Come What May

“So are you going to tell me what that open is now or are you going to continue ignoring me even in person?” Derek asked when Hailey got to her car.

“Of course I’m going to tell you, don’t be dumb,” Hailey said, rolling her eyes as she dug her keys out of her backpack.

“So what is it?”

“Get in the car and I’ll tell you Mr. Impatient.”

“Fine,” Derek said, rolling his eyes and climbing into the passenger side. “This is weird.”

“What is?” Hailey asked as she closed her door.

“Sitting in the passenger seat,” he said, shifting uncomfortably.

“Do you want to hear now or do you want to continue making an ass imprint in my car seat?” Hailey asked and Derek huffed, turning to look at her with his lips pursed. Hailey bit her lip trying not to laugh.

“You hang out with Stiles too much,” he finally said and Hailey burst out laughing. Derek waited for her to calm down before pressing the idea once again.

“Okay. Okay,” Hailey said taking a few deep breaths. “So, at lunch I asked Lydia about the spring musical and she said she’s thinking about auditioning but her singing isn’t great. I figured I could convince her over the next few days to go for it and I’m going to work on sets and we can bond on that and maybe somehow I can get the notebook. Whether it is by hanging out with her like at her house or something or if I steal it from her bag during a rehearsal; I just have to get close to her.”

“I don’t know… I’m not sure I like the idea of you hanging out with her alone,” Derek said after thinking about it for a minute and Hailey huffed.

“Maybe Danny will help me with sets or something,” she said and Derek looked thoughtful.

“If you can make it happen I won’t object,” he said and Hailey smiled.

“Good. So do you want to come over?” she asked and Derek nodded, opening the door and climbing out while Hailey stared at him questioningly.

“I’ll follow you in my car,” he said, pointing over his shoulder to the Camaro.

“Right,” she said with a nod. Derek closed the door and walked over to his car. Hailey waited until he started it before heading out of the school parking lot and heading home.

****

“Hailey is that you?” Alyssa called from the kitchen when Derek closed the front door behind Hailey.

“Yeah Mom, Derek’s here too,” Hailey answered.

“Oh good. Can you both come in here please? I have news.”

“What’s up?” Hailey asked, sitting in one of the chairs at the counter while Derek stood behind her.

“I called Grandpa about Gerard today,” she said, a worried expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Derek asked.

“He said Gerard left. He packed everything up and moved without saying goodbye.”

“I thought he and Grandpa were supposed to be close,” Hailey said, raising an eyebrow.

“So did Grandpa,” Alyssa said.

“Did you find anything else out? Did Grandpa know what was wrong with him?”

“He didn’t know. Apparently Gerard didn’t like to talk about his illness. He got really emotional whenever someone asked and eventually they stopped asking,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “So I guess it’s safe to assume he’s making his way here if he isn’t here already?”

“Yeah, it is,” Derek said, eyebrows furrowed. “I have to go. Now.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back, Mom,” Hailey said, following Derek out the front door and to the sidewalk where she quickly knelt down and parted the line long enough for Derek to cross.

“Call Allison, Danny, and Stiles and tell them to come over so you can fill them in. I’ll tell the others,” he said and Hailey nodded, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

“What do we do?” she asked, barely above a whisper due to the lump forming in her throat.

“I don’t know yet. Hopefully we can find him before he finds us,” he said with a sigh. He wrapped his arms protectively around Hailey to calm her down before putting his fingers under her chin and tilting her head up to kiss her. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“Okay,” she said with a nod as she wiped a few tears away. Derek climbed into the Camaro and glanced at Hailey through the window one more time before driving away. Hailey waited until she couldn’t see the Camaro anymore to pull her phone out of her pocket and start dialing.

****

“Hey, sorry. My Dad got home just as I was about to leave and wanted to talk for a bit,” Stiles said as he joined Hailey, Allison, and Danny on the floor of Hailey’s room.

“It’s alright, we’ve just been talking about Lydia while we waited for you,” Allison said.

“Oh yeah? Like saying how she’s a psychotic bitch?” Stiles asked as Hailey rolled her eyes.

“Something like that,” Danny laughed.

“So what’s up for real Hails? Why the 911 call?”

“My Mom called my Grandpa today to get information on Gerard. He said that Gerard up and left a few days ago without telling them.”

“Did he leave anything useful in his apartment?” Danny asked and Hailey shook her head.

“Every single thing he owned was gone. Apparently it looked like the place had been vacant for months aside from the fact that it was completely clean. Not a speck of dust.”

“So he’s coming here if he’s not here already. Great, that’s fucking fantastic,” Stiles groaned, throwing his head back letting it hit Hailey’s bed.

“Allison?” Hailey said softly, looking over at her friend who had drawn her knees up to her chest and was resting her head on them.

“I really hoped he was dead,” Allison whispered and Stiles shifted beside Hailey, raising his head back up.

“Allison,” he said sympathetically, resting his elbows on his knees and leaning forward.

“After everything that happened that night last year and he got away… I honestly hoped he died in an alley or something. I wanted him gone,” she said, finally lifting her head up, tears streaking down her face.
“What happened last year?” Danny asked softly, looking between the three.

“It’s a long story,” Stiles said, shaking his head.

“I’ll tell you later,” Hailey said and Danny nodded.

“I want to be the one to do it,” Allison said defiantly, wiping the tears from her face and steadying her voice.

“Do… what… exactly?” Hailey asked slowly.

“Kill Gerard. I want it to be me,” she said and Hailey bit her lip.

“Are you sure?” Stiles asked and Allison simply nodded her head.

“It should have been done a long time ago. I was too naïve after my Mother died. I won’t let him escape again,” she said.

“Maybe you should talk to your Dad about it. And Scott and Derek once we’ve figured out what exactly is wrong with him,” Hailey suggested and Allison was quiet for a moment.

“It won’t change my mind.”

“But-“

“Stiles, drop it,” Hailey said, putting her hand on his knee and he sucked in a lot of air, inflating his cheeks, before blowing it all back out.

“Fine,” he huffed, glancing up as Allison stood.

“I’ll be right back. I need some fresh air,” she said, walking over to Hailey’s door.

“We’ll be here,” Hailey said as the door closed.

“Wow,” Stiles said, letting out a low whistle.

“I feel so bad for her,” Hailey groaned, covering her face with her hands and throwing her head back.

“We all do. From the moment you told us he was still alive,” Stiles said.

“Could you fill me in now?” Danny asked.

“Sure,” Hailey said, sliding closer to him on the floor.

“I’ll give Scott a call. See if anything’s going on with the mutts,” Stiles said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and standing up.

****

“So is there a plan?” Hailey asked Derek as they sat on her bed, his arm draped behind her. He had refused to say anything during dinner to keep Aaron out of it as much as possible this time around.

“The only thing we can think of right now is checking out every nursing home, apartment complex, hospital, and recently sold house in the area to see if anyone new moved in.”

“But that could take weeks since you can’t trace him,” Hailey said and Derek huffed.

“I know but it’s the only choice we have right now,” Derek said and Hailey turned on her side, resting her head on Derek’s chest and draping her arm across his stomach.

“I hate this,” she mumbled.

“That makes two of us. But…”

“But what?” she asked, lifting her head to look at him.

“This whole manhunt thing makes it easier for me to look for an apartment at the same time,” he said, causing her to laugh.

“Well at least there’s that,” she said, snuggling back against his chest. “Danny’s all for joining me with the sets by the way.”

“Good. Now all you have to do is convince Lydia.”

“Oh joy,” she murmured sleepily before closing her eyes for the night.

****

“Morning,” Hailey said as she and Stiles walked to their table in Physics and saw Lydia there already.

“Good morning,” she said brightly. “Morning Stiles.”

“Hm,” Stiles grunted in response.

“So did you think anymore about the musical?” Hailey asked as she pulled her notebook out.

“I did actually.”

“And?”

“I think I’m going to do it,” Lydia said, tilting her head to the side and looking at Hailey.

“Oh great! If you need any help practicing before your audition let me know,” Hailey said and Lydia smiled.

“Thank you, I will definitely take you up on that.”

****

“She’s gonna do it,” Hailey said excitedly on the phone to Derek from the back of the coffee shop.

“That’s one more step in the right direction,” he said.

“How did the hunt go?”

“No results. Yet,” he sighed and Hailey groaned.

“Well, it is only day one,” she said. “I gotta go. I’m taking a little too long to get ready for my shift.”

“If there are any updates I’ll leave you a voicemail.”

“Okay. See you at seven,” she said, hanging up. She switched her phone to vibrate and stuck it in her back pocket before going up front to the counter. She started sweeping up crumbs from the floor and checking the machines.

“Hailey, I need your help. Stat,” Lydia said in a flurry as she rushed into the coffee shop.

“I’m kind of… working,” Hailey said and Lydia held a hand up.

“I know, I know. I’ll just sit at this little table right here and talk to you in between orders. I just really need your help.”

“Okay, sure. Can I get you anything?”

“Just a medium French Vanilla coffee, cream and sugar,” Lydia said, digging in her purse for her wallet.

“Oh don’t worry, I got it,” Hailey said, pulling some money out of her back pocket and putting it in the register.

“Thanks,” Lydia said, a tone of surprise in her voice.

“So what do you need help with?” Hailey asked as she started making the coffee and Lydia sat at the table right next to the counter.

“Choosing a song for my audition as well as a scene. And I need a scene partner just to run lines with during the audition.”

“I’ll do it with you. Do you want to sing a song from the show or something different?” Hailey asked, handing Lydia her coffee across the counter.

“I’m not sure,” Lydia said, shrugging her shoulders. “I feel like it’s too safe to audition with a song from the show but too risky to use a different song.”

“Well let’s see, the show is Wicked so… well, who are you auditioning for, first off?” Hailey asked as another customer came in. Lydia waited until Hailey was done taking the order to answer.

“Galinda of course,” she said.

“If you went with a song from the show you could do Popular. But you could always wow them with something out of the ordinary.”

“Like what?” Lydia asked, holding a pen in her hand to write down some suggestions.

“You know,” Hailey said thoughtfully. “My Mom might be better at this. She was in all of the school musicals when she was in high school. Why don’t you come over when I’m done here?”

“That would be great,” Lydia said enthusiastically as a large group of customer’s came in.

“Why don’t you pick a scene while I help them.”

“Okay,” Lydia said with a nod as Hailey walked over to the register.

“Hi, how can I help you?” Hailey asked the group of pre-teen girls.

As she marked their cups she glanced over at Lydia and saw her quickly writing in that notebook again before shoving it in her bag and grabbing the small booklet composed of different scenes from the production she was given when she signed up to audition. Hailey wanted so badly to ask about the notebook but knew she couldn’t.

“So, what do you have?” Hailey asked, leaning over the counter.

“Well, there’s the scene right before Popular between Galinda and Elphaba, one with Fiyero, or the one right near the end before For Good,” Lydia said, holding up the booklet for Hailey to look at.

“Oh I love the last one. I think you should do that one since it’s more emotional,” Hailey said, pointing to it.

“You think?” Lydia asked, taking it back.

“Definitely,” Hailey said as her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to see who was calling and saw it was Derek. She put the phone back in her pocket, remembering he said he would just leave a voicemail for her.

“Don’t you need to answer that?” Lydia asked.

“Can’t. It’s against policy. I can only answer it during my break in the back. Which is pointless because the reception sucks back there.”

“Oh,” Lydia said.

“Be right back,” Hailey said, grabbing a rag to go clean up a table that a couple had just left. As she wiped the table down she looked over her shoulder and saw Lydia writing in the notebook again. Once again, she shoved it in her bag and casually looked around, taking a sip of her coffee. She caught Hailey’s gaze and smiled. Hailey smiled back and bit her lip when Lydia looked away.

****

“I only have a few minutes to talk,” Hailey said into her Bluetooth quickly as she started her car.

“Are you driving?” Derek asked.

“I have my Bluetooth on now hush. Lydia’s following me to my house to pick a song for her audition and to rehearse lines.”

“Absolutely not,” Derek said sharply.

“Derek I have to do what I can,” she sighed. “She wrote in that notebook at two very key times. We have to get it.”

“Can’t someone else meet you there so you’re not alone because I know you won’t let me be there now,” he said.

“What reason would I give? Besides my Dad will be home and Mom just got off work so she’ll be home soon, so it’s not like Aaron and I will be there alone with her,” she said and Derek huffed.

“Just… be careful,” he said finally.

“Always. Did you find anything? I didn’t get a chance to listen to your voicemails.”

“No I was just telling you that there was nothing at this hospital or the one about an hour out of town,” he said and Hailey sighed.

“Alright well I’ll call you when Lydia goes home,” she said as she pulled into the driveway and saw Lydia park in the road in front of the house.

“Okay. Love you,” he said and Hailey couldn’t help but smile. She still wasn’t used to hearing it.

“Love you,” she said before hanging up and getting out of the car meeting Lydia on the sidewalk and leading her in. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” Lydia said and Hailey laughed.

“Dad?” she called.

“Up here,” he shouted down the stairs. “There are meatballs in the fridge. You’re going to have to make your own pasta though.”

“Are there enough for Lydia?” she asked and there was a pause.

“Yeah,” he said.

“Where’s your bathroom?” Lydia asked.

“Down the hall and to the right,” she said. Lydia smiled before walking down the hall and Hailey waited until she heard the door close to run up the stairs.

“Hailey?” Jason asked, poking his head out of Aaron’s room.

“Just me, Lydia’s in the bathroom.”

“What is that all about?” Aaron asked, rolling his chair back from his desk to look at Hailey.

“I’m sorry I would have called but I didn’t get a good break and I was talking to Derek on the way over. I’ll explain everything later but we’ll be working at the dining room table so you know.”

“Okay. Mom will be home by 7:30,” he said and Hailey nodded.

“Thanks Dad,” she said before heading back downstairs. She sighed with relief when she saw Lydia was still in the bathroom. She made herself busy by putting some water on the stove to boil for their pasta.

“Much better,” Lydia said coming out of the bathroom.

“Want to rehearse some lines while the pasta cooks?”

“Sure,” Lydia said, going back to the living room to get the book out of her bag. Hailey groaned when she realized she could have looked for the notebook while Lydia was in the bathroom but figured she’d have enough time soon to get at it. She quickly composed herself when Lydia walked back into the kitchen and smiled.

“Alright Galinda, show me what you got.”