Title: College life

Author: Renova26

Category: comfort/romance/family

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing

This is my first attempt at writing an one-shot so I hope it will turn out ok. This fanfic is based on a conversation that was heard in episode 5 of season 5 between Lucas and Haley. Their conversation as the characters belong to Mark Schwann and the One Tree Hill producers and writers.

Haley James Scott felt frustrated. In less than a month, she had to undergo her college exams. Today college was spent talking about the best way to prepare and the importance of early beginning. And normally that wouldn't have been a problem for her.

During the entire high school, she had been one of the best students with a 4.0 GPA. She was proud to say that she helped many students pass as their tutor and she even had been given the honour to give the valedictorian speech at their graduation (thanks to the help of her wonderful husband).

But right now, all of those things didn't matter. She had a toddler that she needed to take care of, a husband who tried his very best to win his dreams back and a brother-in-law who struggled with his writing career. Although she loved them all to death, it sometimes became a little too much to handle. Right now was one of those moments.

She was sitting in the living room of the house that the four of them rented, books scattered everywhere. She desperately tried to catch up some work but she didn't seem to concentrate. It was hard to ignore the household work that needed to be done. Nathan and Lucas were both so focussed on reaching their goals, that they often ignored the work a household held. She cleaned, washed, cooked, took care of Jamie (although she never considered him as work) and worked in a local café.

Although Nathan tried his best to take some of her work load, he too had his own work and basketball practices to take in account. She couldn't resent him for following his dream since she was the one who pushed him to go after it in the first place. As for Luke, she knew how much he sacrificed by following them although he denied it. She saw how hard it was for him, to be so far away from Peyton.

"Hales, I am home."

"In here, Nathan."

When Nathan entered the kitchen, he immediately saw the distressed state of his wife. After almost three years of marriage, he could read her like an open book. He knew that she hadn't had it easy the last couple of weeks and he wondered what he could do to make up for it.

"What's wrong, Hales?"

Hearing her husband say such things, she couldn't hold it much longer. She began to cry as the stress took over her. She knew that Nathan hated to see her cry but she had to let it all out.

"Oh, Hales. You know that I hate to see you cry. Tell me what's wrong, babe."

"Today everyone talked about how they were going to spend their weekend. Most of them were studying or going out with their boyfriends. And I realised that this weekend I need to do the groceries, I have to vacuum the house and I need to take Jamie to the doctor. I don't have the time to do any of the things a normal student does. I can't even take the time to study. I got my first B today, that has never happened to me before."

Nathan couldn't help but laugh a little bit at his wife behaviour. Only Haley could be stressed over a simple grade. But then again, she was right at some point. He had noticed how much work she took upon her shoulders, insisting that he and Luke would reach their goals. But doing so, he had failed her.

"Listen, sweetie. I know that Lucas and I take everything for granted, without thanking you or expressing how much it needs to us. But we do appreciate all that you do for us and we will try to help you as much as we can in the future. But then you have to let us."

Haley smiled. She had known the two Scott brothers for a long time and she knew that they liked to bottle everything up. The times they did express their feelings, it felt like a real treasure.

"As for your weekend, I know that you don't have a hot boyfriend who is willing to take you out but you have a husband who loves you with all of his heart and who is more than willing to spend a romantic evening with you while Lucas watches Jamie. And you can make a list of the household chores that needed to be done with so I can do them now and in the weekend. That way, you will have time to study now and in the weekend. Alright?"

Haley once again smiled. With a few simple words, her husband had taken away most of the stress and anxiousness she had felt. Moreover, the suggestion of spending a romantic evening with Nathan, also help to make her feel better.

"Thanks, Nathan. I am really lucky to have you as a husband and I wouldn't change you for all the best boyfriends of the world."

Nathan was memorized by her words. Everytime she said something like that to him, it made him realise how lucky he was to have her and their son in his life. Haley was his joy and it was only appropriate that he tried his best to make her as happy as she made him.

"I wouldn't give you the opportunity to trade me, Haley James Scott. You are mine, as I am yours. Always and forever. Now, why don't you go study or whatever you were trying to do with all those books. Meanwhile, I will pick up Jamie and afterwards I will clean the house."

While Haley went back to work, Nathan picked up his keys. He would pick up Jamie and afterwards he would pay a visit to Lucas. It was about time that both Scott men would do their duty and help their wife/best friend/sister-in-law.

"I am leaving, Hales. I will pick Jamie up and then I'll just stop by Luke's office. I have something to discuss with him. Oh and Hales, don't worry about a B. You are still number one in my eyes."

And with that he left.

"So you see Luke, although she doesn't say it out loud she needs our support. Maybe we could work up a system about who is going to do the chores when."

Nathan was currently sitting in Luke's office. As he had promised Haley, he had picked up Jamie who was now happily playing with his favourite toy and the subject of his first word: a basketball ball. His son was a perfect mixture of him and Haley. When he looked at his son, he sometimes couldn't believe the love he felt for that little boy that he helped create.

"Yeah, you are right. I will help you guys as much as I can. You are my brother and Haley had been my sisters for as long as I can remember so I would do anything for her."

When her three boys came home, Haley was surprised to see Lucas and Nathan so helpful. While she continued studying, Jamie played with his miniature basketball, Nathan cleaned the house further and Lucas cooked. As they were all eating, she studied her three Scott men. She loved them all dearly.

Lucas had been her best friend since she could remember and he was her shoulder to lean on. Nathan was her husband and her rock. She couldn't imagine a life without him. And Jamie, although so little, was her everything. He was the symbol of the love she and Nathan held for eachother and the person she loved unconditionally. She never knew how far a mother's love went until she had James Lucas Scott. Jamie, Lucas and Nathan. Her world.

Afterwards, Nathan and Haley put Jamie into bed and the three of them watched some TV. Just as she was sleeping, Jamie once again woke up. Since she had been given the chance to take things slow for the entire day, she told Nathan that she would go.

She was just singing a lullaby to Jamie, as Lucas walked in. He looked at them with a look of amazement. It still amazed him that his best friend was now a mother of a toddler. Only years ago, they had been the children staying up late.

"Hey"

"Hi. What time is it?"

"Almost four thirty. I couldn't sleep either."

"Yeah, neither could he. Are you just exited about seeing Peyton or the game or what?"

"Actually, Peyton is not coming. She couldn't get away from work."

Haley felt sorry for her best friend. She knew that he had really looked forward to Peyton's coming, as had she. But then again, she understood how life was in the music business and how everything could change so quickly.

"Aw, I am sorry Luke. I guess that's life in the music business.

"Yeah, I guess. Do you ever miss it?"
"Sometimes especially when I see you chasing you dreams of becoming a writer, but I'll go back to chasing my dreams someday."

"All I have to show for my writing career, is a stack of rejection letters. Besides, when I see the three of you together, I just want what you guys have."

Lucas couldn't help but want the same thing his friends had. Living with them, every single day he saw how they loved eachother and how they gave their heart at eachother, so completely. Sometimes he just felt lonely when he looked at them.

"Luke, you know we could not have done this last year with you living here and helping between school and basketball and Jamie. But I know it's hard to be away from Peyton."

"We all make sacrifices, I mean for the first time in your academic career you're getting b's.
"Ughh, it was a b+, okay?"

She laughed. This morning her grades had seemed so important. But sitting here with Lucas and Jamie on her lap, she remembered that there were things that were far more important than a number on a paper. She was happy to be here, where she belonged.

"Hey, you are a part of this family and you always will be."

"Thanks. Goodnight little man."

As he leaved, he heard Jamie ask for his ball and he knew that his family would survive everything. Nathan and Haley loved eachother throughout everything, they had a wonderful son and more important they had him. And he would make sure that his family stayed happy.

Meanwhile, Haley finally managed to put Jamie back to sleep. She happily crawled back in bed where her husband was waiting for her. He took her in his arms and whispered:

"I love you, Hales."

Her last thoughts before she fell asleep were: "sometimes frustrates days can turn out ok."

A:N: leave a review to let me know your thoughts x