Chapter 31: Cravings

Hayley awoke rather abruptly the next morning although sleep had done her good. She smiled at Elijah who slept soundly at her side.

"Very much like a baby." She chuckled to herself, planting a kiss on the side of his forehead. She then slipped off the bed and went to gather her rain absorbed clothes, before tiptoeing off to her own bedroom.

Elijah was probably going to sleep for a little while longer now and she didn't wish to wake him, she already felt slightly guilty for keeping him up in the first place, despite him, all noble in his ways, insisting that it was no problem at all.

Hayley had found it terribly hard to sleep last night and that wasn't new to her, with the baby and all. She tossed and turned continuously and as much as the curvature of Elijah around her frame comforted her, her little girl just didn't seem to be content.

Her stomach had rumbled most loudly and Hayley had recalled how very little she had eaten that day and in that moment there was nothing more that she craved than chocolate dessert and actually she had been quite sure it was the exact dessert that Elijah had once bought for her.

-Flashback Start-

Hayley groaned her limbs stretching and recoiling in frustration as she flipped onto her back once again, sighing flatly. Elijah heard her and his eyes opened with concern as he propped up his elbow to hold his head on his hand. Hayley raised both hands to her forehead and muttered another groan.

When he saw her his eyebrows furrowed and he sat up a little stroking her arm gently. Hayley turned to find him awake and frowned.

"I'm sorry." She replied sleepily and Elijah shook his head at her apology, softly pulling her towards him and propping her up so that she at leaned against him. He kissed her neck and Hayley murmured arching it towards him as he nuzzled her soothingly and her muscles finally relaxed a little.

"Tell me what's wrong." Elijah whispered into her ear and Hayley's hand found her stomach and naturally began tracing it. Elijah tensed with worry for a second afraid for his niece and he lifted Hayley forwards to face him, his eyes widened with concern. Hayley noticed and reassured him with her own eyes before placing her head on his chest and curling into a ball, while holding her bump affectionately. She groaned a little again.

"Hayley?" Elijah called questioningly still worried.

"It's your niece." Hayley finally replied rolling off and sitting up once again.

"I think she's hungry." She mumbled and Elijah smiled glad that that it was nothing more serious.

"I'll get you something." Elijah spoke stepping off the bed.

"What are you craving?" he asked almost smirking.

Hayley grinned but then her face softened with a half guilty half persuasive look.

"What is it?" Elijah asked intrigued.

"You know when we went shopping; you took me to that place..." Hayley began.

"Yes, how could I ever forget." He replied.

"I'm pretty sure that is the only dessert that'll satisfy her." Hayley confessed and Elijah chuckled at her guilt.

"Very well." He answered and Hayley's face lit up as he reached for his jacket.

"You shouldn't be surprised. Your daughter is nothing less than a princess in this household." He told her.

Hayley smiled.

"I have a feeling you guys are going to end up spoiling her." She mused.

"Original vampire, miracle baby, probably." Elijah answered as he shrugged into his jacket and then leaned down to kiss her.

-Flashback end-

"I'll be back before you know it." He had called after before disappearing and surprisingly was true to his word.

"The perks of having an original vampire..." Hayley had hesitated to finish the sentence when he had returned and so to cover up the moment had indulged herself to another spoonful of chocolate heaven, humming with relief as Elijah had watched her amused.

They both had thought about it for a second. The complications of their relationship but had chosen to not dwell, having each other back was what felt important.

Hayley now in the present dumped the clothes into a corner and slumped onto her bed.

She could face the room now; it had only affected her so much because of the baby.

She rubbed her stomach now.

"I won't ever let anyone hurt you." She vowed.

When suddenly there was a knock at her door. Hayley's eyes widened.

"Who is it?" She asked looking down at herself and remembering that she was wearing Elijah's shirt. That'd probably send off the wrong message.

"It's Klaus." The voice replied and she heard the door knob turn as her heart stopped beating.

"Um one minute!" Hayley muttered and the doors handle luckily stopped turning as she reached into her cupboard for a shirt of her own and replaced Elijah's.

Klaus entered the room just as she pulled the hem down and grabbed a dressing gown. She hastily put it on though she knew not why she was in such a hurry.

"What have I said about privacy?" she spat surprised by the amount of anger that spilled out with that sentence.

"Hayley." Klaus spoke and she glared at him.

Klaus then left the room, knocked the door and then came back inside.

Hayley however was not at all amused.

"We need to talk." He spoke seriously.

"I have nothing to say." Hayley replied sharply.

"Good, then you can listen-"Klaus began but Hayley walked up to him rapidly and shoved him back.

"I do not wish to speak to you." Hayley almost spat with gritted teeth and Klaus put up his hands.

"I'm sorry." He spoke.

"Of course that it not at all enough for what I have done but I must make it clear that it never was or is my intention to harm you, or my daughter." He spoke looking down at her bump.

Hayley stepped away from him.

"Little correction." She spoke. "She's not yours, she's ours."

"And if you care so much maybe be you'd think twice about flinging your child across this very room." She yelled and Klaus felt himself being stabbed repeatedly.

He lurched forwards grabbing Hayley's arm and she looked at him with caution, he noticed it, that tiny ounce of fear and it was killing him inside.

"Forgive me, Hayley please." He spoke but she wrenched her hand out of his grasp.

Klaus fought tears. This was the mother of his child. This was his only hope.

"I care." Klaus spoke with utmost emotion and frustration.

"I swear on her existence Hayley I do." He spoke and Hayley saw the conflict inside him that had been torturing him from that day and her eyes softened for a second as he slumped into a chair.

"Let me make amends." He spoke not looking at her in the eye and Hayley again saw how helpless he was, all behind that facade.

"She kicked." Hayley spoke while sighing and took a seat on her bed.

Klaus looked up at her his eyes filled with a strange awe.

"The baby, she kicked for the first time in the bayou." She explained remembering the moment nostalgically; Eve had been with her.

Given everything he had done Hayley somehow still could tell, that it had not really been his intention to hurt her. She'd never seen him like that before and never wished to again. Klaus was just very, very messed up and that was probably an understatement but one thing felt sure, taking away the one thing that could save him was not the answer.

And so after thinking, Hayley then got up abruptly.

"I'm going to wash up." She replied calmly and Klaus nodded promptly, then pausing to look at her before leaving the room. He didn't wish to push her and was extremely surprised by her turn in behaviour. He had been waiting for violent outbursts, crashes and threats.

Though when he left, Elijah stood outside and from the looks of it he had heard everything.

"Brother." Klaus spoke, slightly confused and suddenly Elijah held back his shoulder painfully, while piercing him with a look full of rage.

"If you ever harm that girl again." He spoke through the space between his teeth.

"I shall not forgive you."

"That is my word." He vowed.

Klaus watched with surprise as Elijah let loose his hold. He calculated that Elijah had not known the details of that night until now.

"Do you understand?" Elijah then asked.

"Have you not made it clear enough, brother?" Klaus responded.

Elijah showed no expression.

"Brother I do hope you take this seriously." Elijah then spoke less tense.

"For despite everything I still believe this child can save us."

Klaus remained silent though drank in this statement.

Elijah turned to leave.

"You really do love her." Klaus spoke and Elijah froze in his spot but then gradually turned around confidently buttoning up his freshly ironed suit.

"Yes." He spoke clearly and Klaus's eye widened with sight shock at hearing such a clear admittance. In any other circumstance this would certainly had transformed into some sort of brawl but he couldn't bring himself to make a move, not at this point at least.

"Are we good?" Elijah then asked straightening his suit.

"For now." Klaus replied but Elijah had nothing else to say and was already out of his sight.