A/N: Um….. yeah, I have no excuses as to why I didn't update this fanfic in so long.. I'm a terrible writer, I know, I am so, so, so, sorry but thank you still, to everyone who still reads this fanfic even though it hasn't been updated in years and I could never say thank you enough to those who still post comments on it.. You guys truly are amazing so here's something for all of you.. I can't promise there'll be a new update soon following this one but I will try my absolute best to get back on it and finish this fic.. Love you guys!!
p/s: if there's grammar mistakes and all of that, I do apologize for it.. I didn't proofread it before I post it.. Sorry and thanks..
English is not my first language so I do apologize for the grammar or spelling mistake I made*
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these TVD/TO characters.
_
CHAPTER SEVEN
CAROLINE let out a low moan as Elijah slowly trailed kisses from her jaw down to her neck. Her moan became louder when he kissed that point where her neck and her shoulder connected and sends chill down her spine. Good god, this man is ravenous!
"If you keep this up, Mr. Mikaelson, none of us is getting out of this bed anytime soon." She warned knowing very well that her words fall on deaf ears.
Elijah let out a low hum and continues his exploration of her neck. "I do not see the problem in that, Mrs. Mikaelson." He sounded so sexy when he calls her 'Mrs. Mikaelson' that Caroline had a hard time focusing, especially when his hands started roaming all over her body but she wasn't about to let him win.
"As much as I would love for this to continue, I have a meeting with a client this morning and I can't be late for that."
Elijah still ignore her and let one hand slipped under her silk camisole and traced his other hand down the side of her body until he reached her hip where he grabbed her butt and push her body closer to him. It sends fire down to her core but Caroline is nothing if not determined.
"And you have to go to court for that Anderson case." She reminded him.
When Elijah let out a disappointed sigh, Caroline knew she'd won.
"Can't a man simply enjoy his time with his woman without mundane predicament interrupting it?" He was almost pouting; it was too adorable.
"He can if both of them didn't have a job."
Elijah let out a groan, something that was so out of character for him that it made Caroline kissed him a few more times just because she can. Lately her husband has been absolutely adorable; it's getting ridiculously hard for her to not kiss him.
"Don't worry; we still have that honeymoon we have yet to set a date for. You can have me all to yourself, day and night for that one."
Mentioning the honeymoon seemed to be a bad idea because a solemn mood fell upon Elijah. "I'm sorry."
Caroline frowned. "For what?"
"Our honeymoon had to be on hold because of my work at the firm."
Caroline wrapped her hands around Elijah's neck and turn them around so she could sit on his lap. A smile playing on her lips. "Baby, I don't need a honeymoon. Every day that I spent with you feels like a honeymoon and I wouldn't trade it for anything, not even an actual honeymoon."
Elijah smiled while wrapping his arms around Caroline's waist, pulling her closer to him. "What did I ever do to deserve such a magnificent woman like you?"
"Simple. You decided to enter a bar." She let out a yelp when Elijah suddenly kissed her like there was no tomorrow.
"I love you, Mrs. Mikaelson," he said between kisses.
Caroline laughed. "And I love you too, Mr. Mikaelson."
_
CAROLINE woke up on the bed with a gasp. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest as she looked around to register her surroundings. A small sigh left her body when she realized that she's in Elijah's house in New Orleans, sleeping on his bed, right next to him.
After the dinner they had with his family, the two of them headed straight for home and decided to call it a day. The day's event had rendered them completely exhausted. When it came to sleeping arrangement, as to be expected, Elijah had offered her his bed and said that he'll take the couch but Caroline wasn't having any of it. It's not as if they haven't shared a bed before. As soon as her head hits the pillow though, she was out of this world.
Caroline looked at Elijah's sleeping body and flashes of her dream earlier flooded her mind causing a painful pounding in her head. Was it a dream? It felt too real for it not to be. She can still feel Elijah's hot breath against her skin and how his lips on her neck drove her into a hot and steamy frenzy. And the room they were in, it was their bedroom back in New York. Is it possible that it's not a dream at all but a memory, one that Esther or whoever had blocked inside of her head? Maybe Freya tinkering with her head had caused the spell to somehow loosen its grip slightly and allow Caroline to dream about some of the memory she had lost.
Whatever it is though, it is giving Caroline all sorts of inappropriate thoughts and having Elijah on the same bed as her was so not helping. So instead of going back to sleep, Caroline quietly slipped out of the bed and makes her way towards the living room. She poured herself a drink before she sat on the sofa.
Caroline nursed her drink while fumbling with her phone, debating on whether or not to call someone from back home. She wanted to call her mom so badly but Caroline knew if she did, she won't be able to stop herself from wanting to go home. Elijah would let her, he'd probably follow her if she were to ask him to, that's just the kind of guy Elijah is but they can't, not yet. They need to find Esther and figure out what she had done to them and then there's the whole Dahlia drama, Caroline can't possibly ask for Elijah to turn his back on his family. They need him and thus they should stay in New Orleans until things settle down a little or at the very least, become less hostile. And Mystic Falls has enough problems on its own, she can't possibly bring her problems along with her and expect her friends to just drop everything and help her. Caroline does, however, miss home dearly and maybe talking to someone will curb that feeling for a while.
Deciding that there's one person she simply can't refrain from talking to any longer, Caroline quickly dialed Bonnie's number and pray that her newly revived best friend is still awake to answer her call.
"Care?" Bonnie's voice came through the line after a few beep.
"Yeah."
"Oh, God! Where are you, Care? Alaric told us that you're in New York with someone and that you're safe but you can't come home yet. What's does that mean?"
"It's… complicated." Honestly, there's no other way to describe her current predicament.
"It wouldn't be our lives if it isn't." Bonnie pointed out. "At least tell me what's really going on, maybe I can help."
"Um, you just got back from the prison world or whatever it is Alaric called it and have to deal with the Salvatore brother's whacky mom and a dude name Kai, I can't possibly add more to that problem."
"We've gone through shit storm worst then that, we faced the Originals and we're still able to deal with high school drama so don't try to talk your way out of explaining yourself to me, Forbes!"
"Fine, Bennet but don't say I didn't warn ya."
"What can you possibly go through that can shock me?"
Caroline took a deep breath. She contemplates on lying but Bonnie is her best friend, she will know if Caroline is lying the moment she open her mouth – if there's one person she can never lie to, it'd be Bonnie – so she decided the truth is probably the best choice here. It's not as if her life can be any more complicated than it already is.
With that thought in mind, Caroline filled Bonnie in on everything that has happened recently. From A to Z, she spilled it all.
"Huh?" Bonnie exclaimed after Caroline finished her story. "Didn't see that one coming."
"Me neither."
"So, you're married to Elijah? Like, Elijah always-had-a-thing-for-doppelganger Mikaelson?"
"That's the one… although now he's more into were-sluts than doppelganger." Caroline couldn't help the bitterness from coming out of her mouth.
"Hayley? But I thought she's Klaus' baby mama? Isn't it weird to be with your niece's mother who obviously slept with your brother?" Bonnie let the thought run in her mind. "I guess he does have a type then. Katherine, came between brothers, Elena, came between brothers and now Hayley." She muses.
Now that Bonnie said it, Caroline can actually see that he does have a type and if they're going by that, Caroline is definitely a part of that type now - seeing how Klaus had reacted to the news of their marriage, which shouldn't have surprised anyone, especially her.
"Do they still have a thing going on?" Bonnie asked.
"Not anymore. Before the whole shit storm between us happened, there was feelings there but then she lost her way after she had to send Hope – Klaus' daughter – off to live with Rebekah and things frizzles out between them since then. Now she's married to some alpha werewolf and Elijah to muah."
"I bet Klaus was thrill to hear that news." There was some satisfaction in Bonnie's words that made Caroline snickered.
"Oh, yeah. You should've seen his face."
"I would pay to see it."
The two laughed. Despite it all, Klaus does deserve their animosity and any form of payback that he gets. God knows he'd ruined enough of her relationships, i.e. hers and Tyler's just to get what he wants – her – it's nice to see him not getting what he wants for a change and not being able to do anything about it. It would be a lie if Caroline says she's not enjoying this just a tad bit.
"How do you feel about it?" Bonnie asked, turning serious again.
"Ugh!" Caroline groaned. "I don't know. It feels like I'm in a dream… or maybe a nightmare. I can't decide which one it is yet."
"What about you and Elijah?"
"What about us?"
"Care, you're married to him. Of course right now it doesn't really matter but once you've gained your memory, what then? Are you going to get a divorced? Are you going to stay together? And if you do, what about his family and New Orleans? What about your mom here back home?" Hand it to Bonnie to drag things back to earth where everything is just one pile of shit.
"Honestly, I don't know, Bon. We haven't really talked about it and I kind of been putting off thinking about it because I don't know what to do. I'm completely out of my wits here. I want to say that once this is over, everything will be back to normal but even without the memories, I have these feelings towards Elijah that I can't explain and somehow I just gravitate towards him. And God, you don't even wanna know how my body reacts towards him."
"Well, he's not exactly bad looking and the whole accent and suit and tie thing he has going on doesn't hurt either. Paired all of that with the fact that he is one of the most powerful being on the planet, I totally understand why you're all hot and heavy for him."
"Shut up!" Caroline laughed. "How's everyone back home?"
"We're okay. Damon and Elena are at it again and I honestly have had enough of their drama. Your mom is doing great; Stefan's been taking care of her."
"He is?" Her voice cracked. She had forgotten about Stefan for a while there but hearing his name brought back all those feelings she has inside of her for God knows how long.
As if Bonnie knew what she's thinking – considering it is Bonnie, Caroline's pretty sure that she does – her voice softened. "He is. I think it's his way of apologizing for all those months of ignoring you."
"He told you about that, huh?"
"Care, are we going to talk about it?" Bonnie, being the only one who is aware of Caroline's feelings for Stefan, decided to bring the subject up.
"I can't, Bon. Not right now." With everything on her plate right now, Stefan is the last thing she wants to think about.
Bonnie sighed in defeat. "Okay."
"It's really late. I'll call you again soon, okay?"
"Make sure you do or I swear to God, Care, I'll fly to New Orleans myself."
"I will. Bye, Bon." Caroline hung up. She put her phone aside and simply stayed there, on the sofa. Instead of going back to sleep, she let her mind run along with the many thoughts that's currently running through her head.
Bonnie raised a good question when she brought up what she's going to do after all of this end? Apart of Caroline wants to go back to how things were and just reset her life back to when Elijah was just Klaus' brother but deep inside, she knew that's never going to happen. Truth to be told, she doesn't want it to. These few days being with him had made her see just how little life she had been living, all this while. Her whole life had been bounded to Mystic Falls and Elena and all the drama to the point where she forgets all about her hopes and dreams. She doesn't blame anyone for it, if it means saving her friends and family, she'll do it all over again but that being said, Caroline can't help but to yearn for something more and Elijah had given her a taste of that.
But then, there's also Stefan. Good, kind and perfect Stefan who had been her constant when everything else changes or fell apart.
Thinking about Stefan makes everything suddenly a hundred times more complicated that in the end, she gave up thinking all together and just enjoy her drink in the peace and quiet she currently have. Caroline didn't know how long she stayed awake because the next time she opened her eyes, the sun had already risen and someone, probably Elijah, had draped a blanket on her. She allows herself a few second to shake some of the sleepiness away before she fully got up. Today's a new day and one way or another, she's going to get some answers and get something done. No more wallowing, no more wondering. It's time she get herself back on track and sprint towards the future.
_
WHEN Elijah woke up without Caroline on his bed, he was surprised by how empty and cold his bed felt, by how for a moment, he was afraid that she was gone, that she had left him. When he heard the steady breathing of hers coming from the living room, the relief that washes through him was an experience in of itself and Elijah found himself staring at his ceiling. It's been a long, long time since he had felt such a way – the last time was probably when he was with Katherine, the first time, before he learn that she will always leave him if it means saving herself. He had never allowed himself to feel such a way for anybody again, not even for Hayley but Caroline, as he was slowly learning now, have a way of being the exception, the girl who breaks all the rule and caught you completely off guard. He loves that about her and he was sure that it's the reason his brother had fallen completely and utterly for her too.
Not wanting to wallow on the thought of Klaus and Caroline, Elijah got up from his bed and made his way towards where Caroline was sleeping on his sofa. He took a blanket from the room along with him and laid it on her, careful not to wake her up. Despite being a vampire and not feeling the rise and fall of temperature as intense as human does anymore, Elijah found that Caroline always engulfed herself with a blanket when she sleeps. It was an act of comfort for her, as all the other human things she constantly does. He had noticed that about her during their time together. It probably made her feel more human and gave her some sense of control in the constant chaos that is her life.
Elijah left Caroline to sleep in a little more and went to start his day early. He already had an extensive list of things he needed to do today. He was debating whether he should add a 'talk with Niklaus' in that list but it was impossible to avoid his brother if he didn't want to be avoided and Elijah figured he might as well tackle the hardest thing to do first and gradually move down the list. What's the worst that could happen?
It turns out, the worst that could happen was not his brother but instead the mother of his niece. When he arrived at the house, Hayley had just descend down the stairs with Hope in her arms. Her steps faltered a little when she saw him and Elijah wasn't about to lie to himself and say the sight of her didn't affect him whatsoever. They stood there, almost frozen in time, staring at each other before Hope's soft mumbling broke the spell and Hayley quickly excuses herself and went straight for the kitchen.
Elijah watched as she goes and had a debate with himself. Should he followed her and maybe dispel some of the tension between them or should he proceed with his original plan and find Niklaus, assuming his brother is even in the house. From what his hearing could pick up, it didn't sound like he was but you never know with Niklaus. As much as he tends to be loud and imposed himself in every situation, he also knows how to stay quiet and silent when he wants to be left alone.
After a few minutes too long, Elijah made his way towards the kitchen. There is a part of him that acknowledges that he chooses this route just so he could avoid talking to his brother for a little while longer but there's also a part of him that feels the need to explain himself to Hayley, or fix whatever that has been lost between them. They were never truly together, Elijah was well aware that he does not owe her anything, nor did she owes him anything but there was something between them and he had left her once again when she probably needed him, without any explanation and though Elijah couldn't gave her any explanation, he could try to mend the crack between them that were now bigger than they ever were.
Hayley didn't acknowledge him when he entered the room and choose instead to focus on feeding Hope who sat on her high chair, blissfully enjoying her mother's attention. When Hope's eyes caught Elijah's, the smile she gave him made every heaviness in his chest felt lighter. With all the drama and confusion, he hadn't had the time to think of Hope. She had grown since he last saw her which in his mind, was only a few weeks ago. It astound him how fast children grows.
"Where's Caroline?" Hayley asked without looking at him, trying to convey an air of nonchalant but Elijah still caught the slight bitterness in her voice. He wondered how much of it has anything to do with Caroline being married to him and how much of it came from whatever lingering emotions she felt for Caroline from back when they were both in Mystic Falls, vying for Niklaus' first hybrid's attention.
"She's still asleep." He answered as he lay a kiss on top of Hope's head. The little girl beamed at him after he did, probably recognizing who he was.
"How is she settling in?"
"Considering everything, I would say she's settling in rather well." He couldn't help the little sense of pride he felt when he spoke of Caroline and he was sure Hayley picked up on it.
Hayley did not respond to his words and proceed to give all of her focus on Hope who was munching on her baby food with no care in the world. Elijah allowed the silence to linger for a while, choosing to watch his niece smiling happily.
After a while, it was apparent to him that Hayley wasn't going to say anything and the balls was in his court.
"I'm sorry, Hayley. It was not my intention to…" He started.
"To what?" She asked, still without looking at him.
"Leaving, again after I've made a promised to stay." He did it once, early in her pregnancy and now, he did it again, when they have enemies everywhere and Hope's safety is in jeopardy.
"I'm used to it." Her admission hurt his soul and Elijah felt the guilt slowly eating at him.
"I never meant for any of this to happen, you have to know that, Hayley. I never wanted to leave you."
Hayley smiled sadly and finally turned up to look at him. "I don't blame you, not even once, for leaving and I don't blame you for taking this long to come back. It was out of your control and I'm grateful that you're finally here but…" Hayley stops when her eyes caught the wedding ring on his finger.
"But not with Caroline by my side." Elijah finishes her unspoken words.
"It's not even about her, it's what she symbolises. She was the girl who had everything. I know back in Mystic Falls, everything seems to revolves around Elena but in my eyes, it was Caroline that had everything - a mother who loves her more than anything in the world, friends who would die for her, Tyler who would gave up his life just to have one little dance with her and then there was Klaus, the most powerful being in the world, one who had lived countless lives and even he crumbles under Caroline Forbes' smile. She had everything sad little Hayley never had that I was so bitter about it, so jealous of Caroline that I slept with Klaus out of spite towards her."
"I did not know of this." He admitted. He knew there was some sort of conflict between them, thanks to Rebekah who, back then, felt the need to inform him of, well, everything but he did not know Hayley felt that way and slept with his brother because of it.
Hayley let out a bitter laugh. "Neither did Klaus and if I were to be honest, I didn't either in that moment. It was afterwards that I found myself basking it the fact that I finally took something from Caroline, I finally had something that belong to her first. And now look at me - I found my people, I found a family and I had something she will never have, Hope, all because I was jealous of Caroline. In a way, I owe it all to her. Seeing her all perfect still, next to you, stirs back that feelings I had back in Mystic Falls."
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Hayley." Elijah was, indeed, sorry that she felt that way and he could see how Hayley had felt such a way. For someone who had so little, to see Caroline, someone who had everything and were love by so many, someone who everyone looks up to, someone who everyone seems to think is better than you, must be an unsavoury experience for Hayley and was too much for her to handle logically. It made Elijah wonder if that was how Niklaus always feels around him and maybe that was what had attract Hayley to him.
Hayley brushed off Elijah's apologies. She then moved closer towards him and caress his face. "We were never meant to be, Elijah but I hope you do find happiness. I don't know what's going to happen between you and Caroline but I do hope that whatever it is, you will find love, acceptance and peace as I have found it with Jackson."
Elijah smiled wistfully. "He makes you happy then?"
Hayley nodded and pulled away her hand. The two of them stood there, face to face, staring into each other's eyes and savouring the last moment of unspoken love between them before they both let go of the what-could've-been and look forward to the what-it-is. Despite never having the chance to see what was between them, what they felt for one and another, was real. It hurts to let go of it all but at the same time, both of them felt like there was a veil being lifted between them, allowing them to see each other clearly and define what they meant to each other. Elijah had always care for Hayley and will always do, but now he can care for her as Hope's mother and a member of the Mikaelson family.
Slowly, Hayley pulled away from him and made her way back to Hope who was looking at the two adults, not understanding what was going on but was excited still at having her mother's attention once again.
"Now, I think you came here for something that wasn't me so what is it?" Hayley asked as she continues feeding Hope.
Elijah chuckled for he was, indeed here for something. "Is there any chance that Niklaus is around here somewhere?"
"I'm afraid not. He was out before the sun was up, I assumed to go and find you but since you're here, I think we both know who he's with."
The thought of Caroline with his brother made Elijah's stomach burn with something he had not felt in a long, long time, true jealousy. He had to suppress the urge to run back to his place and put an even bigger gap between him and his brother.
"I would let them hash it out." Hayley's words cut Elijah's mussing. "Klaus would never truly hurt Caroline and she's more than capable of dealing with Klaus. Just let them talk. Trust me, they need it as much as we do."
"And what if she chooses him?" Elijah whispered, almost afraid to utter such words in fear it may come true.
Hayley laughed which offended Elijah a little. "You don't have to worry about that, Elijah. I saw the way she looks at you and the last time she looks at someone that way, Klaus had ended up sleeping with me instead."