she takes us to a ugly bar

Hope takes my hand as we walk in

"Well, I can see why you wanted to come here. I feel safer already"

Hayley turns to us and bust out laughing

"The three of you are making the same face"

little sister gives a big sigh "That's because you brought us to a discusting looking bar"

she rolls her eyes "You three are too much"

a grouchy looking man looks at us "We're closed"

I look around

"You don't look very closed to me"

"We are for you"

dad smiles "Well, perhaps you failed to notice the hat"

Hayley sighs "I'll take a bourbon. Unless Hollis is still serving that moonshine of his"

another man walks out and stands stunned

"Well, I'll be dammed" he walks to the bartender "I got this"

the mean bartender leaves

"It's been a long time since you danced on my bar, Hayley Marshall"

"Mommy dances on bars?" Hope speaks up causing me to smirk

Hayley smiles "It's been a long time since I danced on any bar. I get in a different kind of trouble these days"

they both turn to us and points at Hope "Hollis, meet Hope"

"Oh, look at her"

they turn to us

"Ah, city boy, huh? Wouldn't have guessed that and he's got a kid too"

my nose scrunches "I like indoor plumbing"

"And clothes from stores" dad asks elbowing me playfully

Hayley now looks awkward

"Hollis, this is Klaus and Samael. They're my...daughter's father and brother. It's a long story"

poor guy looks confused now as he looks to us

"We just...need a place to lay low"

they stare at each other before he sighs "You picked a pretty rough time for us around here. A lot of folks are giving up on the pack altogether" OK "Well, for teh reigning dart-throwing, tequila-shooting champ in Willoughby Lake? I just wish there were a few more people to give you a proper homecoming"

they start talking in some unknown country language I don't fully understand

"Dad" I whisper

he looks over to see both Hope and I staring

"Can we leave" Hope whimpers "This place is dirty"

"And they are speaking a language I don't know" I grumble "Which is weird because I know lots of languages"

dad sighs "Just give your mother a chance"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

dad, Hope, and I are trying to convince Hayley to leave

"I'm quite sure this glass hasn't been washed in teh past decade, which makes it the cleanest thing in this establishment"

Hayley rolls her eyes "And you have hit your complaint quota for the day. Congrats. You are officially the worst"

"Well, I haven't" I jump in "And Hope hasn't. These seats are sticky....I'm going to have to throw away these jeans and they are Givenchy"

Hayley sighs "Why are you so obsessed with fashion? Why do all your clothes have to be named brand?"

"I'm the best so I deserve the best" I state

dad smiles at me

"Samael and I could have went on this little road trip alone. You knocked on my door to join. No one had a gun to your head. What as it... couldn't bear to spend another day giving Elijah the mournful doe-eyes?"

she clears her throat "That is none of your business"

"I mean.....it is daddy's city" Hope says "He's the king"

I smile at her "Yes, he is. That makes us prince and princess"

she giggles

"Hayles" this Hollis walks over "If you're trying to be discreet...start by turning down the volume on the lover's spat"

wow what's up his ass

"Is everything okay" Hayley asks

"Someone tried to rob the Gas 'n' Save down by the highway. Kayla was there. I heard it went back for the bad guy"

"Kayla McInnis"

the dude nods "her first"

"Wait, isn't she like, nine years old?"

"Fifteen"

I'm so confused

"A girl I used to babysit for. The last time I saw her, she was playing with dolls. Now, she's killed someone and triggered the wolf curse. Where is she?"

"The cops let her go home. Little trailer down by the creek"

Hayley gets up

dad stops her "Where do you think you're going?"

"Klaus, I remember when I triggered my curse. Now, Kayla is going through the same thing"

"Why is it your problem" I ask "Besides it's not that bad"

"I used to take care of Kayla when her mom was drinking" Hayley says "If she ever needed someone to talk to, its now"

dad gets up

"I let this trip down memory lane to go one long enough. But our daughter and my son do not want to be here. There lives take precedence. A fact you've clearly failed to grasp. From now on, we do things my way"

then Hope and I follow his out

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope and I are buckled into the car

when he goes to get in the drivers seat Hayley is in front of him

"There is a scared kid out there, and I can't just turn my back on her"

"And, tragic as that may be, it's not my problem. We have scared kids right here that want to leave"

"We're not going anywhere"

I groan "Let's just leave her"

Hope smacks my arm "No"

"I suppose you're going to stop me" dad says back "Perhaps you'll get Cletus and your other foul-smelling friend to help?"

Hayley growls "Those friends of mine are helping us, Klaus-- no questions asked-- despite the fact they have problems of their own. And all you've done is insult them. You don't get it, do you? This is the exact reason why we're here. Maybe if you hadn't been a dick to, I don't know, everybody, then we wouldn't even be on the run"

damn, dad's gonna kill her right? No, she's Hayley

"I have always done what I needed to do to protect our family from numerous enemies. I make no apologies for my methods"

Hayley scoffs "Do you even hear yourself, Klaus? You're incapable of even pretending ot be a good person. And you can justify it all you want with strategy, and 'us versus them', but at the end of the day, the enemies that you have are the ones that you made. Is that what you want for your daughter? Is that how you want her to see the world? I'm not just gonna stand back and let you raise her to be just like you, Klaus, you've already done that to your son. I'm having a hell of a time to get him to stop seeing the world that way"

oh dad's angry now "If it's your impulse to trust in the kindness of those outside the family, all the more reason you need my protection"

"This is getting good" Hope whispers "What's gonna happen next? Is daddy gonna throw her in the car? Is mommy gonna go talk to the girl?"

a smile comes to my face

"I am gonna go speak to that girl, because she needs my help. You're gonna stay here and shut up. I've earned at least that"

"Hayley" dad growls "listen to me--"

she slams open the door "There is very good chance that one day, our daughter will be dealing with the same thing Kayla is dealing with. And, if that day comes, I hope someone makes it their business to help her, too"

oh, shit, Hayley just won because she brought up Hope

she walks away

"You just let her win" I ask "Going soft"

Hope scoffs "He's not going soft you idiot. He' learning emotions; we should probably start on you next"

"You're so mean to me" I pout "I thought you loved me"