In life there always seems to be that one place, the one place where you can finally say that this is where my day ends. Everything that I stressed, everything that made me go insane, everything that is eating at me ends at this very spot. For Nathan Scott it seemed to be when he pulled into the driveway of his home. In the mornings when he pulled out of his driveway he was Nathan Scott, the power forward for the Charlotte Bobcats, but when he got into that driveway and turned the ignition off to his car he was just Nathan. But when he wasn▓t being an athlete he was off fulfilling other duties in his life. Once he opened the door he soon saw Haley sitting across from the principal, feeling a little alarmed he quickly grabbed his seat next to Haley.
⌠Nice to see you Mr. Scott, did you have a nice flight back?■ Principal Green asked
⌠Uh, it was as well as can be expected. I just tried to get back quickly as possible■ Nathan laughed it off
⌠Well Ms. James and I got well acquainted about the matter at hand and now it is time to put in the missing piece, which is you■ Principal Green said
⌠Well I am interested in what is going on with Oliver just as much as Haley. Um, this is a total surprise to me. But I do certainly feel that it is time to get the school involved as well as both Haley and I■ Nathan said as Haley shook her head in agreement
⌠So lets get down to business■ Principal Green said
⌠Okay■ Haley said eager to get this sit down over
⌠With whom does Oliver reside with?■ Principal Green asked as he prepared to write down the bit of information
⌠Oliver stays with both Haley and I■ Nathan answered
⌠What is your relationship with Ms. James?■ Principal Green asked
⌠Nathan and I are both friends. We▓ve always been friends■ Haley answered
⌠So what is Nathan▓s relationship with Oliver?■ Principal Green asked
⌠I am his adoptive father■ Nathan answered
⌠So Oliver knows you as his father and Haley as his mother but is he aware of the fact that you two are not romantically involved?■ Principal Green asked
⌠We talk with Oliver consistently about our relationship. We tell him regardless that we are both his parents and that we both love him equally■ Haley answered
⌠When did Nathan adopt Oliver?■ Principal Green asked
[Flashback
Doctors rushed Haley in immediately as each contraction seemed to hit every five minutes. Racing through the hallways all Haley could see was lights flashing by before she entered the emergency room. Doctors assisted her up in upright position to position her body for the next contraction when Nathan brushed past a group of doctors who tried to restrain him.
⌠No. No. I need to be in there with her■ Nathan exclaimed
⌠Sir, we need you to go back out side■ One man said
⌠Get this guy out of here■ The head doctor demanded
⌠No. I▓m not leaving until she tells me to leave, I▓m not leaving until Haley tells me to leave■ Nathan said trying to extend his hand out to a sobbing Haley
⌠Nathan go■ Haley cried
⌠I▓m not going anywhere■ Nathan cried in response ⌠I want to be here. I want to do this with you■ he said
⌠I can▓t■ Haley said
⌠I love you and I love this child. I want to be in this child▓s life, I▓m not leaving. Your going to have to shove me out of your life because your not pushing me out■ Nathan said
⌠Ms. James, do you want this man to in here because your about to give birth to your child?■ The head doctor asked
Later on that evening both Nathan and Haley sat looking at the beautiful baby boy that Haley brought into the world. With a tear strolling down his face, Haley looked over at her friend and couldn▓t help but smile herself at this moment. Touching the little boys face Nathan was soon surprised to feel the baby▓s grip on his finger.
⌠What do you think we should name him?■ Haley asked
⌠Your trusting my naming skills now?■ Nathan asked surprised
⌠Yes, as long as their not sneaker names, team names, numbers, or rap songs■ Haley listed
⌠Okay, okay. I was thinking Oliver■ Nathan suggested
⌠Oliver?■ Haley asked
⌠Yeah■ Nathan said
⌠That▓s perfect■ Haley smiled ⌠Oliver Lucas James■ she smiled
⌠Yeah, that sounds about right■ Nathan smiled
[End of Flashback
⌠So days after he was born I adopted Oliver as my own son■ Nathan said
⌠And at the time what age were you?■ Principal Green asked
⌠At the time I was seventeen but I was emancipated from my parents at the age of fifteen, so I was therefore seen as an adult by the courts in the long run■ Nathan replied
⌠Interesting story■ Principal Green commented ⌠What is your level of education, both of you?■ he asked
⌠I am still attending Duke University, this is my last year. But I have a part time job at a tutoring center nearby the house■ Haley answered
⌠I attended Duke University for one year and then I decided to enter into the draft as a professional basketball player. I play for the Charlotte Bobcats■ Nathan said
⌠Now with your job Mr. Scott how much time do you devote to Oliver?■ Principal Green
⌠I devote a lot of time to Oliver. When I am home I make it a priority to do things with Oliver such as homework, practicing for his games, helping him with chores■ Nathan said
⌠Nathan really does spend a lot of time with his son. Oliver understands the schedule that his father has but rest assure that when season is over its pure father and son time■ Haley chimed in
⌠Now back to the arrangement between both you and Mr. Scott, exactly how was this brought about to benefit Oliver?■ Principal Green asked
[Flashback
Haley sat up in bed with her lap top in her lap with a pencil firmly in her mouth as she eagerly worked at finishing her term paper. While Haley was at work on her paper Nathan walked the floors of the two bedroom dorm room trying to quiet the baby down. Feeling as if she was just about close to killing Nathan, Haley quickly shot Nathan a look.
⌠I think its clear what has to be done▓ Nathan reasoned
⌠Can we not talk about this right now?■ Haley asked
⌠Hales, we have to. Your cramming to do a term paper because you had to work a morning and afternoon to cover our rent and I have to get late classes so I can be home with Oliver when your at work. And I love that we manage to have a schedule but this schedule is killing us■ Nathan said
⌠Then what the hell do you suppose we do?■ Haley asked
⌠You know what we should do■ Nathan said
⌠What if you don▓t get it, what if we put all our eggs in this basket of hope and end up with nothing■ Haley said
⌠Hales, I▓m a freakin basketball player. I will get in. Do you not remember who my father is?■ Nathan asked
⌠I just don▓t want to be the couple that sits waiting for the news and never receives it. What if you get an overseas offer, then what?■ Haley asked
⌠Hales, I can handle this. Oliver and you are my priority. But I need you to let me be the man in this situation because I▓m not feeling like a man when you have to wake up early in the morning just to pay a stupid bill. I don▓t feel like a man when I can▓t buy my son something because I have to save it to pay for tuition. I can▓t live like that, I want my son to have everything and I want us to be normal human beings so please let me take the first step in taking care of my family■ Nathan said
⌠Fine. But I▓m not giving up going to school, so if your little contract means us moving to some ridiculous place not in driving to Duke then we▓ll have to work out a situation in which we share custody of Oliver■ Haley warned her friend
⌠Agreed■ Nathan said happily as he whirled his son around ⌠Daddy is going into the draft■ he smiled before he son started up crying again
⌠Should I take that as a sign that he is not enthused■ Haley said before Nathan gave her a look ⌠I▓m just saying■
[End of Flashback
⌠So it sounds like everything worked out in your favor in the end■ Principal Green said
⌠Yeah, it did. I got an offer from Charlotte as soon as I gave the word that I was entering. They worked with us to find a home and now we▓re good■ Nathan said
⌠What is the home like setting for Oliver?■ Principal Green asked
▒We live in mansion some would say. Oliver has his own room that is in between Haley and mine. We have an intercom in his room so we are aware of what he is doing. We have a indoor swimming pool that has a lock on it that we both have. Of course a basketball court■ Nathan said
⌠So he is pretty much living a baller life style■ Principal Green said
⌠Yeah, we make it as normal as possible. I do have nanny that watches him, we both have known her for a very long time. But we do give him chores to do and we make sure that he is respectful of the things he has and respects his blessings■ Haley said
⌠Well after listening and evaluating both of you, you both sound solid when it comes to the parenting department. It just amazes me how two friends who knew each other in high can manage to work together and raise a young boy■ Principal Green said
⌠One of the biggest things that both Nathan and I do, is that we make sure that we are there for Oliver. He is our first priority and we respect each other and each others parenting styles. If Nathan says that he is grounded, he is grounded. If I say that he can go to a sleepover, Nathan agrees■ Haley said ⌠We are a team when it comes to raising Oliver■ she said
⌠As you see I have a coach in basketball and in my personal life■ Nathan said
▒Now since you two are not involved, how do you go about when it comes to your dating lives?■ Principal Green asked
⌠I date but I don▓t bring my dates to the house. We both make it clear to Oliver that we are his parents but we are not together as far as romantically■ Nathan responded
⌠I don▓t date. Due to events that have happened in my life I choose not to■ Haley said
⌠Events such as?▓ Principal Green lead on
⌠I think we should move on to the next question■ Nathan intervened
Coming home from picking up Oliver at school the car ride was certainly one of the quietest Nathan has ever been in. Haley was in a drifted shock from having to relive the moment she had chosen to never relive. Nathan knew what was on her mind but he knew inside that there was no real way to ask how she was feeling because he knew that that was one event that seemed to tear her down easily. Once they got inside the house Oliver ran and sat down in front of the television in the living room.
⌠Olly■ Nathan called out
⌠Yes■ Oliver answered
⌠Go upstairs and do your homework. You know better than to watch television before doing your homework■ Nathan scolded his son
⌠Okay■ Oliver said as lowered his head when he went to turn the television before heading upstairs to do his homework
⌠I should go ahead and get dinner started before it gets too late■ Haley said walking past Nathan before Nathan grabbed ahold of her arm
⌠Wait■ Nathan said
⌠Don▓t do that■ Haley said pulling away quickly
⌠I▓m sorry. I didn▓t mean to do that■ Nathan said ⌠Let▓s talk■ he said
⌠I don▓t want to talk about anything■ Haley said
⌠Hales, I know this is bugging you and I know that your trying to act as if everything is okay. But you can▓t keep it in■ Nathan said
⌠I▓m not keeping it in. I▓m dealing, I have been dealing▓ Haley said
⌠Then why are you so upset?■ Nathan asked
⌠You know why? You know everything so you should know that?■ Haley asked
⌠So what I▓m just suppose to act like I know this isn▓t bothering you, hell even Olly knows something is wrong■ Nathan said
⌠Drop it, Nate■ Haley threatened
⌠No. I want to talk about it. I want to know what he did. I want to know about what he did that makes you feel scared every time you even hear about that incident. Tell me■ Nathan yelled
⌠I feel like he▓s still here. I still feel like I▓m there■ Haley yelled
⌠But why?■ Nathan asked
⌠Because he has apart of me. Every time someone mentions that he gets that part of me■ Haley said
⌠No, no. He doesn▓t get that part of you. No one gets what you don▓t give them■ Nathan said ⌠Hales, we▓ve been through this and we have beaten this. We have. You are the better person because of this, so I refuse to stand back and just let this eat at you because believe it or not this does affect me■ he said
⌠I know. I know. I▓m just┘.■ Haley said before she broke down crying ⌠I▓m just scared┘┘I▓m scared that he▓s still out there waiting for me to be alone■ she cried
⌠Hales, we▓re going to get through this. I promise you that┘.not you┘but we■ Nathan said as pulled her into a hug