darkest timeline } { of taking out enemies and making new friends

[hereditare]

Derek: [he has no idea what's happening outside of his bedroom. The soundproof door is closed, but he is on his bed behind the bookcases, laptop on and he was listening with headphones as he watches a movie. Barry is next to him, curled up and enjoying the young man's slow pets.]

Laura: [presuming he has his phone in there with him, he's going to get a text from his sister:] I'm coming up. Let me in when I get there.

Derek: [and he will look at the phone, curious] You forget your keys?

Laura: Not that door. Your door. [she doesn't want to intrude on his space without warning, and make it feel like she's not respecting that space, but she needs to make some preparations]

Derek: Oh. Yeah, I'll have it open. [and he will pause the movie and roll out of bed, going to open it for her]

Laura: [and she'll be coming into the bedroom as she does that, Hayley behind her and looking around curiously as she does. When Laura sees her brother, her face turns sympathetic, but she's got her alpha business face on.] Gerard is coming. We're not sure how soon, but we've decided to take the fight on our turf for once. [and before Derek can panic too much:] I'm not asking you to fight him. You should be safe here, but just in case, is it okay if Hayley stays with you? [it's a lot to dump on him at once, but unfortunately she doesn't think she has the time to be gentler]

Derek: [yeah, those are panicking eyes. But he swallows and nods.] Sure. But, how... what's going on, Laura?

Laura: It's a long story. Hayley can fill you in. [and she steps forward and pulls her brother into a brief but warm hug] Everything is going to be okay. Cora's safe with Stiles and I have a lot of people to help me. Just stay here, and I'll come get you when it's over.

Derek: [and he will cling to her a moment] Don't do anything stupid, ok?

Laura: I won't. I promise. [and then she'll let him go and give Hayley a small smile]

Hayley: I got this. You go. [Laura nods, and with that, she goes to head back downstairs. Hayley gives Derek a smile in return, before making her way past him inside] Sorry for having to come into your space like this.

Derek: No, it's fine. It's actually built for two. In case Cora needed to join me. [and he is going to close the door and latch it, and then put down the security bar he had hoped he wouldn't need to ever use.]

Hayley: [nodded, before taking it all in] So turns out Kate had been stalking your uncle. She came down to the Abattoir and made herself known, so we assumed that if she was able to find him there, she found the penthouse too. [a beat] And Kate Argent was found dead this morning, so ... we're going to assume that Gerard is going to come for you guys and he's going to come hard.

Derek: [and he will sit back on the bed] Dead? What happened...?

Hayley: Stabbed on the subway. Or at least that's what the official report says.

Derek: [and that will catch his attention, and then he will close his eyes] Peter.

Hayley: [holds up her hands] I can't say one way or the other.

Derek: I know he felt guilty about the fire back then. About everything. Part of me was always waiting for him to storm the Argents to rescue me.

Hayley: I barely know the guy, so I can't provide any insight one way or another. But ... when she came into the bar she was saying some ... intimate stuff.

Derek: Why would she be doing that?

Hayley: [she pauses, then gives a bit of a shrug] Maybe because this was more personal for Peter than just losing his sister? I mean, I have no idea, but she definitely was implying that she knew him ... well.

Derek: [rubs his neck] She did. They dated in high school.

Hayley: Just high school?

Derek: Probably some time after as well. He's a bit older than her, but not by much.

Hayley: [she shrugs] As I said, I don't really know the guy beyond "that dude that sleeps on Freya's couch sometimes." You'd have to ask him about any of the gory details.

Derek: I don't think I want to know.

Hayley: Honestly? I wouldn't either. [and she finishes looking around before going to sit on the edge of the bed] Some things should just stay dead, if you ask me.

Derek: Don't always have that luxury.

Hayley: No, not always. [she tucks one leg under the other] Certainly wasn't the case for me. But when things do rear their heads again, you figure out how to get through it.

Derek: Or how to hide from it. [he sees Barry in the opposite corner of the bed, eyeing Hayley skeptically] It's ok, Barry. Come here.

Hayley: [she smirks a bit at that, before holding a hand out to him to investigate] I promise, I've got nothing against felines. I even dated a nagual for a while, when I was living on the road.

Barry: [inches close enough to sniff, and he will wrinkle his little cat nose and whine a bit before shifting to curl up in a ball looking out the window]

Hayley: [she laughs a bit at that] I don't take it personally. I'm an acquired taste.

Derek: Explains why you fit in well with us.

Hayley: And Klaus, for that matter.

Derek: With us, but is it that he has acquired your taste?

Hayley: I don't know about that. I may be nicer about it, but Klaus and I are both a very specific kind of asshole.

Derek: You don't seem like an asshole to me.

Hayley: That's because you haven't pissed me off and I'm trying to make a good impression on your sister. Also, I'm trying to be better than I used to be. I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger.

Derek: Hoping to be a better mother than you felt you used to be beforehand?

Hayley: Something like that. I don't really have very many examples - my biological mother is dead, my adopted mother kicked me out when I had my first shift and destroyed her living room, and then it was in and out of foster care until I managed to find a pack to teach me but ... being alone like that kind of teaches you that you can't really count on anyone. Same with Klaus, his parents were ... a horror show. But he's always had my back. His siblings too. They're the first real family I ever had. And when I got pregnant ... we decided that we can't just want things to be better for him ... or her ... we have to make them better.

Derek: Well, as long as you don't sacrifice your child to satisfy your enemy, you're doing better than mine.

Hayley: [her eyebrows go up] ... Definitely not on the agenda.

Derek: You didn't get the details on why all this is happening, did you?

Hayley: I didn't think it was my business. I just know that Kate came in looking for your sister and Peter was looking for protection spells for the two of you, and I'm not a fan of letting Argents have what they want.

Derek: [looks out the window a moment, then starts to tell her the story about how the Argents were threatening war, and to avoid it Cora was taken to be Gerard's "ward". That, however, was his word for prisoner. How a year later, the war came anyway and killed most of his family, and how Derek went to free his sister only to be caught, and took his sister's place so that Cora could still have a chance at a normal life. He doesn't talk about the torture in detail, but just the life he lived for those seven years until he escaped from being killed by Kate and Daniel]

Hayley: [takes it all in quietly, but there's definitely anger in her shoulders because yeah. That pisses her off] Not that they're directly comparable, but your mom could give Klaus's a run for her money.

Derek: I think it's why we're open to Klaus. We know what it's like to love someone so much, and yet hate their actions.

Hayley: Esther was worse in a lot of ways. The things she did to Freya and Klaus both were ... unforgiveable, really. But in the end, she's gone and they're still here. That's the part that matters.

Derek: I just don't want to lose any more family. [closes his eyes] I'd rather go back and let them torture me for the rest of my life than lose another member of my family.

Hayley: [watches him for a moment, before reaching forward and placing her hand over his] Hey. Neither of those things is going to happen. The Mikaelsons are scary as shit. They're not going to let anything happen to your uncle or your sister, and Cora is safe.

Derek: [he looks up at her and then takes a deep breath, squeezing her hand] I hope so.

Hayley: [there's a small smile in return and they'll wait things out - not long because the battle is fast and hard, but in the end the door to the panic room pops open and Laura's voice comes through the crack]

Laura: Derek it's me. It's over.

Derek: [and he's up, going to the crack before he has to stop, his nose wrinkling at the smells coming in] Stand back, let me get the safety bar off. [which he will do and then open it carefully]

Laura: [there's no blood on her, directly. She didn't want to risk turning any of them so Gerard's neck was snapped in her hands, but her claws or teeth didn't touch anyone. Downstairs is messier, but they can stay up here until it's gone. Once she can see him fully she smiles] I'm fine. Everyone's okay.

Derek: What happened?

Laura: They came to kill us. We killed them instead.

Derek: So they're all dead?

Laura: All of them. Even Gerard.

Derek: [there's relief, but then he bites his lip] Allison?

Laura: She wasn't here.

Derek: So they aren't all dead.

Laura: No. Everyone who came after us is dead, so Gerard, Daniel and their allies that were here. But I talked to Chris before this, and as long as we don't come after Victoria or Allison, he won't retaliate.

Derek: So it's over. We don't have to worry about them anymore.

Laura: [she nods] It's over.

Derek: [and there is a hint of a smile, and he nods. He never thought it would end]

Laura: [she smiles as well, before stepping forward and pulling him in to another hug]

Derek: [and he will hug her back, and she would notice that the anxiety in him is fading]

Laura: [which makes her happy because she really does want him to get better] I want to make sure the penthouse is cleaned up from the death and destruction, but Cora should come home tomorrow.

Derek: What do you want me to do?

Laura: You can stick it out in here while we clean up if you want, but it's up to you.

Derek: [looks over at Hayley] I think I'll stay here, if that's ok.

Laura: [nods] Okay. I'll let you know when everything's cleaned up.

Hayley: Do you want me to stay with you? [because she kinda wants to check on Klaus, but she also figures that he'll find her when he's ready]

Derek: No, you probably want to find Klaus. I'll be okay. But thank you.

Hayley: [nods, giving his hand a small squeeze as she passes before going to find her boyfriend]

Laura: Want me to bring you anything?

Derek: I've got rations. Just let me know if there's dinner?

Laura: Will do. [and she will follow Hayley back downstairs to see how clean up is going. The witches are mostly either harvesting things like blood or other spell ingredients or rapidly decomposing the corpses so that they are easier to dispose of discreetly]

Peter: [or dealing with the wounded, because Daniel was very angry at Kate's death and took it out on Peter. But he will live once all the wolfsbane is out of his system]

Freya: [yep that too, but she has much less painful ways of removing wolfsbane so hey! At least Peter doesn't have to burn it out]

Peter: [he appreciates that so much.]

Freya: [you're welcome]

Elijah: [and once everything is clean and it's like nothing ever happened, Elijah is going to break out the booze] I think this is certainly worth celebrating, don't you?

Peter: I agree.

Hayley: Should I go get Derek, since I can't actually drink and you all are jerks?

Peter: I don't think I've seen Derek drink.

Laura: Well, I'm also getting celebratory pizza, so go see if he wants some.

Hayley: [nods and heads up the stairs to his room] Hey, Derek?

Derek: [he's got the bookcase door open, and pokes his head out] Yeah?

Hayley: It's all cleaned up. Laura's ordering some pizzas and there's booze if you want to come celebrate with us.

Derek: Yeah, I'll come down. [and he will pet Barry one last time before getting up and following her out]

Hayley: [and when they get down, the Mikaelsons are all spread out over the couches with Peter, passing around drinks]

Freya: [glances up and smiles at him] Drink?

Derek: I could take a beer? [not really exposed to liquor]

Laura: There's beer in the fridge! [goes back to ordering pizzas]

Freya: [gestures to the kitchen] Help yourself. [and she'll go to resettle next to Peter]

Peter: [will look over at her] You enjoying playing hostess in my home? [smirking]

Derek: [yeah he's going to go get a beer]

Freya: Old bartender habits die hard. [smirks back]

Derek: [and he will come back and find a place to sit, still unsure of his place in the gathering]

Hayley: [has taken a seat in Klaus's lap in one of the larger armchairs gets his attention and goes to pat the empty seat on the couch not too far from her] Have you met everyone?

Derek: No, just you and Klaus when you first came over.

Hayley: Okay then. In age order: Freya is the blond cuddling up with your uncle. Elijah is the one on the arm of the chair across from her. [she points to one of the darkhaired man with a bit of a boho style to him] Elijah is followed by Klaus, and the Kol, who is sitting next to you with the baby, Rebekah.

Rebekah: [pokes her head around Kol and waves] Hello. The only one missing is Finn but that's because he's the only one of us with an actual wife and children and ... life, to be quite honest.

Derek: Well, nice to meet you all.

Peter: Derek is a quiet one and tends to be quite the book nerd.

Rebekah: You and Elijah should get along then. He's managed to collect quite the library in our travels.

Derek: I just started mine. The one we had before was mostly lost in the fire.

Elijah: My siblings and I did a lot of traveling to avoid our parents before we finally managed to settle here. A lot of it is in storage, but when you find a rare first edition classic, you don't hope it will still be there later.

Derek: Yeah, I get that. [and he is going to just talk books with Elijah unless anyone else wants his attention]

Laura: [nope, she's good with that and him making some friends, and will let them discuss books an only interrupt to deliver a bunch of pizzas for them to devour]

Peter: [and he is going to just chat, enjoying his alcohol and Freya against him]

Laura: [it's the first normal evening they've had and when the Mikaelsons elect to either crash in their guest room, Peter's room, or pour themselves into an uber and Derek heads back to his room, Laura might sneak out, needing a little time to herself to process so she'll head to that little bar where no one knows her name]

Peter: [if she is going out, he will convince Freya to stay for the night in his room to continue the celebration]

Derek: [is so glad he has soundproof walls]

Laura: [would have been fine if Freya stayed even while she was there, but she'll go out so you don't have to worry about your delicate sensibilities, Peter]

Peter: [he wasn't worried. You're a big girl, Laura]

Esposito: [will already be at the bar, swirling an ice cube in his whiskey]

Laura: [wanders in, and goes to pull herself up on a stool, ordering herself a whiskey. She feels torn over what happened, heavy and light all at the same time, but for right now, she's just going to try not to think about it]

Esposito: [and he will look over at her and smirk, taking a sip of his whiskey] You look like you got a lot on your mind tonight.

Laura: [glances over at the voice before giving a bit of a shrug] Isn't that why most people come into a bar?

Esposito: No, usually it's because they either want to get drunk, or get laid. Or forget about things, which both of those paths can lead someone to.

Laura: Mmmmm. Well, tonight's kind of a mixed bag. I mostly just wanted to go somewhere where I could be anonymous for a little while.

Esposito: So no asking your name then, huh?

Laura: You could. I probably won't get too specific though beyond "Laura."

Esposito: Well, nice to meet you, Laura. I'm Javier, but people call me Javi.

Laura: Nice to meet you too, Javi. You come in here a lot?

Esposito: More than I used to. My wingman went and got married.

Laura: [smirks] How dare he.

Esposito: It was a horrible sight. He totally cried during the speeches.

Laura: Well, he was having a very emotional day, I'm sure.

Esposito: Yes, very.

Laura: How long ago did he get married?

Esposito: Four months now.

Laura: So they're still in that nauseating honeymoon phase?

Esposito: Yup. The calling her five times a day, three minutes of I Love Yous before hanging up.

Laura: Ah yes. The kind of happiness that makes you want to throw up a little.

Esposito: I feel like I'm going to get diabetes standing too close to him.

Laura: It'll wear off in a few months.

Esposito: Until he has a kid, then he'll be done in forever. And I'll remain the bachelor, lonely nights in the bar contemplating my empty evenings.

Laura: Well, when you find such excellent company - [gestures to herself] - who could blame you.

Esposito: Maybe my luck is changing.

Laura: Maybe. You never know.

Esposito: So you're trying to escape your life. Things getting that bad?

Laura: Eh. [she pauses for a moment as she tries to figure out how to put it into words] Actually I'm in a good place finally, but it's sort of bittersweet. The things that I had to get here necessarily things I was proud of.

Esposito: Was it necessary to do?

Laura: Unfortunately. We weren't going to get out of it otherwise, I don't think.

Esposito: Did you hurt innocent people?

Laura: No.

Esposito: You're not planning to take over the city as some kind of mafia, right?

Laura: [she laughs] No, not at all. As of right now my only goals are finding my brother a good therapist and enjoying this drink.

Esposito: Then I say you earned it. If you feel guilty about part of it, make it up by putting something positive back into the world in its place.

Laura: [arguably, what she did was putting something positive back into the world, but she'll turn that over in her head for a moment before nodding] I think I could manage that.

Esposito: Good. Mind if I buy you another round so that I can keep you here a bit longer?

Laura: [tips her head to the side for a moment, before smiling] I would like that.

Esposito: [and he will motion for another round, and then slide over to a barstool closer]

Laura: [and they will chat about mostly nothing, and eventually Laura will be leaning in and getting flirty]

Esposito: [and she is beautiful, and he's had a few drinks and will be flirting right back, slipping into some naughty Spanish phrasing]

Laura: [naughty naughty. But before he gets too sloppy ...] You wanna get out of here?

Esposito: Thought you'd never ask.

Laura: Can't go to my place though. Too many people.

Esposito: I live only a few blocks away

Laura: [that sounds like a much better plan] Lead the way.

Esposito: [and he will leave enough money to cover his tab and tip, and motion for Laura to join him as they head out the side door]

Laura: [and she will follow him, slipping her hand in his as they go so that she can follow him easily]

Esposito: [and he will grin, pulling her along and when they get into the elevator at his apartment he will tuck her into a corner and lean in to kiss her]

Laura: [and she'll push up onto her toes to kiss him back, sliding her arms around his neck to help keep her steady]

Esposito: [mm, he likes that and he will let her know as he deepens the kiss, trying to devour her]

Laura: [yes, this is exactly what she was looking for, and she tips back into the wall a bit, leaning into the support as she lets her hands wander over his shoulders a bit]

Esposito: [the elevator dings open and he nibbles on her ear] Want more like that follow me. [and he will pull away slowly]

Laura: Tease. [it's mumbled half-heartedly because she is definitely following, falling in step next to him as they head to his apartment]

Esposito: You know it, chica. [and he will open his apartment and motion for her to enter. It's a well decorated bachelor pad fitting an NYPD detective]

Laura: [it's a nice place, and she'll definitely look around as she enters, just killing time for him to lock up behind him and turn his attention back to her]

Esposito: [oh, he will. Once that door is closed, he is going to slide up behind her, arms snaking around her waist as he puts his chin on her shoulder] Like what you see?

Laura: [smirks as she leans back into him] It's a nice place. Seems really comfortable.

Esposito: Wait until you try the bed.

Laura: Then why are you keeping me all the way out here?

Esposito: Showing off my pad.

Laura: [laughs as she turns around] I think I came here for a different view.

Esposito: Then come with me. [and he will lead her to the bedroom]

Laura: [and she will follow his lead, keeping her eyes on him as they go]

Esposito: [and when they get into the bedroom, he will tug her to him, shut the door, push her up against it and kiss her hard once more]

Laura: [ahhh much better. she eagerly kisses him back, her hands moving to his shoulders before going to tug at the center of his shirt to get it open so she can take in the view she actually came to see]

Esposito: [you're more than welcome to get to that view. He will strip it off, and you'll have a nice Marine turned detective bod to run your fingers along]

Laura: [yes, this is just what she was looking for, and she will run her fingers over it, letting her fingers curl just enough so that her nails catch every so often]

Esposito: [and she's not going to be wearing hers too much longer, though those nails will distract him every time, making him groan against her lips]

Laura: [she grins at those noises, pulling back only long enough to get her shirt over her head, and then pausing to pull off her shoes quickly so she's shorter but it makes getting rid of her other clothing easier]

Esposito: [and he is going to work his way down her body, kissing a path down her collarbone. His hands are on her breasts, massaging them before going to get that unhooked and out of the way so he can massage a breast while suckling her nipple]

Laura: [she tips her head back a bit at first, fingers kneading his shoulders a bit as she pushes up on her toes again so he doesn't have to bend so much]

Esposito: [well, if you're so worried about height, he'll just push you against the wall, guiding her legs around his waist so he can have her where he wants her]

Laura: [she just doesn't want you to get a krink in your neck, that's no fun. but she'll follow his lead, wrapping her legs around his waist, and one arm moving to the wall to brace herself a bit]

Esposito: [and once both her breasts are equally teased, he is going to push away from the wall and carry her to his bed, setting her down]

Laura: [moans softly as he moves over her, using the bed to give herself a chance to push up a bit and meet him in the kiss]

Esposito: [he will kiss her deeply, fingers now going to her pants]

Laura: [she will do the same, lifting her hips a bit to help him pull those tight jeans off her, as she undoes his belt and fly to get his off him]

Esposito: [once they are nice and naked, he's going to tease her with his fingers]

Laura: [which will get lots of pleased, happy noises from her, sliding her fingers into his hair]

Esposito: [and when his fingers are too slippery, he'll slide down to let his tongue take over]

Laura: [which she will like even more, and her alpha side comes out a little bit as she pushes him down to get as much of that attention as she can]

Esposito: [chuckles as he "obeys" and takes his time teasing her as far as he can]

Laura: [and she will go as far as he takes her, though if he teases her on the edge too much she may get impatient]

Esposito: [no, he knows from how a woman grips his hair when she is ready, and he will slide back up her to kiss her, one hand in his pillowcase looking for a condom]

Laura: [kisses him back for a bit, before flipping them easily, shifting so that she's on top]

Esposito: Oh, I see how it is. You like to be in control, huh?

Laura: [grins] Little bit. I'm kinda bossy.

Esposito: Well, chica, show me what you got.

Laura: [and she'll take the condom from him to slide it on him, before taking him in and rocking her hips down against his, starting off slow, but eventually picking up to a steady pace]

Esposito: [and he will brace his feet on the bed, his hips going to try and help keep pace.]

Laura: [and there's happy noises from her because she likes being in charge, but that doesn't mean she wants him to be passive and she doesn't even mind being challenged every now and then, but for right now she's just going to ride him hard and fast, pushing until she tumbles over the edge]

Esposito: [and he is going just as hard, and will be right behind her going over the edge, and then collapsing back into his bed] Damn, girl.

Laura: [she giggles a bit, as she collapses with him, stretching her torso out against his and taking a moment to catch their breath] I'm glad you enjoyed.

Esposito: Give me a couple'a minutes and I can go another round. [grins]

Laura: I may take you up on that. [and she will shift a bit to slide off him, and curling up against his side]

Esposito: Good. If you’re lucky, might even get breakfast outta this.

Laura: Only if I'm lucky, huh?

Esposito: Yeah. I mean, I'm not sure if I even have breakfast in the kitchen. So, lucky.

Laura: [she laughs] There's a diner not far from here. They make really good pancakes.

Esposito: I know which one you're talking about.

Laura: So if you are not breakfast prepared, we could always go over there.

Esposito: Sounds like we have a plan then.

Laura: Good. [and she smiles as she leans in to kiss him again]

Esposito: [and then can just get into round two. and maybe three]

Laura: [and that will wear her out nicely to fall asleep next to him for a while]

Esposito: [and then go to breakfast before he has to go off to work]

Laura: [yep, and she will return home after, but she will not give him her number, so if he wants to see her again, he's gotta do some detective work]

Esposito: [including going to the bar more often]

Laura: [yep. it might take a couple weeks or so but eventually she might swing in again]

Esposito: [until then, he will just have nice sex dreams about that night]

Laura: [honestly, probably so will she]