He silently watched her, keeping his presence unnoticed from her. He saw her hoist herself in the white wedding dress. 'She is so beautiful, and she doesn't even realise it' he noted in his mind. She reached behind her back, trying to zip it closed. However she didn't succeed and then Elijah saw the change, the twitch in her emotions.
It was when she stumbled forward, her hands gripping on either side of the mirror and the tears started rolling down her face, he stepped inside the room.
"Hey, shhh", he whispered as he gently gripped her arm and turned her towards him. His arms snaked around her neck, his hand clutching in her hair. Her arms wound tightly around his torso, and she pressed her face into the nape of his neck as he pulled her into an embrace.
After minutes of standing there like they did, Elijah finally felt the pounding of her heart going slower, and the jolting of her shoulders stopping, he retreated. Only slightly. He cupped her face, brushing away her tears with his thumb.
"Elijah..", she faltered before she found her words "I can't just end it like this. This can't just be the end of.. 'us'."
Elijah grabbed her hands and squeezed it as he placed them against his chest "you can, and you will", he spoke calmly.
"How", she looked up at him desperate, her eyes glazing with water.
"Because..", the simple three word sentence lay upon his lips, so simple yet so special. As he had never spoken the words out loud to anyone. "I let you in Hayley. I don't let people. You got under my skin and I couldn't refuse you. I knew the pain it would eventually cause me and yet I couldn't. But the thing is Hayley, I regret no second of it. I'm honoured to love you. To hold you, to touch you. All of it. It is worth it. Because I.."
Hayley squeezed his hand. "Elijah, don't", Hayley shook her head, feeling her eyes fill again.
"I'm going to say the words, and you're going to hear them. And after that you're gonna walk through that door with me, and I'm gonna walk you down that altar.",
"Elijah you don't have to", hayley whispered.
"I will. I love you Hayley Marshall. You being the first and only person I've ever said this to, only defines that I truly mean it. I love you. And I'll wait thousands of years for you if that is what's necessary. I promise."
Hayley looked at him before she gripped her hand in his hair, feisty. She crushed her lips onto his. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. Knowing they both needed this. He pinched his eyes closed, finding both passion and pain in this last and single moment with 'his girl'. He pressed her close, as close as possible wanting to feel every inch of her existence. Tears escaped Hayley's eyes as she poured all she had in their last kiss.
She retreated reluctantly from his lips, immediately forcing her forehead against his own. She cupped his cheek with her other hand, her fingers caressing his stubble. She scrunched her eyes closed. "I love you too", she whispered. Tears rolling down her cheek.
"Don't cry", she said, her tone broken as she saw him closing his eyes, pushing away the tears that he felt coming up. He opened his eyes, smiling at her. "See who's talking",
She laughed between a sniffle.
"I'm sorry", she murmured.
"For what", he spoke the words softly.
"For ruining your hair.", she giggled
He smiled "it's a honour to get my hair ruined by you, Hayley Marshall.",
"I remember the first time I did it",
Elijah nodded "as the day of yesterday."
"I was still pregnant then. The day after our first kiss. I remember Klaus finally leaving the room after he gave me a lecture about his ridiculous history stories",
"And you stubbornly ignored my remarks or rather said pleads for not taking those books out.", Elijah's lips twitched into a smirk.
"We had a good laugh about it though.", Hayley pointed out, smiling.
"you sure did, I however not so much," Elijah dreaded, smiling as he thought back to the moment.
•••
"What are these about", Hayley asked curiously as she slid her finger along the lid of several thick books.
Elijah looked up from the grimoire on his desk and narrowed his eyes as he saw what she was referring to. "Nothing of importance.", he said quickly.
"Then why do you keep them?", Hayley asked confused raising her brow. She pulled one of the books out.
"Hayley, please.", Elijah said putting his pen down and quickly raising from his chair.
Hayley looked up at him surprised, a quirky smile playing on her lips. "What?" She inquired as she sat down on the couch and turned over the lid of the book.
Elijah's head fell down and he sighed.
Hayley looked up, her eyes big and full of joy. "Oh my god, Elijah a photo-album. Why haven't you showed me this before ?",
"Well" he trailed off, walking over to the couch where she was sitting. "You'll see why.",
"Come on, sit down", Hayley said briskly, padding her hand on the spot next to her.
He sat down closely next to her, on his side so he was turned to her. He laid his arm over her shoulder, his hand resting on her arm. And Hayley melted into his touch. She felt a tingle go through her body, his touch foreign yet so natural. It just felt so good, so blissful that she started feeling better, just simply because of it. She pulled up her legs on the couch and rested into his chest.
She turned to the next page and found a picture of Klaus, Elijah and another man she did not recognise but yet seemed familiar. She laughed as she saw Elijah's and klaus' long hair.
"This is exactly why I didn't want you to see this. I do not wish for you to manipulate me in future reference with this material. I hope you hear my warning." Elijah said, smiling broadly however. He looked at her. She smiled and it gave him a warming feeling.
"Who's this. He looks like you", Hayley said as she pointed her finger at the brunette man standing next to Klaus.
"That's Kol, my baby brother.", his eyes saddened
"Elijah.. what happened to him", Hayley murmured, looking at him with a certain look that did things to him.
"He passed away some time ago, sadly. He was killed by Jeremy Gilbert, a vampire hunter.", Elijah pressed his forehead into her hair.
"I'm sorry Elijah, it's clear you cared for him",
"Yes I did, I however do not think that was very clear to him", Elijah sighed.
"What happened.", Hayley said, turning towards him.
"Kol was reckless. He drew our father upon us, and I had no other choice than help Klaus dagger him. He spend years in a box after that. It occurred another two times, however these times were not because I feared Klaus' life. It was simply because I choose klaus above Kol.", he paused looking at Hayley for a moment.
"I never really had a chance to tell him I'm sorry. Despite our differences I did love him very much.", he rested his chin on Hayley's shoulder.
"I do understand why you did it. I didn't at first but I do now.",
Elijah raised his head from her shoulder. "Did what?" He asked confused.
"Chose Klaus, never gave up on him. I see it now. There's more to him than just his vile and ill-mannered way.",
Elijah chuckled , pressing a sweet kiss to her temple. "I'm glad you've grown so fond of my brother", he murmured.
"I've grown much more fond of his big brother, however", Hayley spoke chuckling, as he pressed his lips into the nape of her neck. His fingers softly trailing of her hand.
"Elijah..,"
"Yes..," he murmured before he lifted her chin to his and pressed his lips softly against her own. Igniting a long tender but passionate kiss.
"We should tell Klaus about ehh.. This before the baby is born.", Hayley said when she slowly pulled away from his lips.
"I agree, he shall not be too pleased but I think he already knows something is going on. But regarding my recent conversations with my brother he shall not be too opposed about seeing us together as he now finally trusts I would never take his child or you away from him."
"Talking about your daughter, how is my little niece doing", Elijah said, affectionately looking down at her swollen belly.
Without saying a word she took his hand and pressed it against her stomach, she cupped it with her own and moved them until he finally felt her kick against his hand.
"Wow", he said loudly, looking up at her with widened eyes, affection burning in them. His lips wore a bright smile. And she laughed, mirroring his own smile and promising herself she would never forget this moment.
"Elijah, I'm sorry.", Hayley spoke, mischievousness clearly in her eyes.
"What is it that you should be sorry about", Elijah asked confused.
"I ruined your hair, it looks like sex hair.", Hayley spoke innocent and Elijah laughed.
•••
"I was happy then. Well to the extend of happiness people like us can have."
Elijah nodded. Looking down.
"I was happy then and I didn't even realise it. I just took it all for granted, like it was nothing.", Hayley whispered feeling her emotions playing up again.
Elijah shushed her caressing her cheek. "You will have more happy moments. I promise you this." He said the words clearly for her and then pressed his lips against her forehead. Kissing it affectionately. "Come we have to go now",