Blue ▹ The Originals [2]

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR
TIME TO GO DOWN

"They're all around me, circling like vultures. They wanna break me and wash away my colors."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     Henrik didn't sleep well at all that night, so he was wide awake when Hayley arrived with Hope at eight in the morning, needing someone to babysit while she went out to buy some baby-proofing stuff for her new apartment. Henrik had taken the time to point out the risks of not inviting Klaus into her apartment, just in case someone came for Hope who was stronger than Hayley, and Hayley had actually agreed, much to Henrik's relief. He'd taken Hope off her hands then. It was ten in the morning now, and his siblings had finally woken up. Klaus had immediately come into Hope's nursery when he heard her laugh, but Henrik shooed him away, claiming he wanted to spend time with his niece. He was exhausted, and his head throbbed with a nasty headache, but he didn't mind looking after her.

When she finally grew tired and fell asleep against his chest, Henrik was almost afraid to move. But the rocking chair he was sitting in was uncomfortable, and he hadn't eaten anything since the previous day, so he slowly rose from the chair, holding Hope gently and going to her crib. He placed a kiss to her head before he lowered her down. He paused to watch her. He was so mesmerized by her that he jumped when a soft voice spoke behind him.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" He turned, surprised to see Freya there. He blinked, not knowing what to say. Freya smiled and approached the crib, reaching into it to touch Hope's small hand, which was curled into a tiny fist by her head. "Sometimes I can't even believe she's real."

"I can't either," Henrik admitted, voice quiet. Freya seemed surprised that he responded, though she was pleased. Henrik thought about apologizing for how he acted toward her the night before, but then thought better of it. He didn't want to explain that he had felt jealous of her, like she was his replacement. So he chose another subject entirely. "I heard you're the only one Klaus didn't betray when he enacted his plan against Dahlia." Freya nodded.

"Well, we weren't exactly close at the time," Freya added, "so he couldn't have betrayed me even if he had wanted to. I didn't trust him then."

"Which means you're not biased." When Freya raised her eyebrows, Henrik tilted his head toward the door. He didn't want to wake Hope from her nap. Freya followed him into his bedroom. Her eyes took in the map still spread out across his table, but she didn't ask about it. She just clasped her hands in front of her and waited. Henrik didn't waste any time. "I've heard Marcel's side, I've heard Hayley's, I've heard Elijah's, and I've heard Nik's. But they're all biased and angry. So tell me. What do you think of Nik's little plan?" Freya thought for a moment.

"I think," she said slowly, "that parents will go to any length to save their children, and that's what Nik did." The fact that she was on a nickname basis with Klaus made something inside Henrik relax. He nodded.

"And what of Hayley?" When Freya frowned, he elaborated. "Well, through Elijah's letters, he made it seem like Hayley was innocent in all this. But when I spoke to Nik last night, he mentioned that Hayley had started seeing herself as family. I don't blame her for wanting to get Hope away from this place, but it seems weird she'd call herself a Mikaelson one day and betray the Mikaelsons the next." Freya hesitated.

"That's something you'll have to talk to Hayley about," she admitted, much to Henrik's displeasure. She offered an apologetic shrug. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help more, but—well, I only knew Hayley a few weeks before she was cursed. I can't tell you what she was thinking in those few weeks." Henrik nodded, and Freya smiled. "Elijah made breakfast, if you're hungry. If you need me, I'll be in the main study, doing yoga."