The Red Herring Revives: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 62: Diane Young

After the funeral, I was walking alone at the back of the funeral procession sick to my stomach with the fact I was going to be at the funeral at one of my best friends one day soon. I pressed my hand to my belly and sighed at the empty feeling that continued to consume me.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asked as he joined me starting quickly.

"Oh, we're talking again?" I countered. "Sorry, I can't keep up with how quickly you changed your mind about me."

"I have never once changed how I feel about you." Elijah murmured. "It is how I feel about those feelings that...troubles me."

"And how do you feel about me?" I dared to ask. Elijah simply smiled and shook his head. I rolled my eyes, but didn't push any further, allowing him to keep his secrets for now.

"You look—"

"If you say tired, it's gonna be your funeral next." I warned.

"Beautiful." He finished. "I was going to say beautiful."

In spite of all the chaos my life was in, I couldn't help but smile at his compliment. He beamed back at me until I noticed Klaus and Hayley a few yards ahead of us.

"Come on, we should catch up."

"Do you think I was the target of those bombings?" Hayley asked Klaus when we arrived.

"Of course you were the target." Klaus cackled. "Were I to wage war on the wolves, you'd be my first kill. I would string you up for all your worshippers to see!"

"I believe that was my brother's twisted way of telling you he'd like you to move in with us." Elijah explained. "Perhaps try a different approach, Niklaus?"

"Yeah, with less references to murder."

"Fewer." Hayley corrected, making me glare at her. "What? Grammar's important."

"As much as I would hate to throw you over my shoulder and drag you kicking and screaming to the compound, we all know I will." Klaus said as he turned to me with a smile. "For the sake of my child."

"If I had known all it would take was one bad dream for you to step up as dad of the year, I would've taken down The Other Side myself." I teased.

He laughed and wrapped an around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. "Perhaps this will put things into perspective: my father lived to torment me. It is not my intention to become him. This cycle of misery ends with my—our—child."

"That's sweet and all, but Hayley's already gone." He looked around and saw Hayley walking towards Cami. I laughed at him as he stared opened mouthed in disbelief. "Better luck next time."

"I bloody hate funerals."

~Hayley POV~

"Hey Cami, I know you don't really know but." Hayley began, her coughing fits becoming increasingly worse. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about your uncle. He was really good to people like me during the storm and I really appreciated that."

"Thanks." The blonde told her. "Now do you want to tell me what you really want?"

"I am so sorry about the timing." She said awkwardly. "But I wanted to know if your uncle said anything weird about Francesca. I think she may have been involved in an attack in the Bayou."

"Look, Hayley? I'm trying—mostly failing—to stay out of all this stuff, but... Francesca's a real bitch. So, yeah, if I hear anything, I'll let you know. "

"Thanks." Hayley told her. "And sorry about your uncle. Again."

"Mmm."

Hayley began to walk away, coughing once more but now her surroundings were becoming increasingly blurry. She leaned against a light post and began to cough once more, but now there was blood coming out. She looked up and could just about make Elijah, Klaus and Iliana rushing towards her, but in seconds she was out cold.