Originals 1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: So this idea came to me after the finale, this picks up a few months after Klaus and Hayley give Hope away to Rebekah to protect her. I should note that in this story the things that have transpired between Hayley and Elijah on the show are canon, but this is most def a Klayley story and there won't be a real triangle between the 'll just have to keep reading to find out more about that :) I'm really inspired to write this and I hope you guys like where I take this,oh and much like my other story, this will have LOTS of angst, sorry I'm just a sucker for those kinda feels haha REVIEW PLEASE!**_

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Klaus wandered around the dark alleys of the quarter alone, trying to block out the images and thoughts that had been tormenting him. It was one of the first times In months he'd actually decided to take his drinking public, choosing instead to use his home as a fortress against the miserable city that had taken everything away from him. The air smelled like her, the cityscape reminded him of her, and the moon made him yearn for her, his daughter, his Hope.

He, along with his brother and Hayley, had stayed isolated for over 5 months after he tearfully gave Hope away to Rebekah. Part of it was for show, to make sure everyone believed that he and Hayley were really grieving parents, but part of it was real, often times too real, because although she wasn't dead they still lost her, she was still gone. That was his reality and there was no escaping it so he let his grief consume him. For months he holed up in his quarters unwilling to hold an entire conversation with neither Hayley nor Elijah. Marcel would visit occasionally to check on him and Hayley but he never stayed long, Klaus would always find some kind of way to get him to leave him alone in his sorrow. Elijah tried to get him to come out of his depression as well but it never worked and he focused most of his attentions on Hayley, who had no desire to be around him anyway.

She was worse off than he was. He knew that if there was anyone in the world who felt this hurt more deeply than he did it was Hayley. She had not only been forced to give her child up but she had died just before her daughter was ripped from her arms and had come back to life as an entirely different species. There were several occasions where he wanted to go to her, to share in their grief, to help her cope with some of the changes and feelings she might be experiencing but he couldn't bring himself to do it because as much as the city reminded him of Hope, there was nothing that reminded him of what he lost more than Hayley. When he saw her face he saw Hope's, her hair, her nose, her cheekbones, her smile. Everything about Hayley reminded him of her so his only escape was to avoid her as much as possible. Besides, Elijah smothered her with affection and kept a watchful eye on her so it wasn't like she really needed him, or so he thought.

She was the reason he had finally decided to leave his fortress; escape would probably be a better word to describe what he was currently doing. She had been spiraling out of control the last few weeks. Her sadness started to manifest itself in fits of rage and several emotional breakdowns. They found out she had gone out and viciously fed on and killed a group of tourists after she found out one of them was a witch. The girl was innocent but Hayley couldn't stop herself. That was only the beginning of her destructive behavior. Her blood thirst threatened to control her and if they didn't stop her she wouldn't be able to live with herself later on and there was nothing Elijah could do about it no matter how hard he tried. When it first started Klaus tried to stay out of it, to let her deal with her grief and her issues on her own like he had done time and time again but the more he saw her loose it the more he knew he couldn't just stand idly by while she deteriorates.

Elijah was there every step of the way of course, trying and failing at tending to her every need. He knew why Elijah couldn't get through to her no matter how hard he pushed; it was the same reason he could never get through to him. He treated her like she was broken and needed to be fixed, not like someone who needed to tackle her demons head on and try to cope with them. Like to solve her problems she just needed to revert back to the old her, not realizing that the old Hayley, much like the old Klaus, was gone and would never return.

Klaus knew that if he let her slip into that deep abyss of darkness she would never return, he would loose the mother of his child and that wasn't a loss he could bear, especially since the only thing keeping him from completely loosing it like her was the hope that they might be able to have the life they thought they would have one day. Sure he and Hayley might not be a couple, she might have feelings for his brother, but she was his family and he cared about her deeply, sometimes more that he even realized or liked to admit. They were supposed to be a family, an untraditional and extremely complicated family, but a family nonetheless, and even if that dream was shattered into 1000 pieces the moment they gave Hope away he still had a slither of hope that those pieces could one day be put back together. That's why he finally decided he needed to help her, he needed to at least try even if helping her brought him even more grief it was still something he needed to do, he could find his way out of his darkness, but she couldn't at least not on her own and he owed it to his daughter to make sure she had at least one parent who wasn't completely consumed by their demons.

He tried a simple approach at first, trying to just talk to her here and there, make her see that she didn't need to go down this path but he wasn't good in situations like that since he had a hard time of even convincing himself to not self destruct so she usually just pushed him away. Tonight he had tried to go to her again to just talk. He went searching for her in her room after hearing her scream loudly and toss something at a wall but he didn't find her there. For a minute he thought that she had gone out and was currently sucking some poor soul dry until he heard her faint whimpers coming from behind the cracked door connected to her room. He couldn't comprehend why she would even want to think about that room let alone go in it; he hadn't been able to bring himself to look at the nursery since that night. He contemplated just going back to his room like he was never there but her cries kept ringing in his ears leaving him unable to turn around to make a quick exit. Instead he slowly walked to the door and pushed it open. The sight he saw when it finally opened made tears immediately come to his eyes and his heart sink to his knees. She was sitting in the rocking chair holding a blanket and rocking as if she was holding their child. Tears streaked down her face and she rocked back and forth and back and forth letting the heartbreak tear her apart inside. Just seeing the room tore him apart but seeing her so broken, so lost, left him speechless and unable to feel anything except deep sorrow.

A tear slipped down his face as he finally found the courage to ask her what she was doing. She didn't respond immediately, only looked up at him and stared. There was emptiness behind her eyes, her humanity had already been slipping away but now it appeared her sanity was as well. Only a person with a lapse in sanity would subject herself to the heartache she was currently subjecting her self to. He couldn't understand it, he asked her why she was doing this, why she was abusing herself with the scent of their daughter and the images of the life they were supposed to have. She didn't respond to that either, she only cried as she buried her face in her lap while clutching the blanket. He thought about reaching out to her but he feared the close proximity would only render him into the same state that she was in. Instead he softly told her she needed to stop this, she needed to stop doing this to herself. His words must have infuriated her and made her snap because the next thing he knew she was speeding towards him and pushing him against a wall in her room and screaming at him. He stood there shocked at first, caught completely off guard by her physical outburst. His reflexes eventually kicked in after the initial shock wore off and he pinned her against the opposite wall, holding her arms down as she fought against his grip so she could hit him. She was screaming and crying and fighting and it was the saddest thing he had ever seen in his life.

He wasn't even angry with her; he only felt sadness, extreme sadness. He tried to quiet her, to tell her to calm down and stop her madness but it all fell on deaf ears and she kept screaming and fighting. He was trying to be gentle with the little wolf but she was uncontrollable. Her new strength and speed caught him off guard and he was forced to use a little more force than he wanted to in order to get stop her attack, though that still didn't get her to calm down. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he realized the only solution to her current bout of madness, he had to compel her. He whispered that he didn't want to do this but she was leaving him no choice just before he looked into her eyes and told her that she would calm down and allow herself to get some rest. He wanted to compel her to forget about her grief all together but he would never forgive himself for robbing her of her own free will to work through her problems no matter how much she needed it. It wasn't much and she would probably be back at it again in a short while but it would have to do for now.

After he compelled her she just stood there calmly in a daze, her breathing was heavy and accelerated and she seemed to barely even know where she was or what she had been doing. He gently picked her up and put her in her bed where she laid down silently staring at the wall. He wanted to stay with her through the night but he could feel his own sanity start to slip and he needed to get away before he spiraled out of control himself, so he bent down and gently brushed her face whispering everything would be okay and left her room. He also left the house seeking refuge in a nearby bar so he could drown out the pain with his favorite companion. He felt completely useless and helpless. He couldn't see his daughter, he couldn't help her mother, and he could barely control his own urges, the only time he's ever felt more powerless was when he was drained of his power by the witches and forced to watch Hayley give birth in agony and be killed.

That's what brought him to where he currently was, stumbling through the streets searching for some semblance of peace he knew he wouldn't find. He was contemplating going home but he feared what he would find when he got there. He didn't think he could handle seeing Hayley a wreck like that again but part of him felt the urge to return to her. As he continued walking he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to be with her, he needed to talk to her, he need to just be near her. Maybe it was because he could feel himself slowly loosing it and he knew she was already lost so maybe they just needed to be lost together, maybe that's how he could help her, they do say the misery loves company.

No one could understand the feeling he was feeling like she could anyway, they were the only two people in the world who could ever possibly understand and he felt like he needed that comfort right now and that she desperately needed it too. The bottle of scotch he consumed had been his companion for the last three hours but it had done nothing but numb pain, not make him forget it completely and it was just begging to all come bursting out of him at any moment. He knew being around Hayley wouldn't make it go away but maybe it could soothe it and even if it didn't at least neither one of them would have to slip into the abyss alone. After wandering around for a little while longer he had found a helpless stranger and fed on him, releasing some of his pent up anger but still doing nothing to soothe his pain. That's when he finally found the resolve to return to her. He slowly made his way back to the compound, ready to finally face the grief and pain that had been eating away at them both for months.

When he arrived back at the compound it was eerily quiet. If he didn't know any better he would think that no one was home but him. He made his way up the stairs and paused just outside Hayley's door. For a second he thought about turning around and just going to his room but the sound of her tears gave him the extra push he needed to enter. When he walked in he found her sitting in her room in the dark. She was sitting in the middle of her bed holding the same blanket he found her with earlier just staring into nothing, the sight was jarring to say the least. He wasn't quite sure of what to say to her, of what she needed to hear to snap out of her state of depression so he just stood there in silence for a few moments. He slowly walked to her bed and sat down next to her, carefully removing the blanket from her tight grip. She didn't even flinch.

"Hayley..." He was met with silence as he expected. "Why won't you say anything love?" He moved a little closer to her and brushed her hair from her face, finally breaking her from her trance. She still didn't respond though, she only stared at him. He stared into her eyes reading the sorrow behind them. He knew why she couldn't say anything; she didn't really have to give him an answer, it was simple, she missed their daughter.

"You know I miss her too Hayley, I miss her everyday." He whispered, never breaking their eye contact. "Hope was everything to me as well, but we had to do what was best for her, I wish we could see that, then maybe we wouldn't beat ourselves up about it so much. We had no other choice" He said, voice starting to crack as he tried to convince himself of his own words. Silence once again filled the room, the weight of their shared pain was suffocating and it was becoming to be too much for Klaus to handle. He started to get up and leave but the sound of Hayley's voice made him freeze where he sat.

"I don't just miss her...I feel her, I feel her presence everywhere I turn. I can sense her, but I can't see her, or touch her, or smell her. I can't do anything but hold on to the few memories of her that I have, I can't do anything but imagine the time I rocked her in that rocking chair or swaddled her up in this blanket. That's all I have, those brief memories when I was supposed to have more." Tears had started to stream down her face again as she stared back at Klaus. "What am I supposed to do when my daughter is out there and I can't be with her…It wasn't supposed to be like this…"

"I know it wasn't, but it was for the best Hayley."

His words struck a nerve in her, that's all she's heard for months from Elijah, it was for the best; it was the right thing to do. It was true but it was in no way comforting and if anyone would know that it was Klaus.

"No don't tell me it was for the best!" She yelled as she stood up from her seated position on the bed. "You know that doesn't make a difference, knowing it was for the best doesn't make the pain go away, so don't sit here and pretend that's going to make me feel better because it doesn't, you know it doesn't!"

"What else am I supposed to say then Hayley, what do you want me to do, dwelling on it won't bring her back to us."

"You're supposed to not pretend, not act like everything is okay because it was the right thing to do, you're supposed to act like she mattered to you, like you miss her and there is nothing anyone can say or do to make that feeling go away."

"You think I don't miss her as well Hayley? You think I don't think about the how we were supposed to raise her together here, in this home, in this city. Images of her in the nursery that I built flood my thoughts every single day Hayley, some days I can't get it out of my head and it drives me borderline insane."

"Then why are you here? Why are you trying to fix me when you know the reasons behind my madness? Of course I never expected Elijah to understand, I didn't expect anyone to understand, but you…I thought you would get it and leave me alone."

"Oh I understand all too well love and that's exactly why I'm here. If you keep this up Hayley when our daughter returns to us her mother will be a shell of her former self. She will never know you as you were, only as what you have become and trust me that is not a weight you want to have to carry."

Hayley paused to take in his words. He did have a point and she would be a fool to not realize that she was dangerously close to reaching the point of no return but this wasn't something she could control, it wasn't voluntary, none of it was, not her turning, giving up her daughter, or completely loosing it.

"I can't control it Klaus…I…I try, I try to be at peace with it but my heart and my mind won't let me." Her voice was shaking again and nervously crossed her arms across her body. "I died, I died and my daughter was ripped from my arms and she was taken, I thought that was the last time I would ever see her, only it wasn't. I woke up alone in a church craving blood, her blood. How do you just move on from something like that? Am I supposed to just forget? Do you have any idea what that was like?"

"Of course I do! You talk to me as if I know nothing of your pain, as If I know nothing of what you've gone through or how you might feel. I watched you; I saw it all and I was powerless to do anything about it! You think I don't know what it's like to die ad wake up as something completely different? How do you think I felt after I was killed by my own parents and woke up as this, this abomination against nature? I know all too well how enticing this darkness is, I still have to fight it myself."

"Then stop treating me like I'm sick, like I'm broken. I don't need your pity, I don't need your comfort, I don't need any of it!"

"Then tell me Hayley, what is it that you need? It's been almost 6 months. How much longer are we supposed to continue on like this?"

"I NEED HER!" she screamed. No matter how much he wanted to plead with her, no matter what anyone said, there was nothing that could soothe her besides their daughter and he knew it.

"SHE'S GONE HAYLEY!" Klaus yelled as he started to come undone finally. His voice cracked and tears welled up in his eyes as he said it out loud for the first time. "She's gone and we didn't have anytime with her, we barely even got to hold her and I don't know when she's coming back. The vision of our family haunts me day in and day out. It makes me want to go out and destroy this entire city, everyone who has ever wronged you or I. Destroy the people who are the reason that we can't be with her."

Hayley was taken back by his sudden outburst. He had kept his cool the entire time she went on her tirade but now his control was slipping and it only made her want to loose control even more. "That's what I want to do too. I want to make everyone pay, any witch, any vampire, even if I have to take out my own family, I want their blood to fill the streets because they've robbed me of my one chance at happiness, they took her away from me!"

"But don't you see Hayley, you can't do that"

"WHY THE HELL NOT! You can go on rampages for centuries for no reason but I can't be angry that I can't be with my daughter, I can't want to give in to these impulses?"

"BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON TO BLAME HERE…ME!" He yelled as the tears finally started to stream down his cheeks. "I'm the one who robbed you of our child, I'm the reason she will never be able to have a normal life, the reason she most likely never be safe. So if you want to destroy anyone then that person would be me." No matter how many times he wanted to kill any and everyone involved, get rid of every threat immediately, it still wouldn't make the pain of his own culpability in the matter go away. This was all his fault and it ate away at him constantly. Hayley's death, their child's attempted murder, having to give her up, Hayley's brokenness and slip into madness, everything, he was to blame for everything. "This is all my fault, I've made enemies my entire miserable life Hayley, my own mother tried to kill my child simply because I exist. There is no one more to blame here than I."

Hayley gasped as she watched Klaus breakdown in front of her. She had never seen him in such a state. Not even when he was completely powerless did he seem this weak. Hayley fought back her own tears as she walked over to the other side of the bed and moved closer to him. "Klaus…."

"How am I supposed to live with myself knowing that you're like this and I'm the cause of all of it all? I've robbed our daughter of her safety, of her home, I can not also rob her of her mother."

"You think I don't blame myself too? Think maybe if I had made a different decision here or there or not trusted this person or done anything differently I wouldn't have to feel this way. I blame myself for not thinking ahead, for not being smarter. I was so stupid Klaus! I was a naïve thinking I could do whatever I wanted to it wouldn't affect her, thinking I could have my family and my daughter and this perfect life here, thinking I could actually mean something to someone and do something worthwhile. It was never in the cards for people like you and me, we don't get happy 'endings no matter how hard we try and that makes it hurt even more...because she doesn't deserve this. We didn't deserve her in the first place." She sat on the bed and sobbed. Holding her face in her hands. Klaus reached out to her and placed her head on his shoulder. She didn't fight him, she only continued sobbing against his chest as he wrapped one arm around her and used the other to gently stroke her hair.

"I know we didn't deserve her, especially not I. We were both naïve and now look at us, maybe it's best if we let her go, sometimes I think she's better off without me anyway."

"But I can't Klaus….I can't let her go." She whispered in between sobs.

"I know, I can't let her go either." He replied, allowing his tears to fall down and wet her hair.

"So what are we supposed to do?" she asked, finally looking up at him. He whipped her tear-stained cheeks with his hand and let out a deep sigh. "I don't know…maybe we're destined to this life of misery."

Hayley nuzzled her head against Klaus chest and closed her eyes. "Thank you"

"For what? I haven't helped at all, if anything I've made things worse"

"For not having the answers, for not making me feel crazy or broken or alone."

Klaus let out a light chuckle, no one had ever thanked him for being clueless, and in a way he probably should be thanking Hayley since for the first time since they gave Hope away to Rebekah he felt slightly comforted. He didn't thank her though, he only sat in silence and let her continue crying into his chest, she needed to get it all out, they both did. Locking it all up would only cause her to continue to slip into madness.

She stayed that way for hours. There were no words exchanged between them the entire time, only grief. When her tears started to overwhelm him again he didn't run away like he would have before, instead he stayed with her and let it overtake him, he joined her in that low dark place and for the first time ever they mourned the loss of their daughter together.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So just a heads up about this chapter. There isn't really any klayley interactions in this one but I hope you see the reasons behind it and aren't too chapter will feature Elijah heavily throughout it's entirety and much of that will be interacting with Hayley so be warned that this is a heavy Haylijah chapter. Once again I'll repeat that this is a klayley story and there will be no real love triangle between the three of them but elijah and hayley's relationship is a integral part of this story in the beginning, you'll see once you read, and hopefully you like it. Drop me a review if you do and even drop me a review of you don't. Feedback is always a plus for me no matter what the content. Anyways..Enjoy :)**

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Klaus carefully removed Hayley's head from his chest and slipped from underneath her arm, rolling over to the other side of her bed. He moved slowly so as to not wake her up. She was sleeping so peacefully, almost like she was just a normal person who lived a normal life and only had normal problems. She looked almost angelic to him as the rays of the sun framed her face highlighting her stunning features. At that moment a certain guilt hit him. She had cried pretty much the whole night, only stopping when fatigue hit her and she shut her eyes. If only he hadn't seduced the little wolf all those nights ago she wouldn't have had to cry herself to sleep at night. Of course if he was being completely honest though the little wolf seduced him, but still she could have been spared this heartache if it wasn't for that night. The only thing stopping that guilt from eating away at him like the rest of his problems was that without that night he would have never even had Hope, and without Hope neither one of them would have known the joy of making something so good and pure, even if that joy was short lived.

He carefully pulled himself up off the bed and slowly got out, careful not to move to too much and wake her. It was awkward to say the least. He never meant to fall asleep with her and he definitely didn't expect to wake up with her cradled against his chest, her leg draped across his thigh, and her forearm flushed against his face. He hadn't been that close to Hayley since the night they slept together, so leaving her bed felt foreign. Thankfully Hayley wasn't awake to witness his discomfort. As he slowly cracked open her door to leave he turned back around to look at her one more time. He was sure he would see her a complete wreck again later so he wanted to burn one of her few moments of peace into his memory.

He only cracked the door open just enough so he could squeeze out and after his right leg made it through the small opening he thought he was home free, only his older brother was standing in front of him with a furrowed brow and his arms crossed. "Niklaus…"

"Elijah…" Klaus tried to act normal but his eyes gave him away, looking at Elijah's quizzical eyes as if he had just done something he had no business doing. He wasn't sure why he looked guilty nor why he felt guilty, it's not like anything happened between he and Hayley last night and she was the mother of his child so he had just as much of a right to spend time alone with her as Elijah, yet he still felt out of place. Like he was somehow impeding on whatever it was they had going on with each other.

"I'm surprised to find you here brother especially at this hour, is there any particular reason behind your early morning visit?"

Klaus laughed internally. Early morning visit… if that's what he thought this was then that's what he would let him believe, though it partially offended him that the thought of him spending the night with Hayley didn't cross Elijah's mind. "The time I chose to spend with the mother of my child is of none of your business." He replied, his tone was sort of defensive which threw Elijah through a loop and made him wonder even more why he was sneaking out of Hayley's room this early in the morning after basically avoiding her for months. "No need to get defensive brother, I was just curious about what got you to finally decide to no longer be a recluse, I assumed it must have been fairly important if you're visiting the woman you haven't shown an ounce of concern towards for months now." That struck a nerve. Of course Elijah would throw him avoiding Hayley for months in his face as if it wasn't mutual and as if he didn't have his own grief to work through and was unable to be of any help to Hayley in his mental state.

"Don't worry brother I'm sure Hayley's affections are still with you and only you. I assure you it was nothing. I wouldn't dare show her any concern that's what you're here for. I'm only here to cause problems not fix them remember, so go a head I'm sure she's waiting for you" Klaus replied with a sarcastic smile before abruptly leaving the hallway and retreating to his quarters down the hall.

Elijah paused then entered Hayley's room to find her sound asleep confusing him even more about Klaus's sneaky departure from Hayley's room and defensive attitude towards even the simplest question about it. He was about to leave the room, not wanting to wake her up as she slept so peacefully but she began to stir, indicating that she was close to waking up.

"Good morning Hayley"

Hayley blocked the sun from her face and squinted her eyes in discomfort. She did not want to be awake at that moment, If she had it her way she would sleep the whole day since that was probably the most peaceful sleep she's had in months.

"It appears you slept well" Elijah responded to Hayley's silence. Hayley rolled over to her side with her back facing Elijah. It's what she did every time he entered her room early in the morning to check on her. It was her signal that she wanted to be left alone and he usually got the signal but this morning he was more determined to get her to open up to him about how she was feeling. "Hayley don't you think it's almost time for you to stop doing this. I come here often trying to get you to open up to me yet you won't. You're content with staying like this instead of moving on from your grief, you can't do this forever, I won't let you. "

Hayley closed her eyes and took deep breaths trying to control her emotions. She didn't want to blow up on Elijah but she also didn't like that fact that he didn't understand her and didn't seem to want to understand her. All he ever preached about was moving on and not letting the changes affect her this way and his whole he won't let her do this to herself thing infuriated her as well because he had no control over her actions or her emotions, neither did she for that matter. She remained silent once again. It was easier to control saying nothing than it was to control saying the wrong thing.

"Hayley please just say something. I know you talked to Klaus this morning so I'm not particularly buying your silent treatment.

"I didn't talk to Klaus this morning." She said, finally breaking her silence

"Well I thought since I saw him leaving your room this morning you two spoke.."

Hayley popped up from the bed and finally made eye contact with Elijah. "Well you figured wrong, that's one of your problems you're always going on about things you don't know anything about" She said which agitated.

Elijah sat on the bed besides her and reached out for her hand. "Hayley forgive me I'm just trying to help, can't you see that."

She let his hand linger on hers for a second then quickly pulled her hand away. Tears started to well up on her eyes. "I want to be left alone please, I just need time can't you give me that?"

"Hayley it's been over 5 months now, you keep doing this and you'll never move on."

Hayley didn't answer him back this time; she only stared off into the distance avoiding his eyes and his touch. He couldn't understand that maybe she didn't move on because she didn't want to, that it was practically impossible for her to do so given how connected to her child she is and how much she loved her.

"It's all going to be okay Hayley, you just have to believe it." He pleaded with her, he reached out to stroke her cheek and though she didn't return his affection he was relieved when she didn't flinch away from. "How about a change of scenery? What if we left this house finally, it has to be suffocating to stay here everyday, we could go out and just…"

"No" she blurted out cutting him off. "I don't want to go anywhere, If I go out I'm not sure I can control….just no, I prefer to stay here,"

"Control what? Hayley you don't have to give into those urges, I can help you with it, that doesn't have to be you" If only he knew that it was indeed her she thought to herself. That many of the urges she felt she knew she would feel even if she wasn't a hybrid

"Nothing, I just want to stay here, I feel closest to her here, I need to feel closer to her right now."

"Well at least let me have a real meal prepared for you tonight, you haven't had one in weeks. It might do you well."

Hayley turned and looked at Elijah's pleading eyes. He really had been trying everything to help her. Unfortunately for him he just didn't know how. Still that didn't keep her from appreciating his efforts at times and even feeling a little guilty that she spent most of her time around him being cold or silent or rebuffing his affections and his help. She hadn't forgotten how she felt about Elijah before everything happened but sometimes it felt like a distant memory and other times those feelings felt almost non-existent. Still she felt like she owed him something, something for basically taking over his life. She was feeling a little better than usual after her night with Klaus so she figured if there was anytime to try to be normal it was now. "Fine" she replied. "I'll come down for dinner tonight."

Elijah was shocked but relieved that Hayley finally took a step to do something besides sit and wallow in her room. "Good, maybe I'll even ask Klaus to join us, we just might get back to normal around here." He stood up and gently kissed Hayley on her cheek. "See you tonight." He said before kissing her on her forehead and leaving the room. Hayley finally let the tear she had been holding in for the last few minutes escape her eyes and fall down her cheek. She curled back up in bed and tried to return to the peaceful sleep she had enjoyed earlier. She tossed and turned trying to get back to that place but she was unsuccessful since something was missing, something she had no desire to admit or go searching for.

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Elijah knocked on Klaus's door and walked in knowing his brother wouldn't actually invite him in. He found him opposite his bed with a paintbrush in his hand working on a surprisingly colorful piece of artwork. "What do you want" Klaus asked coldly without even turning around to face him.

"I've finally convinced Hayley to stop holding herself up in her room for a night, she's agreed to dinner, I thought you might like to join us. This could be our first step towards finding some sense of normalcy around this place again."

"I'll pass on that offer, wouldn't want my presence to impede upon your little dinner date." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice that he unsuccessfully tried to hide. He had absolutely no desire to sit at a table and watch Elijah cater to Hayley non-stop.

"This is the first time in weeks I've been able to convince her to do something other than wallow in misery for a few hours and you can't even be bothered to get over yourself for a short time to be there for her. Does her sanity mean nothing to you Niklaus? You seem perfectly content with letting her stay the way she is."

Klaus could feel anger building up as Elijah's words cut into him. Of course he was accusing him of not caring about Hayley's well being without even considering he was in no mental position to be of help to her. If last night taught him anything it was that he and Hayley were one in the same, neither one was any step closer to moving past their grief so as much as he wanted to pull Hayley out of hers he couldn't because he was still very much consumed by his own. He finally turned to face Elijah and stared at him angrily. He motioned his arms as he began to talk, flinging paint on the carpet below him.

"Perhaps Hayley doesn't want to be rescued from her darkness brother and perhaps I'm in no position to do so even if she did. Besides that's what you're there for isn't it? Ever since you met her you've jumped at the chance to cater to her, to shower her with affection, to fix her. I don't see how I'm needed." He said as he walked closer to Elijah and slowly invaded his personal space

"I have tried tirelessly to be here for both of you and all you do is meet me with your petulant attitude. You sit here in this" Motioning out to the stuffy room that Klaus called his bedroom. "This cocoon, this space of solitude without even so much as a small desire to come out of it." Elijah was not angry and he moved closer to Klaus, he was in his face and he could feel his annoyance increase. This conversation was escalating to a place that neither one of them expected it to get to as the tension in the room cloaked them. " I am done trying to convince you otherwise." Elijah shouted. " You can choose to stay here, but I will not let Hayley join you here. She needs this, she needs to know that she can get better, she needs to know that she can be normal again."

Klaus let out a sarcastic chuckle, which caused Elijah to grow even more annoyed with him. He was clearly at his wits end with Klaus and probably with Hayley too and he didn't have much more patience for Klaus's continued indifference towards Hayley's condition. To Klaus it was all amusing since Hayley had already joined him in this dark place of pure solitude. It was already too late for what Elijah wanted and he didn't even realize it. Elijah thinks he's content with dragging Hayley down with him but truth be told, neither one really wants to be where they are, they just can't help themselves and neither dragged the other there with them. For the most part their slips into the abyss had been entirely separate but parallel. They were both on a downward trajectory moving with the same velocity so when they did finally come together they just continued on that path, willingly and as one. That's not something Elijah could really understand though which is why Klaus only smirked and took a step back from Elijah instead of acting out towards him in anger. Elijah just really had no Idea and he probably never would.

"Good luck with your little dinner tonight brother. I'm sure you and Hayley will have a pleasant time, grieving mothers need a good meal to pull themselves together" Klaus said sarcastically. "I'm sure after tonight Hayley will be as good as new."

"Oh don't try to placate me with your sarcasm Niklaus I know- "

"No really, I hope this is just what Hayley needs. After all our daughter will need one functional parent once she returns and since I'm a lost cause as you so pleasantly put it I guess that burden falls squarely on the little wolf's shoulders. Now if you'll excuse me I'd like to be left alone in this little dark cocoon I've carefully crafted for myself." He turned back around and continued to work on his painting, ignoring Elijah who was still standing behind him observing him. After a few moments Elijah sighed and left the room, disappointed that once again he couldn't get through to his younger brother.

* * *

An awkward silence filled the room as Hayley and Elijah sat at the dinner table together. Elijah had prepared a seat for her directly besides him, feeling like the opposite side the table was a little to far for an intimate dinner. Hayley obliged although she really didn't want to sit that close for some reason. Something about it made her uneasy which even surprised her considering all she used to want was to be closer to him and have moments like this together. Their first course had been served by the time Elijah managed to break the silence that filled the room.

"You know Hayley I'm pleased that you decided to join me tonight."

Hayley kept her attention on the salad that was in front of her, picking at the leaves of lettuce with her fork nervously. She never even lifted her head to make eye contact with him nor did she respond. Elijah decided to continue his attempt to make conversation despite her silence.

"How are you feeling this evening? You look beautiful by the way"

Hayley finally decided to break her silence, concluding that Elijah wouldn't stop his questions until she said something, anything. "I feel fine" she said expressionless. She merely stared into space when she spoke and didn't even attempt to engage him.

"Are you sure? You don't seem fine"

Those words made something snap inside of her. She had told herself prior to coming downstairs that she would try to be pleasant and would refrain from her usual attitude but It was practically impossible as she sat at the table opposite of Elijah. She was trying and failing to enjoy her dinner while thinking about whether or not her daughter was hungry for a bottle at this very moment, or if she ate already and Rebekah was currently putting her down for the night. She could feel something in her yearning for food but it wasn't her body that craved it, it was Hope's and that feeling made her mind race and her heartbreak because if her daughter was indeed hungry she herself couldn't make that hunger go away. Elijah wanted to make small talk and pretend like they were just two normal people having a normal dinner but they weren't and the longer she sat there the angrier she got a him even though he was doing nothing wrong. "How do you think I feel Elijah" she said forcefully tossing her fork onto her plate.

"I don't know Hayley since you refuse to even talk to me about anything. Not about being a Hybrid not about Ho-"

"Don't say her name!" She yelled as she propped her elbows up on the table and buried her face into her hands. She anxiously rubbed her forehead and ran her hands through her hair trying to pull herself together.

"Hayley I'm sorry, it is not my intention to upset you further."

"I just don't want to hear her name right now. I don't want to hear anything about her, I can't listen to anything about her."

Elijah could see tears welling up in Hayley's eyes and he reached out to her. Scooting his chair closer to hers and pulling her arms to him.

"Hayley listen to me, I'm just trying to help. If you would just let me in, let me help you, you would see that everything is going to be okay. I promised I would get you through this and I never break a promise." He brushed her face and his eyes practically begged her to look into his but she wouldn't budge, she refused to look him in the eyes choosing instead to shy away from him as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Hayley" He whispered one last time to her. She had finally had enough of pretending to be composed in front of him and she collapsed into his chest crying. He held her close whispering words of comfort to her. "It's okay Hayley, everything is going to be okay." Hayley knew it wouldn't be but she didn't have the nerve or the strength to fight him at that moment. That sense of yearning she felt was overwhelming every one of her senses and it was beginning to drive her almost insane. "You can make it through this Hayley, I know it's hard for you and for Klaus, but especially for you. You're her mother and you want more than anything to be with her but you don't have to let that pain consume you."

"But I want it to" she whispered softly. If he didn't have enhanced hearing he almost wouldn't have even heard her.

"No" He replied softly. " You can't do that. You can't give up on yourself and your future there's still" He suddenly paused knowing that what he was about to say was more likely to trigger her than to comfort her. It was too late however as Hayley already knew what he was alluding to. She yanked her head up from his chest and finally looked him in the eyes.

"There's still what Elijah, huh? What were you going to say Hope?" there was agitation behind her voice as she pushed herself off of him. He tried to pull her back to him but she only fought against it. "That is what I was about to say but I didn't mean to upset you. "

"YOU NEVER MEAN TO UPSET ME BUT YOU DO!" she shouted as she stood up from the table. She threw her plate across the room, causing it to shatter as it hit a wall. Elijah was taken back by her sudden outburst. "Don't you understand? THERE IS NO HOPE! Hope is gone. Hope is a fantasy, it's not real, it doesn't exist for people like me its all a delusion. I can't touch it, I can't hold on to it, I can't experience because it's mythical, just like I can't touch nor hold nor see my Hope. They're both gone. She was the only Hope I had and she took it with her when I had to give her up." She was now crying and Elijah was now standing up as well.

"That's not true Hayley, there is still Hope. You are alive, she's alive. You also have me and what we could build together. All is not lost for you, for any of us. We can still have what we've all always wanted one day."

"No we can't! Everything I thought I knew, everything I wanted has been shattered and it's left me in a million different pieces. I can't be put back together Elijah, I can't be fixed with a little bit of glue like I'm some stature that was once beautiful but was knocked over and needs to be restored."

"I know that Hayley but this, this person I see in front of me, who isolates herself and acts out viciously and hurts the people around her, that isn't very becoming of you. That isn't who you have to be. It's okay to grieve your daughter Hayley, grief is a very human emotion, but you don't have to let that grief consume you and change you, you don't have to let being a hybrid change who you are and that's what's happening to you. I can't bear to see you unraveling like this much longer."

"You don't even know who I am Elijah. I just might be unraveling but I'm not changing you just can't bear to see me as I am. THIS IS ME!" she yelled. "I'm not okay, I've never been okay and I don't know if I'll ever be okay."

"Hayley that's not true-"

"No!" she screamed as she brushed him off of her. " I can't listen to this anymore. I just want to be alone, just stop trying to help me I can't take it anymore. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed before storming off to her room.

Elijah stood in shock. He didn't expect the dinner to take this turn. He may have underestimated just how unraveled Hayley had become and he was starting to question if he was really capable of helping her. Hayley was drifting father and father into a place he couldn't possibly begin to understand and the deeper she got the farther away from him she slipped. It frightened him because he was loosing her and it seemed like there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Hayley finally reached her room and paced back and forth in her bedroom. The door to the nursery was opened and she could see all it's details, which drove more insane than she already was. She began to hyperventilate as pain built up in her chest, the memories and fantasies overwhelmed her mind, and the anger exploded within her. She ran her hand over her face and through her hair trying to stop herself from snapping but it wasn't working. She needed a release or she was going to completely loose it. She needed to let it all out or it would devour her. The sounds of her sobs began to fill the room. The room was suddenly closing in on her and she felt backed into a corner that she didn't have the strength to fight her way out of.

That's when she thought of him. His words replayed in her mind. _"I'm beginning to think we're a lot a like you and I, we're both castoffs who've learned to fight when we've been backed into a corner."_ If there was anyone who knew how to fight their way out better than her it was him. Her mind jumped to how he comforted her the night before and how when she was around him she actually felt sane and how he confessed to having the same urges as her. It was then that it dawned on her that she didn't need to be left alone and she didn't actually want to be alone. In a way she knew she would need him again earlier when she couldn't return to her sleep without him but she didn't want to admit it then. But now, now she knew she needed someone, someone who could stand in this corner and fight for her because she couldn't fight for herself, and that someone was him. That realization by itself brought her some comfort because immediately after she realized it she felt her breathing steady and her sanity begin to return. She didn't bother wiping away her tears or fixing her disheveled appearance but she as able to mentally compose herself just enough to make her way down the long hallway that lead to his quarters. She found herself in front his door in a flash, ready to finally seek him out. It's then that she realizes that once she goes in things were going to change, for her, for him, for both of them but maybe it was the change that see really needed.

* * *

**AN: okay so I hope you liked the chapter. Like I said before there really was no klayley in this one but hopefully you enjoyed it anyway. If it makes any of you feel better yes Hayley is at Klaus's door at the end, I'm sure I made that obvious but just wanted to outright say it lol I won't spoil it for you but I think it's safe to assume that things are going to get really interesting for klaus and hayley next chapter...you'll just have to wait to see how *evil laugh* REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

She didn't bother questioning if he was awake, she already knew he would be so she hesitantly crept towards the door and lifted her hand to knock but just before she did she paused. Instead she used her enhanced speed to quickly enter his room without knocking. Before Klaus could even form words she was in front of his bed staring blankly at the wall silently.

"Hayley what are you doing here" Klaus questioned as he jumped up from his bed. He was quickly in front of her eyeing her curiously. She didn't respond, it almost looked like she was in a daze again like she was the night before after he compelled her. "Hayley answer me." She still didn't' utter a word, she only stared and played with the ends of her hair. She was starting to concern him again so he needed to do something to snap her back to reality. With his voice slightly raised her grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her. "Hayley! Hayley what is that you are doing her?" It was enough to pull her back and she finally spoke up, at first whispering incoherent lines about dinner and crying and Hope being hungry. As he listened to her and watched her he softened, realizing that she had to be in need of something if she sought him out while in this state. Hayley was a complete mess and if he didn't know any better he would say she was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. He sighed as he felt his eyes burn from the tears welling up. "Hayley" he said softly which caused her to stop her rambling and look up at him. He rubbed her shoulders to relax her and looked her deep in the eyes. "Please love you are frightening me. I need you to pull yourself together and tell me what it is that you need from me, just tell me it doesn't matter what it is. I just need you to communicate that to me. Can you do that?" It was almost like talking to a child and that unnerved him because Hayley is usually so strong, even when she's weak she's strong.

Hayley stared back at him and slowly nodded her head yes. She took a few deep breaths and was finally able to compose coherent sentences. "I…I…I'm going crazy Klaus…"

"No you aren't sweetheart, you're not going crazy."

"No I am" she said meekly. "I was sitting at the table with Elijah trying to pretend to be okay when I…I'm not, I want to feed Hope I think she's hungry, my baby…she…she needs me." Hayley buried her hands in her face and started to sob. "She needs me and I need to get to her but I can't get to her, I have no idea where she is and I can't take this anymore, Klaus I…I think it's making me go crazy. I don't even remember how I got here, It's all so foggy and dark and I…I can feel myself loosing it."

"I happen to believe that everyone's felt just a little bit crazy at some point in their lifetime, that doesn't mean you're going crazy love just-"

"NO! YOU'RE NOT LISTENTING TO ME! " She screamed.

"Hayley calm down, please"

She pulled her rage in and tossed her hand up in the air as she walked a way from Klaus. She paced back and forth in his room, once again reaching that place she was in previously while in her room. "Don't you see, this is what I'm talking about…why did I get so angry at you? Why am I so angry right now? One minute I think I feel fine, the next all I want to do is cry because I swear that I can physically feel our daughter, then the next minute I find my self just filled with this rage, with this anger that I can't control. I'm loosing control." She anxiously continued pacing and ranting, pausing only to periodically steady her breathing.

Klaus just stood silently and watched her carefully. He was unsure about how to exactly handle Hayley. On one hand he wanted to offer her words of comfort, to try to get through to her and stop her madness but on the other he thought that maybe she needed to work through it instead of just soothing it. He thought about all the times he wished he had someone, anyone, who may have understood him even slightly that he could vent to, that he could be completely unhinged in front of. Unfortunately for him he never did, which meant most of his madness was relegated to his mind, gradually stifling him and time went on. Hayley didn't have to suffer that same fate though; he could be that person for Hayley, which is why he simply waited, no matter how unsettling it was. He waited for whatever it was she revealed to him no matter how bad or heartbreaking it might be. He was starting to feel like sometimes he overestimated the little wolf's strength. She was indeed a strong woman, but even the strongest creatures become weak under the right amount of pressure and that's what was happening to Hayley before his very eyes, which only strengthened his resolve to actually be there for her.

"I'm being tormented and I want it to stop but I…I hate what I always feel like I have to do to make it go away…at dinner with Elijah, we argued and the whole time I just had this urge to just...I just needed to get away, I need to get away, I have to…I have to, no I want to…" She stopped pacing and curled up into herself, nervously rubbing the back of her neck. "I can taste the sweetness of if in my mouth right now, I crave it and…and…"

She was starting to drift off again so Klaus finally decided to approach in hope that he could get her to focus again to finish telling him what she needed. He slowly inched closer to where she was standing and firmly placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Hayley look at me"

Her eyes darted up and met his. She stood there and gazed at his ocean like eyes. They were hypnotizing and the longer she got lost in them the more she sensed her thoughts gathering. Finally after a few seconds she began talking again.

"And…if I don't do something right now then I'm really going to go Insane. I can't control it, it's drowning me and I need an escape, that's why I came here…"

"What kind of escape love? What are you talking about?"

"You said you felt the same urges I felt remember, like you needed to kill someone, like you wanted to drain someone of every ounce of life they hold. I know you've done it before. I've done it before…but then it was blind rage and hunger that made me do it, now it's…I'm not hungry or angry, I just, I feel lost and like the only way I can find who I am is to be who I've been made to be. I need to just surrender to it. It's what I need to do…I have to do it or else…Klaus I'm going to loose my mind…you have to help me"

Klaus was at a lost for words momentarily. He was unsure of what she was asking him to do. Did she want someone to go on a killing spree with her? Did she want him to stop her? Did she want him to tell her to embrace her vampirism? Or maybe she wanted him to share in this with her so that she didn't feel like the only monster living in this house afterwards. Most of his reasons lead back to her thinking that he was some monster who would enable her behavior, which offended him but he didn't tell her that. "So that's what you need me for? To go out and kill? Is that what you want from me?"

Hayley put her head down almost as if she was ashamed to admit it and shook her head yes. Her response however agitated Klaus. He tensed up and quickly removed his hand from her shoulder and put more space between them.

"So this is why you've come here instead of seeking out my noble brother like you would have before. He wouldn't possibly agree to such a thing but I, the notorious monster would of course. I admit that I have expertise in that sort of thing, I guess it would make sense that you would defer to me when you want to give into your more darker desires."

His voice was flat and emotionless and he refused to make eye contact with her, which told Hayley that he was not pleased by her request. She didn't feel guilty but she didn't mean to wound him in that manner. "No Klaus that's not it at all, that's not why I sought you out…"

Klaus rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Then why are you here Hayley? Why are you in my quarters and not someone else's or your own?"

"I…I'm here because you're the only one who can help me fight these demons that are trying to control me."

"I think you put a little too much faith in me love, I can barely even fight my own if you haven't noticed."

"That's exactly why I know it's you, that you're the only one because here you are…you're still standing here and you might not have it all together but you haven't lost it after all these years. You should be certifiably insane by now but you aren't. No one can understand what it's like to fight this fight but you, not Elijah, not anyone. You can pull me back when I go to far, you can let me fall without rescuing me before I've fallen just far enough, you can stand in the corner with me and get us both out before we're trapped…" She started to cry again. "I already feel trapped and I don't think I can find my way out before I loose it but you can, you've done it before because you're here."

He felt guilty for getting upset with her while she was this broken. He didn't want to react that way but he couldn't help the sting he felt in his heart when he thought she thought the worse of him. Still hearing her reasoning made him sad but it also sent a surge of confidence to his fragile psyche. He felt sad because Hayley must be really low to think him strong enough to fight period, let alone for both of them, but he got a surge of confidence because he was who she really wanted to lean on and trust during her most fragile time and she had absolute faith in his ability to survive even the bleakest of circumstances and that wasn't something he was used to getting from someone. He slowly walked closer to her and grabbed her by the hand. She was trembling and staring at him almost as if she was afraid of his touch and his closeness. He didn't let that deter him however as he closed the distance between then even more and placed his palm on top of her hand. "Are you sure this is what you want? Once you truly embrace this there's no turning back. It will not be easy and you will do things that most will find reprehensible, at least until you learn how to truly control it. If the answer is yes then I will do as you have asked, if the answer is no I will pretend this never happened. So what's it gonna be Hayley?"

Hayley looked down at her hand tucked between Klaus's two hands. His touch had made her stop trembling and his voice assured her that this was truly what she needed to do to save herself. She finally looked up at him and with a single tear falling down her cheek she whispered yes.

* * *

They spotted a girl walking along the backs of the Mississippi. She was alone and seemingly enjoying her late night stroll. Klaus had decided it was best if they left the city, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to themselves, so instead he took Hayley to a city about and hour west of New Orleans called Baton Rouge. The bank of the river that ran near downtown Baton Rouge used to be one of his favorite places to escape to when the city got to over bearing for him. It was relaxed and not too busy, especially not at this time of night. It was also pretty convenient for him since whenever he impulsively fed on someone the river was at his disposal to use for cleaning up his mess. This place was perfect for what they were up to.

Hayley had been pretty mute the entire drive there, choosing to only stare out of the window at the lights of the passing cars. It was for the best since he wasn't much for words anyway and sometimes the thought of engaging in certain types of conversations with Hayley scared the hell out of him. She silently followed his every command as he lead her through the city to their current location. Hayley eyed the girl carefully, watching her every movement. She was envious of the girl and her carefree nature. She didn't seem to have a care in the world. There was nothing weighing her down threatening to crush her. She breathed in the night air as if she and this world were mutual friends. If only she could be fortunate enough to be that free, that loved by her surroundings. The sound of Klaus's accent interrupted her moment of envy. "Well what are you waiting for love, I can tell you want to, have at it that's why we are here."

She turned to look at him and for a moment he thought he saw some hesitation in her eyes. "Do you think I'm a monster Hayley?"

The reasoning behind his question was lost on her but she answered despite her confusion. "No, I've never thought you were a monster. A dick? Sure. Slightly psychotic? Definitely. A monster? No."

"Only slightly psychotic? That might be the best compliment anyone has ever paid me." He let out a light laugh, which actually brought a small smile to Hayley's face. That might have been the first smile she'd cracked in months. Leave it to Klaus to be humorous even when she's coming undone.

"Well I'm glad to hear that, since you aren't a monster either, so go." He said, motioning towards the unsuspecting girl still strolling along the river bank. "Savor the sweetness and warmth of her blood on your lips. Enjoy the feeling of knowing that as you drink life leaves their body never to return again. It's part of who you are now." Hayley take a step to go but before she could move Klaus grabbed her arm. "But remember…it's only a part, this isn't all you are." With that he let her go and Hayley sped off. She approached the girl from behind, pulling her by her hair and quickly sinking her fangs into her carotid artery. She made quick work of the girl, not wasting anytime and before she knew it the girl's limp body was slipping from her grip and falling to the ground lifeless. Klaus sped over once he saw Hayley was done. When he finally reaches her side he finds her with glowing eyes and blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.

"Are you okay love?"

"Yeah" Hayley said smiling. "I feel…it's like a high. I felt such a rush just now, especially when I watched her fall to the ground."

"I always fancied the approach as the best part. There's something almost euphoric about holding that power over an unsuspecting person. It makes you feel like a God amongst men."

Klaus's little revelation about feeling like a God when he fed didn't surprise Hayley in the least. For someone like Klaus that kind of control is like a drug used to numb the feeling of not having real control over the things surrounding them. Surprisingly it made her want him to indulge in his high as she did. "How about we do the next one together?"

Klaus lifted his eyebrows in surprise at her suggestion. Most women he encountered would have found his little revelation disgusting but not Hayley. Still he wasn't sure if that was the best idea, after all this night was about her, not him. "I don't know love, I'm more of a solo act."

"Come on Klaus. I know you want a taste as well. It would be a shame if you only got to watch someone else experience this high while denying yourself your own. I know you want to I can see it in your eyes."

"You make a good argument and I'm almost tempted—"

"I still thought about her you know. Hope. I thought I wouldn't think about her as I did it, like it would make the pain go away but it didn't…. but strangely I'm not upset about it. I still thought about her, that pain…It's still there but I don't feel like It's on the verge of consuming me right now…I need to keep that feeling Klaus and whether you want to admit it or not I think you need that feeling right now too."

She always did know how to read him like a book. Even when he was completely composed and she completely undone she could still sense even the smallest crack in his armor and it frustrated him yet relieved him all at the same time. "Fine but just this once and after this I'm done, don't ask me again."

"Do I pick or do you want to?" She asked.

"I'll do the picking. Since it's the two of us we'll need someone substantially larger in size than your last victim."

He scanned the bank of the river and spotted what appeared to be a couple enjoying a date. Klaus imagined him to be a businessman and he imagined the lady to be his wife who worked as an interior decorator part time. Fantasizing about his kill before hand isn't something he usually did but tonight some twisted part of him needed them to be the perfect couple worthy of his envy, so that killing them would be more satisfying. "I've found the perfect match for us, however this one might require a little acting."

"Acting?"

Klaus saw the couple getting closer so they had to turn on the act quickly. "Just follow my lead." He grabbed Hayley by her hand and gently kissed the back of it. He let her hand linger on his lips for a few moments before lowering it and interlocking her fingers with his. Hayley didn't question it. He smiled at her and told her to walk. Once they reached the couple Klaus did all the talking. He let them pass them up first before finally getting their attention.

"Excuse me Miss!"

The couple stopped walking and turned around. "Yes, how can we help you?" They replied.

"Forgive me for interrupting your evening but my girlfriend here fancies your necklace. Do you mind if I ask where you got it from?"

The couple eyed Klaus and Hayley suspiciously. Hayley noticed and decided to kick up the act just a little bit. "We're terribly sorry to intrude," she said as she interlocked one arm with Klaus's and dragged her hand up the same arm. "It's just such a beautiful Necklace."

"You know how ladies can be lad, they see something they like and they just have to have it, I don't know how we put up with them." That elicited a chuckle from the man. "You make a good point. It was an anniversary gift, bought it at the Saks on Canal Street in New Orleans."

"Thank you, I'll be sure to visit there next time I'm in the French Quarter."

Klaus reached out and gave the man a firm handshake while wishing him a nice evening. He then turned his attentions to the lady. "Have a nice evening ma'am" He said as he reached out to shake the lady's hand. Once he had it in his palm he placed his hand on top of hers and looked into her eyes. "Go sit down over there and wait, don't scream, don't move, just sit." He compelled her to the shock of her husband. The guy started to protest once he saw his wife absentmindedly walk away from him but before he could even get a word out both Klaus and Hayley had latched onto both sides of his neck. He fell to his knees as both their weights bore down on him. They looked at each other as they went down to the ground along with the man. The experience was thrilling as they started into each other's glowing eyes while drinking the warm blood. Klaus was the first to break the eye contact as he removed his fangs from the man's neck and bite into his wrist while Hayley chose to continue her assault on his neck. After a few minutes the man was completely drained. They both stood up panting for air as they let the high sink in. It was unlike anything Klaus had ever experienced before. He had fed on the same person before several times with Rebekah but there was something different about what he had done with Hayley. There was something so satisfying about sharing that with someone you were so in sync with.

They both turned their attention to the woman sitting a few feet away then looked at each other. As if reading each other's mind they both sped to her choosing again to both sink their fangs into her neck until blood no longer coursed through her veins. They both plopped down on the ground next to the woman's body and just stared out at the river completely satisfied.

"I thought you said only once." She teased.

"Well I have been known to change my mind on a whim" he quipped. Hayley smirked hearing those familiar words again.

"You were right you know, about it not making the pain go away…" He said. "It never does actually, at least not for good. Even when you feel like it's gone for a second it just comes roaring back like it was never gone in the first place."

"So I'll never not feel these things when I do this?" She questioned.

"On the contrary love, sometimes this is when you will feel the most." There was a brief moment of silence as Hayley took in Klaus's words. She brought her knees close to her chest and rested her chin on her knees as she breathed in the night air. In a way she was relieved since she didn't actually think that she wanted to ever live a life where she couldn't feel, not even temporarily, even if feeling things threatened to drive her insane.

"You we're right about the other part to…I thought about her as well, I'm thinking about her now actually, but I don't feel like it's going to consume me right now either, I don't think I could say something like that a few hours ago."

Hayley slowly stood up as another person caught her eye. "I need more…"

"Go right ahead love, do whatever you feel you need to do to regain your sanity. Regardless of how long it takes, I'll be right here waiting"

Hayley glanced at Klaus over her shoulder then looked up at the moon peaking out from behind the clouds. "I know you will," she said, right before she sped off to let her madness claim more victims.

* * *

_**AN: I promised an entirely klayley centric chapter and I hope you guys enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun writing them engaging in some bad behavior together I hope we get to see that on the show *fingers crossed*. Just a little hint...this is only the beginning of their "bad" behavior so I hope you guys enjoy the ride, drop me a review letting me know how you feel about their shenanigans. In case some of you don't already know I have another multi-chapter fic in progress called Letting Go. If you haven't read it yet you should check it out. If you have I will be updating that one VERY soon I promise. Expect to get chapter 4 of this fic later in the week then hopefully I can have the next chapter of Letting Go done by the middle of next week. I apologize for going so long between updates. I'll probably alternate updating both stories every week after I get these next two updates out the way. In case I haven't said it before, thanks for reading my stories :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

Two weeks had passed since Klaus and Hayley first started their late night hunts.

Hayley fed on random humans for another 3 hours after she and Klaus finished off that couple on the riverbanks. Klaus waited the entire time. For a minute he got concerned that she had went off the deep end and decided to take off, but then he saw her deep brown waves coming towards him and that concern disappeared, of course she wouldn't take off, she needed him and he needed her. After that night Hayley came to him again, and again, and again, and before they knew it they were out almost every night blowing off steam and feasting on warm blood.

Hayley's emotional state appeared to get better as the days went by. Klaus managed to squeeze in lessons on how to control her emotions every time they went out which helped Hayley immensely. She noticed a change after the first week had passed. She no longer felt like she was going to loose it every hour and she found that gradually she cried less and less. By the time the middle of the second week rolled around she wasn't even crying herself to sleep anymore. Klaus knew she was getting better when he went to her room after a rough night for him. Unlike most nights he was the one seeking her out to let out some steam. He expected to see her ducked off in the nursery like he used to find her but instead he found her snuggled up with Hope's blanket watching television peacefully. He hadn't seen her that relaxed since before Hope's birth. That sight alone made him feel better and he completely forgot about how he was feeling at that moment.

Even Elijah noticed a change in Hayley's behavior. He commented that Hayley appeared to be in better spirits more than once to Klaus. Klaus usually kept the exchanges brief. He didn't want to talk about Hayley that much with his brother, especially not now. Despite not objecting to their romance or whatever it was they had it still made him uncomfortable, especially since he and Hayley had been getting a lot closer these last few weeks. They did more than just kill when they snuck off at night. They actually talked to each other candidly. They talked about Hope, the city, their likes and dislikes, and even their pasts a little. They didn't have long heart to hearts with tears included but they actually listened to each other and talked without apprehension or filter. It was refreshing for both of them and some nights they would get so caught up in conversation they would forget what they had snuck out the house to do in the first place. Their time spent together did a lot for Klaus's fragile psyche and he felt an intense urge to protect that at all costs. For some reason he couldn't quite explain, it felt sacred to him and he couldn't handle having it tarnished by Elijah. That meant he needed to avoid thinking about her and Elijah at all costs. Which meant conversations with Elijah about Hayley were off limits for him.

Elijah noticed Klaus's reluctance to talk about Hayley even briefly; his abrasiveness when it came to her took him off guard considering Klaus showed no objection to him catering to Hayley since Hope's departure.

Hayley also avoided Elijah most of the time. He didn't know about her late night sneak outs with Klaus and she wanted to keep it that way. She was afraid that being around him too much would cause her to get angry like she usually did around him and if she got angry there was no telling what would slip out of her mouth. She felt so distant from Elijah and the more time she spent with Klaus the more she felt the fragile grip Elijah had on her heart loosen. Of course she didn't want him to know because she knew he wouldn't approve so that was also another reason she avoided him. She wasn't completely oblivious to the dynamics of her relationships and how complicated they were. She was involved romantically with the father of her child's brother. It was already messy and adding the intense and strong bond she felt to Klaus right now just made things even messier.

It was easier to avoid Elijah that it was to string him along and fake the connection to him that she once felt. If she was being completely honest with herself she didn't feel the same thing for Elijah that he felt for her, she never has, but even what she did feel was fading and it was fading fast and every night she spent out with Klaus made that fact more obvious to her. Hayley hoped just like Elijah did that once she got herself under control, once she actually started coping she would find her way back to him and where they were before the tragic events surrounding Hope's birth, but that's not what happened at all. In fact, getting control over her emotions was having the opposite affect on her; it made her feel even farther away from him that she was before.

Even with her complicated feelings for Elijah, Hayley still felt that she was finally starting to get on the right track, like maybe just maybe she was beginning to find the resolve to pull her self out of the gutter long enough to start the fight to get her daughter back. That is until this morning when she once again woke up with the incredible urge to go to Hope that she couldn't control. She hadn't felt this way since the first night she went to Klaus and it's return sent her into e frenzy.

She started to feel the urge a little last night, the dull ache in her heart for her daughter, the desire to leave new Orleans to go to her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but she felt Hope needed her. She tried to ignore it but she couldn't so she sought out the only person who knew how to make her feel better. They went out last night and fed for almost 5 hours straight. It worked since Hayley wore herself out and fell asleep in the car on the way home. Klaus had carried her back to her room and watched her sleep peacefully for another 2 hours before retreating. He figured that she was fine, and so did Hayley until she woke at 6am screaming at the top of her lungs for Hope.

Klaus was down in his art studio painting when he heard her wails pierce his ears. As soon as he heard her he raced to her room, only to find Elijah had gotten there first.

"Hayley calm down please, I beg you." Elijah pleaded.

"NO!" She screamed at him. "SHE NEEDS ME, SOMETHING IS WRONG!"

Klaus stood in the doorframe stunned by her outburst. He thought for sure she was getting better, but clearly she wasn't which made him feel completely useless again.

"Hayley I'm sure nothing is wrong with Hope, everything is fine Rebekah is taking care of her, she would let us know if something is wrong." Elijah tried to reason with her.

"SHE'S NOT HER MOTHER I AM! SHE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING! SHE'S MY BABY I KNOW!" Hayley frantically grabbed her head and began to cry.

Elijah took a few steps closer to Hayley and tried to touch her but she swatted his hand away. "Don't touch me…. just get out of my way so I can find her."

"Hayley, If you try to find her someone might see you, they might find her, is that what you wish to bring upon her? Your enemies finding her and stealing her away from you for good? You have to stop this."

Klaus finally decided to speak up. "Oh big brother, you were always one for words. Do you honestly think that's what she needs to hear right now?"

"Well what do you suggest them Klaus, look at her" her said pointing to Hayley who was now pacing back and forth whispering I'm coming sweetheart over and over.

Klaus wished Elijah wasn't in the room. He'd seen Hayley like this, more than once actually, he knew how to handle her, but something about Elijah's presence made him feel like he didn't know anything at all. "Why don't we just listen to her, you know use these" He motioned to his ears. "Instead of just spouting off orders and suggestions to her. She's not going to listen to either of us"

"Klaus listen to her, what she's talking about is insane."

"Maybe to you it is but not to her." Klaus responded.

"Brother we don't have time for this we have to do something before she takes off and we can't stop her."

They stood silently and observed her to see what her next move would be. She had stopped pacing and was not staring at the nursery. Suddenly Hayley took off towards the window. Elijah sped and intercepted her before she could open it and leave.

"GET OFF OF ME ELIJAH!" She yelled fighting against his grip.

"Hayley no! I will not let you leave this house to go after Hope. This is madness!"

She pushed herself loose from his grip and tried to speed out the door of her room only this time Klaus stopped her. He placed his arm across the door to block her exit. Hayley tried to push his arm out the way but he was too strong for her to overcome.

"Move Klaus!" She shouted, pounding him on the chest and arms. "Get out of my way!"

"NO!" he shouted at her in return.

"She needs me Klaus our daughter needs me! I feel her something is wrong! I have to get to her!" She tried to get past the threshold of her room again but she still couldn't get past Klaus's arm. She kicked and fought to get past him. "Get away from the fucking door right now Klaus or I will kill you!"

"See there is just one little problem with that love" he replied in between fighting her off. "I can't be killed."

"I fucking hate you!" She screamed as she slapped him before storming away from him. Klaus absorbed her slap without even moving.

"Are you really going to just let her fight you like this Klaus. Is that how you suggest we handle her? Just let her go off the rails until she wears herself out and hopefully quits?"

"IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS HOW I CHOOSE TO HANDLE HER!" He yelled. Now he was the one frustrated with Elijah. His anger at not being able to help Hayley and having Elijah questioning his competency spilled over. He sped to Hayley and grabbed her firmly by both arms shaking her.

"Hayley stop this right now!" He yelled.

Hayley gasped and was suddenly unable to say anything. Her fit of rage stopped and she just stared at him. Her desperate eyes made Klaus regret yelling at her. There was so much pain behind them, and helplessness and it saddened him greatly. He loosened his grip on her arms and looked back at her with pleading eyes.

"Hayley, please, I know you want to get to her but you can't, you can't sweetheart." His voice was so tender as he rubbed her shoulders to comfort her. Hayley took in his words but didn't say anything. Suddenly she curled her face up and began to sob.

"But she needs me Klaus, she needs me I can feel it, I know it."

"Of course she needs you, you're her mother Hayley, every child needs their mother, but you can't go to her, not right now." He said looking into her eyes.

Hayley lowered her head onto Klaus chest and continued sobbing. He wrapped his arms around her. "Shhhh…shhhh. It's alright Hayley, just relax."

Elijah looked on in silence. He had never seen Hayley like this before. He'd seen her cry, but he had never seen her this broken and uncontrollable and the only time he had ever seen Klaus this tender and comforting was with Rebekah. He was relieved that Hayley was finally calming down but there was a sinking feeling in his stomach as he watched Klaus comfort Hayley. He felt almost territorial, like he wanted to intervene but he knew better than to risk angering Hayley again, still It didn't make it hurt any less.

Hayley's sobs got louder and louder as Klaus held her. "I have to get to her, I have to get to her she needs me." She repeated, as her legs gave out from under her and she collapsed onto the ground. Klaus went down with her. She put her head on his shoulder and continued to cry. Klaus gently stroked her hair contemplating what to do next.

"Maybe we should take her to lie down Klaus, she might find more comfort in her bed." Elijah suggested.

"No that won't do anything, she'll just cry throughout the night, she won't sleep."

"You speak as if you've done this before Niklaus."

Silence filled the space between the two brothers. Klaus didn't have to respond, Elijah could tell by just how in tune with Hayley Klaus was that he'd done this before, probably more than once. Klaus could feel his brother's eyes on his back as he continued to cradle a sobbing Hayley in his arms.

"Hayley look at me…" He said finally pulling her up from his shoulder. He extended his wrist towards her. "Here…drink." The veins in Hayley's eyes appeared and she bit down into Klaus's wrist hard, drinking up his blood as if he was one of the strangers she preyed on at night.

"Klaus what is the reasoning behind this! How is this going to help her?" Elijah questioned incredulously. Klaus making Hayley feed at that moment made no sense to him and blood sharing was not something he condoned unless the circumstances were dire. The vision of Hayley blood sharing with Klaus angered him. "And after she's done? When she starts sobbing and acting out again what then?"

"I'm going to compell her." Klaus said emotionless. He didn't want to do it again but it was the only way. He couldn't let her stay like this all night and he knew she would. He couldn't stay with her tonight, not with Elijah lurking so compelling her was the only option. Hayley had finally released his wrist and was now whimpering on his shoulder.

"Absolutely not!" Elijah shouted. "You have no right Klaus, you can't mess with her mind in that manner. First you force her to blood share now you're trying to compell her, enough of this Klaus."

"There is nothing else to do Elijah! Look at her. It's what she would want anyway."

"And who gives you the authority to determine what Hayley would want? I will not let you compell her!" Elijah was now almost right in front of Klaus. He was on the verge of tearing Hayley away from Klaus's shoulder to keep him from compelling her.

"What give me the authority? She's the mother of MY child Elijah, not yours, not anyone else's, but mine!" Klaus shouted. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to tend to Hayley, not have a pointless argument with Elijah over who had more right to make decisions for her when she's unable to do so herself. He needed to rein his emotions in before he lost it as well. He spoke up again, this time with less anger behind his voice. "A better question, my dear brother, is how do you know what she would want? This might come as a bit of a shock to you Elijah but someone other than yourself just might know a little bit about Hayley. Now step back before I make you step back."

"Klaus you can't—"

"Look at me Hayley….you will not think of Hope today, you will not cry, you will not act out. You will sleep and you will sleep peacefully. You will remember everything but you will feel nothing but peace while you sleep. Now rest."

Hayley immediately collapsed onto Klaus, causing Elijah to storm out of the room in frustration. He picked Hayley up bridal style and carried her to her bed. Gently he laid her down, tucking her hair behind her ears and whipping the residual tears from her cheeks. His heart was heavy and his mind was exhausted. Dejectedly he leaned down and placed one tender kiss on her forehead before retreating.

Hayley stayed asleep until 8 o'clock in the evening. She didn't stir, not even a little, the entire time. Elijah went in a few times to check on her, hoping she would be awake. He didn't speak to Klaus at all, still upset that he compelled Hayley and confused by their behavior last night. After checking on Hayley for the 4th time he left the compound. He just needed to get away and Klaus was relieved, he had no desire to deal with Elijah after the events earlier in the day.

When Hayley awoke she remembered everything. She remembered feeling Hope needed her, she remembered arguing with Elijah, she remembered trying to escape out of the window to get to Hope. She also remembered slapping and fighting Klaus. She remembered Klaus gently brushing her hair as she cried on his shoulder, she remembered him trying to comfort her and letting her feed off of him. She even remembered him looking into her eyes to compell her. She remembered how angry Elijah was at Klaus throughout the entire thing, but then she remembered Klaus putting his foot down determined to do whatever it took to make her feel better, even if it angered Elijah and maybe even her.

After spending a few minutes gathering her thoughts she got up and made her way to the one person she wanted to see.

"Klaus…." She said, head bowed, eyes low, and almost whispering.

"Good evening love. I assume you rested well."

"I did…."

"To what do I owe the pleasure…"

Hayley nervously played with her hands and shifted her weighted back and forth from her heels to her toes. "Klaus why did you make me remember everything? You could have compelled me to forget I was even upset to begin with, to forget any of that happened but you didn't"

"What does it matter to you love?"

"I just need to know."

Klaus shut the book that he was reading and turned to finally make eye contact with her. "Perhaps I selfishly wanted to you come gravelling at my feet with praise for helping relieve your suffering. You couldn't do that if you didn't remember suffering in the first place." He replied with a grin.

Klaus was deflecting, attempting to hide behind sinister motives in order to not betray his real motives. Hayley knew him well enough to know what he was doing.

"Right because I'm known to gravel at anyone's feet, let alone yours" She responded with a roll of her eyes. "Come on Klaus just tell me…I want to know."

"Well perhaps I didn't want to anger Elijah, he was quite against the whole thing you know."

Hayley knew that was a lie as well but she no longer had the patience for his deflection of his real reasoning.

"Okay, I'll leave you to whatever you were doing then. Good night Klaus….and thank you." She said as she turned to leave his room.

There was something about the way her voice went soft when she said thank you that moved him enough t "I did it because that was the only way I could look you in the eyes in that condition and do it." Hayley stopped in her tracks and listened. She didn't turn back around to face him.

"Hayley you were hurting, I had tried everything and failed. I understood your pain but I couldn't let you stay that way and I couldn't stay with you so it was the only way. I didn't however do it lightly. I felt it would have been wrong to rob you of your feelings and memories even if they hurt you because it's what keeps you alive…so I made you remember, remember the outbursts, the pain, the fighting, the tears…because without it every ounce of fire in you ceases to exist. I've already caused you so much harm Hayley; I couldn't inflict more damage upon you. Also who am I to rob a mother of her own grief, even if it's tearing her apart at the seams."

Hayley stood in silence biting her lip. Her eyes began to water as she processed his words. She was almost amazed by how well he seemed to know her and what she would need and want. She couldn't turn around to face him yet, but she also couldn't manage to move her feet to leave either.

"I hope my actions have not offended you Hayley, that was not my intention, I only sought to end your pain and to give you rest."

Hayley remained silent. She wanted an answer but she wasn't expecting the one she got and she definitely wasn't expecting the wave of emotions that were coming over her. She tucked her hair behind her ears and nervously tapped her thumbs before turning around to face him.

* * *

_**AN: So things are getting a little tense between Klaus,Hayley and Elijah. Also I wonder why Hayley is going to say to Klaus next, she sure is finding herself in his quarters a lot often these days haha. Next chapter should be up shortly since I want it done before I head out the country for vacation for a week. Expect that later tonight hopefully. Also review you guys! I really appreciate every review I get, writing fanfiction is still very new to me so it gives me motivation to keep writing and it also helps me when I can sense that the audience is connecting with my writing. Even if there is something you don't like about the chapter or my writing let me know! I don't get offended easily and I like feedback on what I can do better! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! **_

_**okay bye lol **_


	5. Chapter 5

"That wasn't the first time was it?" She asked nervously when she turned around.

"What do you mean?" He asked, slightly surprised by the question.

"I mean compelling me…you've done it before…"

Klaus looked away from her, a part of him was afraid that when he told her the truth she would really be upset with him, but he knew he still owed her the truth. "Yes I have, a few weeks ago…Hayley It was the only way, I did it to help you."

"I know." She whispered.

"Really?"

"You sound surprised, that I would think you did something like that to help me."

"Well quite honestly I am love. Most people hate the thought of having someone mess with his or her mind in that manner."

Hayley walked a few steps closer to him, pausing before there was no longer a reasonable distance between them.

"You know…. months ago I would have been so angry with you, I would have hated you."

"What changed?" Klaus asked confused.

"You have to care to do something that desperate knowing the person would probably hate you afterwards."

"There may be some truth in that." Was all he could manage to say. There was more she wanted to tell him but as she looked at his striking eyes she clamed up. She and Klaus didn't talk about such things; they preferred to instead leave them in the awkward space between them.

He looked to at her to continue, patiently waiting to see where exactly this conversation was going. She could sense him beckoning her to continue with his eyes. He didn't have to speak for her to understand, he was just as confused as she was. Tears began to form in her eyes as she stood across from him in silence. Hayley felt like the room was closing in on her rapidly and she was getting overwhelmed by the heaviness of it all.

"I'm glad you did it." She finally managed to whisper.

"Klaus I feel so dead inside without her." A single tear finally fell down her cheek. "I feel so empty sometimes and the only time I feel alive is when I feel this pain, you were right."

Klaus looked at her with sorrow filled eyes, sorrow for her and sorrow for him self. Her words were so familiar. "On thing I've learned during my considerable lifetime is that pain Hayley, has an ability to make you wish you were dead while being the only reminder that you're still alive."

"It's cruel you know, especially when you feel like you might get better. It comes back to remind you that you aren't, and like maybe you never will be. I can't even explain where at all came from last night. I was finally starting to feel alive, pain didn't rule me like it did a few weeks ago but then I woke up and there it was, that pull for her, that painful pull that I couldn't fight. She…. She… she just needed me I felt it." She cried.

"I know that's what you kept repeating last night." Klaus responded recalling how Hayley was an incoherent mess for much of the night. It was painful to see her that frazzled and undone.

"Elijah, he thinks I'm just being dramatic and loosing my mind. I heard him, I heard everything he said last night."

"Elijah tends to only be able to see what makes sense to him. I'm sure he'll come around to understanding eventually he usually does for those he cares about." Hayley sensed a bit of bitterness at the end of that statement but she quickly dismissed his curious tone

"You believe me don't you? You believe me when I say that I can feel her."

"You are the only person who knows what you feel Hayley, who am I to judge if that is real or solely in your head. Why does it matter?"

"I need someone to believe me, I need you to believe me because if you don't then maybe…." Her voice trailed off and she returned her eyes to his again.

"Maybe what Hayley?"

"Maybe I really have lost it. Maybe I've finally snapped. You saw me last night, I was a complete mess and I feel like I had no control over myself. I mean we've done everything, and nothing has worked on me. Maybe I've lost my mind. Maybe I've gone insane." She said emotionless. There was certain sureness behind her voice that troubled Klaus. She looked to him for reassurance; he could see her eyes begging him to tell her she wasn't crazy because she herself was truly starting to believe it.

The truth was he wasn't sure if Hayley had lost It or not. Her behavior was erratic and worrisome and sometimes briefly he did think she was insane, especially last night but there had to still be some hope for her, he wouldn't accept that she had lost her mind, he couldn't. So for that reason he needed to believe in her. So he walked closer to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I believe you Hayley. You said you felt her the day she was born. It was because of that feeling that we were able to find her and save her. I believe that you love our daughter so much you can feel her."

"Do you really mean that or are you just saying it because you think that's what I want to hear?"

"When have you known me to cater to what anyone wants to hear love."

"Never"

"Precisely."

Hayley lowered her head. She knew he would believe her, even if no one else would he would. If she'd learned anything from all of this it was that she could truly count on Klaus and it brought her some much needed relief because she barely even believed herself nor did she feel like she could count on herself like she was so used to doing.

Klaus saw her eyes shut and her face wrinkle up as she began to sob. He knew it must have meant a lot for her to hear that she wasn't crazy, she had probably convinced herself of that fact already, so to hear it contradicted by someone else probably made her feel so much better. He knew the feeling all too well. He studied her unsure of how he should comfort her. That's when she suddenly threw her arms about him. She wrapped them around his neck and pulled him into a close embrace. He could feel her chest move up and down against his and her whimpers echoed in his ears. Her hair brushed against the side of his face and he could feel her smooth skin flushed against his cheek. The sudden contact threw him off and he hesitated to return her hug but as her cries rang louder in his ears he felt his arms slowly come up to embrace her in return. He held her close against him as she laid her head on his shoulder and cried. He took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of her hair, as he ran his finger through the back of it. Tears fell from his eyes and wet her hair as he absorbed her pain and let his own out. Despite the fact that technically he was comforting her, he had never felt like he needed someone more than he felt he needed Hayley at that moment.

"Do you think we'll ever be okay without her?" Hayley whispered in his ear.

"No." He whispered softly, which only made her cry harder. "Then what are we supposed to do? How do we survive like this?"

"We don't, it's part of what motivates me to get her back…there's no point in going on without her, so If I don't have her what is there to live for. I have lived a hopeless life before Hope…and you, came storming into it. I can no longer do that."

She pulled herself away from his shoulder but didn't break their hug. She looked up at him with tears still falling from her eyes. "But what if…what if we—"

"Shhhhhh" He whispered cutting her off. "Don't ask me that Hayley, I can't…that question…we can't afford to think about it, not us, so don't ask me that."

She looked into his tear filled eyes and she slowly nodded her head. She understood why he couldn't talk about it even though she wanted to. She saw a person just as fragile as her behind his eyes and the answer to that question would shatter them both, especially him.

Klaus stared back at her, unsure of what to do next but never letting his arms break their embrace, he needed to keep holding her, she was like his support just as much as he was hers and they both needed that. It got eerily quiet as they just stood there. They could hear every insect chirping outside, every car passing along the road, every creak of the centuries old house, and the bustle of the nightlife in the quarter. The sounds were a haunting reminder of the city, the city that prevented them from seeing their child. A city that Klaus really wished he could escape right now so he finally broke the silence.

"Do you want to get out of here…I know a new place we could to go that's quiet and soothing with just enough people there."

"I don't know I'm not really up for leaving plus who knows when Elijah will come back he might-"

"I need to get out of this house, out of this city." He interrupted her. Hayley heard the pleading behind his voice, which was as close to begging as he was going to get. Hayley didn't really need to escape, in fact she preferred to just wallow in her misery in her home tonight, but that was the first time Klaus was the one who asked her to go out with him. It was normally her who needed the release so she knew that for him to ask her and practically beg her that he really needed it. After the way he had comforted her tonight and all those nights before she couldn't say no, she needed to help him as much as he'd helped her. She glanced at him and finally released him from their embrace, and using her now free hands she wiped the wetness from her cheeks. She then looked down and slowly took his hand into hers, which surprised Klaus. He looked at her in confusion but he didn't let her hand go, in fact he held it tighter than she held his. She simply looked at him and gave him as much of a smile as she could muster up. "Let's get out of here".

* * *

Elijah returned home to find that Klaus's car was gone. He figured his brother must have went out for a drive but it ticked him off that Klaus would leave Hayley at home alone, especially after what had happened to her last night. The least he could do was stay in and make sure she didn't try to pull another stunt like that. He brushed his anger at Klaus away and made his way to Hayley's room hoping to possibly talk to her. He knocked but didn't get an answer. He knocked two more times waiting to hear her voice but he only heard silence. He grew concerned so he slowly opened the door. To his surprise the room was empty. The nursery door was also wide open so he could see that she wasn't in there either. He walked out into the hallway and yelled out her name, hoping she had just wandered to another part of the compound. He still didn't get and answer, she was gone and he couldn't think of anywhere she would be since she never left the house. Worried he looked at his cellphone and found her number. As the phone rang he heard her ringtone coming from inside the house only it wasn't in her room, it was coming from farther down the hallway. He walked towards the noise until he finally tracked down where it was coming from. He was in front of Klaus's bedroom door and he could hear the phone ringing loudly on the other side. Klaus wasn't home, so he saw no reason why Hayley would be in there, still he opened the door expecting to find her, but he only found her phone on the floor. The room was completely empty. He called Klaus thinking he may have some answers about Hayley's whereabouts but Klaus didn't pick up. He hung up the phone and slowly bent down to pick up Hayley's phone, silently wondering why it was there in the first place and where she or they could have gone.

* * *

They hadn't been in the car long when Hayley suddenly felt is stop. It was dark and she had no idea where they were, there also didn't even appear to be any people around which defeated the whole purpose of leaving the compound.

"Klaus where are we?" she asked looking out the window trying to figure out her surroundings. "I thought you said that we were going out of the city."

"We are out of the city, come love, let's get going." He said opening the car door and getting out. Hayley got out of the car and took a few steps away from the car trying to get a better look around. Klaus walked over to her side of the car and leaned against the door observing her. She turned around with her arms folded. "Klaus start talking or I'm leaving."

"I doubt you would even know how to get back to our home from here love." He smirked.

"Klaus…"

"Fine, if you must know we are at a lake just outside of the city, here let me show you." He guided her away from the car farther into the darkness. After some steps they reached the eerie body of water. It wasn't a very large lake; it felt more like the swamp that Hayley spent some time in back in New Orleans. "This is Lake Maurepas, a small lake right on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain, it's often neglected in favor of the much larger neighboring lake, which is why I've always had a soft spot for it."

"If it's ignored then there are no people here, which defeats the purpose of us being here." Hayley barked back unimpressed by his choice and slightly annoyed that he dragged her out there in the middle of the night.

"If you had paid attention, I said it's often neglected, not completely abandoned. There are people out here, we just have to look carefully to find them, which is part of the trill in my opinion."

"So we're supposed to go on a hunt for a few scattered strangers like we're beasts, nice Klaus, such a great way to blow off steam."

Hayley's words sort of wounded Klaus, that's exactly what he wanted to do but her tone made it sound despicable, like he was despicable. "Yes Hayley, excuse me for reveling in my nature, or have you forgotten that quickly that I am quite literally a beast, as are you." He said walking away from her. He headed closer to the water and started walking along the shore. Hayley realized what she said and took off after him.

"Klaus wait, I didn't mean it like that. Could you just wait." She yelled tying to catch up to him.

Klaus never turned answered her, nor did he turn around or stop walking.

"Klaus!" Hayley shouted as she sped herself in front of him, which finally made him stop in his tracks. He stood in silence and just glared at her.

"You don't have to remind me you know, I've known since I triggered my curse at 13 that I was a beast, and now…now I'm even more of a beast, I can never forget, just like you can't. I just sometimes wish I wasn't. This isn't easy for me you know, I never wanted this, any of this."

"And you think that I did?" Klaus asked with a hint of anger. "Those beasts killed my youngest brother Hayley, I watched them slaughter him and It ruined my family." His eyes were beginning to water as he recalled the night Henrik died, Klaus had never really forgiven himself for that night, he also hadn't opened up about it to anyone. "Then I turn one night, without even knowing what was happening to me, I turn into one of the same beasts that killed my brother and lead to this miserable eternal existence I live now. I never asked for this either, in fact if I had a choice this is the last thing I would chose to be so don't lecture me on not having a choice Hayley."

Hayley looked at a clearly shaken Klaus with sympathetic eyes. She had never heard the whole story of how Klaus turned. She knew about his brother being killed but she had no idea Klaus had seen it happen. She found herself wanting to give him a hug or at least trying to comfort him but she didn't, unsure of how Klaus would respond to her and whether or not it was appropriate since their relationship wasn't exactly definable and their boundaries certainly weren't clearly drawn. They share moments where they comforted each other, like earlier when they hugged but it still all seemed so foreign to her and probably to him too so she held back choosing instead to just keep talking to him. She was really curious about this story and his feelings since for someone who didn't choose this he sure seemed to embrace it a lot, more that she would expect someone like him to embrace it.

"So how do you do it then?" She suddenly asked.

"How do I do what?"

"How do you embrace it all, I mean It took me a while to embrace being a werewolf, and now…being a hybrid…I use my abilities and I know that a part of me is fine with it but the other part I'm not too sure about, but you, after those horrible things you went through, despite you just saying that you would choose anything else but this, you still seem to embrace everything about it. Why?"

Klaus pondered her question carefully before answering.

Hayley watched him closely as his attitude changed from solemn to nonchalant.

"I think you overestimate how much I enjoy this nature and underestimate my ability to act as thought I do." He said before walking away from her.

Hayley looked on at him in confusion unsure of what that even meant and how it was supposed to help her. She wanted to ask another question but she could tell by the way he was throwing rocks into the lake angrily that he really had no desire to continue talking about such painful things. He just wanted to clear his head of everything, Hope, his brother, being a hybrid, everything and so did she. He wanted to hunt, to spill blood, to taste warm blood on his lips and life drained from another person he wanted to feel like a god instead of a powerless father and a worthless bastard. He needed some control, and so did she. She walked over to where he was along the lake and picked up one of the rocks on the ground. She threw it in the water just like he did, letting the noise of the water as the hard object made contact with it ring in her ears.

"So where do we start we're out here, we might as well do what we came here to do."

"You know you do not have to Hayley, I am perfectly okay with going on my own, you can even return home if you please."

"No, I want to. I could use a little control myself, besides I kinda owe you one after all you've done to help me with this insanity."

Klaus threw his last rock into the lake and smirked at Hayley. "Well then…let's begin shall we." He said before speeding away. Hayley sped off right behind him.

They quickly sped through the thick foggy woods surrounding the lake. Klaus always made sure he was a step ahead of Hayley, which infuriated her and motivated her all at the same time. She was hell bent on keeping up and he was hell bent on making sure she couldn't. They were like two children playing a game with each other. Occasionally when Klaus would suddenly make a move Hayley would smile or laugh at his childishness before following behind him. It felt good to actually laugh and smile and to just be free, roaming through nature carefree and relaxed. It was exhilarating for her and much needed after all she had been through prior.

Klaus would always give her a devilish smirk whenever she managed to catch up to him, he enjoyed the control he had over her, he liked keeping her guessing and on her toes and he enjoyed leading someone, even if it was just for a short while. She followed him, wherever he went and it felt good especially since she wasn't obligated to do so, truthfully she could quit whenever she felt like it but no matter where he took her or how quickly he moved or how frustrated with his childish game she grew she never quit, she followed him anywhere he went because she wanted to. He wasn't used to being indulged that way but it felt good and he would savor it for however long it lasted.

He spotted a dim light across the lake. Just has he suspected there was a camper out seeking refuge in a small cabin near the lake. Without saying a word he sped off in its direction. Hayley, who had just caught up to him sighed and sped off as well.

"You know, eventually I'm gonna get bored so you might want to—"

Before she could finish he gabbed her by the arm and pulled her close to him. "Shhhhh" he whispered in her ear. He was so close to her face she could feel his breath against her sweaty skin. The proximity made her feel nervous and almost flustered. She remained quiet but stared deep into his eyes waiting for him to tell her what was going on.

"Look…over there." He said pointing towards the small cabin. There was a man outside with a lantern; he appeared to be looking for something or some one.

"It's unfortunate he decided to be out here at this time of night." Hayley said turning her attention back to Klaus and smirking at him.

"Yes it is quite unfortunate that he happens to be out when two blood thirsty beasts are roaming these parts." He said faking concern and giving her a smirk of his own.

"I have an idea…but you're gonna have to follow my lead Mr. I like to be in control."

Klaus laughed, his first genuine laugh since the last time Hayley made him chuckle. These days she was the only person capable of making him feel anything other than his intense sadness and anger. "I am capable, as you well know, of giving up that control when it suits my needs."

Hayley rolled her eyes and nervously shifted her weight away from him. "Well, what's it gonna be?" She asked with her eyebrows raised awaiting his answer.

"After you sweetheart" He said motioning his arms towards the cabin before they both sped away.

* * *

_**AN: so first things first, sorry for promising a chapter soon after my last update and not giving it to you guys. I just got swamped, plus I had to rework a couple things with this story. I really am sorry about that and the wait and I appreciate every one of you sticking with this story that I'm really excited about writing. Good news is I've pretty much mapped out the next 20 chapters completely so the updates should be much more often than these last two, I'll try my hardest to get those out in a timely fashion. **_

_**Now about this story, I'm really excited about getting really into the thick of things, I think you guys will enjoy it. It's still really early so there are some things that need to be established and some moments that need to be shared before I get into some of the things I have planned. The klayley romance will be a really slow burn, there has been some development with their relationship but nothing too big...yet. I have them on a similar path I think they could take on the show, with a few detours planned of course :) Not too much happened this chapter but Elijah Knows that Klaus and Hayley are out together somewhere, doing who knows what, so I think it's safe to assume that their little late night shenanigans won't stay secret for much longer and once that cat is out of the bag some drama will ensue ;). Hope you guys liked this chapter. Leave a review, even if it's to tell me how i'm a horrible person for not updating my fanfics in a timely faction haha. Oh and don't forget you can always message me with questions or to chat on here or on tumblr, my blog is hopepeacelovejoymikaelson. **_


	6. Chapter 6

When Hayley finally got close to the camper he was busy getting something out of his car. She watched him carefully and waited for the right time to make her approach. Klaus was ducked off unseen farther away from them waiting on her cue. When the camper closed his car door and turned around he gasped and instinctively jumped back when he saw her just standing there.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." She said sweetly with a fake innocent smile. When he realized she was just some pretty brunette who probably meant him no harm he relaxed a little.

"No worries darling, you just came out of nowhere, I didn't even hear you walk up."

Hayley smirked and took a few steps forward getting closer to the man. "I was hoping you could help me with something, I'm out here all alone and my car broke down."

"Well sure I can help with that just take me to the car."

Hayley gave him a sweet smile and batted her eyelashes at him. "Thank you so much for your help, follow me it's right past this thick patch of trees," she said pointing in the direction of the trees where Klaus was waiting for her.

Klaus saw her point towards him and smile, indicating that it was almost his turn to join in on her scheme. His lips curled into a mischievous smile as he watched her flirt with the unsuspecting guy while she led him to his impending death. The guy was so distracted by Hayley that he didn't notice that Hayley was leading him into the middle of nowhere and to an area that you couldn't even get cars to. "That poor fellow" Klaus whispered to himself with a laugh as he waited in the wings. He watched her effortlessly charm him and enamor him. He watched her stay completely focused on her task and not even blink twice about how wrong what she was doing was. He watched her brush her fingers through her long hair and toy with the ends while she crinkled her nose and curled her lips up in a flirtatious laugh. He observed her play coy and bite her bottom lip as the guy showered her with compliments for being such a pretty lady.

He had known she was manipulative he also knew the allure of her charms, but he had never truly seen her in this form, he had never seen her be so effortlessly and subtly intoxicating to get what she wanted. For a second it made him question if that quality would one day bite him in the ass or if it already had unknowingly, but those thoughts soon faded as he kept watching her. For some reason watching her made him remember how she so expertly seduced him that night in mystic falls. He had no idea what really happened that night until the next morning when she suddenly came to his mind while he lay in bed, causing him to replay their heated night in his head. It was then he realized what she had done to him and he scoffed at how easy it was and how unsuspecting he was. His pride made him curse her as a meaningless seductress that he luckily would never come in contact with again, but deep down as he thought about it a certain part of him longed to give up that control to her again, and again, and again.

"I do pity the fool.," he whispered to himself as he unknowingly got just as entranced with Hayley as their victim was. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize that Hayley was almost to him. She walked towards him a little slower than she was before as she saw his eyes strangely fixed on her. She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side as she watched him stare at her seemingly unaware that she was looking right back at him. It wasn't until Klaus unconsciously shifted his position that he saw her curious eyes locked on his. He quickly blinked and gave himself a slight shake to snap out of it once he realized what he had been doing. Hayley saw his sudden movement and decided she would put it off on him being lost in thought about something important to him.

"How much farther do we have to go, we've been walking for a long time now" the man finally spoke up.

"Oh not much farther it's just up here beyond these trees."

"How on earth did you manage to get a car stuck all the way out here?" He asked as he looked at the dark patch of trees curiously.

"You'd be surprised at some of the seemingly impossible things I can do." She smirked. "I had a little help too," she said as they took more steps into the darkness.

"Help? I thought you said you were all alone?" He asked now really suspicious of Hayley.

"Nonsense, she has me." Klaus let out menacingly as he suddenly appeared behind the man. He stood with his arms crossed in front if his body and his death filled eyes locked on the man. The guy turned around quickly when he heard the strange accent of a man behind him. "Who the hell are you? What's going on here?" He barked with a hint of fear behind his voice.

Hayley stood back in silence, as Klaus got closer to the man. She could hear his heart racing and his breathing change as fear washed over him and it thrilled her. Being able to tune her advanced hearing was something Klaus taught her one night while they were out. He told her that the sounds of fear came from more than just the voice, that you could literally hear it in the way the heart started to beat and the way the lungs took in and released air. You could hear the very moment that fear strikes and he said that being that in tune with your prey makes the kill all the more satisfying and he was right.

"Who I am is of no importance to you sir." Klaus began. "All you need to worry about it what I am."

"I don't know what you two have going on but I want no part of it, I'm out of here." He said as he started to run away.

Hayley quickly cut him off with her vamp speed. "You see," she said coldly as she approached him. "I just can't let you do that."

"What the hell kinda monsters are ya'll", the man shouted.

"The worse kind." Klaus said from behind as he suddenly extended his fangs and bit into the man's neck causing the guy to immediately let out a yell that no one heard.

"I think I've heard enough of you," Hayley said as she finally extended her fangs and bit into the other side of the man's neck. His yells immediately went silent and the life began to drain from his body.

Hayley was the first to finish up. She took one more really long suck from his wrist and then nonchalantly tossed his arms away from her. Klaus on the other hand kept drinking from his neck for a little while longer. Hayley sat on the ground and observed him finishing is work, scoffing at how greedy he was being. He could be so vicious and unrelenting sometimes when he fed she had noticed. She could always tell his mood depending on how he fed while they were out. Sometimes he was delicate and slow, carefully choosing where he wanted to bite and not feeding the entire time. Other times he was almost too aggressive. He would bite in and latch on for dear life not caring about how fast he was going or how much damage to the body he was doing. Sometimes he even acted like he didn't want to stop. She knew when he was in that kind of mood something was bothering him more that usual, something was eating away at him that he was trying to cope with. It appeared to her that this was one of those nights as she watched him continue to feed on that poor innocent man. By the time he was done Klaus had bit into his neck so much he was nearly decapitated.

Klaus tossed the dead body to the ground and wiped away the blood that was tricking from the corners of his mouth. He stared down at Hayley who was looking up at him with a puzzled and angry expression on her face.

"Problem love?" He asked. "You don't look like you enjoyed yourself, don't tell me you're growing a conscious." He said teasingly.

"You were supposed to follow my lead this time what was that?" She said as she got up from her seated position.

"I did follow your lead, you played your part quite well actually I was impressed little wolf."

Hayley stiffened at the sound of the familiar nickname rolling off the tip of his tongue.

"No you didn't. I was supposed to get the first bite, we agreed you would do whatever I said yet you still did what you wanted to do." She barked out. "And don't call me that," she said firmly.

"Okay so I got a little overzealous, that happens sometimes, nothing to get bent out of shape about love, next time you can go solo for all I care" he replied with a slightly angry undertone as he started to walk away from her.

That caused Hayley to roll her eyes. She sped to him and cut his path off causing him to take a few steps back. "You and I both know solo wouldn't be as fun, if it was you would have never dragged be out here like this."

"You think I need you Hayley?" Klaus laughed. "Let me make something clear, I simply indulge you for your sake, not for my own. I haven't needed anyone in centuries and I still don't."

"So you don't need anyone? Anyone at all?"

"Not you, not anyone" He said as he brushed his shoulder against hers and walked away from her again.

"Not even our daughter?"

Klaus suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and he immediately tensed up. Hayley could see his hands ball up into fist at his side and she could see him shifting his weight around on the balls of his feat. She could also hear the sound of his teeth clattering as he firmly clenched his jaw. It was a few seconds before he turned around to finally face her again and when he did Hayley could see the anger at her words and the hurt at their implications behind his eyes. Oddly enough however she didn't regret saying it.

"How dare you" was all he managed to whisper.

"You said you haven't needed anything in centuries right, that must apply to our daughter as well right, go head tell me you never needed her Klaus, tell me you still don't need her, say it." Her tone was very accusatory although she was only goading him into talking about what was bothering him.

"You know good and well that is not true, and the fact that you would accuse me of such a thing after everything I have-"

"After what," she said cutting him off.

"I will not stand here and listen to anymore of this, I'm leaving and you can find your own way home." He said angrily as he started to walk away.

Hayley sped past him and cut him off again much to his dismay. "No, you're not leaving" she said firmly.

He was so confused and angry at her behavior and he wasn't sure how much more he could take.

"I know you need her Klaus, you need her just as much as I do. I want to say it out loud. It's eating away at you isn't."

"I have heard enough of this!" He shouted at her but it did not deter Hayley in the least.

"That's why we're out here isn't it" she said as she started taking a few steps closer to him. She was almost right in his face. "That's why you were so zealous with that guy, it's why you were so unrelenting as you fed. Just admit it."

"OF COURSE I NEED HER!" he yelled at her. He was so close to Hayley, their bodies were mere centimeters apart. "Are you happy now, are you pleased with yourself now." He abruptly walked away from her only to stop himself and turn back around.

"She was everything to me!" He began as tears welled up in his eyes. Hayley watched and listened to him in silence. "You have no idea what it's like to go for centuries without anyone, anything worth living for only to find it when you least expect it then have it taken from you before you can even enjoy it. "

"I do know how that feels Klaus, I-"

"No you don't!" He yelled cutting her off. "That is why I have never allowed myself to need anything all this time. When you need someone, when you are that invested you are incredibly vulnerable. You are weak, love is weakness, caring is weakness, family is weakness, and people around you can exploit that weakness and hurt you in ways unimaginable. For centuries I sought to prevent that, for centuries I was successful until you came storming into my life with this child that I did not ask for and I let myself care against all my better judgment and look what happened. The person I cared about most is gone and you and I are completely and utterly destroyed because of it. I knew better and yet I did nothing but allow myself to turn into a hopeful fool and the people I care about most were hurt because of it."

"I know you don't regret her Klaus so just stop that nonsense right now. It's okay to need her you know." She said tenderly.

"And if I do regret her? Then what? Does that make you think less of me?" He asked.

Hayley didn't respond. She wasn't quite sure how to exactly.

"Go on Hayley, tell me." He said as he approached her. He knew it would push her buttons and after how she had pushed his he was not going to care about hurting her feelings at the moment. "If I told you that I regretted her how would that make you feel? What If I said that I regretted even sleeping with you in the first place then what, because I do sometimes," he said coldly to her.

Hayley stood speechless staring at him. Klaus could hear her heavy breathing and he could tell that she was getting angry but it's want he wanted, he needed her to feel hurt the way he felt. He invaded her space even more and finally told her what he knew would drive her over the edge.

"I regret the day I even met you Hayley Marshall." His tone was so harsh that no matter how many times Hayley told herself that he was just acting out and deflecting she couldn't stop herself from getting angry at him. Before she knew it tears were welling up in her eyes and her hand was colliding with the side of his face forcefully.

Klaus absorbed her slap effortlessly and when he smirked at her she slapped him again. After the second slap he grabbed her arm to prevent her from doing it again. Doing so brought her a little closer to him than she was before. Their faces and their bodies were only inches apart and their forearms were touching. They were so close they could almost feel each other's heavy breathing as their frustration with each other spilled out. Hayley looked at Klaus and started to say something but she couldn't manage to get it out and instead of words forming tears did, tears she didn't want him to see so she jerked her arm away from him and walked away.

Klaus saw the expression on her face just before she walked away. It finally hit him that he was being cruel and dishonest to her for no other reason besides not wanting to hurt alone. It was selfish he thought to himself, but he was so used to being that way he didn't know any other way to deflect. He looked at her brown waves getting farther and farther away from him, disappearing into the darkness and suddenly desperation hit him. Watching her walk away felt like she was leaving him for good. The visual of her figure fading into the darkness made it feel so permanent even thought he knew it was probably only temporary. It made him realize how much he didn't want her to walk away from him. He needed her to stay; he couldn't take another person falling just out of his reach.

Before he lost complete sight of her he finally found the nerve to try to stop her. He sped in her direction and finally caught up to her. He grabbed her by both of the back of her arms halting her footsteps.

"Wait," he whispered into her ear causing Hayley to shiver. She turned her head around slightly and stared as his fingers wrapped around her upper arms.

"Let me go Klaus" she ordered him, although there wasn't much authority or fight behind her voice.

"Hayley I…I didn't mean-"

"No!" She said cutting him off and pulling her body away from his. She turned around and finally faced him. "You don't get to do that. You don't get to preach to me about anger and sadness and how you can't let it consume you then turn around and do that same thing. You don't get to make me feel like we can get through this together then turn around and push me away when you don't want to deal with how you're feeling. That's not fair you know it!" she said angrily.

"Things are not as uncomplicated for me as they are for you Hayley, what else am I supposed to do? Am I to break down and cry all the time like a wounded child? Am I supposed to let you coddle me through my grief every day as if you don't have grief of your own? Yes I need her, yes she is the greatest achievement in my considerable lifetime and not a single minute goes by that I regret creating her. What then?"

"It's funny you say that because that's all I see right now, a wounded child who can't fathom the idea of actually showing the least bit of weakness."

"Is that really what you see when you see me?" He asked solemnly.

"Yes, but I don't care and it's okay, that's what you don't understand. I don't know what comes after that part I haven't even figured it out for myself, you know I don't have the answers and it sucks but the point is at least we both don't know. You don't always have to be so strong you know, I can handle it, you've been there for me why can't you just let me be there for you in return?"

She wasn't quite sure where her brazen attitude towards his unwillingness to open up to her came from but she wasn't backing down. She didn't comfort Klaus much in this way but something in her couldn't find the urge to do it, despite how much he was fighting against her.

He looked away from her and didn't answer her. For some reason his obvious avoidance of something that was clearly affecting him made Hayley want to try even harder to crack him so she finally decided to go out on a whim and cross one of the boundaries she had set between them. She walked closer to him and gently cupped his left cheek with her palm, lightly rubbing her thumb against the stubble along his jawline "Klaus…look at me."

The smoothness of her palm and the tenderness of her voice was so comforting that he couldn't keep fighting against her attempts to get him to open up. He slowly lifted his head up and met her eyes with his.

"Just let it out…you miss her, you need her. It makes you feel sick and angry that you had to give her away and all you want is to hold her and look into her eyes and tell her how much you love her…but you can't and it eats away at you and knowing that neither can't do any of that either eats away at you too. Just let it out it's okay"

Just then a single tear fell from his left eye wetting her palm. Hayley gently brushed the moisture away from his cheek with her thumb. He blinked away his other tears and solemnly turned away from her, choosing to retreat to the ground. He focused his attention on a light reflecting on the nearby water that he could see through the trees. Hayley quietly took a seat next to him and stared out into the clearing as well.

"The sounds she made when she was born, you know the one I'm talking about, the soul piercing fragile wails that she let out just as you took her into your arms… I can still hear it. Sometimes I awake in a frenzy and it's because I had been dreaming about that moment, the moment that should have been our happiest moment. It haunts me."

"I think despite what happened shortly after that still is my happiest moment Klaus. When I looked at her face, it was unlike anything I had ever experienced, it was magical. That's why I had to look up at you…. she really was ours, part you and part me, and she was perfect, she was absolutely perfect." Hayley said sniffing away tears.

"That she was." He blankly replied.

"She'll probably look nothing like that when we finally see her again." Hayley said with sadness. It was breaking her heart all over again that she's only had three brief moments with her daughter.

"You may be right, but she looked just like her mother so regardless she will still be perfect and beautiful." He absentmindedly replied.

At that Hayley smiled and lowered her upper body onto the ground. She curled up and stared up at the stars as that moment replayed over and over in her head.

"You know we can leave now if you want to. I think our work here is done." Klaus told her as he looked down at her and observed the stars reflecting in her eyes.

"Can we stay a little longer? It's peaceful here."

"Sure, we can stay however long you like love." He replied.

"Thank you." Hayley responded.

Klaus sat up and tried to block out his daughter's wails ringing in his ears with the sounds of the insects chirping and the wind whipping against the trees. After a while the sounds had completely drowned the wails out, giving him some much-needed solace. Hayley had drifted off to sleep by that time. Klaus noticed hues of pink and orange start to paint the once dark sky, indicating that sunrise was fast approaching. He figured they should head back now before Elijah noticed they were gone so he carefully picked Hayley up and carried her to the car. He laid her down in the backseat of the car so she could keep sleeping then got in and made the short drive back to their home. Hayley still had not wakened so he retrieved her sleeping body from the back seat and slowly carried her into the house.

* * *

Elijah was sitting in the study when he heard a car pull up to the compound. He had been up all night waiting for Hayley to return home but she never did and the longer that Klaus stayed gone the more he was sure they were somewhere together. He sat ducked off in the back out of the line of sight of the door so Klaus didn't see him when he opened the door and looked around to see if anyone was awake or watching. Elijah however could see all of his movements. He had Hayley in his arms. Her head was laid against his shoulder and her arm was draped around his neck. The visual confirmed just what he suspected, Klaus and Hayley had stayed out all night with each other and his mind went over the millions of things they could have been doing. Given their history half of those things made him extremely uncomfortable and the other made him seriously concerned for his brother and Hayley.

He couldn't see Klaus open Hayley's door but he heard it as it opened. He assumed Klaus was putting her in bed and would be out shortly, but it was a few minutes, too many minutes actually, before he saw Klaus's shadow retreat down the hall to his own quarters. For some reason that made his mind jump to the last time he saw Klaus trying to secretly retreat from Hayley's room, to that morning he ran into him sneaking out when he was going to talk to her. He now wondered if what he believed happened that morning was truly what happened and he wondered how many other moments like that one and the one he saw tonight had taken place without his knowledge. He didn't know what was going on between them and he talked him self out of thinking the worse but the sinking feeling he felt in his chest indicated that whatever it was, he was not going to be happy about it.

* * *

_**AN: okay so I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I felt like most of the story thus far had focused a lot on Klaus helping Hayley so I thought this was a good time to show the reverse of that. That's just my take on how Klaus would possibly handle Hayley trying to get him to open up, you'll see a bit more of that a we get farther into the story as well. I can't wait to see how the show handles that. As you can also see things are starting to get a little bit more intense between Klaus and Hayley and Elijah now knows for sure that Klaus and Hayley have been spending late nights together. Sounds like a recipe for some good stuff if you ask me ;) anyways as usual REVIEW!**_


	7. Chapter 7

It was almost mid afternoon by the time anyone in the Mikaelson household saw each other again. Hayley slept in peacefully the entire morning; meanwhile Klaus did his usual brooding in his quarters, attempting to paint, something he had struggled with for the last few weeks. To his surprise his artistic juices were flowing again and he was actually able to make some real progress on a piece for the first time in months. Elijah on the other hand had been up and about all morning, waiting for his brother or Hayley to finally make an appearance after their night out together. He barely slept, not that he really needed it, but his mind raced with thoughts of that Klaus and Hayley could have been doing and why they were doing it in secret. He knew his brother too well to not have ideas, and the thought of Hayley being out with Klaus doing some of those things caused an unsettling emotion to wash over him. He already had serious concerns about her current emotional state since Hope's departure, adding Klaus's possible influence on that made those concerns amplify ten fold.

He had waited all morning to see Klaus and question him about his strange absence, but Klaus never showed his face in any part of the compound, which prompted Elijah to finally go and seek him out, of course he already knew where he was going to find him.

Elijah stood propped against the doorframe observing Klaus in action. He knew Klaus could sense his presence there yet Klaus said nothing. He was completely focused on his painting, which caused Elijah to raise an eyebrow since it wasn't lost on him that Klaus had been struggling with his art for months. Something got him focused again and Elijah couldn't help wondering if Hayley somehow played a part in it.

A few more moments of silence passed before Elijah decided to speak up. "Niklaus I see you've found your artistic touch again."

"It appears I have, I would appreciate it greatly if you didn't interrupt it." He replied, not even bothering to stop what he was doing or turn briefly to look at Elijah.

"I see you have not found your manners however brother." Elijah replied sarcastically. He finally stopped leaning on the doorframe and walked closer to Klaus, circling him while curiously observing his work. Klaus didn't appreciate Elijah's complete disregard for his desire to be left alone, but he didn't snap at him, choosing instead to ignore his presence and continue painting.

Elijah finally stopped and settled against the desk near where Klaus was painting. "There was an urgent matter that required your attention last evening Niklaus, only you were nowhere to be found."

"Perhaps there was another important matter I had to attend to. I leave all the time what is so strange about it this time." Klaus casually responded.

"I'm surprised you would just take off like that, especially given Hayley's most recent slip into whatever madness is consuming her."

"Either tell me what was so important that you have to annoy me with your presence right now or get out." Klaus coldly replied

"Hayley disappeared last night. Forgive me for thinking the mother of your child's absence would require your attention."

Klaus halted his movement and looked at Elijah out of the corner of his eye. Elijah could see his shoulders stiffen and body weight shift around. Up until that point he had no reason to believe that Elijah could have possibly noticed his and Hayley's absence, but then he realized that they did stay out longer than expected. They usually left when he was tucked away in his quarters and returned after only a few hours, this time they stayed gone until almost sunrise. He quickly thought of a cover and tried hard to maintain his normal composure as to not give away that he was hiding something.

"I'm actually surprised you would require my attention for that, aren't you the one who usually takes great pleasure in saving the poor distressed little wolf. I doubt my presence was truly needed." He said as he returned his attention back to his painting.

"Thank you for reminding me of all the times I've had to come to her aid because you were absent Niklaus. What was that you told me? Hayley is the mother of your child no mines? You would do best to remember that next time you want to disappear all night without so much as a word."

Klaus's jaw clenched and he gripped his paintbrush tighter as Elijah's condescending words registered in his ears. He eyed Elijah angrily as he leaned over to dip his brush in more paint. "I think the only person here that little inconvenient truth is lost on is you Elijah." He said as he made harsh brush strokes on his canvas. "You conveniently forget it when it doesn't suit your needs yet you come here and accost me with that fact whenever it does. Make up your mind already 'lijah, your pathetic posturing is starting to bore me."

"And your pretend aloofness has bored me for centuries brother."

" Yet here you are…" Klaus replied smugly.

"Do you have any idea where she could have gone last night?" Elijah questioned.

"Perhaps you should be asking Hayley herself that question Elijah."

His reply wasn't an outright denial but Elijah knew it was as close to him denying he was with Hayley he was going to get. The fact that Klaus wouldn't answer but wouldn't lie said enough. "Perhaps I should" was all he could muster up in response. He stood up and started to leave, but before he left out of the room he turned to watch Klaus at work for one last time. He watched his brother get considerably more relaxed than he was a few minutes ago, then he simply left.

Hayley squirmed and stretch as she felt the heat of the sun on her face. Her already tangled hair got even more tangled as she rubbed her head back and forth against her pillows. As she felt the smooth fabric of her pillows up against her face she started to finally pull herself out of her peaceful sleep. When she finally opened her eyes and realized she was draped in her own sheets and lying in her own bed she stilled. She couldn't remember even getting home let alone getting into bed and falling asleep. Pulling herself up she leaned against her headboard and blocked the sun from her face. She thought back to what she had been doing last night and that's when she realized how she must have gotten in her bed…. Klaus. She was with Klaus last night. Gradually the events from the night before started flooding her mind. She recalled being out with Klaus the night before, how they had argued, how he had told her that he regretted the day he met her, how she had slapped him not once but twice before comforting him and getting him to finally open up more about his grief. Then she remembered sitting on the ground and staring at the moon reflecting in the nearby lake as they talked about what it was like to hear their daughter cry for the first time right after she was born. The last thing she remembered was Klaus telling her that their daughter looked just like her so regardless of how she looked when they finally saw her again she would still be perfect and beautiful. A soft smile crept up on her face at the memory of him calling her beautiful. It actually surprised her that she was getting flustered thinking about it. As she tried her hardest to get rid of the strange smile on her face she bowed her head and tucked her messy hair behind her ears. That's when she noticed that she was still in the same clothes she felt asleep in. She must have fallen asleep shortly after Klaus's compliment and he must have carried her into the house and put her into her bed. She was thankful that he left her clothed despite how dirty she was, for some reason it made her uncomfortable thinking about him undressing her, which is another sentiment that surprised her considering he's seen every mole and every crease on her smooth flesh.

She was feeling surprisingly refreshed. She had no idea how long she slept but however long it was it did her good. She felt like she actually wanted to do more than lie in bed and cry about her daughter all day, which was a far cry from how she felt just a few nights ago. When the reflected light pulled her attention to the mobile still hanging above the crib her daughter wasn't occupying her heart ached. She sat and stared at it for a little while, thinking about how that mobile was her favorite part of the nursery. Ever since the night Klaus showed it to her she had looked forward to Hope's smile as she looked up at if from inside her crib. She was missing out on that moment and it saddened her, but unlike a few months ago today it wasn't a debilitating sadness. She felt motivated to pull herself together today or to at least give it a good try and that's exactly what she was going to do.

She pulled herself out of bed and made her way to the bathroom where she started running a nice warm shower for herself. She quickly discarded her dirty clothes and got in once the temperature was just right. She stood under the stream and let the hot water trickle down her skin while she inhaled the steam. Her shoulders were tense so she let the water linger there for a while. It was so relaxing and she didn't even want to move, she could have stayed there for hours. She closed her eyes and let whatever images were on her mind come to surface. Of course images of her daughter came to mind first. Her brown hair and her slightly chubby cheeks flashed in her head, which caused a smile to come across Hayley's face. That same smile quickly faded as hope's small little fingers peaking out from the top of her blanket during one of the few times she actually got to hold her came to mind. She wished so badly she could touch those little fingers again, to have them wrapped around her index finger or lightly brushed against her lips. Before she knew it she had her face buried in her wet palms and tears were mixing in with the water droplets on her cheeks. She wasn't sobbing as hard as she usually sobbed but she was crying, she was still grieving. No matter how relaxed or refreshed she felt she would always be missing something, she would always be missing Hope. Her pain was inescapable and there was no forgetting that.

Instead of wiping the tears from her eyes she turned towards the showerhead and let the falling water wash them away. She stayed like that for a few minutes letting her moment of grief come and go. When she felt like she had gotten it all out, at least for right now she was sure this wouldn't be her last time in tears today, she finished up her shower and got out.

Hayley made her way to her room and dressed herself, deciding to actually put on decent clothes today for a change. As she rummaged through her clothes for something to wear she came across a few items that she wore while she was pregnant. She thought she had gotten rid of them all in one of her fits of rage one night but she must have forgotten some. She felt that sting again, the sting of not being able to see the child she carried for 8 months. She felt herself sinking to the ground and she just let herself go. She sat on the floor with the shirt clutched in her hand and lowered her head, rubbing her forehead with her free hand. She felt like she wanted to cry again and she was on the verge of doing it, the tears were right at the rim of her eyes lids…then she heard Klaus's voice in her head. His attempts to soothe her aching heart came back to her and it gave her enough to pull herself together temporarily before she fell apart again. Before now she had never realized how comforting just talking to him had truly had been for her these past weeks. Just the sound of his voice was soothing to her sometimes and it was almost unsettling that he could really affect her in that way.

Lost in thought about Klaus she forgot about her sadness. She tossed the shirt aside and slowly pulled herself up off the ground. Her search for something to wear continued without a lot of luck. Honestly she needed new clothes but she wasn't up for shopping, she felt like it was too much of a happy activity. She also feared passing baby clothes or things for children and having a breakdown in public so shopping was out of the question for her; she would just have to make do with what she had from before she got pregnant. She finally found something suitable and managed to get it on. She decided to leave her hair just as it was but she tousled it a bit so it looked like it was messy on purpose. While she ran her fingers through her hair she thought about what she could possibly do with herself for the rest of the day. She may have been attempting to pull it together today but she still wasn't ready for being out on the town, she still preferred to stay locked away at her home. She sat on her bed and looked around her room, searching for something, anything to occupy her thoughts and her time, yet she found nothing. She was starting to get discouraged when she heard a knock on her door. "What could Klaus want?" she asked herself as she got up to get the door.

"Klaus what do you…" She said as she swung the door open. "Oh."

That was all she could say, oh, because her visitor wasn't Klaus, it was Elijah. It should have come as no surprise it was Elijah, he had a permanent residence just outside her door and yet Elijah's name and face didn't come to mind at all when she heard that knock.

"I hope I'm not interrupting you Hayley." Elijah said seemingly unfazed by her mistaking him for Klaus.

"No it's just. Never mind..."

"May I come in?"

"Sure." Hayley took a step aside and opened the door wider so that Elijah could enter. He walked in and stopped in the middle of the room. She could tell by the apprehensive smile on his face that he was there to see her but something else was on his mind, something she was sure she wouldn't want to talk about.

"You appear to be doing well today Hayley."

"If by well you mean I'm not having psychotic meltdowns because I miss my daughter then sure, I guess I am doing well today." She said casually. Elijah studied her carefully trying to gauge her mood.

"Have you had anymore since? I take it you know Klaus compelled you…I tried to stop him but Niklaus is-"

"Yeah I know all about that." She said cutting him off. "He had to do what he had to do." Hayley crossed her arms and took a seat on her bed. Talking about Klaus with Elijah was making her feel very uneasy.

"I happen to think it wasn't necessary, Hayley you can find other ways to deal with your grief, you don't have to resort to messing with your mind."

"What If I do?" She asked defiantly. "You saw me that night, you've seen me here all those nights. Nothing can help me but getting my daughter back and making the people that tried to hurt her pay, until that happens then what other option do I have when I'm that inconsolable."

"I have seen you and I've been here, I've kept my promise to you to always be here, I've been trying to help yet you can only manage to meet me with indifference. I worry about you Hayley." He slowly walked closer to her, at first keeping his hands tucked away in his pockets. Hayley watched him approach her, she could see the worry in his eyes and she appreciated it. Elijah was one of the first people to come into her life and make her feel like she mattered. He was there for her even when Klaus wasn't and that's something she would never forget. Having someone worry about her, and care about her was a welcome change for her and she appreciated it, she really did which is why she gave him a shy smile at his words. It wasn't a lot but it was all that she had to offer to him despite that other look behind his eyes, the glimmering one filled with longing and desire, the one she couldn't respond to the way she wanted to.

Elijah took her smile as encouraging so he finally got the nerve to make the physical contact with her that he so longed for. He pulled his right hand out of his pocket and gently brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. Hayley didn't shy away from his touch, which was a welcomed change for him. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to see you that way Hayley, I felt helpless." He said as he cupped her cheek and pulled her face up towards him. The intimate contact made Hayley feel uneasy, nervous, and almost afraid. The gentleness of his touch and the affection behind his voice, it should have been so comforting for her, she wished it were comforting for her, at least in the way that it used to be. Before he could lean into her even more she grabbed his wrist to stop his motion.

"You worry too much Elijah, I lost my child and my identity, you expect too much of me, I'm not as strong as you want me to be." She solemnly said.

"I don't want you to be strong I want you to let me in Hayley, I want you to stop shutting me out, to talk to me." He replied, gently moving his fingers against her soft cheek. She looked up into his eyes, but she didn't see his brown iris's, she saw icy blue ones, the ones she had looked into tenderly last night as she showed the same kind of affection and said similar words to him to comfort him. The true weight of their moment finally hit her leaving her confused. Elijah could see the confusion in Hayley's eyes and he wondered what its origins were. He didn't get a chance to ask since Hayley quickly broke their physical contact. His closeness was too overwhelming and confusing for her so she gently brushed his hand away and stood up. She stepped aside and crossed her arms in front of her chest putting more space between them.

"Maybe one day I will be able to do that Elijah, I don't know, but right now I just need…I need space. I need you to stop pushing me."

"If it is space that you need Hayley then that is what I will give you, but I will not stop worrying about you especially when you disappear for hours without saying a word to anyone."

Hayley gasped internally. She instantly wondered how he knew and how much he knew. "How long had Klaus and I stayed out?" She wondered.

"I don't know what you're talking about Elijah."

"Hayley you were gone until morning. Is there a reason you feel as if you can not tell me about your whereabouts?"

"I didn't know I had to check with you for everything I did Elijah." Hayley responded with a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"I was worried, I thought I had lost you. I feared something had happened or that you had taken off never to return, do you not understand that? Does it mean nothing to you?"

"I'm a hybrid now Elijah, I'm not that pregnant helpless werewolf anymore. There is no threat out there that I'm not capable of handling myself." Hayley said straightening her posture and putting her hands on her hips. "You shouldn't worry about me, you should worry about the people who have caused me this pain."

Elijah looked at her in confusion. He couldn't understand where the abrasiveness in her demeanor and the coldness behind her words came from. He peered his eyes at her trying to somehow rationalize how the woman he had fallen for could be so unrecognizable to him. "Do you hear yourself Hayley? You sound just like Niklaus."

Hayley looked at him emotionless at his accusation.

"What exactly have you two been doing? I know it is no coincidence that my brother was also absent from our home last night. I have fought for centuries to save Niklaus from himself, to help him return to the brother that I once knew, I worry about this path you are going down Hayley, the one he is leading you on, there is no comfort in that darkness, just ask Niklaus."

"We know that! You think we asked for this? " She yelled without thinking.

_We, she said we_ Elijah thought to himself. _We know that._

"I fear loosing you as I lost him all those centuries ago. Whatever you have been doing with him, whatever he's been teaching you and telling you, Hayley you can't feed into it. Don't become just like him, you will never find yourself again."

Hayley felt the strange urge to defend Klaus, maybe even more than she wanted to defend herself. No one has been of more comfort to her than he has and Elijah's dismissal of him and his harsh tone when speaking about him and his darkness bothered her. She took it strangely personal; it felt like he was dismissing her.

"Klaus may have his faults, but he loves our daughter as much as I do, he feels the same longing for her that I do and the loss we share…you couldn't understand it so don't pretend you know anything about us. How we choose to deal with that is between us." She said as she brushed past him.

"Now if you don't mind I'm done talking about this." She said harshly.

_We, us_ that's all he heard once again. He exhaled deeply and turned to face Hayley. He had the answers he sought so his presence was no longer needed, and judging by Hayley's nervous running of her hand through her hair and her wrinkled brow his presence was not welcomed either.

"Perhaps it's best I leave you." He said as he walked towards her door. Before he left he pulled her cellphone out of his suit pocket and placed it on the table right by her door.

"You seemed to have misplaced this in my brother's quarters, I hope that is all you've left behind in there."

Then he was gone.

Upset and confused Hayley just sat and stared at her phone, replaying Elijah's last words in her head.

_I hope that is all you've left behind in there_

She hoped that was all she'd left behind in there.

* * *

_**AN: so not a whole lot of action is this chapter and Elijah was focused on pretty heavily but both is his conversations with Hayley and Klaus needed to be given some focus. Hayley seems pretty confused about a lot of things after her night with Klaus, we'll see how that factors in a bit more in the upcoming chapters. I hope you guy liked how the two confrontations played out drop me a review and let me know exactly how you feel about it :) oh and to a few of my reviewers who expressed how you don't want elijah to get hurt I completely understand, he's in a terrible position in this story and on the show and I don't want to see him hurt either, that's why it is so dangerous having him involved with hayley romantically. Elijah doesn't deserve to be hurt but unfortunately for him in this story (and I suspect on the show as well) he's dealing with two very broken and devastated people people who share somethings he just can't understand. Don't worry though, just because this is a klayley story that doesn't mean that Elijah will end the story completely heartbroken or just tossed aside. You'll just have to keep reading to see what I mean by that :)**_


	8. Chapter 8

Something about Klaus's argument with Elijah triggered a fear in him a fear that made him want to avoid Hayley.

The thought of his brother's mind swirling with ideas about what is going on with him and Hayley made him uncomfortable. It made him question just how close to her he's getting and everything about their relationship. All he was doing was grieving with the mother of his child and finding comfort in someone that actually understands him. She was the only person he could relate to, it wasn't a crime to bond with her. It was completely innocent even If it was borderline co-dependent, but it didn't feel innocent after talking with Elijah. It felt wrong; it felt like it was a mistake. Everything in him told him he needed to pull away from her now before it's too late

_I shouldn't be getting this close to her it's dangerous_

_You shouldn't need her and she shouldn't need you_

_Elijah, she loves Elijah_

_Everything you touch ends up ruined_

_It's still all your fault _

_She deserves better _

The thoughts replayed over and over in his mind as he stared at his canvas, unable to concentrate on the piece any longer.

With a frustrated sigh he gave up working on it and retreated to his bottle of scotch on his desk.

Two sips in she was standing in his doorway and the part of him that felt comfort seeing her was quickly overtaken by the part of him that had been telling him to pull away all day.

"It's weird but I'm actually surprised to see you drinking right now" She said as she approached his desk.

"It should never be a surprise to see me drinking love" He replied as he took another gulp. In his head he tried to think of ways to get rid of her without upsetting her but seeing her was making that task difficult.

"What brings you here Hayley, wait don't tell me…you miss me already? Is that it? " he joked with a sly smile and another sip of his drink .

Hayley prayed that her cheeks didn't get as red as they felt at his words.

She paused and met his eyes before she responded and she could see his playful expression quickly turn into something else, something more guarded and almost angry and she didn't quite understand it. She brushed it off and tried to get back to her original purpose for being there.

"I'm actually here because after last night I think I'm ready to start working on getting our daughter back. I think it's time and the longer we put off even making a plan the longer it will be before I get to hold her again and I'm tired of waiting."

He sat in silence as he lowered his glass on to the desk. His gaze on her made Hayley unexpectedly feel like she wanted to come out of her skin. Before the feeling that she couldn't quite explain could threaten to over take her she spoke up again.

"You seem surprised"

"Well to be honest Hayley I am. I didn't think that you were ready to discuss this yet" he replied calmly

"Yeah well I didn't think so either but when I woke up today I felt….I don't know I felt like….after last night I felt some hope for the first time since we gave her to Rebekah. If we're ever gonna get her back then we have to start doing what we said we would do the night we made our decision so why not start now?"

"We can start whenever you want to" he replied

"I know you've probably been thinking about this since that night"

"Most of my plans end in torture and painting with the blood of our enemies. I don't think that truly constitutes a plan love"

"Actually that sounds like a great plan to me, when do we start" Hayley said with a mischievous smile, one that Klaus returned with one of his own.

Before either one of them could speak again there was a voice heard from the door

"I think it's best we hold off on the torture and murder right now" Elijah interrupted

"Ahhh Elijah what an unwelcome surprise, impeccable timing" Klaus responded, while Hayley rolled her eyes.

"Niklaus I am quite aware that you are a child who can not control himself when it comes to revenge, but I caution you to not do anything right now that would only make matter worse"

"Our child is probably on the other side of the world right now while that bitch Francesca walks around the quarter like she's some dictator, how could anything we do make matters worse Elijah" Hayley chimed in.

There was awkwardness in the room that was undeniable to all three of them. Klaus and Hayley knowing that Elijah knew about their late night outings made them both feel very self-conscious, especially Klaus. Hayley tried her best to hide her annoyance at the entire situation; it was much easier before, way easier before.

Elijah just looked at her with an expression that said he really wished she would listen to him but all Hayley could give him was a quick glance before she avoided his eyes completely. Klaus on the other hand looked at the two and tried to forget that they have feelings for each other but as usual he failed, so instead he blocked it out with thoughts about getting his daughter back.

"She does has a point Elijah, the inertia is killing me, you suggest we sit back and continue to do nothing while the people who tried to kill Hope and actually killed… " He couldn't get the rest of the words out. "You expect us to just play nice when our enemies laugh at our defeat"

"No that's not what I want, and we are not defeated. As long as this family remains together we can never be defeated. All I advocate for is proper planning and strategy, not blind rage and killing" Elijah responded

"Proper planning, right, and how long will that take exactly? Am I supposed to miss the first 2 years of her life? Or how about the first 5? Or will it be 10? " Hayley barked out as she stepped a little closer to Elijah.

Klaus could look at her and tell the tension was building within her. He wanted to ignore it, he wanted to just let her feel however hopeless and angry she wanted to feel but as he looked at her his heart wouldn't let him. He hated that he felt the urge to protect her and soothe her, even when he didn't want to, even when it was awkward. If the last few weeks had taught him anything it's that he is almost incapable of releasing himself from her pull, which is what he feared from the very beginning. "Hayley look at me…"

She turned and her eyes immediately caught his.

"You will hold our daughter in your arms again, and soon. I promise you" His voice has so much conviction behind it that it took Hayley by surprise. He had never really made a promise to her, Elijah was always good with promises not Klaus, but the look in his eyes when he said it to her let her know that she could believe it, if there was ever a promise she could believe it was that one and she could always believe it.

She returned his steady gaze with one of her own. "Nothing will stand in the way of me getting her back" she replied.

"Elijah nor I would ever let that happen love you can be sure of that, right Elijah"

"Klaus is right Hayley, Hope belongs with her family, with her parents, nothing will stand in the way of that"

Hayley nodded in agreement and relaxed again, feeling content.

"You both might be pleased to know that while you have been grieving I've been keeping a close eye on the Guerras. Marcel and what's left of his vampire community have been of great help keeping track of them, especially those who hold the rings that drain you of your power on the full moon Niklaus"

"Wait what?" Hayley asked surprised.

"I assumed Niklaus would have informed you by now Hayley, especially since you two seem to spend so much time together now"

"Klaus what does he mean, why do the rings drain you of your power?"

Klaus let out a heavy sigh before he explained what happened with Genevieve.

"The night of the attack Genevieve needed to draw power from a werewolf who currently could not turn into a wolf. She suggested you, since due to your condition you couldn't turn, I refused and offered myself instead." Her hesitantly looked at her before continuing.

"As it turns out it was part of the plan to hurt you for the witches. All of the rings were linked to me, draining all of my power and strength, I didn't know until it was too late to stop her that night. Every month on the full moon I am weak and vulnerable"

Hayley stood there speechless. It made her even angrier with the Guerras than she already was. Klaus turned away from her, not wanting to see the pity or indifference that was bound to be in her eyes. Hayley wanted to say something, she wanted to say thank you or at least show some sorta gratefulness for what he had done saving her from that same fate but the words wouldn't come to her, they refused to come to her at that moment. She turned away from him and looked at Elijah, who stood silently.

"So what do we have to do to get those rings back? " She asked.

"Marcel and I have tracked pretty much all of the rings except for the last 3, one of which I'm sure is on Francesca's finger. If you both can contain yourselves for a little while longer so that Marcel's Intel can come back then we can coordinate a strike that will take them all out and restore Klaus's power."

"Next full moon, we need to strike during the next full moon, they will never see it coming because I'll be weak" Klaus replied.

"Hayley will you be able to control your need for blood until then?"

"I'm not a child Elijah, I'm sure I'll find some other way to curve my appetite that you will probably disapprove of no need to worry about me" She barked back

"Hayley-"

"Alright since that is settled I think it's time we end this little chat" Klaus interjected. "I have better things to do than watch a lovers quarrel between the two of you so If you'll excuse me" He said as he left the room quickly

Hayley and Elijah watched him leave quietly before Hayley followed him out without saying anything else to Elijah.

Before he could get out of the house Hayley had tracked him down.

It's not that he didn't want to be around her, it's that he couldn't be around her, but she seemed to cling to him as much as he wanted to cling to her.

"Klaus where are you going?"

"Out"

She look at his cold attitude in confusion but continued on with her goal.

"I was thinking…. I know we've been doing some training but I think I could use a little more especially since we're starting to make plans to get Hope back so maybe we could go out and do-"

"I can't today Hayley" He replied quickly before she could even get her entire request out.

Internally Hayley got angry, but his rejection made her realize how much she was clinging to him and it made her suddenly uncomfortable so she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that she's disappointed about not spending time with him.

"Okay" she said emotionless before turning around and leaving.

He wanted to stop her and tell her they can do whatever she wanted but he couldn't, his mind wouldn't let him give into her any longer.

* * *

Late into the night Elijah found her in the nursery. She was picking up some of the things that she had knocked over during one of her many fits of rage. It was the first time he has seen her in the nursery in a peaceful state and he felt a sting at the part his brother was clearly playing in that.

"Pardon my interruption" he let out, surprising her.

"Oh, sorry I didn't even hear you come in Elijah" Hayley replied

"You seemed to be engrossed in your cleaning, I am happy to see you are starting to come to terms with everything Hayley."

"I don't think I will ever come to terms with it all, but I think its progress, that's all I can ask for right now I guess"

"Listen Hayley, about what I said earlier…"

"No, please, I don't want to rehash that. The truth is Elijah I have been spending a lot of time with Klaus. He's been helping me in ways that I can't really explain to you"

"Hayley if that's true then it's not my place to stop-"

"No let me finish" she interrupted. "You're right, maybe my attempts to bond with Klaus are misguided. I don't know really, I just know that I'm just trying to feel okay, I'm just trying to keep it together and in the process I might not be making the best decisions and I might be pushing you away."

She didn't really believe that, or did she? She couldn't really tell at the moment

"Hayley" He said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her slightly closer to him, to his relief she didn't pull away from him. "You have to know that all I have ever wanted was everything that you have wanted"

"I know" She whispered. He pulled her into him and gently kissed her on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered briefly before opening. "I'll leave you to what you were doing" He said before leaving. For a moment it felt just like how it used to be for them and a sense of comfort came to Hayley because it used to mean so much to her even though it was complicated and frustrating.

She looked around at the nursery as confusion started to set in but she didn't have the energy to think about the roller coaster of emotions she had today. She just wanted to go with the flow and try to maintain whatever stability she could find and if that was with Elijah and not Klaus like she had previously thought then so be it. She stared at the nursery door as tears threatened to escape her eyes, then she quickly pushed the confusing thoughts and emotions out and went back to straightening out her daughter's room. She more she cleaned the more she started to appreciate the room again, the room Klaus had poured his heart and soul into.

The memory of the first time he showed it to her came to mind, bringing a rare smile to her face at how shy he was and at how happy she was even though she hid most of her reactions to it from him. It felt like a relief to finally recall a memory that didn't send her into an instant state of grief so she held on to that image as she made her way to the other side of the room to fix the broken shelf.

On the other side of the nursery door Klaus stood with regret and loneliness in his heart.

He had heard the entire conversation she had with Elijah. He had came back to offer her some explanation for his behavior earlier only to find her with Elijah. It shouldn't have come as a shock to him but it did. Maybe a part of him hoped that things had started to change for her like they were for him or maybe this was just what happened when you give of yourself to someone who will always have affection for someone else. Either way he knew that he wouldn't let himself feel this way again, he wouldn't' get this vulnerable with her again.

Without making a noise he left his home before anyone even knew he had returned.

A little while later her found himself at her door. He knew this is where he needed to be and he regretted not coming sooner maybe if he had he wouldn't have to feel how he currently felt. He knew she would be there and she would offer him to comfort he needed.

She opened the door and was shocked to see him standing there. "Klaus? What are you doing here?" She asked once she was sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Hello Camille"

* * *

_**AN: So hello everyone! first once again I want to say sorry for taking so long to update this. I'm sure if you're reading this you thought I had given up on this story but I haven't. This chapter isn't super long and there isn't a whole lot of action but it's an important chapter so set up some interesting things to come. If you're still reading this story I really appreciate it and there is lots of good stuff to come. Leave a review if you're up to it to let me know how you felt about the new update! I hope I can keep your interest moving forward.**_


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Originals, Angst, Drama