Disclaimer: OTH and its characters do not belong to me. Neither does the song quoted in this chapter. Its 'Raise the Fire to the Third Bar' by Snow Patrol.
Please take the time to let me know what you think. This story will contain multiple flashbacks which will be in italics! Xx
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This Wasn't Supposed to Happen
Chapter Two – Raise The Fire to the Third Bar
"Little donkey little donkey on the dusty road, got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load." Brooke sang off key, but softly, to a tiny restless Tyler.
"Hey" A voice spoke behind her. Brooke turned quickly.
"Oh hey" She responded, her face flushing red with embarrassment. "I can't believe you heard me sing." She paused, taking a deep breath, before continuing. "I guess 'Auntie Brooke' isn't all that 'child friendly', Its July and Christmas songs is all I got." Brooke laughed, but it was insincere. Her laugh half hearted and filled with pain.
Lucas sat down next to her, on the floor beside Tyler's crib. "It's ok to admit your hurting Brooke." He spoke so calmly. "I know I am."
"He's your brother, he's Haley's boyfriend, Practically Peyton's brother in law." Pausing, Brooke took a deep breath, struggling to say her next thought. "Tyler's dad." Luke closed his eyes. Finding Brooke' last words difficult to hear. She continued, "It's your right to be sad. Not mine." Brooke choked back tears.
"He's your friend, Brooke. It's your right too." Luke's words hit hard with Brooke.
Full of tears she could barely speak. "I…I…" Tears won the battle, she couldn't find the words.
"Brooke" Lucas leaned toward her, kissing her forehead. "It's ok"
"No" Finally wiping her tears away, Brooke challenged Lucas. "No Lucas, no its not. Nathan is in hospital, Haley's a mess. And look, look at Tyler. He needs his mom, his dad. Not his useless Auntie Brooke and her rubbish Christmas songs."
Lucas was fighting his own emotion. Brooke was right, it wasn't ok. There was no part of this situation that was good or ok. Looking at his watch, he took a deep breath. 4pm. It had only been six hours. And things weren't ok.
Brooke shook her head, and wiped her tears. "Whatever our pain Luke, Tyler needs us. You should have seen her. Haley couldn't even look at him."
Luke turned to his nephew, looking at his tiny figure. "Could you?" he spoke, as Brooke also turned. Tyler lay staring at the two adults beside him, a mass of black hair and piercing eyes, he was all Nathan.
Brooke let out a deep breath, and took Tyler's tiny fingers in her hand. "I've got you little guy. Auntie Brooke's here. Mummy loves you so much, but she can't be here right now. So…" Brooke paused again, desperately searching for composure. "So… I'm going to do this for her."
Lucas breathed in deeply, closing his eyes tightly. Quickly he got up and left the room, unable to cope with the way he felt.
On the outside of the door, he placed his head against the wall, as the tears began to fall.
-
"Oh my god, Nathan? NATHAN!" Haley was wide awake and screaming. "Nate, Nate!" She began to shake the broad body that slept soundly next to her.
"Nathan Scott!" She yelled. "Nathan, baby? Wake up!" Her voice was screeching. Nathan began to stir.
"Hmm…" he moaned, without opening his eyes. "Baby, its sleep time. What's the matter?"
"Sleep time?" Haley's voice flooded with a mixture of laughter and anger. "Ok then Nathan, you sleep. I'll just go have your baby by myself."
Nathan shot up in bed, eyes wide open. "What?" he shouted, turning to look at Haley, sat up next to him, looking quite relaxed, laughing and rubbing her, now rather large, belly.
"Are you kidding?" Nathan began rubbing his eyes, blatantly not impressed.
Haley laughed. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. You get to sleep so soundly, and I have to put up with your son, wiggling and kicking." Haley pouted in a way only she could. "Do you want to be the pregnant one for a bit?"
Nathan's anger disappeared as he began to smile at his girl. "I would if I could you know." Nathan flashed a smirk at Haley, pulling her towards him.
Haley shrugged. "No you wouldn't. Liar. You wouldn't want to be fat and bloated, all chubby. All fat ankles and so not sexy. That's what I am."
Nathan laughed. "Haley James, did you wake me up at" Nathan turned to look at his alarm clock. "4am, just so I'd tell you I loved you? And that I think you're gorgeous?"
Haley coughed.
"And sexy! Of course you're sexy Hales. Even now."
Haley's pout intensified. "Even now?! What do you mean even?" Her voice was raised.
"You know what I mean. I mean..." Nathan was flustered, knowing if he said the wrong thing he could set of Haley. Recently she had been a hormonal time bomb. "I mean, you're still sexy, you're always sexy. Of course you are."
Haley giggled, sensing Nathan's discomfort. "Yeah, Ok."
Nathan lifted Haley's chin and kissed her lips tenderly. "I love you Haley James." Nathan leaned down to meet with Haley's seven month old baby bump. "I love you too wee one. How about you give your mom some rest?"
Haley laughed. "Not likely."
"Oh yeah? You care to place a bet on that one?" Nathan snuggled down with Haley, pulling her even closer to him. "Bet daddy can get him to sleep." Moving his hand to Haley's bump, Nathan began to gently rub it, soothing both baby and Haley.
A huge smile swept across Haley James' face, as she began to fall into a deep sleep. "Nate?" She spoke, barely able to keep her eyes open.
"Yes?" he answered.
"You're it for me. Never leave me."
Nathan also smiled. "Promise."
Haley James sat staring intently into thin air. She'd stopped crying, as if there were no more tears left, only memories, real, vivid, now painful memories. But not even they could warm the cold air that occupied the grey hospital room. Haley sat motionless, grasping an unconscious Nathan's hand, with all her strength; all her hope.
Had it been a lifetime since things were perfect? Or just six short hours?
"Hey" A voice soothed Haley from sleep to the real world. "Hey baby?"
"Nate." Haley woke to see her man leaning over her. "Baby, it's early."
Nathan laughed, recently, Haley loved to sleep late. "I know baby, I'm going to go for a run. Ty's awake but happy. He's had a bottle."
Haley rolled over. "Ok… love you." Haley fell into her deep sleep again.
Nathan smiled. Kissing her on the forehead and placing the baby monitor on the pillow, Nathan Scott left for a morning run.
I find the map and draw a straight line
Over rivers, farms, and state lines
The distance from 'A' to where you'd be
It's only finger-lengths that I see
I touch the place where I'd find your face
My finger in creases of distant dark places
Haley woke to the sound of her eight month old baby, gurgling and singing, contently enjoying his own company. Stretching her arm out, she remembered Nathan's goodbye, just a few minutes before.
"Tyler!" Haley began to shout, climbing out of bed and walking to her son's room. "Tyler, baby. Want to play with mommy?" Walking toward her son's crib, Haley reached into it and picked up her baby boy.
"Woah baby" she spoke. "Could you look any more like you're daddy?"
Haley turned on the radio, beginning to sway Tyler in her arms to the music.
I hang my coat up in the first bar
There is no peace that I've found so far
The laughter penetrates my silence
As drunken men find flaws in science
Haley stopped dead, confusion flushing through her mind. She read the clock. And read it again. 10.53am.
Their words mostly noises
Ghosts with just voices
Your words in my memory
Are like music to me
Haley ran to the phone and picked it up, dialing a familiar number.
"Hey you've reached Nathan Scott, leave a message."
Haley took a deep breath. "Babe, it's me. You've been out for ages? Bit worried. You know me, worrying all the time. Come home. Ty and I are gonna make pancakes."
Haley hung up the phone, placing the receiver against her forehead.
I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I, I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms
Haley looked at the clock again. 11.02am. Where was he?
After I have travelled so far
We'd set the fire to the third bar
We'd share each other like an island
Until exhausted, close our eyelids
And dreaming, pick up from
The last place we left off
Your soft skin is weeping
A joy you can't keep in
I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
And I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms
Picking up the phone again, Haley dialed another familiar number.
"Hey?"
A deep voice answered.
"Luke, it's me. Have you heard from Nate? He went out running really early this morning? Its just he's not back yet. Am I being silly? I'm being silly aren't I?"
Lucas laughed at the other end of the phone.
"Oh wait" Haley spoke before Lucas had a chance. "That's call waiting, told you I was being silly, that'll be him. Love you Uncle Luke."
Haley switched the line.
"Hey baby" she spoke. "Where are you?"
There was a long pause.
"Miss James?"
"Yes?" Haley spoke nervously.
"Miss James, I'm calling from Tree Hill ER. There's been an accident."
I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
and I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms.