Chapter 45: Investigation

Elijah hurried down the streets of New Orleans swiftly and pulled out his phone. He dialled Hayley as he walked and sighed with relief as she picked up quickly and immediately asked him what was going on. She swivelled away from the computer screen and listening with interest.

"We were right, all the women on the list died by their own hands, she was jumping bodies Hayley and it is very likely that Brin..." he paused but then continued.

"That Brin was actually Celeste and the witch who cursed your pack."

Hayley exhaled as she took the confirmation in.

"But that means she's the only one who can break it Elijah." She spoke and he heard that her voice was laced with agitation.

"Yes." He replied gravely.

There was another pause.

"What about Klaus and Rebekah?" She then pressed chewing her lip.

"Of all the women upon the list only one's death was not by suicide. Instead the cause of death is stated as Influenza, 1919. Claire Ward Summerlin. I want you to look her up Hayley. She's the key to us finding Niklaus and Rebekah, I know it."

"You sound sure." She mused as she typed the name and browsed.

"Yes the moment we noticed her distinctness amongst the other women, the names upon my body ceased to exist."

"So she was the answer to the riddle." Hayley thought aloud.

"Correct." Elijah replied.

He then waited and listened to the sound of Hayley's breath on the phone as she skilfully typed in the name Elijah had mentioned and then clicked open the few promisingly looking tabs. One then suddenly caught her eye.

"There's not much Elijah but there's something." She spoke.

"Tell me." He answered relieved that there was something at all.

"She was a nurse, at a sanitarium. Fleur-de-Lis" Hayley spoke as she read.

"There's a picture." She then spoke staring at the face.

"Good I'm coming and Marcel too."

He then spoke in a more hushed tone.

"He knows something Hayley. I'm sure he does."

"Marcel?" Hayley asked.

"Yes." Elijah replied.

"I guess we'll soon find out."

"I'll be there soon." He then added.

"I love you." Hayley suddenly spoke on the phone and her own eyes widened. They hadn't actually done that before. Exchanged those particular words upon the phone that was but they had tumbled out of Hayley's mouth and she now blushed nervously thinking that she should most definitely cut the phone.

Elijah's heart leapt on hearing the words and his lips melted into a smile. He could hear her wavering breaths on the phone and that only made his smile widen.

"And I you." He replied softly and sincerely with a slight allure and Hayley's cheeks flushed as she cursed herself internally for being such a dammed fool. She knew he knew she was nervous and that made her uncomfortable and warmed her heart all at once.

"Bye..." she then added and quickly cut the phone.

Jeez Hayley get a grip. She thought to herself and softly soothed her bump. She felt like a teenage girl at times and it was all so very odd to her as if because she had skipped all that (what she had called nonsense then), it all seemed to be coming out now. Hayley shook her head and pulled up a few more tabs, to further her research into the sanitarium just in case there was more and soon heard Elijah and Marcel return.

Their eyes met across the room and she knew he was thinking about her embarrassing affair on the phone. He eyes flickered anxiously down to the computer screen and then to Marcel who was looking at them with amusement. Damn it. He knows. Hayley cursed inside but then it wasn't all that surprising since the whole Rebekah/Marcel thing.

Hayley bought up the picture and pointed to the picture of Claire she had found.

"Do you recognise her?" she asked them both.

Elijah shook his head.

"No, Marcel?" he asked looking towards him. Hayley and Elijah found Marcel pacing around the room in visible panic. Hayley looked at Elijah remembering what he had said to her during the phone call about Marcel hiding something.

"Marcel do I have to remind you that this is our key to finding..." he began but Marcel turned and spoke before.

"The Sanitarium. That's where they'll be." He replied visibly distressed.

"How do you know that?" Hayley asked.

"I just know okay." Marcel replied with anger and Elijah immediately tensed, stepping towards Marcel with cold eyes.

Elijah only spoke one word.

"Speak."

Marcel was defeated. He shook his head.

"You're not going to like it." He spoke.

"Rebekah and I, we did something a long time ago. Something bad." He continued.

Elijah glared at him.

"We're the reason Mikael came back." Marcel confessed.

"We bought Mikael back." He swallowed and Elijah's eyes immediately flashed with rage.

He quickly was piecing part by part together and the picture being created repulsed him. Elijah felt a surge of adrenaline sink into his veins as his hand shot out sharply suspending Marcel against the wall.

Hayley stood up her eyes locked onto Elijah. He was always so calm and cool and comforting around her but she also saw the capability to evoke fear, to threaten, to kill within him. She blinked as she realised. It didn't scare her. He never scared her.

"For the better part of a century, I have wondered how Father found us, what foolish mistake that we had made to destroy our time in the one place that we could finally call home. Did you know. I even blamed myself for a time, Marcellus?" Elijah hissed in a disgusted tone.

Hayley heard this small confession of emotion and her heart panged as she thought of the pain he must have put himself through, the pain he probably had still been putting himself through.

Elijah's gripped tightened as he pushed Marcel deeper against the wall and Hayley instinctively grasped his arm.

"Elijah!" she called out and the second her hand laid on him his grip loosened slightly.

Marcel observed both of them and Elijah felt his nerves twitch. He tightened his grip again and Hayley stepped back.

"We treated you as family." Elijah spoke appalled.

"Rebekah. I loved her. I still love her. All we ever wanted was to be together, but as long as Klaus was around, that was never gonna happen. But hey, I guess you wouldn't know anything about that, huh?" Marcel spoke with his voice raised and his head inclined slightly towards Hayley.

Elijah pursed his lip and dropped Marcel letting him scramble off the floor.

Elijah stared into the distance.

"When Niklaus hears of this, there will be no end to his range. He was pursue her." He thought and spoke aloud.

He then looked at both Hayley and Marcel

"I will not let my sister suffer this wrath." He spoke firmly and they knew that was it. Elijah's words could not be undone.

"We need to get there before he finds out." Marcel and Elijah nodded. Marcel swiftly left the room and Elijah strode over to Hayley and cupped her face.

This was bad really bad, she knew there was no end to Klaus' rage and that could very well mean. He'd harm him. Hayley's eyes widened at the thought of Klaus harming Elijah and Elijah noticed her glassy gaze.

"You need to stay here." He instructed sternly and on hearing his voice Hayley snapped out of her thoughts. What had to be done, had to be done.

Hayley nodded. Technically I'm agreeing to the fact that I should probably stay here, not to actually staying here. She noted.

Hayley held his wrist and suddenly kissed him hard stroking the short hairs at the back of his neck.

"Go." She spoke.

And he was promptly gone.