A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed! Feedback is always encouraging. I have most of this story planned out in my mind. However, the writing muses in my head might decide to change things up a bit along the way. Who knows? Lol. I really love the Lucas/Jamie bonding, if that wasn't at all obvious. ;) So there will probably be a lot of that in the near future. Anyway, suggestions, comments and reviews are very welcome!
"And the little prince said to the man, grownups never understand anything for themselves and it is tiresome for children to always be explaining to them" - Antoine de Saint Exupery
Haley quietly shut the door behind her, after bidding Lucas goodnight. Sighing, she leaned against the solid oak frame…it had been a long day. Jamie stood by her side, his eyelids drooping, with exhaustion.
"Are you tired baby?" Haley asked with a knowing smile.
"No!" Jamie insisted, petulantly.
"Come on sweetie, it's getting late. Let's get you into your pajamas," Haley commanded, more than suggested, leading him up the stairs to the bathroom.
Several bedtime stories and a bubble bath later, Jamie lay fast asleep tucked in his covers. Exhaling deeply, Haley gently kissed her son goodnight and made her way down the winding staircase, to the kitchen. Much to her dismay, but not surprise, she found her husband reclined on the living room sofa, his eyes plastered to the television screen. The floor was strewn with crumbs and empty beer bottles. Exhaling deeply, Haley sensed it was going to be a long night.
"So, you forget where the trashcan was located?" she drawled, testily.
"If you came down here to nag me, you're wasting your time," Nathan replied, his eyes never once leaving the TV.
"Jamie won the race," she announced, deciding that a dirty carpet was the least of her troubles. "He really wanted his daddy there though. You know, he painted the car blue…even labeled it twenty-three…after you."
"There's really no legacy that he should be celebrating," he responded, paying little to no attention to the conversation he was having with his wife.
"God damn it, Nathan! Can't you see what is so plainly right in front of you!? That little boy, our son…looks up to you! He's four years old and he wants nothing more than to be just like his daddy," she burst out, not able to contain her anger for a moment longer.
Nathan simply sat, staring straight ahead. He refused to make eye contact with Haley. He was not going to acknowledge her. Silently, he reached for another beer, struggling to pop open the cap. Calmly, she approached him. Bending down she gathered each empty bottle one, by one in her arms. In a sudden outburst, she threw each one against the titled kitchen floor, shards of green glass shattering about the ground. Nathan jumped, not expecting his wife's physical explosion.
"Are you even listening to me Nathan!? Or is reliving your glory days of High School more important to you! Are you just going to spend the rest of your life engrossed in the highlights of games you played when you were seventeen!?" she screeched. Not yet earning a reaction, she forcefully grabbed an empty glass vase, residing on the nearby coffee table and flung it at the plasma screen. This caught his attention.
"Haley, are you out of your fucking mind!? That thing cost an entire month's salary," Nathan bellowed in anger.
"Right, because that's what's really important, the TV! Not that you could even afford a new one with the salary you're making. Oh, that's right…you're not!"
"Haley…you just don't get it. You're not the one whose life's dream has been taking away…forever!" he retaliated, nursing a beer. "Well, then maybe you should open your eyes. You have our beautiful son, who looks up to you, who wants to be you. You have me, Nathan! You have your family. If that's nothing, then I think you have some serious reconsidering to do. I'm not spending another night like this. I deserve better. Our son deserves better," she said, with a sense of finality. She bit back the urge to cry. She was not going to let him see her tears. Turning her back to him, she marched up the stairs to Jamie.
"Haley," he called after her weakly. "Where are you going to go?"
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"Someone better be dying," Brooke muttered under her breath, as the infuriating sound of her doorbell went off.
Sliding begrudgingly out from under her covers, she made her way to the door, ready to kill whoever was behind it. Swinging the door open, her eyes landed on a drenched Haley, with Jamie in her arms, suitcases at her feet. Closing her gaping mouth, Brooke realized she was leaving her guests standing out in the pouring rainfall.
"Haley, oh my God sweetie, come in," she insisted, ushering her friend inside and taking a drowsy Jamie from her arms.
"Brooke, I'm so sorry," Haley began to babble. "I know it's late and I probably woke up you and half the town, but I…just didn't know where else to go," which was slightly a lie, because Lucas had been the first person to pop into her mind. "I hate even having to ask you this, but do you think Jamie and I could stay with you for a while? Just until we get everything settled? I promise we won't get in your way—"
Suddenly, her train of thought was cut short as Brooke pulled her into a tight embrace. "Tutor Girl, breathe. It's all going to be okay. You two can stay here as long as you need. Truth is, a girl can get kinda lonesome living all by herself."
"Oh, Brooke. I don't even know what to say…thank you so much, I promise you won't even know we're here," Haley insisted, struggling to catch her breath.
"Haley, you don't need to say anything! Take a deep breath and get yourself together. Why don't you go clean yourself up, while I put Jamie to bed in the guest room?" Brooke suggested, pushing her friend into the nearby bathroom.
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The next morning, Haley was awoken by the obnoxious shrill of the alarm on her cell phone."Ughhh," she groaned. Rolling over the sleeping Jamie, she reached for the beeping device and immediately shut it off.
"Oh my God, it's seven o'clock!" she realized, jumping out of bed.
"Hales," came Brooke's voice from the other side of the door. "What the hell was that noise?"
"Alarm clock!" Haley called back. "I can't believe I slept in this late," she said, opening the door.
"Well, you had a late night sweetie," Brooke rationalized.
"I've got to hurry if I'm ever going to make it to the school in time," Haley panicked, rushing around the room, searching for her suitcase. Abruptly she stopped. "Oh no. What am I going to do with Jamie!? The nanny isn't coming today, and I can't very well leave him with Nathan…"
Sensing another rambling coming on, Brooke quickly interrupted. "Hales, what did I tell you about breathing?" she teased. "There's nothing more I'd love to do, then spend the day with my favorite Godson."
Haley smirked. "He's your only Godson."
"So?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. "He'd still be my favorite. Anyway, that is not what's important. You go, shower. Run a comb through your hair, and get to school. Someone's got to teach those little brats," Brooke persuaded her.
"You were one of those brats at one time," Haley pointed out.
"Haley, shower…now!"
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"No, no you don't understand! I can't fly back today! I'm babysitting my Godson…well I don't care if Carrie lost the sketches! Find them! I swear you people are useless without me!" Brooke screeched into her phone, before slamming it shut.
"Incompetent people," she muttered under her breath, before noticing the two innocent eyes on her.
"Aunt Brooke? Why are you yelling?" Jamie asked sweetly.
"Well you see sweetie, my company can't seem to do anything without me," she responded, ruffling his hair.
"I'll be right back, I just need to call your Uncle Luke."
At the sound of his Uncle's name, Jamie's eyes lit up.
"Hi! Luke….how much do you love me? Okay, good. What? What makes you think I want something? Okay, fine…it's just the company needs me to fly in for the day…some kind of fashion crisis! I just need you to keep an eye on Jamie for a while, until Haley gets off work! Basketball practice? Jamie loves basketball, he can sit in. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I owe you one Broody."
With that, she hung up. "Well, looks like someone's going to be spending the afternoon with their Uncle Lucas," Brooke announced with a smile. At this, Jamie jumped from his position on the couch. "Uncle Luke!"
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The shrill sound of a whistle brought the entire gymnasium to a halt. "Okay, that was good guys. Bring it in!" Lucas called, ushering his team to meet him in the middle of the court. "That was a good work out, let's keep it up. Before we call it a day, Coach Skills is going to go over some charging pointers. They're all yours buddy," Lucas said, patting his friend on the back.
With another blow of a whistle, Skills took complete control over the drill. Lucas, finally free from his duties, made his way over to his nephew, who currently was bouncing a ball off the wall. Smirking, Lucas quickly intercepted the throw and stole the ball away.
"Hey! Uncle Luke, no fair! I was playing catch!" Jamie whined, attempting to chase down his uncle.
"By yourself?" he teased.
The little boy speedily dodged in between Lucas' legs, trying to steal the basketball. Lucas' rapid reflexes resulted in trapping his nephew between his legs. "Uncle Luke!" he cried, between peals of laughter.
"Let me go! Let me go!"
"What's the magic word?" Lucas smiled, enjoying the poetic hum of his nephew's giggle.
"Please! Please Uncle Luke, please," the little boy cried, his laughter echoing throughout the hollow gymnasium.
"All right, I guess so," the older man conceded with a grin. Deciding to take a break from their little game, they took a seat on the bleachers, watching Skills run the teenagers into the ground.
"I wish I could do this everyday," Jamie announced, taking Lucas by surprise.
Thinking for a moment, he responded.
"Well, maybe you can. How would you like to be my assistant coach?"
"I thought Uncle Skills was?" Jamie asked thoughtfully.
"Well, that's true. How about on the days he can't make it…you can fill in?" Lucas propositioned the four year old.
"Yeah! Do I get a whistle!?"
Removing the lanyard from around his neck, Lucas placed the chain on his nephew.
"How does that feel, Coach?" earning a soft chuckle from Jamie.
"This is the coolest thing ever. Can I keep it Uncle Luke?" the young boy begged.
"We'll see buddy," Lucas considered, ruffling his hair.
A few moments later, Jamie broke the peaceful silence and methodical sound of dribbling. "Uncle Luke?" he asked quietly, gaining the older man's attention.
"Are mommy and daddy going to get divorced?"
"Where did you hear that Jamie?" Lucas asked, attempting to cover his shocked expression.
"Well, this morning after breakfast, Auntie Brooke said we had to watch "The Parent Trap", on account that it's her favorite movie. And those parents yelled and fighted just like my mommy and daddy," Jamie replied, a somber expression encompassing his countenance.
"Oh Jamie," Lucas sighed. "Come here, kiddo," he soothed, placing the child on his lap. "Everything is going to be okay? I promise." Jamie nodded in understanding, trusting his Uncle's words with no questions asked. Lucas felt a storm brewing. He swore firmly to himself, that no matter what happened, he wasn't going to let Nathan take Haley and her son down with him.