Chapter 8: Can'ts and Cans
Elijah set Hayley on her feat once again. Her legs wavered, she scoffed inside at feeling so weak. It was so awfully frustrating sometimes. Elijah observed her carefully so lucidly concerned. He held her shoulders delicately and sat her on the bed. Hayley groaned, then screwing her eyes shut, she creased her forehead with her fingers and then took a refreshing breath. It sounded more like a sigh.
Elijah took a seat next to her. Both sat in silence for a while, just as they had the night before. It was rather consoling and not awkward or discomfiting at all. Just being in each other's company was so very much.
"So filling..." Elijah thought once again.
After a while Hayley shifted. She tucked in her knees and crawled into a ball, placing her head gently upon Elijah's lap. He smiled at her motion and stroked her hair lightly. Hayley closed her eyes peacefully at his touch.
"What are we going to do Elijah?" Hayley murmured in due course. Elijah blinked, thinking for a second. He knew she meant Klaus. If such little defiance had caused him to flare, what on earth would he do if he found out about them?
"Have one of his raging outbursts, that's what." Elijah thought.
It would most certainly not be pleasant. He looked down at Hayley and realised she was watching him, waiting for an answer. Of course she didn't need one now, she'd most likely read his expression.
Hayley got up from his lap. Elijah stood up, he knew she was about to walk away. He found just the thought of this made him nervous.
Hayley knew this was dangerous; Klaus had already bitten Elijah once, who knows what he'd do in another one of his dark fits of temper.
"Dagger him?" she thought, her heart faltering. What would she do then? The fear ate at her, she shook her head.
She didn't want to leave him, but she realised she loved him enough to do just that. She took a small but firm step forward.
Out of pure instinct, Elijah grasped her wrist, pulling her back. He understood what she was trying to do, it made sense, it really did but he just couldn't. He turned her around and pulled her close, wrapping her into a tight much needed embrace.
Hayley hid into his shirt, Elijah's chin resting on her head.
"I promised I would not give up on you Hayley." he spoke in his usual serious tone, though then his tenor changed...
"I can't." He spoke with raw emotion and she knew he meant it, this was him speaking. Her Elijah.
"Me neither." she whispered back.
He cradled her head in his hands and kissed her on the forehead with pure passion pulsating through his every touch. He looked at her directly.
Hayley watched him and knew she couldn't back out now. It was way too late, as late as love.
They relaxed knowing neither was going anywhere. He was right. They couldn't.
"I won't let anything happen to you." he told her.
"I know." she replied before he'd even finished.
"Klaus can't find out." She told him desperately, "Not now at least, he..."
"I know." He replied just as she had done and then held her tighter, trying to reassure her the best he could.
"I'm rather hoping he'll keep his distance" Elijah muttered.
"Hmm..." Hayley mumbled not entirely sure of Klaus's motives.
Elijah smiled at her humming mumble. She smiled back. It was incredible how they could both go from such intensity to calm.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her.
Hayley rolled her eyes.
"I'm fine!" she insisted.
"I hope so." he told her.
"I'd like a shower." she then mused, stretching her arms.
Elijah could not help but smile.
"Of course." He replied, turning around to leave. Hayley immediately missed his grasp. She fake frowned and Elijah's eyes twinkled. He walked back kissing her on the cheek.
"I'll see you soon." he whispered.
"Enjoy the shower." he then added alluringly from the doorway.
"I will." Hayley grinned, her glow returning.
Elijah left the room, appearing downstairs. He wondered where Klaus had sauntered off to and hoped his little brother hadn't created too much chaos. He found Rebekah in the kitchen. She took a slug of the red wine in her glass. Her expression bleak.
"I thought you had arrangements for today." Elijah asked her.
"Nope. Change of plan, and I don't really plan on strolling New Orleans, while Klaus is out and about in his horrid mood. I'm quite surprised he didn't bite your head off."
Elijah raised his eyebrows, though Rebekah continued.
"Seriously Elijah, can't our family ever be crisis free?" she hissed, fidgeting at the counter.
Elijah's eyes lowered knowing the answer all too well. What bothered him more was that he knew it was he who had asked her to stay. She watched him, suddenly calming.
"How's Hayley?" she asked.
"She's fine." Elijah replied casually.
Rebekah raised her eyebrows just has Elijah had done.
"She's worried about Klaus." he told her, pouring out a glass of wine for himself.
"Aren't we all?" Rebekah murmured rolling her eyes.
Elijah nodded and they chinked glasses in the hope of things changing for the better.
Though unknown to them, elsewhere, the curtains of Hayley's room fluttered, the window open.
Klaus stepped into the room, his eyes fuming, and his body tense. The bathroom door clicked open soon after and Hayley stepped out, wrapped in a plush white bath robe. She turned around and her eyes widened with shock. She realised her expression and suddenly pulled open a towel, drying her hair as if he had no effect on her. She couldn't give anything away.
Klaus sat on the bed where she and Elijah had sat not too long ago.
"How are you feeling?" he asked surprisingly. It was obvious from his tone that he was fighting the irritation and anger inside him.
Hayley glanced at him, not knowing what to say.
"Glorious." she scoffed sarcastically.
Klaus turned his head sharply at her reply.
"I'm fine." she spoke monotone.
"Do you often do that?" he enquired.
"Do what?" Hayley spoke bemused.
"Talk to the child". He spoke slowly.
Hayley took a few seconds before answering. What is he trying to do she thought?
"Sort of." she answered. "Yeah, I suppose". She walked over to the dresser grabbing the hair brush and began brushing her damp hair.
"I can hear it." he then spoke.
"What is he on about?" Hayley thought inside.
"The child." He breathed. "The heart beat."
Hayley stopped brushing. She placed a hand on her stomach and thought.
Klaus noticed, looking at her.
"You can hear her" she then corrected him and continued to brush.
"What's he playing at?" Her mind searched.
"Small talk." he replied as if she had heard that thought.
"You see, I am quite capable of such a form of conversation."
"Wow. Who'd have known?" Hayley spoke with fake enthusiasm, she was not all that convinced.
Klaus rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to get changed now." Hayley changed the topic, looking at him and then the door.
Klaus stayed put.
"Some privacy please." she looked at him questioningly.
Klaus thought about his drunken night with Hayley and somehow she knew exactly what he was thinking.
"You're sick." she suddenly found herself exclaiming.
"Am I now love?" he asked, pausing to look at her before walking to the door.
Hayley scowled.
"He's just trying to mess with me." she thought, her lips pursed into a smooth line.
She then shuddered with an unpleasant feeling.
"It's not going to work, Klaus." she spoke out loud and it felt right.
It was Elijah who drifted into her mind wrapping her conscience in cotton soft blankets. She smiled at the thought of him. She never thought she could miss someone so easily.