12. The Gift
Hayley sat in the front seat of Klaus's black Lincoln Navigator, her pregnancy now well into its sixth month. She was round, beginning to waddle and it was tiring to move around.
"You alright there baby mama?" Rebekah called as she alighted, already moving to the back of the vehicle. They were using Klaus's car because with all the last minute purchases Rebekah needed to make, her little red sports car was as useful as a bicycle.
"I'm fine. It's just taking me longer to get moving is all," she called back, rubbing her belly soothingly. Perhaps she had overdone it somewhat. She looked down, her feet were throbbing and her ankles were already swelling. She grimaced and sighed heavily, a little dramatically, feeling woefully sorry for herself.
This is what Elijah saw when he wrenched open the door. She was startled for a moment, her grimace frozen in place, perhaps giving the impression of greater discomfort than she really felt.
"My assertion that shopping with my sister would be too exhausting has been proven correct," he said, his face grim.
She breathed out slowly. Seeing him always made her day brighter. Hayley swung her legs out but they dangled far from the ground, too exhausted to make the small jump down. Elijah's arms reached for her automatically and lifted her from her seat. He didn't put her down though, instead swung her into his arms.
"You're overreacting," Rebekah shot back.
"This really isn't necessary," Hayley asserted. But it's nice.
"I beg to differ. You look dead on your feet." I am. But she wouldn't admit it. Despite that, she gratefully curled her arms around his neck and held on.
"It was good to get out," she defended. "Maybe visiting more than a dozen stores was slightly ambitious-" His eyes darkened and she rushed on, "but I didn't go into every one. I was happy to wait in the car." For hours, she added silently, glad to finally be home.
"Don't be a baby. You know you loved it," Rebekah called, her voice muffled.
"I did," Hayley said pointedly, looking at Elijah.
"Some help, brother!" Rebekah called from the back of the car.
"A moment," he said, carrying Hayley into the house.
Rebekah had outdone herself. Completely. The entire Mikaelson mansion had been transformed into a Christmas haven. A frikken wonderland really, Hayley mused.
She had really never seen anything like it. It was almost surreal. Everywhere she looked there was something festive happening. Considering their lifestyle and their current predicament, it was almost absurd.
And yet there was something about all the fuss that settled a warm, contended happiness into her bones. No matter what was happening outside the periphery of the southern plantation, on the inside, Christmas had brought some kind of truce.
He set her down on the chaise in the lounge, stepping back to admire the spectacle before them. All around were sprigs of holly, mistletoe, garlands of flowers and wreaths. The couches had dark red pillows, white and gold candles of all shapes and sizes dispersed across various surfaces. The mantle was decorated with an elaborate pine bough, dotted with golden, finely spun Christmas balls, sprigs of red berries, pinecones and satin ribbons. The ends of the mantle bore the weight of a large jar of glitzy candy canes at one end and crimson apples at the other.
Tied to the front of the stone hearth were five white Christmas stockings. Each was quilted with jewelled studs connecting the triangles. Across the top of each stocking, a name was intricately embroidered in gold thread. Elijah came first. Then Niklaus. Rebekah. Hayley. And finally, Estella. The first letter of each name was elaborate, the letters flowing into each other in a calligraphic kaleidoscope.
But the showpiece in the room was undoubtedly the close to 10ft Noble Fir Christmas tree. The needles appeared bluish green in the twinkling fairy lights, the tree filling the entire first floor of the mansion with the most amazing aromatics.
"This tree is just… wild," Hayley said in awe, craning her neck to have a look.
"Rebekah exceeds with excess," Elijah said, standing back and looking up at the spectacular sight.
Hayley stood from the chaise and moved closer, waving his concern away. "I'm alright. I want to have a closer look." Her feet protested.
His look was sceptical, aware that her feet must hurt. He put an arm around her waist, gathering her close as he offered support. Her heart tripped a little, liking the feel of his hand curling into her now non-existent waistline. They stood side by side, admiring the festive charm the tree exuded.
She squinted, leaning closer. "Are those… little pixie elves?"
Elijah chuckled. "They are. I also see silver cherubs, tiny jewelled chandeliers, antiqued acanthus leaves, poinsettias and… I do believe sequinned snowflakes."
"No kidding." Hayley rolled her eyes in amusement. "When I went to bed last night, my bedding had been changed and there were at least four scatter cushions with embroidered snowflakes and reindeer on my bed. I woke up with my head resting on a frikken giant red snowflake."
"So did I."
Her eyes widened with amusement. "You didn't?!"
They both laughed and turned to look back at the magnificent tree.
"Holy hell," she breathed. Besides all those miniature, ornate ornaments, there were glittering balls, fairy lights, bronzed pine cones, filigree ornaments and the most beautiful gold fleur-de-lis at the top of the tree.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything like this. Not even in my frikken dreams as a kid," she confessed.
Elijah reached into a tin beneath the tree and retrieved a cellophane wrapped gingerbread man. He tore it open and offered it to Hayley. It smelled wonderful.
"Is there anything she didn't think of?" The biscuit was outrageously delicious. She offered him a piece and saw him studying her closely. She frowned back.
"I had planned to wait until tonight, the tradition being that presents are exchanged on Christmas eve, but I hoped to find a quiet moment to give you something first."
Hayley's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she watched him lean down and retrieve a square, flat, white box from the bottom of the tree. It was wrapped simply, a gold satin ribbon holding the lid in place. Her waist felt bereft without his arm there.
"Elijah… I-"
"Please, allow me." He guided her back to the chaise and placed one of the crimson couch cushions at her back.
A breathless giggle escaped when he positioned the box across her lap, unsure what to make of it. She fingered the card and flicked it open. In bold, black ink, he had simply written:
Christmas 2013
For Hayley & Estella. Simultaneous rays of light and hope. Always and forever.
Merry Christmas
Elijah
Always and forever. She felt weepy for no apparent reason, so took a moment to collect her thoughts by outlining the bold letters of his handwriting, tracing their curves. Light and hope. The words reverberated through her brain, bouncing around until she struggled to focus.
"What is it?" she whispered, running her fingers across the box.
He shrugged, looking slightly apprehensive as he buried his hands into his pockets, his legs planted firmly. "Open it."
Hayley set down the gingerbread and unwrapped the bow. She was surprised to see her hands were shaking a little. She cupped the lid and her eyes rose to meet his. His gaze was warm, flicking down towards the box in the universal sign of 'go on, open it.'
The lid popped off and she moved aside the snowy tissue paper inside. With a gasp, the gold bow slipped from her fingers as she gazed at the treasures nestled within.
There were a few items inside and she picked up the first – a white satin pouch that jingled when it moved. She opened the soft purse and into her palm spilled what looked like two solid silver, intricately carved bangles. On each circle, two little bells were fixed, almost like charms on a bracelet.
Her eyes went to his and Elijah sat down on the couch beside her.
"It's beautiful. Are they bangles for the baby?"
"They will be, eventually," he said with a small smile. "They're Saffron Bells." He took them from her and she admired how tiny the silver treasures looked in his large, capable hands. "Thai people believe the jingling of anklet bells are said to ward off evil spirits. Each bell represents love, health, success and gratitude. It is traditional to place bangles, called kumrai kortao, on the ankles of babies - for protection."
"Protection," she concurred, touched. "They're so tiny."
"They grow with the child. Eventually, they can be worn as bangles."
"Really Elijah, they're absolutely beautiful. Thank you."
"There's more."
Her eyes swung back to the box as she passed him the purse for the anklets. Beneath another layer she found a pair of tiny, white baby booties. They had a satin ribbon which anchored the little boot to a baby's foot. On the end of the ribbon, a tiny 'M' had been monogrammed. For Mikaelson.
Hayley swallowed back the lump in her throat as she removed the final item in the box. Clearly made of the finest silk and lace, she lay a delicate white baby's gown across her lap. It had long, chiffon, puffed sleeves and an empire waistline. Around the middle, a large satin ribbon tied into a big bow on the front. The lace was exquisite, embroidered with precise detail, accented with hand-sewn sequins, pearls and crystal beads. There was also a matching bonnet and bib.
At that point, tears sprang into her eyes. She didn't have the words so she gently lay the box down and leaned over, hugging him close to her. He hadn't been expecting it, if his stiff posture was any indication. But eventually he folded her into his arms, placing a soft kiss on her right temple. They held each other like that in silence.
"Tears?" he asked when she sniffed.
"Damned hormones." Hayley pulled back and smiled self-consciously. "The gown is beautiful. Everything… Elijah. I don't know what to say."
"Say nothing. It is my pleasure."
Hayley squeezed his hand. There was more she wanted to say. But she could hear Rebekah huffing and muttering loudly, clearly on her way into the house.
"I do not presume to be ignorant of the irony of gifting you with a Christening gown, considering our supernatural inclinations. The gown itself can of course be used for any other occasion."
Their faces were close and she could see the faint shadow of his beard around the cleft in his chin. Hayley placed a slow, deliberate, slightly lingering kiss to his cheek, close to his mouth, almost on the side of it.
Rebekah called out to Elijah.
Hayley pulled back and whispered. "It's perfect."
a/n: For gossipblondie who requested Christmas in the Mikealson household. For AuroraSpace who requested that Elijah be the first to present Hayley with baby clothes. And for stjmavsgirl41 who requested a combination of the above in which Elijah gives Hayley a gift.