The Originals follows its parent series The Vampire Diaries in many ways, but the biggest similarity is hard to ignore: each relationship, or “ship,” has its own very dedicated fanbase. Whether a ship is actually written into the story or not, or even if both characters are on different shows (cough, Klaroline, cough), none of that matters to a ship’s fans. They will always champion their ship of choice, as loudly as possible.

And one of the most vocal and loyal ship fanbases is “Klayley,” aka Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin). The two hybrids share a baby daughter Hope, but that’s about all they share at the moment after Klaus betrayed Hayley at the end of last season.

“They are at odds a lot through the series which is always really interesting to play,” Morgan told Nerdist on set. “But there is definitely more interaction with Hayley coming up. Not all negative. She sometimes has a way of cutting through all of Klaus’ bullshit and telling it like it is. And she does do that in an upcoming episode.”

According to Tonkin, Klaus and Hayley have “come to a bit of an agreement” at the moment when it comes to parenting their daughter.

“Klaus realized what he did was pretty bad so they’ve created this contract so that she’s split between the two of them,” Tonkin told Nerdist. “She spends a lot of time with Freya [Riley Voelkel] and Klaus and the other half of the time with Hayley and Jackson [Nathan Parsons]. Right now it’s a fair child custody battle.”

But is there any hope for a positive Klayley relationship in the future?

“She and Klaus just have this absolutely volatile relationship,” Tonkin says with a laugh. “They’re always fighting. Klaus has really betrayed Hayley so there’s a lot of that to rebuild on Klaus’ part.”

And that divide between Klaus and Hayley is going to be hard for Klaus to deal with as he watches Hayley build her life with her husband, Jackson, and their daughter, Hope.

“It’s quite heartbreaking for Klaus to see Hayley in this normal family environment with her husband and her baby in her apartment,” Tonkin said. “That hurts Klaus, not because he wants to be there with Hayley but because he knows that he’ll probably never have that lifestyle with anyone. This is his one shot to have a kid and he’s created this terrible relationship with the kid’s mother and it’s irreparable. I think he resents the fact that Hayley has some tiny smidge of a normal life and he will never have that.”

Morgan agrees, adding, “I think he feels jealous of the idea that Hope can be happy without him, and frightened of that, that she won’t need him. So the idea of them having this perfect little family living just across the street is pretty terrifying for him because there’s no room in there for him.”

According to Morgan, Hope is the most important thing in the world to Klaus.

“She is really the personification of pure love that he has allowed himself to feel for her,” Morgan says. “So I wouldn’t say he’s jealous. I think it’s more than that. He’s legitimately frightened that the more this progresses and the older Hope grows, the more she’ll realize dad’s a pretty terrible guy and I’ve got a good thing going on here and Jackson’s noble. So there’s definitely a lot of insecurities there that he’ll probably act out on.”

In fact, it’s the fear of losing Hope’s love when she realizes what kind of a person Klaus is that will drive him forward.

“That’s something Elijah threatened him with, ‘If you don’t stop the course you’re on, nobody will have to take Hope from you. She’ll leave herself,'” Morgan says. “And that really hit home with him. Aside from any potential love interest, way beyond any potential love interest, past and present, she’s the thing he loves most in the world. She’s the only pure thing in his life.”

He continues, “He’s had feelings for other characters and other people and his siblings as well, but all of those are tainted with something or driven by something that isn’t quite pure. She is the one good thing. And she’s not yet old enough to be judgmental of him, and that means a lot. Sooner or later, though, she’s going to recognize that he’s not perfect. That will be a sad day for Klaus.”

Do you think Klaus will be able to change enough for his daughter? Is there hope for Klayley to rebuild trust between them going forward? Hit the comments section below to weigh in now!

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Images: The CW
The Originals airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on The CW.