Chapter 1: The After Effect

The gray ultrasound picture seemed fuzzy and unclear as Haley's eyes welled up with tears.

"Ms. James, would you like me to go over your options with you?" the doctor said turning the machine off. "No, I know my options, thank you."

"Do you need me to call some one to pick you up?"

"No. I'm okay," her voice shuddered as she dried her eyes.

"Ms. James?"

"Doctor, I'm fine I have a friend in the waiting room."

"Are you sure?" She sounded concerned. Haley nodded.

"Okay." She left and Haley dressed quickly, leaving the cold room.

Lucas sat worrying about Haley. She'd been in there for quite a while. His head turned when she saw her out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey," she said walking up.

"You okay," he asked.

"Yeah," she said, her voice breaking. Tears fell from her eyes as she sat down.

He knew she was lying. " How about the truth.

Haley turned to him. She did not know how to tell her best friend something she could barely accept herself.

"Luke, I'm pregnant."

His face dropped realizing why this look had felt so familiar. It was the same scared look Brooke had when she told him she thought she was pregnant.

"Pregnant," he said out loud, letting his mind absorb the words and all they meant.

"Yeah." Haley's tone was in equal process.

"Is it Nathan's?" Lucas spilled, before censoring his thoughts.

Haley stopped crying and looked Lucas in the eyes, burning him with anger.

"I can't believe you of all people would ask me that?"

"Hales - "

"No. Nathan is the only person I have ever been with. He's the only one I'd want to be with. She turned away to resume her tears. They did not talk for awhile,

"I'm sorry," Lucas said almost inaudibly. "I wasn't thinking."

"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sprung that on you."

He didn't ask his next question, but Haley could tell what he was thinking.

"I have to tell him. He deserves to know." He seemed hesitant, but Haley could tell he wasn't going to take "no" as an answer.

"Yeah," she said half smiling. "Thanks."

He stood up, turning toward her.

"What?" she asked dumbfounded..

"Come on. There is no time like the present." He held out his hand.

"Right," she said, grabbing his hand. "Present." He pulled her up and they walked out of the doctor's office towards Lucas' truck.

Lucas flipped his phone shut. "Deb says he's at the river courts."

Haley didn't respond. The thought of telling Nathan had scared her to a dangerous point. She had always had a plan, but now, nothing.

"Here we are." Lucas said, turning off the truck.

"Yeah here we are."

As they went to get out of the vehicle Lucas' phone rang.

"Perfect," he said sarcastically as he flipped it one. "Hello?"

There as a long pause followed by a weird look.

"Tell her I'm on my way."

"What's wrong?"

Lucas shook his head. "My mom's car broke down, and since I'm the one with the tow truck I need to go. Plus Brooke's with her and she's flipping out. So if you need me with you we can do this later?"

Haley smiled. "No, go. I can handle this on my own."

"Are you sure?" He eyed her carefully as she stepped out onto the asphalt.

"Go be with your mom and Brooke, I should do this alone anyway."

"Okay, call me later."

She closed the door and watched him drive away. Her heart sank. Could she do this? Ruin Nathan's life? But what about her own life?

She turned and walked toward the river courts. As she walked up, Nathan was lying on the pavement staring up at the sky. She watched him as his chest rose and fell. She longed to feel his heart beneath her once more, but she knew that was not a possibility. Nathan sat up in her direction, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Haley?" he questioned, squinting from the sun's penetrating rays.

"Yeah, it's me." She smiled, but her confidence was breaking.

"What are you doing here?" he asked standing up and heading for the bleachers.

"I need to tell you something."

She slowly walked across the court, with her head lowered.

Nathan could tell something was wrong. Sure they had not been close in nearly two months, but he could sense something uneasy about the way her eyes were darting from the ground to him and back again.

"Shoot." he said causally.

"Can you please sit," she started weakly. "Trust me you'll want to be sitting."

He sat though he really was not sure he wanted to hear this. It sounded bad, and on top of everything, bad was not something he could deal with right now. "This isn't going to be easy, but I need to tell you."

She started to cry again letting them flow silently now.

"Haley?" Nathan reached for her.

"Don't," She stepped back breathing deeply, then she whispered. "I'm pregnant."