When an Opportunity Falls In Your Lap

• 'Always and Forever' — how fortunate you are to be part of such a bond. •

".."

Hayley pinched herself hard when she realized her blunder.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," she squeezed Finn's hand tight. She had nearly forgotten that the youngest Mikaelson was Henrik.

The young-in was been so cute in the flashback she'd seen. It was no wonder he was so cherished.

Finn shook his head to indicate he was fine. "He died at the hands of our neighbors. The werewolves," he sighed. "His death hit the family harder than we could have ever imagined. Though not a good person to begin with, Father went mad and pushed Mother to use her dark magic. When she was at the end of her rope, with no help from the only other experienced witch in the village, the only way Mother saw to save her family was to turn us into the first vampires to ever walk this earth."

Hayley shuffled on the coffin, looking for a better seating position before she rested her head against Finn's shoulder. "That's beautiful ... in a way."

A desperate mother, eager to save her children, turning them into immortal beings. Pity Esther Mikaelson was such a hypocrite.

"You could say that, little one," Finn chuckled. "Life was ... challenging after that. But our bond as siblings was tight. Nothing can tear us apart."

Again, the use of the present.

"You never fought?" Hayley asked. Their family life seemed too rosy for vampires.

"Oh, all the time," Finn assured. "But that is just us. We may fight like dogs but we would die for one another."

Hayley's heart clenched. How wonderful a bond like that must be like. To feel so secure, loved and cherished by a person. She herself longed for a very long life but if she had no one to share it with, what was the reason?

Deep inside her heart, she once again thanked Marmee for the older witch showed her pure love. Even if it was very brief.

"I'm envious, warrior," Hayley whispered.

Finn's left hand was in hers so he lifted his right and softly patted her head. "Life is long, little one. You'll find them. Your family."

'I hope so.'

Before Hayley could question the Original further, she was awaken by the shrill sound of her alarm clock.

".."

" ... ugh ..." Hayley groaned, glaring at the small machine with blurry eyes.

She was almost there. Finn was opening up, he was telling her his life story and the thing had to wake her up.

Realizing complaining would lead her nowhere, Hayley lifted herself into a seating position in her bed. She was so deep in thought she didn't realize Sheila had come in.

"Wake up, sleepy-head," the older witch smiled. "You're in charge of the house today."

"Hm?" Hayley tilted her head in confusion as she looked at the woman. "What do you mean, Grams? Are you going somewhere?"

Sheila shook the grimoire Hayley had just now noticed. "I have a small side job so I'll be gone the whole day."

Interesting. Hayley was now fully awake, smiling sweetly at the older woman. "What side job would entail you bringing a grimoire?"

"One involving werewolves," Sheila was pretty honest. Hayley had never shown her to practice anything else than traditional magic so she trusted the younger quite a lot. .. if only she knew.

Needless to say Hayley was very intent on taking this opportunity.

"Can I come?" She asked the Bennett. "I don't have classes today so I was planning on practicing but what better way to practice than to see a witch in action?"

Her wheels were turning at an alarming speed. If she could get her hands on this connection of Sheila's with some werewolves, she could find said wolves' pack and begin her dual plan — she would be building a wall against Katherine while at the same time paving the way for the day Klaus would need wolves to turn.

This way, it was beneficial for both her and the Mikaelson. She'd promised to take care of Finn's family — even if it was in her mind and not directly — and she was one to hold her promises.

Not seeing the twinkle in Hayley's eyes, Sheila shrugged. "Why the hell not," she agreed. "I might need an extra pair of hands anyway."

Smiling brightly, Hayley threw the covers off her body. "I'll be down in twenty, Gram's!"

When Sheila was downstairs, Hayley pulled out her cellphone and made a call.

"Hayls! Are pigs flying or are you actually calling me?"

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Slater," she snorted. "I need a favor."

"Will money be involved?"

"Yes, you money-eater, I'll pay you." Hayley promised. This was her relationship with the vampire. It was simply and purely business for both parties.

"Then I'm at your service," the cheeky man replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Get me Lucy Bennett's personal contact, her life, family, connections. A full background," Hayley ordered.

"Your wish is my command."

Satisfied, Hayley hung up, a smirk at her lips. Katherine had thrown the first jab but Hayley was more calculated than that. She would hit where it would hurt the vampire most. It would take time but she was setting a very nice trap for the Petrova doppelgänger.

One that she knew Katherine would fall into head first. Who told her to mess with Hayley Marshall in the first place?

An added spring to her step, Hayley skipped to the bathroom to get ready.

".."

Two hours later, Hayley followed Sheila in her office at Whitmore College. The older witch was the university's sole Occult Studies Professor.

"Nice, Gram's," Hayley whistled at the sleek wood decor. "You have this office all by yourself?"

Sheila smiled. "I did, but now I share it with my new assistant professor."

"Assistant professor?"

"Atticus Shane," Sheila replied, "he's a newbie but he's smart so I took him under my wing to take my place when I'm retired."

"Hm," Hayley didn't miss a step and followed Sheila around.

Atticus Shane. She remembered that freak very clearly. But now wasn't the time to think about him. She would deal with him pretty soon anyway.

"The werewolf I'm counseling right now is a student here," Sheila told her once they were seated at the desk. "He didn't kill anyone, it was just a car accident where he met a drunk driver on the road, the impact killing his only other passenger ... his mother."

Hayley winced. "That have to weigh on his mind hard."

"It does," Sheila nodded. "That's why I offer him and his pack my services. It's but a matter of pain relief spells and transformation control rituals for us but to them, it's their whole world."

While waiting for the wolf, Hayley stood up, taking a walk around the office to observe the decor. The walls were peculiar, filled with artefacts Sheila must have collected over the years. And she could feel magic all over some of the objets.

Hayley's feet paused when she passed a hairpin. It wasn't anything grand, but the flower of the pin, a white lily crafted by a master hand, had attracted her for some reason.

"Italian hairpin dating around 1114 AD," Sheila explained, coming up behind her. "An old friend gifted it to me, saying it was an antique but I never really saw use of it so I display it here."

"It's pretty," Hayley hummed. If her memory was correct, the Mikaelson were in Italy around 1114 AD and for the object to catch her eye so, it must be one of theirs ... right?

Sheila saw the look of awe on Hayley's face and exposed a fond smile. "You can have it, honey," she shrugged. "As I said, I don't have a need for it."

Hayley gave the older witch a side hug before she carefully took the hairpin in her hands. "Then I won't be polite, Gram's. Thank you."

This was another opportunity she could not pass. If it was indeed one of the Mikaelson's personal possessions, then she had just hit jackpot. Fortunately, she had a spell to contact the owner, although a dark one. She just hoped she wouldn't come into contact with a rotting corpse.

A knock on Sheila's office door brought her out of her thoughts and she put the pin her bag. Hayley turned around, subtly fluffing her hair and giving the door her best smile. Hm ... Lately, she kept wondering if she was getting more cruel but that was just her imagination — right? Hayley was a very responsible and generous girl. Of course.

But now ... She had a wolf to charm and a pack to entrap.