The Struggle

Hey guys! I have never really written The Originals fiction before and I am rather excited! I have written a crossover between The Originals and Twilight, but never a singular Originals fiction.

Furthermore, I finished the first three seasons of the originals last year, and now sadly the fourth season is about to come to an end. This fiction will be an alternate ending for the episode I Love You, Goodbye. The fourteenth episode of season two when Hayley and Jackson get married.

I'm not sure about you guys, but I am a huge Hayley and Elijah fan, so when Hayley agreed to ditch Elijah and marry Jackson I was rather unhappy.

This fiction will tell the story of what happened if Jackson was not truthful, and he was in fact a conman wanting Hayley for her status in the pack and the fact that she was a hybrid.

I really hope you enjoy this, please review to let me know what you thought.

The newly married Hayley Marshall-Kenner stood overlooking the courtyard of the compound. She leant against the railing, watching her new husband and the rest of the pack gather up the chairs from the ceremony. Husband. She cringed at the word. Every time she walked into the same room as Elijah, or every time she would speak to him, her heart would beat so fast that she felt like it would explode from her chest. She hated herself for what she had done to him, and countless times she had wanted to do nothing other than run into his arms, knowing that he would happily allow her to be there. Her heart had shattered when he told her that he was moving out of his family home to live in an apartment on the other side of the river. She knew it was her fault. Because she had accepted Klaus' offer to live with them at the compound, Elijah felt the need to leave his home.

Hayley was so immersed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the conversations that were going on below her, so when she finally focused and her name came up in conversation, her eyebrows furrowed and she moved behind a pillar so she couldn't be seen.

"I can't believe you pulled it off, man." Hayley used her hybrid abilities to hear Oliver speak to his fellow werewolves. She heard Jackson laugh.

"I know. Mary was so worried that it wouldn't work because I wasn't doing the rituals properly, I told her not to worry but you know how she is." Jackson quipped.

"it didn't even take much, Jack. Hayley sure has a pretty face but she isn't all that smart. Hayley Marshall, the all-powerful hybrid alpha, fooled by some two-bit werewolf." Hayley heard one person clap someone on the back in congratulations. She took the opportunity to look around the pillar slowly as to not alert the group of werewolves to her presence.

"So, what are you doing tonight, Jack?" one of the wolves asked.

"I'm going to consummate this thing with Hayley and then I'm going back out into the Bayou, Ana is out there waiting for me." Hayley glowered when he grinned widely.

"I'm sure she is. She's really okay with you being married though?" one of the wolves asked not so quietly. As far as they knew, Elijah was over the river in his new apartment, Klaus was out with Hope, Freya and Rebekah were not at home, and Hayley could not hear them as she was showering upstairs.

"She wasn't happy about it when I first told her, but she's okay with it now. Her only concern that she wouldn't have to turn anymore and that Hayley would be taking up all of my time, but I assured her that I would be out in the Bayou the majority of the time." Jackson answered his friends question.

Hayley felt like a damn fool. She had given up her family, her love, for the marriage to Jackson. She had never felt so stupid in her life. She had pushed away everyone's objections, thinking that she was doing the best thing for Hope. Hope was the sole reason for her marriage, she had even gone as far to tell Jackson and the rest of the pack about her baby daughter, thinking that she could trust them. She was wrong. She tried to think of something other than Jackson as she heard the wolves cheer and whistle as they walked out of the compound. All of the wolves but one. She stopped breathing as she heard Jackson walk up the metal staircase, his old shoes stepping heavily on each step.

"Hayley!" he called out for her as he reached the top step. She let out a shuddered breath and stepped quickly into the closest room. She turned and closed the door quickly, wincing when the old door creaked slightly as it closed. She turned on her heel and walked into the room, signing when she realised it was Elijah's. she moved to his bed, still perfectly made even though he wouldn't be sleeping in it for a while. She sat on the edge of the bed, reaching down to undo the clasps of her shoes, so Jackson could hear them clattering across the floor as she walked. She was both annoyed and happy that she had chosen to run into Elijah's room to avoid Jackson. She was annoyed because it bought up so many good memories for Hayley, mostly memories of her and Elijah. Those memories just made her angrier, angrier at herself and angrier at Jackson. She was annoyed at herself because all of this could have been avoided. If she hadn't been fooled by Jackson's plan, she could not only be happy with her family and her daughter, but she wouldn't have broken Elijah's heart, and her own in the process. But there were also some benefits to this particular room, it was the last place that Jackson would look for Hayley which gave her time to come up with an escape plan.

"Hayley, where are you?" She froze when Jackson called out for her again, slight aggravation in his voice. She listened to see where he was in the compound. She heard his shoes walking across the old floorboards of one of the studies upstairs.

Hayley's first course of action was to see if she could use the balcony that lead off Elijah's room to escape, thankfully the doors were unlocked. She moved to jump up onto the railing when she realised she was still wearing her wedding dress and no shoes. Now she cursed herself for not running into her own, Rebekah's or Freya's room where there would be clothes.

"What the hell." She muttered to herself as she made a beeline for the chest of drawers in Elijah's room. She silently prayed that he had left some clothes behind. She opened the top drawer slowly, not wanting Jackson to hear where she was, and she was relieved when she pulled out a pair of sweats. It was not the type of clothing item that Hayley had expected to find when she opened the drawer. She quickly rooted through the drawer and came up empty for something to cover up her top half, so she threw the sweats onto the bed and rushed towards the closet in search of a shirt. She silently thanked god when the closet doors didn't creak loudly, allowing her to pull out a white shirt silently. Hayley cursed as she tried to unzip her dress on her own, but she grinned when she did it. She stepped out of the white lace dress, discarding it on the old floor. Hayley quickly threw on the sweats and Elijah's shirt, adding a pair of socks to the ensemble when she realised she had no shoes.

"Hayley!" Jackson shouted again. Hayley gasped and spun towards the door when she heard the doorknob creak. Without any regard for him, or her disregarded dress on the floor, or for any bystanders, she sped onto the balcony and over the railing. She landed safely on the pavement, looking around for anyone who could have noticed her supernatural abilities. As soon as she heard Jackson's voice in the room she had just vanished from, she rushed down the street and into the nearest bar, Rousseau's. Hayley looked around the almost empty bar, it wasn't until then that she realised it was almost midnight. Hayley signed in relief when she saw Cami wiping down the bat with a cloth.

"Cami!" Hayley called, walking over to the bar.

"Hay… Hayley." Cami was shocked by Hayley's appearance.

"Cami, I need your help." Cami furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at Hayley, hoping she would explain her dishevelled appearance.

"I'll close up, give me a second." Hayley nodded as Cami walked around to each or the tables, alerting each customer that they were closing. As soon as everyone was out, Cami deadbolted the door and made her way back over to Hayley, snatching a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from the bar on her way past.

"First question, are you okay? You look like you just made a great escape from somewhere." Cami laughed, not realising she just described the situation.

"I did." Hayley answered, reaching for the bottle of whiskey and pouring some into both glasses.

"You did? What? Why?" Cami's eyebrows narrowed.

"It was all a trick, everything was a lie." Hayley started.

Cami said nothing, allowing Hayley to continue.

"When I married Jackson, he said that the marriage ritual would allow the pack to gain my hybrid abilities. That was true. The lie was Jackson himself, he promised me that he loved me and that he was going to protect my daughter, but it wasn't true. He's a fraud." Hayley continued, explaining what she had heard when the wolves were standing in the courtyard.

Cami was silent when Hayley finished talking.

"Oh my god, Hayley, I'm so sorry." Cami reached over to put her hand on top of Hayley's.

"What about Klaus? And Elijah? Do they know?" Hayley shook her head. She knew that Klaus would kill Jackson and all of those that were conspiring against him immediately. She was sure that Elijah would join Klaus.

"What are you going to do?" Cami asked quietly.

"I don't know." Hayley reached for the whiskey and refilled her glass.

"At least there is a bright side, now you can at least try and be happy with Elijah."

Hayley ducked her head.

"What?" Cami asked.

"What am I supposed to say to him? Jackson used me and now I want to be with you?" Hayley ran her hand through her hair as she spoke.

"Elijah loves you, Hayley." Cami spoke with a smile on her face. Hayley smiled, she knew that Elijah loved her, it was what was making the situation so difficult.

"What do you think I should do?" Hayley looked up at Cami as she ran her finger around the rim of her class, catching sight of her wedding ring.

"Tell them?" Cami suggested.

"I'm sure that Jackson would have called Klaus after he realised I was missing, what if Jackson is there when I call? I can't be near him right now I'd tear his head off." Hayley crossed her arms across her chest. Cami thought for a moment before taking her phone from her pocket and dialling a number. Hayley looked up from the table when she heard Cami calling someone on loudspeaker.

"Camille." Klaus greeted when he answered the call.

"Hey, where are you?" Cami asked casually.

"Looking for Hayley, she's missing. Jackson called." Hayley shot Cami a look that said, 'I told you so'.

"Are you alone?" Cami asked.

"No, I'm with Jackson." He answered. Hayley sighed.

"Can you ditch him for a second? I really need to talk to you?" Cami asked, Hayley knew that Klaus was furrowing his eyebrows.

"I can. Where are you?"

"Rousseau's."

"I'll be there soon." Klaus spoke before ending the call.

"I knew that lying bastard would call Klaus." Hayley muttered to herself. Both her and Camille stood up when the glass door was knocked.

"Klaus." Cami greeted as she let him in.

"What did…" Klaus trailed off when he saw Hayley.

"Hayley? What are you doing here?" he asked, confused.

"I've been here the whole time."

"You mean I've scoured the quarter with your werewolf husband for hours, and you've been here the whole time?" Klaus raised his eyebrows expectantly, awaiting Hayley's answer.

"Sounds about right. Cami called because I'm avoiding Jackson." Hayley answered.

"Avoiding? Trouble in paradise already?" Klaus smirked.

"Sort of." Hayley answered him. Klaus' smile vanished.

"Elaborate." He ordered.

"Jackson has been using me the whole time. He was lying about protecting Hope and he was lying about loving me. He's a conman, Klaus." Hayley explained, Klaus glowered in anger.

"Does he know that you know? I assume he didn't tell you this information?" Klaus crossed his arms.

"No, he didn't, I overheard him and some of the pack talking." Hayley spoke, anger colouring her tone.

"Who else knows? Elijah? Rebekah?"

"Nobody but the two of you, I came straight to Cami after I escaped."

"Escaped? Although I do say, Jackson was pissed off that he found your wedding dress in Elijah's room." Klaus laughed.

"That wasn't intentional, it was just the closest room to where I was hiding."

"Right." Klaus smirked, looking down at Hayley's outfit choice.

Hayley rolled her eyes.

"I had to improvise okay? It was the only thing I could find in Elijah's room at such short notice." Klaus' smirk widened.

"Are you telling him?" Cami asked from her seat at the bar.

"Tell who?" Hayley's eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

"Elijah?" Cami elaborated her question.

Hayley shrugged.

"I don't know. I've hurt him enough." She sighed.

"You can do as you please. I, however, am going to kill Jackson." Klaus took two steps backwards before he was stopped.

"Klaus, no." Hayley stopped him, earning herself a glare from Klaus.

"What do you mean, no? He conspired against our family and our daughter. I'm putting him down."

"Klaus…" Hayley was interrupted by someone unexpected.

"Niklaus, would you please?" She looked up to see Elijah leaning against the doorframe.

"Elijah. How long have you been there?" Hayley gaped.

"I arrived only moments ago. Why, pray tell, are we killing Jackson?" Elijah walked into the bar, one hand in his trouser pocket.

Cami and Klaus turned to Hayley expectantly, waiting for her to explain the situation to Elijah. When Klaus has waited enough and Hayley said nothing, he took it upon himself to explain.

"Brother, we are killing Jackson because he is a backstabbing wanker who has conspired against our family. And since, you are both a member of that family and the other man holding Hayley's affections, I suggest you join us." Klaus smiled when Hayley glared at him. Her gaze softened when she met Elijah's gaze. As always, his eyes were full of love and adoration, love and adoration for felt she didn't deserve.

"Conspired how?"

"He used me for my abilities, the whole pack knew. They never intended to help Hope at all." Hayley explained, her eyes never leaving Elijah's.

The love and adoration in his eyes turned to anger in a second. Hayley wanted to step forward, be closer to him, but she already knew she had hurt him too much already.

"How do you know that?" Elijah asked, his voice full of anger.

"She heard him talking to a few members of the pack. He wanted to consummate their marriage and then vanish into the Bayou with another girl." Cami answered when Hayley said nothing.

"Right. And I assume that you won't be able to get a divorce?" Elijah questioned, taking his hand from his pocket and letting it hang at his side.

"You assume correctly, it was some backwater ritual. If I go to one of the wolves about this, a wolf elder even, they will laugh in my face." Hayley said, the same amount of anger in her voice as Elijah.

"Even if I tried that route, they aren't going to grant me anything. The only point of this marriage for them is so that they don't have to turn anymore. If Jackson and I got divorced, would they not have my abilities anymore?" Hayley looked at the three people around her for the answer to her question.

"I have no idea. This has to be the shortest marriage on record." Klaus quipped. Hayley stayed quiet, remembering that Klaus hadn't wanted her to marry Jackson in the first place. As she knew Klaus, Hayley knew he was dying to say, 'I told you so'.

"So, what exactly are we going to do?" Elijah asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"We aren't killing him. As much as I want to, he has a family. We can't do that." Hayley spoke.

"I beg to differ, he needs to die. Nobody in history has conspired against this family and lived." Klaus argued.

"Niklaus, Hayley is right. Killing is not the correct solution." Elijah agreed with Hayley, she grinned at him in thanks.

"So, what are you suggesting?" Klaus demanded.

"I have nothing to suggest, I'm just saying we aren't killing him." Hayley crossed her arms across her chest as she glared at Klaus.

"We have to think about this logically. We can't just kill him or come up with some half-assed plan. This plan needs to be logical and good, otherwise it won't work." Cami interjected.

"Hayley, you said the ritual worked even though Jackson didn't love you?" Hayley nodded.

"So, he lied about that too. And this is like a legal marriage? Certified and everything?" Came asked another question, Hayley nodded again.

"Right. Even though the ink isn't even dry on the certificate yet, it can't be made nil and void without a sufficient reason. The girl you mentioned, maybe he's already married to her? If he is, you two can't be legally married and you will be granted a divorce?" Cami suggested.

"I have no idea. All I know is her name." Hayley sighed.

"So, we don't know that. I have no idea, I can search it?" Cami reached for her phone and started to type.

"Okay, so, the married can be made void if you are closely related, under the age of sixteen, if the marriage wasn't properly consented to, or if you were pregnant by another before you married." Cami read from her phone.

"So, we can't do that either. We know I'm not related to Jackson and I'm twenty-four. Like a fool I consented to it, and because of my current hybrid status I can't get pregnant." Hayley sighed again.

"Why couldn't this just be a normal courthouse marriage? Then I could have just compelled myself a divorce. I have to be granted it by some bloody tribe elder who most likely takes vervain." Hayley shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she spoke.

"We can always bribe them with their lives." Klaus suggested.

"Not helping, Niklaus."

"Going back to the already married part, we could try that?" Cami suggested, looking hopefully at Hayley.

"How? We don't know whether Jackson is married, and I'm highly doubtful."

"We could ask?" Klaus suggested again.

"Klaus would you…" Hayley's chiding of Klaus was interrupted when Cami spoke.

"Actually, Klaus has a point. Go into the Bayou and ask her. Jackson said she was out there waiting for him. But I wasn't talking about Jackson being married."

Everyone's eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

"Me? I'm not married though?" Hayley asked, not sure what Cami's point was.

"I know that, but they don't." Now everyone was more confused.

"Cami? What are you talking about?" Klaus asked, his confusion evident.

"We could pretend that she was already married when Hayley married Jackson. That would make the marriage void." Cami suggested. Hayley looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language.

"But, how? What do you…" Hayley understood her point when Cami looked pointedly at Elijah.

"Cami! Are you serious!" Hayley cried, her cheeks flushing.

"I have a great idea. Hayley and Elijah can have what I am sure will be a fabulous conversation on their way to the Bayou to see whether Jackson is married to the girl." Klaus smiled in triumph.

Nobody said anything for a moment, but the tension disappeared when Elijah offered his hand to Hayley. She smiled took her hand, he led her out to the Range Rover that was parked outside.

"You're serious? You want to come with me into the Bayou?" Elijah nodded and opened the passenger door for her. She clambered inside, still dressed in sweats and socks.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to the compound first? I'm sure you're not comfortable?" Elijah gestured to her choice of clothing as he climbed into the driver's side.

"This is plenty comfortable. It was all I could find in your room, I had to make a quick getaway." Elijah's eyes shone with amusement as she spoke.

Elijah started the car and started to drive out of the quarter. There was a silence between them.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly as they got closer to the Bayou.

"I'm okay, Elijah. Just shocked, and I feel so used." Hayley ducked her head and Elijah slowed the car, pulling over to the side of the road. He turned to look at her.

"Hayley this isn't your fault. And still even after everything he did, you still won't kill him. This is not your fault, Hayley."

Hayley looked up at him apprehensively.

"Elijah, I lost everything I had because of this. Because of this, Hope can't come home, and you have moved out of The Quarter. I lost Hope, and I lost you. I don't know what to do, Elijah." Hayley put her head in her hands.

"Hayley." Elijah spoke softly, moving her hair out of the way and lifting her chin with his index finger.

"Hayley, you could never do anything to lose me."

"How can you even stand to be in the same car as me, Elijah? After everything I did, how much I hurt you?"

"I understand why you married Jackson, you wanted to bring your daughter home. We wanted the same thing, you wanted your daughter and I wanted my niece home safely." Elijah moved his hand to cup her cheek.

"Earlier when I was in your room, you wouldn't let me say something. Are you going to allow me to say it now?" Elijah requested. Hayley's gaze mirrored Elijah's as she nodded.

"I love you. Have since I saw you in that cemetery." Hayley's gaze softened as he spoke.

"I know. I love you, too. It started when you swore to protect me, and you lived up to your promise, you still do." Hayley spoke with adoration in her voice.

"Yes, I remember, and then you slapped me." Hayley ducked her head, smiling.

"Yeah, I did." They laughed.

They were interrupted when Elijah's phone started ringing.

"Niklaus." He greeted.

"Are you there yet?" He demanded. Elijah rolled his eyes.

"No, almost though." Elijah answered his question.

"Well when you get back to the quarter, you can come back to the compound. Jackson is in a bar in the same booth he was half an hour ago, I don't think he's coming back tonight." Klaus explained.

"Okay." Elijah answered simply before ending the call.

Without saying a word, Elijah started the car and got back onto the road.

"What do you think? About what Cami said?" Hayley asked him quietly.

Elijah thought for a moment before answering.

"I think that we should see whether Jackson is in fact married before we decide anything." He started. Hayley ducked her head, she shouldn't have thought he would marry her.

"However, I would quite happily marry you if that is what you wanted." He continued. Hayley looked up at him in surprise.

"You'd marry me?" She asked quietly, a grin on her face.

Elijah turned to face her, he nodded and grinned slightly.

"So, noble Elijah."

"Isn't that what men do? Marry the women they love?" Elijah spoke as he slowed the car to a stop on the outskirts to the werewolf camp.

"So how are we doing this?" Hayley asked as she climbed out of the car. Elijah followed suit and they met at the front of the car.

"I don't know, sneak attack?" He suggested.

"Maybe. I just realised something." Hayley looked up at Elijah.

"You just told me you loved me, and yet you haven't kissed me?" Hayley questioned, a smile crossing her features.

"You're right, I haven't." It wasn't a second before Elijah put his hand on Hayley's cheek and pulled her to him, his hand going to her waist and her hands snaking around his neck. After a few moments, he pulled away.

"Better?" He smirked.

"Much." Hayley answered, smiling up at him. She took his hand and lead him through the trees and bushes and into the camp. Everyone looked up when they walked in.

" I'm looking for Ana?" A blonde girl stood up and approached Hayley and Elijah.

"And you are?" She grimaced as she looked the two of them up and down.

"I'm your boyfriend's wife." Hayley grabbed the girls arm and pulled her towards their car.

"You're Hayley?" The blonde looked up and down Hayley again.

"Yes. I'm Hayley." Hayley crossed her arms across her chest, resisting the urge to slap the blonde for her lack of manners.

"And him?" She pointed at Elijah.

"I'm sure you've heard of him, Elijah Mikaelson? All powerful original vampire not to be messed with?" Hayley spoke, anger in her tone.

"What do you want?" Ana crossed her arms.

"I want to know about your relationship with Jackson. How long have you been dating?"

"About a year and a half. I was waiting for him to propose until I found out he was going to marry you to make the pack better."

Hayley glared at the girl until she faltered. Ana took a step back and ran into the encampment.

"Well, now we know they aren't married." Elijah said as they climbed back into the car, headed back to the Quarter.

…

When they got back to the compound, Klaus, Freya and Rebekah were waiting for them in the courtyard.

"Well?" Klaus called as they walked in.

"Not married." Elijah confirmed. Klaus nodded.

"And Cami's plan?" He pushed. Elijah and Hayley looked at each other, their hands still adjoined.

"We'll do it, if it comes to it. You'd be able to get all of the documents sorted so that they predate my marriage to Jackson?" Hayley asked, Klaus nodded.

"Yes, we could get those documents by just compelling the correct people." They nodded, Hayley took a step closer and Elijah moved his arm so it was around her shoulders.

"Hayley!" Jackson shouted as he entered the compound, startling them.

Hayley made no effort to move from Elijah's side.

"Jackson." She greeted, her anger was back.

"What the hell is this?!" He shouted, gesturing to Elijah's arm around Hayley's shoulder.

"Well, Elijah and I had a nice long talk about everything on our way back from talking to Ana." Hayley looked around her family and then back to Jackson.

"Ana?" Jackson acted confused.

"Yes, Ana. I overheard you and your pals earlier talking about how easy it was to get me to marry you. How you used me to get my abilities for the pack. I heard everything Jack." Jackson remained in place, his stoic expression not faltering.

"Hayley, regardless of what you do now, there is nothing you can do to make our marriage void. There's absolutely nothing." A smug look crossed Jackson's face.

"Well you see Jackson, there is something." Hayley started, looking up at Elijah quickly.

Jackson laughed.

"Right, and what is it?"

"You and I aren't legally married." Hayley spoke with confidence, she was not going to allow Jackson the satisfaction of using her.

"Of course, it is Hayley? What on earth made you think it wasn't?"

"Because you can't marry someone else if you're already married."

There's the first chapter! There will be another coming soon! I really hope you enjoyed what you were reading, it is a storyline I have been playing around with for a long while.

Please read and review, I want to know what you thought of my storyline and what you thought in general!

As always, lots of love,

Louisaxo