Hayley limped out of the hospital room in which she had just had her leg wound stitched and the long cut down her arm properly cared for and bandaged up. Once they had reached the hospital they didn't have to wait long, probably because of how serious their wounds were compared to everyone else waiting. Marcel was waiting outside for them when they got here. He had then gone with Elijah while Rebekah and Officer Dempsey decided to stay with Hayley. The doctors took Elijah straight to the x-ray room and since then they haven't seen him, which Hayley has been trying not to panic about considering it has been almost an hour since they arrived now.
Rebekah stands from her seat when she sees Hayley and quickly shoves her phone into her jacket pocket. Officer Dempsey looks up from her note pad for a few seconds and looks Hayley over once before continuing her work. Hayley limps slowly to them and sits down where Rebekah was just sitting.
"Well?" Rebekah asks when Hayley gives no information about her wounds.
"I had a dislocated rib which they managed to sort out and luckily enough, he didn't hit any main arteries in my thigh so, all they had to do was stitch up the would and clean it to stop any infection. They want to do an x-ray of jaw though because of how much blood was coming from my mouth when we first got here". Hayley tells them.
"And what about the baby? Did you tell them about the baby?" Rebekah asks, obviously worried about her niece, or nephew.
Hayley nods her head. "Yeah, they said they'll send a nurse down as soon as they can".
"Good", Rebekah replies. "I mean, I'm sure everything is fine, but it's better to be safe than sorry". She adds, not wanting Hayley to worry.
Hayley nods her head in agreement and slouches in the chair. If she was exhausted before now she is practically dead on her feet. She has almost gone twenty-four hours without sleep now and the tiredness is really starting to take it's toll.
"Have you heard anything?" Hayley asks, knowing that Rebekah will know she is talking about Elijah.
Rebekah looks down at the floor for a few seconds and folds her arms across her chest. "Well, he didn't get off as lightly as you".
"What do you mean?" Hayley asks, panic rising within her.
"So far we know that he has three broken ribs, he has a serve concussion and he has lost a lot of blood. They rushed him off because they had to do a transfusion. They think that his nose could be broken as well, but right now they are trying to deal with some deep cuts he has near his ribs".
"Yeah, Klaus did that with this little axe", Hayley tells them sadly.
"An axe?" Officer Dempsey asks, looking up from her note pad again.
Hayley nods. "Yeah. He had a box of knives and stuff that he was going to use on us".
"And Klaus was your ex-husband and also Elijah's brother?" Officer Dempsey asks, shocked.
"Yeah, he's always been messed up", Hayley replies.
Officer Dempsey shakes her head in disbelief and returns to her notes. While Hayley was being seen to she had a call from one of her officers about the warehouse at the docks. They had found weapons scattered all around the floor, Klaus dead, Kol on his way to joining his brother and Robert Kane, a known criminal, trying to sneak away. Robert and Kol are currently at a hospital on the other side of town, but she doesn't want to tell Hayley that just yet.
"Messed up is a massive understatement". Rebekah says, pulling her phone from her pocket as a text alert goes off.
Hayley closes her eyes and sighs. She hopes that the text Rebekah just received is Marcel telling them that they can go and see Elijah now. She isn't a clingy person, but she can not stand being this far away from him after everything that they have been through. She feels tense and stressed, and knowing how much pain he is in and how she can do nothing except sit here and wait isn't helping her relax. And stress is not good for the baby.
Rebekah sits down in the newly unoccupied seat next to Hayley and crosses one leg over the other, her phone still in her hand as she types away a message to her fiance. She finishes her message and then locks her phone again, keeping it in her hand instead of putting it back in to her pocket as she waits on a reply.
"Is it Marcel?" Hayley asks, eyes still closed.
"Yeah, he says that they are still trying to stitch up those axe wounds. Apparently he's very lucky that he doesn't have any serious internal wounds, or bleeding". Rebekah informs her.
"Can we see him?" The brunette asks, opening her eyes and looking at Rebekah.
"Not yet. Marcel has been forced to wait outside. He only knows all of this because he is pestering the nurses. And by pestering I mean he is probably chatting them up, flirting with them and handing out his number". Rebekah says, passive aggressively.
"I think he's changing", Hayley says.
Rebekah lets out a fake laugh. "I strongly doubt that, Hayley".
Hayley closes her eyes again.
"He was talking about you guys finally getting married at dinner, he's never done that before. I think he's finally ready", Hayley says.
"I guess we'll see". Rebekah says, then smiling to herself. "A summer wedding does sound like a brilliant idea though doesn't it?"
"Yeah, it does. I better be your head bridesmaid" Hayley says, smirking.
"Darling, there isn't anyone else I would even consider. Not even Freya". Rebekah replies, smiling at her best friend.
Hayley smiles and opens her eyes when she feels Rebekah take her hand. Rebekah squeezes her hand and gives her another smile. Hayley smiles back at her and then closes her eyes again. She is too tired to keep them open, but she is too stressed and worried to sleep.
Officer Dempsey's phone suddenly starts ringing and she quickly pulls it to check it. Hayley opens her eyes and watches Dempsey as she puts her note pad in her pocket and stands up, answering the phone as she does. She then walks towards the main exit and leaves Hayley and Rebekah sat in the waiting room. After watching Dempsey leave, Hayley closes her eyes again.
"What do you think that's about?" Rebekah asks, still looking in the direction of the exit.
"No idea", Hayley responds.
"I reckon it will be about that warehouse you mentioned", Rebekah says. "What happened there? I mean I know that he did some real nasty shit to you, but what happened?"
Hayley opens her eyes slowly and looks down at the bandage that goes almost all the way down her arm. She isn't sure what to tell Rebekah. She wants to tell her everything, but she isn't sure if she can do it without having a breakdown right now. At least if she tells Rebekah the basics then it will give her more time before she has to tell her about everything that happened.
"He chained us up, tortured us and then he was going to kill Elijah", Hayley says. "But Elijah got him first".
"That's going to hit him hard when it sinks in". Rebekah says, knowing that Elijah loved Klaus despite everything.
"Do you think he'll get arrested for what he did?" Hayley asks quietly, only just realising that Elijah shooting two people and slitting another's throat isn't exactly something that people tend to be let off the hook for.
Rebekah stays silent for a few seconds. "Well, I'd think that they'd understand why he did it".
"That doesn't mean that he won't get arrested though. I've seen them arrested men on the news for killing their daughter's rapist before. And what if they find out about what he did to the guy who attacked me in the park?" Hayley asks, continuing to keep her voice low so no one overhears them.
"They won't". Rebekah tells Hayley, leaning closer so she can speak quieter. "Elijah has been doing this kind of thing since he started high school, he will have cleaned up well and have left no traces behind. It will be like he was never even there".
"Since high school? He must be traumatised". Hayley says, surprised.
Rebekah sighs. "We're all fucked up in one way, or another, Hayley... and Elijah is no acceptation to that. It won't be like that for your baby though, Elijah won't let it and neither will I".
Hayley nods her head in acknowledgement. She knows that Elijah will do everything he can to make sure that their child has the best possible life and she knows that Rebekah will too. That isn't her worry about having a baby. Her only worry is Kol's gang coming after them again because of Klaus' death. She won't let anyone hurt her baby and while she has Elijah, Rebekah and surprisingly Marcel on her side, her and her baby will be okay.
A nurse walks into the waiting room and looks around. She is young, quite short and has her black hair up in a bun. Her eyes stop when they land on Hayley and she looks down to check her file before looking back up at Hayley, and making her way towards her. She comes to stand in front of them and smiles down when they both look up at her.
"Hi, I'm Nurse Annie. You're Hayley Marshall?" Hayley nods her head and the Annie smiles again. "Are you ready for your baby scan?"
Hayley raises her eyebrows; she wasn't expecting them to come so soon for her.
"Do I have to go right now?" Hayley asks. "It's just my boyfriend is still getting treatment and I don't want to do the scan without him".
"Well, we could go and see him if you like", Annie offers.
Hayley stands up and nods her head. "Yes, that would be great".
"Okay then, follow me". Annie says with a smile.
Rebekah also stands up and walks besides Hayley in case she needs any help at any point as they follow Annie through a set of double doors and to a desk in the middle of a treatment area. Rebekah leans in close to Hayley as they come to a stop at the desk.
"Did you finally admit that Elijah is your boyfriend?" Rebekah asks, smirking.
"Shut up", Hayley says playfully.
Nurse Annie slips behind the desk and sits down at one of the computers there. She then puts her file next to her on the desk before typing in something. She then she looks up at Hayley and Rebekah.
"What's you boyfriend's name?"
"Elijah Mikaelson", Hayley tells her.
Annie nods her head and types into the computer again. She then leans closer to the screen and starts reading something. While she reads whatever the computer is telling her, Hayley turns around and looks around the treatment area. There are doors leading to treatment rooms and bright blue curtains pulled across other areas where people are being treated. It seems quiet but with the amount of people Hayley has seen come this way, she knows that most of the rooms will be occupied.
"He's currently on the second floor so, we'll go up and see him now", Annie tells them.
Annie then picks up her file again and slips back out from the desk. She then sets off down a corridor, slow enough that the Hayley can keep up with her limp. They walk down the corridor and come to an elevator. Annie then pulls a key from the pocket of her scrubs and puts it into a keyhole under the button that calls the elevator. She turns the key and the elevator doors open for them all to step on.
They ride the elevator and get off a few seconds later when it stops on the second floor. Annie then leads them to the left and down another corridor before turning onto another corridor. They then walk into the first room to the right which has a desk in the middle of it. Nurse Annie leads them to the desk where a young male nurse is sat on a computer. He looks up when the approach.
"Hey. Can you tell me which doctor Elijah Mikaelson is being seen by?" Annie asks the man.
He types into his computer and then waits for it to load. He then types something else into his computer before he looks up at them.
"He's with Doctor Sutton in room 4", he tells them.
"Thank you". Annie says and then turns to look at Hayley and Rebekah. "Come on".
Annie leads them back out into the corridor and to the right. They pass three rooms before Annie stops in front of a door and knocks on it lightly. She waits until they hear a faint 'come in' before she opens the door and steps in, Hayley and Rebekah following.
In the room, Elijah is lay topless on his back, with one arm above his head on a bed and Doctor Sutton is sat besides him on a stool. He has a needle in his hand and is stitching Elijah's cuts up that are on the side of his torso right next to his broken ribs. They both turn and look to the door when the girls walk in, Elijah's eyes instantly falling on Hayley.
"Can I help you?" Doctor Sutton asks with a smile.
"I've just come to see how far along you are", Annie replies.
"Just a few more stitches and I'll be done". The Doctor tells them, going back to his stitching. "Why?"
"Because Hayley didn't want him to miss their baby scan".
Elijah raises an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth lifts into a small smile. He is going to see their baby for the first time. Both of them are going to see their baby for the first time. Hayley smiles back at him and then puts her hand on her stomach without even thinking about it.
"Well, if you want I'll bring him down to the ward when we're done. We'll only be about fifteen minutes", Doctor Sutton says.
"That's fine. We won't start without you". Annie says to Elijah.
Elijah nods his head.
"Where's Marcel?" Rebekah asks, looking at Elijah.
"He went to go and find you", Elijah tells her.
Rebekah sighs. "I bet he's bloody lost".
Hayley chuckles and Elijah smirks.
"Well, we'll see you soon", Annie says to Elijah.
Elijah nods his head and watches them leave. Annie then leads them from one corridor and back onto the other before taking them even further down it. When they are almost all the way at the end of the corridor, Annie stops and opens a door, letting Hayley and Rebekah go into the room first. She then follows them in and leaves the door halfway open.
There is a bed in the middle of the room, counters all along one wall, another door that has 'changing room' written on it and an ultrasound machine next to the bed. There are also two stools on the other side of the bed, one which Hayley assumes would be for Annie and one for Elijah.
"So, Hayley if you could just jump up on the bed". Annie says as she puts her file down on the counter top, moving to the sink to wash her hands.
Hayley sits on the bed and Rebekah comes to stand next to her. Rebekah pulls her phone out and sends a quick text to Marcel before she puts it back into her jacket pocket.
"Looks like we're finally going to find out how far along you are". Rebekah says, nudging Hayley with her elbow.
Hayley smiles at her friend and shuffles to get comfy on the bed. Annie then turns around to face them both, drying her hands on a paper towel as she walks to the bed. She then puts her paper towel in the bin under the bed and turns the ultrasound machine on. She then types into the computer attached to the ultrasound before walking around the bed and grabbing a stool. She then brings the stool to the ultrasound machine and sits down on it.
"I'm sure you know how these things go", Annie says, smiling.
"Yeah, I've seen enough films so I know what happens". Hayley says, causing Annie to chuckle.
"Well, in that case I won't bore you by explaining, but if you want to ask any questions feel free".
Hayley looks to Rebekah, not knowing what to say. She knows that she should ask questions, but she can't think of anything. She also knows that Rebekah knows almost everything there is to know about babies and pregnancy because she has wanted a baby for so long that she will probably know exactly what to ask. Rebekah only smiles at her, offering no help. But Hayley doesn't need help because she suddenly knows what she wants to ask.
"The embryonic sack can protect the baby from bumps and stuff right?" She asks.
Nurse Annie nods. "Yes, that's right".
"Do you think it could protect the baby from a cut?"
"A cut?" Annie asks, frowning in confusion.
Hayley lifts up her ripped shirt and gently pulls the long, thin bandage off to show the cut that Klaus made across her stomach. Annie moves in closer and looks at the wound closely. Hayley watches Annie, desperate for any signs, but she gives away none. She carefully touches the skin close to the wound and then taps her finger over it just as carefully.
"It doesn't seem to be a deep cut so, I don't see why it would have hurt your baby", Annie says.
Hayley closes her eyes in relief. She has never been religious before, but right now she feels as if someone was looking out for her and protecting her baby back at that warehouse. She then opens them and is about to put the bandage back on when Annie gently takes it from her and puts it in the bin under the bed.
"I'll get you a new one after the ultrasound", Annie explains.
Doctor Sutton then appears in the doorway with Elijah behind him. He looks in the room and smiles at Hayley and Rebekah before moving aside for Elijah to enter the room first. Doctor Sutton then remains stood at the door while Elijah makes his way to stand next to Rebekah, still swaying after every few steps he takes.
Nurse Annie turns around on her stool and smiles at Doctor Sutton. "Thank you, Doctor".
"My pleasure", Doctor Sutton says. He then looks at Elijah and Hayley again, giving them another smile before he leaves, closing the door behind him.
Rebekah turns to Elijah. "No sign of Marcel?"
Elijah shakes his head and Rebekah sighs, pulling her phone out again.
"So, unfortunately I am going to ask you to wait outside if that's alright?" Annie says, looking at Rebekah.
"Of course. I have to find Marcel anyway", Rebekah replies. She goes to the door and opens it, just about to leave when she turns back and says "you better get me a photo printed off".
"We will". Hayley says, smiling.
Rebekah then leaves the room, closing the door behind her. Annie then stands up and takes a bottle of a light blue gel from the small shelf under the desk which the computer and ultrasound machine are on. She turns to look at Hayley and gives her a reassuring smile.
"So, if you could lift up your top for me", Annie says.
Hayley lifts her top again and holds it just under her breasts with her right hand. Elijah looks down at her stomach and sees the long scratch there. He shifts closer to Hayley and takes her free hand in one of his, holding it tightly. Hayley looks up at him and gives him a small smile before she returns her eyes back to the nurse.
"This will be cold", Annie tells Hayley. She then squeezes some of the gel along Hayley's stomach before putting the bottle back on the shelf where it was.
Grabbing the probe from the ultrasound machine, she taps a few keys on the computer and the ultrasound monitor flashes on. She then places the probe over the gel on Hayley's stomach and starts to move it around slowly. Both Hayley and Elijah watch the screen in anticipation of what they are about to see. But the screen stays black, they see no movement, no signs of anything being there and Hayley can feel the lump in her throat growing.
Suddenly, something on the monitor moves. Annie moves the probe over that part of Hayley's stomach again and they see it move again. Their baby. Hayley sighs in relief and Annie keeps the probe still on that part of Hayley's stomach so they can continue to look at their baby. Their little survivor.
"And there's your baby". Annie says, pointing at the centre of the monitor where a little blip is moving every few seconds. "The moving is it's heart beating". She points to a small round shape on the monitor. "And there's it's head".
Hayley feels a tear slide down her cheek as she watches her little boy, or girl's heart beat. Elijah also watches in wonder, his mouth open slightly. Now everything feels even more real than it did a few hours ago when he first found out that he was going to be a father. It's the most frightening yet amazing feeling he has ever felt in his life.
"How far along am I?" Hayley asks, still staring at the screen.
"You are twelve weeks along with one very healthy baby, despite whatever it is that you seem to have been through". Annie tells her, smiling at the pair. "I'll go and print those photos off. I'll get you another bandage too".
Annie then hits a button on the computer to keep the image of the baby on the monitor screen and moves the probe from Hayley's stomach. She puts the probe back in it's place and pulls a tissue from the box on the shelf under the machine. She places the tissue on the bed besides Hayley and stands up. She then leaves.
Hayley grabs the tissue and wipes the gel from her stomach before putting it back on the bed next to her. She then looks at her little baby again before she turns her head and looks up at Elijah. His eyes are filled with love and devotion and it makes her love him even more. All o the stress and the pain was worth it for this.
Realising that she is looking at him, Elijah looks down at Hayley and gives her his best smile. She smiles back at him and brings the hand that was holding her shirt up to his face. She strokes his swollen cheek gently and then moves her hand to the back of his neck, pulling him down to her. He buries his head into her neck and she holds him close to her as tears of pure relief and joy start to appear in her eyes again.
After a few seconds, Hayley pulls away and turns to look at their baby on the screen again. Elijah rests his cheek on the top of Hayley's head and also looks back at the screen. He could stand here and look at his son, or daughter all day.
"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen". Elijah says, quietly.
Hayley nods her head and smiles.
"You're going to be a brilliant father", Hayley says.
Elijah smiles and kisses her on top of her head before resting his head there again.
"And you'll be a brilliant mother".
Hayley's smile grows and she moves her head to look up at him again. He takes his cheek from off her head and stares into her eyes, intoxicated by the amount of love he sees there and hoping that his own eyes are showing that same amount of love. He puts his hand on the side of her neck tenderly and lowers his lips to hers, kissing her as softly and as affectionately as he can.
