Regret ▻ The Originals [2]

25

Hayley and Jackson were standing inside the safe house, nervously pacing as they waited for Ophelia to arrive back. Suddenly, they looked up to see the woman standing in the doorway, holding a duffel bag filled with her clothes, "What the hell, Ophelia?" Hayley asked Ophelia in annoyance, walking toward her, "We were waiting for you and because of that, we ended up getting caught by Marcel."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ophelia sarcastically replied, "I was too busy trying to fight off an immortal witch who not only wants your daughter, but she also wants me now."

"Wait, what?" Jackson asked Ophelia, a frown on his face as he walked closer, "What happened? What do you mean?"

______

The following day, Ophelia and Hayley were talking to Aiden and Jackson inside the safe house, while the rest of the werewolf army milled around outside and inside the perimeter of the building. Hayley held Hope in her arms and rocked her soothingly.

Ophelia took a deep breath before finally speaking up, "Okay. You wanna know the good news? Well, Dahlia still doesn't know that we're here. But the bad news? She's given us until tomorrow night, and then she's coming for Hope and me."

"Well, I say we get the hell out of here," Jackson suggested, causing Ophelia to sigh.

"Look, Jackson, I wanna go as much as you do, so does Ophelia, but think..." Hayley trailed off, noticing the look Ophelia was giving her, which clearly showed she didn't want to go, "Freya said that Dahlia was drawn to Ophelia and Hope's magic. No matter how far we go, she's still gonna be able to track us! At least this place is spelled; No one can do magic here, not Ophelia, Hope or Dahlia."

"Sure, this place is spelled, but we've seen bigger magic than this break. I say we run while we can." Jackson suggested once more as Hayley set Hope in her playpen before staring at her in concern.

  Deciding to speak up, Ophelia glanced between Jackson and Hayley, "It's a risk either way," She reminded the group.

"She's just so little. It's not fair-- witchcraft, magical spells. She didn't ask for any of this," Hayley complained, only to suddenly get an idea and gasped in surprise, "Which means that she wouldn't miss it if it was gone..."

Jackson and Ophelia, who were confused, gave Hayley a puzzled look, "Ophelia, Jack, maybe that's it? Dahlia could only sense her when she's using magic. So, what if there's a way of stopping her from doing it in the first place?"

Jackson frowned in confusion, "She's just a baby. How are we gonna do that?" He asked Hayley.

"I have an idea," Ophelia finally spoke, causing the group to turn to her, "But it's dangerous. Especially now."

Aiden, who had been listening to them talk from nearby, suddenly spoke up, "Let me do it."

Hayley, Ophelia, and Jackson turned to look at him with concern, but Aiden gave them a solemn look, "Look, whatever it is, I'm one of the reasons you didn't get away yesterday."

"No, that wasn't your fault, Aiden." Jackson tried to assure Aiden, who was quick to argue.

"Please, just give me a chance to make it up to you." Aiden pleaded and Jackson looked back at Ophelia before nodding his head in agreement.

The room suddenly filling with silence, Hayley and Jackson turned to Ophelia, who had an odd look on her face, "What is it?" Jackson asked his wife in concern, causing Ophelia to look up at him.

"I don't think leaving is a good idea," She confessed to the duo, "You haven't seen Dahlia's power first hand like I have. She bested Klaus and Mikael at ease. If she could beat them both at once, who's to say she won't do the same to the pack?"