Little Moments
Chapter 3: Summer Day
Disclaimer: All credit belongs to the creators of OTH, wish I was among them.
A/N: Again I can not say thank you enough to everyone who has reviewed, alerted and or favorited this story. It really means a lot. A big shout out to those who have sent me ideas about what they want to see next, you know who you are. Hopefully I can write them all to your liking! IMPORTANT: this chapter contains a new character! It takes place in the future where you will find Nathan and Haley not only have Jamie but a daughter as well. Enjoy.
Haley sat quietly on the porch of the beach house and sipped her coffee slowly. The weather was perfect and in a little while both of her children and husband were bound to wake up. She enjoyed the quiet and stillness of the summer breeze and the faint sounds of the waves crashing onto shore. There had always been something about the beach that made her smile. Maybe it was because of the time she threw up on Dan, or the fact that she and Nathan's first wedding took place just over the dunes. She didn't know, all she knew was that she loved it here. Gathering up the blanket that lay splayed across her lap she returned inside to find Jamie rummaging through the fridge.
"Hey Jamie, I was going to make breakfast." She set her coffee cup in the sink and pulled her hair into a loose bun.
"Nah it's okay. I want to eat quick and head down to the water." Jamie reached into the cabinet and grabbed three bowls, three spoons, and sat them on the counter.
"You planning on eating the whole box there? Mister three bowls." Haley looked at her growing son. In the last few years she could have sworn that he had grown almost a foot and a half. Her little boy was not so little anymore. He was 10, double digits, and soon he would tower over her like his father did.
"No, ones for you, and the other is for Dad." Jamie said matter-of-factly. Looking in another cabinet he frowned when he didn't see what he was looking for. "Mom, where is Charlotte's bowl?
"It's in the dishwasher." Haley walked over and pulled out what he wanted. She handed it to Jamie who put it next to the others. The simple fact that he was 'preparing' breakfast for his family was heartwarming.
Haley turned around when she heard footsteps behind her. Nathan entered carrying Charlotte who was curled up on her father's chest. Her brown hair messy and tangled, and her eyes were semi open allowing Haley to only see specks of her big brown eyes. Haley moved towards Nathan and placed a light kiss on his lips.
"Morning."
"Morning." He replied back.
Haley ran her hand over Charlotte's back and spoke to her 2 ½ year old daughter. "Hey baby. Did Daddy wake you up?" She looked up teasingly at Nathan who shook his head. Nathan passed Charlotte off to her mom and headed for the food.
"What'd ya make Jame, anything special." Nathan raised his eye brows and laughed.
"Uhm yeah, the Cap'n Crunch special." I got you a bowl out. Jamie passed Nathan the box of cereal and took a seat at the bar.
"You know, your mom loves snarfing down Cap'n Crunch watching Saturday morning cartoons." He looked over to Haley who smiled and rolled her eyes. After he finished pouring himself and Haley both bowls of cereal he leaned against the counter and ate the deliciousness that was...Cap'n Crunch.
"Alright I'm done. Can we go outside now?" Jamie ran his arm over his mouth and eagerly looked at his parents.
"Hold your horses there Jamie, you've got to let your food settle, put on your bathing suit, sunscreen, and help your dad carry everything out ." Haley was feeding Charlotte her breakfast while simultaneously trying to eat her own.
"Oh alright." Jamie sighed. He solemnly walked towards his room to change clothes.
Nathan laughed at his son's sudden change in demeanor. "He's not so excited now."
OTHOTH
Dragging the cooler down the pier Jamie stopped shy of the stairs wondering how he should handle the situation. Carry it and probably fall over, or slide it down and hope it doesn't tump over spilling all their drinks and snacks into the sand. He certainly didn't want to eat sandy goldfish so he tried picking it up. With both hands he clutched the side and took a step forward.
"Hold on there bud, you don't want to fall face first down the stairs do you?" Jamie looked up and saw his dad approaching. Nathan traded Jamie the bag of sand toys for the cooler and they made their way towards to water.
"This good?" Jamie pointed to the ground holding the umbrella.
"Yeah it'll be fine. Make sure you get it in deep so it doesn't fly away."
Nathan put down their other things and turned back toward the house. He saw Haley at the top of the stairs and he couldn't help but stare at his wife and daughter. Haley was wearing a simple black tan-kini with sunglasses. While Charlotte was in a lime green bathing suit accompanied with a white beach hat. Watching Haley move through the sand, the way her hips swayed, the way her hair blew in the wind, he was certain she was the sexiest woman on the entire beach.
"Hey, thanks for putting everything up." She sat Charlotte on the blanket spread out under the shade. Searching through her bag she found the sunscreen and tossed it to Nathan. "Will you put some on me?"
"Yeah, sure," He certainly wasn't going to deny the opportunity to rub down his wife. He opened the top and with a lovely noise sounding much like a fart, the lotion came out.
"Dad!" Jamie turned towards Nathan and made a gross face.
"Wha.? That wasn't me. I swear." He looked completely dumbfounded.
Haley stood there laughing but finally nudged Nathan to go ahead and apply the sunscreen. His hands moved from her shoulders down her back and he traced those two small numbers permanently marked on her skin. She shivered at his touch and turned to face him. He continued to apply the sunscreen running his fingers over the tops of her shoulder and moved them down her sides. Holding firmly on her hips he leaned towards her and kissed her forehead. She was about to say something but he interrupted.
"Hales,why are you wearing this? You know you look so much better in an actual bikini." He tugged on the hem of her top and arched his brow.
"I don't know, cause I don't have the body I used too. After two kids my figure hasn't exactly stayed in perfect form." She glanced down in embarrassment.
"What? Are you kidding? You're beautiful." He kissed her softly and stared long and hard into her eyes.
She smiled shyly and kissed him back. "You know, you always say the right thing."
Laughing he replied, "I know."
Haley rolled her eyes and hit him on the arm. She knelt down to Charlotte and started playing in the sand with her small daughter. Jamie grabbed the football and tossed it towards his dad. Too bad for Nathan he wasn't paying attention and the ball struck him square in the back.
"Ow, Jamie, what was that for?"
"Come on Dad, let's see your football skills." Jamie ran towards the water hoping his dad would throw him a 30 yard pass. Nathan had never been particularly great at football, most of his time was devoted to basketball but football was one thing Jamie really enjoyed. Not that Jamie didn't follow in dad's footsteps, it was just, he was a multiple sport athlete and it was kind of hard to play basketball on the beach.
Haley watched Jamie run slants and try and tackle his father which was a sight to see considering Nathan was at least a hundred and twenty pounds heavier. Haley covered her mouth when Jamie finally took Nathan down. They both emerged from the sand covered head to toe.
"You're going down now." Nathan leaped towards Jamie and scooped him up walking towards the water. Though Jamie was far to old to be carried and too heavy Nathan was certainly going to pay him back.
"No! Dad it's gonna be freezing!" Wrestling from his father's grip, Jamie tried to get away, but Nathan was not going to let that happen.
Nathan was thigh deep when he saw an approaching wave. Right when the wave crested he tossed Jamie and went under himself. Surfacing he saw Jamie laughing and swimming towards him.
"It's actually not that cold." Jamie said surprised.
"I know, now we just gotta figure out how to get your mom in." Smirking he and Jamie devised a plan.
OTHOTH
"Mom will you hand me a drink please?" Jamie walked towards the umbrella and reached for a towel.
"How was the water?" Haley gave Jamie his Gatorade and looked out across the ocean.
"Not too bad. I think..." He was cut off when Nathan interrupted.
"You should get in Hales, it feels pretty good." He grabbed his towel and ran it over his face.
"I don't know, I'm not really a fan of the whole cold water thing." Shaking her head she looked back towards the water.
"Well if you won't go, I'm gonna take Charlotte." Nathan picked Charlotte up and headed towards the waves.
"What, wait, Nathan she's too little to get in." Haley nearly jumped out of her chair chasing after Nathan. She caught up to him right as his feet hit the water. "Nathan, don't she's little and I don't want her to be scared."
"Do you want to get in Charlotte?" Nathan tilted Charlotte's hat up to see her face.
"Yes!" The very enthusiastic little girl responded.
"See, she wants to Haley it's fine. Now come with me." Holding Charlotte in one hand and reaching for Haley with the other he gave Haley a pleading look.
"Yeah come on Mom!" Jamie ran up from behind her and dove into the surf.
Charlotte giggled at her brother's actions and called out for Haley. "Mama, swim!"
How could she say no to that. She didn't, and grabbed Nathan's free hand and waded into the water. She reached around his side each time a wave passed so she wouldn't get knocked over. The waves weren't necessarily large but she was so short that she had a hard time trying to stay above the water. Holding onto both of the girls Nathan braced himself as a larger waved crashed onto them. Charlotte laughed and kicked and when he turned to Haley she was gone. Apparently she had disappeared under the water. Scared she might not be alright he frantically searched the surface looking for any signs of his wife. He heard laughing coming from behind him and saw her. She was standing with Jamie about 20 yards away.
"That was awesome!" Jamie yelled.
Haley laughed ran her hands over her face. "Yeah, and I so went further than you."
"What. No way Mom. Did you see how far I went?" Jamie was in denial that his mom out body surfed him.
Nathan maneuvered toward his wife and son. "Sorry bud, but I think your mom beat you."
Haley smirked at Jamie who put had crossed him arms. "Wanna go again?"
He certainly was not going to let it happen again. "You're on!"
Nathan watched as Haley and Jamie swam to where the waves broke and pointed so Charlotte could spot them. Jamie found their wave and when it was about to break both he and Haley dove forward. It was a close one and when Jamie got up he was sure he had won this time.
"I don't know Jamie." He turned to Charlotte ad asked the young girl. "What do you think Charlotte? Who won? Mom or Jamie?"
Looking back in forth between her big brother and mom, Charlotte had made up her mind. "Mama!"
Jamie shook his head but he wasn't going to be a poor sport. If he new anything about a good competition, it was that someone always had to lose. Haley did a cute little victory dance and walked toward Nathan and Charlotte.
"So I won." She smiled brightly. "I think that is the only semi athletic thing I have ever won in my life. "Spelling bees don't count right?"
Laughing Nathan shook his head. "Definitely not."
OTHOTH
About 15 minutes later Nathan had successfully created a hole large enough Jamie could sit in. Grabbing a small orange shovel he showed Charlotte how to dump sand on her brother.
"We're gonna bury Jamie. Look, watch me Charlotte." Nathan used his shovel and poured the sand on Jamie. The little girl followed her father's direction and found a great joy in plunking the sand on Jamie.
"Oh no Charlotte, don't do that." Haley frowned as she saw Charlotte drop some sand on Jamie's head.
Nathan started laughing which caused Charlotte to giggle as well. Jamie scrunched his eyes and blinked a few times. "Charlotte!" He spit a couple times trying to get the sand that had landed in his mouth out.
At that point he was buried up to his chest with his arms and legs covered. He tried to wiggle free but the pressure from the sand made it hard to move. Struggling Jamie started rocking back and forth trying to bust free. And then it was as if he turned into the Hulk. One arm busted through the sand and the other followed shortly. He jumped up and ran towards the ocean.
Charlotte ran after her brother and Haley gasped. "Nathan hurry get her!"
Nathan looked over to Haley and shook his head. "Hales, she's fine. Jamie's with her. He won't let anything happen to her." He smiled and glanced back towards the kids.
Charlotte had made her way to Jamie where he was standing ankle deep holding his arms out for her. "Come on Charlotte." Grasping both her hands, he lifted her in and out of the water as the waves crashed down.
Both Jamie and Charlotte were having a blast. Jamie made funny noises when her feet hit the water and Charlotte laughed and screeched in delight. Haley grabbed her bag and searched for the camera. Snapping a few photos she stared at her children. Jamie and Charlotte were now walking towards her hand in hand. The little girl climbed on Nathan and rested her head on his broad chest. That little girl was so tightly wrapped around his finger and he loved it.
OTHOTH
Right around 8:30pm Haley had gotten Charlotte to sleep and found Nathan and Jamie sitting in the living room watching Sports Center. It seemed to be the only show they ever watched. Haley had seen it so many times that she had memorized nearly all of the anchors names and nicknames. Both Nathan and Jamie sat in the same position. Elbows on their knees, slightly hunched over, and their blue eyes glued to the screen. It was pretty ridiculous as to how similar they were. Aside from Jamie's lighter hair, he was practically a mini Nathan.
Haley walked out on the porch and leaned against the railing. She had basically done the same thing this morning, but this time the sky had changed from the pale blue to a dark indigo. There were plenty of stars out and she could see the waves' white foam crash on shore. The roar of the ocean seemed louder at night but it was actually a very soothing sound. She closed her eyes thinking about how much fun she had today when she heard the door shut behind her.
"Out here all by yourself?" Nathan walked over and wrapped his arms around her.
"Not anymore. Did Jamie go to bed?"
"Yeah, he's had a busy day. I think all the sun and running around wore him out."
"Charlotte too, she was out like a light." Smiling thinking about her two sleeping children Haley turned to face Nathan. "Today was great."
"Today was great." He leaned down and kissed her.
"You know what I was thinking about his morning?"
What?" He tucked a hair behind her ear.
"Remember all those years ago when I threw up on Dan?" She laughed and he contorted his face
"Yeah, highlight of my year." He laughed and shook his head. "Kidding. Highlight of that year... marrying you."
She ran her palm over his cheek and into his hair. "I love you." Standing on her tip toes Haley kissed Nathan once more.
There was definitely something she loved about the beach and she had figured it out. It wasn't the weather, or the sunset, or anything like that, it was simply that Nathan was always there with her. Always and forever.
A/N: So Nathan and Haley have a little girl. Adorable right? I think it's about time for Nathan and Haley to have another baby on the show, anyone else agree? Alright so chapter 3 is complete. Let me know what y'all think. My review count went down last chapter and that was a little disappointing so please leave me your thoughts. And as unusual if you have a request, I'll be sure to add it to my list. Thanks for reading!