A lot. Yeah that about covers it. We don't say much more. The nurse comes in to check his vitals. The doctor comes in to tell us about the miracle of him waking up. The miracle he told me had a 1% chance of happening. The miracle he told me to stop hoping for. He never thought this day would come. He thought that the best thing for me, for his family, was to turn off the machines and move on. To let him go. He doesn't say any of this now. Now he is all smiles and talking about this miracle.
I don't say any of that either. I hold Nathan's hand and smile with him as the doctor who wanted me to kill him talks about how he is now. He is awake. This I obviously know. His vitals are strong. He doesn't need to be hooked up to the machines anymore. He doesn't need to be in the hospital anymore. He can go home.
The first few weeks, as I sat by Nathan's side, back when every one was still hopeful about his condition, I was told that if he wakes up, he could just be himself again. The nurses who I came to know told me stories of how they have had patients who opened their eyes and were just themselves again. That their coma gave them the chance to rest and heal and by the time they woke up, they were fine. They didn't tell me the other stories. The ones of the people who never woke up, or who woke up wrong. They spun me the fairytale. I got the fairytale.
I'm just waiting to wake up myself. To find out that this was just an elaborate dream. Its not. Nathan is awake. And I am going to take him home. As soon as I fill out all the appropriate paper work. I don't want to leave the room. Don't want to leave Nathan. Definitely don't want to leave him with Lucas. What will he tell him about the "a lot" that has happened?
"I guess I should go get all that out of the way now. So we can go home." I give Nathan a kiss. Our first in years. Its not as romantic as I hoped, with people watching and my mind racing. But it still feels like it did before.
"I love you Hales."
"I love you too." It takes everything I have to get up and walk away from my husband. But there are things that need to be done. Things that I need to do. If there is anything that I have learned in the last few years it is that sometimes emotions need to be pushed aside to get things done.
The paperwork takes much longer than I want it to. All the discussion of the bills and the check ups and on and on. But finally it is done. All that is left is to take him when he is ready. When we are both ready.
I can't take him home until I tell him that he has a son. I know that. What I don't know is how to tell him. I think he will be happy. I hope he will be. But there has to be some shock, some sadness that will come with it too. Should I have brought Jamie? He will want to meet him right away. I don't know why I doubted that before. As soon as I say, "Nathan, you have a son" he will ask to see him. To hold him.
I detour to the waiting room to see Chase. He can call Quinn and she will bring Jamie.
As soon as I turn the corner I realize what a mistake that was. I didn't take into account who may be in the waiting room. Chase is there, of course, sitting alone waiting for me. Peyton is still here. Waiting for Lucas I'm sure. I thought Deb would be here but I guess even Nathan waking up isn't enough to get her to put the pill bottle down and show up. No Dan of course. It isn't like they give day passes from jail for murders. Another thing I get to explain to Nathan. That his dad killed his uncle.
There are the people I am relieved are here. Tim, Fergie, Junk, Skills, Bevin, and Cooper. I don't even know what to say, I just offer them a small smile as I scan past them. The people I am not sure how to feel about. Karen, Andy, Mouth, and Millie. And then there are the people I can't stand to look at. Peyton. And Rachel.
Rachel. How dare that bitch show up here? Looking sad and lost as if she isn't the reason all of this happened. As if she isn't the one to blame. I want to hold it together. Want to be strong for Nathan. But I am so tired of being strong.
"What the hell are you doing here?" The room quiets. So many eyes are on me. Everyone's except hers. I storm over to her and grab her by her arm yanking her out of her seat. "Get out." She rips her hand from mine and meets my eyes.
"Haley, I just wanted to -"
"I don't care what you wanted. Get out." She doesn't move. My heart is beating so fast in my chest that I feel like it might explode. "Rachel. Leave. Now."
"I need to see him. To see that he is okay." To see that he is okay. He wouldn't need to be checked on if she hadn't driven a fricken limo off a bridge after screwing and stalking his uncle.
"NO." Its loud and harsh. Good. "You will never see him." I am not buying this sad little Rachel act.
"But Nathan -"
"Don't you say his name. Don't you EVER say his name. You did this! You don't get to be sorry. You don't get to check on him. You don't get to be here." I see Chase stand up and start walking towards me. I see Peyton stand too. No one else moves. I think they are too afraid to.
"Haley."
"Get. Out." She doesn't move and I reach to grab her arm and remove her myself.
"Haley leave her alone." I hear Peyton's voice and its like I'm shot back in time to the first time we had this fight.
"Stay out of it Peyton." She comes over and takes her traitorous spot next to Rachel.
"No. Its been two years Haley. Let it go. It was an accident."
"An accident? Was it an accident that she lied to Cooper about who she was? Was it an accident that she ruined my wedding with that ridiculous and selfish toast? Was it an accident that she stole our limo? That she lied about being pregnant? That she grabbed that wheel? Which part was the accident? Huh? You defending her is hilarious. Really. When has any of the evil manipulative bullshit that she has pulled been an accident." I can feel myself spiraling out of control. Two years has passed but it feels like no time has moved at all. We are still here. Fighting this fight. "Was it an accident when she got you drunk and dumped you in your best friends boyfriends room at the Classic? Although looking back I am sure you didn't really mind that at all, did you?" I go for the low blow. That's who I am now.
"Haley-" She wants to defend herself. But I am not done.
"I want to ask how you can defend her. How you could have taken her side over me. How you could still be friends with her while you let our friendship crumble. But I don't need to ask. Because its obvious. You are just like her. A liar. A backstabber. A bitch." She doesn't respond. I don't know what she would say. The silence hangs thick in the air.
No one moves. All I can hear is the sound of my own breathing. Quick, harsh, loud. I didn't want this. I just wanted to see my husband. I didn't want to be this girl again.
I can't do this right now. I can't do this at all. I turn on my heel and walk out of the waiting room. I don't stop until I hit the front doors. Air. I need air. I don't have to look behind me to know that Chase is following behind me.
The second that the air hits my face the tears start. So many tears today. I don't care that people are staring at me. Wondering what tragedy happened inside this building to lead to this.
"Haley James Scott. I hope those are tears of joy." I wipe my tears and can't help the smile that comes across my face.
"Brooke. You're here." She walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. I can feel the anger dissipating. My heart beat returning back to normal. Brooke is here. It's going to be okay.
"Where else would I be?" Maybe at fashion school in New York? Or anywhere really, that isn't Tree Hill.
"He's awake Brooke. He's awake and he is him." She pulls me tighter before letting go. I wave Chase over to us. He had been keeping his distance so we could have our moment.
"Chase." Brooke face lights up the way it always does when she sees him. Sometimes I wish they could have worked out. But their relationship was short lived and they both agreed that it was more of a friendship between them than anything. I am thankful that they had those few short months together, even if he was the rebound new guy for Brooke. If they hadn't, I wouldn't have one of my best friends.
I think it was the fact that he was the new guy that made him the perfect addition to my and Brooke's friendship. He didn't know Nathan. Didn't know Lucas or Peyton or Rachel. He came in with no preconceptions. He just jumped into the middle of our crazy and balanced us out. He stayed in Tree Hill when Brooke went to college. Quinn moved in with me and he was in the apartment next door. If they hadn't been there I don't think Brooke would have gone. And that would have been unacceptable. She couldn't sacrifice her future for me. Even if she wanted too.
"So, where is my adorable God son?" Brooke loved that title. I don't know that she ever called him by his name, she took every opportunity to flaunt her status. Which is good since his God father, Lucas, hasn't even seen him in months. Not that I've wanted him too.
"He's at home with Quinn. I wasn't sure if he should be here." Her and Chase nod along with me. Always supporting my decisions. Even my crazy ones. "I was second guessing my decision to leave him home. But after my hysterical showdown with Bitch one and two I am glad he isn't here."
"They are here?" Her shock quickly dissolves. Of course they are here. Peyton and Rachel don't seem to take anyone else into consideration they just do whatever they want. "Are you okay?"
"I will be. They don't matter. Not really. What matters is that Nathan is awake. He can come home. And I have to tell him that he his a father." She puts her arm around me and grabs Chase's hand.
"Well then. Lets go do this."
A/N: Thank you for all of the feedback! I really appreciate it and am glad that people seem to be enjoying the story. There are a lot of questions about Lucas and who he will be with, I am not going to give away my end game yet but everything that happened until the season 3 finale has also happened in this story, and there will be a lot revealed in the upcoming chapters about what happened in those two years and why everything is the way it is now.
Thanks for reading!