A/N I don't own the characters or the plot of the Originals except for this scene. All rights go to Julie Plec and the other creators/writers/producers of the show.

01: Forgiveness

There is a flash of bright, white light before he is enveloped by darkness. He still feels Niklaus' hand on his shoulder, and his own on Niklaus' until he doesn't. Until he feels nothing. His eyes, which had been locked upon Niklaus' close only for a moment until they open.

He's in a forest, surrounded by trees and foliage. It's dark, but his eyes adjust easily to his surroundings. Somewhere, further from his, he hears music and laughter. He wonders, perhaps he's not alone in this place – Peace? Then, he realizes that one person is missing.

"Niklaus? Niklaus, where are you? Niklaus!" he calls out desperately, eyes scanning the trees and the foliage.

"He's not here," someone says, and Elijah closes his eyes for another infinitesimal moment before he opens them again. A lone tear falls from his eye. It can't be… her, but it is her voice and he hopes that it is her. Hayley. His shoulders sag and he lets out a breath. "He's with Cami. She's been waiting for him. As I have," she says, and now he's certain it is her.

"Hayley…" he whispers, brokenly, yet doesn't turn.

"Yes, it's me, Elijah" she says, slightly cynical. There's a long silence between them as Elijah stands rigidly, his back to Hayley. Then, Hayley, broke the silence:

"Now, stop standing there and come here!" she exclaimed, slightly irritated now.

He chuckles in response before he turns towards her, and finally, finally sees her after all this time. Her hair is short, tucked behind her ear and she's wearing a dress, black with lacy embellishments and brown leather boots. She has a coat on that reaches her hips, and he thinks that even in death she looks beautiful. Her deep, green eyes are locked onto his face, and she's smirking slightly. Hayley Marshall is a work of art and still has that effect on him, and he's falling in love with her all over again.

And then, she rushes at him, crashing into his arms with force, arms wrapping around his neck as she buries her face in the crook of it.

She breathes in his scent, oddly enough he still smells the same, even in death, and looks into his eyes which are swimming with tears.

"Elijah…" she whispers with a sigh before he pushes her away, kneeling before her. Hayley is rather appalled at the gesture and wonders briefly what he's doing before he speaks.

"Forgive me, Hayley," he says, and it downs on her what he's referring to, and she opens her mouth to speak – to protest – but he shushes her gently, his finger on her lips before he continues. "Let me, please. Please let me finish. I knew who you were, it dawned on me that you were Andrea, and I felt betrayed. And, I could only see you as simply an agent of deception for the very family I was at war with. And I was confused and angry- and I could've saved you, but I didn't. And, I hate myself for it, but I hope you can forgive me, and if you can't, then…" he didn't – couldn't – finish his sentence, instead breaking into tears, his body wracking with sobs. Hayley's eyes glaze over with her own unshed tears before she kneels on the ground so she's level with him and wraps him in her arms yet again. They remain like that for a few moments before she pulls away, wiping his tears with her thumbs.

"Elijah… listen to me," she began, voice authoritative, palms cupping his cheeks, forcing him to look into her eyes. "What happened to me wasn't your fault, or Hope's fault, or Klaus's or anyone else's but Greta's. She was the one who orchestrated my capture and the binding spell because she hated what I was. Hate that was born before me or Hope, when your mother and father turned you and your siblings into vampires, creating an eternal rivalry between all supernatural species. That hate is what cause all the bloodshed in New Orleans, what destroyed that city, what destroyed my family. What all but killed Hope," she said, her voice breaking on her daughter's name.

"I cannot… forgive myself… I…" Elijah stuttered out brokenly, and Hayley smirked slightly.

"Well, too bad, because I forgive you. I forgive you, Elijah. I forgive you," she said repeatedly, kissing his hair gently as he wrapped her in his arms, holding on tightly. Gently, Elijah pushed Hayley away, his brown eyes meeting hers, his palm cupping her cheek as he continued to kneel before her.

"I love you," he professed, with adoration and love, and Hayley was falling in love with him all over again. "I love you," he repeated, brown eyes blazing with emotion.

"I love you, too," she replied, her voice sure. The two of them continued to stare at each other for a few, infinitesimally brief moments before Elijah pulled her to him and crashed his lips to hers. Hayley melted in the kiss, winding her arms around Elijah's neck as his own tightened their hold around her neck. Hayley briefly wondered how it was possible to be kissing Elijah while they were both dead, but she didn't dwell much on it and continued to kiss the love of her life (and, death) eagerly.

Elijah gently pulled away from her and stood, looking down at her, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Now, how about that dance?" he asked, extending his hand towards her. Hayley laughed before putting her hand in his palm.

"Yes, I've been holding out for it for some time," Hayley replied before standing up to join him, a ridiculously blissful smile still on her face. Elijah too smiled, but his did not yet reach his eyes. She knew he would one day forgive himself and be able to accept what had happened.