Hayley knew she was going to die.

Or at least, she was 78% sure. Somewhere around that area. She was never good with maths.

She squeezed the hand clenched tightly in her own and let out one scream of agony after another. The room was blurry as were the faces around her. She tried in vain to blink the tears out of the way but eventually gave up. Besides, she didn't exactly want to see her once lovely body being further destroyed. She felt as though her center was being ripped in half with each push she was instructed to make by the dark-haired midwife Klaus compelled.

"I brought some more towels and hot water," Came a voice to Hayley's right. Some dim part of her mind recognized Elijah, and the annoying girly girl in her made a mental note that she looked like absolute shit in his presence. But when another contraction hit, Hayley forgot all about vanity and moaned again. How women actually wanted to go through this more than once was beyond her. And WITHOUT any pain meds...they were insane.

"We're almost there Hayley," Said the compelled nurse, with a warm smile. "I can see the head. Looks like this little one is blond."

Great, Hayley thought, Klaus was blonde. Hopefully the kid at least got something from her, to show the hard nine months she carried her around in her belly.

Hayley pushed again and groaned. "I am going to KILL YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME." She hissed at Klaus, and was met with an amused chuckle and a hand squeeze.

"Takes two to tangle, little wolf." He said matter-of-factly which infuriated her. After all, their alcohol fuelled one night stand was mostly his idea and hello, prick of not, Klaus was hot. It wasn't like she was going to say no. Hayley wanted to climb over and punch him right in his snide, sarcastic mouth.

But she needed his hand. She dug her nails in to his pristine skin harder as she made one last gasp, pushing with all of her might.

The pressure and pain was gone almost instantly, leaving room for a dull soreness, and the room was silent for a heart beat until a small wail echoed around the room, a baby, making her presence known.

"It's a girl, of course." Elijah said, wrapping the squalling bundle in a fluffy white blanket. He smiled down at the baby before handing it over to Hayley.

Warmth filled her heart immediately. She had never held something so tiny, so delicate and perfect in all of her life. She traced her finger around the infant's rosy cheek, fresh tears welling in her eyes. My baby, my daughter. While she had been pregnant, Hayley had felt a certain, strong connection towards the person growing inside her. Whenever she got lonely and sad at night, she would lay her hand on her stomach, feel the baby kick and know that she had done something right in this world. Something to be proud of. But that feeling was doubled now. Her heart seemed to swell with this newfound love, love Hayley didn't know before now. Family.

"Hi baby. Hi Isla. I've been waiting for you." Hayley choked, pressing her lips to the baby's soft cheek.

Klaus, who had been very quiet, leaned over, his mouth turned into a smile. "Well would you look at that, she looks just like me."

Elijah chuckled and Hayley smacked Klaus's arm playfully with her free hand. It figured the first thing he would say is something like that. "She does not. Would...you like to hold her...daddy?"

When she added the last word at the end, something flickered in Klaus's eyes but it was gone before Hayley could decipher what emotion it conveyed.

The baby had stopped crying, and when Klaus curled her to his chest, her little eyelids fluttered and opened to little slits, revealing a bright blue, exactly the same shape and colour that was mirrored in the face of the original vampire who held her. It was clear that she would be a daddy's girl but somehow, Hayley didn't mind. It just made her smile more.

Elijah moved to Hayley's side, placing a strong hand on her shoulder. Hayley smiled, reached up and clutched it in her own, feeling a tingle of comfort through her body, looking up at him from under her lashes. His expression seemed to ask, Are we okay? And she nodded, her lips still smiling. Yes. They were okay. Maybe she and Elijah couldn't be together at this moment in time, her feelings for Klaus were far too potent, but perhaps someday. His answering smile seemed to say, "Here's to someday."

"Hello there love," Klaus murmured, clearly utterly captivated by his daughter. "Welcome to the world, Isla Rebekah Mikaelson."

The End