Hope attacked Cami, turning her staff this way and that hoping to land a strike. Cami parried each blow. While Hope was younger than her opponent and more nimble, Cami was more creative. While Hope's focus was zeroed in on the strikes and specific strategy, Cami saw a bigger picture and was in tune with her surroundings. Hope was concerned with precision, Cami was concerned with survival, and both wanted to win. However it was Cami who won when she switched up her strategy by going on the offensive and wielding her staff with one hand instead of two.

"This round goes to Camille." Elijah decreed from the balcony.

Hope hit her head against the staff. Cami put a reassuring hand on her back. "Don't worry, kiddo. If our fights were real I wouldn't stand a chance."

"Why?" Hope muttered. "Because of my magic? My magic wasn't any good when I was kidnapped."

Cami was saddened by Hope's bitter words. "I was actually thinking about how fast you are. Your non magical skills have grown. You're a formidable foe."

"I still couldn't help Jackson." Hope whispered, emotion clogging her voice. She ran off before Cami could offer a supporting word or a shoulder to cry on.

Cami shook her head at the unfairness of it all. She took her frustration out on her belongings as she packed them. Cami didn't even jump when Elijah appeared in front of her. He patiently waited for the outburst that was to come.

"Grief is such a bitch!" Cami exclaimed. "Some days you're fine and others it just hits you. For Hope-" she sighed. "It's been a year since Jackson's death and still..."

Elijah was as calm as ever. "Unfortunately none of us are strangers to death."

"Unfortunately." Cami echoed, slinging her bag across her shoulder. "But on top of that is the guilt she feels. She has no reason to bear that weight."

"No, she doesn't." Elijah agreed quietly.

Cami froze him with a meaningful look. "Neither do you." Elijah looked away. "Elijah there's nothing you could have done."

Elijah cleared his throat. "I hear you have an exciting meeting later."

Cami allowed the blatant change of subject. "Yeah I'm gonna go shower then meet the good detective. Marcel's coming with me as, well, proof. The expression on someones face when they're enlightened about the truth of the world is priceless."

"Let us pray he'll be an ally and no longer a pest."

Cami made a face. "If not he can always be compelled to forget. See you later, Elijah."

In an empty Rousseaus, Will Kinney sat across the table from Cami and fellow Faction member William Turner. Skepticism was etched on his face. "Vampires and werewolves?"

"Yep." Cami said in a bored tone.

"Don't forget the witches." Bill put in.

Will rolled his eyes. "Oh, right, wouldn't want to forget them." He looked at Cami. "You know, O'Connell when I did research on your upstanding Catholic family I knew you were hiding something. The mafia, some conspiracies, a secret society maybe, but this?"He gave her a disappointed look. "I didn't know you were insane."

"How else would you explain some of the crazy shit you've seen?" Cami snapped. "Things that don't add up logically?"

"There's always a reason and sound hard facts. The Boogeyman isn't one of them."

Bill appeared tired as well. "Where is Marcel?"

"Your former flame?" Will looked from Bill to Cami. "What's he got to do with any of this?"

"He's a vampire."

Will shot them a patronizing smile as he stood. "Right, well thanks for the strange meeting at night but-"

The wind blew through and there at the end of the table, stood Marcel. "Here."

"What took you so long?" Cami asked.

Will was shaken. "Where-where did you come from?"

Marcel simply smirked. "Sit back down, and listen to your fellow humans."

Will visibly tensed with bewilderment as he obeyed. "Wh-why?"

"He compelled you." Bill answered. "Vampire mind trick." Will opened his mouth but Bill continued. "Not some type of hypnosis, compulsion. C-o-m-p-u-l-s-i-o-n. Mind control."

"That's right." Cami leaned forward. "And he can compel you to forget this meeting ever happened, and he will if you turn out to be a risk to us all."

"Us?"

Bill nodded. "The only reason you're being enlightened is because Cami asked the Faction for permission. As opposed to them arranging you to be killed." Will's eyes widened in fear. "You've been a pain in everyone's asses since you arrived. Investigating off the books, requesting special cases that need to stay buried, fighting with your superiors, showing up at inopportune times-"

"You can be an asset Will." Cami interrupted. "You have a good head on your shoulders, you're inventive, intelligent. We could use you. If you need any more proof-" Cami nodded at Marcel who sped across the room and back, lifted the chair with Will in it into the air with one hand, and brought them down lower so Will could see Marcel's vampire face.

Cami smiled again. "So, now that the hard part is out of the way,"

"And since we have your total attention-" Bill finished.

Marcel dropped the chair, making Will scream, before pulling up a chair of his own and flashing him a fanged smile. "Let's start again from the top."

Hayley had her own meeting to attend. She drove out to the bayou alone, stopping miles outside Crescent wolf territory. Moments later another car pulled up beside hers and fellow werewolf Edward exited his SUV.

"Let's walk." Hayley suggested. "I hate standing still." They journeyed into the bayou greenery. "So, what excuse did you give for leaving?"

Edward smiled, "Zedekiah has more things to worry about than little old me. You forget my standing is not as high as it was under you and Jackson. I've been pushed to the outer rim, not that I blame him."

"I feel so lost." Hayley admitted, kicking a stick out of the way. "Jack and I ran the pack together for years, now my daughter and I are ostracized."

"It won't always be like this."

"That's what you said six months ago."

Edward sighed. "Zedekiah is still new to his reign and you are a threat."

"I haven't done anything to undermine him!" Hayley snapped. "Despite the clan showing me the door the moment Jack died! After all I've done for them, for us!" Edward was silent as Hayley ranted on, knowing she needed the release. "I spent my whole life looking for my family, and I found it." A tear rolled down Hayley's face. "I found it then I lost it. I know it wouldn't last forever but I thought it would last longer than it did. I can't even visit."

Edward was sympathetic. "Hey, don't think your deeds are unremembered. You still have supporters, and everyone sees you obeying pack law. It works in your favor."

"Not enough to let me back in." She replied bitterly. "Times like this I think I should listen to Klaus. I should go in there, kill the opposition and take back my rule."

"In fear, with no one respecting you." Edward said dryly. "Wolves would desert, only a true werewolf can lead us."

"Haven't I proven I'm a fucking werewolf through and through?" Hayley shouted. It wasn't her fault she was kidnapped and the psycho witches slit her damn throat.

Edward looked away. "You're still a hybrid."

"And that's clearly all they see me as." Hayley looked at her hands, making her claws grow. A hybrid they tolerated because Jackson loved her. "What about Hope? She's my daughter and she's part Crescent wolf." The whole reason behind Hayley and Jackson's marriage was to protect her daughter. Now it was for nothing.

"She's also part witch on top of being a Mikaelson. They'll never follow her, not willingly." The look Hayley gave Edward made him take a step back. "I'm just being honest. Look, there was harbored resentment under you and Jackson's rule. Some viewed Jackson as your puppet. On top of prioritizing Hope over the pack-"

"We put the pack first!" Hayley argued inanely, knowing one time she didn't, and it counted. She should have been there when Jack died but she wasn't.

Edward shot Hayley a look of disbelief. "At times, yes. But you're a mother, Hayley, a damn good one. You always put Hope first, and Hope is linked to the Mikaelsons-"

"I get it." Hayley threw up her hands.

Edward put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Let Zedekiah lead in peace, let this go. You still have supporters. We'll alert you if he plots against you. So far he hasn't, and Hayley I don't think he will. Not that he isn't being advised to." Edward muttered.

"Chin up, I'm here for you. My brother is missed, daily. He was a good leader, but his time has passed."

Hayley put her hands behind her head and inhaled. The truth was Hope wasn't aware of her werewolf heritage. She wasn't even aware they existed thanks to her parents. Hayley had been laying low but internally she longed for her pack. She moved back into the compound and she loved the Mikaelsons but she hadn't lived with them for years. She was still readjusting. Perhaps it was time to let the clan go for now, and fully embrace being a Mikaelson.

Hayley took in her surroundings, admiring the forest, the humid air, the gorgeous country sky. She wouldn't be returning for the foreseeable future. "Alright."

"So the werewolves had a recent change in leadership." Will stated.

"Yes." Bill answered. "Jackson Kenner was replaced about a year ago."

"Murdered?"

Cami and Marcel exchanged a glance. "Not, technically." Marcel explained. "Jackson was challenged as leader."

Will's brow furrowed. "To a duel?"

"Basically." Cami sighed. "During the full moon, while in wolf form the challenger and Jackson fought to the death. The challenger won."

"Zedekiah's his name." Bill said.

"The Crescents follow him now."

Will swallowed but otherwise looked unperturbed. "Does this happen every full moon?"

"No. There hadn't been a challenge in years." Cami murmured. Attempted coups yes, but those were dishonorable. This wasn't. It was a legitimate, lawful rite that Jackson couldn't refuse. It took a certain degree of courage just to challenge Jackson. He was a Kenner, werewolf royalty.

"Is there dissension?" Will asked. "Surely Jackson had family, or supporters."

"Werewolves follow their code." Marcel stated. "He has a brother, Edward, but he doesn't want to rule. He'd have to if he avenged Jackson or challenged Zedekiah."

Will pondered this. "Is Zedekiah an ally?"

Bill frowned. "We don't know yet."

"He keeps to himself." Marcel shrugged. "Very traditional, doesn't like to mingle with the other species. Other than announcing his leadership he's laid low."

Thinking about Jackson saddened Cami. She didn't want to dwell on it. "Any other questions?"

Hope was practicing her archery outside when her father walked up. "It's nighttime, a little late for archery."

"I might not always be able to see my enemies." Hope replied.

She didn't practice with Jackson's bow and arrow. That was mounted on her bedroom wall. She wouldn't use it unless the situation demanded it, preferring to use the other bows her mother taught her to make. Hayley had learned from Jackson. Hope retrieved her arrows and put them in her quiver.

"I don't understand." Hope's voice cracked. "Why did they have to pick Jack to rob? He never hurt anyone he-" Klaus enveloped Hope in a hug. "I never got to say goodbye."

Klaus held her as she sobbed into his chest. "None of us did."

Klaus didn't mourn for Jackson, because he never cared for him. He did however care about the stability he brought from the werewolves. Despite their differences, they both loved Hope, and Jackson never did anything that would put her in danger. He committed the pack to protecting her, a pact that was now dissolved under the leadership of Zedekiah. Edward liked Hope but the unambitious mutt didn't want to be in charge, a thing Klaus knew Edward was being lambasted for by the other Kenners.

Hope loved Jackson, and Klaus knew it was wrong for them to implant false memories of his funeral but it had to be done. On top of dying in his wolf form, Jackson's memorial was full of speeches of his deeds as a leader, werewolf legacy, sending him off to be with their ancestors, everything would have triggered Hope's memories of the attack four years ago. So the day of his memorial Davina put Hope in a deep sleep. By the time she awoke it was the next day, and Diana had already implanted the memories of a traditional funeral. Hayley told Hope she sold their old house so there would be no more trips to the bayou. They would be living at the compound for the foreseeable future.

After Hope was put to bed, Klaus found Elijah brooding on a balcony. "You're still here."

Silence.

Klaus felt a twinge of sympathy. "It's not your fault."

"Camille said the same thing to me earlier." Elijah's laugh was humorless. "She's said it nearly every time I've seen her since he died. If not in words, with the look in her eye."

Klaus chuckled. "Camille can't hide her emotions worth a damn."

"No, it's one of the things we like about her." Elijah's eyes moved to his brother. "She isn't getting any younger."

"It's not the right time."

"It's never the right time." Elijah said bitterly. "Just when you think it is disaster strikes."

Klaus knew Elijah referred to his own luck in love as well as Klaus'. Years of Elijah and Hayley suppressing their feelings for each other and now Jackson was dead, yet they were still separate. They couldn't pursue each other, not with Jackson's ghost lingering over them. Hayley felt guilty even having those feelings for Elijah and he didn't push her. Elijah would give almost anything if he could bring Jackson back to life.

"I gave her my word." Elijah lamented. "I could have saved him."

Klaus shook his head. "No you couldn't. If you intervened you would be breaking their precious code, if Jackson won he would be unfit to rule after being saved by an original vampire. That's why he bit you."

"I don't give a damn about their code."

No, just their former queen. Klaus thought.

Last year, in an attempt to bring more cheer into Hope's life, Klaus, Hayley, and Rebekah surprised her with a trip to Disney World. The trip was set, but the full moon would pass while they were gone. Hayley wanted to cut the trip short a day so she could be with the pack and Jack. Jack insisted they not change their schedule. Elijah had promised Hayley he would keep an eye on the werewolves while she was away. Then Zedekiah challenged Jackson that day, despite Elijah asking him to wait until Hayley returned, Jackson refused. He stated by law it had to happen during the full moon and if he waited another month he would be seen as a coward. To ensure Elijah would not interfere Jackson bit him before he could inform the Mikaelsons. The weak Elijah was locked away at night while the challenge began. Elijah was in and out of his hallucinatory state but he heard the bloody fight. Jackson fought well. Elijah heard his last weak howl before further succumbing to the poison in his system.

The next morning after Zedekiah's induction as leader he sent out word of the change in Crescent leadership. Marcel came down himself and saw Jackson's body. He then found Elijah and made the tough call to Hayley. Neither of them would ever forget her helpless cries.

The next day Elijah had a session with his favorite therapist. Cami even let him rearrange the furniture to his liking.

"I was sinfully jealous of Jackson. I still am." Elijah admitted, staring up at the revolving ceiling fan.

Cami tapped her pen against her clipboard. "Because he married Hayley."

"And because she still loves him. I feel guilty that I couldn't stop him." Elijah paused. "Perhaps I didn't want to."

Cami lowered her voice. "Did you want Jackson to die?"

"No...yes. Different parts of me have different answers."

"We're complicated beings Elijah."

Elijah sat up suddenly. "Aren't you supposed to uncomplicate this for me? Isn't that your job?" he roared. Cami was taken aback but schooled her features. "I apologize Camille, lately I haven't had good rest."

Cami remained silent.

"What's the point of loving someone you can't be with? What's the point of love at all?" Elijah shook his head. "All my years on this earth and I still do not understand."

Cami looked at the sorrowful vampire sitting across from her. "I don't have all the answers. But I know love is the best part of being alive. You have to decide what to do with those feelings but I wouldn't shut down on love Elijah. You've been through too much and you know as well as I do that a life without love isn't a good one."

Happy three year anniversary to my first multichapter fic! Thank you all for the support and love you've shown Hopes and Dreams. Thanks for sticking with me, this story is far from over :)