A/N: thank you for the wonderful reviews and for reading it.

Synopsis: Hayley and Klaus try to get along with each other but their personalities are not letting them to get along so well. Elijah with all his efforts realizes that he is witnessing a losing battle. On the other front Klaus manages to destroy Marcel's trust within his army.


She went to her room and went to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow after saying some colorful chosen words for Klaus to herself.

When she woke up next it was afternoon and the house sounded quiet.

She got up, freshened herself up and went downstairs.

She saw Elijah looking out of the window in the sitting room. She smiled and said "hey Elijah, how is it going?"

Elijah turned towards her and said "how are you Hayley?"

She smiled and said "I am great. I got to see my pack in human form today".

Elijah said "yes Niklaus told me that".

He suddenly realized that the smile slipped from her face and was replaced by annoyance now.

Elijah asked her "is something the matter?"

Hayley shook her head and said "no, so I was thinking may be next time on full moon, you can go with me and talk to them when they are in human form and get some information for me".

Elijah didn't say anything for a moment but then nodded and said "sure why not?"

She then said "In the mean time I think I know who can help me with this right now".

When Elijah continued to look at her questioningly she said "the curse is put by a witch so only a witch can help right?"

Elijah nodded. She continued "then I need to find a witch".

Elijah said "Niklaus is working with some witches so may be …. ?"

Hayley cut him off by saying with annoyance "No, I dont need Niklaus help or his witches. I can find my own. I know a shop in French Quarter. It is witch herbal medicinal shop.I am thinking of talking to the witch who owns it".

Elijah who was still wondering about her reaction to his suggestion said "In French Quarter? I don't think it is a good idea for you to go there".

Hayley said with a smile "I am going, if you want to accompany me you are most welcome".

Elijah looked at her determined face and said "okay".

Elijah looked at her expressions with curiosity and asked her casually "something happened between you and Niklaus?"

She said to him with irritation "Listen Elijah, I get that you love your brother but if you want to talk about your brother then I can go alone. I am not going to be spending next couple of hours hearing about how good a heart your brother has".

She took a deliberate deep breath and said "are you coming or not?"

Elijah stared at her for a few minutes and then said with resignation "yes, let us go".

The drive to the French Quarter was quiet one.

When the reached Jardin Gris, a girl was coming out. Hayley hurried towards her and said "I need some information from you".

She looked at her and said "about what?"

Hayley looked at Elijah who was eyeing the girl curiously and said "You must know about the curse put on the werewolves in the bayou. I need to find out how to break that curse".

The girl looked surprise for a moment and then said "yes, i know about the curse but I don't know how to break it. I can get some information for you. Are you a werewolf?"

When Hayley nodded, the girl said hastily looking around in a panicked voice "you shouldn't have come here. Werewolves are banned in the French Quarter. If Marcel's people find out, they will kill you".

Hayley said with a smile "dont worry about me. Just find out what you can for me. Your name is …"

The girl smiled and said "Katie and yours?".

She then looked at Elijah and said "I know who you are"

Hayley smiled and said "yes, his reputation proceeds him and my name is Hayley".

Katie said "give me your number. I will call you when I will find out something".

After Hayley gave her her cell number, she and Elijah left.

Klaus was pacing the foyer in the house like an angry caged animal recalling Marcel's angry outburst about spotting Hayley and Elijah in the French Quarter. He spun towards the door when it opened and saw them walking in.

He looked at both of them and then asked Hayley "did you go to French Quarter?"

Hayley said insolently "yes I did. so what? Elijah was with me".

Klaus said angrily "when Marcel told you that you cannot go to French Quarter then why would you go again. He saw you there today and he was really mad".

Elijah looked at Hayley who was avoiding looking at him and said "you never told me that Marcel told you not to go to French Quarter".

Hayley didnt answer him.

Klaus suddenly said in a loud voice "because of your stupidity Marcel is now angry at me. I am about to lose his trust"

Hayley suddenly said in a loud voice too "why is he angry at you? If he has an issue he should talk to me. You don't have to play a devil's advocate for me".

Elijah was so taken aback by their outburst that he didnt know what to say when Klaus stepped closer to Hayley and said coldly "Hayley, I have something going on with Marcel and I am almost there in gaining his trust, if you do something to jeopardize it that will be the end of you".

Hayley said insolently "I am looking for my family and trying to help them and for that I will do anything and if that means crossing your path, I will not hesitate"

After saying that she stepped back and turned away from him.

Before Klaus could react Elijah put his hand on his chest and stopped him. Klaus looked at Elijah angrily and then stormed out of house whereas Hayley went upstairs to her room.

Elijah went to his room and after changing his clothes, he got into the bed but couldn't sleep so he laid there wondering why Hayley does not like Klaus and how long will it take for Klaus to accept her and open up to her? Initially he had thought that he had imagined the resentment between them but now he was getting more and more convinced that Hayley doesn't like Klaus. He thought to himself that the reason why Klaus was keeping his distance from Hayley or acting that way but what is her excuse. After today's argument he was feeling as if he is going to be playing a referee between those two acting like teenagers getting out of control and he realized that he is in for a bumpy road ahead. He sighed and then went back to bed and after a couple of minutes he went to sleep.

Next day Hayley didnt see Klaus all day. She waited for Katie's call but she didnt call so she remained in the study most of the time doing research on internet on different hexes that can explain what type of curse was put on the wolves. But she was not having any success and then she realized in frustration that her mind kept on replaying her argument with Klaus and it was starting to irritate him. She said to herself "i don't want to think about it" again and again but it didn't help. At last she got up and went to the kitchen and took out a bottle of bourbon from the liquor cabinet and poured herself a glass and went back to the study and continued with her research. After another hour of tiresome search she decided to give in and get some sleep so she closed it in frustration and thought to herself in resignation 'Elijah is right, Klaus knows those witches. If Katie does not come through, I should go to them'.

She picked up her glass of drink and left the study. As she started up the stair she stopped when the front door opened. She spun around in alarm and then relaxed.

Elijah entered the house followed by Klaus. He looked at her standing at the foot of the stairs and said "Hayley, you are still up. Everything okay?"

She said "yes. I was just reading some material in the study".

She smirked as she saw Klaus look at her sharply and at the same moment from his expressions she realized that he didnt like her intruding his personal space. She asked "where have you guys been?"

Klaus laughed sarcastically and asked "what is this love? an inquiry about our whereabouts?"

Elijah raised his hand as she was about to say something and said "guys, it has been a long day and Niklaus you shouldn't be talking to Hayley that way. It was an simple question".

He then looked at Hayley and said "we were trying to make Marcel lose his right hand man and we managed to do that".

Hayley looked away from Klaus and asked Elijah "how did you manage that and who was he?"

Elijah said with a smile "well it was all Niklaus doing".

He gestured to Klaus and said "why don't you tell Hayley how you did it Klaus".

Klaus looked at Elijah angrily knowing fully well what he was trying to do. He said with some annoyance "Marcel had a right hand man Thierry who was having an affair with witch on the side. I just exposed him by compelling some vampires to attack her and of course Romeo jumped in to save her and well one thing led to another and he managed to kill some of his brothers. Marcel didnt take kindly to that and in short dear old Thierry is in the garden".

Hayley asked him in confusion "garden?"

Klaus gulped the drink down and said without looking at her "Marcel's personal graveyard for his vampires. He buries them alive there to punish them and they stay alive starving in that place for centuries".

Hayley couldn't help but notice a hint of pride a his voice. She looked at him with disgust and said "are you proud of that?"

Elijah rubbed his forehead in exasperation as he foresaw another argument brewing in the air and was about to say something but Klaus said coldly "why shouldn't I be? it is ingenious. What better way to punish a rogue vampire?"

Hayley said with contempt "of course you are going to be proud, you raised him right? O what a joy it would have been to see you destroy another kid like you did to Marcel if you were to have another chance by some miracle". She then turned around and started going up.

Klaus got so mad at those words that he started towards her but Elijah stopped him by saying "No, Niklaus…. let her go".

Klaus looked at him and said angrily "there is nothing… not a single thing that is there except for the obvious".

Elijah said "you don't know her yet".

Klaus said dismissively "and I don't want to either. Why would I want to? She is nothing".

Elijah asked him calmly "then why are you protecting her, helping her?"

Klaus suddenly pushed Elijah against the wall and hissed "dont you dare associate my reasons for helping this girl with her".

Hayley entered her room and then realized that she had left her phone downstairs in the library. She opened the door of her room and came out. As she was coming downstairs she stopped as she saw Elijah pinned against the wall by Klaus. She cleared her throat and asked tentatively "is everything alright here?"

Klaus stayed there for a second and then stepped back from Elijah and said "yes, peachy" without breaking an eye contact with him and then he turned around and went upstairs to his room brushing past her.

Klaus was pacing his room angrily thinking of what just went downstairs. After some thought a voice said to him 'her presence in this house was distracting you and you cannot shake her off of his mind. She has been in your mind ever since she had moved in and the only time you think of her is when you are out'. He said to that voice in frustration 'but I cannot be out all the time. Bloody hell. I had managed to do the unthinkable and now I am back in that endless cycle of misery again'. He went to bed with heavy heart and after tossing and turning all night he came to a decision. He said to himself while changing his clothes "she has to go".

He went down stairs and left the house even before anyone woke up. He went straight to Sophie's apartment. At first she was surprised to see him but then she said "what do you want Klaus?"

Klaus said to her "I am helping you with this business with Marcel, you are going to help me with Crescent pack".

Sophie asked him in surprise "what do you mean?"

Klaus said "I want to know everything about the curse put on them. I don't care if you have to use magic for it or not".

Sophie said with frustration "if I use magic, Marcel will find out about it and he will kill me".

Klaus said "not if there is another distraction from another witch's magic".

Sophie said "who?"

Klaus said "there is this witch in French Quarter. She owns a shop there…"

Sophie cut him off by saying "Katie".

Klaus said with a smirk "oh good you know her then. She recently lost her vampire lover tragically to Marcel and she must be wanting revenge from Marcel but might need some nudge in that direction and you can be that".

Sophie said "you want Katie to use her magic to kill Marcel".

Klaus looked at her with amusement and said "no Sophie Deveraux, no one except Katie will die here at most".

Sophie said "no, Klaus I cann…"

Klaus cut her off and said "just think about it Sophie Deveraux. You want witches to practice magic or not?"

He then turned around and left with a smile on his face.

He took out his cell and called Elijah.

Elijah was sipping his coffee with Hayley when his cell rang. He looked at his name of the caller Id and picked it up and said "yes Niklaus".

Klaus said "I need you to find out about the secret weapon Marcel has. What ever you can find out. I am working on Marcel".

Elijah said "okay" and put the cell down.

He got up and said to Hayley "I have to go. You will be okay right?"

When she nodded he said "Hayley don't go to French Quarter. I know that you think Niklaus is being overbearing but he has a point. One more of those trips can cause a disastrous war between werewolves and vampires and I am sure you wouldn't want that".

She stared at him for a few minutes and then nodded realizing that he was right.

Klaus was sitting with Marcel when he got a call on his cell. He picked it and as klaus listened a young girl's voice came from the other end "there is someone using magic in the streets of French Quarter".

He got up and said "thank you D" and put the cell down.

He looked at Klaus and said "lets go on a witch hunt".

Klaus smiled and followed him with a couple of his close vampire friends. As they walked down the Bourbon street in French Quarter he saw a young girl walking down the street with her hands raised and chanting. He saw in horror as suddenly Marcel held his head and started yelling as if in pain. He fell on the ground. Seeing him in ground yelling in pain and seeing blood oozing out of his eyes, Klaus whooshed to Katie and broke her neck with one snap. And at the same time he saw Hayley standing at a distance with her mouth open. He looked back at Marcel who was still on his knees holding his head and thanked his luck as he realized that Marcel had not seen her. He whooshed to Hayley and said "what the hell are you doing here? Go home before anyone sees you".

Before she could reply, he turned back and went to Marcel.

Hayley looked at him angrily and then after thinking for a minute, she turned around and walked away.

Klaus didnt let her arm go even after entering the house until they reached her room and then pushed her inside her room and said angrily "what the bloody hell was that Hayley? When I told you to leave after I killed Katie did I tell you to go to cemetery or home?"

Hayley said rubbing her arm from where he was holding her "Do I look like your damn wife that I would listen to you?"

Klaus said in the same tone "because of your idiot decision, those vampires found you and tried to kill you".

Hayley said to him in a loud voice too "you didnt have to protect me? Who asked you to do that?"

Elijah was walking towards the stairs when he heard the yell. He hurried towards the sound which were coming from her room. He entered the room and stopped as he saw Klaus standing in front of her steaming in anger. As he saw Klaus yelled "as long as you are under this roof, you are my responsibility. Do you understand?"

Hayley said angrily inching closer to him "I am here because your brother is helping me, I am no one's responsibility. I told you I can take care of myself and you are the one to talk. You killed Katie right in front of me. She was helping me".

Elijah said "Hayley!"

Klaus yelled "I killed that witch because she was going to kill Marcel".

Hayley said in the same tone "and because you killed her, I had no option other than to go to the cemetery to get help from other witches and those vampires found me".

Klaus suddenly asked her in a much calmer voice that alerted Elijah of the storm underneath that calm tone "so you are saying it is all my fault?"

Hayley said insolently "yes, it is your fault. I had an agreement with Katie".

Klaus stepped closer to her and raised his hand to stop Elijah whom he saw stepping towards her. He said to her in a dead cold voice "Just for your kind information, those vampires who attacked you got intel about your from Katie with whom you had that deal and this is the last time you are going to do something this stupid. Do you understand?"

Hayley asked him insolently "or what?"

Klaus looked at her adamant face for a minute and then he stepped back and said "if you are going to behave that immaturely then you can leave. Leave right now. I will not let you drag your dirty business in this house. I already have enough on my plate".

Elijah said again "Niklaus!"

Klaus looked at Elijah and snapped at him angrily "you were supposed to protect her from Marcel's vampires. They attacked her again tonight".

Hayley was about to say something when it hit her and she wondered 'is he angry about the attack or because the attack was on me' her mind immediately told her that it was later but before she could say anything Klaus looked at her angrily and said "you follow the rules or you leave. Do you understand?"

He stepped closer to her and yelled at the end of the sentence.

Hayley for the first time after meeting him felt scared as she saw the hint of yellow in his eyes and the veins starting to appear under his eyes and she instinctively stepped back and nodded.

He gave her one last look and then left the room leaving her bewildered and Elijah confused.

One look at his face told Hayley that he was disappointed and that look made her feel bad, worse then what she ever felt for yelling at Klaus just a couple of minutes ago and she said "Elijah I…"

Elijah raised his hand as to stop her and said "Hayley I thought you understood why you cannot go to French Quarter".

She said desperately "yes I did but Katie was not getting back to me and I… and now Klaus has killed her".

Elijah said "Hayley dont, don't blame this on Niklaus. I don't expect this from you. You did something wrong which could have caused real problem if Niklaus had not taken care of it so don't go blaming him for your mistake".

He then turned around and left her feeling more ashamed of what she had done.

After an hour she went down and saw that he was sitting in the living area reading a book. She said to him "you are right, I made a mistake. i will not be that impulsive in future".

Elijah gave her a small smile and gestured her to sit down.

After a couple of hours when he came back he had somewhat calmed down. He went straight into the living room and saw them sitting there. He said to her cynically "you will be pleased to know that the vampires I killed today have been taken care of. Marcel will never be able to trace them back to you but he is curious as to where they are so better not make such a dumb mistake again".

And then he turned and went to his room.

Hayley looked at Elijah and said with annoyance "why is he so angry all the time? I was all ready to apologize to him but the way he behaves… " she couldn't finish her sentence in annoyance.

Elijah took a long breath and said "Niklaus had to endure a lot in his life Hayley and anyone in his place will be that angry".

Hayley asked him with curiosity "what do you mean?"

Elijah moved closer to her and said "let me show you".

He put his hand on her temple and said to her "close you eyes".

Klaus was pacing his room still angry at Hayley and then he decided to go down and get something to drink so he went down and stopped as he saw Elijah sitting near Hayley with his hand on her temple. He felt as if something broke in him. He turned back and after thinking for a second he left the house.

Flashback

He laughed and pulled her on the dance floor. She went willingly into his arms and let him hold her close to her and with one hand on her back and other gripping her other hand gently sway her on the notes of music playing in the back ground.

He said to her "thank you for doing this for me".

She smiled and said "it is not everyday a man turns 900 years old".

Klaus smiled and said "yes. 900? you banner is missing a few years".

She turned around and laughed at the banner and said "yes, I just missed it by what 870 years?"

He nodded and said "yes" and then said in a serious tone "I appreciate what you do for me Liz…"

She kissed him and said "you would do the same for me so why not?"

He smiled and continued swaying her with the music.

Their feet were moving with the rhythm of dance, their hands were gripped against each other, their eyes were locked with each other and their lips had smile on them. He leaned in and whispered in her ear "lets ditch the party and have a party of our own". She smiled and said "I would love to but these people came for you. So lets honor them for attending by staying here and then later I will let you do that thing with me as a reward".

He said "that thing…" with a twinkle in his eyes.

She smiled mischievously and said "yes that thing but right now lets concentrate on the party".

She looked around with that smile on her face knowing fully well that he was staring her.

Her eyes spotted Rebekah laughing at something Marcel was saying. She said to him "Rebekah looks happy with Marcel".

When she felt his body stiffening, she said "why don't you let them be together Nik?"

He said "you know why Liz".

She asked him "have you ever tried to reason with her?"

Klaus twirled her on that spot as the final note of the music playing and then brought her close to him, so close that there was no space between them. He looked into her eyes and said in a whisper "no because there is no use".

Their feet stopped moving as the music stopped but he didn't let her go. He brought his lips close to her lips, removed the lock of golden hair from her temple, looked deep into her green eyes, kissed her lips and said "I love you".

She laughed and said "I love you too" and kissed him back.

End Flashback

Klaus looked at his hands, he could still feel her warm touch against his hand. He could still smell her presence in the air. It seemed as if it was just yesterday when he had danced with her on that memorable night.

Hayley entered her room and replayed those flashbacks in her mind. She felt sorry for Klaus but she realized that her hate for him remain unaffected. She wondered when she started hated him but couldn't remember and at last came to conclusion that she must have hated him since the first time she heard his name.