"You need to learn to tune it out," Elijah said automatically. Not the issue, but, responding to what was said, at least. He wasn't forcing his way back in, either. "And not repeat a word of this to Damon." There was something almost pleading in his eyes, looking at Ric, who, really, would still be able to hear every word and he was too, torn up to try and hide right now. He looked back at Hayley. "Hayley, please. The only difference in werewolf pregnancies is they don't turn, to protect the baby. Three weeks, and you didn't turn. And I..can hear the heartbeat."
Hayley was still terrified, though maybe less of Ric than the whole thing. Her fingers curled around Jack's arm, hard, and he'd probably be glad he didn't really bruise. "All those pro-life billboards through Florida are always saying how the heartbeat starts at eighteen days. It's been more than eighteen days."
"But I heard the heartbeat at the party last week." His voice was calm, but he was visibly trembling.
She'd been so sick at the party. It's why she'd gone and gotten a test. "It's. Not. Possible."
"We don't know what's possible."
"No!"
Elijah could understand not wanting much to do with Klaus, but he didn't understand why she was so hysterical about it. "Sweetheart, would it be so bad? We'll keep you safe. You don't have to let Klaus anywhere near it, if you don't want to. I won't let him hurt you, or the baby."
Hayley snorted, an edge of a hysterical laugh--or tears--in her voice. "You think I'm scared of Klaus? He's an overgrown teenager, and he would throw a tantrum, accuse me of trying to trap him and then wouldn't want anything to do with me, and I don't care. I don't need him. I can do this on my own, just fine. Just like if it's Jack's. Keep me safe? From Klaus? Sure. He doesn't care enough to threaten us. But how many people want you dead, Elijah? And even those who are maybe okay with you and Rebekah...how many people want Klaus dead? How many people would do anything to hurt him? They aren't going to care that he doesn't give a damn about us. If it's his, my baby is always going to be a target. So how the hell are you going to keep me safe from the whole damn world? How? You can't even keep yourselves safe. Your mother is a psychotic ghost who is not going to stop trying to kill you. And it's not like it's that hard. A high school football player killed your older brother. A teenage girl took you out with a dagger, and then did it to Rebekah, too." She bit back anything about Kol, for now. They didn't need that on top of everything. "And Klaus? The mighty, unkillable hybrid? Got incapacitated by Sabrina the teenage witch and would be dead if he--" She pointed at Ric. "--taught physics instead of history."
no subject
Hayley was still terrified, though maybe less of Ric than the whole thing. Her fingers curled around Jack's arm, hard, and he'd probably be glad he didn't really bruise. "All those pro-life billboards through Florida are always saying how the heartbeat starts at eighteen days. It's been more than eighteen days."
"But I heard the heartbeat at the party last week." His voice was calm, but he was visibly trembling.
She'd been so sick at the party. It's why she'd gone and gotten a test. "It's. Not. Possible."
"We don't know what's possible."
"No!"
Elijah could understand not wanting much to do with Klaus, but he didn't understand why she was so hysterical about it. "Sweetheart, would it be so bad? We'll keep you safe. You don't have to let Klaus anywhere near it, if you don't want to. I won't let him hurt you, or the baby."
Hayley snorted, an edge of a hysterical laugh--or tears--in her voice. "You think I'm scared of Klaus? He's an overgrown teenager, and he would throw a tantrum, accuse me of trying to trap him and then wouldn't want anything to do with me, and I don't care. I don't need him. I can do this on my own, just fine. Just like if it's Jack's. Keep me safe? From Klaus? Sure. He doesn't care enough to threaten us. But how many people want you dead, Elijah? And even those who are maybe okay with you and Rebekah...how many people want Klaus dead? How many people would do anything to hurt him? They aren't going to care that he doesn't give a damn about us. If it's his, my baby is always going to be a target. So how the hell are you going to keep me safe from the whole damn world? How? You can't even keep yourselves safe. Your mother is a psychotic ghost who is not going to stop trying to kill you. And it's not like it's that hard. A high school football player killed your older brother. A teenage girl took you out with a dagger, and then did it to Rebekah, too." She bit back anything about Kol, for now. They didn't need that on top of everything. "And Klaus? The mighty, unkillable hybrid? Got incapacitated by Sabrina the teenage witch and would be dead if he--" She pointed at Ric. "--taught physics instead of history."