As a wolf, loyalty was something Hayley should’ve been able to understand perfectly. Wolves were all about family, about their pack. The safety of the group was usually more important than individual safety. That wasn’t really a reality for this particular wolf, though. She was on her own most of her life, meaning she had no one but herself to protect. Even if she had wanted to be loyal, she really had no one to be loyal to. To some extent, she understood where Elijah was coming from, but the selfish, self-serving part of her couldn’t comprehend it. He was putting his family’s happiness before his own and for what? He didn’t look too happy and the fact that his family was nowhere to be found was probably indication that they weren’t very grateful for what he did for them. “I see,” she said, pursing her lips. There was really nothing she could say to him that would persuade him to look after himself more, nor did she have that strong an urge to make his life better. She liked him just fine, but she didn’t know him and she was too busy worrying about herself to look after a thousand years old vampire who could very well take care of himself. “And you’re saying they’ve never betrayed you? For some reason I find that hard to believe. From what I’ve heard about your brother, he doesn’t seem like the type to care too much about family values.” If she were him, she would’ve put her foot down after the first offense, probably ditched them, but he was very clearly more of a family person than she would ever be. “I admire your commitment and all, it just seems like you’re doing all the work and they’re off having fun.” It definitely wasn’t a life for Hayley, but Elijah seemed to make it work. She was in no place to judge, in all honesty. “I rarely am. And you find this whole helping everyone but yourself things fulfilling?”
Hayley chuckled at his reaction, weirdly flattered that he was so worried about hurting her feelings. People didn’t usually try so hard to spare her. “You didn’t offend me, it’s going to take way more than that to hurt me,” she reassured him. “I’m not really trying to leave my mark. I don’t mind not being remembered. I would like finding someone that cares about me as much as you care about your family, though. Who knows, maybe I’ll fall in madly in love with a random werewolf I meet along the way and then I’ll have someone that’ll notice once I’m gone.” There was something to be admired about a man who didn’t mind getting his hand dirty even though he wasn’t required too. The young wolf couldn’t really imagine him killing with his fancy suits and elegance, but he still made it very clear that he wasn’t to be messed with. “As you should. Relying on anyone but ourselves is foolish, which is why I can’t understand why I’m trusting you,” she said with a scoff. “I guess I’m just desperate. And I didn’t mean the blood on your hand thing that literally.” She was at a standstill in her search for her family, that much was true. She had no other choice but to trust him. “Oh, definitely. This is one of the nicest ways I’ve been asked out, that’s for sure. And thank you. For the compliment.” She was glad he had decided to ask her out, he was the most decent person she’d met in Mystic Falls so far and to say she wasn’t attracted to him would be a lie. “You’re incredibly selfless, you know that? You don’t know what I deserve. I could’ve done horrible things and you wouldn’t know. You don’t know me.” Maybe it was just her, but she had a tendency of seeing the worst in people before seeing the good. She wouldn’t just help out anyone who asked, but that seem to be what Elijah was all about.
“Not anyone,” she said, shaking her head. “Not if you don’t have anyone you care about. I wouldn’t even know what caring feels like, so I doubt I have that same instinct you do.” She knew what she was supposed to be like, but after years of looking out for number one, she wasn’t sure she’d do the right thing if it came down between her life and someone else’s. “I mean, you’re right, it’s in my specie’s nature. Wolf are all about the pack, right? It’s just too bad I don’t have a pack.” It wasn’t something she craved so much, she’d been through dozens of packs over the years and never stuck with one, but on the other hand she did want to be more of a normal werewolf. “I don’t want the whole world, I just want a family.” It was a little simplistic, but it was truly the one thing she’d ever wanted. “Because pain is weakness. You know as well as I do that letting people see your weaknesses never ends well.” She should’ve probably took her own advice and stopped blabbing to him so much, but unfortunately it was a little too late for that. Hayley had said too much already, she was in too deep. “He paints with blood? God, could he be more of a cliché? You know, I really don’t think I’d get along with him.”
Hayley had looked through Louisiana many times. No one knew anything of any Marshall’s residing there – no werewolves, no vampires, no witches. They could’ve been lying, but she had no way of knowing if they did. “I looked. I looked and looked and looked and I found nothing. Unless people have been lying to me, no one knows anything about a missing baby or a baby given away. The bayou sounds good. Do you care if you’re welcomed there or not? It’s not like werewolves can hurt you.”
It was clear that Hayley didn’t agree with Elijah’s perspective, and he didn’t expect her to. If you weren’t a Mikaelson, then it was likely that you wouldn’t be able to understand how things worked in the family. “Oh, he has,” Elijah admitted, and Tatia’s face was one of the many things that flashed through his mind for a moment. “But I know why he has had to do certain things, and when you understand his reasoning, I’ve had no other choice but to forgive him.” Elijah explained. “All of my siblings only want to find happiness and to stop running all the time.” Elijah said with a heavy sigh. “And when you’re in the same situation as them, it’s hard not to put yourself in their shoes and forgive.” Unintentionally. Elijah sounded as if he were some sort of a saint, he realized, but forgiving his family’s sins, helping those who were broken – it was all just one side of him, desperate to make up for everything else that he had done. “Fulfilling isn’t the right word, perhaps…It’s more like an obligation that I feel I have to do.”
Elijah paused as she expressed her desire for a family and someone to love her. It was such a human thing and he admired that. “Well, I certainly hope you’ll get to have all of that and more.” and he truly meant it. “Being desperate is one of the factors I’m sure, another one is that you recognize an opportunity in me. I can really help you, with my knowledge and reputation and all. I’m just not sure if it’ll be enough...” Elijah trailed. “Sometimes, people just do not want to be found and there’s nothing we can do about it.” He didn’t want to discourage her, but he also wasn’t the type to give false hope, either. “Oh I did mean it literally. There’s nothing more I hate than messiness, especially if it’s created by bodies.” he said casually. “Rebekah and Niklaus, on the other hand, don’t mind leaving their leftovers in the living room.” Elijah smiled as Hayley thanked him for the compliment that had slipped his lips. Surely, she knew what a stunning creature she was. “Now I am actually looking forward to these events.” he said, a genuine smile forming on his lips. Elijah wanted to disagree when she called him selfless. If only she knew how many selfish thoughts he had running through his head constantly, but he always pushed them away, tried to be strong. “That is true, we have all done horrible things at some point in our lives. Maybe even more than once. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to have a family, in some shape or form.” Elijah said calmly. “In fact, I believe those of us who are prone to giving in to temptation need family to lean on even more than others.” he told her. “So no matter what you’ve done, I still what you to have that.” as an after thoughts, Elijah licked his lips and said, “And, I would really like to change that last part. To get to know you.”
“If you don’t have someone to care about, then you must have something. Even my brother Niklaus, who claims not to care about anything or anyone, cares about power, and he plans on destroying anyone who stands between him and his crown.” Elijah said. “And why don’t you have a pack?” Elijah asked her, wondering if she really had such bad luck, or just didn’t actually want to be in a pack. “I don’t exactly know how packs work,” he said, “But I’m sure that at least one from all those packs you’ve stumbled across would’ve been more than willing to take you in. The more the merrier, isn’t that their motto?” he tiled his head, looking at Hayley. He smiled once again when she said all she wanted was a family. It was such an honest thing to say that something changed in Elijah’s eyes -- there was even more warmth to them when he looked at her now. “Family doesn’t always have to be someone you share blood with, you know?” he said to her, subconsciously leaning in towards her. “Sometimes family can become someone you’ve never even expected.” it was a way to tell her that, even if she didn’t end u finding her parents, she could still have a family here, in Mystic Falls. If she decided to stay, that was. But Elijah didn’t need to guess that she wasn’t one to be held down in one place for too long. “That is true. Sometimes it can be a strength, too, I believe.” Elijah said. “It just depends on your perception of it.” He laughed softly when Hayley said she wouldn’t get along with his brother. “He would definitely like you, however.” he was using the word ‘like’ very loosely, though. For Niklaus, liking someone meant that he wouldn’t kill her upon meeting her. He would recognize that fire inside her immediately and perhaps even relate to it, in a way.
“I see,” Elijah mused. “That’s another way I could help you -- I’d be able to make sure no one lies when we’re asking around.” he said. “That is true, but that is still their territory and I don’t like making them uncomfortable with my presence.” he said. Another factor was that he really didn’t want to hear any empty threats or attempts to try and hurt him. Elijah looked down at the watch no his wrist and sighed. “I should probably get going,” he announced. “I have to check up on my siblings, tuck them in and all,” he joked, another smile passing over his lips as he got up from the stool and buttoned up his suit jacket. “But I will certainly keep in touch before seeing you the day after tomorrow.” Elijah reassured her. He hesitated for a moment before speaking again, “Would you like me to escort you home?”
