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Klaus stood on a fire escape looking down at the busy nightlife of the city. Everything really had changed in the town he once called home. He suddenly felt a presence behind him. He smiled.

"Evening, Elijah" he spoke.

"Niklaus" Elijah replied.

"What an entirely unwelcome surprise" Klaus retorted.

"And what an entirely unsurprising welcome. Come with me" Elijah told his brother.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not till I find out who's conspiring against me" Klaus looked at his brother.

"I believe I just found that out for you" Elijah replied. Klaus looked at him and frowned.

"You know a certain fiancé of yours is in town" Klaus smiled. "Although I promised I wouldn't tell. Why don't you go bother her?"

"I'm quite aware that Dia is in town and that Sophie Deveraux is her sister. Now come with me Nikalus" Elijah replied.

Elijah brought his brother to Lafayette Cemetery. As they entered Klaus looked at his brother. "What are we doing here?" he asked.

"You want to know what the witches have in store for you? Follow me" Elijah said simply.

Elijah led his brother to a graveyard and then into a mausoleum. Inside was Sophie and Dia standing around, the tomb lighted by candles.

"Sophie Deveraux. What is this?" Klaus frowned.

"He's all yours. Proceed" Elijah told him.

"You know you're famous in this town? Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus. We know Marcel was nothing but an orphan street rat, until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants, he kills who he wants. I'm going to stop him, and you're going to help me" Sophie told him.

Klaus smiled, clearly amused. He looked over at Elijah. "This is why you brought me here?"

"Hear her out" Elijah replied.

"I don't need to hear her out. I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time. Elijah, what madness is this?" Klaus demanded. Suddenly the witches appeared in the tomb along with a familiar face. Hayley. The werewolf whom Klaus had slept with sometime ago in Mystic Falls.

"Klaus. You need to listen to them" she spoke.

Klaus laughed at her. "You're all out of your minds if you think some liquor-fueled, one-night stand - no offense, sweetheart - means a thing to me"

"Marcel may be able to keep up from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance we still know when nature has cooked up something new. For example, I have a special gift... of sensing when a girl is pregnant" Sophie explained.

All the amusement suddenly left Klaus's face. "What?"

"I know it's impossible..." Hayley began.

"What are you saying?" Klaus asked once more.

"Niklaus... the girl is carrying your child" Elijah suddenly spoke.

"No. It's impossible. Vampires cannot procreate" Klaus protested.

"But werewolves can. Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original hybrid, the first of your kind, and this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes" Sophie smirked.

"You've been with someone else, admit it!" Klaus yelled turning to Hayley.

"Klaus why would we lie to you about this?" Dia looked at him.

"Hey, I've spent days held captive in a freaking alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think I would've fessed up if it wasn't yours?" Hayley told him.

"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us" Sophie explained. Dia, Elijah, and Hayley all stared at her in surprise. Sophie had never mentioned this to her Dia thought. She looked over at Elijah who was looking at her. She shook her head to tell him that she knew nothing of the plan.

"If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress" Sophie finished.

"Wait, what?" Hayley exclaimed.

"Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself" Elijah

"No. We can't, not yet. We have a clear plan that we need to follow, and there are rules" Sophie told him.

Klaus turned back to face Sophie, his face full of anger. "How dare you command me?" he shouted. "Threaten me, with what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. I won't hear any more lies." He turned to leave.

"Niklaus" Elijah said softly. "Listen."

Klaus turned toward Hayley. Looking at her abdomen, he could hear a rapid heartbeat. He was faint, but he could hear it. He looked up at Hayley before turning back to Elijah.

"Kill her and the baby. What do I care?" Klaus sneered storming out. He kept walking until Elijah caught up with him on the street.

"Niklaus" Elijah called out.

"It's a trick, Elijah" Klaus replied.

"No, brother. It's gift. It's your chance- it's our chance" Elijah replied.

"To what?" Klaus demanded.

"To start over. Take back everything we lost, everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. Our family was ruined- we were ruined. And since then, all that you have ever wanted- all that we have ever wanted was a family" Elijah looked at him.

"I will not be manipulated" Klaus sneered turning away. Elijah sped over to block his way.

"So they're manipulating you. So what? With them, this girl and her child- your child—live" Elijah continued.

"I'm going to kill every last one of them" Klaus snapped. "Starting with your fiancé perhaps." He shoved Elijah, but once more found himself blocked.

"And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to resume your life as the hated one, as the evil hybrid? Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?" Elijah asked.

"People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid. What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?" Klaus asked his brother.

"Family is power, Niklaus. Love, loyalty- that's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago, before life tore away what little humanity you had left, before ego, before anger, before paranoia created in this person before me someone I can barely even recognize as my own brother. This is us, the Original family, and we remain together, always and forever. I am asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stand by you. I will be your brother. We will build a home here together. So save this girl. Save your child" Elijah placed a hand on his brother's should. Klaus placed a hand on the back of his brother's neck.

"No" he sneered.

Elijah stood on a busy street on the phone with Rebekah. He had just finished explaining Hayley's situation and how Klaus was handling it.

"Well, he's doing what he does; given a chance at happiness, Klaus runs in the opposite direction" Elijah explained.

"Then let him run. That child, if it's even his, is better off without him" Rebekah snapped.

"He's not better off without that child, Rebekah, and neither are we" Elijah sighed.

"Darling, kind Elijah. Our brother rarely brings us anything but pain. At what point in your immortal life will you stop searching for his redemption?" Rebekah asked.

"I'll stop searching for his redemption when I believe there is none left to be found" Elijah said before hanging up the phone.

Rebekah hung up the phone and heard a noise behind her. She turned to see Katherine leaning against a table.

"I'd give you a play-by-play, but you have the air of someone who's been lurking and listening" Rebekah shot her a glare.

"He'll come around. You know Elijah- he won't stop until he's convinced Klaus to do the right thing" Katherine smiled.

"I know you consider yourself an expert in brotherly dynamics, but you don't know my brothers half as well as you think you do" Rebekah snapped.

"You're wrong. Klaus won't be able to walk away from this. He and I are the same. We manipulate, we thirst for power, we control, we punish, but our actions are driven by one, singular place deep inside" Katherine told her.

"And what's that?" Rebekah asked.

"We're alone, and we hate it" Katherine replied. "Tell Elijah to call me when he comes home. I'll be waiting for him" she said before turning to leave.

"Dia's down there as well" Rebekah smirked. Katherine turned around and glared at her. "He loves her. He's not giving up on her. He told me so. Elijah's done with you. It's probably best that you just scramble off to the far corners of the world and never return."

Dia looked at the pamphlets from NYU and Tulane at a table in her hotel room. It was down to these two schools. She loved New York and she would be with Luchi and the rest of her friends, but at the same time New Orleans was growing on her. It could give her the fresh start she wanted, but then Elijah was here currently and it seemed like the entire Original family would be making a permanent residence here. At least she had Sophie. She sighed. This was a stressful decision and she needed to relax. She took off her clothes except for her bra and underwear and put on a black flowery robe. She walked into the bathroom and turned on the faucet to the bathtub. A hot bath is exactly what she needed right now. She walked out of the bathroom and slightly jumped. Elijah was sitting at the table looking over her NYU and Tulane materials.

"Excellent choices" Elijah commented looking up. He smirked when he saw that Dia was only in a robe. "Have you made a decision yet?"

"No" Dia said simply. "Why are you here?"

"Just to talk" Elijah said simply walking towards her. "Niklaus is frustrating at the present moment."

"Guessing he doesn't want to take responsibility for the baby?" Dia crossed her arms.

"We have a chance to finally be happy, to be a family and he's running away from it" Elijah exclaimed.

"I'm sure it will work out" Dia told him. "Did you just come here to vent about Klaus or did you actually want something? I have a hot bath calling my name."

"Well I could always join you" Elijah smirked. "I suppose if you decide to go to Tulane and I convince Klaus to stay in New Orleans, we'll continue to see each other frequently."

"That to me sounds like I should choose NYU then" Dia rolled her eyes. "I think you should leave now."

"What if I have no intention to?" Elijah replied.

"Look I don't get where this confident you came from. Your mouth is saying one thing, but if you forgot we're still bonded and I feel everything. You're really tense and grumpy" Dia smirked. "Perhaps you should give Katherine a call. I'm sure you have been dying to get back into bed with her." With that Dia walked away from him and back into the bathroom. She shut the water off.

"Katherine and I never slept together" she heard Elijah say behind her.

Dia turned around in confusion. "What?"

"She most certainly tried to get me into bed many times, but I always refused her advances" Elijah continued. "I think the reason I did is because apart of me hoped that you would come back into my life. I never gave up on you Dia. I didn't look for you but my heart still belonged to you."

"That doesn't change anything" Dia said walking past him. "You still kissed her."

"Did you think I didn't know you were that day at the gazebo?" he followed. Dia stopped and stood against the wall and looked up at him. "I knew you were there. I tested you to see if you had truly moved on, but it seemed to have backfired on me."

"It doesn't change anything Elijah" she whispered. "You still let her manipulate you. You could have found me." Elijah sighed and ran his fingers across her cheek.

"Tell me what I can do" he breathed. "Dia I love you more than anything." He took her off guard by briskly kissing her. Dia quickly pulled away breathing heavily. The next thing Elijah knew her lips were against his own once more. He pulled her closer to his body and moved his lips to her neck, gently sucking on it. Dia moaned loudly. Elijah pulled away and smirked at her.

"This doesn't mean we're back together" Dia looked at him.

"Of course" he took his index finger and traced a line from the top of neck and down to the small bow keeping her robe tied. "The way I see it, we're two sexually frustrated individuals, who want to help one another relive that frustration." With that he pulled on the bow untying it. Elijah could see a black lace ensemble and licked his lips. Dia let the robe fall the ground and smiled at him. She put her arms around the vampire, kissing him and he picked up and sped over to the bed. Elijah pulled away and began kissing her chest, worshipping her body. He stopped kissing her and looked up at her. He quickly pulled off his jacket and with help from Dia his shirt and pants, leaving him only in his boxers. Suddenly Elijah was thrown against the wall. He wasn't able to move at all. Dia got up off the bed smirking at him.

"I've learned a few tricks" she said seductively. "Might as well put them to use." She gently kissed him for a few moments, pulling away, she moved her center closer to his own. She didn't say a word and only smirked. She ran her hands down his chest until they reached the waistband of his boxers. Slowly, pulling them down she got on her knees. Taking his member in her mouth she began to suck. Elijah groaned loudly. Still unable to move. She sucked harder and harder.

"Dia" he called out. She suddenly stopped and stood up and looked at him.

"Still a minx as ever" he spoke.

"Is that a bad thing?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Let me go and I'll show you" Elijah smirked seductively.

"I'm having too much fun though" Dia pouted. She turned around and unhooked her bra and let it fall to the ground. Elijah knew she was teasing him. His breathing intensified. Suddenly he felt the weight disappear and sped behind her. His hand slipped inside her panties and he shoved a finger inside of her.

"Oh yes" Dia cried out in response to his rough movement. He glanced at her exposed neck and sunk his teeth in. Dia moaned in pleasure as he drank from her. His movements becoming faster.

"You are such a tease" he groaned pulling away. "You should be punished."

"Then punish me…..oh please punish me" Dia cried out. Elijah then ripped her underwear from her body and removed his fingers before he slammed into her from behind. Grabbing her hips roughly, he went in and out of her at a fast pace. He had never been this rough with her before. He pulled out of her and the two of them ended up on the bed with him inside of her once more. This time his pace was much slower, something they were both use to in their lovemaking. Dia was moaning his name, clawing at whatever she could. She felt her release coming soon as did he.

"Elijah….oh god" Dia screamed out as her release came. Elijah groaned shortly after. The two collapsed beside one another. Both breathing heavily, neither was aware that they both felt something strange. Each other's love.

Elijah finished straightening his tie, while standing in front of the mirror. He kept glancing over to a sleeping Dia. This wasn't how he wanted anything to go. He just wanted her back. It didn't matter how. He felt like he had just used her and the thought of it left a bad taste in his mouth. There was a moment where he felt her love for him, but he wondered if that was enough? He turned around sadly and looked at her sleeping form. He wanted nothing more to get back into bed with her and wrap his arms around her and never let go, but he needed to find his brother. He walked over to Dia and leaned forward, gently kissing her forehead. He then walked over towards the window to the fire escape and saw the college materials on the table. He hoped that Dia would be able to make a decision. He didn't care where she went, just as long as she was happy. He wasn't worried about where she would go, he was worried about his future with her, but it was time to focus on his family.

Klaus walked down a deserted street late at night and sat down on a bench. He kept thinking about Hayley and his child. Elijah quietly arrived and saw down next to him.

"Are you here to give me another pep talk on the joys of fatherhood?" Klaus asked.

"I've said all I needed to say" Elijah replied.

Klaus looked at his brother and smirked. His shirt was slightly wrinkled and his hair was a tad messy. "You're a mess brother. I'm assuming Dia's to blame for that? Has reconciliation finally occurred?"

"Sadly not, but I think we've taken a step in the right direction" Elijah smiled. Klaus chuckled. The two vampires then sat in silence, just staring at the quiet city.

"I forgot how much I liked this town" Klaus finally spoke.

"I didn't forget. All the centuries we've spent together, and yet I can count on one hand the number of times that our family has been truly happy. I hated leaving here" Elijah sighed.

"As did I" Klaus nodded.

"What is on your mind, brother?" Elijah asked. It wasn't like his brother to reminisce.

"For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere, our father would hunt me down and chase me off" Klaus began. "He made me feel powerless, and I hated it. This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want to be king."

"And what of Hayley and the baby?" Elijah looked at his brother.

"Every king needs an heir" Klaus smiled.

Elijah walked through the window of Dia's hotel. He frowned when he saw she was no longer in bed. She must have gone somewhere else. The college pamphlets were still on the table. He sighed and turned to leave. There was no reason for him to be here.

"I'm surprised you came back" he heard Dia say. He turned around to see Dia in a lavender nightgown taking a hair out of a clip.

"You know I'm too much of gentleman to walk out on a beautiful woman" Elijah smiled. "I just spoke to my brother."

"And?" she asked walking closer to him.

"He's decided to stay" Elijah replied. "He's going to take care of Hayley and the baby."

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

"I'm going to stay" he replied. "I'm needed here. Have you decided about college yet?"

"Almost" she told him. Elijah walked over to her and took her hands in his.

"Dia, listen I want you to make this your own decision. Put aside what everyone else wants you to do. I want you to be happy. I don't want you to stay here because you feel obligated to" he told her. "Do what you feel is right." He then kissed her forehead gently and began to walk away.

"Elijah can you stay here tonight?" Dia suddenly asked. Elijah turned around and frowned at her. "I just would feel….safer."

"Of course" he smiled. Maybe there was still a chance for the two of them.

Elijah stood at the cemetery with Sophie the next morning. He had spent the night with Dia and he had felt the happiest he had in a while being near her. He had left her to meet with Sophie to discuss what their next move was. He had hoped that Dia was on the verge of making a decision about staying to going to New York.

"So, how do you propose this will work?" Elijah asked.

"Your brother needs to cement his place in Marcel's world. His inner circle, the daywalkers- that's where we begin. They're his friends, his family. We'll be hitting him where it hurts" Sophie explained.

Elijah nodded at her plan. He then spoke. "Why did you not tell Dia all of this?"

"Marcel likes power. He finds out a gypsy, a rare supernatural being is in town. He'll do whatever it takes to get her. It won't matter that she's under your families protection, let alone your protection" Sophie replied. "Given what I seen from how you look at Dia, you love her. Help me protect my sister. I don't want what happened to Jane Anne happen to her."

"She'll be safe. I give you my word" Elijah told her.

"Then why did you give her up?" Sophie looked at him. "I'm sorry, but I'm playing big sister right now."

"I was a fool" Elijah said simply. "I just hope I'm not too late to win her back."

"You're not" Sophie replied. "I can tell she wants you back."

Elijah and Rebekah stood in the mansion in Mystic Falls. Elijah had returned from New Orleans in an attempt to convince Rebekah to come with him.

"So that's it? I'm just supposed to pack up my things and leave for good? Forget my life here and my pursuit of the cure?" Rebekah shouted.

"Oh, the cure was a fool's errand. I mean, taking it would've stripped you of everything you are, for what? More high school proms?" Elijah shot back.

"I wanted to be human. I wanted children and a family" she told him.

"And I stand before you to offer you both" he replied.

"And if I decide against you? A dagger in my heart and then back in a box?" she sneered.

"I've made my case. Your family needs you, and what choice you make right now is your own" Elijah said.

Rebekah stood quietly in front of her brother, contemplating I owe him nothing. She walked closer to him. "I wish him no joy, no love. I will stay here and live my life the way I want to, and if you're smart I suggest you do the same." With that she left the room. From behind Elijah, Katherine suddenly appeared.

"She's right. Be smart, Elijah. Klaus is stark raving mad, not to mention completely irredeemable. Leave him to set off on this new adventure, and let's you and I go out on ours. I have lost so much of my life to Klaus. So have you" Katherine put her hand on his arm. "It's our turn. Elijah, please."

"Katerina..." Elijah began. He placed a hand on her cheek and drew his face closer to hers. He kissed her forehead. "Goodbye" he whispered. He began to leave the room when he heard Katherine speak.

"It's because of her isn't it?"

Elijah turned around and looked at her. "It was always her. From the moment I laid eyes on her. I knew she was the one. I will never stop loving her." With that he walked away. He walked out of the mansion and into his car. His cellphone beeped, causing him to pull it out. It was a text from Dia. A one word text, but he couldn't help but smile. She made her decision.

Tulane

His quickly dialed her number and after a few rings he heard her pick up.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive" Dia replied. "Looks like you're right you will be seeing more of me."

"I'll take you out to dinner when I'm back" Elijah smiled. "To celebrate."

Dia stayed quiet for a moment. "Look Elijah, last night was great, I won't lie, but I told you it didn't mean we're back together. It doesn't change anything. We just need to try and keep things platonic as best we can. I don't know what the future holds for us. I wish I knew."

"As do I" Elijah replied. "I need to go. I'll come by so we can talk when I return."

"Sounds good" she replied. "Elijah just know that I do love you."

"I know Dia" Elijah spoke. "I've always loved you. I'll never stop and I'm going to fight for you even if it's the last thing I ever do."

There you have it! Sorry it took a bit. It was a long chapter to write as you can see. I've had a lot of people ask me if there will be a Hayley/Elijah relationship in the future. The answer is no. I'm going to try to twist things to my advantage, however that doesn't mean that I can't use it to create a little tension and conflict. That's all I'm saying. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Read and review!