The Originals One-Shots

Hayley Marshall #8

 You look out the window, towards the rest of city. You have never been fond of New Orleans, and have never been sure why Klaus was so fond of the place, but now you think you'll be sorry to leave. If you had a choice, you might actually hang around a little longer.

 "Y/N."

 You turn around to see Hayley standing in the doorway. She looks like she's been crying, and seems just altogether depressed.

 "I guess you've been briefed on everything that's been going on?" she asks.

 "I have," you answer. "I know the Hollow's possessed my niece, and that I would strangle her if I could."

 "Believe, I'd like to strangle her, too. But you know what it is we have to do."

 You nod. "Yes. Of course, Kol has been a no-show, and Freya was ready to kill herself and become a vampire if she had to, and I can't let her do that. Hope will need her mother, so it shouldn't have to be you. That's where I step in, since we need four blood relatives."

 Hayley steps into the room. "You know how much I appreciate you doing this, don't you?"

 "For my little niece? Of course I would do it," you say. "Despite being Klaus' daughter, she doesn't seem to be much like him. I think she must take after you."

 She smiles a little. "Yeah, I guess she must."

 "It's nice to see you smile," you say without thinking. "I like it."

 She looks surprised. "Thanks. I guess I haven't had too many reasons to smile lately."

 "Right. Of course not." You want to ask about her and Elijah, but you're not sure if this a good time. Of course, you probably won't get another chance, so you ask, "What about you and Elijah? Now that he's back for good, have the two of you decided on anything?"

 She sighs. "Elijah. You don't know, do you?"

 "Know what?" you ask. "Is there anything I haven't been told?"

 "Y/N, once the Hollow goes into all four of you, none of you will ever be able to see Hope again. Meaning Hope and I have to leave alone. It would be too risky. Elijah and I couldn't be together, anyway." 

 "Meaning I can't at least see Hope again after this." It had hurt to think you would never see Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah again, but Hope on top of that just makes it seem even worse.

 She was breaking up with Elijah anyway. If it weren't for this Hollow ordeal, you could have had a chance.

 "So, you would have broken up with my brother, anyway?" you ask her.

 "Yeah. I think I would have. I don't think I could have been with him. It was wrong from the beginning."

 "Oh. Well, I may say so, you and Elijah never did seem like a vey good fit. But I could tell the two of you were happy around each other. That's why I never told you I liked you."

 "You...what?"

 "Well, this will probably be the last chance I get to say it, so I think I should tell you," you say. "I like you, Hayley. I always have. When I first met you, the young werewolf who was pregnant with my brother's hybrid child, I liked your fierce spirit. But you and Klaus had a complicated relationship, so I kept my distance. Then you and Elijah fell for each other, and then you married Jackson Kenner. So, I never really thought there was a right time for me to tell you I had feelings for you."

 Hayley hesitates before asking, "Do you still?"

 You nod. "I think so. I've always felt attracted to you, Hayley, and I've always tried to be there for you. My brothers are such idiots for hurting you in the ways they did. Do you know, when you and your pack were under that curse, I was so angry at Klaus I barely said a complete sentence to him. And he knew I was mad at him, so we both kept our distance. And smart as Elijah is, he can be pretty stupid sometimes. So, what I want to ask is if this weren't happening, would you and I have had a chance, possibly?"

 Hayley shrugged. "Well, we'll never know now. But I would say 'maybe'."

 "Then that will have to be good enough," you say.

 She hugs you. "I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm sorry I never knew. You know, I've always liked you, too. I think we could have been something good." She pulls back and turns to leave. "I should go."

 You watch her leave, replaying what she said in your head. The two of you could have been something good. You just didn't get your time.

 When you leave New Orleans the next day, you keep an image of Hayley in your mind. You know you'll have to move on at some point, but it can wait.