Title: In Dreams

Summary: AU-Naley. Season 6, around 6.04/6.05 but without Nanny Carrie. Nathan gets a chance to see his future.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

Haley and Jamie came through the front door, heading straight for the kitchen once they could smell something delicious.

"Nanny Deb must be cooking again, Jamie" Haley directed at her son, who was running off down the hall.

Both were slightly amused to see that it was, in fact, Nanny Deb in the kitchen, but she was coaching Nathan on some of the finer points of cuisine.

"…No offence Mom, but it's not like you're Martha Stewart" Nathan laughed, as he stirred something on the stove top.

"I know honey, but trust me on this, it's going taste great"

"Well, well, well, what have we here? A little Mother/Son bonding session?" Haley giggled, as she walked over to Nathan and gave him a kiss.

"Mom seems to think I'm a bad cook, and that apparently I can learn from her many years of absenteeism and take outs", Nathan replied, just as Deb threw a dishtowel at his head.

"You are ungrateful, Nathan. I'm a great cook, I just wasn't home much to show you".

"Oh, like that time you covered for Karen when she went to the cooking school in Italy, yet somehow you couldn't even get the coffee right?" Nathan said quizzically, as he cocked an eyebrow at her. Deb smirked at her son, and turned around to Jamie, who was watching his family's banter.

"C'mon Jamie, let me get those grubby clothes in the wash, and then we'll feed Chester before our dinner's ready. Although don't be surprised if we have to order in pizza because it is your father cooking, after all", Deb winked at Jamie, and scooped him up into a hug and took him upstairs.

"What the heck was that all about?" Haley laughed, as she tasted the sauce being stirred.

"Mother/Son bonding, I guess". Nathan shrugged and turned his attention to the sauce that Haley was stirring.

As average as these moments seemed, they meant the world to him. It was true – the small things in life can sometimes mean the most, and to have a happy family was the most important thing to Nathan. He wondered how much better it could get than this, and how big his family would get with Haley.

Haley finished cleaning up the kitchen and flicked off the light. She yawned and slowly made her way upstairs, checking in on Jamie, before heading into the main bedroom.

As she entered the room, she saw Nathan had tried to create a romantic night in for them, but had forgotten one important thing: to stay awake. She blew out the candles on the dresser and smiled when she saw the tiny purple flowers beside them. She walked over to the bed, and bent down to kiss Nathan on the forehead. Changing out of her clothes and into her pyjamas, she crawled into bed and snuggled into Nathan, kissing him on the shoulder before slowly drifting off to sleep.

Nathan woke up and looked at the bedside clock – it read 4.34am – and he rolled over and looked at Haley, peacefully asleep. He smiled and kissed her cheek before hopping out of bed, and changing into his gym gear. He grabbed his car keys and headed out to the garage, jumping into the Range Rover and driving to the high school gym.

Walking down the school hall, he approached the outside of the gym. Flicking on the light switches, he pushed the door handle down and opened the door. As he walked into the gym, he thought he heard talking, and slowed down his steps.

On the other side of the basketball court, sitting on the bottom bench seats, were a man and a woman, they looked about 25 and 30 years old, respectively. He noticed they were deep in conversation, but couldn't make out what they were saying. He did notice the woman was wearing an incredibly ugly-ass poncho "God, where have I seen that before?" He thought to himself . "Haley had the same one years ago" Clearing his throat he approached the dark-haired couple.

"Hi there, can I help you?" Nathan asked.

"Oh, hi, sorry we were just talking" the women replied. Nathan looked at her, and thought she looked familiar. She had dark eyes and a warm smile.

"Unless you're faculty, you really shouldn't be in the school gym. Are you with somebody, or can I call someone for you?" Nathan said, trying to sound helpful, rather than offending.

"Well actually, we were kinda waiting for you". This time the young man spoke, and again Nathan thought he looked familiar.

"Who are you? Do you I know you guys from somewhere?"

The couple looked at each other and smiled.

"Shall I do this, or will you?" The woman asked her companion.

"You do it. I'm too busy eating" The young guy said, throwing some Cracker Jacks into his mouth.

"Look, I'm not really sure where to begin.. maybe you want to sit down with us?" The woman asked.

"What are you talking about, and where the hell did you get that poncho from?"

The lady laughed and replied "My mom gave me this. Her mother made it for her. Why?"

"My wife has an identical one just like it, but I made her pack it away. It's not a good look on anyone – even someone as gorgeous as my wife". Nathan replied, smiling to himself.

"Yeah, it's funny you should say that about your wife…Nathan".

"How do you know my name?" He shot back, looking concerned.

"Like I said before, I'm not sure where to begin, but I guess I could start with this: you're not actually here. You're still asleep, dreaming. Dreaming about your kids, 30 years in the future….Dad."

"What the hell are you talking about? Seriously, who are you, and why are saying crap like this?" Nathan demanded of the couple.

"Look, I know it's not easy to believe, but c'mon look at the clock on the wall. It still says 4.34am, and that's the time you "woke up", right?"

"OK, look this isn't funny. Jokes over alright?" Nathan said, making a start towards the exit.

"Dad! I mean… Nathan… please don't go. Just come and sit with us for a few minutes and talk. Look, we're harmless OK? We're just two "kids" sitting and talking."

"Who are you?" Nathan asked again. "What are your names?"

"Well, I don't really want to give too much away. I know this is your subconscious talking, but I don't want to plant seeds in your head. Our names definitely have something to do with your future, so let's just say that for the purposes of this dream, you can call me Lottie, and", pointing to her companion "let's call him Bob, ok?"

"OK, Bob and Lottie. I have questions."

"Go ahead - shoot."

"Why now? Why am I am dreaming about you guys now?"

"Good question." Lottie stood up and walked over to Nathan slowly. Looking back at Bob, she saw he was still stuffing his mouth from the Cracker Jack box. Smiling, she turned back to Nathan. "I think you've experienced things recently, that are bringing you to a cross-roads in your life. Everything that's happened since the bar fight, and your rehab, the crazy Nanny debacle, Jamie's accident and disappearance, and", Lottie paused and looked down briefly before looking back at Nathan "Quentin…"

Nathan looked at the basketball in his hands and thought of the many times he had come to this gym with Quentin to work on his game. The sessions meant a lot to him, and to have Quentin there to challenge him, gave him a renewed hope that we would play professionally again.

He looked back up at Lottie and questioned "So? It still doesn't answer why I'm dreaming about my kids in their 20s".

Lottie smiled again "You think I'm in my 20s? That's sweet." She laughed. "You know, the other day, you sat with Mom at the Rivercourt and told her that you would give up basketball for her because you loved being a husband and a father more." She walked back to her seat and sat down. "I think you honestly believed it when you said that, but there's still this tiny bit of doubt in the back of your mind. I think you want to see what your decisions today result in the future."

"I did mean every word I said to Haley at the Rivercourt." He emphasised Haley's name, as a way of reassuring himself that he wasn't crazy. This girl couldn't possibly be his daughter…even his future daughter…could she? "I love basketball. It's in my blood and the feeling I get when I play is indescribable. But…" He turned and looked at Bob, who had stopped eating his Cracker Jack to look and listen to Nathan. "I would give it all up for Haley. All I want to do is look after her and Jamie. They're my life".

Bob put the box of treats down and stood up to walk over to Nathan. God, he's like a brown eyed Mini-me. Nathan thought to himself, smiling.

"You have to know that Mom would give it all up for you, too. For some reason, she's crazy about you and PS, in the future, all 3 of us kids are a bit over the PDA shows you and Mom put on regularly." Bob smirked, slapping Nathan on the shoulder.

"So if I'm dreaming about my kids, where's Jamie?" Nathan asked, thinking he'd stumped his two "kids".

"Duh – he's at home asleep" Bob said, shaking his head, like he'd answered the most obvious question.

Both Bob and Nathan walked over to where Lottie was sitting and took a seat either side of her.

"C'mon Nathan." Lottie emphasised. "Ask us something else. I know you're dying to. However, I can't guarantee we'll answer everything. You know, we don't want to alter the course of the future or anything". She winked.

Haley woke up when she felt Nathan move restlessly in bed. He must be having some dream. She thought to herself. She could see his facial expression change slightly, and a small smile formed on his lips. She looked over at the bedside clock and saw it was 4.45am. Knowing she would have to get up soon, she rolled over and snuggled up closer to Nathan, savouring the warmth from his body and lightly stroking his arm, willing herself to go back to sleep for a few more minutes…

"OK then. What's the meaning of life?" Nathan asked

"42"

"Very funny, Deep Thought. I suppose now you're telling me it's more important to ask the right questions than to seek definite answers."

Bob laughed and shook his head. "Whatever you need to believe, Nathan."

"C'mon then, tell me something tangible about life..about my future." Nathan looked at both Bob and Lottie to see who would answer first.

Lottie chimed in first. "Nathan, firstly this is your dream. There are no ghosts of Christmases past, present and future, and certainly no It's a Wonderful Life metaphors. Us – here – is your subconscious telling you things you already know. Maybe some of what we say will ring true in the future, but ultimately you need to trust in yourself and your abilities as a husband and a father. The rest will follow."

Bob pulled out another box of Cracker Jack. Where the hell is this guy getting these from? Nathan mused. "Nate – can I call you Nate, by the way?" Bob smirked again. "You still seem to think that if you don't play in the NBA, that you've somehow failed. Failed your family, and more importantly, failed yourself. You have to believe that it's OK to not play professionally."

"Yeah, look Nathan", Lottie turned so she was directly facing Nathan, "You have to know that even if you mopped floors, or collected trash in the park, you will always be a hero in the eyes of your family. We couldn't love you any more even if we tried. You're a great dad." She smiled at Nathan hoping that some of what they were saying would stick.

"What if I want more?" Nathan bit back, trying to push Bob or Lottie for an answer, even though he already knew it.

"Stop pressuring yourself. Learn to let go and give in to fate. You might just surprise yourself and end up with everything you've ever wanted."

Nathan looked down at the ground and dropped the basketball between his legs. He thought back to all the times Dan goaded and cajoled him about basketball. All the times when his best, just wasn't good enough in Dan's eyes. Then he met Haley. She had no idea about the game, or the impact it had on his life. She tutored him – sure, it was an agreement so he would lay off Lucas, but even when he let up on Lucas, she still kept on tutoring him. She saw past the bluff and bluster, and although he eventually charmed his way into her heart, he knew all along she was there for him, Nathan Scott - boy. Not Nathan Scott, star of the Tree Hill Ravens. It was never about basketball for her. It was about the real him.

"You're all I've ever wanted", Nathan whispered, eyes still closed, as Haley rolled over to look at him.

"What, baby? What did you say?" She asked, knowing what he said, but she could tell he was still asleep. "You're all I've ever wanted, too", she whispered as she kissed him gently on the lips.

"Haley's all I've ever wanted." Nathan muttered. "Haley and a family." He looked up and saw Lottie and Bob standing before him. They had grabbed the basket ball from between Nathan's feet, and threw it back and forth between themselves.

"So what can you tell me about your childhoods? I mean, you know, without giving too much away?"

Bob threw the ball back to Lottie and pulled out a juice box from yet another pocket. Lottie laughed and spat out "Seriously Bobby, where the hell are you getting the Cracker Jacks and juice from? You're like a human vending machine." Turning to Nathan, she said "I don't actually think he grows up eating like a horse, but still, keep an eye on that will you?"

Nathan laughed and watched as Bob and Lottie traded friendly insults at each other like a typical brother and sister would. He could only hope that when the three kids were together, it was this much fun.

"So, c'mon tell me. Is there anything you can clue me in on without ruining the surprise?"

"Well, it's not a given that you and Mom have two more kids. Remember, this is your dream, and in it you want more kids: a girl, and a boy, but seriously, let's re-think the third kid situation, OK? I mean, really, isn't just two kids enough: one of each?" Lottie winked at Bob, and he pulled a face at her.

"Ok, there are some things we can allude to if you have us in your future. Random things that won't alter the course of history, I guess. OK, Thing One: when I start junior high, I want to try out for the cheerleading team, but you don't want me to. Something about history repeating itself, and the star player only out for one thing…" Lottie trailed off.

"Well Daddy knows best, Lottie. Been there, done that, y'know?" he said rhetorically.

"Mom was a cheerleader…"

"Yeah, and the star player had very impure thoughts about her." Nathan smirked.

"But you were married"

"Exactly – at 16. I don't regret it, but times change, people change, and I'm sure me not wanting you to be a cheerleader is my way of protecting you from some of the backlash we got."

"Lottie as a cheerleader. Gotta be the funniest thing I've seen…er, heard." Bob chimed in, tearing open the prize in his box of Cracker Jack. "Score! It's a fake tattoo with a random number on it. Here Lottie, you wanna practice for that inevitable tattoo that you're gonna get…just like Mom did?"

"No tattoos! That goes for all of my kids." Nathan said, pointing sternly at Lottie and Bob.

Lottie and Bob looked at each other and shared a smirk. The infamous Scott smirk. It didn't go unnoticed by Nathan.

"OK, so back to our childhood. Thing Two: when we're little, you and Mom get us a dog, which we call Tiger. Jamie names him actually, something about the Tigers being your first basketball team or something" Lottie motioned, before continuing "Anyways, you start becoming one of those Dads who, y'know…" she trailed off.

"Ah, no, I don't know, so why don't you tell me"

"God, this is so embarrassing. You become one of those Dads who thinks he's funnier than he really is." Lottie shot back, trying not to laugh.

"What is she talking about Bobby?"

"Nate – how can I put this gently? You're one of those Dads who thinks it's funny to blame the "noises" and "smells" on the dog, when we all know it's really you."

Nathan looked at Lottie and Bob stunned for a split second, before breaking out in laughter. Lottie and Bob looked at each other, and broke out in laughter with him. They were doubled over and had to sit down before one of them had an accident.

"Hey Bobby? What about those dance moves Dad pulls when our friends come over to play?" Lottie asked, trying to stifle her laughter. Bob looked down and shook his head, before moving over to Lottie, taking her hand, and leading her into some very badly rehearsed dance moves.

"Mom says it's just like the time you did a "dance routine" for money", she continued, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Hey!" Nathan shot back, his laughing dissipating. "I did that for your Mom, so she could have a nice dress for the prom"

"Yeah, and in the future, you still don't get that you can't dance, yet you keep doing it" Bob laughed again, looking at his sister.

"God, look at the time. We don't have much time left, so let's leave the gym" Lottie motioned towards the heavy exit doors.

"Where are you and Bob going to go after this?" Nathan asked.

"Nowhere. I mean, I guess we'll kinda disappear when you wake up…or something. I don't know – it'll be a first"

The three of them opened the gym doors, and were bathed in light. When their eyes adjusted to the brightness, they looked at their surroundings and knew they were at "home".

"This is a great music room", Lottie said to Bob, as she walked over to the piano, and ran her fingers lightly over the keys.

"It is pretty great…check out the stereo" Bob enthused, fiddling with the knobs and buttons and heading over to the CDs.

"So, can you tell me if in the future, you guys play or something?" Nathan asked

"Ummm, yeah we do. Actually all three of us are encouraged to have music lessons of some sort" Bob responded sitting beside Lottie on the piano bench.

Lottie and Bob starting playing short bursts of music on the piano, expertly gliding their fingers over the keys. Every so often, they would glance at each other and over to Nathan, who was watching on proudly.

Once they had finished, Bob got up and joined Nathan on the sofa leaving Lottie to continue playing. Watching her eyes close as she played, Nathan was overcome at how similar her mannerisms were to Haley's. The way a small smile played on her lips as she tackled the music beautifully, and how she hummed, ever so softly, along to the music. She was definitely her mother's daughter.

"Hey Nate", Bob whispered "I'm gonna go raid your refrigerator, OK?" Nathan nodded, his eyes still trained on Lottie as she finished her melody.

"What?" Lottie questioned, as she looked over at Nathan

"You play beautifully. Just like your Mom. She's gonna be so proud of you". They both exchanged a smile, and Lottie looked around the room, curiously searching for her brother.

"He's gone to empty out the refrigerator. You're right, I'm going to have to watch out for him in future" Nathan laughed, shaking his head. "Hey – I have an idea. Do you want to see Haley and Jamie?"

Lottie smiled and nodded, taking her father's hand and following him up the stairs.

"So…this is where the magic happens?" Lottie laughed as she and Nathan approached the main bedroom.

"Well, as a father, it is my right to gross you out, so yeah, this is one of the rooms where the magic happens. I could give you a tour of the whole house, and" he paused for dramatic effect "…the pool."

"Ah, no thanks." Lottie scrunched up her face and shook her head. She slowly moved around Nathan and looked into the room. "She's so beautiful. I wish I looked more like her." Lottie stayed in the doorway, looking down adoringly at her mother.

Lottie made a start out of the doorway, but Nathan reached out and stilled her with his hand.

"You do look like her…so much.", Nathan whispered, a small smile forming on his lips.

"Thank you, that means a lot to me." Lottie looked down at the floor, hands in her pockets. She walked the short distance across the hall to Jamie's room, and looked in.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but my brother is a little cutie!"

"Yeah, he gets that from his father." Nathan smirked.

"He's so little. God I can't believe the things he going to torment me over when I get older." Lottie looked around Jamie's room, taking in all of the toys and photos scattered around. She looked down her watch and then to Nathan.

"God, look at the time, you're starting to wake up now. I'd better go drag Bob from the kitchen – it's time for us to go." She took one last look into her parents room, before turning around. "I can't wait to be a part of this family." tears welling up in her eyes.

"When do I get to see you again?"

"Well if you work your mojo on Mom, if it hasn't happened already, I guess any time nine months from now." She winked. She then walked up to Nathan and threw her arms around him in a warm embrace, before letting go and walking away.

"Remember, we love you Dad. All of us: Mom, Jamie, Bobby and I. We're family. And it's more than we could have ever hoped for." Lottie turned and walked out of the room, leaving Nathan staring at the door.

He smiled and turned back to the bed, closing his eyes.

"Wake up sleepyhead, time for breakfast" Haley sing-songed to Nathan, peppering his face with kisses.

Nathan's eyes slowly fluttered open, and he stretched his body out and yawned.

"God Hales, I had this weird dream, but it felt so real. I dreamt about us having more kids, and I met them, thirty years in the future. They were at the Tree Hill High gym, but I was still 22. So technically, they were older than me. Which is weird…"

Haley laughed at Nathan. It was a nice change to have him rambling for once, after all the times he laughed at her ramblings.

"Go on, crazy man. Tell me more about our kids. What did we have?"

"A girl and a boy. Hales, our daughter looked like you. She had beautiful brown eyes, and she had dark hair." By this time, Jamie had come into their bedroom, and climbed up into bed with them.

"What are you two talking about?" he asked, looking up at his parents.

"Your daddy had the strangest dream last night Jimmy-Jam. He dreamt about your sister and brother."

"But I don't have any brothers or sisters , Momma"

"I know, but apparently daddy can now see into the future." Haley said, ruffling Jamie's hair.

"So Daddy, what were their names?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Umm, the girls name was Lottie, and the boy's name was Bob. I have no idea why they were called that, though", Nathan spoke, pulling Jamie into a bear hug.

"Hmmm, Lottie and Bob. Lottie and Bob. Lottie Bob. Hey Momma, is Lottie a real name?" Jamie turned, looking up at a Haley.

"Yeah, sweetie, it is. It's short for Charlotte."

"Charlotte and Bob. Hey Daddy, sounds like they're the Charlotte Bobcats!" Jamie smiled.

"Yeah, you think so, Buddy?" Only Jamie could think that, he laughed.

Lottie – Charlotte. Bob – Bobcats. Our names definitely have something to do with your future. Was that part of his future? Could he possibly have that if he just let go and gave into fate? Give into it and let it be what it will be.

Yeah, Nathan and his family; current and future – would be just fine.

~*~