I apologize for the wait, once again. I didn't get that much feedback on the last chapter. And I've been preoccupied with my friends going back to school and for me preparing to do the same. All of it was making me lose any motivation and inspiration to write this. So it was sort of a struggle.

But thank you to the few who reviewed the last part.

Once Hayley felt Elijah pull away, she looked at the ground. Her cheeks blushed; something Elijah guessed was rare. "I'm…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." She stuttered quietly. Her finger put a strand of hair behind her ear uncomfortably. "I don't why..." She lamely defended. But Hayley was completely aware of why she did it, as was Elijah. "This must be weird. I'm still a child to you." She laughed nervously.

Hayley looked up to see that he was about to say something. But she didn't want to hear it, whether he disagreed or agreed with her statement. There was a certain panic that had formed inside her. For some reason, she was scared of what Elijah might feel. And she couldn't figure out how she wanted him to feel about her. She just didn't know what she wanted. Finding something to change the subject, Hayley quickly looked down at herself. Although her wounds and broken bones had healed, her clothes were still covered with blood.

"Does this bother you?" She asked him. How could he stand the scent or even the sight of blood? Didn't it make him want to kill her right there?

"It bothers me to see you covered in blood. But not in the way you believe. I have far greater self control than you give me credit for." Elijah stated calmly. Before she'd brought it up, he was about to tell her that he no longer saw her as a child. But it was too late to try and convince her otherwise. He was catching on that she wasn't very good at expressing how she felt. And he assumed their confusing predicament only made it harder for her. But Elijah wouldn't push her.

"I just realized I didn't…" Hayley started. "Thank you…for saving my life." Her hand twisted around her other wrist. "I would've died if you didn't show up."

"May I ask what made you believe walking alone at such an hour was a good idea?" Elijah asked her severely. Now that she was okay, he thought it was appropriate to point out how irresponsible her choice had been.

Hayley took another step away from him. Elijah hated the sight of the space between them. "I was just an idiot." She said it so evenly. There was hardly a jump in her heart rate. Elijah wondered how she got so good at lying.

"Humor me." He added seriously, showing her that he wasn't going to let it go so easily. His arms crossed as he waited for her to continue. In response, Hayley glared at him. She was stubborn and didn't like how well Elijah handled it.

Hayley sighed, seeing no way out of it. "I had a dream…I guess they were more like memories I'd forgotten. But…you said that you'd never let anyone harm me. I thought if I got into some kind of trouble, you would finally show yourself. Obviously I never intended on running into vampires. I didn't even know they existed. But I knew you were out there." Hayley stopped after that. She didn't want to remind herself how pathetic and desperate her plan had been.

Elijah couldn't be mad at Hayley for expecting him to save her, because he couldn't imagine her in danger without him being there to stop it. "Hayley, I hope you are aware of how careless your actions were."

He instantly caught a flicker of anger cross her eyes. "Thanks for the condescending tip, but I think I figured it out on my own." Hayley almost hissed at him. "Almost dying is punishment enough, I don't really need a lecture too." Then, like a switch, her eyes looked down at the ground as they filled with sadness. "I didn't know what else to do…I thought if I found you I could…" Then Hayley stopped abruptly, realizing she didn't want to finish what she was about to say. Her eyes glanced over at her leather jacket that Elijah had folded so nicely over the arm of the couch. She hastily marched over and grabbed it. "I should probably get home." She muttered without look at him. But when she took a few steps to the doorway, he was already standing in her path. She watched him carefully.

"You're still recovering from traumatic injuries. I'd prefer if you stayed here for the night." Elijah said seriously. But he really wanted to tell her that he wasn't ready for her to go. Usually he was the one doing the leaving, not her.

"I'm fine. I just want to take a shower and go to bed. Besides, this is usually the point where you leave anyway." Hayley said bleakly. It wasn't until now that Elijah was able to truly see the darkness that he refused to believe could destroy her. Just in this conversation, he could tell it was hard for her to trust him. And he hated how it reminded him of the brother he was trying so hard to end.

Hayley took a step to get around Elijah, but he followed. Then he took a step closer, leaving only inches between their faces. "When your rage consumes you, your only solution is to run." He said slow and evenly. The jump in her heartbeat only further proved he was right. "Even though it is hard for you to remember…I can recall every detail of our encounters." He added more softly. "I am not a stranger, Hayley. The sooner you admit it to yourself, the easier it will be for you to trust me." He didn't break eye contact as he waited for her to give any sort of response. She wasn't used to such things being said to her and it made her uncomfortable.

Hayley shifted her weight anxiously. And just like that, her anger disappeared. She realized how horrible she was acting toward him. And she never knew why she did it. The reaction had just grown into a habit. Hayley was so used to being ignored or left alone that she learned not to expect anything from anyone. As a result, she reacted in the worst way possible when Elijah did the exact opposite. He exceeded every expectation she wouldn't admit to having.

"Even if I did allow you to leave…" Elijah started. "You have no idea where you are." He raised an eyebrow at her with a smirk. The seriousness from his last statement had disappeared. Now he found her stubbornness and emotionlessness entertaining, and for some reason, slightly endearing.

Hayley glared and grabbed her phone from her jacket. "It must be hard remembering what century you live in. But in this one, we have technology." Her dry sarcasm only made Elijah smile even more. He knew she had expected him to be more insulted than entertained by her comment. Without replying, he took the jacket out of her hands and put it on the kitchen counter next to them. It was his polite way of telling her there was no way she was leaving.

Hayley didn't even bother protesting. This fight was an unfair one. He was a vampire and she was human. Clearly the odds were not in her favor. Then she thought of something. Her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed. "So you're a vampire, and apparently an original. Whatever that means." It may seem odd that she handled the idea of vampires existing so well. But it was only because her mind was a very imaginative one already. Her thoughts were always filled with fantasy and unrealistic things. Perhaps her heart yearned for the oddness so much that when it came, she believed it quite easily.

"How old are you?" Hayley asked him, unable to hide her curiosity.

Elijah took a step closer to her. But this time, she stood her ground. "I am over a thousand years old." He stated calmly. Even though Hayley kept a straight face, he could read her surprise by the jump of her heart.

"I didn't realize you were such an old man." She tilted her head with mischief in her eyes. Humor, sarcasm, and cleverness were her ways of dealing with life.

Elijah took another step toward her, deciding he would play her game. "An old man that you just kissed, may I remind you?" He took pleasure in seeing her jaw clench from clearly losing their little game. He looked down at her clothing. All the fun was instantly misplaced when he was thrashed back to reality. "If you wish, you may use the bathroom. Anything that would make you feel more comfortable." Elijah said with the manners of a true gentleman. He didn't notice that the kindness caught Hayley off guard. Even as a child, she would notice certain gestures that she'd never spotted with any other boy or man. But it didn't mean that she was used to them.

"Thank you." She replied meekly. When he said such genuine things, it was hard for her to reply with her usual sarcasm. Then she looked up to see his hand pointed to an open door. Hayley slowly walked toward it to see a bedroom.

For the first time that night, she noticed the apartment he'd taken her to. To call it an apartment was an understatement, seeing as it was more like a penthouse. It was lavishly decorated and was probably worth millions of dollars. The floors were made of marble; any carpet seen was lush and extravagant. The walls and doorways were lined with gold intricacies. Chandeliers and exquisite paintings filled all the rooms. Hayley felt like she was in a chateau, not an actually home. She let out a quiet breath when her eyes looked through the windows that covered an entire wall of the room. Brightly lit skyscrapers filled the view. The apartment seemed to be fairly high up in the city sky. Then she realized they were in the city, a solid drive away from the quiet suburbs where her home was.

"The bathroom is right through there." Elijah's voice said just a foot or two behind her. The sound made Hayley jump as she quickly turned around. She'd been lost in admiring the incredible view. Her eyes followed his to a closed door at the other side of the bedroom. Without saying a word, she quickly open and closed the door behind her. Just like the rest of the place, the bathroom was fancy and finely decorated. Hayley looked at her reflection in the mirror and felt like she was looking at a stranger. Yes, her clothes were covered in blood and her skin was horrible purple and black from the countless bruises. But what caught her attention was the difference that she could not figure out. Her eyes were brighter and her skin seemed to be glowing. It was like a switch had been turned on inside of her. But then Hayley rubbed her eyes with her hands, feeling like she was losing it. And without looking at the mirror again, she stripped her clothes off and jumped in the huge shower, heating the water as far as possible.

Scorching hot water trickled down her body. Hayley glanced down at the drain to see some of it was died a disturbing red. Although the blood was being washed away, her problems were far from gone. Her mind wandered to Elijah. She couldn't understand why she was acting so strange, being cruel to him instead of just savoring his very presence. But that was when she was a child and didn't understand the complexity of their relationship. Now her feelings confused and irritated her. She didn't know why her heart beat faster every time she saw him. Or why his gaze would never let her look away.

Hayley was unaware of how much time had passed. But she was done being a coward and hiding from him. She turned off the water and grabbed the black towel from the rack, wrapping it around her body. She glanced at the pile of clothes on the bathroom floor. There was no point in showering if she was going to put them back on. She knotted the towel around her, making sure it was secure. Opening a few drawers, she managed to find a comb. But that was the only utensil that seemed to be useful to her in any way. Hayley gazed at her reflection one last time before leaving the bathroom.

She stopped abruptly when she saw Elijah's back to her. He was in the bedroom, staring out the window just as she had before entering the bathroom. Then she realized how wrong she appeared, just standing in only a towel. But then she'd convinced herself that Elijah couldn't see her in such a way.

But just then he turned around to face her. Although, to Hayley, he remained poised. Elijah was not expecting to find her standing in nothing but a towel with her hair combed and wet. Her long legs were even more exposed than before. Elijah looked up to see her look quiet uncomfortable as she put a wet strand of hair behind her ear. Hayley didn't realize how much she was begging for him to take her right there. Elijah may be good at controlling his blood thirst, but this was something entirely different. She was completely unaware of her effects on him.

"Sorry. I didn't expect you to be in here." Hayley said without looking him in the eye. She shifted her weight.

"I apologize for intruding. I only wished to see if you needed any clothes." Elijah said properly. A small smirk appeared on his lips, verifying that he was attentive to her lack of clothing, unlike she believed.

But Hayley said nothing. She refused to ask for anything from him. It was unlike her to be dependent and needy on others. Elijah instantly recognized this and took a step closer to her. "Unfortunately, all I possess is-" He began.

"Is suits?" Hayley interrupted. She never noticed his wardrobe when she was younger. It was old fashioned and that of a gentleman. But now, she grasped how much of his attire reflected his vampire nature. It reminded her that he didn't actually belong in this time.

Elijah cleared his throat and put his hands into his pant pockets. "I am afraid so." He said with amusement dancing in his eyes.

But Hayley was then confused at how a wave of relief washed over her. Then she realized she was glad that he didn't have any other clothes. He could have offered women's clothes from someone he once knew, perhaps a lover. Hayley recognized that she'd just barely missed the feelings of jealously.

Elijah then gestured to another door in the extravagant bedroom. She assumed it was his closet. She hadn't realized this was his bedroom until now. Her feet slowly walked toward the closet. She could feel Elijah following close behind.

Hayley opened the door to find a huge closet with countless suits, dress shirts, and tailored pants. Shoes lined one wall, all shined to perfection. She looked down at her black towel and touched her wet hair. Suddenly, she didn't feel like she belonged in this place. Elijah stepped past her to a set of wooden drawers. He grabbed a white, sleeveless, undershirt. Hayley took it carefully from him.

"Use whatever you wish." Elijah said softly to her before leaving the closet and shutting the door behind him. Hayley sighed, as her eyes looked around at all the clothes. She dropped the towel, knowing that Elijah was too much of a gentleman to intrude on her. She threw on the tank top, grabbed a pair of cotton pajama bottoms that she assumed he had never worn.

Elijah waited in the sitting room area, where he first brought Hayley. It was the most casual part of the estate. There was no need for the whole place to be so lavish but Rebekah had insisted on it. That all happened right before Klaus daggered and threw her to sea. Before the wretched thoughts could overwhelm his mind, Elijah heard Hayley slowly walk into the room.

Her hair was still wet. But the towel had been replaced with his shirt and pants. In the most innocent way, she was absolutely beautiful. Before he could say anything to her, he caught her staring at the wine glass in his hand.

"Is that blood?" Hayley asked quietly. Elijah put down the glass behind him, hoping it would lessen her curiosity. But she took a step forward. "Do you kill people…to drink?" She asked him.

"Not anymore." Elijah stated calmly.

"But you did?"

He nodded. "I have killed more people than you can ever imagine. All of the treacherous things that come with being a vampire, I have been a victim to, just like all the rest." He said all of it so seriously that he heard her heart jump a little bit.

Hayley took in a deep breath. "Why are you telling me this?" She didn't see the point in trying to scare her. If he still saw her as a child, he would have lied. But no matter what he said, she wasn't going to believe it. She knew what she felt and it wasn't what he was trying to force.

"Because under no circumstances do I wish for you to believe that I am good." Elijah said almost sadly.

"But it's not true." She surprised him by saying. "You saved me. If you were evil, I would be dead right now." And it was true.

"One good deed does not make up for lifetimes of murder and suffering. I am a monster, Hayley. I may appear human, but I am far from it." Elijah replied curtly.

Her eyes suddenly shot into his. "Can I see them?" She whispered. For a moment, he tilted his head, about to question what she meant. But then he understood that she was asking to see his eyes and fangs. The two vampires that attacker her didn't hesitate to show their true nature. It was the only reason she knew he was able to do the same thing. She wished to see his true vampire nature. It was something he hadn't exposed for quite some time. He wasn't even able to remember the last time he did.

Elijah shook his head at her request. Although he wanted her to realize he wasn't good, he never wanted her to see him in that state. But as if she could read his mind, her composure softened. And in that moment, the light Hayley had as a child could be seen again.

"You're not going to scare me." She said firmly, yet her tone was gentle.

Elijah watched her for a moment, not wanting to miss a moment of her kindness that she didn't like to show or acknowledge. He finally took a deep breath before showing her what she wanted. He could feel his fangs quickly sliding from his gums while his eyes turned red and veins writhed underneath. His jaw slacked a little since the fangs fought to feed rather than staying inside a closed mouth. Instead of looking into her eyes, he looked at the ground. But then he felt a cold hand on his cheek. His gaze turned to see Hayley watching him with concern and sympathy. Before Elijah knew what was happening his fangs were retracting and his eyes were slowly changing back to normal. Under her touch, it all disappeared.

"See…" Hayley whispered. "You're not a monster. It doesn't control you, you control it." Then, as if she realized how nice she was being, she stepped away. Elijah instantly disliked the separation, wanting nothing more than to keep the feeling of her touch. Hayley didn't know why she felt the need to prove to him that he wasn't a monster. Her brain wanted to believe she owed it to him for saving her life. But truthfully, she did it simply because it hurt her to see that he saw himself in such a way. Then Hayley wondered why she could accept that he'd killed so many people. But then she realized that he killed two more to save her life. A part of her was persuaded that she couldn't hold any of it against him. Elijah wasn't human, just like he said. Vampires attracted death and sorrow. There was no stopping it.

"Why do you refuse it?" Elijah asked her softly.

Hayley squinted and shrugged her shoulders. "What are you talking about?"

"You act as if you are cold and heartless. When someone is the opposite in return, it frightens you. But I can see there are lighter things still within." He told her slowly and carefully. Elijah knew that she there was good still in her. Her parents and the dark world couldn't have destroyed what little light she still possessed.

He expected her to give him a sharp retort or maybe even yell. However, Hayley did neither. Instead, her eyes seem to be filling with tears. But she turned away before he could be sure or before the tears could truly fall. Then she looked around the room again, desperate for something to use. "Well, I guess you have me all figured out, don't you?" She replied as her hand went to her face, making sure no tears had fallen. Even though he was right, she refused to give up on her act.

"Do you live here all alone?" She asked in awe.

Elijah let her change the subject, knowing that he couldn't push her. "Yes. But I will not take responsibility for its over-extravagance. It was my sister. I believe she may have got a little ahead of herself."

"How far does it go?" Hayley asked in amazement as she looked down a straight hallway that never seemed to end.

"There are a few floors…I never really bother going to any of it. I mostly stay in this wing." Elijah sounded bored talking about the place. Just when he glanced over at Hayley, a long yawn escaped from her.

She noticed that he caught it. "What time is it?"

Elijah glanced at the watch on his wrist. "2 o'clock in the morning. Forgive me, I have kept you up." He spoke so properly to her now and it bothered her. She walked over to the couch and sat down, annoyed with his formalities. "Hayley, I am not going to let you sleep on the couch. There are plenty of rooms for you to stay in." The idea of her sleeping there was ridiculous to him.

"I don't need or want to stay in one of your suites." Hayley replied bleakly.

"Must you always be so stubborn?" Elijah asked, trying not to roll his eyes.

She lay down on the couch and closed her eyes. "Yes."

He exhaled in frustration. There was no point in arguing with her. But his expression softened when he glanced at her again, free to gaze not that her eyes were closed. "Happy Birthday." Elijah told her softly. Her eyes opened to look at him in confusion. "I know it has technically passed, but I was unable to give you my wishes in person." He said calmly.

"It was from you." Hayley whispered, trying to hide her astonishment. She spoke the art supplies that had mysteriously appeared in her bedroom. Then she realized how well he knew her for buying such a gift. It instantly made her feel guilty for accusing him of being a stranger.

Elijah didn't acknowledge and answer her claims. "Goodnight, Hayley."

He gave her once last look before walking to a different part, leaving Hayley alone in his wing of the manor. At vampire speed, he moved to the other side of the home. He decided to sit in the room that had the indoor pool. Elijah just needed to get far enough away that he could no longer hear the beating of Hayley's heart. The water and echoing were enough to do it. The sound of it made it impossible for him to leave her alone. Her expression, when he said she wasn't as coldhearted as she pretended, kept replaying in his mind. But his thoughts were interrupted when his cell phone chimed in his pocket. Before it could hit the second ring, he answered it.

"Hello." Elijah greeted calmly.

"I wish to make a deal with you, Elijah." A female voice said. It was one he didn't recognize right away. Before, he had guessed it would be one of his many witch or vampire companions that had aided his cause in some way.

"Rose-Marie." He said without any emotion. There was silence on the other end, only confirming that it truly was her. "What could you possibly possess to offer me?" Elijah stated darkly. She had been running from the originals for half a millennium. If she believed she'd found a reason to stop running, it was probably something that would at least interest him a little.

"You would never believe it. I think it's best that you see for yourself. But trust me when I say that it is worth your while." The fear in her voice was completely readable by him. She would never risk such a thing if she weren't certain he would want to see what she was talking about.

"Where are you?" Elijah almost growled.

"Mystic Falls, Virginia. If need be, I could bring it to you." Rose offered.

Elijah glanced in the direction of the wing where Hayley lay asleep. Whatever this was, he didn't want it anywhere near her. "No." He commanded roughly. "Stay where you are. I will be there in half a day's time." He hung up the phone without giving Rose any time to give him another response.

There was no time to waste. It was obvious he had important business to manage now. Without meaning to, Elijah was back at his personal wing of the manor. He carefully walked to the sitting room and found Hayley deep in her slumber on the couch. Just earlier that night she made a remark about him always leaving. It was what she expected, but clearly not what she really wanted. Elijah didn't want to leave her. But he had guessed the reason for Rose calling was that she'd found Katarina.

Elijah had never known what to expect before mixing two worlds. But he never thought it would be easy. His life was still run by revenge and hate toward his brother. But once he found out about Hayley, there was another purpose he could choose. And he did choose it, but without giving up the other. The result was the clashing of his love for this girl and his supernatural struggle that was fueled by vengeance. He hoped the latter one wouldn't be all he was left with in the end.

Hayley stirred in her sleep, a sign that even in her sleep she could feel his presence. Elijah breathed slowly and calmly as he took her in one last time. He would be back; that, he was sure of. But it didn't change the fact that he didn't want to leave her again. It would only make it harder for her when he came back.

The sun spilling through the wall of windows awaked Hayley. Her eyes fluttered open and immediately realizing that she didn't recognize the room she was in. She quickly sat up to realize she wasn't on the couch. Instead, she lay in a lush bed, covered by gold bedding. Half a dozen pillows lay behind her. It was a canopy bed with gold curtains tied around each bedpost.

Hayley ran her hands through her hair in confusion. Then a knock sounded at the door. She jumped at the sound. But once she contained herself, she muttered an irritated welcome. Immediately, she expected to see Elijah walking into the room. But to her surprising disappointment, an older man entered in his place. His black hair was beginning to grey and he was dressed in a simple black and white uniform that appeared very old fashioned.

"Excuse me if I startled you." He said politely with a small smile. "I'm Charles, the butler of the manor." He didn't take any steps further into the room. As he spoke, he simply stood just a foot or two away from the open door.

Hayley jaw immediately dropped. "He has a butler?" She asked with a mix of amazement and irritation.

The reaction caused a small smirk from Charles. "Yes. You must understand that it's quite necessary for such a large estate. I'm only here to make sure it is kept in good condition." Hayley noticed how he seemed to be defending Elijah and the extravagant home he owned.

"How did I get in here?" She asked him suspiciously.

Charles cleared his throat. "Mr. Mikaelson brought you in here himself." He clarified. "I don't think he was rather found about the idea of you sleeping on a couch." He added quietly. "May I make you some breakfast?" His mood completely brightened at the idea of actually serving someone.

Hayley laughed at the excitement. "I'm fine. Thank you." She'd never been waited on. Her life was quite the opposite. She was independent and did everything for herself. It felt wrong having it any other way after getting so used to it.

Charles seemed to expect such a response and nodded calmly. Then he finally walked further into the room, stopping just next to the bed. He held out an envelope with her name perfectly written on it. "Mr. Mikaelson asked for me to give this to you as soon as you denied breakfast." Hayley glared at the envelope, as if it were Elijah himself, before slowly grabbing it. She ripped it open to find a hand written letter in flawless cursive. Her eyes raced across the words.

I apologize for my abrupt departure. It was never my intention to leave you again so soon. But something unexpected was brought to my attention. I intend on returning as soon as my business has been settled. I am able to assure you that the wait will not be anywhere near as long as the rest.

Charles may assist you in any way possible. But I am already aware you will deny any service he offers. You may stay here as long as you wish. Everything in the manor is yours for the using.

Elijah

I apologize for anything I said last night that may have upset you in the slightest bit. I promise that was never my intention.

Hayley read the last part a dozen times. After a moment of just staring at the letter blankly, she finally looked up at Charles. She could tell by his expression that he had already been warned of what her reaction would be from reading the letter. He looked kindhearted and a little sad just from watching her.

"He's gone?" She whispered.

"Yes, miss. He left in the middle of the night." He said almost sympathetically.

"Where was he going?" She asked, still confused at why he would leave in such a way. Every other time, he had said goodbye. Never had he just left her.

"He did not say. I'm afraid he never does. I assume that's the nature of all vampires." Charles sighed. Then he caught the hidden amazement in Hayley's eyes when he mentioned vampires. "Oh dear. You didn't think I wasn't aware, did you?"

Hayley shook her head in embarrassment. "You're right. It would probably be a lot easier to explain the no aging thing to his butler that way." Before Charles could respond, she was quickly getting out of bed.

"You can't possibly be leaving already." He said in confusion.

Hayley spotted her clothes in a neat pile, folded on top of a chair. "Actually, I can. Thank you. But I'm not going to wait around in this mansion. I'm going home." She muttered as politely as she could while she blinded with anger.

"But you have no way of getting there." Charles argued.

She threw her hair up into a messy pony tale. "I'll take the train. It doesn't really matter. I can get home on my own." That was the last thing she said to him before leaving the bedroom.

A few minutes later, she reached the bottom floor of the building and was in the streets of the city. In only took a few seconds to recognize where she was. And she quickly walked to the train station. Hayley knew Elijah believed that would stop her from leaving. But she was too angry to stay like he wanted her to. She didn't understand why it bothered her so much that he left suddenly. After all, it's what she accused him of last night. But most of all, Hayley was confused at how Elijah had unexpectedly went from being a stranger to having such an effect on her and taking up all her thoughts and emotions.

Just a fun fact: Elijah's Chicago manor was inspired by the new york penthouse in Meet Joe Black. Hopefully that gives a good visual for everyone.

A need some R&R friends :/