… Unexpected

"Expect

the unexpected"

•••

Hayley expertly parked her car in the Grill's back parking lot, hurrying to meet her friends. She'd promised Bonnie an entire morning just for the girls and since she was feeling herself again, she did not put up much of a fight. Entering the always busy diner, Hayley immediately spotted the blonde head of her best friend and headed towards one of the back booths, giving Bonnie, Caroline and Elena quick hugs. The last one with a fake smile she hoped nobody caught on to.

"Ok, so, don't freak out but ..." Caroline started once Hayley had taken the seat next to her and opposite the other two girls.

"That's not how you make a girl not freak out, Care." Hayley interrupted, her eyes surveilling the Grill, quietly catching on to the reason her friends were so fidgety.

A few tables over, Tyler was having drinks with Matt.

Heaving a small sigh, Hayley turned to her friends. "I'm way over him, girls. He doesn't get to ruin our fun!" She eyed Elena. "Why's your boyfriend not with you?" She liked regular doesn't-take-himself-too-seriously Matt. Stuck-in-Elena's-behind's Matt? Not so much.

"He's with his best friend, I'm with mine," Elena shrugged. "A little time to ourselves is going us good actually!"

Hm. For once the doppelgänger was rational.

"So," Caroline leaned sideways, the blonde watching her intently. "When's your next date?"

"When's yours?" Hayley threw back. They were as single as it went right now.

Caroline pouted. "Aw come on! You know I live vicariously through you when you go on dates!" For some reason, the wildest shit always happened on Hayley's dates.

"Elena's not single," Hayley ignored the blonde's pleading, munching on hot fries. "Live through her."

"But Elena and Matt are boring!"

"Hey!!"

Bonnie's laughter was probably heard through the whole Grill.

The rest of the morning was actually enjoyable. Just girls fun, without drama, supernaturals or any impending doom.

•••

The next week, Hayley had been extremely busy with the cheerleading team, all for this particular day. The regional cheer competition in Durham, the next town over where Grams worked.

Hayley wasn't worried. They were prepared. She gazed out the window absently, thinking about a certain someone in Mckinley, a town two hours away from their cheer competition. They would stop there if they won to celebrate before coming back to Mystic Falls. She was debating that person's freedom. Mainly because she wanted to piss off the spirits after their warning and show them they couldn't control her.

She also had to deal with that freak Atticus. That was one root she did not feel the need to let grow.

"Nervous?"

Hayley looked to her right, shaking her head at Caroline. "Not in the slightest. If we do exactly as we do in practice, we'll be all right."

"Yep." Caroline remained cheery. "Duke High School are going to be the toughest to beat but we can do it!" A few other members of the squad came over that side of the bus to talk through whatever stress they had and once again, Hayley was glad Caroline and her made a great captain duo. Where Hayley was an expert in technical advice, Caroline shone through her empathy.

•••

They arrived at Durham's mini stadium second to last, the place already packed with cheer squads. There were nine teams competing that day for three national spots.

As she was helping her team with the material, Hayley caught something from the corner of her eye. Looking in that direction, her step faltered for just a beat.

... Isobel?!

"Tiki, take that over, please." Hayley handed a box of water bottles to one of the girls before she looked back, only to be disappointed when Isobel was nowhere to be seen.

What the hell was Isobel even doing in Durham. The plan Hayley had put in motion didn't have the older woman due for at least a year.

"Hayls, what are you looking at?" Bonnie came up behind her, confused.

"Nothing." Hayley narrowed her eyes, a bit more alert now. "Let's go."

•••

A few hours later, in the wide open field, Caroline was giving out water bottles to the squad after their turn and Hayley was high-fiving a few of her girls. They'd done amazing and only had to wait another half hour or so before the jury deliberated.

Hayley was reluctantly giving Elena a hug when her green eyes clashed with another pair of greens. "I'll be right back." Hayley slightly pushed Elena before she took off on a run towards a more secluded area of the mini stadium.

When she felt the vampire's presence behind her, she didn't turn around at first. "Who are you and why are you following me?" She pretended to be clueless.

"You don't need to know my name," Isobel acted all mysterious. "I'm here... to extend an invitation."

Hayley turned around, looking the woman straight in the eyes. "Speak."

A frown marred Isobel's face for a second. It had probably been a long time since someone had not been afraid of her. She sleeked a hand on her loose ponytail before taking out a paper from her pocket.

Hayley received the thing without fanfare, opening it to see an address. She arched a brow at the vampire.

"It's my temporary home in Durham. Come visit me before you get out of town."

Hayley chuckled. "Usually, I'd demand a 'please' after any request, Isobel. But curiosity wins in this case. I'll be there at eight. You'll have an hour." The squad would drive to McKinley to stay at a hotel there at around nine.

Ignoring the way Isobel tensed when she said her name, Hayley waved the paper before going back to the field, blending back in the fray of cheerleaders.

•••

That evening, after successfully evading her best friends, Hayley stood on Isobel's porch, having just knocked.

A young woman, probably in her mid-twenties, opened the door half naked. "You must be Ms. Hayley." She opened the door wide. "Mistress is waiting for you in the study." Her accent was thick, she sounded like she was from Russia.

Walking in, Hayley noticed there were a couple dozen more half naked men and women. All young, all beautiful. Her nose wrinkled unconsciously at the smell of sweat and blood.

"It is the natural way of life," Isobel stood on her right, in the doorway of what looked like the study. "They chose to be here."

"Compulsion is not a choice." Hayley snorted. "And I truly don't care what you do in your free time, Isobel." She entered the study and made herself at home in one of the couches near the window. "Now, pray tell, why did you invite me here?"

"I have something you want." Isobel stated after she'd closed the study. She was now sitting in front of her big desk, her arms crossed across her chest.

Hayley's giggle was melodious. "I doubt that." There was nothing in this world Isobel could offer her.

"Katherine Pierce."

Hayley started studying her nails, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "Sorry but I do not want Katherine." The more she was uninterested, the more Isobel revealed her cards. Amateur.

"I know she's interested in you," Isobel truly thought she was in control of the conversation. "And no one wants Katherine Pierce to be interested in them. I can help you get rid of her."

Crossing her legs, Hayley stared at Isobel, unflinching. She wasn't buying this whole thing at all. These two women were crazy but one thing was sure, they had been real friends, even in the show.

"What do you get out of betraying your old friend?"

Isobel shrugged. "I've found more interesting ways."

Hayley hummed, sweeping her gaze across the room, nothing of interest was there. But when she looked outside the window, her eyes met small slits.

The small eyes of a black crow. Hm?

Hayley hid her knowing smile, standing up. "We'll be in agreement when you do one thing for me." She took a paper from the study and wrote instructions. "I don't care what you have to sacrifice for this, it's the price of working with me."

For the first time since they'd met, a sliver of fear flashed across Isobel's eyes when seeing the paper.

"What?" Hayley taunted. "Can't do it?"

Isobel shook herself out of her haze and lightly coughed. "Of course I can." She replied stiffly.

"Good. And don't bother me until you find it, I can be a bit ... testy."

•••

That evening, Hayley fell asleep very quickly when her head hit the hotel's pillow.

"It's been awhile."

Hayley was in her favorite clearing. She breathed in the fresh air before turning to Rebekah. "I've been busy. Cheer stuff, you know." Rebekah didn't know, but Hayley had taught her. They had to occupy the time in this clearing one way or another.

A familiar glint shone in Rebekah's eyes. "That must be fun." One thing that hadn't changed from the show was Rebekah's will to experience simple human things like going to high school, being on the cheer squad, having a little boyfriend...

"You can see for yourself when we meet in the outside world." Hayley repeated the same thing she did whenever Rebekah felt that way.

The two girls were wondering what to do until Hayley woke when the ground shook, enough to nearly sweep them off their feet.

"What the fuck?!" That was a shared sentiment. "What's that?"

Hayley turned around to see a bright light coming from a very tall rock on their left. They had just taken a step towards it when the light dimmed, leaving in its place one unexpected man.

"F- Finn?" Rebekah's broken whisper unfroze Hayley, the blonde rushing into her brother's arms under the watchful eyes of Hayley.

Leaving the siblings to reunite, Hayley leaned on a tree a few feet over, her eyes glued to the pair. She had already agreed with herself to help them with whatever big secret they had but just as Finn had pointed out, there was no trust. Trust had to be earned and even if she still had somewhat of a rose-tinted view on the Mikaelson's, she wouldn't forget to put herself first.

Her life mattered before anyone else's.