Flashback:
1:08 a.m. Nathan was lying in bed waiting for his wife Haley to come home from Peyton's office, helping Mia record her first album. Nathan knew Haley secretly always wanted exactly what she is helping Mia get right now. Sometimes Nathan worried when it was late nights like tonight and Haley wasn't home. "Come on Haley, where are you?" he mumbled to himself. As he did so he heard the door downstairs quietly shut. He got up from bed and walked downstairs where he found Haley seated at the kitchen counter with her hand in her palms and her back softly moving up and down with whimpers from her mouth. "Hales?" Nathan spoke quietly. This caused Haley to jump. She looked up at him with tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes.
"Nathan? Why are you still up?" she replied while trying her best to wipe off her cheeks and look somewhat presentable.
"I was waiting for you. Hales why are you crying?" he moved towards her, sat down, and removed some hair lying across her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. "Talk to me."
Haley grinned and looked up at him lovingly. "It's stupid."
"No it's not. Tell me baby."
Haley was silent and looked concerned. "I just, I just can't help thinking that I am living vicariously through Mia." She hesitated before looking up at Nathan.
Nathan engulfed her in a hug and kissed her forehead as her face rested on his shoulder. "Hales, I'm sorry your dream didn't turn out the way you wanted it to. You can still achieve it though and you need to believe that baby."
Haley released Nathan's grip on her so that she could be face to face with her husband and let a smile break her face. "My dream did come true. I fell in love with a wonderful, caring, gorgeous man." She paused to smile at her last comment before continuing, "and together, we made and raised a fabulous, perfect son. That's all I really need in life."
Nathan was smiling. "Well, that is true." He continued to smile. "But I want you to have everything you deserve, and letting people hear you sing is something you deserve."
Haley leaned up at kissed him and Nathan returned her soft kiss. She pulled back and massaged his cheek. "I love you. Do you know that?"
Nathan's smile grew even bigger. "Of course. I love you too, Haley James Scott."
He leaned back down to kiss her but she got up to quick and got onto her feet.
"Hey, where you going?" Nathan said looking up to her.
"I told you I'm not going anywhere," Haley smiled and grabbed his hand. "Not without you at least." She winked at him and together they walked hand and hand up to their bedroom.
"Nathan?" Nathan was asleep on a chair in the hospital waiting room. His head was resting on his hand and his eyes were all red. "Nathan?" Nathan awoke and adjusted his eyes to see his brother Lucas standing there. Nathan tried to smile at Lucas but his face was stuck the way it was. Lucas reached down and pulled Nathan out of his seat and into a hug.
"How is she?" Lucas asked releasing Nathan from his grip.
"They're doing tests right now. They uh, they said they would tell me when they know anything."
Lucas nodded. "Where is Jamie?"
"He's um, he's with your mom actually."
"Oh- good." Lucas turned to look for any doctors while a tear streamed from his eyes and quickly wiped it away. Nathan knew it had to be hard on Lucas too. Haley was his best friend. Nathan was about to say something to Lucas when a voice interrupted. "Hey guys…" Peyton said coming through the doors with Brooke. "Anything?"
"No, not yet." Lucas told them.
"What happened?" Brooke asked.
"She collapsed. She was at my apartment and just collapsed. She said her back hurt but she figured it was a sore muscle." As he said this, his eyes widened and he faced Lucas. "Luke what if I never can tell her I love her? What if I will never have the chance to have my wife back? What if—"
"Nathan- you will. You will little brother." Lucas pulled him into another hug.
"Mr. Scott?" Doctor Johnston called out. Nathan rushed over to him along with Lucas, Peyton, and Brooke.
"Are you all family?" He asked.
"They're fine I need them here, please how is my wife?" Nathan asked.
"We just finished running some tests on her. Mr. Scott, I am sorry to have to tell you this, but Haley has cancer."
As soon as the words fell out of the doctor's mouth it was if the whole world around him started to spin out of control. He lost all feeling below his waist and grabbed onto Lucas' shoulder. "Can-cancer? Can I see her?"
"Yes but please only one visitor at a time. We'll talk more later. Room 7114."
Nathan moved slowly before making his way to Haley's room. He walked in to find her with her eyes closed. Her soft brown hair sat on her shoulders and her head was tilted to the side. She opened her eyes and moved her head to see him. "Hi." She said.
"Hey…" he moved to the empty chair next to her.
"How are you?" Haley asked very concerned.
His act of trying to act strong was over. Tears starting falling out of his eyes as he looked up to look Haley in the eyes. She reached up and wiped his tears. Nathan grabbed her hands and brought it to his mouth and placed a soft kiss on it before burying his face into her palm.
"Nathan… I have cancer." Haley told him.
Nathan looked up with her hand still in his. "I know. We'll get through it though. Okay? We will."
Haley just stared at him. "Where's Jamie?"
"He's with Karen."
"That's probably for the best."
"Hales, are you in pain?"
"No, not right now." She said and squeezed his hand. "We caught it at a good time, the doctors said." Haley told him trying to give him some hope.
"Are you ready to fight it?"
"Yes- but we need to also stay realistic, Nathan."
"I'm not loosing you Haley. I'm not." Haley was caught by surprise. Here is her ex-husband telling her he can't loose her. Does he still love me? "I love you too much to loose you, Hales."
Haley's heart dropped. Hearing those words from his mouth has been something she needed to hear for 6 months. "I love you too, Nathan. And I told you, I'm not going anywhere."
