Distancing Desire

Hayley returned from her inspection and sauntered into her bedroom, her eyes hooking onto the site of her empty bed and then at Klaus's dark figure. He stood in the centre of her room with a lost sullen sort of look upon on his face as if he were in a world of his own. The look then disintegrated the second he acknowledged another in the room. As Hayley walked in, his eyes slowly turned to notice her and he followed her gaze towards the bed.

The corner of lips twitched into a brief smile as he raised an eyebrow towards her.

She narrowed her eyes briefly at him before giving him a questioning glare.

"He's fine." Klaus replied before she could even ask and he internally rolled his eyes. He was beginning to wonder if whether in his lengthy lifetime he had ever come across two other individuals who were more hopeless at concealing their feelings for one another.

Hayley's eyes found themselves naturally brightening on hearing this news. If the Mikaelson brothers downstairs were going to be Klaus's Christmas gift, this year, hers would have to be Elijah's return. As she thought of this the strange feeling in her abdomen intensified, ballooning and deflating and she felt her cheeks heat slightly. Her lips twitched a little and she was forced to allow her eyes to flicker towards the ground as she leaned at the door frame.

Klaus watched her intently.

Maybe Hayley shall, be his salivation... he found himself wondering.

As Hope his mine.

Hayley tried to get a grip but several thoughts and questions suddenly began sprouting about in her mind. She wondered if Elijah had heard anything she has said, felt any of her gentle touches. She then began to wonder how he was, what he was feeling. Did he want to see her? What had Ester put him through this time?

Hayley then realised she had been silent for far too long and turned to face Klaus blinking and clasping her hands together.

"I didn't ask..." she then spoke slowly while actually rolling her own eyes casually to hide the slight nervous clench of her stomach which was now beginning to effect her voice too.

"Yes I know." Klaus smirked.

"You didn't need to." He then replied coolly, teasingly almost but then as he moved from his spot his usual tone was back.

Oh great what have I done this time? Hayley now wondered noticing Klaus's patronising glare.

"But speaking of, on the other hand I do have something to ask." He spoke narrowing his eyes at Hayley who was currently in no mood for a lecture and was instead fighting the urge to peer into the hallway.

"Hayley." Klaus then spoke more harshly and Hayley huffed directing her attention back to him hugging the dark hoodie around her.

"What?" She replied with probably slightly too much attitude for Klaus's liking.

"Where do you think you have been?" he questioned but Hayley continued with a cool indifference which only puzzled Klaus further. She was really getting fed up of this childlike treatment. She folded her eyes and leaned back on a foot.

"Marcel and I have a gift for you in the ballroom." She then spoke calmly and Klaus's eyebrows furrowed with curiosity but Hayley remained silent not giving anything away.

Eventually, he began to stride past her a confused expression still plastered to his face and Hayley watched him intently, her lips forming a small curve of a smile.

"You're welcome?" Hayley shrugged her shoulders rolling off the door frame and following after him. Klaus swiftly descended the stairs and the sight which greeted him evoked a glint in his eye.

Hayley surveyed the scene looking quite pleased with herself and quite rightly so for each of her captives were already bringing home some optimism make up for their recent more horrid losses.

Klaus turned around brief to give her a surprised, pleased cock of the head and before long he was wrapped up with Marcel mostly likely discussing what he was best at, some intricate plan of revenge.

Soon however their voices became a blur and Hayley found herself focussed on one thought alone.

Elijah...

She still hadn't seen him yet and the jittering inside her wasn't something she was doing very well in controlling. She felt like she needed to see him.

Unknown to Hayley however, Elijah had secretly appeared out of his room and now stood above her on the balcony, his eyes swooping down and gripping her image like a magnet.

He breathed steadily drinking in her detail.

He was feeling more stable, dressed in a fresh white crisp shirt, the weight of his jacket perfectly cloaking him. The familiarity of his ways was returning to him now as he tied his cufflinks while watching her, breathing more deeply. He looked flawless with not a fault in sight but inside his conscience was still preying on him and so he kept his distance now even while watching her, terrified that his strange and strong desire to be in her presence would be too powerful to resist.

Being captured in the vault had weakened his decision to distance himself from her. Watching her see his memories, knowing she now knew parts of his affection for her that she hadn't before. Witnessing her concern, her soft touch...it had made him desire her so profusely.

He gazed at her now that familiar ache seeping through him all over. God he missed her, he thought but one image of his mother's foul torture was enough to make him gulp. He could not bear to see her harmed. He couldn't, especially not at his hands; his hands which he now had been reminded were made for destruction.

Elijah blinked fighting back the disturbing thoughts, turning them off tightly like a screwing a tap.

Still however a barrel full of emotions poured over him as he observed her but these ones he could deal with. At first he felt a great sigh of relief washed over him at seeing her so well, so strong, smiling. It made his own mouth twitch slightly and then a touch of surprise hit him and his gaze narrowed.

Surely..? He then thought observing the dark hooded jacked she was wearing with more attention. It was his. He turned back to look into his room where he had left it and found it was not there.

His heart played a funny beat and then almost convulsed as he watched her pull the sleeves and bite her ever so soft lip.