𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞 ⟪♥︎⟫ Elijah Mikaelson

XIV

Season 2: Exquisite Corpse

Gia sighed as she rummaged through the things in Hope's room, 'This whole place smells like werewolf.'

'Well, that's because Jackson has a whole platoon of them out there,' Hayley told as she rocked baby Hope in her arms, 'You know, you can go. You don't have to stay.'

'Elijah said you and your kid have more than one enemy,' Gia started as she folded her arms over her chest, 'If someone manages to make it through that dog show outside, you and the baby run, I stay and stall them.'

Hayley looked at her in confusion, her arms wound around Hope, 'You don't know me. Why would you put yourself in harm's way for us?'

It wasn't a question she asked because she didn't trust Gia, but because it genuinely confused her that a stranger would put her life at risk in order to save her life. Perhaps that would be understandable had she been an innocent woman with a young child. But she was part of the Mikaelson family now, people would gladly kill her if they could.

'I don't have to know you,' Gia answered, 'I know Elijah. And I know what you and that little baby mean to him, I know what family means to him. So much so he leaves everything behind to save his family, every time they need him.'

'He talks about that with you?' she asked softly.

'Perhaps, it's because I'm not family,' Gia reasoned, 'It must be hard being the shoulder that everyone else leans on.'

Hayley watched her hands as guilt flooded her mind, for she also turned to Elijah whenever she was in trouble. He was probably the only thing that held the Mikaelson family together for so long. And neither she, or his siblings ever questioned whether he might want a life of his own. The only thing she knew, was that he'd spent sometime in the biggest city of France, before he came to rescue her and her daughter. 'He told me it was heavenly, his life before.'

Gia smiled, 'I think it was, it always is when you're in love.'

Hayley's eyes grew wide as she leaned forward, 'He's in love?'

'You should see the way he looks when he thinks about her, the joy and pain in his eyes when he talks about her. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.'

Gia's answer troubled her, because she didn't know whether to feel happy or sad. Elijah, reserved and closed off Elijah, was in love with a woman. He found happiness in Paris, but was torn away from it because of his family. Almost a year and a half, she'd lived with him and his brother. Never had he mentioned a woman in Paris, or even that he'd been to France at all.

Perhaps she could've reasoned that she was new to the family and not the person to tell. But she knew, by the questions Rebekah had asked a while ago, that even she had no clue of his time there. Let alone the woman he found.

'Why aren't you happy for him? That guy needs a woman to mess up his life more than anyone,' Gia joked as she sat down on the bed, letting herself drop down.