SHE PROMISED ( the originals )

0073. HAS HE ALWAYS BEEN THIS ANNOYING OR AM I JUST MAD?

SHE PROMISED
( part three, chapter seventy-three )

SHE SUPPOSED THE NIGHTMARES and awful memories resurfaced just after her aunt's death, when her siblings became distant and Hayley was cursed three months ago. Elle wasn't one to typically voice her problems to everyone, but it didn't help that her brothers and sister kept looking at her with that pitying look, expecting her to just give in and talk about all her problems. A part of her wanted to scream at them to stop staring (it was getting really annoying), but she understood their worry. They could all hear her in the night, whimpering and crying as dark dreams of unwanted touches and bloody hands worm their way into her mind. Most nights Freya would come into her room, shaking her awake and gently wiping the tears away from her flushed cheeks then falling asleep beside her. Elle had contemplated going to a therapist for months 一 Cami was there, after all, and even offered her services to the young witch 一 but her family had enough problems to deal with, and Elle's growing problems of her dead abusive foster father was definitely not going to help them.

Staring up at the ceiling, Elle released a harsh puff of air out of her mouth. However, her breath had forced a strand of hair to be blown upwards, only to fall back down on her face and now sit on her eyelid. Her hair had gotten longer, longer than she's ever had to deal it. For the past few years, she's purposely kept her hair short, just barely brushing against her shoulders, but now she has no worries. She can wear her hair long. She was lucky to have gotten more than a few hours of sleep last night; they often kept her awake as a crying mess, and she usually left her room to just watch Hope. Her little niece, still adorable and fresh-eyed as ever, had been her shining grace in these past months. The baby had always been able to help Elle take her mind off of things, especially the ever growing tension within the family. Luckily, she'd be the one to take Hope to see her mother tonight 一 it's a full moon after all.

A knock at the door nearly made Elle jump, and she turned her head just as the door opened. Freya peeked her head through the crack in the door, smiling gently. "You finally awake? It's nearly noon." Some of her golden hair fell past her ears, cascading around her face.

Through a yawn, Elle asked, "Does that mean that lunch is almost ready? Or is there still breakfast out?" The brunette rolled onto her stomach and turned to fully face her older sister. A playful smirk danced on her lips as her feet swung in the air.

"Breakfast," Freya confirmed. "But I can make lunch if you want some. I'll let you get changed. And don't forget to leave an hour before the 一"

"I know, I know." Elle sat up, waving her hand. "God, you're late once and suddenly no one will let you live it down." She'd visited Hayley with Elijah and Hope last month, and hadn't heard the end of it from Hayley about her making the other two late. They were only late by sixteen minutes. Sixteen!

After quickly getting dressed in a pair of leggings and her signature denim jacket, with new pins she had swapped, the rest of Elle's day passed by very quickly. It'd sadly almost became routine for the siblings to ignore each other. The brothers refused to see eye-to-eye with one another, making it difficult for them to be in the same room, and seeing as how Elle was still furious with Elijah and Klaus, she couldn't be in the same room with them either. While she was also technically mad at Freya, it was nothing compared to the rage she was feeling towards her brothers. Elle had met up with Cordelia for lunch and continuously pestered her about meeting her girlfriend Isabelle (it's been months, she wanted to meet her). And in return, Cordelia annoyed her by reminding her with the fact that the witch had turned seventeen months ago and still hasn't done anything to celebrate it. They've always celebrated each other's birthdays, but there had been nothing this year. After promising Cordelia for what must have been the eleventh time that day about settling and doing something fun, she wished Cordelia a good rest of the day before heading home and getting ready for tonight.

When the sun finally set and Elle finished her dinner, she ventured into Hope's room and picked up the small girl. "Hey, cutie," she cooed, holding her niece close to her chest. She pressed several kisses to the top of Hope's head. Before Hope, Elle hadn't been a baby person 一 sure, she loved babies, but babies didn't exactly love her. That had all changed the moment she started taking care of her niece, making sure to shower her in love each and every day. "Who wants to see Momma tonight?" She bounced Hope gently up and down, reaching down to grab her bag. Hope made a happy sound, a mixture of a whine and a cooing noise; some drool fell down her chin. "All right, let's go!"

Quickly placing the bag over her shoulder, she turned on her heel and froze. Klaus stood at the entrance, a hand pressed against the doorframe. "I'm just taking her to see Hayley," Elle said coldly, starting to walk out of the room. Her arm was wrapped warmly around her niece. "You know, her mother that you... what was it? Oh, yeah 一 cursed."

She tried to convince herself that the flash of pain in Klaus' eyes didn't bother her. "I know," he said with a nod, hands clasped behind his back. He looked like he wanted to say something else but couldn't force himself to speak the works. "I just wanted to make sure you had everything."

"I do," Elle said. She had made sure to pack her duffel bag with as much clothes for the werewolves as possible. She stopped walking, looking down at Hope and lowering her voice to a gentle tone. "Why don't you say goodbye to Daddy?"

Hope looked up at her father, big blue eyes happily staring up at Klaus. One of her small hands reached out and fisted the material of his jacket, the other still clinging onto Elle. She giggled when Klaus neared, pressing his lips against her forehead. When he pulled away, he made eye contact with Elle. He did feel awful about what had happened months ago with Dahlia and the whole triggering some traumatic memories things, but it was necessary 一 it was for Hope.

"Try not to bring back any filth," Klaus said dismissively. "There's enough of that here, we don't need more."

Elle couldn't stop the puff of air that blew past her lips. "You're insufferable," she said, shaking her head. She couldn't help but think just how irritating his behavior had been these past few months. Of course, she knew that this was just who Klaus was 一 it was his charm, apparently 一 but because of how angry she was with him, she just found everything unbearable. His little smirks and mischievous eyebrow raises made her think of how arrogant he was, his little comments making her want to stuff her ears with cotton just to drown out his voice, him spending hours painting just made her think he was just another one of those pretentious and tortured artists who feel as if they have the world on their shoulders. One day, when she finally forgave him, she'd once again be okay with this, but for now, she just wanted him to shut up. "I'll see you in a few hours."

With Hope still protectively wrapped in her arms, the bag tossed off her shoulder, she walked down the stairs and out of the compound.

A/N: part three, let's ride
or die, boys