Hey everyone! This scene is my take on what happens after Hayley slaps Elijah in Episode 5. That's probably the only spoiler in this one-shot... I think... Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this one-shot!

Disclaimer: I do not have the "original" copyright to "The Originals." Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. See what I did there? Yeah, I'm pretty tired.

The Loneliness that Saves

Hayley strolled back into the room and walked straight past Klaus without glancing at him. It had been too long since she had felt such tranquility and confidence. Someone called her name, but the sound was strangely muffled, because frankly, Hayley didn't care anymore. She continued robotically up the stairs. Elijah had finally returned and she would be safe, her child would be safe, she would be free from Klaus's diaboli-

An inhuman amount of pressure suddenly attacked her arm and she yelped in pain and surprise.

"Getting a bit cocky now, are we?" gritted out a velvety voice.

Hayley felt like she was being suffocated as the dark velvety tendrils coiled around her neck. She tried to jerk her arm free, but Klaus's iron-grip only intensified. Hayley was positive that there would be bruises the next day.

That thought alone suddenly awakened a wrathful rage within her that she had suppressed ever since she found out about her pregnancy, ever since she found out her fate would be determined by some silly witches, ever since she found out that Klaus didn't care…

No one will ever care.

Boiling brown eyes met frigid blue eyes.

And suddenly, Hayley brought up her free arm, balled her hand into a tight fist, and slammed it towards Klaus's face with all her supernatural strength and courage. She could almost imagine the satisfying sound of her knuckles colliding with Klaus's horridly smug face.

Hayley closed her eyes so she wouldn't be chilled by his sapphire gaze.

Almost.

The moment she brought her fist down, she knew that she had failed. Just like how her life played out- one big, fat failure. She was alone, and would always be alone in her own misery.

Klaus easily thwarted her desperate assault and he let out a snarl that was half exasperated and half incensed.

"Just what do you think you're doing, love?" he all but growled. "I think we're forgetting some very important rules, yes?"

Klaus's façade masked his true fear. It was happening again. As soon as Elijah reappeared, Klaus was once again simply a secondhand.

A hand-me-down.

A cast-off.

I'm going to be abandoned.

Compared to perfectly perfect Elijah, Klaus was merely a plaything that could be used once and then tossed away for good.

He absolutely loathed that feeling, that feeling of uselessness and loneliness and rejection all twisted up into a cruel, revolting ball.

"Niklaus."

Elijah stood at the bottom of the stairs and he looked up at Klaus disapprovingly, the way a disappointed adult would admonish a child for doing something wrong.

And then, just as Elijah was about to use that annoyingly placid voice of his again, Klaus snapped.

"Niklaus, let go of Hay-"

"You do not tell me what to do, brother!" he roared, fury etched into every decibel that he used.

"I am stronger than you! I am better than you! So if you say one more word, I will rip out her heart and make you drink from it!"

Hayley whimpered as Klaus pulled her in closer towards the raging inferno that he was. His touch was unbearably hot and she was slowly burning up. She could now feel his heart beat frenetically, could hear his subtle panting, could see the melting blue sapphires…

Wait.

Hayley frowned slightly. There was something about Klaus that was different, something she thought she would never witness from Klaus. But her werewolf-heightened senses never lied. She breathed in through her nose and nearly did a double take. There it was again.

Fear.

But why, Hayley wondered, why would Klaus fear Elijah? He had the upper-hand and the ability to do whatever he wanted to her. Klaus always won. It didn't make any sense to her.

Elijah's eyes glistened dangerously as he slowly edged up the stairs.

"Now, Niklaus, would you really harm the woman who bears your unborn child?" he simply asked.

"Don't underestimate me, brother," Klaus simply replied.

He placed his hand over Hayley's beating heart and felt her flinch. He could hear the sporadic thumps of both her and their child's hearts.

If I kill her, it will show Elijah who truly possesses power. I will not be outdone by you ever again, brother.

"Niklaus! Do not do this!"

Hayley heard Elijah's desperate pleading. She could feel the perilous weight of Klaus's hand placed over her breast. She could still smell Klaus's fear. There had to be a reason why! This was her only chance to survive; she had to figure it out!

Hayley looked up into Klaus's eyes and truly, with all her might, saw him. Beneath their beautiful and ugly blue, their fire melting and ice burning blue, she saw something that shocked her.

Hayley saw her own eyes.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Elijah launched himself up the stairs.

Klaus lifted his hand up, like a deadly cobra about the strike.

The world seemed to teeter and totter.

"Wait!"

Hayley's sudden scream stopped both brothers mid-motion. This had to be it. This would save all of them. She took a deep breath.

"I- I know how you feel. It's like… It's like being trapped in a…a jar, and no matter how much you scream and shout, no one even bothers to look at you. I'm scared. I'm always scared that I'll be alone and abandoned in this world but sometimes, when I feel like it's me against the world, it keeps me going."

Hayley let it all out in one shuddery breath. She could feel the stares of both vampires on her.

"Niklaus…" Elijah was the first to speak. His voice was strangely quiet and he was gazing at Klaus with an imploring look in his eyes.

Hayley could feel the steady rise and fall of Klaus's chest on her back. And suddenly, everything became a blur.

Hayley had no time to process what was happening and so she screamed. Darkness seemed to swallow her up. Was she dead? Is this what dying felt like? Being suffocated by black?

"Love, it would do both you and me some good if you opened your eyes and stopped screaming."

Klaus husky voice yanked her out of the black, and suddenly, she was back. Hayley blinked several times. They were standing atop a tall building that was near the river. The lights of New Orleans danced and gleamed several miles away across the river. Klaus's back was turned towards her as he gazed towards the distant gleam.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded. Her anger was slowly returning.

Klaus turned around and she could see the amused smile on his face as he approached her.

"Ah, I see that your feisty inner-self has finally resurfaced. Good. I was worried that I had scared away the one interesting trait you possess," Klaus mused.

Hayley struggled to contain her simmering fury.

"You. Nearly. Killed. Me," she spat out. "I don't think you currently have the right to insult me."

Klaus shrugged indifferently.

"You're still here. Breathing. Talking. Annoying me."

Hayley's temper flared.

"You know what? I think we're done here. I thought I saw the real you today, but I guess I was wrong. I'm going back home. I'm sure Elijah has more class than you," Hayley added mockingly.

She desperately wanted to hurt him, to show him that she was done playing his psychotic game of "Which Brother is Better."

Bang!

Hayley felt her back pressed painfully against the door to the rooftop as Klaus pinned her down.

"Do you want to die, little wolf?" he growled.

She glared back at him.

"Honestly, I don't give a crap about what you do to me anymore."

She heard him snarl and she felt the tips of his deadly fangs brush against the bare of her neck.

"Go ahead. Suck me dry like a blood bag. Then you'll get to be truly alone for the rest of your life with Elijah always, always above you."

Hayley closed her eyes tight. This was it.

I'm sorry, little one. I'll never be a good mother, anyway.

The press of his fangs disappeared from her neck and instead of the exquisite agony she had been waiting for, she was shocked to feel Klaus slowly wrap his arms around her and bury his head in her chest.

Hayley nearly started screaming again because it was so uncharacteristic for Klaus to do such a thing.

"I…I… W-what are you doing?" she stuttered uncertainly.

What the crap was going on? Was this Hell, where Klaus tortured poor people with his unusual inclination to hug people?

Klaus said something, but it was muffled from his position.

"What?"

He looked up, and Hayley saw him, the real him, the second time that night.

"How could you tell, love?"

Hayley stared at the hybrid. Klaus looked… she was positive that he was never described as fragile before, but he certainly looked that way right now.

She was so not freaking out right now.

"I guess it's because I saw someone when I looked into your eyes earlier," Hayley paused. She had never been open with anyone about herself before. So why now? Why was she willing to tell Klaus, of all people?

"I saw… I saw myself when I looked at you."

Hayley also saw the shock flit across Klaus's unguarded face but it disappeared just as quickly.

"Oh? And what exactly is this special bond you and I share? You know, besides the child we created together."

He sounded amused again and Hayley had to control herself not to say anything rash.

"We're alike, you and I. As a child, I was abandoned by my birth parents. And then by my adoptive parents. It was always like that. I was always by myself. I had to learn how to fend for myself and how to stay strong because the strong ones are the ones who survive. You're a survivor, too, Klaus. Both of your parents tried to kill you, your siblings despise you every now and then, but you're still standing. You have a perfect older brother who always receives all the affection and attention, yet you still exist. You still go on even when you're by yourself."

The words seemed to tumble out of Hayley's mouth as she released herself from her past.

She had looked away from Klaus as she answered his question. She looked over at him, and he was staring up into the night sky.

"You know, for a werewolf, you're actually pretty insightful," Klaus softly said after her short speech.

She was about to retort when she realized there was nothing disrespectful in his tone.

"I really like stars. Charming little things, really. They follow you wherever you go. They're the faithful ones, the ones you can depend on. When you're lost or lonely, the stars are always there," Klaus muttered more to himself than to her. "But sometimes they're not there because of clouds, which is why I still prefer liquor. Always available, and trust me, it does take that loneliness out of you like a sucker punch." Klaus chuckled to himself and continued to stare at the starless sky.

Hayley sighed. Now she really wanted to go home and sleep for a couple of days and forget this horrible night.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Truly, I really am. From the bottom of my undead heart. I was a bloody dick today, and I'll probably always be one," he ground out.

Klaus seemed to waiting for her to say something. Hayley crossed her arms to give herself a sterner expression.

"Apology accepted," she replied. "I'd greatly appreciate it if you co-"

Her words were cut off by Klaus's searing kiss. He pressed his body against hers in the cool New Orleans night, and he felt the heat of Hayley's skin scorch his body. She believed in him, despite his demons and monsters.

We're alike, you and I.

Hayley was surprised. In one night, she had managed to get a man both try to kill her and kiss her. That took some skill, she decided. She didn't resist. She kissed back just as fiercely and dragged her hands through his course hair.

Just the two of us against the rest of the world.

No.

Three. Just the three of us against the rest of the world.

As they both stared up at the starless sky, the world didn't seem so lonely after all.

Thank you for reading this short little story! I apologize if any of the characters seem OOC.