijah continued to feign politeness. "Your little corporation has been butchering wolves in the Bayou Lafourche."

   Lucien nodded. "It's population control. There's viable land out there-- viable, that is, once the sudden influx of mangy wildlife has been eliminated."

   The Gilbert girl took a step closer, unimpressed at his words. "Mangy wildlife?" She repeated in an unreadable tone.

   "My love." Elijah spoke gently, and she didn't move any closer, but watched Lucien with a dangerous expression. "I take it you are alluding to the Crescent Pack." He then asked, and the Castle man merely shrugged. "Hayley Kenner, one of the alphas, is missing."

   Lucien narrowed his eyes between them in confusion. "The hybrid Nik knocked up?" He realized. "I'm surprised by your concern. When your family left her to prowl the woods all these months, I just figured the tramp was persona non grata-- fair game."

   He smirked as he took a sip of scotch, and Audrey looked toward Elijah again, the Mikaelson man nodding as they had a silent conversation. Breaking an end table in the hallway, he breaks the leg into a makeshift stake and threw it to Audrey, who threw at full strength directly at Lucien. The stake impales itself into his neck, causing him to groan in pain as he pulls it out quickly. Before he could do anything else, Jackson ran into the room and lunged at Lucien, his eyes blazing gold as he partially transformed.

   Jackson tackles him down onto the ground, before biting into his arm viciously, causing Lucien to yell out in agony. "AHHHH!"

   Pulling away, his eyes still flaring gold threateningly, Jackson hovered above the vampire who cradled his arm in pain. "Now, he asked you what your hunters did with my wife. Answers. Now."

   Lucien jumped to his feet and sped in front of Jackson with a cold look. "I'll have them inspect the roadkill in the morning." 

   Jackson stepped to attack him again, but Audrey quickly put herself between the two men. "Don't." She warned him. "We still need him, unfortunately."

   "She's right." Elijah nodded from behind. "Jackson, your time is short. You go to the compound. Fetch the chains from the carriage room."

   Jackson sighed but reluctantly gave in, and Audrey followed him toward the door. "I'll go with him. I should get back before Mira wakes up."

   "Go." Elijah nodded and kissed her forehead. "I've got this."

   She nodded, glancing over her shoulder at Lucien, who was glaring in their direction. "It was nice meeting you." She smirked mockingly, before she followed after Jackson, hearing a pained scoff from the Castle man as they left.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   When Audrey got back to the compound, Freya was set up in the courtyard, desperately trying to find Hayley with a locator spell. But, all her attempts were coming up empty, even with using Hope as a strong connection to her. Morning came, and to everyone's surprise, Jackson was still human. The transformation had started, but then stopped suddenly, so they decided to keep him chained up just to be safe. 

   "Good morning, sweetheart." Audrey smiled softly, as she lifted Mira up from her crib, who was smiling brightly. "Did someone sleep well?" Mira gurgled as she wiggled in her mother's arms, making Audrey smile despite everything that was going on, kissing her forehead. "Is that right?" She mused, nodding along as if she understood the conversation Mira was trying to have with her. "Oh, wow."

   "Where the hell is that bastard?" 

   Audrey blinked and walked out onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard, to see Hayley stood in front of Jackson, covered in blood from head to toe. Freya laid on the ground unconscious, as Jackson stared at his wife in disbelief, still chained to the wall. "Hayley?" 

   Hayley turned on her heel to look up at her, nothing but anger on her face. "Where is he, Audrey?"

   Before she could answer, Jackson interrupted, as his eyes scanned Hayley up and down in worry. "Hayley, what happened?"

   "Hayley." Klaus' voice called smugly, as he stepped out into the courtyard. "Come to apologize for all your transgressions?"

   At the sound of his voice, Hayley turns and rushes toward Klaus. "Do you have any idea what you have taken from me?" She demands, swinging her fist to punch him but Klaus quickly grabs it, twisting her arm behind her back so she screamed in pain. "AHHH!"

   Hayley broke out of his hold by kicking him in the gut, before spinning around and kicking him across the face. Klaus stumbled but caught himself, looking at her entirely unfazed. "The very thing you sought to take from me-- the chance to raise our daughter. Your punishment fits your crime."

   "Your family was ruining her life!" The Marshall-Kenner woman spat.

   Klaus then rushed and grabbed Hayley by the throat, pinning her against the closest table as she gasped for breath. "My family saved her life while you were off playing hide and seek in the forest!"

   His eyes flashing gold, Jackson breaks the chains keeping him to the wall, looking ready to intervene. Noticing, Audrey kept Mira cradled to her chest to stop her seeing anything, looking at Freya who was beginning to stir. "Freya!" She shouted. "Stop him!"

   Freya lifted up and and muttered a spell under her breath, causing the Kenner man to drop to his knees, groaning in pain. "Let me go! He'll kill her!"

   "He'll kill you!" Freya argued frantically.

   Hayley headbutted Klaus in the face to break free, causing his nose to bleed, but he continued on like it was nothing. "There's a very short list of people who've tried to take Hope away from me, and you're the only one left breathing."

   Hayley scoffed in disbelief. "Are you that delusional, Klaus?" She snapped, enraged. "You cursed all of us! Every wolf that I fought for, everyone that stood up for our daughter! You took them all away from their families!"

   "Yes, yes, your precious pack, that family you chose over us, and in doing so, you chose over Hope." He shot back.

   "Is that what you planned on telling her when she got older and asked for me?" Hayley asked, stunned. "That I abandoned her?" Hayley, more furious than anyone has ever seen her, breaks an end-table and uses the broken leg as a stake as she lunges for Klaus. However, Klaus takes the stake and throws it aside, watching frustratedly as Hayley jumps high into the air onto the staircase railing, which she uses as leverage to jump onto the balcony. She leaps over to where Klaus has appeared and starts punching him, which he dodges at vampire speed. Finally, she starts angrily shoving him in the chest, pushing him backwards as she yells furiously at him. " My parents left me! Yours turned their backs on you! Look at us now, Klaus!" But Klaus doesn't say anything, looking at her in slight horror as she screamed in frustration. "AHH!"

   Elijah walked in, as Audrey made her way downstairs with Mira, helping Freya up to her feet. "Niklaus!" He tried to intervene. 

   But he was ignored by both of them, as Hayley continued to angrily shove Klaus in the chest, the four down below unable to do anything but watch. "She deserves something better than what we had, and all I have ever wanted for her is something better!"  He just continued to stand and stare at her silently, making her lose her temper even more. "Fight back! FIGHT BACK!"

   Klaus's eyes widened as he noticed something over her shoulder, causing Hayley to turn around, and sees Hope slowly toddling her way over to them. Hayley's mouth opened in shock, a wave of guilt washing over her face as she covers her mouth with her hand with horror. "Ooooh. She's walking." The hybrid mother breathed out in awe, overwhelmed. "When did she start walking?" Everyone just remained silent, as Hayley made her way over to Hope with tears in her eyes. She picks Hope up into her arms, and finally begins to cry as Hope cooed in her hold. "I missed it. I missed everything."

   After a long moment, Hayley made her way downstairs with Hope, as Klaus followed behind the two silently. Instantly, Jackson ran over to them, pulling his wife and step-daughter into a hug. "What happened? Is the curse broken?"

   "I'll explain later. We're safe, for now." Hayley assured him tiredly.

   "Good for you." Klaus nodded. "I'll have your bedroom made up."

   The Marshall-Kenner hybrid shot him a glare. "The only way that I will stay under your roof is if I'm in a coffin." 

   Klaus looked back at her angrily. "If you think I will allow Hope out of my protection for a second--"

   "What you'll allow doesn't matter, Klaus." Hayley cut him off firmly. "Welcome to a 21st century custody battle. Moms win them now."

   "If I may." Elijah interrupted, before another fight could break out between the pair. "The apartments across the street have recently been renovated. I might pay a visit to the management." He gave a look toward his brother, who made no attempt to his visible unhappiness. "The fact that Hope will never be out of earshot should assuage your incessant paranoia."

   "So we are to listen as my daughter is raised by savages?" He asked in distaste.

   "Because everyone here is so damn civilized?" Jackson tilted his head with a scoff.

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

   Hayley looks at Elijah gratefully and nods. "Put the place in Jackson's name. Klaus won't be invited in."

   Klaus scowled angrily at this news, but doesn't say anything as Hayley, Hope, and Jackson walked out. Elijah shot his brother a look, before kissing both Audrey and Mira on the head, and following after the three. Both Freya and Audrey each gave Klaus a pointed look, before they walked away themselves, leaving the Original stood alone in the courtyard.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   "They settled in?"

   "I believe so." Elijah nodded, as he joined Audrey in Mira's nursery. "I left them to get themselves situated." A smile twitched onto his lips, as Mira reached her arms out for him, taking their daughter in his arms with ease. "Hello, sweetheart." He mumbled, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he looked at Audrey. "Freya and Niklaus are waiting for us. I've for Freya's help with the news I got from Lucien's witch."

   Audrey slowly nodded. "The prophecy." She said. "Do you think she was telling the truth?"

   "I don't know." He admitted honestly. "Which is why I've asked for Freya's help. I'd rather we have answers from someone we can trust."

   "Then let's go see." She nodded in understanding.

   Mira remaining content in her father's arms, the couple made their way downstairs to the dining room, where Freya and Klaus were waiting. "If you fed on this prophetic witch, her blood is still in your system." She explained, as Klaus put some of his blood into a bowl for her. "If there's a weapon out there that can kill you, we need to know."

   Lighting a tall black candle, she places it in the middle of the table surrounding it with small white candles. Taking the bowl of blood from Klaus, she sets out three small pieces of paper with Norse ruins written on them, reading Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah's names. 

   With a nervous look, Freya dunked her fingers int he bowl of blood, and began to chant the spell. "No mentre le prophecie que la otra ve. No mentre le prophecie que la otra ve." The house began to shake as she chanted, her voice becoming more strained the louder that she got, making the other three look at her in concern. "No mentre le prophecie que la otra ve. No mentre le prophecie que la otra ve."

   Elijah worriedly grabbed Freya's arm. "Freya? Stop!"

   Suddenly, the three siblings names written on the papers catch fire as Freya gasps loudly, her eyes flying open. "It's true." She spoke grimly, as the flames slowly put themselves out, the Mikaelson witch looking shaken. "You have a terrible shadow over you. Rebekah, too. If this prophecy is fulfilled, you will all fall..." She trailed off, before looking up and between her brothers warily. 

   "...One by friend, one by foe, and one...by family."

Sorry that this took so long, my plans to start updating immediately when I finished Uni for the summer were put on hold, I took a few days just to relax and and do some other things going on. But I'm now ready to jump right into season three, so updates will start becoming more consistent. 

I hope you all enjoyed!