Broken Record Redux
Summary: How Haley deals following Renee-gate. Follows the first half of Broken Record, where Clayton proves that Renee is lying. Naley.
I was in the middle of writing the next chapter of Behind the Scenes when this story just jumped at me and so I took it. Expect an update with that story tomorrow. But like I said, this takes place in the same context of Broken Record. Clayton disproves Renee just like in Broken Record but after that is different. Reading Broken Record is not necessary, I think this story can stand on its own. I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes. I only reviewed it once. Enjoy and please review.
. . . . .
Nathan tucked Jamie away and smiled as he looked by the nightstand and found a picture of him and Haley. Jamie had taken that from their room and kept it close to him ever since this whole mess with the lying bitch, who he refused to dignify with a name, came in and tried to ruin his life, their lives.
Haley, he thought. Where was she? She was awfully quiet all day even after they set the record straight with the whore and counter sued the lying bitch. He knew this whole ordeal affected her as much as it has him.
He searched the bedroom and downstairs. He went to the back and found her at the end of their massive backyard, sitting in one of the lawn chairs. He walked towards her and noticed the half drunk beer on the table.
"Mind if I take a seat?" He asked as Haley looked up at him with an expressionless face and then glanced away, back to whatever the hell she was staring at before. Then she reached for her beer and took another swig.
Nathan took a seat nearby.
"How're you doing?" He asked cautiously.
"I'm fine." She replied quickly and in a monotone voice that told Nathan that she was anything but fine.
"You're a little high on yourself, aren't you? Going around telling people you're all fine." He tried to joke and his mind conjured up the 16 year old versions of themselves when he first told her that line. God how things changed, yet something remain the same.
"…"
Ouch, that hurt. Nathan winced at her silence. She was clearly not fine, that much he already knew.
"Hales.."
"I said I'm fine."
"Come on Hales, we should be.. I don't know.. happy. Relieved. I know I am. Today was a good day baby."
Haley sarcastically laughed.
Nathan watched, unsure of what to do next. She was still clearly upset about everything.
Haley took a deep breath and decided there was no point in being vague, that was Quinn's job not hers. It seems the James sisters have a knack for being honest with their husband. Haley wasn't going to do that. She still had no clue what the hell is Quinn's problem with Dave. Sometimes she feels that Quinn should just leave Tree Hill and go back with her husband, but that was another problem. Right now she had other things to deal with.
"I'm not fine Nathan."
"I know that."
"I haven't been fine for a while."
"Okay." Nathan sat up and turned towards her and took a hold of her hand. "Then talk to me."
"Okay." Haley turned to face him. "You remember the last time we were here."
Nathan nodded and shuddered at the memory.
"I told you I had a crummy day." Haley reminded him and Nathan nodded. "And you remember what you said next?"
Before Nathan could reply, Haley resumed speaking. "You said, it's about to get worse."
"I remember, but it's over now, that lying bitch is out of our lives."
"Do you even know why I had a crummy day?" Haley said completely brushing aside what Nathan just said.
Nathan looked at her curiously. "Huh?"
"Before you told me about Renee, do you know why I had such a bad day."
"Umm.."
"Exactly." Haley crossed her arms. "You know that day, John from LA sent over this woman, Miranda, to close down Red Door Records."
"Wait, what?!" Nathan was surprised and then started to feel guilty. That was weeks ago and he's only finding about this now.
"They wanted to close the record company down but I managed to stand my ground and even had help by having Mia come over and telling them that if they close the record label down, they'll loose their biggest artist. It was a crummy day but I managed to stand up against this LA big whig and I couldn't wait to tell my husband." Haley paused and took another swig.
"I wanted to tell you and look into your eyes and see how proud you were of me for standing my ground." She said with a hint of sadness.
"Oh God, Hales. I'm sorry. I.. I didn't know."
"And the night at Tric when Renee ambushed me with the paparazzi?"
Nathan looked down. He had taken off early but left Haley all alone to deal with the press.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there." Was all he could mutter.
"That's the thing, you're never here." Haley lamented. Haley shook her head. "God, Nathan, you didn't even bother to ask me.. you just dropped this bomb on me."
"Is that why, you're mad? Cuz I didn't ask how your day was?"
"I'm not that petty Nathan but the fact that you didn't even bother to know why. You know.. I don't.. I don't even know anymore. I'm angry at you, angry at me… I'm just.. I'm just overwhelmed by it all."
"Look, I'm sorry I was so caught up in this whole thing. I screwed up I know! And why are you mad at yourself, you did nothing wrong."
"I have a lot of things going on too you know and I can't believe that you.. you who practically pushed the microphone into my hand to start singing again, you who said that we'll be okay if I start doing music.. how are we going to be okay when you're out partying and drinking? And then what, I look like the bitch because I'm trying to hold you down on some leash." Haley scratched her head in frustration.
"Look, I get it, you had a great game and you had every right to celebrate. I'm not mad at you for that but at the same time I can't help but think of what you're doing out there while I'm here, taking care of our house, our son, missing you like crazy."
"Hales.." Nathan said softly.
"Do you know why they wanted to shut me down?"
"…"
"It was because it's taking me so long to record my album. Do you know why?"
Nathan shook his head, feeling guilty that he was so wrapped up in his own world, thinking he was doing the best for his wife and son when all along he didn't have a clue.
"You."
"Me?"
"And Jamie."
Nathan looked at her baffled.
"I record this album and then I'm off touring, doing concerts, interviews."
"I know that."
"And you're on road games. What about Jamie? What about us? Do you know how hard it already is to have you gone half the time. That I toss in turn all night trying to reach out for you on your side of the bed."
Haley took another sip. "And the fact that you're so okay with spending so little time with me and Jamie, it just .. it makes me wonder."
"Wonder what?"
"That you'll be living the life you never would've had if we didn't get married so young and had Jamie. That somehow by letting me follow my dreams, it justifies yours for living yours."
Nathan just looked at her, not expecting that answer.
"And see and now I'm a bitch for even thinking that. Now I'm mad at myself." Haley took one last big gulp of her beer. "So no matter how you look at it, it's like a broken record… damn if do, damn if I don't, and in between there'll always be some random crazy skank trying to hit on my husband." Haley shook her head. "At least this time she tried to offer you another child instead of trying to steal the one you currently have."
"Hal.."
"And let's not forget that now every time you have a good game on the road, I have to ask myself how many body shots are you taking?" Haley's eyes welled up. "See, now I'm a bigger bitch."
"Haley stop. You're not a bitch, you're my wife and you're entitled to everything you feel and say but can I say something?"
Haley nodded.
"Yes, my life would've been different if we never got married and had Jamie, especially being so young but know that marrying you was the best thing I ever did and Jamie was the greatest gift I could've asked for next to having you as my wife. Hales, you and Jamie are my world. When I was younger, basketball was my way out, to go out and be famous and bang as many girls as I could. But that was then Hales, I play the game because I love it and it allows me to provide for the two most important people in my life." Nathan got up and took a seat next to Haley and wrapped her in his arms. "I love you okay and I love our son and the life we've built.. together. And contrary to what you may think, the road isn't all parties. It was one night and every day I'm away I miss you guys too." He hugged his wife tighter.
"And I'm sorry I didn't know about all this or sensed something was up. I was so busy about the contract and this whole sex scandal and thinking of you and Jamie that I didn't even think of you if that makes any sense."
"It does, thank you." Haley buried her face into Nathan's chest.
"And when your record comes out, we can find a way to match up our schedules. I mean Peyton set your contract up pretty well. You've got complete creative control over the music and you have the option to pick and choose where and when you want to tour."
"Yes, I get a lot of freedom but it's not as simple as that. Even if I set it up to how I want it, it doesn't matter because we'll still be apart from each other and then there's Jamie. And there's the fact that, part of me doesn't want to go on tour."
"You don't?"
"I mean I love to record, I love to sing, I love to perform but the idea of being away from my family, I did it once and I don't know if I could do it again."
"So what do you want Hales?" Nathan asked.
"You. I want you and Jamie."
"You have us."
"I want us to tuck Jamie in every night and to see him when he goes off to school. I want to sleep in your arms each night and wake up in them every morning." Haley shook her head. "'No, that's not what I want, that's what I need." Haley paused.
"I'm already having a hard enough time with you out on the road during the season but with those whole Renee thing it just makes everything… worst and I'm ..frustrated, I don't know anything Nathan."
"I know." Nathan rubbed her back. "But look, my contract is still up in the air although Clay thinks that now that this whole mess is behind us, my contract will go through. But we'll do it together okay, all of it. We'll find a way to make it all work, I don't know how but I know we will."
Haley nodded.
"Is my girl feeling better?"
"Yeah." She looked up at him and then shook her head.
"But not really." They both replied and smiled at each other. He leaned in and gave her an affection kiss on the lips. They continued to lie there in each other's arms, both in deep thought. Nathan couldn't help but find the irony in the situation. Haley was right, they were a broken record, damn if they don't, damn if they do but one things for certain, one thing that's been constant since he was a young high school kid in love, that no matter what they decide to do, they'll do it together, united and definitely not broken.
Fin.