Who: Hayley & Hope What: Mother/daughter reunion When: Backdated to the day after Hayley arrived Where: Outside the apartment building Warning: Nah Status: Complete
Hope was here. Teenager Hope! Hayley had dropped off eight year old Hope just a few days ago, and now she was about to see her daughter all grown up. Ugh! But yay at the same time. Hayley was nervous, obviously. It showed in how much she was pacing outside the apartment building and chewing on her thumbnail, as she waited for Hope to arrive.
Would she recognize her? What would Hope think? It wasn’t as if she’d changed any...even eight or so years from now Hayley would look the same. Would Hope even want her around? It was really hard to interpret things through text. All innuendo was lost and god. She could just hear Elijah telling her to calm down! Why wasn’t he here?
All this and more kept Hayley inside her own head while she waited for Hope.
*** Hope was just as nervous as her mother. The last time she’d seen Hayley was before her mother’s death. Hope had lost both her parents in a short span of time. It was one of the reasons why it was so difficult for Hope to make connections to people. To form bonds. People just...died around her. They were always in danger because of her. It was only recently back in Mystic Falls that she had even started to form friendships and an actual relationship with Landon. Landon was actually one of the biggest reasons why Hope had started to let people into her life again. Until then, Hope truly believed that in losing her parents, she’d permanently damaged her heart in a way that would never allow her to recover enough to reach out to people again.
But now both her parents were here and her mother...her mother was right outside. Hope took a deep breath and nervously folded a piece of hair behind her ear. Her mother might not even recognize her. The last version she’d seen of Hope had her at eight years old. Now Hope was sixteen or so. She doubted there was a trace of that little girl left inside herself. Life had a way of throwing that innocence in the toilet pretty quickly. Would Hayley even want to know her? Would she like her?
All these questions plagued Hope as she exited the apartment she shared with her father and reached the door to the building all too soon. Another deep breath and Hope pulled it open, stepping out into the sun and her gaze fell on her mother, unchanged and alive, before her eyes.
“Mom?” ****
Every worry, all of her nervous energy smoothed to one single moment upon hearing that word. Hayley spun around with her lips parted just before her eyes took in a young woman who bore a more than striking resemblance to herself. A chill went through her as her breath caught in her throat and her heart seemed to stop. That was her daughter. That was…
“Hope…”
The wind shifted just enough for her to catch her daughter’s scent. It brought happy tears to her eyes as a bright smile lit up Hayley’s face. There was no hesitation. She rushed forward to pull Hope into a tight hug. She wanted to bury her nose into that beautiful hair, take in the scent entirely.
*** Hope had truly believed, albeit foolishly, that perhaps her mother would not recognize her. Would not see her as her daughter, but then that familiar gaze fell on her and she caught the realization in the depths. Yes, her mother did recognize her despite the eight year difference between her version of her daughter and the Hope that stood before her now, practically paralyzed in a fear that she rarely experienced (Hope happened to be as brave as her two parents). She swallowed, waiting for her mother to make the first move. To come to her or move away. She prayed it would not be the latter. She couldn’t bear not having a relationship with her mother here. After all, this was as close to having them both back as she would ever get. She wasn’t going to lose that opportunity.
But the wind shifted and Hope knew instantly that her mother knew her scent. There was a bright smile and then the tears followed by her suddenly rushing forward. Hope waited, aware of her breath stuck in the back of her throat, Her mother embraced her tightly and after a moment of shock at feeling her mother’s arms around her and convincing herself it was real, Hope hugged her back. She buried her face into her mother’s shoulder and held on just as tightly. She realized then that she was crying too, tears slipped down her cheeks, pooling beneath her eyelids, and she took a shaky deep breath.
“Hi Mom.” ***
Hayley held Hope tight knowing her daughter could take it. Hope had a whole lot of power running through her veins. Still, she knew she was holding on a lot longer than a normal teen would want their mom hugging them so eventually, Hayley let her go. But only so far as arm’s length. Hayley had her hands on Hope’s shoulders so she could look at her. Her eyes were all watery with her lashes matted and damp. An entirely unlady like sniffle came from her to complete the picture of Emotional Mess.
“God,” she said through the hitch in her voice. “You’re beautiful. Stop that.” A shaky chuckle followed. “Bad enough I’m going to have to run interference on your father to keep him away from your boyfriend.” The emphasis was almost accusatory.
*** Hope allowed her mom to hold on to her longer than any normal teenager would have allowed a parent, but Hope was not a normal teenager by any standards. She was a tribrid: a witch, a werewolf, and a vampire though her vampire side was dormant unless she died. Knowing Hayley had last seen her as a child, Hope understood this was a lot for her mother to take in all at once. Her daughter was all grown up practically. Besides, Hope was guilty too. She missed her mom and this was her only chance to have her back. She wasn’t going to take any part of that for granted.
Hayley pulled back, but her hands remained on Hope’s shoulders as she looked at her. Hope smiled at her mom’s sniffle. She was not doing so well herself in the emotional department. She blinked back her own set of tears as her mother spoke up and she half laughed, half sobbed at her mother’s words. “Thanks, mom. I guess I take after you,” Hope replied, laughing again. The statement about her boyfriend sobered her up some. Hope had picked up on the almost accusatory tone. Well, that would change once they met Landon and realized he was a good guy like she did.
“Landon is a good guy, mom. Trust me,” Hope replied. “You and dad just better not terrify him.”
***
Hayley laughed. She had expected that reaction. She hadn’t had a mom around to tell her the difference between good and bad boys. Not that Hayley had cared. She’d had a long time in her wild streak. The result of which was standing in front of her. Not that she regretted it. Hope was the best thing that had ever happened to Hayley. Jackson and Elijah were close seconds.
“I trust your judgment, Hope.” She gave her daughter a reassuring smile. “If you think he’s good enough then I have no reason to scare him.” She rolled her eyes. “Can’t speak for your dad. Sorry.”
*** Hope knew what she said was somewhat cliche, but in Landon’s case, it was actually true. He was a good person, a good guy, and Hope would not have chosen someone who wasn’t. Technically, she would not have chosen anyone. Losing so many people in her life had made Hope realized she was better off alone. People died around her. It was better not have ties that cost people their lives. Landon made her realize she could have relationships though. He made her realize she could have friendships. She could have love.
Hope smiled. “I appreciate that and I know Landon will appreciate not being terrified,” Hope replied. That did not mean Klaus would not terrify him though. “I’ll talk to dad.” Hopefully, it would make a difference. ***
“Good luck,” Hayley said with a chuckle. Klaus was so stubborn he made boulders seem easy to move. But they didn’t need to focus on that. At least not the worse characteristics of Hope’s dad.
She took hold of Hope’s hand as she started walking toward the coffee shop nearby. “How long have you been here?”
*** Hope smiled weakly. “Thanks. I know I’m going to need it.” Hope could be just as stubborn as her father and she could possess just as much of a temper as him too. Their clashes could be epic in proportion when they did happen. She hoped her father might be reasonable and that the two of them would not end up in one of those battles, locked in a war of wills until someone became exhausted or was beaten. Klaus was difficult though and Hope knew that. She knew, deep down, he would never think anyone was good enough for his daughter, a Queen in his eyes.
Hope was grateful when the topic shifted and her mother took her hand, taking the lead towards one of the coffee shops nearby the apartment buildings. “Only like a month,” Hope replied. “I’ve made a few friends though and Landon was here so it’s been okay. I’m glad to have both of you though.”
***
“I’m glad you’re here,” Hope admitted with a fond smile for her daughter. “It broke my heart to leave you with Alaric, and I was sure I wasn’t going to see you for a long time.” If ever, honestly. The school had been the best place for Hope, and staying away from her had been the best thing for the rest of them.
“You dad says you guys are getting a larger place,” she started. Klaus had wanted Hayley to talk to Hope. She’d agreed because she felt she could handle the conversation better than he could.
*** “You do. And you did the right thing, mom. The school was the best place for me,” Hope replied carefully. Her mother didn’t seem to be aware of what happened to her later on and Hope didn’t know how to go about telling her either. How did you tell your mother she ends up dead? It was something she would talk to Klaus about later. He did know he was dead which meant he was from after her mother’s death. Maybe he could explain a way of telling Hayley or maybe he would suggest they didn’t. Hope didn’t think that was right; she didn’t want to hide things from either of her parents if she could help it.
“Yeah. I hope you come live with us.” She knew her parents didn’t always get along, but she did want her mother near her too. “If you want. I already saw his post about compelling someone to give him a house pretty much.” She wasn’t happy about it; people here might have the ability to hurt her father and putting himself out there like that worried Hope.
***
Hayley snorted as she rolled her eyes. Dealing with Klaus was so much easier with Rebekah around. Elijah could manage it, but Klaus actually liked Rebekah so was more inclined to listen to her. “Let me tell you something about your father,” she started. Her tone of voice was firm, but sarcastically amused. “He’s mostly all bluff until it comes to the really serious stuff. Then he’s scary as hell. Point is, I don’t think he’d really compel anyone for that. Especially not after saying he would where everyone could see.” Klaus was a lot of things. Dumb was not one of them.
“You want me there?” Hayley watched her daughter’s face closely. “Even if it means you have to deal with me and your dad biting each other’s noses sometimes?” There was no point in even trying to pretend they would get along all the time. However, to take the edge off of things a little… “I mean, arguing might be better for you than if he and I really got along…” She grinned as she waited for the EW GROSS MOM STAHP!
*** But would Klaus actually get an actual job? Hope seriously doubted it. He had money for practically an eternity back home; she couldn’t see him taking up any type of labor, even part-time. Not when compulsion was so much easier and more feasible for making a living quick and easy. Still, her mother had known her father longer than Hope had been on this planet. She would know whether Klaus had been serious or not. Even if he did use a bit of compulsion, he was still a hybrid and hybrids were hard to kill. “I hope not. I mean, he’s practically unkillable and I get that, but this place had a lot of weird stuff in it. Stuff we don’t have back home.”
Oh, Hope was aware her parents did not always get along. They butted heads a lot, but for the most part, they seemed to always come to some kind of agreement when it came to the well-being of their daughter. Plus, if Hope was there, maybe she could diffuse a situation before it escalated into something worse? “It’s not something I want, no, but I do want you near me. I know we are not the perfect family and yeah, you guys fight, but I do want you with us. I think he wants it too. He’ll never admit it, but I don’t think he minds having you around as much as you think.”
Okay, yeah, gross. “Mom!” Hope grimaced and rolled her eyes. “Please, never do that again.”
***
Hayley burst out laughing as she grabbed Hope in a one armed hug. “Hey, how do you think you got here, kid?” Her wilder, not so smart days. To this day she wasn’t sure why Klaus went along with it, but Hayley let go of the living proof before any protests got too loud.
“I’d be glad to live with you and your dad.” Her amused smile melted into an affectionate mom one. “And I even promise not to bait your father too often.” Hayley smirked. “I can’t say never, but I can have restraint.”
*** Hope didn’t protest too loud when her mother grabbed her in a playful, one-armed hug. If Hayley only knew how much Hope missed her every single day. How she would kill to have what Lizzie and Josie had with Caroline even if Caroline wasn’t around a whole lot. They still had a mom. She was alive. They could still talk to her. Hope couldn’t do that with her mom. She couldn’t experience this ever again back home. She pushed the sad thoughts away though and shook her head.
“I know, but that doesn’t mean I like to think about it,” Hope replied as Hayley released her from the hug. Definitely, definitely not.
Hope gave her mother a genuine smile. “I would like that a lot.” She knew she couldn’t ask Hayley to never bait her father. It was impossible; the two were just too different, but if she restrained herself from time to time? It was something Hope could handle.
“I can live with the compromise.”
***
Hayley would say it would be Klaus who would need to be held to a promise, but only Hope would be able to get one from him. She wasn’t about to start putting Hope in the middle like that so the thought was kept locked firmly away in her head.
“You get to tell your dad,” she said as she poked for what she remembered was a ticklish spot on Hope’s ribs. “And I want to look at houses with you guys. Deal?”
*** Hope was aware that she was probably the only person capable of getting Niklaus Mikaelson to promise anything to anyone. Well, maybe her and a certain blond vampire, but Hope didn’t like to use that “secret” power unless she had to. She wanted to think that her father would do the best he could regardless of whether his daughter made him promise to or not. Not that Mikaelsons and doing the right thing usually went hand in hand either. Still, Hope did like to think her family could be just as easily heroes as well as villians.
“Mom!” Hope giggled as Hayley playfully tickled her. If anyone from school could see her now, they probably wouldn’t recognize her. She was actually happy; the somber, serious Hope gone when in the presence of her mother.
“I’ll talk to him,” Hope replied, sobering up some. “It’s a deal.”
***
“Good,” Hayley said with a smile. She didn’t like that serious look on her daughter’s face. Hope should be happy and carefree. Hayley will pummel Klaus into submission if necessary to make certain that’s the case.
“Now let’s go eat things that will go straight to our hips.” She grinned. Neither of them would ever look anything less than physically fit thanks to what they were.
*** A lot about her life had sobered Hope up to the reality and pain of loss. Carefree and happy were rarely words found in Hope’s vocabulary back home. She knew too much death and sadness for that.
Though she did break into a smile at her mother’s words. “I like the sound of that plan.”