Dear Haylijah fans,

after Episode 2x14 I just couldn't stop myself from writing something about that tragic events. I guess you all are still suffering :/

Probably I am going to wirte some more Haylijah one-shots in future. Perhaps also some related ones. Maybe also not only based at the current situation in the series. Let's see.

This current one-shot is of course angsty. I just had to do something about my broken Haylijah heart a bit so...

At this point: Thank you so much for beta reading this one-shot, Jess! You really helped me a lot with that :)

Take care & enjoy!

Dumai

Here's also the lyrics of the song which they used for the promo of 2x14. I think this is perfect for Haylijah and that song inspired me a lot for writing that one-shot! Beautiful and so sad at once :( Just had to post it here... Perhaps there are still some of you who don't know the song.

Looking in this mirror
Tell me
What do you see?
Beautiful can't begin to describe you
Or what you mean to me
Come a little closer to me
Let me see you spin
Want to get inside of your mind
I'll make you let me in

Open up your eyes
To the possibilities
Take it there
Love the fear
You'd be surprised
How good it feels
To just let go

And breathe
Breathe with me
Breathe
Breathe with me

Shadows fall onto out bodies
From a winter sun
Lace on lace in strawberry shades
As we both come undone

Open up your world
Show me the deepest secrets
I would
I'd understand
Watching us burn
Into a million pieces
One touch of your hand

Breathe
Breathe with me

You can have me
Touch me slowly
Kiss me softly
Take me under
Whisper loudly
Push into me
Mark my body
Lose control now
Take me over

Breathe (take me over)
Breathe with me (take me over)
Breathe (take me over)
Breathe with me

- Breathe, Of Verona

Don't leave me

Based on 2x14:

What could have happened if Rebekah wouldn't have disturbed Haylijah's talk after the wedding? Including a deep view into Elijah's feelings.

All the wedding guests started leaving as Elijah withdrew from the party as discreetly and inconspicuously as possible. He had suffered enough due to the sight of a seemingly happy Hayley and her husband. Elijah knew that Hayley would have never asked him to attend the ceremony because it was an indescribable torture but still he believed that he had owed her that. The Original couldn't exactly explain why but to him it had felt like some kind of duty – even after the painful words from Hayley a bit earlier.

As soon as his thoughts went back to that he abruptly stopped in the corridor and clasped the balustrade. Automatically he asked himself what had been more painful today… The fact that he had been at the wedding or the way Jackson, Hayley and Hope had looked like a perfect and happy family. How much he had always wished to be the man at the side of Hayley and Hope so that he could finally find his long longed happiness.

After all that time he finally understood how Klaus must have felt as soon as he had noticed that Elijah and Hayley weren't only connected because of the fact that Elijah was Hope's uncle. Even though Hope wasn't Elijah's child it still hurt horribly while the little girl was smiling at Jackson – Elijah had always wished to raise Hope together with her father Klaus. That would have been the much better option because then Hope would have been around Mikaelson blood – now she was in contact with that wolf that was only there because of politics and safety issues.

His deep locked emotions overwhelmed him already once today even though he had sworn to himself that he would never allow that – and now his feelings seemed to boil over again. Elijah's lips curled into a slight sad smile. The Original hadn't allowed his emotions to break through his façade for decades now but Hayley released something deep within him. That special character trait had broken through his squeamishly built up wall already the first time he had met her – without any warning. Because of that Elijah had felt insecure from the start – he had never ever experienced something like that in his entire immortal life before. Hayley had perfected that feature of hers – she could easily break through his façade without any problem. Elijah had decided to not turn this day into an even bigger hell for himself as it was already bad enough but that was easier said than done…

Without being able to prevent it in the last second his thoughts went back to their shared time in the safe house. Elijah had only today damned himself at least a hundred times that he hadn't just disclosed to her back then his true feelings for her. It seemed like an eternity that they both knew what was happening between them but that wasn't the point at all – unfortunately he hadn't been aware of that earlier. All that time it had been about the fact that she had always wanted to hear those words. Those simple three magical words which he had been afraid of the whole time even though he even couldn't understand why. After all it had always been about Hayley. His Hayley which he let deeply into his dead heart. There had never been a woman which he had loved that much – not anywhere near.

Who knows? Maybe it would have been completely different if he just wouldn't have been such a bloody coward. He should have told Hayley from the very beginning that she was the love of his life. After all that was very embarrassing… The ultimate immortal super-monster which was afraid of telling Hayley I love you. There was no excuse for not telling her that much earlier… He should have been just more selfish – at least just once in his so noble life. And then as he had finally been able to jump over his own shadow and after bringing himself to open up towards her Hayley hadn't allowed him to finish his sentence – the sentence which may have changed everything. Still Elijah had to admit that he couldn't blame her for that.

Yes, Elijah could understand her. She didn't want to hear it because she knew that if he would have told her how he really feels about her at that very moment she would have felt as insecure as never before. About the wedding which was only arranged to help her daughter Hope.

Elijah couldn't put into words what he had felt like as Hayley had seriously told him that she believes she could be happy with Jackson in a way she could have never been with himself – because he was no man who could easily talk about his feelings. It felt like being stabbed through his heart as she had explained to him that it was now too late to tell her that he loves her.

Still Elijah had always wanted to be strong for her… Not showing her how he was truly suffering because of that more than uncomfortable situation but he hadn't been able to stop the little tear from sneaking out of his eye and wandering over his cheek anymore. Of course he knew that she had only said that to calm herself down right before the ceremony so that she could still believe that it was the right decision to marry Jackson. If Hayley actually knew how much she was truly hurting him with that wedding? That this wedding capped it all off?

Elijah still blamed himself for losing control while being around Cami. He had nearly harmed her – and that's only because he had learned what Hayley had to do to help Hope which had thrown him even deeper into his already dark enough abyss. Of course he had apologized for losing control but anyway he will never forget the way Cami had tried to flee from him and how she had begged him to calm down and regain control – her eyes showing a kind of angst which he had never seen in her before.

No, maybe it was better that Hayley didn't know anything about all those things. She would probably only blame herself and worry about him. Anyway, Elijah had to admit that he was just a mental wreck. Right now Elijah couldn't help anyone while he was a mess and he could understand that Klaus had been worried about Cami because she had been alone with him at the safe house. His brother had sent her over so that she could perhaps help him with his problems but unfortunately it hadn't helped at all – and she had been in great danger. The Original would have never been able to forgive himself if he would have really harmed her.

If he was honest with himself he had always wished to have Hayley at his side instead of Cami – even though she was a very lovely woman. Perhaps she would have been able to raise him up due to the fact that she was the only person on earth who would have been able to succeed with that task. In the end most of his pain was connected with Hayley – knowingly or not, deliberately or not.

Maybe the Original was still just too deeply hurt because Hayley seemingly didn't guess that he had such bad problems even though his mind was telling him that it was best that way. He didn't want to be a burden on anyone.

Suddenly his mixed up thoughts wandered back to Jackson and the other part of his conversation with Niklaus. Obviously everyone could easily notice that he was in love with Hayley and still it had taken so long for them to notice that by themselves – or at least it had taken so long for him to notice it. Nevertheless those words had never been said – even Klaus had said those three words while confronting Elijah.

Elijah was vehemently fighting against the proposition of Klaus that he deep down also wished that Jackson would disappear as soon as possible but if Elijah was thinking about it and opened up to his darkest side he had to confess that Klaus was right – even though he would never admit that in public and only because of the thought about it he felt guilty. But how could it be different? Who wouldn't think about such a possibility if it was all about the person who's the most important thing for you? Elijah was quite sure that probably everyone would think about such a possibility even though most of the people would never admit that or even go through with that idea.

The behavior of Klaus concerned him because he had no idea what would be his next step. That impression in his eyes which he had seen clearly and unshrouded made him shiver because that never meant something good and Elijah didn't know what to do now if he was perfectly honest with himself. At first Klaus asked him not to forget his duty towards his family and in the next moment he would like to kill Jackson. Of course Elijah knew that his brother only wanted to get more power but even the temperamental Klaus clearly had to know that this would bring back chaos among this community.

Yes, there was again the always duteous and self-sacrificing part of Elijah which came back to surface. It didn't matter how he felt: The main issue was that all the other people were fine…

Elijah was lost in thoughts that deeply and his mind was circling around all the different incidents these days and weeks that he at first didn't notice those slow steps which were coming nearer towards him. But as this typical and unmistakable smell reached his noise – which was the most beautiful thing on earth for him – he took a deep breath and sighed desperately afterwards.

"A lovely ceremony", Elijah managed to say but he didn't have the strength to look into her beautiful face so he stayed the way he was – his back towards her while staring downwards where the cleanup had already started.

"That's true", she mumbled and Elijah could clearly feel how her looks were burning into his back.

Why was she here anyway? The wedding party had just finished and she should now actually be with Jackson – her husband. This word still released a special feeling in Elijah which felt like ramming a stake into his heart. Still he was confused that she was now right behind him.

"Elijah, I want you to know that I hadn't a clue about the idea of Klaus", she finally said and Elijah sensed her presence straight behind him – for his taste even too close for his self-control. After all it would never ever be again like it used to be before the wedding.

"I know. I don't blame you for that. I didn't know either. By that my brother only wants me to… Whatever, not so important", Elijah replied while thinking about the malicious smile on Klaus' lips with which he had smiled at him during announcing his plans in front of the public – of course having something horrible in mind by doing so. Either he wanted to twist the knife even deeper in the wound – he wouldn't hesitate only a second doing that even though he was his brother – or Niklaus only wanted to pursue his plan to get Jackson out of his way sooner or later and that was only the first step so that he could always keep a wary eye on Jackson – without Elijah being there to stop him from his stupid plans. If the last mentioned thing was his goal he had already succeeded with that…

"Why are you here, Hayley? You should be with your husband and Hope", Elijah pointed out even though it was unbelievably hard for him to let this cataclysmal word slip over his lips.

"I wanted to see you", she replied shortly and Elijah's facial expression immediately became hard as stone while something in his chest shattered into thousands of pieces – if there was still something existing which could actually still break after he had been watching the ceremony.

"These times are over now", Elijah mumbled with a bittersweet taste on his tongue but he had really forgotten for a short moment that she could of course hear him.

"Elijah, I am so sorry. I never intended to hurt you on purpose! You have to believe me", Hayley now confessed and Elijah couldn't miss how her voice became a bit higher as it used to be usually. He knew exactly what that was caused by – that was the way she was speaking while feeling guilty for something or if she was worried and could hardly hold back her tears.

Elijah knew her like he never knew a woman before her and it was clear to him that Hayley was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with but still that didn't help because the proximity of them couldn't exist anymore. But if she should start crying now that would only result in the much higher possibility that he was going to lose control over his emotions again and that wasn't supposed to happen. It had already been hard enough that she had nearly started crying as well while he had tried to tell her the three magical words. That broken voice had been evidence enough that she didn't really believe herself the things which she had told him earlier. Anyway it was in a sad way amusing that she was now apologizing because even though that apology was sincere it didn't help a lot. No, on the contrary… It made the pain even more unbearable.

"I know", that was all Elijah could say at that very moment. If he would have said more she would have for sure noticed his broken voice. The gentle tickling in his neck because of her sweet breathe didn't make it better. "Hayley, I have decided to join Marcel and Gia. If this new community wants to be successful they need an experienced teacher. It's going to be hard work but I think we can build up something big again with that", Elijah explained now before the conversation could turn much more into the wrong direction.

"Which means that you are moving out?", Hayley asked him desperately after she had found her voice again.

Was he mistaken or was that which suddenly appeared in her voice really jealousy by the mentioning of Gia's name? Elijah had sensed something like that already a few times before – it felt like Hayley really had a problem with Gia but Elijah only liked her as some kind of friend. Apart from this: Why should Hayley still feel something like jealousy? That issue was settled now – at least for a very long time.

"Yes, so it would seem."

"But Elijah! That's your home! That's not okay it's…", she started only to be interrupted by Elijah – who finally turned around to look at her.

"Hayley, what do you expect from me? That I will stay here? Do you really believe that I could survive that? That I would be forced to look at you and Jackson day by day again and again only to feel the pain that now another man has his place at your side? Tell me, Hayley, how should I be able to handle that? You know as well as I do that this is impossible and furthermore it would perhaps also be better for you if we don't see each other anymore", the Original replied but his voice wasn't as calm and controlled as before but he didn't care about it.

"If we don't see each other again? Elijah, that…"

"No, Hayley. No protest. We both know that it would be like torture if we would see each other outside of the necessary meetings – for example because of Hope as I am still her uncle. I am going to move out and that's it", Elijah interrupted her harshly.

"That sounds like an end forever", Hayley mumbled after a few moments.

"Yes, it does. Who knows what's going to happen in the future, Hayley. For me it doesn't matter what the future is going to be because I will always…", he replied but stopped himself in the very last second before he could let something slip out only because of his recklessness.

"Anyway, what I am trying to say is that I don't know how you are going to think about us if this chapter is finally over. Perhaps I am not an option anymore for a long time already", Elijah forced himself to add, cleared his throat and stared at the ground.

"You really believe that? That I couldn't be interested in you anymore? That is never going to happen, Elijah. Or is all this about the things which I have told you earlier?", the bride confusedly wanted to know but due to his silence she knew that this was exactly the point of the matter. "I see. Elijah, please look at me. Come on, please", she continued, lifted his chin and wanted to force him with that to look straight into her eyes but he vehemently fought against that until he just wasn't strong enough anymore to resist her will. Elijah gave in and was immediately lost in her dark eyes. "I have only said that because I needed to force myself to believe as strongly as possible that this wedding had to be done – otherwise I would have never been able to go through with it. I have also told Jackson something like that earlier but that was only to… calm myself down a bit. I wouldn't have been able to really do that without it, you know?"

Still Elijah wasn't able to say something. As soon as she let go of his chin he immediately looked down at the ground again – he just couldn't handle her intense gaze any longer.

"Elijah, say it", she suddenly prompted him as soon as she had noticed that he wouldn't say a word.

The truth was that Elijah knew that if he would look at her now only one second longer while opening his mouth for another word he would immediately lose control – no matter how much he was fighting against that impulse. He would give into his feelings for her even though he refused to let that happen.

"You know what I mean. Really, Elijah, it's okay. Tell me. I already wanted to hear it earlier but I have been so afraid, do you understand?", Hayley encouraged him but he still didn't react. The only thing that could be heard was his desperate sigh.

"What for? That would only be even more painful now. This doesn't mean something any longer and I…", he dared to finally open his mouth even though he could feel that his self-control was quickly slipping away only because of those few words.

"I am missing you, Elijah – already yet. I have no idea how I am going to be able to handle your loss if you don't allow us to see each other at least sometimes for a short time", she whispered and suddenly she wrapped her slim arms around his neck – Elijah wasn't able to prevent that because he hadn't thought that she would really do that.

Bewildered Elijah's eyes widened and he had no idea what to do next. His head was spinning around. He felt so confused and helpless like never before but then he suddenly realized her sudden body warmth and Elijah wasn't able to resist that feeling any longer. Without any further hesitation he hugged her back and pulled her as close to his chest as possible. Who knew if he would have the possibility to do that again in the future – or even if he would be able to do that ever again.

He quarreled with himself for a very long time but before he could waste even more time by thinking about if it was wise to tell her those words it was already too late. Elijah refused to listen to his mind – at least once in his so noble life – and decided to follow his heart. And he knew that he had to say it now because as soon as his mind was back on he would have never dared to say that for real due to the fact that she was now married.

"I love you, Hayley", he whispered into her ear and those three magical words which had passed his lips so rarely in the last one thousand years felt so fragile and vulnerable that he was in fear that if he would have said them only a bit louder they probably would have stuck in his throat.

Not because he still had doubts to tell her the truth about his feelings – it was because he was so afraid to feel unbearably lonely in the future without her at his side. All that pain was lying in those three simple words. It was so unbelievably hard for him because he knew that he wouldn't have the chance to tell her that again for a very long time now and because even though she was the love of his life they couldn't be together – they weren't allowed to. Hayley was the woman who could easily look through his façade and who knew perfectly every single part of him – which nobody did besides her. Not even his siblings.

"I love you too, Elijah", Hayley replied obviously happy now while affectionately stroking his dark hair.

Neither Elijah nor Hayley knew to what end all of this was going to lead but right now that didn't matter at all. They just belonged together – both knew that especially since today – so they were going to find a way to be with one another. Elijah knew it – he just hoped it.

The Original kept quiet about the apparent danger for Jackson due to the fact that Klaus intended to end his life soon…

So, what do you think? Liked it? Would you like to read more? Please leave a review :)

What do you think is going to happen next with our beloved Haylijah? Feel free to pour out your hearts :)