This is a different take on the season 3 finale. Mainly because I hate Rachel and the thought of Nathan touching her... shudders This is a short fic. Like just two parts. Angsty, kind of. This is dedicated to a friend I haven't talked to in a while. She wrote the angstiest one shots I've ever read. She taught me the beauty of angst, but I won't write much of it. Too much angst makes me cry.
Haley tells Nathan she's pregnant on the way from the reception, he handles it kinda the way he did on episode 4x05. The song is Run by Snow Patrol. Killer song, really. I love it.
Slower, Slower
"We're having a baby!" She said cheerily.
Nathan's eyes widened in shock. "What"
"Yeah." Her smile faded. "You're not…happy?"
"How do you know?" He scowled slightly, not sure he was hearing right.
"I took a pregnancy test…" She reached down nervously to get her purse and then realized she forgot it. "Oh, gosh." She said distractedly. "I forgot my purse and everything at the reception." She glanced at his emotionless face. "We have to go back."
Wordlessly, he called Lucas. "Hey can you meet me at Molina Bridge with Haley's stuff? She forgot it." He paused briefly. "Thanks." He hung up and drove silently.
Haley stared at him, her throat throbbing and aching for her to cry. "Are you gonna talk to me?" He didn't answer. "Nathan?"
"Not right now, Hales." He muttered lifelessly.
She hugged her arms and sat back. All of a sudden, it was cold.
This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Of his too. But she had to tell him the truth right now, didn't she? Her and her stupid honesty system, she thought to herself. She watched as he paced the opposite side of the bridge and she felt tears brim her eyes.
He hadn't said a word to her since she told him. He had been silent. He probably wasn't going to talk to her anymore. "Nathan," she started tearfully as they waited for Lucas to bring the things she'd left at the reception.
He didn't know what to say about it. She was going to have his baby and he was numb to the news. Not long ago they'd argued about this. He wanted to reassure her that everything was going to be fine but he couldn't find the words to do it. "What are we gonna do?" He finally spoke in a croaked voice.
Haley sat on the rail of the bridge with a sigh. "I don't know. Can't we figure it out…together?" Tears were going to run down her face on her wedding day. When he turned away, she shook her head and sighed. She looked down at the water below her, hoping her tears would just fall there and dissolve and then she'd look back at Nathan and everything would be fine. It'd be like she never cried.
Nathan sighed in relief when he saw Lucas' car coming up. He walked over to the spot that Lucas had pulled over to, forcing a smile at the blonde boy when he climbed out of the car. "Thanks for this, Luke."
"No problem." He handed Nathan Haley's stuff, glancing at his best friend who seemed to be in a different world. He looked back to Nathan suspiciously. "Is everything okay?"
Nathan looked up from the items he'd been studying unnecessarily, obviously answering with his eyes. "I don't know anymore."
"What happened?" Lucas wondered, concerned for them both.
Nathan gave him an edgy look. "Haley's pregnant."
A whoosh of agitated air left Lucas' lungs; he didn't know how to process the news. It was Haley and not Brooke. He should've been relieved. And in a small way he was, but then again it was Haley. His Hales. Lucas' eyes narrowed in unyielding distress. "Nate, I know it's shocking and it's scary. But, you can't leave her like that." He motioned to the girl who wasn't even paying attention to them.
Nathan glanced back at her, his heart breaking at the sight. "I don't know what to say to her." The pleading sound in his voice was desperate. For answers. For the right thing to say.
"Tell her it's gonna be alright." Lucas urged.
"But is it?" Nathan wondered hopelessly. "Because I'm not so sure right now. We're not ready for this. And I don't want to lie to her and tell her that when I'm not so sure myself."
"Whatever you do, Nathan, you gotta tell her something. Don't leave it like this." He said in a low voice, his eyes traveling back and forth from Haley in the distance to Nathan. "This is your wedding day. Your second wedding day. You married her twice." He held up two assisting fingers. "You stood up there on that altar and promised you'd be there for her through thick and thin…twice." It hurt Lucas to see her hurting that way. It hurt to watch Nathan in so much confusion, but this wouldn't break them. It couldn't. Not after all the hell they'd been through. "You did that for a reason." He pointed to Nathan's chest, so close he almost poked him.
Heaving a sigh, Nathan fumbled with her belongings in his hands and looked back at her again. "I love her, Luke."
"Then tell her that." He said encouragingly. "Go tell her that."
He straightened his slumped shoulders and smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Luke."
"No problem." He clapped hands with him in their brotherly way, but the sound of screeching tires knocked them out of their bonding thanks. Nathan's eyes widened and his heart stopped as he watched the limo that had been stolen from the reception hurling straight towards Haley.
"Haley!" He screamed in pure panic.
"Hales!" Lucas was behind him, screaming in terror.
Karen rushed from the passenger seat, running to stand next to the boys, her mouth covered by her hand in dread.
It seemed it all went in slow motion for him. Haley jumped from the rail, expecting to dodge the oncoming car, but it had been too late and there she was, being forced over the edge by the halting vehicle. Her shriek of horror broke through his body like a knife. As her things fell from his hands, his dream and the fear that dream had brought flashed before his eyes as he ran to the edge of the bridge.
Nathan, help!
Tell Haley to stay away from the water. No swimming or anything.
Something's wrong. She should be here.
Haley was drowning and I couldn't save her.
I should just go see her.
It was as if his legs couldn't carry him fast enough. "Call 911!" He heard himself yell as he yanked his coat from his body and tossed it lifelessly to the ground.
Cooper had managed to stop the car from completely going over. Only the front was hanging over the edge. He could hear Rachel and Karen screaming in the background. He glanced around; it was as if his body wouldn't move quick enough.
Cooper was on the phone, talking frantically. He called 911.
Rachel was screaming for Haley at the edge of the bridge.
Karen was screaming for Lucas. Lucas was lying on the ground, clutching his chest.
He was running to jump. It seemed like his legs couldn't carry him any slower.
"Nate! No!" Cooper yelled, but Nathan jumped over.
Not a soul could tell him no. Not when it was Haley. Not when it was his unborn child.
His ability to hear the people on the bridge faded as he splashed into the water.
I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done
And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say
To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say
Slower slower
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads
Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
