First of all, sorry for how long it took to update. But I believed I made up for it with how long the chapter is. Second, I'm sorry if there are a few errors. I was eager to put this up and I kind of speed-edited. Third, thank you for the reviews/follows/favorites. It is EXACTLY what keeps me going. ENJOY!

2010

Hayley thanked the clerk before she grabbed all of her things from the desk. He waved her goodbye as she rushed out of the art store, her hands full of the brand new supplies she just bought. The door chimed as she pushed it open with her back. There were about half a dozen canvases awkwardly in her arms along with her giant purse. Hayley was focused on carrying all of it without dropping anything. But a group of kids ran past her suddenly. They were all wearing costumes, probably on their way to go trick-or-treating. It was late afternoon on Halloween.

Hayley hadn't seen them coming and dodged the group just to run into someone else. As a result, she dropped all of her things. "Shit!" She hissed. "I'm so sorry." She said to whomever she ran into as she started picking up the things.

"It's quite alright. Let me help you." The sound of his voice, covered in a thick accent, caused Hayley to look up quickly. Her blue-green eyes were met with grey-blue ones. His attractiveness caught her off guard, just for second. He was taller than her, a rarity for her towering frame. His hair was dirty blonde, short, but curly. With his shirtsleeves rolled up, Hayley was able to tell he had a lean body. Then she realized he had all of her things in his hands.

"Thank you." Hayley said sincerely as she grabbed them from him.

He glanced at the art supplies with interest. "Are you an artist?"

She laughed and shook her head quickly. "Definitely not." She shifted uncomfortably. "It's just something I do for fun."

"Well, those are quite a few things to be buying for something you only do for fun." He countered with a smile. But there was seriousness in what he said.

"Yeah…my sister gave me a gift card for my birthday. And I guess I got a little ahead of myself."

"Well then, Happy Birthday." He hummed at her, as he took a step forward.

Hayley narrowed his eyes at such a response. "Aren't you the charmer?" She teased him. "The blue eyes, the British accent, and those dimples…they work to your advantage, don't they?" She raised her eyebrow at him, proving that she wasn't falling for his methods. She felt like he was trying to seduce her instead of just talking and it bothered her.

His smile disappeared, and Hayley swore she saw slip of anger in those pretty eyes of his. "Just trying to see what all the fuss is about." He replied quietly. And he knew immediately that she'd caught it. Her head tilted and she watched him closely. But then Hayley shrugged her shoulders, deciding she didn't want to ask what he meant. She cleared her throat and heaved all her things up, making sure she didn't drop them all over the place again. It would just give another chance to be charming toward her.

"Sorry again…for running into you. I should probably head home." Hayley told him casually. She waited for him to say something, but he just seemed to be thinking about something as he gazed at her. "Right…okay." Hayley laughed anxiously, starting to walk past him to her car. She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "Happy Halloween." She told him sincerely with a smile.

Hayley got into her car, driving away. When she looked into her rear view mirror, she saw the spot where she'd left him. But the mysterious guy had disappeared. She shrugged her shoulders, choosing to ignore the weird vibe she had got from him. It felt familiar but also foreign at the same time.

When Hayley's phone started ringing, she jumped a little in her seat. Then, realizing how ridiculous she was being, her fingers ran through her hair and she let out a sigh. "Hello?" She answered.

"Please, please, please, tell me you're going to the party tonight!" Her friend Janet begged on the other end. Hayley couldn't help but smile at the pleas.

"Janet, you already know what's going to happen. It's just going to be a bunch of drunken teenagers with the girls in their trashy costumes and all the guys being sleazy. I'm just not in the mood for it tonight." Hayley sighed. "I'd rather be really lame and carve pumpkins while I watch Hocus Pocus."

Janet made a noise showing that she'd given up. Before calling, she'd already known that Hayley wouldn't go. "But it's still technically your birthday weekend! I can't just leave you alone in that house when all of us are at a party."

"Don't worry about me. You know if I get completely bored, I'll just meet you guys at the party. But have fun without me!" She encouraged her friend.

Hayley had just pulled into her driveway when she ended the call. She grabbed all of her things from the trunk of her car. When she got to her front door, a gust of wind blew her blonde-red hair around her shoulders. But that wasn't what caused her to stop shuffling through her purse for her keys. She paused, getting a strange feeling. Hayley quickly turned and looked around at her neighborhood. But there wasn't even a dog to be found. She got these feelings for as long as she could remember. It felt like someone was watching her, not in a creepy way, but as if someone was watching over her.

Two nights ago, on her birthday, she came home to find a box of art supplies on her desk. She had no idea who it could have possibly been. She'd asked all her friends and none of them fessed up. Her sister, Lisa, was living on her own in the city. And her parents had forgotten her birthday all together, too busy being somewhere across the country. There hadn't been a card or any clue left to who it could have left such a gift.

Hayley didn't truly remember Elijah. The last she saw him had been too long ago. Over time, her mind tricked her into forgetting parts after parts of their rare encounters. And the fact that she never talked about her secret friendship with anyone, made it easy for the recollection to slowly slip away. Sometimes, throughout the day, certain things would trigger her memory, like when someone came to the front door. For some reason, she never invited people into her house; always making them wait outside while she grabbed whatever they needed.

When it came to Elijah, Hayley only remembered a man. But she never could remember details of his face; just that he was handsome. Eventually, she convinced herself that he was from a dream. But it was impossible to dream about people you didn't know in real life. So she was left confused once again. There was only one thing Hayley knew for sure, and that was how she'd felt when she was with this shadowy person she wasn't even sure existed. Her memory recalled feeling warm, safe, and loved. It felt too real to be made up.

Hayley shivered a little, giving her whereabouts one last look before going inside. She had broken a record for how many weird vibes and strange feelings a person could get in one day. She slowly walked to the kitchen, dropping her keys onto the granite counter. The sound echoed through the house. It was just another reminder of the emptiness throughout the house and how alone Hayley was inside it. Hayley let out a deep sigh. She'd learn to appreciate it. There was no point in feeling sorry for herself. She'd ended that a long time ago.

Her cell phone started ringing again. She glared at it, expecting it to be Janet, begging her to go to the party again. But the screen read Lisa's name instead. Hayley smiled before quickly answering it.

"Happy Halloween!" Lisa cheered.

"You too." Hayley laughed. "What's going on?" Her and Lisa were not only sisters, but they were best friends. It was hard having her live on her own now. But Hayley was happy for her. She just missed seeing her every day.

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to wish you a happy Halloween since it is your favorite holiday. Got any big plans for the night?" She wondered.

"Well, it kind of sucks that it's a Sunday. Janet wanted me to go to this party but it's always the same thing. The cops usually break it up not even two hours in anyway." Before Lisa could judge, Hayley thought of a joke to stop her sister from encouraging her to go. "I thought I might go trick-or-treating by myself. 18 years old isn't too creepy right?" Hayley added sarcastically.

"Yeah, how about we don't do that?" Lisa commented dryly. Even though she knew Hayley was kidding. But then Lisa heard her sigh on the other end of the phone. Hayley didn't mean to do it. But the sound immediately caught her older sister's attention. "Everything alright over there?" She asked Hayley openly.

But Hayley didn't say anything for a moment. Her finger traced around the strange patterns on her counter. "I have a weird question." She stated honestly.

"…Okay?" Lisa urged slowly.

"Do you ever feel like someone's watching you? Not in a creepy stalker kind of way. But as if someone were watching over you?"

Lisa laughed a little, not taking the question seriously. "Are you talking about a guardian angel or something?" She was basically humoring Hayley. Her little sister had always been imaginative, daydreaming all the time. She didn't want to make Hayley feel like she couldn't be herself around her own sister.

"Yeah, I guess sort of like a guardian angel. Without the whole…religious part." Hayley laughed darkly. Maybe it was something magical that made her feel like she was being looked after.

"Or maybe, it's your fairy godmother?" Lisa teased with a giggle.

Hayley's face twisted. "No, definitely not that."

"Ok, well I have to go to work. Have fun tonight, whatever you choose to do. But be safe!" Lisa demanded, if her little sister ended up going out and being stupid.

"Will did, sis." Hayley sighed as she ended the phone call. Her body felt exhausted from endless streams of sleepless nights. If she were lucky, her body would allow her to take a nap. She decided to at least try. When she got to her room, she opened all the windows, letting the autumn breeze in. Her bedroom instantly became cooler. Now a haze of clouds filled the once sunny sky. Somehow, the red and orange leaves seemed even livelier because of it.

Hayley laid on her bed, staring out the window at the forest just behind her house. She tried so hard to remember things from when she was a child. Why had she forgotten them, almost completely, until now? It was like her memories wanted to be found, like they needed to. While Hayley continued get lost in her thoughts, she gradually went to sleep.

As soon as she was deep enough into her slumber, nightmares and dreams invaded her mind. They were so unusual and strange that she really couldn't be deciphered between the two. To Hayley, they almost felt like memories. But it seemed as if there were pieces missing. The stranger that she tried so hard to remember took over her mind. But she continued to fail at ridding the blur that covered the details of him. Bits of conversations and voices kept repeating through her wish-wash visions. They kept overlapping and getting louder, making it harder for Hayley's mind to concentrate on their meaning. The words kept getting faster and faster, confusing her even more. Then suddenly, it all stopped.

"It's alright. You're safe. I would never allow anyone to harm you."

Hayley's eyes snapped open as she shot up in bed. Her breathing was heavy and her forehead was wet with droplets of sweat. The last words were said so clear and slow, there was no way she couldn't remember them after waking up. Her hand went over her chest, feeling the rapid beating of her heart.

She glanced outside to see that it was nighttime. The moon was full, making it feel even more haunting on Halloween night. The shades on her windows kept banging on the pane from the inconsistent gusts of wind. She'd fallen asleep before turning on any lights, leaving her house dark and eerie. But Hayley didn't notice, she was too busy wrapping her brain around those final words.

A plan started forming in her head. She knew it was stupid, compulsive, and dangerous. But she also knew if she was guessing right, it would work. Hayley jumped out of her bed and started getting dressed. She threw on light wash denim skinnies, a baggy t-shirt, her leather jacket, and matching combat boots. Janet would be mad at her for not wearing a costume, but there wasn't any time for that.

A little later, she was walking into a house party. Cups and trash already filled the wooden floors. The music made it nearly impossible to have any conversation, but she knew that was the point. Her hoodie was up as her hands were shoved into her pockets. She moved around the crowded party, saying hi to as few people as possible. In a few minutes, she was able to find Janet and her other friends. They were already significantly drunk, all of them cheering as soon as they spotted Hayley walking toward them.

"You came!" Janet yelled, giving her a sloppy hug as a greeting. Hayley spotted a bottle of tequila as soon as she pulled away. She snatched it, immediately taking a swig. "Someone is eager." Janet giggled.

Hayley wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve. "I plan on getting into some trouble tonight." She said to her friends. They all broke out into applause, not realizing how very serious she was being. It was all part of the plan.

An hour and a half later, with the help of her friends, Hayley was severely intoxicated. But she was still able to focus on the task at hand. Her friends were almost in worse shape than her, deciding it was probably a good idea to go home. Hayley helped Janet walk out the front door, making sure the got a safe ride home. As soon as she saw them drive away, she stared at her own car. There was no one on the front lawn of the house but her. She knew she was in no condition to drive. But if she had some sort of guardian angel, like her sister said, then they would stop her or save her in some way. Wouldn't they? Hayley fumbled through her pockets to grab her car keys. She had to focus just to get them into the keyhole of her car door.

"Now…I know you weren't planning on driving that car." Someone said behind her. Hayley froze for a second, but then quickly realized that it wasn't the voice she wanted to hear. She turned around to see her friend, Luke, stood a few feet behind her with a beer in his hand. He raised an eyebrow.

"No. I'm not an idiot. I was just going to get my wallet." Hayley lied effortlessly and now realized how stupid her plan was. It would never have been that simple to bring the mystery person out of the shadows.

"Nice costume." Luke joked sarcastically. He was dressed as a Top Gun pilot with a green flight suit and aviators on.

Hayley looked awkwardly down at her outfit. "Yeah…I decided to come a little last minute. I didn't really have time to plan anything." She put up her hands, apologetically for not being more committed. But the small movements combined with her intoxication made her lose her balance a little bit.

"Easy there." Luke said, quickly going to her side. "I think it's time for you to go home." He said carefully.

Hayley laughed. "I think…you're right." Then her smile disappeared as the failure and disappointment washed over her. "Can you drive me home?"

Luke shook her head. "I'm sorry…I would…I want to. But this is like my fifth beer." He explained. "Look, stay here. I'll find you a ride." He started walking back toward the front door, but Hayley stopped him.

"No, you know what? I'll walk home." She declared through slurred words.

"Hayley that will take you an hour." Luke pointed out.

"Probably."

"It's Halloween. There's a bunch of weirdoes out. I'm not letting you walk all the way home by yourself." He declared.

"Whatever. I'm doing it. I'll pick up my car tomorrow." Hayley didn't leave any room for him to stop her. She was already walking down the street. Her abrasiveness made it clear to Luke that she didn't want his company. Perhaps if he were sober, he wouldn't have care and gone with her anyway.

Hayley threw her hood up and shoved her hands into her leather jacket's pockets again. There were two routes she could take. The first was to stay on the main roads but it would take an hour, just like Luke stated. The other was to cut through neighborhoods, making her go through a rougher area of town. But it would take half as long. Since she wasn't in her right mind and a little pissed off, Hayley decided to take the shorter way.

She looked just a few feet in front of her head laid low, fighting the cold. But she suddenly didn't feel alone anymore. Her head picked up to see a man standing just a couple yards ahead of her, completely blocking the sidewalk. He stared at her darkly. Even an idiot would be able to sense that his intentions were anything but good. Hayley stopped abruptly, not saying a word and trying to appear unfazed.

"It's not very smart to walk around this late on your own." He said to her with a smirk. He took a step toward her ever so slowly. Hayley pulled her hands out of her pockets, getting prepared to do whatever it took to defend herself. She was a fast runner, but something in the back of her mind told her she wouldn't be able to outrun this man. "It's Halloween night, you never know what kind of people could be wandering about." The man spoke again.

Hayley didn't want to overreact but she also didn't want to die. There was no point in waiting to make a run for it. She quickly turned the other way to escape. But she ran into a second person. Hayley let out a gasp. It was a girl with black hair, dark skin, and eyes so green that they were terrifying. And she seemed to be with him. This didn't feel normal. What would these two people want with her? Hayley wondered. With all her strength, she pushed the girl out of her way. It was like trying to push a brick wall. But somehow, Hayley managed to at least shove past her. Instantly, her legs flew into a sprint that was worthy of a track star. But before she even reached the end of the street. Both of her attackers were calmly standing ahead of her. Hayley's combat boots skidded to a stop. That's impossible. She thought.

"What the fuck is going on?" Hayley whispered to herself. Both of them heard her and the girl rushed forward in a distortion. Now she was inches away from her face. "What…what are you?" Hayley gasped, unaware that she had said it aloud.

But the woman's only response was her eyes darkening, veins popping out, and fangs unleashing themselves. Hayley's eyes widened with horror at the sight. But she refused to go into shock. She quietly slipped her set of keys from her pocket. The second they were gripped in her fist, Hayley thrashed them across the girl's face and tried to make a run for it again. She heard her scream out in pain. But Hayley was only able to make it a few feet before someone grabbed her by the head and threw her to the ground. There was so much force behind it that her body slid across the rough pavement. Hayley rolled over onto her back and realized she now lay in the middle of the street. She tried to feel if she was injured and realized her right hand was bent in an unnatural way. When she tried to move it, she yelled out in pain. There was a jean rip over one of her knees, and she saw that there was blood covering the fabric around the opening.

"Scott! The fucking bitch cut me!" The girl screamed in fury a few yards away.

The man now hovered over Hayley. Stopping any chances of her being able to get up. His eyes found the cut on her knee and instantly, his features matched those of his partner. His jaw hung open, allowing Hayley to see his fangs. Then he looked just past her body. She followed his gaze to see that her wallet and cellphone had fallen out of her pocket. But it was obvious that they didn't want money. If they were the creatures she believed they were, the two of them wanted something scarier.

The man roughly grabbed her by the collar, ripping her off the ground. Hayley winced in pain, realizing that she had so many other injuries. Her body was bruised and broken, making it impossible to fight any longer.

"I always loved a girl with fire." The guy whispered to her. The feeling of his breath on her neck made Hayley feel sick. "I swear, it makes the blood taste even better." His mouth was at her neck. He grazed his fangs across her skin, but didn't bite into her neck yet. He wanted to hear her heart race from fear; her body frozen, before he enjoyed the feed.

"Scott, wait!" The girl was right next to him. He pulled away, annoyed, to see that she had Hayley's wallet in her hands. "What was the name of the girl that belonged to the originals…the one that's off limits? Klaus or his brother will kill us if she is." She asked him seriously.

Scott rolled his eyes angrily. "Hayley? Who cares?" He growled. But the other vampire slowly showed him the license inside the wallet. There was a slight flicker of emotion as he read the name on it. "It's a coincidence. Stop being paranoid." He turned his attention back to Hayley. As a last effort to save her life or give her just a few more seconds of life, Hayley tried to stab her keys into his side with her good hand. But Scott saw this coming and stopped the assault right before it drove into him. He twisted her hand; causing so much pain that she had no choice but drop the keys. The next thing she felt was his fangs ripping into her neck.

As Hayley felt the life being slowly drained, her mind wandered. What a fool she had been for thinking she had some sort of guardian angel, some savior to protect her from any danger that threatened her. Now she believed she'd been so imaginative as a child that the mysterious man had been completely made up, an imaginary friend. It didn't matter if she died. Her parents would pretend to care. The only people that would truly be hurt were her sister, Janet, and just hardly a handful of other friends. It was better that they killed her rather than someone more loved.

But just before Hayley lost all hope of survival, she was let go. It came out of nowhere that she collapsed to the ground, only able to hold up her body with her forearms. She looked up to see that there was someone else there now. His back was to hers. Then she felt a drop of some kind of liquid and looked down to see that the bite on her neck was dripping blood all over her hands.

"We didn't know she was the one." The girl immediately said to the stranger. Hayley was confused when she heard the fear in the vampire's voice.

"I wasn't going to kill her." Scott lied in his panic.

Hayley wondered if her life had even been saved. The two vampires obviously feared this man. If he were even more dangerous, shouldn't she fear him just as much? But before she could think about it any longer, the sight in front of her interrupted her thoughts. In a second, the stranger had chopped off both of the vampires' heads only with his hand. But Hayley still didn't know if she should feel more terror or be relieved. She attempted to stand up and then realized a light post was only a few feet away. Using it for balance, she managed to get up. But once she stood, she was only able to put weight on one of her legs. Her good arm cradled her broken hand against her chest, keeping it from moving.

Then the man finally turned around, allowing her to finally see his face. She squinted at him. A weird sensation spread throughout her body, a feeling of familiarity. Her heart raced, not from fear, but from recognition. "Elijah?" Hayley whispered, completely unaware of where the name had come from. How had it come to her so easily now? She blinked a few times, the trauma finally hitting her. With all of the alcohol still in her system also, it started becoming hard to focus.

Elijah looked over her body, observing the condition she was in. His attention immediately shot to the gash in her neck from the vampire. It still dripped thick red blood. Then her lids flickered. Hayley swayed away from the light post, about to collapse to the pavement. But he was next to her second. She could only feel him at her side since her eyes refused to focus on anything.

Elijah feared she would die if he didn't do something immediately. She had lost a lot of blood and was probably suffering from more injuries than he could even see. Without thinking about it any longer, he bit into his wrist.

"Hayley, drink the blood." He instructed firmly as he held it just under her mouth. She hesitated at the command. None of it made any sense. What world had she been thrown into? "You won't even make it to the hospital if you don't drink it." Elijah pushed further, hoping he could scare her enough to take it. A few more seconds of hesitancy and she finally put her mouth to his wrist, reluctantly drinking the vampire blood. He let out a sigh of relief.

Hayley stepped away, looking Elijah in the eyes. As if it were the first time seeing him ever. Elijah waited, expecting her to say something. She knew who he was. He swore he'd heard her gasp his name. But instead of Hayley saying anything, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell into Elijah's arms. He glanced around to see if anyone still hadn't noticed the scene that had unfolded. But it was the middle of the night. And the street was just as dead as when he'd arrived.

Elijah barely even glanced at the two headless corpses. He would send someone to clean up the mess. His focus was on someone else. He picked Hayley up into his arms and sped off at vampire speed. She should be fine now that she had his blood in her system. But if for some reason she died from her injuries, she would become a vampire.

Hayley slept on his couch. Fortunately, her breathing was deep and even, proving she was bouncing back from her injuries. A square of moonlight fell on her body perfectly. It made her pale skin glow and her blonde-red hair shimmer as it fanned around her head. Elijah took all of her in. Earlier, he was too concerned about her life and the other vampires to truly look at her.

It was the first time seeing Hayley since he left her when she was twelve. But he hadn't left her; he'd abandoned her. It wasn't until the night of her birthday that he had returned. Except, he wouldn't let her see him because he knew he wouldn't be able to keep away. Even earlier today, Elijah knew she could sense his presence, watching from such a far distance.

But it wasn't until now he could see the changes in her since he'd first laid eyes on her. Hayley was no longer a child. The beautiful young woman that now slept in front of him overcame Elijah. She was tall and very thin, her body feminine in a model's way. Her long legs took up the entire couch that she laid on. He moved his gaze up, taking in her features. Her lips, full and pink, were slightly parted as she breathed in her sleep. There were small shadows cast on her cheeks from her strong cheekbones. Her eyelashes were thick and dark with her eyes closed.

Elijah tried not to think about how she could have died had he not found her in time. He'd gone to her house, finally believing it was time to face her. But she was nowhere to be found. He didn't know how or why, but Elijah felt like he needed to find her. As soon as he saw her abandoned car at the party, he knew she would need him. But he still didn't understand why she would walk alone so late at night. It was like she had been looking for trouble.

Hayley then stirred in her sleep. Her eyes slowly opened and then immediately caught Elijah's. The blue-green color that had mesmerized him at the very start was exactly the same. Her expression was hesitant and uneasy. "You're real." Hayley gasped as she slowly sat up. He couldn't stop the satisfaction when he heard her heartbeat speed up. He smirked at how amazing she found his presence. Then her forehead creased in confusion. "You saved my life." She stated, even though he was already well aware.

"You look exactly the same." Hayley whispered, still staring at him as if he would disappear at any second. "It's because you're one of them isn't it?" She urged. Elijah wondered how much she had picked up that night. Apparently, it was a lot. "You're a vampire." She stated, waiting for an indication that she was right. It wasn't any more outrageous than what she had believed as a child. Before, she'd questioned if Elijah was a time traveler, a ghost, and not that long ago, a guardian angel. He just silently nodded his head for a response.

"How are you feeling?" Elijah finally spoke.

That's when Hayley realized she wasn't sensing all the pain from before. She glanced down at her body in amazement. There was still soreness and a headache but other than that, all of her broken bones had been healed.

"I'm fine." She said. He nodded his head.

This was nothing like the other times they were together. Hayley seemed to feel it to, for she looked around his apartment. "You've never taken me anywhere but home before." She spoke softly to herself. Now that he was there, all their past encounters came flooding back into her memory.

"You were just a child. The circumstances were quite different." Elijah said as he looked down at the ground. He looked over to see that Hayley was now lost in her thoughts. This meeting would be different; they both knew that.

"What is this?" Hayley finally whispered.

Elijah avoided her intense gaze. "You have been through quite a lot. You should rest." He advised as he started to get up from his seat at the coffee table that was only a foot or two away from the couch.

"No. That's not going to work." Hayley surprised him by retorting. When she realized she had his attention, she continued. "I deserve to know the truth. You've been sheltering me ever since we met. I may not remember much but that's probably because I never really knew the whole story." Her stubbornness was shining. She'd possessed it as a child too, but now it was mixed with confidence.

After a slight hesitation, Elijah nodded his head, knowing that it was true. She had the right to be frustrated. He'd kept her in the dark for years and years. A long time ago, he'd promised Hayley he would tell her everything. That day had come. He just wasn't any more prepared for it now than he had been then.

Hayley moved her legs so they hugged against her chest, leaving the other side of the couch open. Elijah took the seat with his posture and demeanor so well mannered. He motioned with his hand for her to ask anything she wished. Her eyes were already narrowed at him, trying to read him.

"Why did you keep coming back? I was so young. I don't understand what your motives were." Hayley said carefully to him. "I still don't." She added quietly.

Elijah wanted to tell her absolutely everything. But explaining that a powerful witch had recited a prophecy, foreseeing they were meant for one another, would only scare her. He was sure of it. How unfair would it be to throw such expectation onto her young heart? Elijah was set on giving her a choice. Prophecy or no prophecy, he wasn't going to drag her into the world of the supernatural unless it was what she wished. Even though she'd fallen into it a few times already.

"I was told, by a witch, to save you." He took in a deep breath. "Her magic was something I have never dealt with and cannot explain it to you for I have yet to understand it myself." His thoughts wandered to that night. "I saw flickers of you in a vision. It was never foretold when or where I would find you."

Hayley could already sense that there were parts Elijah was leaving out. But she kept quiet, still appreciating what she was figuring out. "You knew, even when I was that young? You knew who I was?" She whispered in shock. He nodded his head calmly. She shook her head at the thought. "So you were supposed to save me from those two?" Hayley asked him darkly.

There was a beat of silence. "Although, it may be hard to believe, there are things in this world that are more horrifying than vampires." Elijah stated darkly. He spoke of a darkness that could consume her. To him, that was more terrifying than any werewolf or vampire. But that was the one thing he was certain of: waiting to clarify what exactly he was meant to save her from.

"Why did you have to keep leaving?" Hayley asked sadly. "Why couldn't you just stay?" Now she was imagining how different her life would have been. Just having him, someone so kind and supportive, at her side.

"There are troublesome aspects of my life that I refuse to involve you in. It is never safe to associate with vampires. I did it to protect you from my enemies." Elijah said seriously, hoping she could detect the honesty in what he spoke.

"They said something about you…I think they called you an original or something. But they talked about more than one." Hayley was thinking aloud, trying to remember their precise words. The alcohol and trauma were not helping.

Elijah's gaze shot up when she said that they had mentioned more than one original. He stood up and walked to the window, hoping it would stop her from noticing his mild worry at the thought of Niklaus. "What exactly did they say?" He hoped it would clear up how much his brother knew about her.

Hayley ran her fingers through her hair, concentrating on the memory. "Um…she said I was off limits because I belonged to the originals." He muttered quickly as soon as she remembered. "She said someone's name…not yours. It was a name I've never heard before…Klaus! She said that if I was harmed, he would kill whoever was responsible." Once she said it aloud, she became confused. After reciting it, she then realized how strange it sounded. "What does that mean? Who's Klaus?" She asked Elijah carefully. He seemed to become tensed as soon as she brought up the strange name. Tension filled the room.

"Niklaus is my brother." Elijah responded coldly with his arms crossed.

"So that means the other original they were talking about was you." Hayley confirmed. "Apparently, everyone thinks I belong to the two of you." She didn't hide the annoyance in her voice when she said it. She didn't belong to anyone. Even if she was the weaker species, she was no one's property.

Just for a moment, Elijah's seriousness faltered as a small smirk appeared. He couldn't help but find her reaction amusing. "You belong to no one." He confirmed, showing he caught what she'd meant. "That was never my intention when I made the threat well known in the vampire world." His eyes turned to look out the window again at the full moon as he spoke. In the corner of his vision, he saw Hayley carefully get up from the couch. He turned around to find her not even a foot away from him. His eyes gazed into hers.

"You haven't looked at me once tonight. It seems like you are, but you haven't actually looked at me." Hayley whispered softly. And it was true. Elijah had continued to try and tear his stare away at every chance. It was only when she had been asleep that he allowed himself to truly perceive her. Fully knowing he wouldn't reply, Hayley continued. Her eyes went to the ground. "It wasn't just about saving my life, was it?" She muttered. "There was more to this…prophecy."

Elijah questioned when she had scene through his façade. He wondered if she was able to see, even now, the feelings he had for her. He'd made a promise that he wouldn't tell her that part of the witch's vision until later. But she'd figured it out on her own so he doubted there was even a point to lying any longer. After a moment, he nodded his head, displaying that her predictions were correct.

Hayley didn't know what made her do it, a pull of some sort. But she found herself gently placing her palm on the side of Elijah's cheek. As soon as their skin made contact, the strange sensation started in her heart and spread through the rest of her body. "Do you feel that?" She gasped.

The entire time, Elijah couldn't stop staring at her eyes. "I felt it the day I met you. I believe it's stronger for me than it is for you." He laughed lightly. It felt strange finally talking about all of this with her. After all the time waiting, he thought it would be easier when she actually knew the truth. But he was lost, completely unaware of what to do. Except, he suddenly found his hands moving to the small of her back. His body yearned for the touch of her skin.

Hayley discovered herself playing with the knot of his tie. Then her eyes slowly moved up to his. She tilted her head up. Elijah could hear her breathing falter, unsure of herself. She was waiting for him to stop her, for him to say that it wasn't right. But Elijah planned on doing nothing of the sort. To prove it, he closed the distance between their lips the second before they touched. Their kiss was fast and passionate. It was like fate controlled them, tired of waiting for them to truly be together. He felt her hand against his cheek while the other grazed up his neck. In response, his grip tightened around her waist, earning him a small gasp from her. From then on, he knew he would never be able to let her go. The reality of their fate was so much sweeter than either of them could have ever imagined. He felt Hayley's heart beating faster and faster as their hunger increased. He gently pulled away. They were at a fragile stage and he would never do anything to ruin it. She was the only good he'd ever had in his life, the only thing he could call his own.

Thoughts? Feelings? Emotions?

Talk to me, my friends. tell me all of your secrets. MWAHA