everyonelives | some roads you really fly

You're the Crescent alpha. You're Hayley Marshall.

( He finally makes the connection. And now, his eyes widen because he is sitting beside werewolf royalty. )

That's me.

[She glances over with a smirk.]

I guess we didn't really get to do introductions when we were dealing with those hunters.

Maybe. I didn't make the connection. Thank you, again, for helping get me out of there. I know you have a lot on your plate with the Crescent wolves.

( And legit, every New Orleans wolf. )

[She shakes her head.]

You don't have to thank me. Those hunters were planning on attacking my daughter's graduation. Rescuing you may have gotten us there faster, but we were heading there anyway.

Still.

( Also... )

How did the graduation go?

It was good. Hope is very happy to be moving on to college.

[There's a pause as the fasten seatbelt light goes on overhead, and she moves to get that taken care of.]

Or maybe she's just excited for her post-graduation Europe trip.

( Derek already did, as he observes the other passengers and the flight attendants. )

Are you?

[She shrugs.]

It's hard to believe that my daughter is now an adult and is going to be heading out into the world to make dumb decisions all on her own. Up until now, a lot of the things that have impacted her have been things Klaus and I did. Now she's going to have the chance to make her own mistakes and her own enemies.

Comes with growing up. You believe in her or you wouldn't put it like that. You're a good mom.

( He can just see it. She exudes that warmth and confidence. )

Thanks.

[She's not sure how he can tell from a five minute conversation, but she appreciates it all the same.]

And I do believe in her. She's got a way better head on her shoulders than I do.

( He had the best. He sees some Talia in her. The bravery. And, maybe it's what he wants to see and what he'd want to hear. It's also pleasant conversation when most of what Derek does say is gruff at best. )

You held yourself together at the warehouse.

Yeah, but that comes with the benefit of eighteen years of trying to pull myself together to be a responsible parent.

[She glances over with a smirk.]

You're also looking at the girl who had a boozy one night stand with the Original Hybrid and got knocked up as a result.

We've all... had relationships we may regret, but we wouldn't be who we are without them.

( As much as he hates Kate, found a compassion for Jennifer eventually (not to her face), he was still used. He was preyed upon. But, he then had a real relationship with Braeden. And? He wouldn't be who he is, it's true. He'd be dead, probably, if Kate hadn't taken an inappropriate liking to him. But he'd take his life away in a second if the rest of his family could live. )

You wouldn't have Hope.

No, I wouldn't.

[And that would clearly be the worse option, in her humble opinion. She glances over with a smile.]

What about you? Do you have family out there somewhere?

My sister Cora stayed behind in Mystic Falls with the rest of our pack. And my cousin Malia is in New Orleans.

( Sorry, Hayley, he'd like to not go into his family beyond them. Maybe one day. )

Edited 2021-02-14 00:20 (UTC)

Small group.

[She nods, because it's more than she had, at least biologically speaking.]

But I've always been a quality over quantity kind of person.

( Quality would not be Derek's word. )

I have an uncle, too, but -- ( He wanted to be a supervillain, and even though he and Malia now have a relationship, Derek only goes to him when he needs a favor. ) he lives in California.

[She raises an eyebrow curiously.]

I take it you two aren't close.

We're not. We're family.

( She probably gets it when he says that. )

[If she hadn't known the Mikaelsons through all their ups and downs, she might not. But context matters.]

Yeah. Sounds about right.

He's there if he's needed.

( He's gotten past trying to screw them all over. He thinks. )

Is your family in New Orleans?

Most of it, yeah. But it's one I chose, not by blood.

[Any blood family she had died a long time ago.]

With the exception of Hope, anyway.

( Because of who Derek is, Scott isn't family. He is a Pack leader. He is someone Derek respects. But, things began tumultuously between them and they only ever worked up to mutual respect. His family is Cora, Malia, and - yeah, Peter. )

You're familiar with Freya because she's a Mikaelson?

I am. And because she's my friend.

[Freya may be Hope's aunt and therefore family, but the two women have been through a lot together. They spent seven years coordinating control of the city with Vincent and Josh. She trusts her more than she trusts most people.]

If you're worried about her being trustworthy, she is. She can be a bit brusque that's only when she feels like someone might waste her time.

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like I'll be seeing you around.

( She saves him, then they end up on this plane. Will he be seeing her later today or tomorrow at Rousseau's. )

(no subject)

werewolfqueen - 2021-02-17 04:10 (UTC) - Expand