This was utterly wrong.

Even for someone who thrilled in pain of others, this was crossing the line.

Kayla stared down at the coffin in front of her she had promised to take care of in the meantime.

It was Hope's subtle way to keep her out of her father's rage once he found Hayley. Hope didn't want Klaus hurting her friend for being there for her, helping her reunite with her father.

No, Hope cared too much for letting her friend, best friend...No, sister to die because of her.

Kayla could only stare at the peaceful face of Hayley's face as she fidgeted with a necklace.

"I'm so sorry, Hayley" Kayla murmured, kneeling at her side. "You've been too good to me and I destroy good things. The reason why you're here, is me. Not Hope. It was my idea to make you 'disappear' so her dad would come to find you. I saw the impact you make on people. You're a strong woman. Klaus for sure was going to be concerned for the strong mother of his child if something happened to her. I'm truly sorry"

She truly destroyed everything good happening to her.

There was only too much she could do to make peace with her actions.

Slowly, Kayla shrugged off her backpack, kneeling next to Hayley's coffin as she took a large grimoire from her backpack, putting it on her lap.

"My family were odd witches" Kayla began to explain, as if the silence was toxic, pretending she wasn't alone. "They strive in pain. Ironic because they didn't like it when it was me the one causing it" she chuckled bitterly as she flipped the worn out pages from the grimoire she had stolen the day she accidentally caused the fire that killed her family. "Anyway, our ancestors created the most weird looking spells ever. But this specific one I'm about to cast was based on the Bennett bloodline. Badass witches those are" her lips twitched slightly fondly, amused. "My family did some tinkering on it but it's confusing to explain. I barely understand it myself, but you're important to Hope. You're important to me, something I never thought I'd think of an adult, Hayley Marshall. And we barely spoke to each other but you gave me more kindness than all my family and the Salvatore School combined in less than seven hours. Because of that, I'm doing this" her usual bright blue eyes seemed to glimmer, turn brighter as if she was holding back tears. "I fear, something inside me is telling me this could end wrong. That we made a mistake. And I'm fixing it"

Kayla sniffled, exhaling softly, seeing her hands shaking. She was afraid, she realized. She was afraid to go through this but there was no other option, was it?

The moment she and Hope used Henry to subdue Hayley and put her in that coffin, Kayla was doomed.

Kayla put her hands hovering above Hayley, glancing at her grimoire a few times to make sure she had it right, closing her eyes.

Some candles flared up slightly as her magic stirred up.

Once she was done, she glanced at her slightly shaking hands as she unclasped her necklace, putting it around Hayley's neck before she closed the coffin lid. A wave of magic passed through the coffin. Hope's protective spells again active.

She just hoped no one had been actively searching for Hayley when it was opened.

~8~

Kayla was on the phone with Hope, still keeping an eye on the coffin.

"Look, I know you think this would bring you closer to your dad but it's getting ridiculous, he's nowhere close on finding her" Kayla paced, becoming anxious. Now, she understood Henry's anxiety. Sort of. "We should stop this"

"No" Hope snapped, whispering furiously. "It's working. I've gotten to see my dad more than I have in the past five years"

The doors to the compound were slammed open, Hope turning around when she saw her dad storming closer. 

"Hope!" Klaus looked furious and worried.

"Wait, don't hung up, Kay" Hope murmured.

"Too late" Kayla murmured, not wanting to listen father and daughter arguing, "I think you deserve your daddy screaming at you for this"

Kayla hung up, inhaling deeply to soothe her growing anxiety.

It was then with the silence that she heard a noise, whirling around to face the darkness of St Anne's, the church Hope had chosen for this scheme.

"Mr. Mikaelson?" Kayla asked, hoping it was him who finally got Hope spill the beans. "All I gotta say is sorry for this. Your daughter made me"

Kayla huffed at her self preservation. Bitch, she thought to herself as the darkness remained silent, not answering her questions.

Kayla took a nervous glance at Hayley's coffin, pursing her lips as she slowly walked around the perimeter. "Hello?"

She never saw it coming.

Someone grabbed the back of her head, smashing it against the wall closest by.

Kayla fell to the ground, unconscious. Her forehead bleeding.

~8~

Hope was worried about Klaus finding her mom and Kayla keeping an eye on her. She didn't want her friend dying.

Klaus walked in, a carefully hidden expression as he looked at his daughter, "Hope, we went to the church to get your mother. She wasn't there"

Hope stared at him in shock, "What? No. I protected her. I wrote the perfect cloaking spell, I kept her safe. Kay, my friend was keeping her safe all this time"

Klaus' lips pursed, a hardening expression on his face "Oh, yes. That girl. She didn't do a good job"

Hope was worried "What did you do? What happened?"

"Your friend was knocked out" Klaus explained, remembering smelling blood the moment he walked inside the church. Momentarily he was panicked that it was Hayley when he saw the coffin destroyed but he hadn't recognized the scent, so he looked around when she saw the young girl unconscious. For a moment, Klaus saw red, thinking she had hurt Hayley and Hayley had fought back, but it wasn't until Freya knelt at her side in worry he understood that this was the witch friend Hope told him had helped her and now he remembered having seen her in her head when he dived in to find Hayley's location.

The girl woke up confused and alarmed, and it wasn't until Freya calmed her down that she realized their predicament. Klaus could only see the brief horror in her eyes when she saw the destroyed coffin as her hand went to her bare neck. Her expression then smothered into a blank expression as she explained to them someone took Hayley the moment they attacked her.

Hope could no believe this. She was certain her mother was safe. It was supposed to be enough, her magic and Kayla's powers had to be enough to keep Hayley safe. "I... I don't understand. The-the coffin was just empty?"

"The coffin was destroyed" Klaus told her. "Your friend said someone had to take her when they attacked. So whoever did it, they didn't go without a fight" He sighed, tone becoming softer, "Look, I know it wasn't your intention for someone to get hurt. I know you did this because I left you with no choice. Sweetheart, look at me. This... this is my fault. I'm gonna fix it. I've already spoken to Alaric. You and your friend will go back to Mystic Falls tonight. I need to know you're safe" Suddenly, Hope began coughing heavily as if chocking on something. Klaus' eyes widened in concern, walking closer, "What is it? Hope?"

Hope slowly began coughing up a snake.

"Go, go" Hope cried out in fear, "You have to get out! You have to get out"

Klaus was scared for his daughter but also determined, standing up, "I'll find your mother. And I swear I'll return her to you. I love you"

Klaus rushed away, leaving a crying Hope behind.

~8~

Kayla on the other hand was being comforted by Freya, sitting in the courtyard.

Kayla had an ice package pressed to her head to soothe the concussion she probably had after being attacked.

Freya was sitting at her side, rubbing her shoulder as she could tell the girl was feeling guilty about what happened. And Freya could only blame herself. How couldn't she have noticed these two had planned all this? How come she didn't suspect when Hope turned defensive when she asked where Kayla was? She should have seen this.

An angry Klaus was a dangerous Klaus.

Freya stood once she saw her brother making his way directly to the young girl.

"Klaus" Freya warned as she stood in front of Kayla, protectively "She's just a child. Think about your words carefully"

But Klaus didn't care. This girl had influenced Hope to do something awful to her family. "What were you two thinking? Or were you not?"

"We were thinking Hope wanted her dad to come back" Kayla replied as she stood, putting aside the ice. "The blood being sold didn't work to get you back. Hayley put a stop on Hope's plans to travel where you where, we had to think bigger, so I thought... Yes, Mr. Mikaelson, kidnapping Hayley was my idea. Not Hope's. That's why I wanted to stay back and make sure she was well protected until you found her. Thing we failed to do"

Klaus and Freya stared at the girl who was staring back, unflinchingly.

Klaus couldn't decide if he was impressed or angry at the boldness this teen showed in his presence, "And what is it to you the Mikaelsons suffer, huh? What is your little mind planning? Revenge?"

"Selfishness" Kayla snapped. "I don't have a father who has a similar reputation of yours at the school. Mine is dead, by the way. You're not. I wanted to see you two reunited and together the way I can't" Freya and Klaus were shocked at the reveal. Kayla put on a sarcastic smile, clapping her hands. "So yes, I did all of this out of revenge to see your family suffering. Do I get a medal for successing?"

Kayla didn't give them another chance to speak before she turned on her heels, climbing up the stairs and going to the room she had been given.

It had been cleaned up that day so she could get settled there.

Kayla shouldn't be here.

Her presence everywhere screamed pain. Heartbreak.

Kayla felt she was a walking curse, full of darkness and everyone coming in contact with her?

They suffered.