Chapter Thirteen: The First of Many

Hayley woke up one morning a few days later to find a pair of soft blue eyes staring at her. Perched on the chair across the room, Eve sat and watched Hayley as the younger wolf woke from a deep sleep.

"Eve?" Hayley mumbled. "What are you-?" Hayley's eyes snapped open, suddenly wide awake. "The pack-?,"

Eve waved her hand. "Relax. Everyone is fine."

Hayley sat up. "How did you get in here? How long have you been here?"

Eve just smiled. "Sleep well?"

Hayley scowled. "Avoiding the question. I invented that, you know."

"And who do you think you learned it from?" Eve asked with an amused chuckle. The older werewolf then moved to sit at the edge of the bed. "How have you been?" she asked, her gaze now more serious.

Hayley sighed, pushing her hair away from her face. "Honestly? I don't know. I'm sick of being trapped here, I'm sick of my every move being watched and reported back to Klaus, and I'm worried about the pack and the Hunters, and then there's the witch-,"

Eve lifted a hand, and Hayley stopped her tirade.

"Tell me about the King," Eve requested.

Hayley's eyes flashed. "He's a arrogant, self centered, egotistical ass-," she paused when she saw the look on Eve's face. "What?"

Eve merely shook her head. "Go on."

"He's always around, showing up in my room unannounced. He won't give me a moment of peace." Then she paused, thinking about the other night when in fact he had given her some peace. She shook her head. "He's incredible rude and merciless, not to mention completely incapable of just having a conversation without losing his temper- what?"

Eve sighed, her expression now patient. "Hayley, these are all things I know without meeting the man. His reputation proceeds him. But don't you think that perhaps there's more to the man than just the stories?"

Hayley paused, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"I think, maybe, there's another side to Klaus that no one sees, or chooses to see." Eve shook her head. "I don't believe a man who is painted to be so evil would also attack a Hunter when someone else was in danger."

Hayley blinked. "He told me he didn't want anyone else to kill me except for him," she argued.

"And there hasn't been any other moments where you think there's the possibility that there's more to him than he let's on?"

When Hayley was quiet, Eve reached over and took Hayley's hand. "All I'm asking, Hayley, is to think fairly when it comes to him. Put yourself in his shoes. Kindness and compassion go much farther than hostility and distrust."

"How am I supposed to trust him?" Hayley asked incredulously. "Why do you have this need for me to be chummy with this guy?"

Eve gave her a stern look. "Because I know you would have done that for anyone else."

Hayley lowered her gaze. She knew Eve was right, and suddenly felt ashamed of her behavior. She wasn't acting any better than Klaus was.

"Do you think he can change?" Hayley whispered.

Eve squeezed her hand. "Anyone is capable of anything of they're given the chance to prove themselves." She gave the younger wolf a gentle smile. "But first, you must try."

Ooo0ooO

Klaus sat alone in his drawing room, contemplating a new piece he had only begun to sketch out.

His gaze shifted to the doorway when he heard quiet footsteps leading up to the door, followed by a tentative knock.

"Enter."

Hayley peered into the room, lingering in the doorway, looking uneasy.

Klaus stood, smirking. "My, little wolf, this is a surprise."

Hayley seemed to take a breath before walking in. She looked around. "I didn't know you painted."

"Not many do," Klaus replied.

Hayley's gaze seemed to flicker at that. She moved towards a canvas on the far wall, which depicted a landscape. It was a scenic view of the ocean and dark cliffs, topped with emerald green grass that eventually bled down to the black sand beach.

"Iceland."

Hayley glanced at him. "I've never been. It's… picturesque."

Klaus moved to stand beside her, folding his hands behind his back. "Quite," he agreed. "It's quiet… you could walk those beaches for hours and not come across another soul."

"Must be nice, if you want to be alone."

"Yes," Klaus said.

Hayley glanced at him, noting the way his tone changed, now sadder, almost wistful. "Why don't you sell your paintings?"

"I did, for a time," he told her. "When I was younger, before I came here."

Hayley furrowed her brow. His demeanor was very different, not what she had grown accustomed to in her short time in New Orleans. She nearly scowled when she heard Eve's voice ringing in her mind again.

Klaus the turned to look at her, as if he could read her thoughts. "Why are you here?"

Hayley looked at the painting again. It was easier than looking into his eyes. "I'm not sure," she said quietly. "I guess I needed some company after all. It's in my nature, you know."

"Yes, as it is mine. I believe you know I was a werewolf before I became a Hybrid."

"Yes."

"Then perhaps you'll understand why I tend to seek you out when I'm feeling…"

Hayley looked at him again. "Yes?"

"Well, you understand," Klaus said, now avoiding her gaze.

He's lonely, a voice whispered to Hayley.

"It's funny," Hayley said suddenly, crossing her arms, turning to face him.

"What is?"

"How we can be surrounded by people, even our own family and pack, and yet we can still feel alone."

Klaus gave her a surprised look. "Yes, that does hold a certain level of humor."

"Of course, it's easier when we have someone to talk to about that. But you would understand that, wouldn't you?"

"I suppose."

"Don't you have someone you can talk to?"

Klaus gave her a look, which was unreadable. But then he turned away from her, walking over to the cabinet to pour himself a drink.

Hayley walked forward slowly. "Because, you know, sometimes talking to someone can help with that, and also can open up doors to-,"

"Are you my shrink now, little wolf?"

Hayley lifted her hands. "I'm just saying, if you're going to insist on… keeping me here, then maybe you and I should get on good terms with one another."

"Are you implying we should be friends?" Klaus asked softly, his dark eyes assessing hers.

Hayley shrugged. "I think it beats the alternative."

That soft, nearly vulnerable look warped into a mask of wariness and suspicion. "Says the wolf who gathered the packs together to march on my lands, into my domain."

Hayley bit her tongue from arguing with him. "I was suspicious of you, just like you're suspicious of me. We don't know each other. What we do now is morphed by fairytales and backwater rumors."

When he opened his mouth to speak, she lifted a hand and shook her head. "Just think about it. I'm not here to wage war. I'm not the enemy, even if you think I am. I'm an Alpha, and my concern lies with my pack. That, I'm sure, you can understand as well."

"I have no pack."

Hayley gave him a raised brow look. "Well, it's never too late to start being the Alpha you really are. Make some allies, maybe even some friends, instead of followers."

"Passing along your wisdom, little wolf?"

"I am chock full of it," Hayley smirked.

Then she moved towards the doorway, glancing over her shoulder. "Just think about it, okay?"

Klaus nodded and watched as she exited the room, leaving him alone once more.

He sat down in a chair, gazing at the landscape she had been studying. Her words echoed in his head as he mulled them over.

Klaus then finished his drink and picked up a brush, chuckling to himself.

It seemed the little wolf was more than she appeared.

Ooo0ooO

The next week found Hayley and Klaus coexisting in a sort of truce that hadn't gone unnoticed by the people around them.

The other Mikaelson siblings, save for Elijah, weren't too pleased with this new development. Elijah was silent about this, but his gaze seemed to be warmer when he would run into Hayley around the Abattoir.

Marcel seemed cautious around Hayley, even more so than usual, as though he was waiting for her to suddenly snap and send in the troops.

As for the Hunters, they remained distant but close, just as Sophie said they would.

One night, Hayley went downstairs into the kitchens, hungry for a late night snack. The room was dark, but her wolf eyes could see easily enough.

She ate silently at the counter, perched on the edge of the barstool. She indulged in some crackers and cheese, which seemed to be leftover from an event. Shrugging, she kept eating.

"Perhaps you would like some wine with that?"

Hayley turned at the sound of Klaus' voice. She lifted a brow. "Do you have a suggestion?"

The Hybrid smirked knowingly. "Here." He walked over to one of the cabinets, briefly looking over the selection, before picking out a bottle. He poured her a small glass and offered it to her.

Hayley took a sip. It was a white, dry and refreshing, and tasted like green apples and honey. "Not bad. Were you also a wine maker at one point?"

"No, but I do believe living for as long as I have gives me exceptional knowledge in the field," Klaus mused, moving to sit across from her.

"Yes, I'm sure," Hayley said, rolling her eyes. She sipped her wine again.

"Do you…"

Hayley's gaze lifted as Klaus seemed to stumble over his words.

"Do you want to be alone?"

Hayley's eyes widened briefly before she schooled her expression. She gave him a smile. "Well, I am fascinated about wine. So I guess you're going to be stuck here telling me about it for a while. That is, if you don't have any plans."

Klaus smirked at her mirth. "I'm all yours."

So they spent a few hours talking in the dark kitchen, sampling a few bottles of wine. Not once did they think about anything else.

When Hayley finally decided to call it a night, Klaus walked with her to her rooms. They both paused at the doorway.

"Well," she sighed.

"Well," he repeated.

She gave him an amused look. "I'm guessing there's a first time for everything."

"What do you mean?"

"You and I, having a civil conversation. Some might even describe it as friendly."

Klaus laughed. "Indeed."

Hayley suddenly felt a certain warmth bloom in her chest, a feeling she wasn't unfamiliar with. Affection.

So, without allowing herself to think, she stepped forward slowly, meeting Klaus' gaze. His eyes were dark as midnight and held hers.

Then, slowly, Hayley leaned up and brushed her lips across his, briefly but warmly. It was a simple kiss, but when they pulled apart, both of their eyes were gold flecked, and she felt breathless.

Klaus shook his head at her. "That's not how it's done."

Hayley bristled. "What-,"

"This is how it's done."

A pair of strong, warm hands encased her hips, drawing her body close to his before his lips captured hers once more. It started deep and slow, and Hayley could taste the sugary taste of apples and honey on his lips before her mind went blank.

Klaus nipped at her bottom lip, then growled when her tongue moved to eagerly meet his. Somehow he maneuvered her against the door, and his hand was tangled in her soft hair.

Someone moaned, and Hayley thought her name was whispered, but the heat made it impossible to think, to see, to hear.

Her nails scraped across his scalp and her fingers dug into his hair, growling when he bit her lip sharply. His hands tightened against her hips, promising to leave bruises later before they healed.

Klaus pulled away first, burying his face into her neck, his breath hot against her collarbone.

Hayley struggled to catch her breath as well, her body quivering.

When he stepped back, Klaus reached up, tucking a messy lock of hair behind her ear. His gaze was still hot, more gold than blue, but there was a sudden tenderness there that made Hayley shiver.

"Good night… Hayley."

Hayley gulped, still leaning against the wall for balance. "Good night," she breathed.

Her golden eyes watched him walk down the hall, away from her. And when he glanced back at her, giving her that devilish smirk, she gave him an equally smug look before slipping inside her room.

And the moment she was alone, her knees gave and she sank to the floor.

"Oh boy."

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals.

Author's Note: Here's a bonus chapter because why not, it's the holidays. Consider it my Christmas present to all of you. So, as requested by review and PM, a Klayley first (of many). I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Please review!