Beep. Beep. That horrible sound. Beep.

It made Haley sick.

James started struggling in his stroller.

-Shh, it's ok, she mumbled to him. He looked up at her, not knowing that his daddy was still unconscious.

Not knowing or understanding anything of what's happening for that matter. After all, he was only 2 and a half.

Nathan moaned. Haley looked at him.

He looked terrible. Pale, exhausted and with pain written all over him. James said mommy a couple of times but she didn't even hear it.

She was remembering the last few hours, and it wasn't pleasant.

Flashback

The phone rang and James hurried to get it but Haley took it before he had a chance to speak or worse: hung up.

-Yes?

James looked a little sulky but lit up at the thought of speaking to his daddy.

-Haley Scott? The voice sounded a bit... hmmm.. funerial?

-Yeah, this is her, Haley said, panic growing in her stomach.

-I'm George Hammer, the principal of your school. I'm calling to let you know that your husband has been rushed to the emergency room.

Haley couldn't say a word.

-He collapsed during basketballpractice this afternoon.

-How...he...what..? Haley couldn't find the words.

The principal just kept going:

- I don't know more right now but I would recommend you to go by the hospital as soon as you can.

-I, sure, of course. Haley hung up.

James looked at her, disappointed. Now that he had stood there, waiting patiently while mommy was talking, and he couldn't even talk to daddy?

Haley didn't say anything, she just put on his jacket and shoes, tears streaming down her face. James understood that his mommy was sad, so he kindly let himself get dressed.

At the hospital she immediately saw Lucas, pacing around with a worried look on his face.

-Haley! He cried and rushed up to her.

-Everything's gonna be fine, he whispered into her hair. She nodded and whiped away her tears before bending over to talk to James:

-Mommy's gonna go over to daddy for a while, ok? Uncle Lucas is gonna stay with you.

Lucas nodded and picked James up from his stroller. Haley went to the room where Nathan was laying according to Lucas, and went in.

She gasped and held on to the door frame, to keep herself from fainting. After a few seconds she found the strength to take a few steps further into the room. Nathan was attached to machines and other, horrible stuff. She didn't dare look too much. A doctor came in and started to explain everything but she didn't really pay attention. He left with the words:

-Hopefully he'll wake up in 5 hours or so. And he was gone.

It took a while for her to react. Hopefully??

Luckily, Lucas decided to make an entrance with James at that point and quickly put him back into his stroller when he saw the look on her face.

He hugged her tightly and asked her what the doctor had said.

She just shook her head and buried her face into his shoulder.

They stood there for a couple of minutes, until James started to get really whiny.

-He's probably hungry. He hasn't gotten any dinner, she said hoarse and took a step back from Lucas.

10 minutes later they were sitting down in the cafeteria, James eating happily, and she finally told him what the doctor had said.

-A heart attack? Oh my god, Lucas said. But why?

-Apperantly he is overstrained. Haley sobbed and bursted into tears again.

-Hales, it's not your fault, Lucas said comfortly.

Sadly, she was not convinced.

End of flashback

She shivered at the horrible memories. Lucas had gone back home an hour before and now she was just sitting here. Twice, a nurse had come in to ask her

if she could call someone. Haley guessed she was feeling sorry for James, who just had to sit there in his stroller and not make any noises.

Beep... Beep...

She looked down at her son and saw that he had fallen asleep. The time was only 7, but considering the eventful day, she couldn't blame him.

She turned to look at her husband. It was almost unbearable for her to see him like this, so vulnerable and in so much pain. She couldn't help but think that this was her fault. All of this.

-Nathan, baby, I'm so sorry, she whispered into his ear. I know I've pushed you too hard.

She soaked all his face with her tears but didn't care.

-Just wake up and everything will be ok, ok? James misses his daddy, and I miss you...

She knew that it was getting late and that she needed to get James home. She knew that she had a responsibility, as a mother, as a wife.

But being here, right now, she didn't care. All she cared about right now, was laying here infront of her, and needed her. She couldn't go home, she couldn't leave him here all by himself. So instead she called Lucas, explained it all to him and 15 minutes later he was there. She kissed James goodnight before Lucas gave her a quick hug and grabbed James's stroller. She silently apologized for not being there when he was going to wake up, and then him and Lucas were gone. Haley sighed and turned to look at Nathan, tears dripping at the sight of her husband, with nothing now to keep her from hearing the continued:

Beep...Beep...Beep...

3 Weeks later

-Nathan stop, you're gonna hurt yourself! Seriously, you got out of the hospital 2 weeks ago!

-Stop worrying Hales, or I don't know what I'll do. He gave her a quick kiss and Haley knew that she couldn't stop him from taking James outside and bringing his basketball with him. She went to the window to look at them. Nathan put James down on the ground and excitedly showed him how to make a jump-shot.

But James wasn't that interested and started to look for birds instead. But Nathan wasn't giving up. He gave the ball to James and waited for him to do something with it. Haley saw the confused expression on her son's face as he turned to look at his father. She couldn't help herself.

-Hey guys, how's it going? She had a huge smile on her face. Nathan sighed and looked at her.

-Brilliant.

-I can see that, Haley said and watched as James ran over to a tree and looked for birds.

-Well, he is only 2 and a half, she said for her son's defence and took Nathan's hand.

They kissed each other and she looked into his blue eyes. God, she could drown in there.

-I know, but I was only 2 when I made my first basket, he said gloomy when they broke apart.

-Allright, I'll help you. James! She called. James looked at her.

-Come here for a sec, please. He obeyed. He did most of the time,really.

-Mommy and daddy is gonna show you have to play basketball! Sounds fun? She tried to sound as excited as possible.

-Yeah, he said but he always said that so they didn't really pay attention to it.

-Here is a basketball, Nathan said and showed it to him. You put it through there. He took a shot at the hoop. James followed the ball with his eyes and Nathan looked happy.

-Now you try, Haley continued. Nathan gave him the ball. James held it but looked as confused as he had done 5 minutes ago.

-The hoop. Nathan pointed to it. James really did take a shot at the hoop but failed to put it in. But what did you expect for a first time?

-That's great, James! Well done! Nathan smiled at him. James looked proud, as did his father. Haley laughed at the sight of them.

-Maybe someone should be responsible and make dinner, she said loudly to Nathan but he was too into James and the basketball and didn't even notice. So Haley went inside by herself and started to make dinner.