"Caroline?" Claire questioned walking into the living room. Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy all looked at her like deer in headlights. "What's going on?"

"I thought you were going to the park with Madelyn." Caroline said obviously nervous about something.

"We're just about to leave... Why don't you answer my question" Claire suggested inching closer to them. Caroline speeds in front of her blocking her view of a passed out Luka, a warlock, that they were going to interrogate.

"A friend of ours passed out at the Grill, we're helping him out" Caroline said smiling at her all too innocently.

"A friend of yours that I don't know?" Claire asked raising her eyebrows. They were all in the same friend group, how would she not know one of their friends?

"We just met him." Bonnie speaks up. "Not really that close, just looking out for him." Claire stares at Bonnie and then at Jeremy who just smiles.

"Ok" Claire mutters knowing they were lying to her but not knowing why. Caroline feels her guilt build as she realized Claire didn't buy their story. "If you need me.."Claire said shifting the carrier Madelyn was in to her left arm. "I'll be at the park."

"Have fun!" Caroline chirped. "I'll see you later?" Claire just nods and leaves. She knew they didn't trust her anymore. It was obvious, not at first but now it is. They were starting to keep things from her because of her connection to Elijah and Klaus. It hurt that not even Caroline seemed to be on her side.

"Alright, Mad-Cat" Claire muttered walking into the park. "This looks like a good spot."  She tells her. She sets Madelyn down and pulls out a blanket. Claire lays the blanket down and takes Madelyn out of the carrier.

Madelyn was nearing 5 months. She wasn't quite big enough for the swing yet nor was she really old enough to teach herself how to crawl. However, Madelyn is a very giggly baby and Claire thought it was adorable.

Madelyn laid on her back, on the blanket, watching the clouds fly in the sky. Her eyes are wide with wonder as various sounds gained her attention. She looked from place to place. She looked at the trees, the squirrels and the butterflies.

Claire sat beside Madelyn and read to her. She read a few children's books to her, mainly Dr. Sues. However, her mouth may have been reading out words but her mind was in a completely different place.

She couldn't stop thinking about Caroline. Caroline's the only one who knows Elijah's been hanging around Claire but Claire wonders if that's still true. She wonders if Caroline told the others and that's why they were keeping her out of the loop. She didn't understand it and to have her and Bonnie lie right to her face, it crushed her.

Claire spent the entire day at the park with Madelyn. Madelyn took more than one nap both on the blanket and in the carrier. While Madelyn took her naps, Claire drew. She hadn't drawn in a long time, just like she hardly had time to write in her diary anymore. Elijah was always in her room and spending time with him always seemed more appealing than writing in her diary.

Even as the sun began to set, Claire couldn't find it in herself to want to return home. She didn't want to have an awkward conversation with Caroline knowing that her sister was hiding things from her.

"Claire" Claire looks up to see Tyler walking towards her. A rush of anger courses through her veins as she stands up off the ground.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here" She growled knowing why Caroline was upset with him meaning that's why Claire is mad.

"I know you're upset with me-"

"Do you, Tyler? Do you really know the extent of my anger?" Claire snapped. Tyler sighed dreading what he was about to tell her.

"Well, whatever it is, it's about to get a lot worse" He tells her.

"What the fuck did you do now, Tyler?" Claire growled. Tyler sighed, his eyes glancing down at Madelyn. The sight of his daughter causes the guilt to eat at him. Claire steps in his line of vision making him look at her again.

"I'm leaving town" He blurts. Claire stands frozen. "I'm leaving town with Jules... I wanted to tell you in person." Claire laughs. She laughs with tears in her eyes, but not the happy kind.

"I shouldn't be so surprised" Claire shakes her head. Tyler's shoulders slump. "I honestly should have expected something like this to come from you" She says to herself putting her hands on her hips. "Not only are you leaving town, leaving your daughter behind but you're leaving town with the woman who tried to have me and Caroline killed"

"I don't expect you to understand" Tyler told her.

"Of course I don't understand Tyler!" She shouts throwing her hands around. "Madelyn is barely 5 months old! And you're just going to leave?! I was willing to give you another chance with you, you were doing so well! But now, any chance you have at having a relationship with her is out the fucking window!"

Tyler stands there, tears falling down his face but he doesn't say anything. He knows he's running out on Madelyn but he couldn't stop himself. Being a werewolf, being a father, he's scared out of his mind. He's scared of what's happening and this is his only option, the easy option and he was going to take it.

"Go, Tyler and don't ever come back" Claire growls. "Don't ask about Madelyn. Don't ask to see her, to talk to her, to anything! You walk away, you walk away for good. You will never be apart of her life. You're a shit person Tyler and I will not let you break Madelyn's heart like you continue to break mine. I'm not going to let you have the same power over her as you have over me. So go, be a shitty ass dead beat, I don't care. But, come back, and I'll kill you myself" She threatened shoving him away.

"I'm sorry" Tyler whispers. Claire glares and throws a punch right in his face breaking his nose. He groans and stumbles backwards, his hand holding his nose. 

"If you don't leave right now, I'll do a lot worse than just break your fucking nose" She snapped. There was so much rage in her that she had no idea what to do with it. She wanted his head on a platter, she wanted his heart out of his chest, she wanted him dead but she was giving him an out.

Tyler looks at Madelyn one last time before leaving. Only when Tyler is completely gone, does Claire drop to the ground and sobs. Many people pass by either looking at her strangely or sympathetically. Claire didn't give a damn.

Tyler seemed like he wanted to be apart of Madelyn's life. He put in the effort. He did whatever Claire told him to do. She let Tyler in, she got close and she hoped for a better future. She hoped for a good relationship with him so he could father Madelyn. She hoped so hard and he ruined everything in a matter of days.

And now, Claire is in the same place she was when she first found out she was pregnant. Tyler had shattered her heart, yet again. He walked out on her, on them. He abandoned her, abandoned them.

Claire doesn't know how long she was crying but the sound of her phone ringing brought her out of her thoughts. She tried to stop crying to answer it but she felt so much pain and betrayal that she couldn't bring herself to do it.

The person calling her calls three times, yet Claire never answers. It only takes ten minutes after the third call for a body to press up against Claire. For arms to wrap around her, pulling her into a warm and secure embrace. She knew instantly who it was.

"It's alright, Elskan, I'm here" He whispers in her ear. His lips kiss the side of her head as he rocks them gently. She clings onto him as if her life depended on it. She curls in a tight ball wishing she could just disappear. "I've got you" He reassures.

"How did you find me?" Claire whispers once she calms down enough to speak. Elijah doesn't answer right away. He simply moves her head so he can see her face. He wipes her tears away and gently kisses her forehead.

"Caroline told me you would be here" Elijah mutters. Thoughts about Caroline lying and holding something from her, about Caroline not trusting her rush to her head and Claire begins to cry again. "Please stop" Elijah begs softly. She clenches her eye shut and buries her head in his shoulder. "It kills me to see you like this, Elskan" He whispers in her ear. "I love you so much, please stop crying." He begs.

"I'm sorry" She hiccups.

"Don't be sorry, never be sorry about this." Elijah shakes his head. "Tell me what I can do to make you feel better. Tell me anything and I swear to you I'll do it" He promises strongly. 

"It hurts so much" She sobs.

"What hurts, Elskan? Please, talk to me" Elijah begs desperately. "What happened? What's going on?"

"Tyler left" Claire whispered. Elijah frowns his eyebrows. "He's gone. He came to tell me that he's leaving town with that bitch who tried to kill me and Caroline." Rage courses through Elijah as he knows ho Claire is talking about, Jules. He felt even more enraged when he thinks about how he spared her life earlier by not following her when she ran. "I let him in, Elijah" She whispers. "I trusted him, I let him back into my life, into Madelyn's life. He promised he be there for us, that he'd be there for Madelyn. He promised he'd do anything for her and he just left us" 

"It's alright... It's alright" He whispers rocking them again. "You don't need him, alright? You are a strong woman, you are a wonderful mother who has plenty of support. I give you my word that I will be there for you and Madelyn. I will help you with her if you wish."

"She's not your responsibility, Elijah" Claire whispers looking into his eyes. "I couldn't ask you to help me parent her."

"You're not asking me" Elijah whispers. "I want to. I want to be in Madelyn's life and I want to help you raise her. She is apart of you, I love her just as much as I love you. I promise you I will protect her as I will protect you. I will never abandon you, I will never leave you." Claire smiles feeling her spirits lift.

"I love you, Elijah" She whispers. Elijah smiles softly at her.

"And I love you, Elskan" He whispers. He gently presses his lips on hers. She grips the sides of his suit and pulls him even closer, instantly deepening it. "As much as I would love to continue, I know there are other things troubling you" He whispers remembering her crying when he mentioned Caroline.

"Please don't make me talk about it" She begged.

"I would never force you to do anything" He promises her. "But I wish you would talk to me so that I can try to help" She sighs giving into him all too easily for her liking.

"It's Caroline" She whispers. Elijah nods for her to continue. "I don't think she trusts me anymore." She whimpers. "I don't think any of them trust me." Her voice cracks and his arms tighten around her.

"Why do they no longer trust you?" Elijah wonders as what she tells him doesn't make sense.

"Before I met you, right when we were all starting to learn about the supernatural world, I told Bonnie, Elena and Caroline about my dreams. I told them about you, Finn, Kol and Klaus. I told them about Henrik. I don't think the truly believed me until you showed up and now I don't think they trust me because of my connection to you and Klaus." She whimpers.

Elijah sighs quietly. He kisses her on the head and holds her to his chest. He worried this would happen but he had seen it coming. He knew that her closeness to him would cause problems. Elijah never liked to think of himself as a selfish man but when it comes to Claire, he couldn't help but to be anything but. He needed her in his life and he would never admit it, but if keeping her with him meant her friends lost trust in her, then that is what would happen. He wouldn't be happy about it but he wouldn't let Claire go to regain their trust. He needs her, he loves her too much to be selfless.

"It's going to be alright, Elskan. Everything will work itself out, I promise" He whispers in her ear, kissing just below it. "You will always have me, I promise." She nods believing him wholeheartedly. "Have you considered talking to Caroline?" He questions her. "Tell her how you're feeling. I may not know her very well but she does not seem the type to keeping things to herself, especially from you of all people."

"She still doesn't know about Tyler being the father" Claire whispers. "If I can keep that from her, then who knows what she's going to be keeping from me."