A/N: Hope you like the chapter :3
Chapter 12: Is this it?
Both remained silent during the drive home. There seemed to be a tension in the air and they both found it easier to deal with, without speaking. With the radio off, they both focused on the sounds of nature.
Eventually the car halted in the driveway, though Elijah's grip on the steering wheel remained firm. He thought of Rebekah's text and felt confused. Part of him felt incredibly glad that for once his brother was in some sort of pleasant mood but then the thought of his secret relationship with Hayley and that made a nasty guilt bubble through him. He felt torn into two parts of his mind. He couldn't choose between them. He couldn't.
Hayley sat silently in the passenger seat, her head lowered almost in shame. She hated seeing him like this, the last thing she wished to do was to cause him trouble with his family but as she had thought about it before, it was too late to leave now. Elijah was practically the only man in her life she could depend on and her feelings for him were too hard to fight.
"Hayley." Elijah spoke, making her look up. He knew she was swimming through a sea of frustrating thoughts just as he was.
"It'll be okay." He tried to reassure her.
She smiled meekly, though was clearly not convinced.
They could both sense that something wasn't right.
Elijah reached over to brush Hayley's fringe aside as he did so often and his hand cupped her face.
Hayley eyes shut as the nostalgia flooded her. How could he calm her so easily? It wasn't possible.
She felt him near her and her lips parted automatically once again craving his touch...
He moved closer and closer until suddenly she could no longer sense him.
The sound of his breath suddenly quietened and her eyes flashed open as she turned to face him staring out of the dashboard.
He was looking at a car quite a distance away though driving fast towards their direction and his expression froze.
"Niklaus and Rebekah." He spoke and Hayley's heart pattered with fear for a few seconds before calming once again.
Elijah stepped out of the car and quickly opened the door for Hayley. He helped her out, his eyes still latched onto the car.
Hayley noticed how his grip on her arm was slightly too tight and his face was firm and serious. She grew worried. "Was something up? Something she didn't know?" She brushed the thought aside and realised she should get into the house.
Elijah noticed her fumble with her belongings and the anxiety in her movement. Hence, as she made for the entrance to the compound he tugged her back, she looked at him worried and surprised.
"It's all okay." He whispered encouragingly and then the grip on her wrist loosened in order to let her rush inside.
Elijah opened the car boot, swiftly grasping its contents and then rapidly flew inside, placing them upstairs for Hayley to find.
His siblings were just about too far to see them arrive.
He thought about why he was doing this? Couldn't he have just said, he'd taken Hayley to get some things she needed? It wasn't so much of a secret, his brother was bound to find out from Marcel or one of his minions, so why did he even bother. He didn't like this, the snooping, the lies. Was he sacrificing his nobility? Was that what was making him so edgy?
Suddenly the crazy thought about coming clean, zoomed into his head.
Did he wish to tell his brother out of guilt or because he could no longer stand to be away from Hayley? Whatever it was, the idea seemed to stick in his head.
"Maybe the best time to tell him, is when he is in a good mood." Elijah found himself thinking...
Though then something caught his eye.
Hayley hurried up the stairs, strangely feeling afraid. It wasn't like her to worry like this. Her time with The Originals had changed her. She actually felt bad for their secret meetings even though they were her favourite moments of the day. She thought about Klaus discovering the truth, his eyes burning with rage, his hands wrapped around a dagger, the dagger stabbed into Elijah's heart. The risks were too high but could they stand to do this any longer?
Hayley's hand reached over her stomach as it always did when she was worried or afraid.
Half of her felt she could never let Klaus find out but another part of her knew that if he didn't the consequences would be greater.
Hayley's eyes caught Elijah. He strode over to her quickly, immediately registering the fright on her face. Somehow just by exchanging glances they knew they had both been thinking alike.
"Are you...?" Hayley croaked asking if him if they were about to confess.
Elijah took Hayley's hands, stroking them, his own fingers slightly tingling with a panic. She impulsively pulled him into a hug and his body sighed with their embrace.
As they separated they both managed to find some composure.
"I'm not sure." Elijah replied, because that was exactly what he was. Not sure.
Whatever happens, they'll just have to deal with it, they both thought.
Downstairs, the door opened revealing Klaus and Rebekah.
Elijah and Hayley looked over the balcony and then at each other.
This was it.