You'll Find Me in the Shallows

Chapter 5

“That wasn’t the first time was it?”  She asked nervously when she turned around.

“What do you mean?” He asked, slightly surprised by the question.

“I mean compelling me…you’ve done it before…”

Klaus looked away from her, a part of him was afraid that when he told her the truth she would really be upset with him, but he knew he still owed her the truth. “Yes I have, a few weeks ago…Hayley It was the only way, I did it to help you.”

“I know.” She whispered.

“Really?”

“You sound surprised, that I would think you did something like that to help me.”

“Well quite honestly I am love. Most people hate the thought of having someone mess with his or her mind in that manner.”

Hayley walked a few steps closer to him, pausing before there was no longer a reasonable distance between them.

“You know…. months ago I would have been so angry with you, I would have hated you.”

“What changed?” Klaus asked confused.

“You have to care to do something that desperate knowing the person would probably hate you afterwards.”

“There may be some truth in that.” Was all he could manage to say. There was more she wanted to tell him but as she looked at his striking eyes she clamed up. She and Klaus didn’t talk about such things; they preferred to instead leave them in the awkward space between them.

He looked to at her to continue, patiently waiting to see where exactly this conversation was going. She could sense him beckoning her to continue with his eyes. He didn’t have to speak for her to understand, he was just as confused as she was. Tears began to form in her eyes as she stood across from him in silence. Hayley felt like the room was closing in on her rapidly and she was getting overwhelmed by the heaviness of it all.

“I’m glad you did it.” She finally managed to whisper.

“Klaus I feel so dead inside without her.” A single tear finally fell down her cheek. “I feel so empty sometimes and the only time I feel alive is when I feel this pain, you were right.”

Klaus looked at her with sorrow filled eyes, sorrow for her and sorrow for him self. Her words were so familiar. “On thing I’ve learned during my considerable lifetime is that pain Hayley, has an ability to make you wish you were dead while being the only reminder that you’re still alive.”

“It’s cruel you know, especially when you feel like you might get better. It comes back to remind you that you aren’t, and like maybe you never will be. I can’t even explain where at all came from last night. I was finally starting to feel alive, pain didn’t rule me like it did a few weeks ago but then I woke up and there it was, that pull for her, that painful pull that I couldn’t fight. She…. She… she just needed me I felt it.” She cried.