-10-

The smell of peaches and warmed brown sugar pulled Hope from a dreamless sleep. A smile parted her lips before her eyes blinked open, lashes sticking together. Uncle Elijah must be making her birthday breakfast; she could picture him now, expertly stirring the melted butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Little could compare to that first bite of fluffy pancake weighted with ripe peaches drenched in warm maple brown sugar.

Benny and the Jets started blaring from her cell phone. She rummaged through the thick tangle of sheets and blankets, knocking over a wineglass in the process. She'd clean it later.

"Well good morning nipple porn man," Hope yawned into the phone. Her head rolled to the side, noting that Uncle Kol must have sneaked off at some point.

Benny chuckled and stated, "I don't text artistic shots of my body to just anyone, birthday girl. I was disappointed to see I didn't receive any in return!"

She rubbed at her eyes as she said wryly, "don't hold your breath."

His voice was hoarse with sleep, "I see 'em enough anyway when we get into my dad's tequila." Hope's stomach lurched at the thought of alcohol. Tequila was her nemesis -but she loved to tango with danger.

"Wish you were here," she whined, stretching her legs into the air and wiggling her toes above her head. Then, remembering last night she let her feet fall heavily as she asked, "who were you with yesterday anyway?"

A pause settled until he answered slowly, "I ran into Chad..."

"Traitor," she muttered only half jokingly. Chad's half brother was one of the wolves involved in teasing Hope when they were kids. She continued when Benny didn't even try to defend his taste in men, "well who else was there? I know if it was just the two of you, you wouldn't have found the time to text."

"Okay Sherlock Holmes, his brother and the usual crowd from school. Plus..." Benny always trailed off in this high pitched way when he wanted her to guess.

Hope rolled her eyes but smiled through her reply, "I don't know. I'm too hungry to do things like think." She loved the sound of his sleepy laugh.

"Veda," he said in a sing-song voice, "she says hello."

Hope sat up quickly, "Veda?"

Benny chuckled and drawled in his twang, "I think she's fangirling you. But yeah, she's friends with Chad."

Hope felt her heart thump. Tampering it down with a dose of cynicism, she stood to look at the ocean through the screen wall and muttered, "she's fangirling Drug Box more like it."

"Naw, don't do that Hopeless. Give her a chance -she's sweet, I like her."

"We'll see," Hope sighed, resting her chin to her propped palm. A breeze rushed through the porch and she leaned into it. The smell of coffee brewing overpowered the peach and cinnamon; her stomach growled weirdly, sounding like an angry cat.

Jonah must have started talking to Benny because his voice became muffled and far away. Hope stooped down to pick up the tipped wine glass and headed inside, phone wedged between her ear and shoulder as she padded towards the kitchen.

"Sorry," Benny breathed just as Hope joined Elijah in front of the stove. She leaned into her uncle as his arm draped over her shoulders, the other hand transferring a pancake to a tray.

Hope tells Benny she has to go, her mouth watering at the sight of sugary sustenance. She wonders if Uncle Elijah hears when Benny states before they hang up, "you've gotta let someone in sometime." Benny was the only person outside of family she had ever let in.

Hope tapped her phone absently against her chin and yawned thickly, asking Elijah, "mom and dad up?"

"I believe they are in the shower," he replied, giving her shoulder a squeeze before stepping away to click off all of the burners. "Go sit, Freya and Keelin are already at the table."

She obeyed, asking over her shoulder, "where's Kol?"

Elijah brought the tray of pancakes behind her and Keelin let out a moan, waving a hand like she's scooping the smell straight into her nose. As he continued to bring items to the table he replied, "I believe he's working on your birthday present and will return in time for the festivities tonight."

"Procrastinate much?" Hope muttered, but she still smiled to herself. Kol was sort of becoming less of a bother to her. Maybe. If he really helped her with her mother and all he wanted was to make his wife happy then he couldn't be that bad.

Elijah slid a mug of steaming coffee in front of her. "Not quite, I imagine you'll enjoy what he returns with."

Hope's absolute favorite part about every birthday was definitely the gifts. Obviously. But her family handled the tradition a little differently. They didn't sit around for half an hour and stare at her as she opened each one, it was more of a gradual and personal experience. They made her feel special beyond what they gifted. Plus, the anticipation all day was exhilarating, even at seventeen years old.

A distant laugh traveled down the narrow staircase off the hall and they all glanced up. Hope smiled at the sound of her mother, but the grin fell when she noticed Elijah stiffen. Hope didn't need vampire hearing to understand. Aunt Freya, always in tune, suggested they play something on the record player and let in the ocean air.

"Damn," she said against his skin, swallowing more of him. "How many people did you drain?"

Klaus grunted his reply as Hayley bit back into his neck, his fingers gripping into her slippery hips. "Three, and they each survived because yes...I am that good."

The shower water was much too cold for his liking but she was keeping him warm, pinned between her flaming skin and the cold tile. Water splattered noisily, swirling red and pink around their tangled feet. Her palms were pressed flat against the wall on either side of his head, fingernails scraping into the grout as he gushed into her greedy suck.

"Smells like Elijah's cooking already," Klaus murmured, closing his eyes against the sensation of tongue and lips working the bite on his neck. He needed to think of other things...things that would keep him from doing something with the parts of him that grew taut with need. Mentioning his brother was usually a good way to induce such resistance.

Last night was something that happened at times. Unavoidable as tension built up from blood sharing. They agreed some years back that if the feed or effects from the potion led to such things, it would be best they not sleep together again. Anything else proved to be fair game because to fight it...well, it only built. Neither wanted to admit that it was just as intimate and hurtful to Elijah, no matter what he promised five years ago.

Hayley unlatched messily, hands returning to her sides. Her body, however...her toned and dripping wet, blood soaked, searing hot, vibrating body...remained pressed to his heaving form.

Droplets from his nose landed at her upturned and parted lips. He wanted to bury himself there. Deep. Her lips were swollen and the same dark pink as her hardened nipples scraping against his chest with every shuddering breath. Klaus was buzzing with the extra blood he consumed for Hayley. It made him extremely heightened, her tongue like an electric pulse straight to his pelvis.

He grasped her by the jaw and let out a low growl before lapping the spilled blood from her crimson soaked chin. Coppery breath tickled his nose when he gathered her hair in a fist and gently tugged, exposing the length of her neck.

Klaus's jaw tightened. A memory flashed sourly. He placed a gentle kiss against the place, where years before, the witches slit murderously after tearing his writhing infant from her womb. Hayley swallowed against his lips as he placed another -and another- along the invisible gash. He would never forget the day they became parents in the most horrific way. Dark and draining memories plagued him every anniversary of this most beautiful and wretched event.

"Can't believe its been seventeen years," she murmured, the words vibrating from her throat against his kiss. He hummed in agreement. Her breath hitched sharply when he flipped her to the tiled shower wall in a flash, pressing his pelvis to hers. She laughed when he nodded towards his twitching erection pinned between their quivering bellies.

"Look at what you do to me. And the mess you make..." Klaus smeared his remaining blood like watercolors down her shoulders, painting a melting path to her breasts. Her eyes were green now, shining vividly with intention. He quirked an eyebrow in question. He knew that look.

Hayley dropped to her knees, the stream of water spattering his chest coldly in her absence. Klaus looked on, impossibly aroused by the sight of Hayley's parted smirk hovering so close. Her eyes turned up to meet his as she took him in her mouth; his groan echoed. He grew tighter and strained, her tongue slick and feverish like the sodden flesh between her thighs.

There wasn't time or privacy to let this moment grow and expand -but she proved that it didn't matter. Her hand pressed to his abdomen, the other wrapped around the hardened base of him.

"Bloody hell," he whispered, threading his fingers through her tangle of wet hair. Water ran down the plane of his body, streaming and gathering at her hand and mouth, droplets hanging from her lashes.

The rhythm was perfection: tongue swirling over the sensitive pucker of hooded skin; hand traveling the length of him in a delicate slippery grip; lips swollen and encompassing like her mouth was created with him in consideration. He was building like a thermometer; filling up and burning deliciously hot. The back of her throat hit him twice as he jolted from the way her fingers moved between his legs, cupping and kneading the hanging tightened skin.

He erupted in thick pulses, her mouth stilling and tongue easing and pressing...milking him. His shuddering growls and moans escaped low and quiet – it was the best he could manage. Klaus was unsure how he would continue the rest of the day and night without revisiting the image of Hayley licking the last pearl of him from the tip, tongue and lips so swollen they appeared bruised beneath the rouge flush.

She stood, dragging her fingers up his slippery body, blocking the stream of cool water once again. He grinned when she raised on her toes, placing a tiny kiss at the tip of his nose before stepping out of the shower.

"Hayley?" Klaus sounded hoarse and groggy. She turned slowly and his heart continued to thump heavily in his chest, breaths heaving and abdomen twitching. "You are magnificent."

She wiped the corners of her mouth with the pad of her thumb. Over her shoulder she replied demurely, "about time you noticed..."

The wind was gentle this late morning, bringing in scents of sea and distant rain. Hope had been refreshing her weather app as she shoveled down the breakfast Elijah prepared for her. At the sight of Hayley entering the room, Elijah busied himself with scrubbing the remaining skillet.

"Rain! RAIN. On my birthday."

"Not yet, grab your suit and come down to release some energy with me," Freya urged, clearing the last plate from the table. Releasing energy was what Elijah's sister referred to the process of using magic during an ancient form of yoga. His mother had used such forms during the harder moments in their early life as a family. It kept her centered and controlled rather than fearful and angry – and now, her granddaughter and eldest daughter used such tactics against the downside of being a witch.

Hope obeyed and darted out of the room, chugging down the last of her coffee and thrusting the mug into Elijah's hand in passing.

"Thank you uncle!" she called as she raced away, footsteps lost in the sound of the breeze rushing through the opened up home. She left behind the familiar scent of tangled honey curls bathed in fresh air and sun. Naturally, he recalled the many afternoons she'd spend learning on his guitar after being at the bayou. How quickly she'd grown since then, mastering the guitar and moving on to singing. I want to sing and make music that helps people feel less alone. It was a simple wish of a ten year old.

Niklaus entered just as his daughter disappeared, a relaxed smile tugging at his boyish face. Elijah distracted himself with the silverware. Though, it was hard not to notice Hayley's peachy glow and swollen smile as she trailed behind him.

"Good morning," Elijah stated politely, nodding towards the coffee pot, "there are a few cups left."

Rebekah and Keelin halted conversation from the window overlooking the ocean. His dear sister smiled coyly and asked in that elegant accent, "things coming along nicely this morning?"

Niklaus, never missing a beat, replied crisply, "everything taken care of. Who is conquering Hope's first gift this morning?"

Keelin swallowed a gulp of dark roast and said after a small cough, "Freya's taking her down to do their yoga thing and was going to give her ours."

Elijah's eyes followed Hayley as she stepped outside to the deck. It was the most normal she'd appeared in a long time, a sort of peaceful steadiness to her movements. He was worried. They were all worried. The potion saved for today was the stronger and altered blend; Freya believed it would provide the longest stretch of normalcy but it comes with the unknown repercussions. Hayley could end up incredibly sick once it wore off. Niklaus tried to talk her out of eyes like fire, she bit back, I'm not missing my daughter's birthday because I'm scared of a little pain.

It wasn't "a little pain" any of them worried about. Niklaus shot him a look of concern, as if reading Elijah's mind. Perhaps the way he gazed outside towards Hayley's upturned face catching the wind was more transparent than he believed.

Niklaus's elbows dug into the countertop as he leaned close to say, "will you keep an eye on her, brother? I must make some calls and touch base with Jonah. It seems he's caught word of some stirring news among the wolves."

"Of course," Elijah replied, drying his hands on the damp dish towel.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and Hayley could feel it in her feet. It was strange how the potion altered her senses. She wondered if this was like being a witch; a sort of connection with everything living and creating energy. Original blood coursing through her veins and a potion churning a battle against the curse below the surface – Hayley was tingling and alive and burning with pent up energy.

She felt him there, like she always had. He smelled like his lemongrass soap and the peaches from breakfast before she picked up on the underlying scent of his skin. Hayley could find him in a crowd with her eyes closed.

"You look well," Elijah murmured, shuffling to a stop at her side. Hayley picked up on his detachment, no matter how polite and kind he presented himself through the years.

She decided not to waste any time. It was all she could think about and she needed to say it.

"Elijah..." her voice sounded smooth and strong. She missed feeling strong. "I have been thinking a lot about this plan of yours and Hope's..."

He didn't turn to look at her, so she followed his eyes towards the water. Hope and Freya stood in matching positions, arms stretched to the sky and eyes closed. Their mouths were moving and Hayley knew they were directing their expelled magic into the storm.

Hayley put a hand tentatively at Elijah's wrist. She felt him stiffen but he didn't try to remove himself from the gesture. "I can't let you open your memories to Hope behind Klaus's back. I can't do that to him."

"And if it is the only way?" Elijah cut in, hands gripping the worn railing. Two seagulls cried out over the sand and Hope turned around to smile. They must have summoned the birds with their magic, a favorite skill Hope learned from her aunt when she was just a kid. Elijah whispered, "It is the only way. We must face that now."

Hayley spun towards him, anger licking her otherwise relaxed chest and voice rising, "what happens if she sees what we did?"

He widened his eyes as a warning, thrusting his finger to his lips to shush her. Alerting Klaus would be a bit of a disaster, but it was hard to control herself in this state. Elijah murmured softly, "we did nothing wrong."

Swallowing thickly, Hayley could still taste hints of copper and release. It only made her think of their darkest night together. The three of them coated in blood and angry. She croaked, "I don't want her thinking any of it was normal. It wasn't."

His hand was warm on the back of her neck. It only lasted a second before he remembered himself, dropping his hand to say, "she's a bright and resilient young woman and won't bat an eye."

"Yeah? Well what about the other aspect? What about the unification potion that allows her to feel and see all of your inner secrets?"

"I don't understand what it is you are so afraid of."

Hayley felt cold. She didn't like thinking of it all. It had been so much easier not knowing all the things a person isn't supposed to know about somebody else. It had been hard with Jackson and he was a kind and gentle guy barely two decades old.

She took in a gulp of air and replied thickly, "when Klaus and I took the unification potion I learned things that were...hard. There are things I still don't understand and I can't bare to ask him. Hope can't see these wouldn't want her to."

"It will not be the same for Hope and I, the potion is slightly different and she and I have not and will not be intimate. Niklaus will not be okay with this for the same reasons you are not, he will end any chances. I'm asking you to weigh the consequences of each choice. Please."

"You have to ask for his permission. It's not fair, Elijah. And honestly, I'm disappointed in you. I thought your loyalty lies most with your family. You aren't putting your faith in his response and that will hurt."

"Hope is my family and she is suffering right along with you and my brother. My loyalty is not in question here, nor is my motive. Yours, however..."

"Oh, mine?!" Hayley roared. Elijah was really asking for it. How dare he. And today of all days. Then again, she was the one to bring it up. It had just felt so calm to do so and every moment spent with Klaus was a moment she drew nearer. The thought of doing something he would be hurt by behind his back simply wasn't an option to her. Hayley was certain there were other means of beating this curse.

Elijah turned to face her, the wind catching his neatly combed hair. "Your motive is what I speak of, my dear. Your loyalty is with your daughter, nobody would dare question that."

Luckily the wind roared around them and swallowed their angry words.

Hayley clenched her fists by her sides and said through a taut jaw, "what the hell are you trying to say?"

He replied calmly as if completely un-phased by her rising temperament. "You aren't afraid of what your daughter will think of you or me or her father. You're afraid of getting better and having to face how you really feel about Niklaus."

She saw red. Her fist slammed into his face. God, she broke his nose. The crunch was satisfying but the look in his eyes when he recovered... – Hayley couldn't back down now, he needed to learn his place in this.

Elijah grunted into his handkerchief, crimson seeping like ink through the white linen. His voice shaking in anger, he seethed, "if Niklaus hears of our plan then he will make sure he cuts off access to everything we would need to complete this. Even if it meant cutting off access to each other."

"Look at me when I say this," she said evenly. The curse was buried for now. This was all her. His eyes settled coolly on hers, his body so rigid. With a swipe of the drenched cloth, he muttered something she couldn't hear. A smear of blood remained above his lip; he darted the tip of his tongue across it. Yeah, he was pissed. She continued icily, "if you do this behind our backs, you will not be forgiven."

He made a sound out of his healing nose, something like a scoff. It angered her more. She wanted to break his jaw next. With a finger pointed towards Hayley's chest, he stated lowly, "Hope is seventeen years old and has spent most of her short life in search of your cure. She doesn't have a single friend aside from Benny. She's never gone on a date or to a school dance. She's the most talented and bright girl I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, but she's incredibly unhappy."

"I know how amazing she is."

Elijah looked ice cold when he sliced with his reply; "yes. And who raised her?"

Her eyes stung and vision sharpened; she knew they glowed with a wolf's fire. "I'm two seconds from ripping out your heart and shoving it up your old ass. Seriously, Elijah – watch it."

He nodded emphatically, crossing his arms. "Good. Be angry for the right reasons. Do not speak to me of forgiveness. Think bigger, Hayley. Who will have trouble forgiving who if you shoot down the only means to an end of this curse?"

Goddammit she knew he was right. Beneath it all she knew. The consequences were losing Hope, losing Klaus, or letting the curse consume the rest of their long lives. The choice should be easy. But even so, Klaus deserved better than to be left in the dark; untrusted and feared. Hayley believed his choice would lie with their daughter even if nobody else did. Elijah may know his brother well enough to understand Klaus's initial response, but he didn't know the sides Hayley knew. Elijah was an uncle, not a father – and Klaus was a damn good father.

With two swift jabs of his fingers to the railing, Elijah murmured, "Niklaus is near. Let us finish this at a better time."

"I have nothing more to say. Weigh your consequences, Elijah." She knew he hated when she grabbed the last word, but he'd always let her have it.

Aunt Freya's gift was a single dose potion. It was supposed to be taken when faced with a problem, opening up understanding and insight within and also leaving her with opened opportunities if she paid attention. Hope held the vial towards the light, peering into the opaque liquid as she tapped her foot impatiently at the top of the stairs.

"Why can't I come down yet?!" Hope growled again, shifting on her impossibly high heels. Aunt Beks had flown in a fashion team from Paris and now Hope was pretty sure she was walking around in an ensemble worth more than all of her past gifts combined. Hope smoothed the gauzy fabric of her dress, for the first time in her life feeling like she could turn some heads. Her hair and make up was killer. The amount of selfies she was going to assault Benny with tonight was going to demolish her cell's data plan.

"Kol is almost here with your gift, lovey," Aunt Beks called from the hall downstairs, just out of vision.

Hope felt like she stood there forever, fussing with her straightened hair that laid extremely long without the spring of curls to draw them up her back. She smelled like citrus hair product and her aunt's musky-sweet perfume that must have rubbed off after their hug.

When she was allowed to join the family in the entryway, Hope's eyes shifted across everyone until someone stuck out strangely. It took her several seconds to realize Benny stood among them, Kol's hands gesturing as if presenting her best friend.

Her jaw dropped open and a happy flutter in her chest caused a huge smile to erupt on her make up clad face. Benny smiled back but his eyes trailed up and down the length of her. Uncle Kol's gift to her was Benny? Yeah, he was really winning a lot of points lately.

Benny engulfed her in a bear hug and picked her up by the waist. Spinning her around he stated, "damn girl, you've about turned me straight."

"Look at them," Niklaus sighed, propping his chin atop Elijah's shoulder.

Elijah settled a palm briefly at his younger brother's cheek, replying, "Look at us. A couple of misty eyed old fools." Alcohol had always been an excellent buffer in times of strain. Their brotherhood was more cratered than the moon, battered by all of the unforseens in life. It was why moments like these were sacred; when things felt settled and –dare he say, hopeful?

Hope, as if sensing their gazes across the dance floor, blinked her thick lashes and met their eyes with a content smile, her arms encircled around Hayley's thin frame. It reminded him of when she was a tiny thing and would fight her sleep in her mother's arms. Hayley would walk and sway and hum, trying desperately to prod Hope into her toddler bed. Hope would sneak peeks towards him and Niklaus as she clung to Hayley like a koala bear, chubby cheeks and a sly grin because she was born mischievous.

Niklaus exhaled long and deep, pushing away to nurse his drink. Elijah eyed his relaxed grin, trying to ignore the pulsing beat of the busy nightclub. It was really time they all be going. Benny's voice, as he read comments from his piece on Rebekah to her over the music, was beginning to permanatly crimp Elijah's nerves. The boy needn't shout so often. They were vampires, not deaf geriatrics.

Freya caught Elijah's eye from across the dance floor, the neon red lights reflecting off her sequined dress. She nodded towards Hope and Keelin, now directing Hayley towards the exit; perfect timing. Elijah could not get away from the horrid music and décor (that had likely not been changed since the nineties) fast enough.

Now, crammed inside of the luxury limousine, it seemed oddly quiet despite Benny's cackling guffaws mingling with Hope's alcohol saturated giggling. Rebekah laced her fingers into his, leaning her head to Elijah's shoulder with a content sigh.

She asked quietly, close to his ear, "are you giving her your gift when we return?"

"I am," he replied, resting his cheek to her head. He had tracked down a Martin guitar that played like a dream, along with a vintage Neumann microphone and recording equipment. His niece was the calmest and happiest when making music – something Elijah used as a tool during the toughest years of her upbringing. He had always promised that he'd find her the perfect guitar after she mastered her skill on his collection. While he was a Gibson man, she preferred the woody sound of a Martin. He had to admit, her voice paired nicely with the latter.

Upon arrival, everyone scattered their separate ways to shed their club attire for a night in. Elijah's grand plan was falling into place nicely. He nodded in confirmation to himself, eyeing the setup he had sneaked out of the club earlier to place her gift in the middle of the living space. His wish was that she finally performed for the family. Elijah was eager for his siblings to recognize the tone of Hope's voice and the way her expression changed into something beautiful.

Elijah was not disappointed. Hope's eyes lit up and the hug she gave him nearly knocked him down to the couch. The family looked on as he and Hope discussed the type of guitar and equipment he had found, her eyes and words animatedly exuberant. There was nothing quite like making someone you love feel this amount of happiness.

When Hope played for them, her fingers steady even though he could see the apprehension in the way she bit her lip as she started strumming, Elijah could see the affect on his family. He wondered if they heard it too.

"She sounds like mother..." Kol whispered, looking stricken. Elijah nodded and smiled knowingly. She did. Esther once sang this exact song, something Hope learned first because it was Elijah's favorite. The Mikaelson children would wrap around one another, Finn and Henrik in the middle, as Esther used her warm tones to soothe a drunken Mikael and his terrified children into a peaceful slumber.

Hope looked nervous when she finished the song, the last note of her guitar hanging warmly in the air.

Benny broke the silence, "damn girl. I had no idea." Hope rolled her eyes but smiled, running her palm lovingly up and down the Adirondack spruce top.

With tears streaming, Hayley spoke up from her spot on the couch, nestled against Niklaus. "Baby girl, you are amazing."

Hope ducked her head and shrugged as if she hadn't just moved a room full of ancient vampires to tears. Niklaus caught Elijah's eye and offered such a rare smile – full of love and appreciation. Elijah swallowed hard. He knew Hayley was right about keeping things from his brother. This would be the hardest of betrayals. But, imagining a life where Hayley is well and Hope could truly start living...Elijah felt it was worth it.

A/N: I don't know why but I really needed Hayley to beat up on Elijah a little. They have so much chemistry on the show in my opinion and I always liked the restrained way Elijah would become angry with her and sometimes say some pretty harsh things. I always wanted her to push back with her emotions harder than what we saw. I mean she's a hybrid, she should be scrappier at times. What did you think?

Thank you for the reviews and support! More in store for the birthday trip (like what her parent's gift will be!) and then we'll get back to answering some questions about the past and what it is that really happened 10 and 5 years ago.

Also, since I am beta-less for a while now, I appreciate you guys being patient and kind with the many typos and random mistakes. After writing and staring so long at something, so much slips through the cracks. I guess this is why editors are important to the paid authors out there, ha!