The waiting room had fallen silent long before Lydia appeared in the doorway. The fluorescent lights flickered faintly above the gathered crowd—Mikaelsons, the Pack, and the Super Squad—each person frozen between prayer and panic. Even Klaus's usual restlessness had faded; he stood perfectly still, his gaze locked on the floor, his jaw tight with unspoken fear.
When the door finally opened, every head turned.
Lydia stood there, pale and trembling. She'd tried to steady herself before coming in, but the red-rimmed eyes and tear-streaked cheeks betrayed her. "They're here," she said, her voice soft, almost breaking. "The babies—they're here."
A ripple of relief moved through the room—brief, fragile—but Lydia wasn't finished.
"They're premature," she added quickly, wringing her hands. "Really small. They're alive, both of them, but... they've been taken to the NICU for observation. The doctors said they're stable for now."
Hayley pressed her hand over her mouth, tears filling her eyes. "Oh, thank God..." she whispered, before her voice faltered. "And Nova? How's Nova?"
Lydia hesitated. Every instinct screamed to shield them from the truth, but she couldn't lie. "She's... she's in surgery," she said finally, voice cracking. "She started hemorrhaging after the delivery. Hope's waiting in the delivery room. She said she needs some time to herself. As for Nova, the doctors are doing everything they can."
The room erupted into motion—chairs scraping, sharp breaths, whispered curses. Rebekah gasped softly, pressing her trembling fingers to her lips. Freya gripped Keelin's hand so hard it turned white. Malia's eyes shimmered with tears she refused to let fall, while Stiles ran both hands through his hair, muttering something under his breath about hating hospitals.
Klaus stepped forward, his voice low but filled with steel. "Hope's alone?"
Lydia nodded. "For now. She wanted me to tell you all that the twins are alive and Nova's still fighting... but she asked for a minute before anyone goes in."
Hayley's chest rose with a shaky breath. "She doesn't need a minute. She needs her family."
Klaus's gaze softened as he looked at her. "Then let's go to her."
But Hayley placed a trembling hand on his arm, stopping him. "No, Nik. Let me." She swallowed hard. "She needs a mother right now... not the hybrid that's ready to rip the hospital apart."
For a moment, Klaus didn't move. His jaw clenched, fury and fear warring behind his eyes. Then, finally, he gave a single, curt nod. "Go to her, Hayley. Tell her I'll keep everyone else in line."
Hayley walked down the sterile corridor, her footsteps echoing softly against the linoleum. Each step felt heavier than the last. She'd watched her daughter face monsters, wars, and heartbreaks—but never this. Never the kind of fear that could hollow you out from the inside.
When she reached the end of the hall, she paused outside Nova's room. Through the glass, she saw Hope sitting alone in a chair, her body hunched forward, covered in blood that wasn't hers. Her face was pale, streaked with tears, and she was staring at the empty space where Nova had been.
Hayley's chest tightened. She took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Hope didn't look up right away. Her hands were shaking, her voice small. "They took her into surgery," she whispered. "She lost so much blood, Mom. I tried to hold her together, but—" Her words broke, and she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth, trying to keep herself from falling apart.
Hayley crossed the room quickly, kneeling in front of her. "Hey, hey," she murmured, reaching up to cup Hope's face. "You did everything you could, sweetheart. You saved her life. You were there."
Hope shook her head violently. "It's not enough. I could feel her slipping away, Mom. I could see it in her eyes." Her voice broke completely. "I can't lose her. Not her."
Hayley's heart splintered. She gathered her daughter into her arms, holding her tight as Hope finally broke. The sobs that came were raw, unguarded, and full of the kind of pain only love could cause. "You're not going to lose her," Hayley whispered fiercely, rocking her gently. "Nova's too damn strong for that. And those babies—those beautiful babies—they're fighters too. You've built a family out of miracles, Hope. Don't give up on them now."
Hope clung to her mother, burying her face against her shoulder. "It's my fault," she choked out. "I should've protected her. I should've seen the signs—"
"Stop." Hayley's tone softened, but her words were firm. "You can't blame yourself for this. You love her, and you were there when she needed you. That's what matters. Sometimes... love isn't enough to stop the pain. But it is enough to help heal it."
Hope exhaled shakily, her tears slowing. She sat back slightly, her eyes red and swollen. "The babies are so small, Mom. They were crying, but it was so quiet. I don't know if they'll make it."
"They will," Hayley said with conviction. "You said it yourself—they're fighters. And so are you."
For a moment, they sat together in silence, broken only by the faint hum of machines in the hall. Hayley brushed a strand of hair from Hope's face and smiled sadly. "You know, when you were born, I was terrified too. I didn't think I could keep you safe in the world you were coming into. But you made it—you grew up stronger than I ever could've imagined."
Hope gave a small, trembling laugh. "Guess I get that from you."
Hayley smiled softly. "You get that from all of us. The best and worst parts of this family. And right now, you're the best of us, Hope. Because you're here, and you're still standing."
Hope took a deep, shaky breath, letting her mother's words sink in. "What if she doesn't wake up?" she whispered finally.
Hayley's eyes softened. "Then we'll make sure she knows she has every reason to fight her way back. And when she does, she'll see you here—with those babies waiting for her." She paused, her voice lowering to a tender certainty. "And when she does, she'll be like me, Hope. She'll come back as a hybrid—she has your children's blood in her now. She'll survive, just like I did."
Hope blinked through her tears, the words stirring a vivid memory. She remembered the stories of her own birth—how her mother had been killed moments after bringing her into the world, only to be reborn because Hope's blood still flowed through Hayley's veins. Now it was Nova who carried the blood of Hope, mingled within the blood of their children. The realization sent a shiver through her, a fragile thread of hope binding past and present together.
Hope nodded weakly, her voice trembling. "She promised me forever."
Hayley smiled sadly, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Then hold her to it, sweetheart."
Back in the waiting room, Lydia had finished her update. The group sat in stunned silence, each processing the weight of the situation in their own way. Freya began quietly preparing healing spells. Rebekah, eyes glistening, whispered a prayer. Klaus stood near the window, his expression carved from stone, but his hands trembled at his sides.
When Hayley reappeared, she looked exhausted but calmer. Klaus immediately crossed the room. "How is she?"
Hayley sighed. "She's... holding on. Barely. But she's not breaking." She met his eyes and managed a small, weary smile. "She's your daughter, after all."
Klaus exhaled slowly, tension easing just enough for his hand to find hers. "And Nova?"
"They're still in surgery." Hayley's voice wavered. "But if love counts for anything, she's got an army behind her." She drew a slow breath and added quietly, "We need to be ready, though. If the worst happens—if Nova doesn't pull through—she'll be in transition. She's got Hope's and the babies' blood in her system now. She could come back as a hybrid."
Rebekah's eyes widened, tears spilling freely as she covered her mouth. "Then she has a chance," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Klaus straightened, his expression shifting from dread to fierce determination. "A chance," he repeated. "Then we make sure she takes it. If she wakes in transition, we'll help her finish it."
Around the room, relief flickered among the fear. Lydia let out a shaky sigh, Josie wiped her tears, and even Malia managed a small, hopeful smile. Hope's family—and Nova's—knew now that even if the worst came, love and blood still bound them to a second chance.
The room fell quiet again—this time, not with despair, but with resolve. The family, the pack, the school—they would wait, together, for news that would either break or mend them all.
Outside, the night stretched long and endless, but inside the hospital walls, hope still burned—fragile, flickering, but alive.
Malia broke the silence, her voice trembling with barely contained anger. "This never should've happened," she said bitterly. "It's all Allison and Scott's fault. If they hadn't shown up and upset her, Nova wouldn't have been so stressed. She wouldn't have gone into labor early. The babies would've been born closer to her due date—thirty-seven weeks, not thirty." Her words hung heavy in the room, a painful truth none could deny.
Klaus's head snapped up, eyes flashing with barely restrained rage. "She's right," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "If not for them, none of this would have happened. They set this in motion with their selfishness." His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles whitening as his hybrid instincts simmered just beneath the surface. "If I weren't bound by these damn hospital walls, I'd tear them apart for what they've done."
Derek stepped forward, his expression grim, jaw tight. "He's not wrong," he said, voice heavy with quiet fury. "Nova trusted Allison once. She opened her heart to her. Scott was supposed to be her brother. Instead, they broke her. And now look where she is."
Lydia and Josie exchanged a worried glance and moved closer to Malia, placing gentle hands on her shoulders. "Hey, easy," Lydia said softly. "We all know they caused this, but right now we need to focus on Nova and the babies. Anger won't help her."
Malia's eyes shimmered, but she nodded, breathing hard. "I just can't stand the thought of them walking around like nothing happened."
Josie gave her a small, comforting smile. "Then when Nova's awake, we'll let her decide what happens next. Right now, we keep the hope alive—for her and those twins."
Klaus's gaze flicked toward the closed doors of the surgical ward. "For her sake," he said, voice rough but steady, "I'll keep my promise. But when this is over... those two will answer for what they've done."