Marcel, the vampires and I were giving a toast to Poppy in Rousseau's.

I raised a glass. "The Crescent City, she gives and gives, but hell if it doesn't hurt when she takes. We raise a glass to a woman who relished in the joy of New Orleans, and then fell prey to her, as many do. To Poppy, who lived a century, and was still taken far too soon."

Everyone repeated. "To Poppy."

"But if I die, no tequila," Josh told us. "No, I want wailing, sobbing in the streets, rainbow flags waving at half-mast."

"Josh, Noah, I'm sorry," Marcel told us. "I know she was a friend."

"So, that's it?" Greta asked. "A toast? A platitude? What about justice?"

"Excuse me?" Marcel asked.

"It was a beautiful speech, Noah Dumaine, but Poppy wasn't prey to the city of New Orleans," Greta told me. "She was gutted by a jacked up half-breed who can't control his aggression."

"Greta, he's 15," Josh told her.

"Hayley and the Crescents will handle Henry," Marcel told her.

"The Crescents are building their float and toasting to a prosperous year," Greta told us. "They're protecting him."

I sighed, turning to Marcel, annoyed. "Look, don't worry about her. She's been here for a couple of years now, but overall, she's a pretty upstanding citizen. We're all just a little on edge at the smell of blood."

"I don't like her tone," Marcel told me. "When there's one voice of dissent, there's usually more. You know that, Noah. What have you heard?"

I knew he wasn't gonna like what I was about to tell him. "Yeah, all right. Uh, a few people are suggesting that you can't be the king of the vampires because, well, you're not a vampire."

"Hey, they have a point," Josh told him. "I mean, that hybrid bite that could wipe the rest of us out, basically just a hickey to you."

Marcel and I heard Klaus calling our names from outside. "Marcel. Noah."

I looked at Josh. "Excuse us a minute." We rushed outside to talk to Klaus in the alley. "You can't be here."

Klaus chuckled. "Crashing a funeral, my favorite way to spend a Friday night. Marcel, Noah, it's good to see you, after all this time. Sorry about Rebekah, Marcellus."

"I'm sure you are," Marcel told him. "It's good to see you, too. Why are you here?"

"Hayley's missing," Klaus answered. "It's been days. Don't worry, I'll stick to the shadows, but there's certain leads I can't follow."

I nodded in understanding, worried about Hayley. "What do you need from us?"

*****

Vampires were arriving in the bayou to talk to the wolves about Henry, knocking over a pyramid made of beer cans.

"Oh, guys, behave," I told them. "We're not looking for trouble. We're here for answers."

"Yeah, sorry about the, uh, beeramid, though," Josh apologized.

"Where's your Alpha?" Marcel asked.

"We were wondering the same thing," Lisina told us. "Hayley made a whole bunch of promises before she locked herself up in her castle with her daughter."

"No, she was planning on giving Henry some lessons in self-control," I told her. "Is there any chance that he, uh, didn't like the sound of that? I'm guessing that racing heartbeat in the cabin is his."

"Doesn't matter," Lisina told us. "You're not invited in."

"Yeah?" Marcel asked. "Well, I will happily smoke him out. The king of the city doesn't require an invitation."

"The king?" Lisina repeated skeptically. "Well, feel free to put a tariff on my tea. You're not getting your hands on that boy."

*****

We heard Lisina and Henry talking inside.

"I don't feel well. I'm so hungry. You should stay away from me."

"No."

"The Crescents won't protect me now that..."

"Now that you're a hybrid? They will, Henry. Hayley's like you. She's been busy with Hope, but she stood up for you."

"She won't do that again."

"What do you mean? Henry... what did you do?"

"Just trust me. I have to run."

I opened the door. "That wouldn't end well. We were friends once, Lisina."

"Don't let him take me," Henry told her.

"Look, Henry killed a cool person who didn't deserve to die," I told her. "He can't just go back to geometry class, and I think you know that. Marcel and I have two rules. First, we don't kill vampires. Henry will be punished, but he'll survive."

"What's the sentence?" Lisina asked. "Two hundred years in the head garden? No."

Marcel walked closer. "Noah's and my second rule is, nobody hurts kids. We won't ruin his life. He'll just do a few years."

"Look at him," Lisina told us. "He's a nice kid."

"Not when he's wracked by bloodlust," I told her. "He needs to dry out, take his punishment. When he gets out, he'll be one of our guys, okay? I don't care if he's half werewolf or half mermaid, we protect our guys."

Lisina considered this all for a long moment, giving in worriedly. "Henry, this is the only way I know how to protect you. I'll be right here waiting for you after."

Henry shook his head worriedly. "No. Please."

"Noah..." Lisina trailed off.

"No," Henry told her.

"You can come in," Lisina finished.

I rushed inside to take Henry outside. Marcel and I took him away.

*****

In my loft, we had Henry chained up.

"Okay, uh, underage hybrid chained up in my house," I told them. "To be clear, the optics on this are not awesome."

"I thought you were gonna bury me alive," Henry told us.

"Well, first, we got a few questions," Marcel told him. "Let's call it a fair trial. All right, we heard what you said to Lisina. Why don't you think Hayley Marshall's gonna keep protecting you? Where is she?"

"I don't know," Henry lied.

"What did you do to her?" I asked.

"Nothing," Henry told us. "I don't--I don't know where she is. Just please don't ask me any more questions."

"I mean, look at him," Marcel told us. "He's a gnat. I mean, there's no way you took on Hayley Marshall by yourself."

"Henry," Josh told him. "Who are you protecting?"

When Henry became calm and poker-faced, I realized. "His sire."

Hope had kidnapped Hayley so she could bring Klaus back to town, not knowing all of what would follow that when she did.

*****

Marcel, Josh and I were talking in my loft.

"All right, Henry's in my trunk," Josh told us. "Let's go."

Marcel sighed, looking at us. "Noah, Josh? If any other vampires ask about Hayley, this is on Henry, all right? No mention of Hope."

"Uh, we can brick Henry up, but we are still treating the symptom, not the disease," I told him. "Because, like it or not, Hope can make more hybrids. She's a problem."

Marcel gave me a look. "All right, that's not a request, Noah, all right? That's..."

"An order," I finished. "Right. Look, I get it. You're going through a thing. It's not my business. But New Orleans is. I've helped you run this city from the beginning, remember? I helped you build it. And you were gone for the last seven years, and I was here. And I went seven years without losing someone. Got pretty damn used to it. And while you were gone, I was here with Hope, too. I looked after her and was there for her when you weren't. I'm as close to her as you are. So I'm gonna do anything it takes to protect her, all right?"

"Marcel, Noah, I know you're both close to Hope," Josh told us. "Which is why I know that it's hard for both of you to hear, but Hope is a Mikaelson on the brink, and we have to prepare."

*****

Marcel and I were bricking up Henry in the garden.

"Is it always like this?" Henry asked. "the noise? The hunger?"

"Be quiet," Marcel told him. "Try to be still for the first few weeks. You'll desiccate faster. It'll be easier that way."

Hope walked in.

I chuckled. "Not the best time for a visit, but we'll take what we can get."

Hope gave Marcel and me a teasing look. "You busted me." We smiled as Hope gave us each a hug. "Jerks. I'm so sorry, Henry. I never meant for any of this to happen. You have to do what I say, remember? Okay, so you're going to be calm now. When you get out, I'll be here, and we'll be friends. If you get scared, you'll feel peace if you just close your eyes and sing."

Marcel and I were surprised by the kindness, impressed.

*****

Josh, Marcel and I had gathered up a group of people in Rousseau's.

"You did the right thing," Josh told us. "Henry will be okay. I promise."

I sighed, speaking to all. "Daywalkers, nightwalkers, witches and wolves. We invited you here tonight from all the corners of this city to celebrate. Tonight, justice was served. The hybrid Henry will suffer his punishment and when he emerges, New Orleans will open her arms to him again. Henry is a symbol of peace that we enjoy when we serve New Orleans first, and ourselves second. So dance, drink, romance the city as she deserves. Tomorrow, we do it again."

We heard screaming outside, everyone making their way outside, seeing that in the Quarter for everyone to see, Henry had been attacked and removed from the garden, his heart removed, hulled up on a balcony, the hybrid death made public for everyone to see.

Josh was completely shocked. "Oh, my God."

Hope was horrified. "Henry."

Lisina shook her head in denial, starting to cry. "No, no."

Everyone was in so much shock that they didn't know what to do.

And now we had to find out who killed him.