A/N: So seriously, I doubt any of you are reading this anymore I've got serious writer's block on this one. The sequel to 'Tommy' is coming along though, so look for that in the next few months if you're interested.

Hope you enjoy this…can't honestly say when the next chapter will be up.

Thanks, Kait

Chapter 6

Nathan glanced down at Casey and then back to the door, "Okay here's the deal: You don't cry or throw up on me and we'll be good, okay?" he questioned lifting Casey from the changing table. Once he had the baby in his hands though he didn't know what to do, he ended up carrying the baby out to the kitchen holding him an arm's length away from his body. Nathan seemed okay with the situation, Casey on the other hand, wasn't.

No sooner had Nathan put foot in the kitchen did Casey start howling, "Nathan!" Haley nearly shrieked when she saw them, "you've got to hold him close to you," she admonished bending his arms into the right shape, Casey settled only marginally, "he has to feel safe in your arms."

Nathan was still holding the crying baby when Haley popped a pacifier in Casey's mouth and he settled even more, "sorry," he mumbled, now having Casey cradled in the crook of one arm the other hand was placed on his belly making sure he wouldn't drop him.

"It's okay," Haley smiled, watching Casey take in the man that held him. His wide brown eyes matched Haley's and he studied the blue eyes that were looking back at him, "you want to feed him? Or have you had enough for tonight?"

"I've come this far right?" he questioned a little uneasy.

"Yeah," she grinned turning back to the stove, "you had dinner yet?"

"No," he shook his head.

"I could…you know, whip something up," she started before realizing she was presuming too much, "that is…if you want to stay. You don't have to."

"Dinner sounds…good," he gave her a small smile. He allowed his smirk to shine through when she smiled back, "so how do I feed this kid?"

"Here," she grabbed a bottle from the warmer and moved to the island in her kitchen, pulling out a chair for him. "When he gets about halfway through we'll have to burp him."

"And why would we do that?" he questioned, remembering how she always reprimanded him for burping.

"Because if you don't it'll be painful and then he'll be fussy for awhile," she responded, handing him the bottle and pulling the pacifier from within Casey's mouth.

"Well I'll take your word for that one, and do not want to experience it first hand," he chuckled easing the nipple of the bottle into his mouth.

"Okay, what are you hungry for?" she asked softly, watching the two most important males in her life.

"Umm…" he took a careful moment to think before giving her a soft smile, "anything you're willing to make."

"Hmm," she opened the freezer to check out what she had, "mac and cheese?" she asked pulling open the cabinet next to the freezer.

"Sounds good," he grinned, turning his eyes back down to the baby in his arms. Nathan couldn't believe that Haley and Casey seemed to have very similar facial features and the exact same eyes. Those eyes that he saw his future in since the first day he'd seen them and he could still see it, only this time it was reflected in newer eyes. "He looks like you," he spoke softly startling Haley, and she dropped the wooden spoon she'd been using to stir the macaroni.

"He looks like Vivian," she responded even softer, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Hales?" he questioned softly, moving to stand behind her, wishing he had a free hand to wrap her into his chest.

"No, it's fine," she shrugged him off grapping the spoon off the stove top to finish the noodles.

"You should talk about it Hales," he lifted, the half empty bottle from Casey's mouth, "umm…he's half done."

"Oh," she nearly dropped the spoon again, spinning around quickly to face him, not realizing he was so close. "Lift him to your shoulder," she instructed taking the bottle and helping him adjust Casey. "Now just pat him on the back until you get a few burps," she snorted when he barely taped the baby. "You've got to give it a little more force then that."

"I don't want to hurt him," he shrugged, his eyes widening at the large burp released, "dang."

"He should be ready to finish after one or two more," she turned back to the stove, "Okay dinner is ready. I'll take him, you set the table?"

"Alright," he nodded, allowing her to ease the baby from his arms. He followed her with his eyes as he grabbed bowls and she went back to Casey's nursery.

Haley hummed, rocking slowly in front of Casey's crib. He was sleeping peacefully in her arms. He really did look like Vivian, and people had been telling her, her whole life that she looked like her older sister, but she never believed them. Apparently now though it was obvious to Nathan, she wouldn't be able to think about anything else when she looked at Casey.

"You okay?" he questioned softly noticing her quiet demeanor through dinner.

"I'm fine," she announced, "you done?"

"Yes, thank you, it was just as good as I remember," he offered her a small smile hoping to receive one in return, "You didn't eat much," he noted the full bowl in front of her.

"Not hungry," she shrugged, "Okay I know you must be dying to get out of here and away from me and the kid."

"Hales," he took the dishes from her hands, "You want to talk about it?"

"Nope," she pushed past him and took the dishes to the counter, turning the water in the sink on, "thanks for hanging out tonight."

"Haley you have to talk about this," he sighed, turning off the water, "You're not eating, and--"

"And nothing okay? You didn't want to deal with it, you don't have to," she was barely holding up her stern façade, "I'll see you tomorrow morning at Karen's 7 am."

"Haley," he tried again.

"No Nathan you don't get it all back when you want it…as you pointed out on plenty of occasions it takes time."

He stood shocked for a moment staring at her back trying to figure out how she could honestly be yelling at him right now, "You know Haley, I don't think I'm going to be needing your help after all," he slammed the door closed behind him on his way out.

She sunk to her knees sobbing into her hands. It took twenty minutes before she heard the beginning cries from Casey, "Hey little boy," she sniffled lifting him from his crib, "what's wrong with you? Huh?" she tried to sound happy for his sake but it wasn't working.

It was an hour later as she paced her living room with him still letting out loud angry cries. She grabbed her phone scrolling the list in her contacts, she was about to push send on Karen's name when she glanced at the clock, 11:42, she couldn't call now it was too late.

"I'm sorry," she spoke on the verge of tears when he opened the door. Nathan's bleary eyes took in the screaming infant and his clearly distraught wife. He took a long look at them unsure about his course of action, on one hand this is what he'd wanted since the day she'd left, but on the other hand he was wary of an emotional attachment to her again.

"I thought you said I didn't have to deal with it anymore," he reminded her as Casey screamed on.

"Nathan please, I can't get him to be quiet, I'm already in denial about me sister, okay? I'll admit that but I can't deal with this I'm going crazy," she let out a sob on her last word and Nathan instinctively reached out afraid she would collapse under the weight and force of her gut wrenching sobs. One arm pulled her into the apartment while the other closed the door and he led her to the couch and took the baby from her grasp, cradling him as he'd learned earlier. Casey soothed immediately, settling into the strong arms and bare chest. It was silent then as a pair of blue eyes and brown as well stared down at the baby.

"How'd you do that?" she questioned annoyed that he'd been able to accomplish in less than a second what she couldn't accomplish in over an hour.

"I-I don't know," he shrugged, looking up from the baby and into her eyes.

"Unbelievable," she fell onto the couch, laughing uncontrollably, before they turned into sobs, stronger than before.

"Haley? What? What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I try for over an hour," she choked out, "you manage to quiet him in less than two seconds. I'm a failure."

"Hales, you aren't a failure. You're tired," he supplied, "come on let's get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"No, Nathan you don't understand," she cried, "I can't do this, Lucas was right, there's no way I'm ready to raise a child--"

"Look," he sat on the edge of the couch using his free hand to direct her eyes to his face, "look at me, you CAN do this. Do you really think Vivian would have left him to you, if she thought you couldn't do it?" she held his eyes, staring at him silently, "you know you can do this Haley. I've never seen you give up on anything."

"This is different," she whispered softly, "with school and music it didn't matter how bad I screwed up, it only affected me. I haven't been successful in the ways that matter, I ruined you Nathan and you were — are…so broken because of me. I can't do that to a baby."

"Hales…" he sighed heavily, "you didn't ruin me—okay, I may have been a little messed up---but you've been fixing me too. How do you not see that? You are the best part of my life, and you're the best part of this little boy's life too."

"I'm just---I'm tired." She finally relented closing her eyes.

"Come on," he whispered, standing up and offering his hand to her. Silently he led her back to the bedroom, and directed her toward her side of the bed before walking around to his own. She stripped off her jeans, before burrowing under the covers accepting a now asleep Casey from Nathan. Once he was lying comfortably on his back she shocked him by placing the baby on his chest, "Hales?"

"Shh, it's okay, I read that it's supposed to help with bonding," and she placed her head on the other side of his chest placing her hand on top of the one he'd wrapped around Casey's back, and tangled her legs around his. "Goodnight."

"Night," he smiled into the dark glancing down at the two heads on his chest. He wasn't sure if he'd made the right decisions over the last few days, but he did know that he hadn't felt this good since before the formal a couple months ago.