"Niklaus!" His steps faltered. His body turned. He looked at his brother- took in the slight smile on the familiar face. He should have kept walking. He shouldn't even be entertaining this. Neither should Elijah. But his brother had always been the easiest to manipulate with the idea of family. "Listen."

So, he did.

He honed his senses, carefully. He let the sounds of the city fade. He pushed away the erratic and frantic heartbeats of the witches around him. He let his eyes flicker to the she-wolf for a mere moment, catching the nervous clamor of her heart, before muting her as well. He ignored it all until there was only one sound left to be heard. Faint and fast and impossible. His own heart suddenly seemed to beat in time with the rapid flutter of the unborn child. A sudden hint of fear slipped into the air. It wasn't Hayley's or the witches. It certainly wasn't Elijah's.

Klaus Mikaelson fears nothing.

But the words rang false, like they so often did. But it didn't matter. The scent, the thoughts, the…child- none of it mattered. He lifted his head and took in the girl standing before him- the girl carrying his- carrying the child. She was terrified- he could see it in her eyes despite the shaky smile she tried to give him. He could smell it on her skin. It made his stomach curdle with ill ease. And that was what made his decision.

He turned to his brother- disgust rising at the hopeful expression Elijah wore. He did not want this- another life to care for. Another target for his enemies to take aim at. But his brother would not understand that. All Elijah would see is a chance at the useless endeavor that was redemption. And Klaus would be left to bear the weight of reaching that lofty goal.

Still, the words came out of his mouth.

"I accept your terms, Witch. For now." Then he turned back to the girl- to Hayley. Her smile was still small and tremulous. The hint of fear still rose from her skin. And he still did not want to have anything to do with her. But she was strong, and stubborn, and he didn't quite want her to die. She lifted her head, proud and unwilling to show fear. He lowered his in a mocking acknowledgment of her resilience.

Then he walked past her- leaving stubborn wolves and fast heartbeats behind him.


Hayley watched as Marcel's vampires burned in the front yard of the Mikaelson mansion.

She shouldn't have gone to the French Quarter. She shouldn't have gone to that witch's shop. She shouldn't have bought that wolfsbane. But she did. And look how things had turned out. She'd been attacked by freaking vampires. Rebekah had to come rescue her. And now Klaus was pissed. Bad things happened when he was pissed.

Turning away from the fire, and the stench of burning flesh, Hayley followed the two Originals back into the house. Rebekah stood next to her beside the door, while Klaus stopped near the stairs. He turned around and Hayley felt her stomach drop at the anger in his eyes- directed at her. "I can smell the wolfsbane on you." She sucked in a deep breath at that. She hadn't noticed the scent- at least not once those vampires had shown up. "Did you drink it?"

She lifted her head at his tone. She hadn't, but even if she had he didn't get to be mad about it. "So what if I did? It's not like you can change it, now," she snapped. Her shoulders lifted in a careless shrug as she stared down the man in front of her. "No magic baby, no witches breathing down my neck or vampires trying to attack me all the time. And best of all, no you."

The words had barely died out when he moved. Between one blink and the next there was a hand around her throat and she was being slammed into a wall. Hayley clawed at Klaus' arms, trying to loosen his grip, trying to get air. But he didn't budge. Through her rising panic and blurring vision, Hayley caught sight of a blonde blur beside her. "Nik! Nik!" Suddenly Klaus was gone and Hayley was collapsing against the wall. "Keep your hands off her, for god's sake. She's pregnant!"

"For how much longer, hm?" Klaus demanded, glaring at Rebekah from where she had him pinned against the banister.

"All this bluster about not wanting the child, and then the second she tells you she's ready to get rid of it…" Rebekah stares her brother down and for a moment, while she's trying to catch her breath, that's all Hayley can see. But as her throat stops feeling like it will seize up, and air comes a little easier, she looks at Klaus. "It's okay to care. It's okay to want something." And the look on Klaus' face- it's like he had never heard those words before.

She's startled when his eyes meet hers. He looks…scared. Which doesn't make any sense. But it's true. She knew he hadn't wanted to agree to the witch's terms in that cemetery. She knew he didn't care about her. But she hadn't realized that he might actually want the baby. But now, with the way he was watching her and the way he had acted…

"I didn't take it." The words were out of her mouth before she'd even decided she was going to say anything. Rebekah turned to face her- eyes wide with shock before narrowing. But it was Klaus that had all of Hayley's attention. He lowered himself onto the seat at the base of the banister. And he looked…relieved? Yeah, relieved. "I was going to. Or at least I was trying to talk myself into it," she shrugged.

There was a moment of silence, then Rebekah dropped down onto the seat beside her brother. She stared off into space a bit. But Klaus… He stared right at her. Long enough for her to see something behind his eyes. Long enough to make her feel a little nervous. Then, as if she hadn't even spoken- as if they hadn't just gotten into a fight about her potentially killing their kid, he turned to his sister.

"I gave Elijah to Marcel."


Klaus took in the girl in front of him.

He could hear the way her heart had beaten a bit faster when he told her of Elijah's return. He had seen the way she couldn't fight her smile. Her congratulations had been delivered sarcastically, but the sentiment had been real. And he didn't understand it. He didn't think he wanted to. But he found himself asking the question anyway. "What is it about my brother that always inspires such instant admiration?"

Hazel eyes gazed up at him. There had been a kind of recognition between them that night in Mystic Falls- two broken people seeing the jagged edges of the other and not shying away. Tonight, there was a different kind of knowing in her eyes that he didn't understand. But he didn't look away. Whatever was passing between them in this moment, he let it happen. Then Hayley blinked and whatever strange connection had rising between them faded into the past.

"He was kind to me." And there was nothing he could say to that, was there? Klaus Mikaelson was not kind. And even if he'd wanted to be, now was not the time. So, with one last look, he turned to leave. He had barely reached the door when he heard her take in a breath- the way one might before speaking. "Hey, I learned something today" she called, voice somehow softer and lighter than even the softness of a moment ago. He paused but did not turn. "I think it's a girl."

He told himself the reason he didn't immediately begin moving again was to be sure she was finished speaking. But that was a lie. Because the truth was, the idea- the very thought- of a daughter had him frozen in some kind of fond terror. But then, the terror faded and he felt himself smile- truly. And it was for something good.

A daughter. I have a daughter.


"How did you escape?" Rebekah asked, still holding onto Hayley's arm lightly. "Outnumbered, unarmed… those men were ripped to shreds."

And, yeah, the odds hadn't been that great. She was tough, but she wasn't that tough. And she knew that she hadn't caused the damage Rebekah was talking about. She'd remember that, even if nothing else stuck in her head. Besides… She lifted her eyes to meet Klaus'. "I think it was the wolf. I think he's trying to protect me."

"The witches were supposed to protect you," he started, taking an agitated step forward. "When I get my hands on Sophie Deveraux…" And Hayley could have corrected him, told him it was Agnes, but she didn't think it would matter. "And not just her. I'll slaughter the lot of them," he ranted.

Not if Elijah gets there first," Rebekah cut in.

"Elijah?" She couldn't help it, the feeling of excitement that washed over her when she heard his name. She couldn't help the worry that followed right after, either. He'd been the first one to try and look out for her since she'd gotten to New Orleans. And sure, it was probably more about her being pregnant with his brother's baby, but it felt like his kindness was for her. "Did you find him?"

Rebekah glanced at Klaus for a long moment before turning back to face her. "He's been in touch," she answered. Hayley smiled a little, glad that at least one thing about this day didn't completely suck. Then she looked over at Klaus. He wasn't agitated about the witches anymore, but he still seemed upset. It took Hayley a few seconds longer than it should have to figure out why, though.

Mostly because the idea of Klaus being jealous over her was ridiculous.

Rebekah was saying something else, but Hayley wasn't really listening. Her mind was suddenly spiraling a little. Klaus had been worried tonight. Mostly about the baby, but about her, too. And they hadn't exactly been enemies in Mystic Falls. He even told her about her birthmark. Plus, she hadn't gotten pregnant by herself. So, even if it wasn't a good thing, maybe Klaus being jealous wasn't so ridiculous, either.

Letting out a tired sigh, Hayley met Klaus' gaze, properly. "Hey, so, can we go home now?" Because despite whatever Klaus might be feeling, Hayley couldn't think about it anymore. She didn't want to think about anything anymore. She was exhausted. "I'd really like to sleep for a week." She took Klaus' smile as a yes and found the energy to push herself to her feet.

The dizziness hit her almost as soon as she stood up, knocking her balance out of whack. Her vision blacked out at the corners and little dots of color burst in front of her eyes. The world seemed to be whirling in front of her. Or maybe it was her who was spinning. But it didn't last long, because in the next second she was falling.

Something warm and solid kept her from hitting the ground and she sank into it. It took her a moment to realize it was Klaus. The world was still spinning, but she felt him lift her up into his arms and she somehow wrapped her own around him. Then the world was slipping away, the dizziness faded as a dark nothingness began to wash over her. The last thing she remembered was his voice, soft and safe, as she let the blackness carry her away.

"I've got you, Love. I've got you."


"It's called the Needle of Sorrows..."

Klaus stared at the witch before him, mind already jumping to the myriad sorrows that this dark object could inflict upon Hayley. He knew of plenty of ways to hurt someone that required no magic at all. And he also knew that witches had a very creative vindictive side. So, he had little time or patience for the history lesson Sophie Devereaux was attempting to give him. "Just tell me what it does," he snapped. The witch eyed him warily, but for once Klaus didn't care that she was afraid. He simply wanted answers.

"It kills a child in utero by raising the blood temperature."

"How long do we have to fix this?" Elijah asked.

Sophie looked between the two brothers before answering. "It will do what it's supposed to by tonight's high tide. And believe me, it will work."

Klaus gave up his pretense of calm. The witches were trying to kill his child. And who knew what might happen to Hayley in the process. Neither of those outcomes were acceptable. He'd been trying. To be kinder, to be…good. He doubted Hayley noticed his attempts now that Elijah had returned, but he was still putting in the effort. But that effort would be wasted if this Agnes person succeeded in her little plan.

So, he would not let her succeed.

They left the cemetery, Elijah and Sophie going one way while he went another. For a moment he had seen Elijah hesitate. And without a word Klaus knew what his brother was thinking. He was thinking that it should be Klaus going to Hayley in this dire time. He was thinking that Klaus should be the one comforting the she-wolf and not him. But Elijah could be quite possessive when he put his mind to it, so Klaus was not surprised when his brother left without saying a word.

She'll probably be happier with Elijah, anyway.

He pushed that thought aside and turned his mind to finding his prey.


"How quickly you assume the worst. Especially when it comes from her."

Hayley met Klaus' anger with a glower of her own. She'd just been kidnapped, had her blood stolen, and watched someone die. And if Tyler was right-which he probably was- and Klaus had been planning to use her baby to make hybrids then she had a right to be pissed. She wouldn't apologize for being protective of her baby. Not after everything that's happened to her the last few weeks.

"Oh, spare me your indignation. When have you ever demonstrated any kind of concern towards Hayley or her child beyond your own selfish pursuits?" Elijah asked.

"When have you let me?" Klaus shouted. "The only time that I've had a chance to do anything for Hayley without your interference was when you were locked in a coffin. You have barked orders and made plans and hovered over her as if it were your child, but I am at fault for giving Hayley what she so obviously wants?" He stepped down from the cabin porch to stand in front of his brother, and Hayley tensed at that. Elijah did, too. "And what else should I have expected. Standing next to the noble Elijah, how can I be anything but the lesser brother."

The cloud of anger and fear that Hayley had wrapped around herself protectively, faded a bit. That wasn't what she had been trying to say, even if it felt true. She knew Klaus could be good- it just looked different. Klaus had made the deal with Sophie that first night, even though he hadn't wanted to. He had been there for her while Elijah was gone, too. But as soon as Elijah had come back, it was like Klaus had faded into the shadows for her. All she'd been able to see was Elijah.

Elijah, who was watching Klaus with the same confused expression she knew was on her face.

"Brother, if I've said-"

"We have said all that needs to be said…Brother," Klaus said, bitingly. He stepped away from Elijah, and his eyes landed on Hayley. "But fine. I will play the role I've been given." Hayley's brows scrunched in confusion, but it didn't last long. Klaus sped back to Elijah, almost faster than she could see, and bit him. She jerked forward, hands reaching out to Elijah. But Klaus was already letting go. Elijah staggered to his feet, hand reaching to the bite at his neck. And Klaus just smiled.

"What is wrong with you?" she screamed, torn between anger and worry.

Klaus shrugged, "Apparently everything." He locked eyes with her and for a split second Hayley felt her heart stop. Up until now there had been…something in his eyes when he looked at her. Something almost fond. But that was gone now, and she suddenly realized just how big a mistake she'd made. His eyes never left hers as he came up the hill, pausing beside her just long enough to say, "Perhaps you should remember who it was that wanted to harm the child, first. The scent of wolfsbane tends to linger."


"You're coming with me, Little Wolf," he said, as he passed her on the steps.

"And why would I go anywhere with you?"

And didn't she just sound so sweet? Innocent, even in the midst of her defiance. There had been a time when he would have smiled at that. "Because, Hayley, that child you carry is the only thing on this earth that matters to me." At least, it was the only thing he would allow to matter. The other two could stay in that cursed house. "Now you can fight me on this, but you will lose." He walked to the passenger side of his car and opened the door. "As will anyone else who tries to stop you getting in this car."

Hayley stayed still for a long moment. Then she glanced towards the window. He knew who she was looking for and it just made Klaus angrier. Because, of course, she expected Elijah to come to her rescue. Of course, she thought Elijah would put him in his place. After all, it had been working so far. But that was over. And when there was no sound of movement from within the house, Hayley must have realized the same thing. She stood up, frustration clear in her every movement, and stalked to the car.

The ride was quiet for all of three minutes.

"Don't pretend you didn't hear every word of that," Klaus said, glancing over at the woman seated beside him.

"It's not like you were exactly subtle." His hands tightened on the steering wheel at her tone. But he knew she had more to say, so he held his tongue. "You were right. In the bayou? Not biting Elijah! That was wrong in a hundred different ways. But…" He forced his eyes to remain on the road. "You've been on board since day one. You've been protective since day one. And I…wasn't."

"Yet somehow I still became your villain."

Hayley shifted in her seat to face him. "Look, I remember how badly you wanted to make hybrids. You didn't care about anything else. So, when Tyler came back and said that stuff…" Klaus saw her shrug from the corner of his eye. "It just made sense that you'd want that kind of power, again. But, I shouldn't have just trusted Tyler like that. You were…trying. I- I know you were trying. So, I should have tried, too."

The rest of the drive continued in silence.


Things had been…better, between her and Klaus.

Sure, it had only been a few days. And she hated that she couldn't just go see Rebekah and Elijah whenever she wanted. But since they'd been away from his siblings, Klaus was around again. Or she noticed him around, anyway. It was like when Elijah was gone. He was…taking care of her- in his weird Klaus way. It was nice.

At least it had been until his little tea party with Marcel and the other vampires.

Hayley couldn't say she was surprised that Klaus was okay with killing the werewolves. She wasn't sure there was anything Klaus wouldn't be okay killing, except the baby. But she didn't understand what he got out of it. The wolves weren't hurting anyone. And, despite not knowing them, they were still her pack- the only connection she had to her real family. It felt personally, even though something told her that it wasn't.

As she walked to her room, her head was whirling with ideas on how to stop Marcel's little wolf hunt. She'd already sent a message to Rebekah and Elijah, even though she had a feeling it would probably make Klaus mad. As she passed the study, Hayley spotted Klaus. She didn't even pause, just walked right in. "Those werewolves you ordered killed, that's my family," she said, not even bothering to wait for him to look up from his book.

"Not for long, Love." Her eyes slid away from his, then. She knew he called plenty of women that, she knew it didn't mean anything, but somehow it still felt different when he said it to her. "I mean, this so called family of yours- they haven't done you much good have they? You said it yourself. They abandoned you, left you on your own." And, yeah, that hurt to hear. "It's merely your turn to do the same."

But it wasn't that simple. Not for her. Besides, "Maybe they had their reasons."

The book in his hands closed harshly as Klaus stood up. "Yes, well, I have reasons too, Little Wolf. If the werewolves are dead, the vampires have less desire to kill you." She felt her breath catch a little at that. And then again when he took a step towards her. "I am trying to keep you safe. Not that you appreciate the effort."

He was wrong. She did appreciate the effort. She was sick of people trying to kill her. But that didn't mean that she wanted to lose the only link to her birth family she had. Because there was a fair chance that all of this protection would disappear as soon as she wasn't pregnant anymore. She wasn't a Mikaelson- she wasn't family. And if she couldn't count on them, then she needed something to fall back on.

"And as soon as I have this baby, what happens to me then?"

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it right back without a word. Hayley watched as he thought about her question- like it was the first time he ever had. And that aid everything, didn't it? he hadn't even thought about her when it came to after. She took in a deep breath, ready to walk away. But then something in his eyes changed. It was subtle- she barely noticed it. But she recognized it. She'd seen it the night she got pregnant. She'd even seen it a few times since, but on Elijah.

"Oh."

Klaus' lips curved up into his usual smirk. But his eyes weren't amused or mocking. It was as if he'd gotten the answer he expected, even though he'd wanted something else. "Yes. Oh. But not to worry, Hayley. I have no delusions about what you want. Or who." And that should have pissed her off. If she weren't still stuck on that first part of what he'd said, she would have been more upset. But she wasn't. Because Klaus Mikaelson had basically just admitted that he wanted her.

"Klaus, I- That's-" She shook her head, trying to get herself in gear. She couldn't deal with that. That was too much. The very idea of him and her, like that? No. it was too much to try and make sense of. And she hadn't even come in here for that. She'd come because of the wolves- her pack. "I'm not about to let you and Marcel kill the only family I have left, Klaus." The way his face lost all emotion told her exactly what he thought her change of subject meant. So, she turned and hurried out of the room.

Because she wasn't sure that he was right.


The party was gong better than he'd expected.

For the moment, everyone was keeping things bloodless, and that's all Klaus could really hope for at this stage. Although, he had noticed there was a bit of tension between Diego and one of Hayley's wolves. A brawl between to supernatural creatures in the presence of humans was the last thing he needed. He still had to find a way to speak to the Crescent alpha before such unpleasantness ruined his chance. And business aside, Hayley would be upset by it.

She had been avoiding him. In fact, Hayley had left the compound altogether. She spent her days out in the bayou playing wolf, now. And he was stuck making plans that his brother undermined at every turn. Of course, Elijah no doubt believed that Klaus was shirking his responsibilities, though the truth was quite different. Because where his brother had taken it upon himself to restructure the treaty between the city's supernatural factions, and left out the wolves, Klaus planned to bring the Crescent wolves into the fold.

Standing on the outskirts of the courtyard, Klaus watched his brother attempt to maintain order. Then he watched that order fall apart with a few heated words. He had watched Diego approach the blonde werewolf- Oliver. He had tuned out the noise of the other partygoers and heard the insults passed between he two. And he had seen Diego attack the wolf. But now, it was Oliver that Elijah had pinned to a table. And that choice had given Jackson the opportunity to get to Diego.

"What's stopping you? Kill him." Klaus turned, like everyone else, towards the woman speaking. Hayley stood on the stairs watching the little scene unfolding. The room seemed to hold its breath as she walked closer to the standoff. And as she moved, Klaus found himself matching her steps, keeping even with her. She might be a scrappy fighter, but she still carried his child. He would kill anyone who made a move towards her. "Go ahead, Elijah. Do it. It's not like he doesn't deserve die."

Klaus felt a hand on his arm as turned to see Francesca Guerra. "Shouldn't you intervene or something?" she asked.

His eyes went back to Hayley. "Why should I? This party just got interesting." She was going on about who in their midst deserved to die, and he couldn't quite help the smile that spread across his face. She was clever when she wanted to be, he'd give her that. And given the two men she was dealing with it was no surprise when they stood down. It was hardly worth Klaus' attention. No, his focus was held by Hayley. Leaving his place as the music and mingling resumed, Klaus moved to stand beside her. "Well said, Little Wolf."

Hayley looked at him oddly, as if she were uncertain of something. "I assumed you'd rather they kill each other."

He forced himself not to let his smile drop. "You'd be surprised how invested in peace I find myself at the moment. It's amazing what the proper motivation can do," he said, letting his eyes drop to her rounded belly for the barest of seconds. Looking back up, he caught the hint of a smile on Hayley's lips. It was the first she had directed at him for days and it made him bold. "Dance with me?"

She tensed and he hated it. They'd gotten drunk together, they'd gossiped about the self-righteous bores of Mystic Falls, they'd had sex for god's sake. And yet a dance was too much, now? Was she so repulsed by him now that even a that was too much? He schooled his expression carefully. No need in broadcasting the effect of her rejection to the world.

But just as he was about to dismiss the idea, as she so obviously was going to, she held out her hand. He looked from her outstretched hand to her eyes. She was nervous. But the longer he looked the more he realized it was not a bad kind of nerves. Perhaps it was even the kind of nervous one was supposed to feel when asked to dance.

He took her hand easily and they stepped into the dance.


Everything was chaos.

Vampires attacking in the dark.

Panicked screams everywhere.

Feet pounding against the floor.

"Hayley!"

She couldn't tell where the voice had come from, but she didn't lift her head to look. She didn't know how she ended up on the floor, but it was safer here. The crowd had turned rough in the panic, everyone rustling and pushing as they tried to get away. And the vampires would go for the runners, anyway, not the bodies on the ground. Not to mention, the baby. She didn't want to risk someone pushing her and the baby getting hurt.

The lights came back on just as suddenly as they had gone out. She lifted her head and came face to face with a dead body. She'd seen dead people before- she'd even seen more gruesome deaths, but never like this. It had been a party; people were having fun. No one was supposed to die. A strange kind of panic set in, then. So, she called out for the one person she knew would get her out of there and fast.

"Klaus!"

He was beside her before she had even finished calling his name. He helped her sit up properly, then he stood up, gently pulling her with him. She didn't understand it. Klaus was worse than all the other vampires here. But maybe that was why she was clinging on to his arm so tightly. "You're alright, Love. I've got you."

And he did. She knew he did. Which is why she didn't pull away from him when Elijah showed up a moment later. She stared at the corpses on the ground and the blood on the walls. And she had been right there, in the middle of that. She could have died. Her baby could have died. She looked up at Klaus, barely registering the worried way he was watching her. "I want to go home."

"Niklaus?" She and Klaus both turned to look at Elijah. His hand was held out toward her like he was waiting to escort her somewhere. "I'll take her. You need to deal with Marcel." And she knew she would be fine with Elijah. She knew he would get her back safely and everything would be okay. But… She pressed herself against Klaus' side. Elijah winced.

"I'll make sure Hayley gets home safely," Klaus said. Then he wrapped an arm around her and turned towards the exit- as if what had just happened was normal for them. Elijah followed a second later. She almost wished he hadn't. Because she felt like she was doing something wrong- even though she knew she wasn't. She felt like choosing Klaus' comfort over Elijah's was betraying all the kindness that Elijah had shown her. And she knew that wasn't how it worked, but she still couldn't shake the guilty feeling. Yet, even with those warring emotions, she didn't let go of Klaus.

And he didn't let go of her.


Klaus stood in the attic of St. Anne's church.

Father Kieran thrashed on the bed, spewing curses and threats. Cami paced the room, trying to think of ways to save her uncle. Joshua held the man down so he could not cause more harm than he already had. And so, naturally, this spectacle was interrupted by the ringing of Klaus' cellphone. He considered ignoring the call. But one glance at the screen rendered that option void. He answered the phone. "Klaus, where are you?" Hayley asked.

He glanced at the raging priest and grimaced. "I'm in a bit of a situation, Love."

There was a moment of quiet from Hayley, then, "Someone send a suicide bomber out to the bayou this morning."

Klaus froze. His mind conjured a thousand ways she could be hurt. And thousand ways this could negatively affect their child. "What? Where are you?" he asked, pulling away from Kieran to put his mind in order. There had been a bomber. Someone dared attacked the wolves while Hayley had been with them. If she was hurt, he would tear whoever was behind this to shred.

"I'm in the city, now. I'm fine," Hayley answered, pulling Klaus back from the murderous rage he felt rising. Glancing around the small attic, Klaus felt trapped, suddenly. He needed to get to Hayley. But Camille could not proceed with this hopeless errand alone. "I figured an attack like that must've been Marcel. He's hated the wolves for years, and after that stunt with the witches…"

Marcel. Klaus hated the idea of his friend being anywhere near Hayley, but he knew she wouldn't allow him to handle Marcel alone. Hayley was most likely already headed to Marcel's little hideout if she wasn't there already. She was too reckless for her own good. "I'll meet you in five minutes," Klaus responded as he quickly caught Joshua's attention. "In the meantime, Hayley, please… Stay out of trouble."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. And for a sharp, uncomfortable moment Klaus thought she might not agree. He thought she might hang up and go face Marcel alone and with only her anger as a weapon. But then she spoke and he felt his body release the anxious tension it had collected during her silence. "I'll wait for you. I'll be careful." The phone beeped as the call disconnected. With one last glance at the chaos around him, he was gone.

There was a Little Wolf who needed him.


She shot up, terrified and gasping.

She didn't know where she was- she didn't know what was happening.

There were voices but couldn't understand what they were saying.

Then she saw hands- reaching out, coming for her.

She tried to get away.

She couldn't let them touch her.

She couldn't let him touch her.

A knock at the door jolted Hayley back to the present. Klaus stood in the doorway, eyes watching her carefully. She tried to smile. It didn't quite work, but he still seemed to understand. He stepped into her room and settled onto the bed beside her. "You've proved to be quite resilient, Little Wolf." He nodded towards her baby bump, "Fighters. Both of you."

Hayley looked at the man next to her. She wasn't surprised anymore when he seemed worried for her. She didn't even question how easy it was to lean into him and rest her head on his shoulder. "I guess we've had to be," she sighed. "Especially lately." Hayley felt the way Klaus tensed at that. And somehow she knew that he was going to be overprotective for a while. It would be annoying. But it was nice to have someone want to protect her for a change. "I know you want to keep us safe, but no mouth-breathing bodyguards, okay? No telling me what to do."

Klaus just chuckled slightly, nodding, and she kinda loved him for it. "All I ask is that the child be kept safe." He shifted slightly and she lifted her head to see him better. "And you, as well. No more incidents like today if we can avoid it." Hayley nodded, and this time she did smile a little bit. Klaus stood up, turning around with outstretched hand to held her up, too. "Come with me. I'd like to show you something."

The trip was only a few steps away, but she didn't mind. She was exhausted from the day and didn't want to move more than she absolutely had to. The door that they stood in front of was one that Hayley hadn't bothered opening after her first day. It had been empty and dusty and she had other things to worry about than unused rooms. But she kept her thoughts to herself, while Klaus turned the knob and left the door swing open.

It's gorgeous…

Soft lights hung on the walls, bathing the room in a gentle glow. A beautiful wooden crib, filled with frilly blankets and stuffed animals, stood in the center of the room. There was a rocking chair that Hayley could already see herself in, rocking their little girl to sleep. A chandelier of teardrop crystals acted as a mobile, catching the lamplight and casting prisms along the walls.

"Believe it or not, Hayley, I would like for you to be here." Klaus' voice was soft, and warm as he spoke. And when she looked back at him, Hayley could see so many emotions swirling in his eyes. "I know that you care for my brother. But I want our daughter to be raised by her parents, in her family home."

"Me, you, Elijah, and Miracle Baby all under one roof? Sounds like a bad reality show," she teased.

She watched Klaus' lips quirk up in a wry smile, but she saw a flash of hurt in his eyes. Then the smile faded. He lifted his head and met her eyes. She couldn't look away. There was so much gentleness and care in his eyes. It was a look that made her think of safety and happiness and love. But then, all too soon, it faded too. Worry and something like fear settled over his features and Hayley hated it. "You said you saw my father."

Her stomach clenched at the mention of Mikael. And her heart ached hearing Klaus call that monster his father. "Why do you call him that? He's not your real dad." He doesn't deserve to even be a dad.

Suddenly, Klaus look sad and resigned. Haunted. "He's done damage only a father could do." And Hayley's heart broke for this man all over again. She thought of all the things Mikael had said to her. All the horrible things he'd said about Klaus. And she hated that there had been a time when she would have believed all of it. Because that Klaus was not the one standing in front of he, now. "What did he say to you?"

Hayley looked into his eyes. She watched as he shifted slightly- nervously.

The deathless vermin…

He's a scourge…

A walking symbol of weakness…

But that's not what she saw. She saw someone who didn't know what love was supposed to look like- just like her. She saw someone who used anger to hide their fear. She saw someone who would do anything to keep their baby safe- to keep her safe. He'd heard that he was weak his entire life and so he had hidden his soft part behind the face of a monster. But she saw him, now- the real him. Because no monster could make a nursery this beautiful. And no monster would want what he wanted. Love. A family. Something good.

Hayley left the crib and slowly moved to stand in front of Klaus. She stopped trying to hide her feelings. She stopped trying to keep him at arm's length. She let herself be as vulnerable as he was being. Her hand rose and she let her fingertips brush against his stubbled jaw. She met his gaze and let him see the sincerity in them. A small, sad smile played at the corner of her lips.

"Nothing true."

Hayley saw the shock in his eyes turn to confusion as her words sunk in. She watched that confusion fade to something softer- something that looked like awe. Then she felt the way he relaxed into her touch as gratitude settled in the curves of his smile. And she couldn't help herself. She didn't want to.

Lifting up onto her toes, she pressed her lips to his.


He'd woken that morning to Hayley asleep in his bed.

He faced the coming night with her taken by witches.

And he was nearly too weak to do anything about it. The curse that Genevieve had put on him- binding the Crescent wolves to his power during the full moon- was intolerable. His child was out there, innocent and vulnerable, in danger. Hayley, his Little Wolf- who had kissed him last night and crawled into his bed in the small hours of the morning- was somewhere in this godforsaken city and he didn't know where.

There was a strange kind of panic rising in him. His heart was pounding. His breaths came too rapidly. Yet he could not calm himself. Because with every second that she was missing, his mind conjured myriad ways for Genevieve and her ilk to be causing Hayley harm. With each stumbling step he took, he could taste his fear coating his tongue in bitterness.

She had been in his arms. She had been safe. And he wanted that back. He wanted her back. The span of one day wasn't enough. The very idea of her being gone- forced to endure whatever machinations Genevieve came up with- was unacceptable. He had to find her. He would find her. And when he did, he would kill every witch who dared take her from him- who dared harm his family.

His legs shook and he forced himself forward. His bones ached with the weight of every unturned Crescent. But he kept moving, tuning out the sounds of the city to find her voice, her heartbeat- something that would lead him in the right direction. And then he heard it. It was faint, barely anything at all, but he heard her.

It was too soon for his child to be born. It had been a thousand years since he'd been near a woman in childbirth. A thousand years since the sound of such screams had met his ears. But he recognized it, immediately. He knew what that sound meant- that thing in a woman's voice that told the world a child was coming. But cut through that pain he heard another, deeper kind of agony. One laced with fear and desperation. And it did not belong. She should not be making that sound.

His legs refused to carry him and he fell to his knees. His hands dug into the black asphalt. His blood pounded in his ears as bile rose in his throat. His heart raced in his chest as desperation clawed at his gut. He could not stay here. He could not be weak, now. They needed him. Hayley, his daughter- they needed him and he…

He was losing them both.


"Hayley. It's time."

The words washed over her like a flood and she panicked. Her hands held her baby tighter as she felt herself pressing deeper into the slats of the rocking chair- trying to put space between Elijah and her baby. Her throat went tight as she suddenly had to fight back a sob. "I'm not ready. I need more time. She's- she's so small." Her voice cracked.

She wasn't ready.

Elijah looked at her with his sad eyes. If she had been in another state of mind she might have recognized the look in his eyes- the love mixed with pain. But all she could see was her own sadness mirrored back at her. "We can't wait any longer. I wish I could give you more time." He looked down at the baby in her arms and Hayley followed his lead. "I wish you both had more time together." She didn't know what to say to that, so she didn't say anything.

Another set of footsteps came down the hall and Hayley tensed. She knew it was time. She knew this had to happen. It had been her idea in the first place. But now that it was actually happening- now that she had to say goodbye- she didn't know how to just let her baby go. The footsteps paused in the doorway before stepping around Elijah to stand beside her.

"Have you said goodbye, Little Wolf?"

Hayley had never heard Klaus sound so broken. Tears stung her eyes and her throat seemed to be closing up. It wasn't fair. They shouldn't feel like this the day their daughter was born. They should be happy and smiling and teasing each other about diapers and midnight feedings. Not sending her away. Not telling people she was dead. "I changed my mind."

"Hayley-"

But she was already shaking her head. "She can't- I don't want her to go without us." Her eyes left her baby girl and settled frantically on Klaus. He had to understand- he had to feel what she was feeling. How could he not? "She needs us, Klaus." His blue eyes filled with pain and sadness. She could see how much he wanted Hope to stay with them. But he wasn't agreeing with her- he wasn't saying she could stay. "Don't take her from me. Please, please don't."

Klaus knelt in front of the rocking chair, one large hand settling over Hope's little tummy. "We will bring her back, Little Wolf." Hayley shook her head, trying to find the words to change his mind. But he didn't give her the chance. "I swear to you, Hayley, we will make this place safe for her and we will bring her home." His free hand rose and cupped her cheek. "This isn't forever," he promised, the truth clear to see in his eyes.

"I believe you," she whispered.

Klaus brushed her cheek gently, catching a tear that had fallen. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers, lightly. For a moment she remembered Elijah standing in the door watching. But the thought faded as quickly as it had come. This wasn't about that. This was about her and Klaus and their daughter- their little family. This was about holding on to one precious, perfect moment before reality took it away from them.

So, she let her eyes fall closed and tangled her fingers with Klaus' over Hope's belly. She let herself memorize the weight of her baby in her arms and this gentle version of Klaus the world rarely saw. She breathed in the scent of baby and clean diaper mixed with Klaus' cologne and her shampoo. This was what she would hold onto when things were hard. This is what she would remember when her heart was breaking from missing her baby.

The Mikaelsons had a thing- Always and Forever. She'd never understood it, even though she'd longed to be part of it. But with one tiny heartbeat everything had changed. She understood, now. Because this- her and Klaus and Hope- this was hers. The family she hadn't known she needed. The family she couldn't live without.

They were her Always. They were her Forever.