You'll Find Me in the Shallows

Chapter 2

Klaus carefully removed Hayley’s head from his chest and slipped from underneath her arm, rolling over to the other side of her bed. He moved slowly so as to not wake her up. She was sleeping so peacefully, almost like she was just a normal person who lived a normal life and only had normal problems. She looked almost angelic to him as the rays of the sun framed her face highlighting her stunning features. At that moment a certain guilt hit him. She had cried pretty much the whole night, only stopping when fatigue hit her and she shut her eyes. If only he hadn’t seduced the little wolf all those nights ago she wouldn’t have had to cry herself to sleep at night. Of course if he was being completely honest though the little wolf seduced him, but still she could have been spared this heartache if it wasn’t for that night. The only thing stopping that guilt from eating away at him like the rest of his problems was that without that night he would have never even had Hope, and without Hope neither one of them would have known the joy of making something so good and pure, even if that joy was short lived.

He carefully pulled himself up off the bed and slowly got out, careful not to move to too much and wake her. It was awkward to say the least. He never meant to fall asleep with her and he definitely didn’t expect to wake up with her cradled against his chest, her leg draped across his thigh, and her forearm flushed against his face. He hadn’t been that close to Hayley since the night they slept together, so leaving her bed felt foreign. Thankfully Hayley wasn’t awake to witness his discomfort. As he slowly cracked open her door to leave he turned back around to look at her one more time. He was sure he would see her a complete wreck again later so he wanted to burn one of her few moments of peace into his memory.

He only cracked the door open just enough so he could squeeze out and after his right leg made it through the small opening he thought he was home free, only his older brother was standing in front of him with a furrowed brow and his arms crossed. “Niklaus…”

“Elijah…” Klaus tried to act normal but his eyes gave him away, looking at Elijah’s quizzical eyes as if he had just done something he had no business doing. He wasn’t sure why he looked guilty nor why he felt guilty, it’s not like anything happened between he and Hayley last night and she was the mother of his child so he had just as much of a right to spend time alone with her as Elijah, yet he still felt out of place. Like he was somehow impeding on whatever it was they had going on with each other.

“I’m surprised to find you here brother especially at this hour, is there any particular reason behind your early morning visit?”

Klaus laughed internally. Early morning visit… if that’s what he thought this was then that’s what he would let him believe, though it partially offended him that the thought of him spending the night with Hayley didn’t cross Elijah’s mind. “The time I chose to spend with the mother of my child is of none of your business.” He replied, his tone was sort of defensive which threw Elijah through a loop and made him wonder even more why he was sneaking out of Hayley’s room this early in the morning after basically avoiding her for months. “No need to get defensive brother, I was just curious about what got you to finally decide to no longer be a recluse, I assumed it must have been fairly important if you’re visiting the woman you haven’t shown an ounce of concern towards for months now.” That struck a nerve. Of course Elijah would throw him avoiding Hayley for months in his face as if it wasn’t mutual and as if he didn’t have his own grief to work through and was unable to be of any help to Hayley in his mental state.

“Don’t worry brother I’m sure Hayley’s affections are still with you and only you. I assure you it was nothing. I wouldn’t dare show her any concern that’s what you’re here for. I’m only here to cause problems not fix them remember, so go a head I’m sure she’s waiting for you” Klaus replied with a sarcastic smile before abruptly leaving the hallway and retreating to his quarters down the hall.