I'm not Mark Schwnn!
This idea popped into my head, hope you enjoy the read!
Nathan was walking back to the apartment he shared with Haley very slowly. He was worried about how Haley would greet him when he walked in the front door. Today had been the worst and best of his life. Ever since Haley returned from tour, both of them had been able to rebuild their relationship and were truly happy to be together. Drama free. The hardest decision they had faced lately was which college to apply to. But in their hearts, they knew they didn't care, as long as they were together. So, this morning when Coach K called him up, Nathan was beyond thrilled. Not only did he get a spot on the Duke basketball team, he got a full ride too. It would help their tight money situation and Haley had no problem getting into any university- Duke would be a sure thing. Then instead of Haley jumping into his arms and saying, "Congratulations!" she said, "I'm pregnant." That completely changed everything. Haley did not expect Nathan to be thrilled, but it was eating inside of her and she had to let me him the truth. She did not expect him to walk out the door all frazzled. He left her, in their apartment, alone and scared.
It's not that Nathan did not love Haley, it's that now he had not only Haley to think about, but their child. He panicked. And when he came back to the apartment to change for the press conference, he now realized he was not open with his emotions and therefore not supportive either. He wanted Duke and he wanted Haley, but Haley was left feeling as if he was choosing Duke over her and their child. At the press conference he realized he wasn't alone…..he had a family- Haley and their child was his family. His future. Nathan looked into the camera and promised Haley "No matter what happens, everything is going to be alright, I've never been happier and I love you."
Nathan slowly opened the door to their apartment. It was dim, but he made out the shadow of Haley looking out the window that faced their balcony. She slowly turned around.
"Hales" Nathan said. "I…."
"Don't Nathan" Haley responded, her voice cracking and her eyes bloodshot. "I don't want to hear anything more you have to say." She turned to walk away, but Nathan stepped in front of her.
"Haley, please! Didn't you see the press conference?" Nathan said eagerly. "I realized how dumb I reacted- it was immature and I'm sorry. I love you Haley, both of you."
Haley ran her hands through her hair, just the way she did when Nathan stood in front of her after waiting for her in the rain after another fight they had had earlier in their relationship. Only this time, Haley wasn't smiling, she looked defeated and her eyes filled even more with tears.
"Yes, Nathan you're right. You acted dumb...immature and you should be sorry" Haley said as she tried to fight back her tears. "But I'm the one that's sorry. I thought you had changed from the Nathan Scott I was first introduced to. Stupid me, I thought when we started dating and then got married that was a commitment. You committed yourself to always protect me. I was wrong and you lied to me." Haley said as she sobbed .
"Haley, please stop, calm down. I have changed, you changed me, don't blow this out of proportion. Please, it was just…." Nathan said.
"Don't blow this out of proportion? You turned your back on me when I needed you the most. You were more excited when you were telling me about Duke than knowing about your own child." Haley said.
"I was scared Hales. But then I realized I shouldn't be, because together we can get through anything. I don't care about Duke. I want us to make the decision together about what to do next year. We can decide what is best for our family." Nathan pleaded.
"I've already made my decision." Haley whispered as she looked back out the window.
"What do you mean, "my" decision?" Nathan asked cautiously.
"I want you to go to Duke and follow your dreams. I'm going to take the first semester off and I'm going to go to community college my Spring semester. By then the baby will be six months and things will be a little more manageable. " Haley said calmly wiping away her tears.
"No, we're staying together. I don't want our family separated. You can come with me or stay here. I'll do whatever it takes." Nathan stated his eyes filling with tears of fear.
Haley turned around to face Nathan, "I won't keep you away from your child, Nathan. I figured Tree Hill is not far from Duke, so you can visit on your weekends when you're not playing and on holidays. This way I'll have family here to help me out and have an easier school schedule."
"What are you saying? I'm just supposed to leave both of you here and go away and visit every other weekend?" Nathan said shaking.
"Yes." Haley whispered. "Nathan I love you. I think you deserve to embrace this opportunity and not let me or this pregnancy stand in your way." Haley whispered through more tears. "We were friends first, so let's stick to that relationship and see if in four years when we're done following our dreams if we still have more."
"Haley. We do have more, right now. I love you and there's nothing you can say or do to make me not be by her side through all of this and hold your hand when you're scared. I'm not leaving and if I do, it's with both of you." Nathan said taking a step closer to Haley.
"I just can't trust you right now Nathan. I can't depend on you anymore. " Haley whispered as she looked him straight in the eyes.
"Yes you can" Nathan said sternly.
"No, I can't. The Nathan Scott that stood in front of me this morning and then this afternoon was not the one I can trust and depend on." Haley said. "I have to be selfish right now and think about this baby and myself."
Nathan ran his hand through his hair and turned around and let out a deep breathe. "If you were being selfish you never would have tutored me, Haley." Nathan said as his voice cracked from the tears that were filling his eyes and emotions running through his body. "You never would have listened to my problems about my mom and dad at home. Never would you have let me close enough to let me fall in love with you." Nathan said as he broke down and sat at their dining room table. He put his head into hands and cried.
Haley didn't say a word. She was so confused. Of course, she loved her husband and wanted her family together. But she didn't want to have him feel "stuck" with this teenage pregnancy and resent her and their baby if things didn't pan out for his basketball dreams.
"Nathan I'm doing this for you to. You won't have to have the weight of me and the baby. You can have the best of both worlds. Really it'll be…" Haley said as Nathan turned his tear stained face to look up at her.
"Best of both worlds? You two are my world." Nathan said in a whisper as he turned his head back down and shook it from side to side. "Remember how I would always tell you stories about my family? My dad pushed me to hard and my mom was always away on business. All I ever wanted was to have two happy parents who loved one another. You know? I mean who really loved each other and showed me how much they loved me too. You don't know how many times I wished we could just have a nice family dinner or just enjoy the park on a nice summer day." Nathan said aloud. "I never had that."
"I know Nathan and I'm sorry." Haley said as she approached Nathan.
"Don't be sorry, Haley. You made my wish come true. You became my family, the one that would have nice family dinners with or enjoy a day in the park. I'm sorry I can't give you what you want, because all you've ever done since I met you was make all my dreams come true. You are my dream- not Duke, not basketball." Nathan said from the bottom of his heart.
"Nathan…" Haley said through tears as she touched the top of his head. "I'm sorry….this is all so overwhelming. I thought that we'd just get in your way and I was trying to make everyone happy."
"See, there you go- not being selfish. Haley you make me happy. Having our family together would make me happy and be a dream come true. I could continue having the type of family environment I always wanted. That is if you can forgive me for the way I acted today and give me another chance. Please?" Nathan said as he grabbed Haley's hand. "I need you both in my life. In my world."
Haley smiled with tears in her eyes and said, "How can a girl say no to that? Come here." Nathan stood up and Haley wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed her husband. "I love you. We'll get through this together. You'll be nothing like your father."
"Thank you for always believing in me." Nathan said. "I don't know what I'd do without you?"
"Good thing you'll never have to find out." Haley said as she smiled and kissed her husband again passionately.
When they pulled a part, Nathan grabbed Haley's hand and said, "Come on, it's been an exhausting day."
"Yeah, let's go to bed." Haley smiled as the two of them walked off to their bedroom holding hands.
Nathan and Haley were not perfect, but together they could try for each other. They were after all- TRUE LOVE.
Hope you enjoyed!