Previously in "I'll Still Be Here", Caroline and Klaus make love in the shower. Hayley has a seizure, and Sophie discovers that it was the other witches' doing for Hayley's past selves "being" with Elijah during his early years as a vampire.

Chapter Nineteen

Hayley used the tip of one finger to put the mobile above Hope's crib into motion then sighed as she looked down at the book open on her upper thighs as she sat crookedly in the rocking chair. Caroline was walking past the room and saw Hayley sitting in the chair. Carefully, she knocked on the frame, getting the pregnant werewolf's attention. "Hey, Hayley, do you mind if I come in? Nik and Elijah are having their usual conferences and I can't find Rebekah anywhere, so I thought maybe I could keep you company."

Hayley nodded. "Sure, come on in."

"How are you holding up?"

"I've been through a lot worse," Hayley said. "Trust me it's going to take more than a spell to keep me down." She looked at the blonde vampire. "I'm guessing Klaus is going to want blood for this?"

"Knowing him, yes," Caroline said. "Still, I worry about him, you know? I get that he wants to protect his family, and he's been around for over a thousand years, but I just can't help but be concerned."

"You love him," Hayley said. "That's the reason you're concerned about him. You love Klaus so much that it makes you cringe whenever he plans to go on a revenge spree. Believe me I feel the same about Elijah. That man is very dear to me, as well as to Hope, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."

"I can tell how much you love him. And I'm glad that you're happy," Caroline said, gesturing to the ring on Hayley's left hand. "Have you two decided when you'll marry?"

Hayley looked at the ring and shook her head. "No, we haven't yet. I guess with all this mess with the witches and their vendetta against us, that's the furthest thing from our minds right now."

Caroline nodded. "Well, when you do decide, I want to plan your wedding."

"You'd do that for me?" Hayley said. "Caroline, you don't have to go to all that trouble."

"But I want to," Caroline said. "You deserve nothing but the best. You're marrying a Mikaelson, so that means something very elegant and festive." She smiled. "And we should definitely go shopping for your dress. Because you're pregnant, we'll need something that will support your belly."

"Will you be my maid of honor?" Hayley wasn't sure where that question came from, but she figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

"I'd love to be your maid of honor, Hayley," Caroline said. "Trust me you couldn't be in better hands. This wedding is going to be the best in New Orleans." She squealed excitedly. "Oh, I can't wait to get started! I know that we still have that crisis to deal with, but I just can't help but be excited about this!"

"Thank you, Caroline," Hayley said, a small smile forming on her face; the first one in several days.

Caroline returned her smile. "You're welcome, Hayley." She knelt down next to her and gently placed her hand on her belly, feeling Hope kick her. "Hey there, Hope. I'm Caroline, your daddy's girlfriend. We can't wait to meet you." She sighed as she looked at Hayley again. "When I was human, I always dreamed of having a baby of my own. But, since vampires can't procreate, all those dreams I had just…vanished. I suppose that in another time and another place, Nik and I probably would've had children."

"Hope is just as much yours as she will be mine and Klaus'," Hayley said, giving the blonde a soft smile.

Caroline nodded, remembering the conversation about co-parenting. Before she could say anything, she sensed a presence other than her and Hayley and looked toward the nursery door to see Rebekah standing there. Scowling, she got up and faced the blonde Original. "Where have you been, Rebekah? I've been looking all over for you."

"I don't have to report to you about where I go," she replied. "You're not my mother."

"Nik isn't going to be pleased," Caroline said. "You know he's going to be angry when he finds out you've been sneaking out."

Rebekah growled. "Fine, I'll tell you. I went to meet Raphael. I know that we agreed that he could come here, but I couldn't wait. If I catch hell from Nik and Elijah for this, so be it."

"That's all that you had to tell me, Bekah. Now, why don't we discuss getting Hayley and Elijah's wedding plans?" Caroline said.

Rebekah nodded. "Oh, right, I almost forgot about those. Is there anything else you need from me, Caroline? No sense in you doing all the work. I can plan events with the best of them."

"Yeah, I know," Caroline said. "I remember when they were putting together one of the last Decade Dances. I wanted to do the Seventies, since we already had the Fifties and Sixties, but you insisted on a Twenties Decade Dance instead."

"Wait a second. You two planned a Decade Dance together?" Hayley asked, interrupting them.

"We did, and we had so much fun," Caroline said with a grin.

Hayley smiled at that. "Wow, that's awesome. I'll bet the dance turned out to be a success, especially with the two of you at the helm."

"It was," Rebekah said. "Everyone looked so beautiful in their Twenties' costumes, and the decorations were just as beautiful." She looked at Caroline. "As I recall, you and Nik shared a dance together on the floor, much to the dismay of a certain hybrid whose name I shall not mention."

"Oh, please, I'm WAY over Tyler now," Caroline said. "Besides, New Orleans is my home now."

"Good for you two getting along so well," a voice said from the doorway and they all turn to see Sage.

"Come and sit with us, Sage," Hayley said, inviting the redhead in with a gentle wave of her hand.

Sage walked into the nursery and took a seat with the three others. "So, what were you discussing before I walked in?"

"We were discussing Hayley and Elijah's wedding plans," Caroline said. "We want this to be the best wedding New Orleans has ever seen."

"I have no doubt it will," Sage said. "I happened to overhear that you and Rebekah planned a Decade Dance together. If you can do that, I can imagine what you can do with something as elegant as a wedding."

"We will plan the best damn wedding that you'll be proud of," Caroline said to the pregnant brunette werewolf, who smiles at her.

"Thank you, Care. And I truly mean that," Hayley said, reaching for the blonde's hand and squeezing it affectionately.

"You're welcome, Hayley," Caroline said. "Don't worry; you couldn't be in better hands." She looked at Sage. "Would you like to help us, Sage?"

The redhead raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose."

"You're not imposing," Rebekah said. "Caroline and I would love an extra hand."

"Then sure," Sage replied with a nod. "I'd love to help."

"Hayley, darling, can you come down here for a moment?" Elijah calls from downstairs. Hayley got up and heads downstairs, to the den where the Mikaelson brothers were gathered with a dark-haired man wearing a flannel shirt.

"Who's this?" Hayley asked, glancing between her husband-to-be, the father of her unborn baby and the baby's other uncle.

"Hayley, this is Jackson," Elijah told her, introducing the pair. "He's your betrothed."

"No. No, that's impossible. I'm engaged to you," she growls out, looking over at him.

"I know it's a lot to take in, love, but Jackson has agreed to sever the betrothal that your parents made," Elijah said.

Hayley kept her gaze on Jackson. She didn't like him or trust him. "What's the catch?" She put a protective hand on her belly. "He doesn't want my baby in exchange, does he? It's bad enough the witches tried to kill her, but I won't have some stranger that I've never met take her from me!"

"He doesn't want the child. He wants freedom for his pack, from the curse they were given years ago," Finn explains.

"Curse, what do you mean curse?" Hayley asks, looking between the four men in a confused manner.

Before the men could answer her, Jackson decided to explain. "A powerful curse was placed on my pack years ago by the witches. It's forced us to turn even when there isn't a full moon. Ever since I first turned, I've been a victim of it as well. We've been looking for a way to break it, but so far, we haven't found one. Coming here was my last hope." He looked at Hayley. "I know that you don't trust me, I can smell it from here. I assure you, I mean no harm. The only thing I want is to finally be rid of this curse. I have reason to believe that the same witches who want to harm your baby are the ones who cursed my pack."

Hayley placed her free hand reluctantly on his shoulder. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Jackson. Nobody, not even you, deserves to go through all that."

"Thank you, Hayley," Jackson said. "That means a lot. And I'm sorry if I'm intruding on what's supposed to be a happy time for you." He looked at Elijah and then back at Hayley. "If you'd let me, I'd like to extend my congratulations."

"Your congratulations is accepted, Jackson," Hayley said with a soft smile. She then looks at Elijah, who nods. "I also know of a witch that might be able to help us. But, fair warning: she's a bit of a recluse ever since her uncle tried to burn her family's manor down."

Jackson nodded. "I don't care, I just want my freedom. The whole pack wants its freedom. If this witch could be of use to us, then I'll gladly accept it."

Hayley nods. "Then let's pay a visit to Josie," she said.

Author's Note: The next chapter will turn a character of mine that is a LOT younger than I mentioned in this chapter, but her name will remain the same and her history as well.