𝕌𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕎𝕒𝕟𝕥 ℍ𝕖𝕣 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥

EVERYONE HAD BEEN on edge since the White Oak trinket was stolen by none other than Cami. Klaus called the newly turned vampire after they figured out she had taken it, but the woman was not being very cooperative. She seemed to be using it as leverage against the hybrid until he returned the dark objects he took from her home.

Nathaniel thought the entire situation was ridiculous. Cami made herself target number one in New Orleans, and Klaus created another loose cannon in a sea of loose cannons. Something the city did not need at the present time.

While Klaus dealt with a stubborn Cami, Elijah went out to confront the Strix. About what, Nathaniel did not know, but he could only guess it had something to do with the last few enemies that wanted to do them in.

During that time, Nathaniel stayed inside the compound with Hayley, Hope and Andrew. Ever since Jackson's death and the capture of her favorite toy, the little girl had been near inconsolable. She cried all the time and did not want to sleep a wink. She had begun to drive everyone in the home crazy. But, could they blame her? She just lost her step-father, a man she spent almost all of her time with when the family was busy, and a toy she had since birth. If Nathaniel were Hope, he would probably act the exact same way. Andrew on the other hand was calm but cried ones in a while when he didn't see Jackson around.

Hayley proceeded to bounce her daughter on her hip to try and calm her cries. So far, Hope only continued to wail at the top of her tiny lungs. "I don't know how to help her," the woman exclaimed to where Nathaniel sat on his bed with his son as he plays with Nathaniel's nose. "All she's done for the last few hours is cry."

"She's upset, Hales," Nathaniel told her. "It's going to take a while for her to be okay, especially since Cami took her favorite toy."

Hayley just sighed in frustration. "I know. I just -hate seeing her so upset," she said as she continued to bounced the tearful toddler.

Nathaniel nodded then got up from the bed as he watch his son to make sure he does fall. "Alright, hand her over," he said, holding out his arms to his friend.

Hayley shifted Hope over to the original without a word. Nathaniel took the child into his arms and began to rock her from side to side. Hope continued to cry, but the intensity calmed as Nathaniel started to sing.

"Hush little baby, don't say a word,
Uncle's gonna buy you a mocking bird.
And if that mocking bird won't sing,
Uncle's gonna buy you a diamond ring."

It took a few more verses, but eventually, Hope's wailing ceased altogether. Nathaniel proceeded to hold and rock the little girl, slowly letting her fall asleep against his chest. The original moved into the nursery and set the child down into the crib to sleep her distress away. Nathaniel turned back to the larger bedroom and found his friend staring at her in awe then grabbed his son and placed him with Hope.

"How did you do that?" Hayley questioned.

Nathaniel shrugged as he shut the nursery doors behind him. "It's not that hard."

"But," Hayley shook her head in disbelief, "how did you get her down so fast?"

"I sing it to Andrew when he can't sleep, and I thought it might work this time. And it did," Nathaniel said, stepping back into the room.

Hayley huffed. "I still don't understand how I missed you being able to sing."

"It's really not that important. And I don't do it often," Nathaniel told her, waving her off in a dismissive manner.