He remembers visiting Mystic Falls, seeing the Salvatore brothers fight over the same face - a different girl hosting it. He remembers seeing them fight over Katherine, who played them, and Elena, who loved them both and left just as much damage. It always seemed silly to Elijah, how neither could see past the love they claimed to feel to realise they'd be better off without her (maybe he shouldn't judge to harshly, he loved Katherine once too).

He rarely thought of them, when he did his mind always wondered to Tatia and the time he and Niklaus had spent arguing over her, the time when they were the Salvatores. Seeing them in all their turmoil is when his vow to his family strengthened Always and Forever, they had decreed, forgetting to include unconditionally or for better or for worse, if you will. So he silently amended it and thanked the boys for their insight. Elijah intended never to break the promise, even if it was only to himself.

He forgot to factor in Hayley.

Hayley was unexplainable, and he didn't want to explain her (he was afraid to explain her, afraid she was just another puzzle to solve for everyone else's sake – it was always for someone else), he immediately saw what attracted Niklaus to her, the power in her stance, fringed with the uncertainty in her eyes only made him want to question her more (want to find out everything, want to bury himself in her smile and drown himself in her laugh). Slowly the mystery was chipped away and he learnt the first thing about her.

She liked to glare, she glared on default in fact, and seemingly oblivious of what else she could do with her face. Then he offered her his jacket. The second thing he learnt about her was her smile, he memorised the exact angle of the curve, the tooth that was begging to be shown, the mistier look in her eye (they were always sharp, ready to cut through the world – except when she smiled). When he vowed to do anything for her and the baby, he vowed to do anything to see her smile again.

He hasn't seen it in weeks now, not since everything – not since Hope. He looks at her sometimes and thinks that he would find Atlantis and carry it to her on his bareback just to see that rebellious tooth that slips out.

He knew this and when the time had come months ago to return to Mystic Falls for Katherine, he had found him self unable to go, knowing he'd become a Salvatore, knowing that he desperately loved the woman his brother had impregnated.

And he looks at he now, he looks at her knowing she's a queen, knowing she's a little girl and knowing she wants to be treated as neither. It was then he realised that she was made for Niklaus, the darkest parts of them were reflected in each other and they were both fire. They'd destroy everything in their paths and leave damage for the rest of the world to clean up. Niklaus did it to hurt people, Hayley just was.

He turned to her as she sits in the armchair, using a book to shield herself from him and he knows he must let her go, he knows that Niklaus is who she needs, the only one who'll understand her grief (he secretly hopes the loss of the baby would tear them apart, but it's a selfish wish, and he is an unselfish man).

"Hayley," He finds himself saying, her brown eyes rimming with surprise at his interruption, "I wish to speak to you."

She closed the book in her lap, not bothering to check the page number or keep up with her fiction of reading. She gestures for him to continue, still finding it hard to speak.

"The matter I wish to speak of concerns our shared kisses, I would like to relieve you of any obligation you may feel because of it as I have sensed you are uncomfortable and are unsure how to proceed after the events. I would like to assure you that my vow to protect you is still valid and that you are more than welcome in this family," He sat across from her as he waited for a response, subject to her scrutiny as her harsh gaze evaluated him before giving a reply.

"That's a dick move."

If she had looked back when she had walked away, carelessly abandoning the book on the floor, she would have noted the surprise on his face, surprise that always seemed to make an appearance where she was concerned.

The next time he saw her she was talking to Niklaus, she was glaring at him, but her eyes were soft, looking at him with a fondness Elijah had never seen develop. When did Hayley get so fond of his brother and why didn't he notice? He'd promised never to let a girl come between him and his brother ever again.

He should have known Hayley wasn't just a girl.

Niklaus was the prince, he realised, the spoiled prince who got what he wanted. Hayley was the queen locked in a tower, until Elijah, the knight, comes to rescue her. But the knight never gets the glory, it would always be the prince. And the knight would happily hand her over, so he would. He would give her up because he loved her and she deserved to be happy.

Maybe she wouldn't want to be with Niklaus, maybe she would want Jackson instead, which was fine too - he was a good man.

But he wasn't Elijah.

Hayley looked up and trapped his gaze with hers, standing up with the clear intent of talking to him…

…And then walking straight past him.

He watched as she made her way outside, leaving the door open, waiting for him to join her.

"You know, any one who didn't know better would think you were the asshole brother."

"I don't understand," He replied "If you are referring to my actions yesterday it was purely out of concern for-"

"Me. Yeah, I get it, but it wasn't was it?" She asked, finally turning to him.

"Forgive me, I don't follow."

"You were happy enough to make out with me when you thought that I'd live for a couple of decades, but now? I'm immortal, like you, and we could spend forever together, and I don't think you want that."

"Hayley-"

"I mean, I'm not the poster girl for good relationships, but seriously, the same girl your brother loved? Celeste was a witch there was no way that would have ended well and Katherine? Katherine is just an all-round crappy option."

"If you have a point, I suggest you get to it."

She looked at him, feeling sorry she'd hit a nerve, but glad that she had his attention.

"You don't know how to be happy," She concluded.

"I am a thousand years old, there is very little I do not know."

"Now you just sound like Klaus," She told him, turning away from him again, not noticing his hands tightening their grip on the railing at the mention of his brother.

"My brother and I may share some qualities, but I must assure you that I am not him."

"Good." She said simply, " I wouldn't want to be that god-awful girl from Mystic Falls, Elena? Stringing along two brothers, what a bitch," She laughed.

Stringing along two brothers, what a bitch was his only thought as he wrapped his arms around the woman in front of him, her head finding it's place in the crook of his neck.

She wasn't Elena Gilbert, and he sure as hell wasn't a Salvatore. As held her in his arms, he knew they would never be because she was his and only his – hybrid brothers and werewolf fiancé's be damned.