happiness is a butterfly

Chapter 7

He slowly woke up, the fluorescent lights blinding him. Once his vision cleared, he rose to his feet as the door opened.

"Where is she? What have you done with my wife!?" he demanded.

The witch sat down next to him. "Antoinette is fine, Elijah. As long as you cooperate."

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

The witch handed him a picture of an unfamiliar redhead.

"Her," she replied.

"And who is she?"

He grew confused as she ignored his question and headed towards the door.

"Hope Mikaelson."

***

Excited and nervous, Hope arrived twenty minutes early for her meeting with Josie. She smiled once she spotted the younger witch in a pretty red summer dress.

***

"I'm sorry for ignoring your texts. I... was having a hard time figuring things out," Hope apologized.

Hope's eyes fell to her drink, remembering the kiss.

"Yeah, I can understand, and I'm so sorry for putting you in that position, Josie," she started to say.

"No, Hope, actually..." Josie interrupted her, placing a hand over Hope's own.

"That's what I'm trying to say. I didn't withdraw because I hated the kiss. I left because I loved it."

Hope finally looked at her, in disbelief.

"Hope, I... I had just broken up with Penelope at the time. I was confused and sad, and I guess I got scared."

Hope was still trying to process what her witch was saying. And as dazed as she was, she was also thrilled to mend the bridges she thought were burned for good. Josie's revelation was everything she wanted to hear.

***

"Penny for your thoughts," the blonde asked, putting her clothes back on.

"Nothing," he shrugged and turned to face her.

"Oh, please. I knew something was bothering you the moment you stepped inside. Fess up," she urged.

He sighed and pulled her in for a kiss.

"The only thing on my mind right now... is your pretty mouth around my cock," he replied.

She laughed before he kissed her again.

"Charming! But I'm still not convinced," she teased.

He avoided her gaze.

"It's Hayley... It's like she's incapable of letting things go smoothly. Every time I think I had her figured out, she slips out of my grasp, and it drives me insane."

The blonde tilted her head before asking the million-dollar question.

"Do you love her?"

His laugh confused her.

"Would you believe me if I told you I have no idea?"

"Actually? If you ask for my opinion, I think you're too scared to know, and I also think you're in complete denial."

"Perhaps you're right. She's been out of my reach since the very beginning. Maybe my fragile little ego can't handle rejection."

She got out of bed.

"Well, I have things to do, so why don't you go to her and try to work this out?"

"Pretty sure she doesn't want to see me."

"Bullshit."

"She told me not to bother coming back."

The blonde let out another frustrated sigh.

"Look, I don't know what exactly happened between you two, but I know that it's best if you sit down and have a civilized conversation. Emphasis on civilized."

He shrugged.

"You've spent enough time with me to know that's not exactly my strongest suit."

"Just go!"

Exasperated, he got out of bed.

"Fine, but if this goes south, you'll bear the consequences."

***

He felt like an idiot, anxiously standing at the front door with a bouquet of flowers in hand.

"The things I do for love," he muttered to himself before ringing the doorbell.

Hayley had seen some serious shit in her lifetime, but the sight of Klaus Mikaelson holding flowers, waiting for her to let him in, had to be the strangest of them all.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Apologizing, I suppose," he replied.

She fought the urge to smile and rolled her eyes, stepping out of the way.

He placed the bouquet on the countertop as she sat on top of it.

"So... How's Caroline?"

"Do you really want to do this right now?"

"What!? It was a genuine question."

She smiled, swinging her feet, watching him search for something appropriate to say, but she beat him to it.

"What I did this morning was stupid and childish. I guess I could say I don't know what came over me, but maybe I was upset... that you're spending time with her."

He knew it was a risky move, but he stood in front of her, his hands caressing her bare thighs.

She shivered before leaning closer to him. If she moves any closer, she can kiss him. Instead, she whispers, "What are you doing?"

But she knows exactly what he's doing. In fact, she's enjoying it.

"I'm not doing anything... yet," he replies.

His hand slides further up when the door opens, and he awkwardly takes a step back.

Hayley clears her throat, getting off the kitchen countertop.

"Hope, honey, is that you?"

"Who else would it be, Mom? Dad?" she spits sarcastically before freezing at the sight of her father.

"Well, that's a miracle. So, what, it's back to rainbows and sunshine already? And all it took was one tacky bouquet," Hope says.

"Did your girlfriend dump you again?"

"That's very low, Dad, even from you."

The two hybrids laugh as Hope goes to her room. She sees a shadow from the corner of her eyes. She opens her window to get a clearer view, and her eyes fall on a strange man hiding in the shadows.

She thinks she must be drunk because he looked like him. Like Elijah.