The Originals showrunner Julie Plec previews how she’ll continue Klaus’ romance with Caroline (who is still on The Vampire Diaries), and what awaits Hayley in season 1.

When The Originals backdoor pilot aired as an episode of The Vampire Diaries in season 4, fans – and especially Klaus/Caroline shippers – were shocked to discover that Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) was pregnant with Klaus (Joseph Morgan)’ miracle hybrid baby.

Fans of the Klaroline pairing were further distraught to learn that Caroline (Candice Accola) will be staying on The Vampire Diaries, although the writers and actors have insisted that it is not the end of their burgeoning relationship.

Speaking at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, The Originals showrunner Julie Plec emphasises that though Hayley will be tied to Klaus via the baby, she is, “By no means the Cinderella in the Klaus love story.”

Hayley will very much have her own journey. Plec describes her as, “a girl who is pretty tough, fiery, independent spirit. A survivor in her own right who got drunk, had sex and got knocked up.”

But we will see her influence Klaus, in a very significant way. While “she’s not really meant to be a threat to Klaus’ love life,” Plec does see her (and presumably her child) as, “sort of the portal into his redemption – one would hope.”

“There is something so magical between them that I would say is definitely not the end of that journey,” Plec says of the Klaus/Caroline pairing.

She also revealed the moment which first made the writers realise how special the relationship was going to be, and how strongly it’d resonate with the audience: the scene where Caroline is dying from the werewolf bite and Klaus feeds her his blood.

Plec recalls that, “When we saw it put together for the first time all of us were like, ‘Holy s–t, that’s good.'”

But of course, their romance can’t go smoothly. “He’s the villain,” Plec explains, “so how do you continue to love this connection that these two have that works so powerfully without compromising the villainy of a hideous and hateful … and delightful character?”

Hopefully this will be explored through a generous amount of crossovers between The Originals and The Vampire Diaries, which both air on The CW in the fall of 2013.