Hello, my lovely readers. This is Haylijah' first dinner party as a married couple…it also might be their last… On with the show…

Chapter 13: Guess Who You Wish Weren't Coming to Dinner?

Elijah

At the end of Elijah Mikaelson's first marriage; he could not imagine being happily married, ever again. However, he also could not have imagined Hayley Marshall and how she would change his life. His new wife stood at their kitchen counter, distracting him with her every move. Such routine work such as peeling apart lettuce and placing it in a colander to be washed became erotic. His eyes traveled over the curve of her elbow while she poured water over the lettuce, lifting the colander to shake the excess water from the crisp, green leaves. Gaze traveling upward, he expanded her bare neck and the tiny pins that held her hair full in place. Wisps of hair did not obey, falling out and down her shoulders. He watched her move to open a cabinet door, the seam of her skirt rising and brushing her bare upper thigh. He could no longer bear not touching this creature in his kitchen.

"We're never going to finish if you keep looking at me like that." Hayley's head turned and her smile made Elijah cross the room to stand behind her. She inhaled quietly before opening a bag of cheese and sprinkling it over the lettuce.

"How can I think of anything else, when you make preparing a salad a lesson in seduction?" Elijah's hands went to her hips, pulling her to him and his lips brushed the side of her neck.

Hayley turned in his arms and took his tie between her fingers, twirling it around and around, forcing him to bend down. Her lips grazed his ear before she said, "I don't think I am the problem, Dr. Mikaelson. I think you lack self-control." She leaned back and stared into his eyes.

"I have a deep sense of self-control, Dr. Mikaelson," Elijah retorted, he looked her over. "But this wife of mine makes me lose it."

"Really?" Hayley whispered, sliding her fingers into his tie and tugging it loose. Moving on to the buttons of his shirt, she placed her mouth to his neck, and said, "How much?"

"This much!" Elijah jerked her on top of the counter. His hands went under her skirt jerking her underwear off and tossing them aside while she undid his belt and pants.

They looked into each other's eyes before Elijah pulled her up, his mouth about to reconnect with hers when the doorbell went off. Not being able to focus on anything but lust for his wife, Elijah continued to move forward. Then the doorbell went off, again

Hayley groaned. "They have such good timing. Rain check?" She eyed Elijah as he moved away from her.

"Of course." Elijah nodded. Hayley hopped off the counter and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. He leaned over to pull his pants up. Going to the freezer, he pulled out a bag of ice cubes and placed in a strategic position.

After a long moment, Elijah felt cooler and more collected. He dumped the tray out and set it in the sink for washing up, later. He moved along the counter, collecting an oven mitt and bent down to check the potatoes au gratin and the coq au vin. As intended, the potatoes should be done some time before the vin.

A voice made him aware of another's presence, "I'm starved. Will it be done soon?" Rebekah demanded, leaning against the doorframe.

"Soon enough, sister. In the meantime, there will be entrées." Elijah picked up a wooden board with a cut baguette, cheeses for spreading, and a mix of strawberries and raspberries. He and Rebekah made their way into the dining room. "I will return, with the salad and soup portion of the meal, when more guests arrive." Elijah was saying as the doorbell rang again. Rebekah seemed to not hear him as she took a seat and helped herself to several slices of bread and used a knife to smear camembert on her bread.

More guests arrived in the form of Elijah and Rebekah's parents. Esther made her way around the table to stare at Rebekah's middle with a smile. "You're getting so big!" Rebekah's response was to growl through a mouthful of bread and cheese. Her hand still clasped the knife.

With a groan, Elijah plucked the knife from his sister's grip. No need for any craving, this wasn't Thanksgiving. "Hey! I need that!" Rebekah called after Elijah's retreating form.

"Oh, darling. Let me," Esther cried. "Just like she was a girl." Mikael chuckled and Rebekah made another sister growling sound.

Going toward the kitchen, Elijah ran into Philip Walters. "There's my new son!" Holding out his arms, Phil grasped Elijah tightly. "I always thought we should officially be family. And here we are!" Phil patted Elijah on the back. "Brought you a gift!" He held up a bottle of wine, not giving Elijah time to discern the vintage before heading towards the dining room. "By the way, your side door is open. Might want to lock it. Never know who might walk on in."

Elijah felt a headache building as he went into the kitchen. He picked up the salad and a bowl of croutons before heading back into the dining room while the doorbell rang.

Soon Finn and Sage came in with their brood. "Grandpa, what did you get me?" Quentin Mikaelson shouted barreling past his uncle's legs and climbing onto Mikael's lap.

"Quin, it's not Christmas!" Sage Mikaelson called, falling into a seat close to the door. Audrey and Thomas broke away from Finn. They disappeared under the long dining table and Elijah tried not to dweeb on what they might be up to.

Before Elijah could set the salad down a hand clapped him on the back. "Hell, brother! Welcome back!" Klaus said with a huge grin. "Your wife is glowing so I can only assume your honeymoon was a success." Klaus let out a snicker as Elijah narrowed his eyes and set the salad down.

There was a bumping sound from under the table and a cry. "Why did I ever procreate?" Sage moaned as Phil poured her a glass of his wine and Rebekah stared at her sister-in-law, wide-eyed.

"I don't know!" The sound of Kol's voice came from the hallway and he stormed in. Kol glared around the room. Stalking over to Phil, he jerked a seat out and sat down.

"Someone's in a mood. Wine?" Phil said, turning to Kol.

"What?" Kol snapped, making Elijah wonder about taking Kol's knife away, too. Phil held up the wine bottle. "Oh, that. Yes." He nodded until his glass almost overflowed into the linen tablecloth, a wedding present from Davina.

Freya and Vincent came into the room, attracting Kol's attention. "Sister, how good of you to arrive!" Kol called out, having gulped down his glass of wine and having waved it for Phil to refill it. "Shall you be sitting on the sad, single's side, or the nauseating couples?" He waved a hand at where Finn, Sage, and their parents were sitting. Elijah is currently serving bird for us to peek at!" Shooting Elijah a sharp grin, Kol returned to their sister. "And if Bekah doesn't eat it all, we might die tonight."

Rebekah let out a snarl and raised another knife. Elijah had no idea where she got that one from. "I brought wine, but it seems that Kol has had enough," Freya said with a tight smile directed at Elijah. "Shall I take it to the kitchen?"

""Yes, Freya, thank you," Elijah said as he rounded the table to collect Rebekah's new knife which took a minute as she refused to part with this one. Finally, he jerked it out of her grip and forced a smile.

Returning to the kitchen, Elijah found Caroline and a wailing, red-faced Hope. "She won't calm down!" Caroline said. "I'm soooo sorry. I didn't want to bring her into the dining room," Caroline continued as Hope leaned back and sobbed.

"You mind if I try something?" Vincent asked as Freya set down her bottle of wine.

"Anything!" Caroline replied as Elijah turned the burner under the soup off and moved onto another burner.

"Got a bottle?" Vincent asked.

"Yes. In the bag." Caroline nodded at the bag she'd set in a chair.

Vincent pulled out a bottle and went to the freezer. "Do you mind?" He pointed at the freezer and Elijah shook his head. "First, some ice. Then, if you have mint leaf?" Elijah pointed at a cabinet door. Vincent opened another cabinet and pulled out a bowl. He quickly located a fork. "And, now, for the raspberries, you've got those, right?"

"Yes. In the fridge. Left drawer, at the bottom," Elijah said as he poured the soup into a large serving bowl."

Vincent went about mashing up mint leaf with raspberries and then poured the mixture into the bottle. He turned on the cold tap. Twisting it off with one hand; he shooed the bottle with the other. "My mama used to say this soothed me when I was a baby. Still works." He offered the bottle to Caroline.

Caroline held the bottle out to Hope who shook her head. "Please, Hope!" Caroline cried. Hope took hold of the bottle and took a sip, her eyes closed and she began to suck. "It's working! Oh, thank you, Vincent!" Caroline was on the edge of tears.

"Now, that Hope is calm, perhaps we can rejoin the party?" Elijah suggested, picking up the bowl of steaming soup.

"Yes." Freya led the way back into the dining room, and Elijah found yet another problem: in the forms of Marcel Gerard and Tyler Lockwood. Each man had a hand on the back of the chair next to Rebekah. Neither seemed to be willing to relinquish it.

Marcel eyed Tyler. "What is he doing, here?"

Tyler scoffed and shook his head. "I was invited."

"To a family dinner?" Marcel's brows rose.

"It's my kid -"

"Our kid!" Rebekah snapped, stabbing salad with her fork. "Something is missing in this. Can't put my finger on what it is, exactly..."

Tyler tightened his hold on the chair. "Our kid," he amended. "So, I'm an honorary family member."

"Bekah and I are getting married. Guess that trumps honorary!" Marcel replied with a smile.

Tyler let out a sarcastic laugh. "That's not what she said last night!"

"You're getting married?" Caroline called. "What? And why didn't you tell us!"

Hope let out a burp and Kol began to laugh pounding the table with his fist until everyone stared at him. "Don't mind me!" He waved them off, still laughing.

"What happened last night?" Marcel broke his glaring contest with Tyler to stare at Rebekah.

"Elijah, soup, please!" Rebekah called, waving a knife for some reason and Elijah gave up on taking this one away. She would just make another appear in its predecessor's absence. He made his way over to collect her bowl as Klaus moved to lay another hand on the back of the chair that had far too many suitors at this point.

Now, Kol decided he did not want to be ignored. He pointed a finger at their brother. "No, Nik! Bugger off back to the old, couples' side!"

At that moment, Hayley came in with Bonnie Bennett. She looked around, spotted Phil and looked away. Apparently, several couples had had problems since Elijah and Hayley left for their honeymoon. She hoped whatever was going on was not contagious.

"Bonnie, why don't you take that empty seat. The one with all the men folk gathered 'round it." Hayley pointed out the chair that seemed to be the belle of the ball tonight.

Bonnie moved to claim the chair next to Rebekah when a small figure popped out from under the table and climbed onto the chair. Quentin gripped the back and grinned at Bonnie before shouting, "Too slow!" with a giggle.

"Quin!" Finn called. "Come here!"

Quin shook his head. "No!" He slammed his hand on the table.

"Bread? Soup? Caesar salad without bacon bits!" Kol's gaze darkened. "I will not stand for all of this vegan garbage! This is why I buy Meat Lover's pizza after dinner at Freya's!" He pushed his chair out. "There must be bacon bits in this house, somewhere! Let's go seek them out! Who is with me!" He drunkenly slid off the side of his chair and made for the hallway with a spoon in hand. Thank God, it was not a knife!

"Are we late!" Davina's voice made Elijah aware that she had arrived. She stood beside her mother. "Your side door is open," she added.

"That's what I forgot!" Hayley left the room, abandoning Elijah to their combined family and friends.

Tiffany seemed bored and went around the "couples' side" of the table. "What did I miss?" she asked Esther and Mikael.

Davina turned and seemed to register Kol standing a foot in front of her. "Kol, did your phone die?" she asked.

A choking sound came from the table and Elijah saw Bonnie Bennett set her soup spoon down. "Are you alright?" he called. Bonnie held up a thumbs up in reply.

Kol' voice dragged Elijah back to the other drama. "No. I was otherwise occupied."

"What does that mean?" Davina asked, her voice hollow.

Elijah had no idea what to do; so he left the room. The potatoes might be burning. He entered to find Hayley. She had removed the au gratin from the oven. Her head rose when Elijah came in. "What is going on, out there?" she asked him, her voice raw. Her hands were clenching the counter behind her. All Elijah wanted to do was gather her into his arms and hide in their kitchen until their guests left

"I have no idea," he answered her question instead.

Hayley nodded. "Right. Well, it's time to serve the next course." She grabbed the oven mitts and picked up the steaming dish. Stalking past her husband, Hayley disappeared into the hallway. Elijah felt he had no choice but to follow her.

Back inside the dining room, there were still guests without who had not sat down, Kol and Davina were still arguing about what happened earlier that night as well as Tyler, Rebekah, and Marcel. The triplets seemed to be the only ones having fun, tossing salad leaves at each other while Finn tried, and failed, to stop them.

A bang sounded as Hayley set the dish down. "Potatoes, everyone! Hope you like 'em!" She stormed over to her father, took his bottle of wine and stalked out of the room.

"Bacon bits!" Rebekah called out. "Kol's right, for once. Elijah, be a dear, and get me some!"

"We don't have any," Elijah replied.

"That's what the store is for!" Rebekah waved him off and Elijah stalked out of the dining room and went through the side door and to his car. Maybe if he wished hard enough; they would all be sent to another dimension.

Hayley

What is it about parties where someone always got drunk and said stupid things to everyone else, someone ended up crying, and the host ended up hiding in her own kitchen? Hayley's hands went into her hair and she viciously tore pins out and gritted her teeth as she pulled hair out, too. Reaching out, blindly, she decided to be all three versions as she lifted her dad's wine bottle to her lips and took a long sip. Her eyes were burning and she wanted to scream.

Why had she and Elijah thought this was a good idea? Bring their nutty families together so, what, they could tear each other apart? She laughed, bitterly, and took another, longer sip.

"Hey." Davina came into the kitchen. "Sharing is caring." She offered Hayley a wan smile and moved to slink down on the floor beside her big sister. Hayley handed the bottle over and ran a hand through her hair. Davina took a sip and then turned to Hayley. "Are you okay?"

Hayley grimaced. "I could ask you the same thing. You and Kol seem to be having an off moment."

Davina twirled the bottle between her hands. "I don't even know if there is a 'me and Kol,' after last night..."

Hayley frowned. "What happened?"

"We had a fight. You know, because he thinks Kaleb -"

"The cute Physical Therapist guy -" Hayley stopped herself, but couldn't help but grin. "I'm married, doesn't mean I can't appreciate."

Davina rolled her eyes. "Well, Kol seems to think I have been more than appreciating. We got in a big fight. I went out with Lucien, and ended up spending the night -"

"Wait! You slept with Lucien! Lucien Castle-Lucien?"

NO!" Davina held up her hands and waved them. "No! No! Slept. I went to sleep in his bed. We did not have sex!" She hesitated, "But I tried to call Kol. He didn't pick up, or call back, and I think he might have had sex with someone else..."

"Who had sex with someone else?" Tyler came in and took a seat on the floor on Hayley's other side. "Give!" He waved for Davina to hand him the bottle.

"No one!" Hayley snapped.

Tyler nodded and took a swig. "Story of my life. In case anyone asks, I slept with Rebekah, again..."

"You what?" Hayley smacked his arm and he placed his hand to his mouth as wine dripped from around the bottle at his lips. "HEY! Don't hit a guy mid-drink!" He glanced at his shirt which remained unstained.

"Don't keep "ducking" up my best friend's life!" Hayley yelled at him. She took the bottle away and hugged it to her chest. "We all have enough problems."

"Yes, we do!" Davina took the bottle and took a swig.

"You know what we do have? We have Elijah's coq au vin!" Hayley pushed herself to her feet and headed for the oven. Picking up the oven mitts, she bent to open the door when someone let out a shout.

"Step away from the vin!" Caroline shouted.

Davina and Tyler held up their hands. "Not you! You!" Caroline stared at Hayley who turned to stare at the blond. "Everyone, back in the dining room!" She waved them out of the room. "Shoo!"

Re-entering the dining room, Hayley felt it strange to find it so quiet. Everyone was seated and were eating. Even Kol had calmed down. For now.

Hayley took a seat at the end facing where Elijah should be. She opened her mouth to ask where her husband was when Elijah came in and stalked over to Rebekah. He dropped a bag in front of his sister and went to claim his seat.

Seconds later, Caroline came in with the coq au vin while Elijah served himself from the food he'd worked so hard on. She gave everyone other than Elijah a warning look and began to take plates, placing servings on them and then taking a seat next to Klaus.

Hayley looked to Elijah, catching his eye and smiled. Maybe they could have dinner parties, after all. They just needed to invite Caroline to keep people in line.

~0~

An hour later, Hayley and Elijah were back in the kitchen. He was at the end of fixing petit fours. Icing dribbled down along his fingers. Hayley took one of his hands and placed his index finger in her mouth, licking the icing free. Elijah groaned and placed his hand on her lower back. "We need to install a lock in the kitchen door," he said, pulling his finger out of her mouth.

"Or we just need one of us to play Look Out!" Hayley dropped to her knees and undid his pants.

Elijah groaned. "I'm not going to finish their desert."

"They've been naughty. They don't deserve any," Hayley relayed before returning to her work.

~0~

"Ah look, desert's finally done. Thought you were in there doing something indecent," Kol mused, twirling the stem of his wine glass.

"Kol!" Esther snapped in a warning to which her son rolled his eyes.

"Cake!" The triplets shouted, drumming on the table top.

"Stop!" Finn said. His wife slumped into his side with a loopy smile.

"Where is my mom?" Hayley stared at the empty chair next to Esther's, ignoring everyone else.

Most of the guests looked at each other before Phil spoke up. "Tiff went to the bathroom."

Bonnie let out a sigh. "Thank you for dinner, Hayley, but I think I should be going. I have an early shift tomorrow." She got up from her place between Marcel and Tyler and moved to leave the dining room. Hayley noted her father not getting up to join his girlfriend. Instead, he refilled his glass.

"We want CAKE!" The triplets cried in unison.

"Elijah's work on it," Hayley said, her attention split between her niece and nephews, and her parents. "Excuse me. I'm going to go check on my mom..." She moved to leave the room when Esther rose from her seat.

"You haven't been able to enjoy your party, dear. Let me check on your mother." Without waiting for an answer, Esther left the room.

Hayley sighed and looked at the party she was supposed to be enjoying. "Sorry, Hales. I think I'm headed out, too." Tyler said. "But you want to send Davina-with some cake-that would be cool."

"Davina?" Hayley looked to Davina as Tyler left the room.

Davina sat beside Mikael and played with her plate. Kol got to his feet. "You're spending the night with Lockwood?" He rolled his eyes and made his way out of the room. Davina got up to follow him and Hayley could hear them yelling at each other in the hallway.

"You're the one who spent the night with someone else!" Davina shouted.

"Mikael!" Esther came back into the room. "Can you come help me with something?"

"Is it my mom?" Hayley asked, moving to leave.

"Hayley, can we talk?" Phil called patting the chair that Kol had vacated. Hayley pursed her lips but went to sit with her father.

"What's going on?" Hayley asked him.

Phil shrugged. "Do you know what salad dressing Elijah used?"

Hayley stared at her father like he'd lost his mind when Sage interrupted their lack of a moment.

Giggling, Sage took Finn by the shirt collar. "I want sex!" She attempted to pull him under the table. What was with her side of the family and under the table activity?

On cue, Mikael came in. "Phil... Esther and I are debating the ethics of surgical procedure without anesthesia... Thoughts?"

"Insane!" Klaus called out, banging on the table.

"Obnoxious!" Rebekah replied, her hand in a bag of bacon bits.

"You're getting bigger and bigger!" Klaus taunted. "Sage didn't eat as much with the triplets!"

"She raided the fridge at midnight!" Finn shared as Sage jerked him under the table. "Help me!"

Everyone ignored Finn. "Bad drunk!" Rebekah snarled. She got up and walked out of the room. "Where is the cake!" she could be heard yelling.

"I'll be back..." Hayley eased out of the room as the dining table began to thump.

"Oh, dear God! They are not! Run, children! They're making you another sibling!" Klaus shouted and the triplets laughed.

Hayley ran for the stairs, and came to stand a few feet from her own bedroom...she could hear voices coming from inside. Also, part of most parties: guests who went into your bedroom.

"You can't just leave!" Phil said.

"He's right. For once." Esther added.

"The girls still need you." Phil, again. "I need you, Tiff."

The mother let out a quiet laugh. "Oh, Phil, you idiot. The girls need you. This is your opportunity to be a parent. And to allow yourself to love someone and be loved. Stop self-destructing. And stop using me for an excuse. I have dealt with this illness long enough on my own. I will be fine."

"Tiffany!" Mikael broke in.

"No! I've made up my mind -"

"Hayley, Klaus just -" Caroline's voice made the conversation stop.

Hayley took off past Caroline and down the hallway. She did not stop until she made it into the kitchen. Elijah stood with a platter in his hands. All of his cakes were glossy and perfect, just like him. Hayley burst into tears.

Elijah set the platter down. "Hayley, what is the matter?" He crossed the floor and took her in his arms.

Pulling back, Hayley stared at him. "You know that I love you and I can not get through this life without you?"

Elijah seemed confused. "I wouldn't wish for you to, but you are strong -"

Hayley clapped a hand over his mouth, silencing him. "Promise me that if you're ever get sick or your get hurt, you will fight to come back to me! You won't give up! You won't leave! Promise me, Elijah Mikaelson!" Hayley watched Elijah nod.

"I promise." Elijah's words quieted her fears, and Hayley pressed her lips to his, holding on tight. She needed him far more than he could possibly know.

Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.

Be safe,

-J