Endgame ? Sweet but Psycho

12. i won't let you be alone

Klaus and Poppy both scowled, not too pleased with where they ended up. 

"Well, I can see why you wanted to come here. I feel safer already." Klaus grumbled with a sarcastic tone. 

The bartender gave them a look. "We're closed."

"You don't look closed." Poppy scrunched her nose, setting Melody's car seat on a stool. 

The bartender cleaned a glass. "We are for you two."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Well, perhaps you failed to notice the hat?"

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

After she spoke, a man approached the bar from the back room, smiling. "Well, I'll be damned!" He exclaimed, patting the bartender's back. "I got this." The bartender left. "It's been a long time since you danced on my bar, Hayley Marshall."

Poppy sat down on a stool next to her baby and Hayley, and Silas sat on the other side of Melody. 

Hayley smiled. "It's been a long time since I danced on any bar. I get in a different kind of trouble these days." The pair laughed a bit, then Hayley began introductions. "Hollis, meet Hope."

Hollis smiled. "Oh, look at her!" He cooed. He noticed the wedding band on her hand, and assumed Klaus and her had married. "Ah, city boy, huh? Wouldn't have guessed that."

Klaus sat down. Never underestimate the allure of indoor plumbing.."

"Hollis, this is Klaus." Hayley said awkwardly. "He's my...Daughter's father. It's a long story." The man looked confused, and gave Klaus a look. "We just... need a place to lay low."

Hollis didn't look too pleased with the request. "You picked a pretty rough time for us around here. A lot of folks are giving up on the pack altogether." He paused, melting at the look Hayley was giving him. "Well, for the reigning dart-throwing, tequila-shooting champ in Willoughby Lake? I just wish there were a few more people to give you a proper homecoming." He smiled. He placed mason jars in front of the adults, but hesitating with Poppy. "I'm going to need some ID." 

Poppy looked at him, rolling her eyes. "I'm 100 years old. I think I can have a drink." 

Hollis gave her a nervous nod and set down the glass. "Hey, you guys settle in. I'll pour the moonshine. Babies drink for free."

Not too longer later, Poppy was drinking from the mason jar of moonshine, as was Hayley. 

"I'm quite sure this glass hasn't been washed in the past decade, which makes it the cleanest thing in this establishment." Klaus complained, and Hayley rolled her eyes. 

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

Klaus examined his glass, annoyed. "I seem to remember you knocking on my door to join this little road trip. No one had a gun to your head. What was it... couldn't bear to spend another day giving Elijah the mournful doe-eyes?"

Hayley cleared her throat. "That is none of your business."

"Right. It's only my brother and the mother of my daughters in my house in- oh, yes-my city!" 

"I really don't think you should be calling it your city." Poppy grumbled, drinking a bit more. 

Klaus looked at his daughter. "And why is that?" 

"Because you don't bother to keep it and everyone in it safe. Just you." 

He rolled his eyes. "And what about when you let Davina die to complete the Harvest? To what, be on the good graces of the Ancestors? At least I did it to, oh, protect New Orleans." He looked back at her glass. "Stop bowing down to people. Be strong and rise above your enemies."