Hunting For The Hiding

A frustrated Hayley marched down the corridors of the compound peering left and right into the rooms in what was becoming an almost desperate search for Elijah. It had been hours now, and yet she had still not caught even a glimpse of him anywhere in the compound, nor heard from anyone about his whereabouts.

Suddenly Hayley stopped abruptly in her tracks as it hit her hard.

"He's avoiding me." She muttered irritated, annoyed also with herself for not putting two and two together earlier. Elijah wouldn't just disappear into thin air for no apparent reason, especially with the issues at hand and she had already called Klaus and checked that he wasn't with him so that only left two options.

Either he's been nabbed again... she had considered but had cast aside as highly unlikely, or...

He's avoiding me. She came to the same conclusion once again knowing now it was almost a hundred percent certain.

"When Elijah doesn't want to be found, he won't be." Gia had replied with an apology. So even baby vamp didn't know where he was hiding.

Hayley kicked and cursed inside half wanting to physically throw something or thwart the wall with her new-found hybrid strength.

Of course he'd do this. She groaned internally at the thought of the self-sacrificing idiot she was...

Hayley gulped for a second as the thought became evident within her mind.

In love with...? she considered slowly in a hushed thought a little surprised by how naturally it had flowed within her.

Her heart then thudded powerfully as she began thinking of the vault, the words, his words within her mind and her temperature rose slightly.

I'm in love with him... something breathed within her soul and she felt her heart swell as the thought formed and burst into her mind as if it were being freed from gates of platinum.

I need to find him. She then thought swirling and tapping her phones onto her palm.

And this time I'll have to do it the hybrid way. She shrugged though determinedly with that fierce look in her eye.

Hayley pulled up the hooded jacket and inhaled it deeply, latching onto Elijah's scent and then vanished appearing into the busy street of New Orleans's down below.

She placed her hands firmly upon her hips and tipped the heel of her boot upon the tarmac turning around to watch a mass of people passing her by. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate without looking to unusual and then scoffed.

It was no use.

All she could smell was the puffs of spices within the air, steamy crawfish and the sweet scent of beignets. She heard a lonesome busker play the saxophone with worn out thumbs in the distance and the coins that dropped into his case as the music sang out into the air but no Elijah.

This was proving more difficult than she had thought.

I mean where am I meant to start? she hissed to herself inside finding herself naturally pouting.

She felt the frustration build up inside her again and almost felt like she'd stamp her feet like a five year old child having a tantrum. She hadn't even considered yet what it was that she was going to tell him when she did find him and bursting into the room and saying I love you just didn't seem her style.

Anyway who knows how he's feeling with all the mess in our lives right now. She considered striding down the street towards the docks still determined to find him when suddenly...

She caught it in the air and smell so strong so distinct.

Blood.

Elijah's blood. She breathed and was at the spot within a second completely sure that it came from no other being. She had smelled it not long ago; in the vault within which they had been captured. Hayley remembered the cuts upon Elijah's chest and winced. She knew he'd healed by now but recalling him in that state still managed to pain her and now she felt a drop of that worry flow through her as she picked up the fabric convulsing with Elijah's scent off the floor.

It was his handkerchief embroidered with the letters E and M in a grandiose but simple font and Hayley felt it between forefinger and thumb looking perplexed. It wasn't like him to just drop things, or leave things lying around like this.

Something's wrong. She exhaled softly her eyes widening a little as she stood up from her crouched position on the floor.

Elijah sat hunched within a classic padded wine chair as the wind whistled across the docks outside building. He came here every so often, when he needed to get away from The French Quarter and in other words when he didn't wish to be found for no one knew that he owned this property. His stiff shoes rubbed against the Persian rug scattered across the floor and he stepped on it, straightening it so it was now neatly in place.

Elijah lifted his heavy head and sighed deeply reaching out an arm without looking to grab the crystal glass of strong liquor which sat upon a mahogany stool beside him. He swallowed it in one gulp and slammed it back down on the hard surface falling back into his chair and breathing heavily. He tilted his head back against the cool chair and closed his eyes exhaling deeply trying to regulate the tempest which has not too long ago rushed within him.

A few seconds passed like this and Elijah felt his body calm and he wiped under his nose to check for where previously blood had dripped with a maddening heat.

It's over. He told himself relieved but yet unconvinced for internally he somehow knew this episode would repeat itself in future and as the recollection of his red blood reminded him of the red door within his mind.

He saw the same image flash before him again, the one which kept flashing back, ridding him of peace. Tatia in her flowing white lace skirt running with terror away from his monstrous being and Hayley, oh Hayley flashing after in the same attire.

Elijah groaned, creasing his forehand with forefinger and thumb. Oh how he missed her, her scent, her touch, her voice - be it sassy or soothing.

Elijah forced a broken smile while thinking of the woman he loved suddenly craving her company with all his might. He recalled the image of her in his jacket and the smile grew as he wondered if she was still wearing it somewhere, wherever she was...

Hayley was striding across the docks, the bunt floorboards creaking beneath her step as her hair flew in the salty wind. She knew she was close to him now and it wasn't any of the five senses that told her that. She just sort of knew, like it was a gut instinct calling her to him. She stopped upon the planks of wood taming her blowing hair and running both hands over her head as she looked around 180 degrees.

Eventually she reached a building, one she hadn't really noticed before and her eyebrows furrowed as she focused onto it, noticing one room a lit by a softly glowing light.

"Gotcha..." she whispered just knowing it was him.