I'll be There for You

Chapter 12: The Best Plans Go Awry

Sun filtered through the blinds of Hayley's bedroom and she peered at her clock. It blinked back at her: 6:30 am. Rubbing her sore eyelids, she got to her feet and forced herself out of her room. Her feet moved in the direction of the bathroom while her eyes ticked to her daughter's room. She needed to get Hope up and dressed. They had to leave. Today.

Entering the bathroom, Hayley flicked the light on and stared into the mirror. She slid her fingertips over the sore purple and blue fingerprints that belonged to Kol Mikaelson. Damn him, she snarled internally, and gripped the sink. The anger that she had learned to control since having her baby welled inside her chest; trying to break free. Sucking in a deep, steadying breath, Hayley calmed down before leaving the room.

Hayley walked back into her bedroom and looked for a shirt that would cover her bruises and then her head cocked to the side when someone began to knock on the door. Cautiously moving toward the front door, she opened a closet and pulled out an umbrella. Not the best weapon but it would have to do. She moved toward the door, her steps nearly soundless as she peered through the peephole. Elijah stared at her through the tiny piece of glass.

Elijah continued to stare at her through the glass before lifting his hand and knocking again. "Hayley?" he called quietly. His voice sounded like it always did. Calm. Reassuring. It made her want to open the door. Then her fingers went to the imprint that his younger brother's fingers had made on her the day before. The same brother that he had raised. No, she couldn't be around Elijah. Not if he could raise a monster like Kol.

"Hayley?" Elijah called again. "Please, answer the door." Elijah placed his head close to the door and Hayley got the sense that he was listening for her movements. "Hayley?" he said, his eyes moving to the peephole.

Her chest moved up and down, her breathing becoming shallow as she placed her hand on the lock. Twisting it between her fingers, she flicked it around and yanked the door open. Eyes widening, she found that Elijah was nowhere in sight. Taking a tentative step into the hallway, Hayley looked to both sides. Elijah had left.

Breathing slowly Hayley moved back into her apartment, closing the door. "Okay," she whispered to herself. "Time to pack," she muttered. Then her phone rang.

Of course someone would have to call her. It's not like she had anything important to do like get her child away from her psychotic family member or members. Heading into the living room, Hayley picked up her cell and looked at the screen. She expected to find Elijah's name on the screen. Nope. Not Elijah. Jane Anne. Really? At six in the morning. Did her boss have nothing else to do?

Hayley placed her phone to her ear. "Hey, Jane Anne, what's going on?"

"Oh, nothing much. Sophie just decided to run off to Bermuda. Not even kidding here. And I know that it's your day off but I'm really in a bind and your client, Caroline, has a special request for today that she wanted you to oversee. So, could you possibly come in? Please!" Jane Anne's words tumbled out, one over the other in her haste to get them out.

Running a hand through her dark wavy locks, Hayley stared at the door to her daughter's room. "Uh..."

"I will pay you double. Hell, I'll pay you triple. I'm going to owe you big time." Jane Anne exhaled heavily and Hayley could hear the desperation in her voice.

"I guess I can put off my plans till tomorrow," Hayley said slowly. If Davina found out that Hayley took Hope somewhere right after the whole Kol ordeal, Kol would become suspicious and might try to track her down. Better to wait just a little longer. Allow him to think that he had scared her. Then she would hide Hope. Right now, pretending like everything was normal might be best. She hoped.