Summary: he was in the army; she was a stay at home mother to their three beautiful kids. He's coming home for good this time, but everyone else knows it but her. He was coming home for the holidays.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The title is a Christmas song title and the characters are all owned by the evil one : (

I felt like I needed to get into a One Tree Hill mood. I've been missing it lately- I'm getting to wrapped up in Twilight. So here is my One-Shot!

This Whole Thing Is For The Lovely EM-SHIZZLE! She's 17 Now! Party Time! I Hope You Have A Happy Birthday Ems. Also I Have To Thank Casey! She Beta-ed This For Me : ) And Now It's Better Than It Was! Thanks Casey! And How Can I Forget Ciara, She Made Me A Lovely Banner For This Story. It's On The OTH Central Fanfiction. I Couldn't Ask For A Better One : ) Thanks!


Home For The Holidays
By Denver : )



"Hales relax," Brooke giggled holding my baby girl - who wasn't really a baby anymore being at the age of one - in her arms. Brooke was my best friend, she's been with me through out the mess my life has been since he got shipped off eleven months ago, missing birthdays and special events that could never be taken back. But Brooke, being my best friend, has been there for all of that. "Everything is perfect."

"No it isn't," I sighed. "Nothing will be perfect until he get's back."

"Mommy," Vanessa screamed running away from Brooke's son Noah.

"Noah what did you do?" Brooke laughed. Noah was a troublemaker, always has been and probably always will be, knowing the six-year-old.

"Nothing mommy," Noah laughed. He looked exactly like Lucas, in my opinion, the same as how baby Haven looks exactly like Nathan.

"Right Noah, go find your sister and brother please?" Brooke said with a smile. "We need to go pick up daddy and than go to grandma's."

"Okay,"

"Ness what did he do?" I asked sinking down to Vanessa's level.

"He said daddy died!" Vanessa cried into my arms. She nor Michaela understood where Nathan went; the only thing they did know was that he was a hero in all sense. Standing up for our rights and freedom for other countries. I did tell them that he would be coming back soon, his thirteen months shipped away was coming to an end soon.

"Ness he didn't die, he's coming home in two more months." I put on a fake smile for my daughter. I could see the hurt in her blue eyes, something Nathan had given her, and it probably matched the hurt in my eyes. "Now go on put your dress that grandma bought you."

"Okay mommy, I love you."

"You too Nessie." I said softly after her. The thing that drove me crazy was that it broke Vanessa's heart when it was father's day in kindergarten and Nathan couldn't go. He cried too, or that's what he said in his letter. The letters we have been sending back and forth, one per week.

"Hales I'm sorry." Brooke smiled slightly. "I really don't know what's come up with him lately."

"It's okay Tigger, really."

"Well I'll see you at Karen's house later," Brooke said hugging me tightly. "Noah, Jasmine and Alison let's go!"

"Bye Aunt Haley," All three kids said to me as Brooke pushed them out the door.

"Mommy!"

"Girl's, what is wrong now?" I complained. This holiday season was going to be hard on everyone, not just the girls and me.

"She wearing my dress!" Vanessa pouted, her hands rested on her hips and an evil look in her blue eyes.

"You both have the same dress." I said taking the other dress off of Michaela's bed. "Put this on Vanessa, this one is yours."

"Mommy, where's Haven?" Michaela asked.

"Oh crap!" I screamed running down the stairs as I heard Michaela and Vanessa giggling at me from the top of them. "I'm sorry baby girl."

"Momma." Haven giggled along, lifting her arms out above her wanting to be lifted out of the playpen situated in the family room.

"Baby girl let's get you all dressed and ready to go." I smiled walking back up the stairs. "Munchkin's, you two want to help pick something for Haven to wear?"

"Pink one mommy!" Michaela smiled. Michaela was all me, unlike Vanessa who was a mixture, and Haven who was all Nathan; too bad he hasn't seen her since she was a month old.

"I like purple," Vanessa complained.

"Well you two better decide fast or she is going to wear what I choose."

"You can't do that mommy," Vanessa explained. "You don't have good fashion sense."

"Where did you hear that Ness?" I tried to hold in my laughter, something tells me that had something to do with my lovely best friend.

"Aunt Brooke told you that before." Vanessa shrugged not thinking too much of it at the moment.

"Remind me to have a little talk with her later, got it?" I smiled softly. "Girls we really need to get moving so I'm going to pick out two dresses and pick one that you both agree on."

"But I like pink!" Michaela pouted.

"I know you do Michaela, that's why grandma got you a pink dress."

"But I don't like it!" Vanessa said huffing, throwing her arms up in the air.

"Nessa don't complain. I'm having a bad day as it is. Now choose one or the other for Haven, girls." I said holding up a light pink thick strapped dress with a white turtleneck underneath it, and a baby blue three-quarter length sleeved dress. The funny thing was that I think Nathan's mother, Karen, picked out both of them for Haven to wear today.

"The pink one mommy," They both yelled at the same time. They are close some times, and other I need to put Michaela in one room and Vanessa in another.

"The pink one it is." At least they are all sort of in a way. I don't know what's going on but I can tell everyone was keeping a secret from my girls and I. "Girls, do you two know something I don't?" I asked knowing it was no use. No one told them anything, they're babble mouths like myself - or what I am sometimes.

"No mommy," Vanessa giggled.

"You two are insane." I laughed. "Now go put your shoes and jackets on."

"Mommy we need to take a picture for Daddy." Michaela complained.

"Okay," I smiled, "Let's take one of you three for him, I think he'll love that."

"But mommy you have to be in the picture!"

"Michaela I think your dad just wants one of you three right now." I smiled, I hated taking pictures. One because my body is not the same after having three kids in five years and two because it just makes me sad that Nathan isn't here with me.

"But," Michaela said, her eyes got really watery. She was going to cry and I knew it.

"Michaela come here." I said pulling her into a tight hug, "What's wrong?"

"I want daddy." Michaela poured out.

"Honey you know he can't be here."

"But he should, it's turkey day."

"I know that Michaela." I laughed. "But daddy's fighting for us, I know it."

"But,"

"How about we take this picture later and go to grandma's? I think she wants to see you three." I questioned. Karen stepped up and helped me out tons when Nathan first left. She was here every morning helping me with Haven when I couldn't even get out of bed. She was there like Brooke was there.

"Okay," Michaela and Vanessa answered.

"Let's go. Girls get your jackets and shoes on." I told them as I walked to get Haven's coat and shoes. "How're you today baby girl?"

"Momma," Haven giggled. I think it was the only word she knew. It was funny, Lucas, Nathan's brother, tried to get Haven to say any easy word; any. Yet all she says is Momma. "Momma."

"What crazy girl?" I asked laughing a little as I watched her point to her pink Dora sandals. "It's too cold for those Haven, how about your nice black shoes?"

"Momma!" Haven cried.

"Haven you can't wear them, your feet will be too cold." I said trying to calm her down which I knew was pointless. Haven was stubborn, really really stubborn. Since she was all Nathan, I did kind of expect her to be stubborn - Nathan has always been stubborn. "Girls, car."


"Grandma!" Vanessa and Michaela screamed running into the house straight into Karen's arms.

"Hey girls," Karen smiled lifting them both into her arms. She knew what it was like to be a so-called army wife. Keith, her husband, was in the army but he didn't make it home. That's why I think Nathan joined in the first place. "Where's your mom silly girls?"

"She coming," Vanessa said. "Haven screaming."

"Go find Noah, Jasmine and Alison. I think they're somewhere around this house." Karen smiled, kissing their foreheads before walking over to the front door. "Need help Hales?"

"This girl is seriously all Nathan." I laughed shaking my head as I pulled Haven out of the car. "Aren't you Haven?"

"Momma," Haven giggled pinching my cheek with her tiny hands.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Momma," She cheered again.

"You need to learn more words." I laughed. "Hey Karen."

"How're you holding up?" Karen asked.

"As good as I can. Just counting down the days." I answered with a smile.

"Me too," Karen smiled. She missed her son, he was her baby boy. "But we do have a surprise for you and the girls inside."

"Karen," I said, I hated getting presents and surprises, they just weren't my thing.

"Nonsense Hales, this is from everyone. You and the girls need this gift." Karen smiled and out of the corner of her eyes she saw him. "Turn around Haley."

"Oh. My. God!" I screamed, tears running down my face as I ran into his arms. "Nathan!"

"Hey Hales," Nathan smiled giving Haley a kiss. "I missed you."

"Momma," Haven complained from my arms.

"Haven meet daddy," I smiled handing Nathan his daughter. The tears in his eyes told me exactly what I thought, he missed his kids and me.

"Hey baby girl," Nathan said kissing Haven's cheek.

"Daddy!" Vanessa and Michaela screamed running down the porch steps and straight to their father.

"My girls!" Nathan smiled, bending down to meet his daughters.

"Daddy you home for good now?" Michaela asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Oh thank heavens!" I said pulling Nathan into a long kiss, something I so desperately missed. "I missed you Nathan."

"I missed you too Haley." Nathan smiled. "I'm home for good."

"Good daddy, you can come to school with me on Monday!" Vanessa smiled jumping into my arms.

"I would love it Ness." Nathan smiled. "Now let's go eat some turkey."

"I love you Nate."

"I love you too Hales." Nathan said, giving me one last kiss before we walked into the house. It was a perfect surprise, he was going to be home for the holidays.

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays
'Cause no matter how far away you roam
When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze
For the holidays you can't beat home, sweet home


Hope You Liked It : )
Maybe I'll Get Back To Writing One Tree Hill More.
Eh, Who Knows.