A/N: Sorry for not updating, but since school is finally over it should be quicker now. This is a short chapter but it is a very emotional and pivotal moment in their relationship. The title song is by Sarah Mclachlan. Please review and we hope you enjoy.
Chapter 7-I Will Remember You
It was about 10:00 am when they arrived in Oklahoma City. Trying to avoid the awkwardness, Haley immediately began searching for something to do. They had parked the bike a few mile back, and had just been walking along, seeing what the city had to offer. Haley spotted a tourist stand nearby, so she walked over and picked up one of the brochures. Her eyes scanned over the list of attractions and then she came upon one that made her eyes light up.
"NATHAN! I know where we are going!" Haley explained excitedly
"What are you going on about now?" Nathan asked in a bored tone
"Well we need something to do to keep our minds off that slightly scary, yet exhilarating slash awkward encounter last night so we are going to do something of my choice for a change. It's going to be really really fun!"
"Do we have to pay- scratch that, do we have to sneak in?"
"Nope it's totally free! Stop asking questions, we are wasting valuable time," Haley rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, dragging him along to follow the map.
About five minutes later they had reached their destination.
"This is where we are going?" Nathan asked outraged
"This is a great learning experience--"
"It's a really good thing you stole this hat and sunglasses because if anyone ever recognized me in a place like this..well things would happen"
"What are you talking about? And I did not steal those things I borrowed them…"
"Only geeks go to science museums, but I should have known I would have to do something like this, seeing as you came on this trip"
"Whatever, just put it on then, because no matter what you say we are going to the Science Museum!" Haley ran ahead of him and Nathan followed slowly behind, checking over his shoulder every now and then to make sure no one saw someone as cool as him entering a place like that.
It was about an hour that they had been in the museum so far and Nathan was bored out of his mind. At just about every exhibit he would whine to Haley asking her if it was time to go yet.
"Nathan how many times are you going to ask that? If I get you a lollipop will that keep you quiet for a bit?" Haley asked rolling her eyes
"Is it the rainbow kind? The really big ones?" he asked innocently
"You seriously want me to get you a lollipop? I was kidding."
"Nope I want one and I want it now!" he said dramatically, added a foot stomp for good measure
"Ok Veruka Salt, lets go to the gift shop then"
"Who the hell is that?"
"Ugh your knowledge of movies astounds me sometimes, c'mon."
As they were walking towards the gift shop Haley suddenly stopped short in front of an exhibit. Nathan had kept walking, but when he noticed Haley was not by his side he turned around.
"Haley? What are you doing? What are you looking at?"
But it was like she couldn't even hear him. Haley was mesmerized by a video that was playing on screen, showing men mixing together chemicals, whose end result would be a small explosion. Everything that was going on around her was no longer apparent to her. Haley was back in 2006, when she was 18, back at the worst night of her life. The night everything fell apart. She was suddenly taken out of her trance, when she felt Nathan shaking her, calling her name.
"Hey you okay?" he asked his hands on her face now, searching her eyes to make sure she was okay
Haley nodded, "Don't lie to me Haley. I know when people are lying to me," he said seriously
"I can't tell you here. Let's go some place quiet," Haley said but still very distracted.
Nathan looked around for the sign of the exhibits, and then he saw one that would be relatively empty and peaceful at the same time. He grabbed her hand and she followed him wordlessly. He decided to take Haley to the solar system room. Once they got there, they were glad to find it empty, so they laid down on the dark blue carpet and stared up at the shooting stars that were simulated across the sky.
"You don't know how many shooting stars I've wished upon" she said her eyes glossing over with unshed tears.
Nathan remained quiet, choosing not to look at her, knowing this would be hard enough already.
"I thought if I kept wishing it would bring them back, you know? But it didn't. I couldn't figure out what I did to deserve this. I could never understand why they were taken from me. It's not fair," the tears that she was trying to hold in spilled over and she let out a sob. That's when Nathan decided to come over to her and he pulled her into him so that they were lying together and Haley began her story.
"I was watching my favorite movie, a walk to remember, when I got the phone call. My parents had gone away for the weekend and I remember them making such a big deal of me staying home alone. We had always been very close and although they trusted me, it was hard for them. But in the end I told them to go, because they deserved some fun for their anniversary. They were staying in a hotel in Chicago. At first it appeared as though it was a fire due to all the smoke and the flames, but the police later declared that a bomb had gone off in the hotel. It had taken out the first three floors. My parents were staying on the second. Now that it has been four years, the worst part isn't even their death anymore because I've accepted they are never coming back. Now all I can think about is how they spent those last minutes. Did they feel anything? Was it quick? Were they afraid? Did they think about me? But that isn't even the worst part. They worst part is that there were no bodies to bury, I couldn't even have their ashes because they were mixed in with the debris of the building. I have absolutely nothing left of my parents, aside from physical possessions that are in my house. I miss them so much" Haley had almost whispered the last part, being as this was emotionally draining for her.
Nathan had gripped her tighter as her story went on, devastated for her. He was trying to be strong for her and when he looked over at her, trying to think of something to say, he didn't have to because she had fallen asleep on him.
Assured that she wouldn't hear him, he started grieving for her loss and for his part in it, knowing that nothing he ever did could make up for it.
