Chapter 5 - My City is My City
After returning home that night Hayley and Elijah parted ways to their separate bedrooms and for first time in a while they both allowed themselves to sleep.
Morning came all too soon and with both of them on speaking terms they rolled out of their beds and prepared for their day...happier than they have for years.
It was she who came to him first; he was sitting in his study going over his mothers spell books, as he usually do.
Catching the scent of her and feeling her presence as she stood by and watched him without looking up he smiled; "Good morning"
"Hey" She replied back slowly walking into the room. "How did you sleep?"
He finally looked up from his books and her beauty silenced him momentarily. His eyes traveled her body and she noticed.
Slightly blushing she sat on the edge of his desk and crossed her legs making the skirt she was wearing hitch slightly up her thighs.
A motion that made Elijah's voice go hoarse as he remembered that she had ask him a question. "I slept - um I had a very good night of sleep. You?"
"Better than I've had in a long time." She smiled watching in amusement as he stumbled over his words.
Not missing a beat Elijah quickly recovered as he looked down at the book. "What's on your agenda for today?"
"Uh to talk to you actually." She bit down on her bottom lip something she does when she's nervous. "You?"
"I have to go pay Marcellus and Vincent a visit..."The names rolled off the tip of his tongue with such vial distaste. "It seems as though they are requesting presence down at the church."
"For what?" Hayley asked him.
The panic was apparent in her voice. After what she learned last night about the two of them, Elijah and Vincent, she couldn't help but think that this would turn out too well.
"Shouldn't you take Klaus or Rebekah with you just in case?"
"You don't have to worry Hayley I'll be okay." Elijah noticed the worry in her voice and he smiled at her. "I'm not afraid of Marcel or Vincent."
"Elijah" She sighed "You don't know what Marcel is now...he's Lucien but much worse. He'll kill you the second you walk through the door not to mention the help he'll get from Vincent."
"They won't kill me Hayley." His lips curved into that smile of his as he cocked his head to the side. "I'll rip their hearts out of their chest and feed it to the fishes before they have the chance to."
Hayley shook her head as she smiled at him. "Some things never change do they? Still the fearless Elijah that you've always been huh?"
Ignoring her last comment he sighed, there are a lot of things he fear...he's far from fearless but she doesn't need to have the knowledge of that.
Remembering why she came in her in the beginning. He closed the spell book and gave her his undivided attention. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"
Hayley had almost forgotten herself that she came to him because there were some things she wanted to tell him.
She slowly nodded her head before absentmindedly playing with her finger tips.
Elijah noticed this and he couldn't help but wonder what needed to be talked about...he thought they ended last night on a great note.
"About?" He carefully asked her
"Last night." She let out a breath "I was hoping that since I gave you five minutes...that you would return that courtesy to me?"
"Of course I will; but Hayley there's no need to -"
Hayley knew what he was about to say there was no need for her to explain or apologize but she needed to.
"Elijah it's something I need to do okay?" She watched as he nodded his head. "Just let me talk please?"
Hayley didn't know where to start it all seems so pointless after his explanation of why he left last night...she had forgiven him and she understood his reasoning for leaving.
But he didn't know why she was so angry with him and if they were going to move forward with this and at least try to be friends again she couldn't have this hanging over her head.
It would always come back up during their next argument or their next fight and she did not want that. She wanted a clean slate.
"Elijah that night..." She sighed careful of her words. "You do understand that I didn't mean any thing I said. I was just so freaking tired of losing the people that I loved. I was afraid and I upset."
"Hayley it is my understanding that a persons true feelings come out only on two occasions..." His eyes squinted in that Elijah manner of his. "When they are intoxicated and when they are angry."
Hayley's breath caught in her throat...was he still upset with her for how she reacted when he first arrived. He did say that he would no longer chase after me maybe this is just his way of saying he doesn't believe me or that he doesn't care.
Why would he say that he knows me better than anyone. He know that I would never want him, of all people, to go away.
"Okay Elijah that is not true and you know it...at least not with me. I loved you Elijah and I would have never wanted you to run away."
Their eyes locked neither missing the past tense usage of the word love.
Elijah knew that he couldn't expect Hayley to still feel the same as he did after all of these years.
He wasn't even sure how he, himself, felt about her after all this time.
"It's okay Hayley..." He shook his head mentally slapping himself for even making that statement. "We were having a rough day and at that moment in time you did hate me and that's okay; I hated myself too."
It was true he felt as though every issue his family had ever faced was his fault; Jackson's death was his fault, Davina...Cami.
"Hayley I get why you were displeased with me that day." He sighed "What I don't understand is my return...I knew that you would be upset but not to that magnitude."
Hayley hated to sound like a broken record but it has been the same thing over and over again in her life.
"Elijah I lost my parents, then Jackson, and you just left. Everyone I have ever loved leaves me."
The tears started to swell at the the corner of her eyes.
"If you had just stayed that night I wanted to come to you and beg you to forgive me...to not be angry with me. Ever since we met you have been nothing but good to me and I am sorry for taking that for granted Elijah."
Hayley couldn't even finish her sentence before her words turned into blubber and the tears we're streaming down her face.
"Elijah I didn't mean what I said..." She sobbed "I'm so sorry."
Elijah took a second to process all that Hayley had just said before he gathered her up into his arms swiftly placing her in his lap.
"Listen to me" He said to her running circles into her back. "You never have to apologize to me for how you were feeling."
"Elijah I -"
"Shhh." He immediately silenced her with a kiss to her temple.
There was no need to explain anything more; he was an asshole and he didn't think of how his decisions could have affected her.
He would spend eternity making sure that he never did anything like that to her. He never wanted her to shed a tear over him ever again.
"Well it's nice to see that my older brother and my baby mama have made up."
Hayley jumped from her spot in his lap at the sound of Klaus's voice.
They both looked in his direction as he leaned against the doorframe with a smirk on his face.
"Niklaus what do you want...shouldn't you be out doing whatever it is that you do?"
Elijah asked as he stood from the chair.
"Well brother I was on my way out to have a late brunch with Camille but you see just as I was on my way out I ran into a young lad..."
Just then a guy with brown long curly hair walked into the room.
Hayley jumped in surprise as he walked over to her. "Conan what are you doing here?" Hayley quickly wiped away the now dried up tears from her face. "We just saw each other last night?"
"Hayley" He said her name softly walking closer to her. He grabbed her face into his hands and with the pads of his thumbs he wiped underneath her eyes. "Have you been crying? Are you okay...what's wrong?"
"I'm fine Conan" She quickly jerked her head out of his grasp. "What are you doing here?"
Conan face fell. He thought he was doing a nice genuine thing by surprising his girlfriend for brunch but by the way she's acting maybe he came at the wrong time.
"I wanted to see if you wanted to go to Rousseau's or that other restaurant you really really liked -"
"Café Amelie" Without thinking Elijah interrupted their conversation.
It was the restaurant he took Hayley long ago while she still carried his niece. One night she had an insane craving for lots of butter and crab legs.
When she came to him in the middle of the night he had no choice but to take her and it has been her favorite establishment ever sense.
The stares from the three people in the room brought Elijah out of his thoughts.
He noticed the smile on Hayley's face and because of the presence of this Conan guy coming closer to him it prevented him from smiling back.
"Excuse me...I don't think I know you." He said to Elijah. "I'm Conan"
Elijah peered over Conan's shoulder, having a slight height difference over him, to look at his brother.
Klaus let out a chuckle as he walked farther into the room. "Ooooh this is going to be good" He said while pouring himself a scotch.
As Klaus took a seat on the couch Elijah turned his attention back onto the young man who stood before him with his hand still stuck out to him.
Elijah looked at his hand then to Hayley and smiled a smile of amusement when she mouthed to him...play nice.
Letting out a breath he opted to button the button of his suit instead of shaking the guys hand. That was playing nice wasn't it?
"Conan did you say it was...let me reassure you; I do believe you know me." His eyes squinted "You may have never met me but you do know me. Think about."
Conan looked over to Hayley for some type of assistance but she quickly dodged his gaze looking down at the floor at the wall anywhere but him.
"For crying out loud it's taking you too long" Elijah let out breath "I'm Elijah - Older brother to Klaus, Uncle to the daughter of the beautiful woman you're currently dating -"
"Ooooh now I know who you are" He said as the realization set in. "You're Hayley's ex the one who ran out on her...it must be a relief to her and your family to know that you aren't dead."
Elijah let out a throaty chuckle and before anyone could stop him he had Conan by his throat with his back against the wall.
"Elijah!" Hayley finally registered what was going on before rushing over to him. She placed a hand on his back hoping that her touch still calmed him. It did. Even after all of these years. "Let him go please"
Elijah wasn't really going to do any real damage to the boy but he must admit he liked seeing him squirm.
"Conan give me one good reason why I shouldn't remove your head from your body...or I could remove your heart from you chest?" He smirked at him feeling him grow afraid as the seconds past. "You know I can do that. It's rather simple."
Klaus chuckled as Hayley folded her arms "Elijah please."
He turned his head towards her and smiled at her before releasing his grip from around Conan's throat.
"Come on...where's your dignity" He said moving to stand Conan up from where he fell down to the ground trying to catch his breath. "I wasn't serious about the whole decapitation thing."
"Conan" Hayley let out a breath grabbing his hand and ushering him to the door. "Go into the courtyard and wait for me please I'll be down in a second."
Without questioning Conan quickly made his escape from the room leaving behind a laughing Klaus and Elijah.
"Brother you've done something I never seemed to be able to do..." Klaus said handing Elijah a glass of the scotch that he was drinking. "He's fearless towards me, not smart...but with you he was shaking."
"That wasn't nice Elijah." Hayley shook her head as she walked over to him.
"He shouldn't have spoken on something he has no knowledge about." He shrugged his shoulder before downing his drink not missing the look she shot him. "Oh come on! I wasn't really going to hurt him I just wanted him to know what happens when you cross me or those I love."
She pressed the bridge of her nose and sighed. Okay maybe Conan deserved that she thought to herself.
Hayley opened her eyes finding Klaus smiling a very creepy smile at her...a smile that seemed to say I know what you're doing. But she wasn't doing anything
"Klaus" she turned to him "Shouldn't you be on your way to see Cami?"
"You're right Love" He stood from the couch. "I think I've had enough love triangle entertainment for today."
"Shut up Klaus there's no love triangle." Hayley said quickly avoiding the glances of the oldest Original in the room.
They have just reconciled of course there's no love triangle...she's not even in love with Conan.
"Elijah" Hayley said taking a step closer to him once Klaus exited the room.
"If it means that much to you, Hayley, I'll apologize to your boyfriend -"
"Huh?" She quickly waved that situation off there's more important things to talk about other than Conan and his hurt pride. "No he'll be okay. That's not what I was about to say."
Elijah looked at her he was sure she was about to tell him how he can't just go around scaring the people she love.
"What I was about to say is...be careful Elijah. I know you think Vincent and Marcel are just inviting you over for great conversation and a drink but -"
"I know" Elijah said reaching up to push a strand of hair behind her ear. "I promise I'll be careful."
She sighed as he cupped her cheek bringing her hand up to cover his own she smiled at him.
"I just got you back Elijah and I'm going to be so pissed if you do something stupid and Marcel kills you. I'll never forgive you and I'm serious."
Withdrawing his hand he nodded his head towards the door "Your boyfriend is waiting on you."
Hayley's eyes lingered only for a moment longer before she turned around and headed out of the door.
Elijah grabbed his mothers spell book off the desk and made his way out to the balcony over looking the courtyard.
He made it just in time to hear Hayley, very angrily, ask Conan "What the hell was that? You don't have the right to speak to him like you just did."
Elijah smiled to himself as Conan scrambled to find an example as they headed out the compound.
With a shake of his head he too made his exit from the compound.
Arriving purposely late to the church that Vincent and Marcel summoned him to he entered the church in his normal suave manner.
"Well looks who's back in town" Marcel voice boomed throughout the church.
"Look who's back" Elijah sauntered over to the table and took a seat.
"Exceptionally late might I add" Vincent said taking his seat next to Marcel.
"Eh" Elijah shrugged "I stopped for a milkshake...did I keep you two waiting. I am so sorry do forgive me."
Marcel and Vincent made some sort of noise with their teeth clearly picking up the sarcasm in his voice.
"So gentleman why am I here?" Elijah asked crossing a leg over the other.
He had no intentions on prolonging whatever this meeting was any longer than need be.
Marcel pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket along with a pen and slid it across the table to Elijah.
"Sign it" He demanded causing Elijah to chuckle as he examined the paper in his hand.
"Please forgive me Marcellus but I do enjoy having the pleasure of reading the fine print before putting my John Hancock-" Elijah looked towards the end of the table to the two sitting across from him "He was the first signee of the Declaration of Independence; July 4th 1776 -"
"Man we know who John Hancock is Elijah!" Vincent let out a breath "This guy is unbelievable-"
"Okay listen" Marcel intervened "Elijah you have been out of the loop for some time and I'm hoping that your brother has had the opportunity to catch you up on things. So I'll just get to it."
"One could only hope that you would..." Elijah paused "I've been here for five minutes already and I'm growing tired of this."
Marcel let out a breath he knew that talking to Elijah would be difficult but he wasn't prepared for the amount of sass and sarcasm that was coming his way.
"The only reason why your family is here now is because I allowed them to come back so that Vincent could do a spell to heal your little niece." Marcel sucked on his teeth "And to my dismay they didn't leave -"
"Yes yes" Elijah nodded his head "You saved my nieces life and I do thank you for that but what does that have to do with this impromptu meeting?"
"Well what you have in your hand" Vincent said pointing to the piece of paper. "Is a written and soon to be signed contract, by you, that states that you will stay on your side of New Orleans."
"Oh you want me to only stay in the French Quarter...how absurd" Elijah chuckled as he slid the contract back to them.
"Elijah look" Marcel sighed "Your brother took us helping his daughter as a sign of a truce. He hasn't straggled out of the French Quarter and New Orleans has been peaceful."
"Hmmm" He purred "It would seem as though that was true but I happen to know that the real reason as to why my brother hasn't left the comfort of the French Quarter or our compound for that matter...it is simply because every corner he turns someone is attempting to take his life."
"So what are you saying Elijah? That your brother is just afraid and he's not really honoring our truce?" Marcel asked him.
"Marcellus must you be so naive" Letting out a laugh Elijah stood from his chair and begin pacing the floor. "What I'm saying is that before my arrival he did not have the appropriate...protection to wander freely around the city; with me no one dare lay a finger on my brother in my presence."
"Marcel why are we even doing this!" Vincent suddenly snapped standing from his seat as well. "All we wanted to do was ensure that we keep the peace in the city. He doesn't give a damn about this city! As usual!"
"Vincent" Elijah's voice dropped an octave as he came to a stop in front of the angry man. "Oh Vincent...you're always faulting me for the fall of your city. I was the infection on your city five years ago and today just my presence threatens your peace within your city."
Elijah smirked at him using his hands to brush away the imaginary lint on his jacket.
"Sounds like your city needs new management doesn't it?"
Vincent threw both of his hands in the air "I'm not doing this with you man...you either sign the contract or you get out of my church."
"Hey if signing the contract is what you two want!" Elijah smiled in their direction making his way back to the table. "I'll do it!"
To the surprise of Marcel and Vincent Elijah picked up the pen and the contract and without hesitation signed his name along the dotted line.
"See Elijah that's all we wanted" Marcel said taking the contract out of Elijah's hand.
"Yes well just to be clear on one tiny little thing." Elijah said sticking his hands into his pockets. "As long as there are threats in your city that can bring harm to my family...I will go anywhere I see fit in this city."
Vincent and Marcel let out a sigh they knew it was too good to be true. There was no way that Elijah would just easily sign over the contract like that.
"If I want to go to across the river to Algiers...I will. If I want to visit the ninth ward...I will. If I want to travel to the Layfette cemetery to see a few witches...I will."
"So what was the purpose of you signing this?" Marcel asked the anger apparent in his voice as he waved the contract in the air.
"That's the point Marcellus" Elijah smirked grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair. "There is no point. That was just to keep from bruising your ego...besides look at it."
Marcel and Vincent looked at each other before taking a step towards to the table where the contract lay.
Seeing that Elijah didn't sign his name instead he signed it as John Hancock instead.
"Real clever man..." Vincent said angrily grabbing the paper up from the table and balling it up. "Clever."
"Okay so business is done here..." It came our more as a statement than a question. Elijah wasn't about to allow anyone dictate where he could and could not go in the city that was his. "You two enjoy the rest of your evening."
With that Elijah quickly made his way out of the church.
As he stepped out of the church he felt the vibrations of his phone in the pocket of his suit jacket.
"What is it?" He asked as he started walking down the street.
"Brother" Freya sighed on the other end of the line. "Hope needs a babysitter for tonight...and before you ask; Klaus has jetted off for a romantic get away with Cami. Rebekah has a date with Marcel. Hope will do better alone than with Kol and I have a life too you know."
"Sister -"
"Seriously Elijah you've been gone for five years it's your turn to watch our niece."
"Freya" Elijah chuckled into the phone to the surprise of Freya. "All I was going to say was...of course I'll babysit my niece. I'll be home shortly."
As Elijah walked down the crowded streets of New Orleans, through the crowds of drunken stragglers and boob flashing tourist, he let out a content sigh.
He has traveled many places over these last five years and he has seen and has learned many different thing along his way.
But nothing has made him happier than being back in New Orleans...even the pair of eyes that he currently felt locked onto his back as he walked down the street.
He slowly came to a stop and turned around. The eyes were suddenly gone as the crowds moved around him.
He scanned the crowds, spinning as he did so, searching for the one who picked today to spy on him
Unable to find the perpetrator Elijah stool his hand into his pocket and finished the walk back to the compound.