AN Surprise! Surprise! Two updates back to back. Aren't you proud of me? I had some time and the words came so here it is.
Chapter 8 Breathe (2AM)
2
AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,
Can you help me
unravel my latest mistake,
I don't love him, winter just wasn't my
season
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like
they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites, you're all
here for the very same reason
'Cause you can't jump the track,
we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to
the table
No one can find the rewind button girl,
So cradle
your head in your hands
And breathe, just breathe,
Whoa
breathe, just breathe
May he turn 21 on the base at Fort
Bliss
Just a day, he sat down to the flask in his fist,
Ain't
been sober, since maybe October of last year.
Here in town you can
tell he's been down for a while,
But my God it's so beautiful when
the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him, maybe I'll just sing about
it.
Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a
cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one
can find the rewind button boys,
So cradle your head in your
hands,
And breathe, just breathe,
Woah breathe, just
breathe
There's a light at each end of this tunnel, you
shout
'Cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
These
mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you only try
turning around.
2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If
I get it all down on paper, its no longer
Inside of me,
threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in
front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out
loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
Cause
you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's
like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind
button now
Sing it if you understand.
And breathe, just
breathe
Woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.
Anna Nalick
Jamie slowly lifted his head up. He was back at the State Championship and they were down by two points. He and Jason already had a plan for the next play. The two boys played well together. Nathan had them in the huddle and looked to Jamie. "Ok guys you know what to do right?" When they nodded their confirmation, Nathan said "Ok Raven's on three. 1, 2, 3, Ravens"
Jamie moved to the court and Jason took the ball out of bounds. He passed to Jamie and Jamie made a direct line for the whole. Just before he got to the basket he turned and threw the ball to Jason. Jason shot the ball for the three pointer and the win. As the ball made it to the rim it rounded twice and fell away. Bear Creek had won the State Championship. Jason was on the court on his knees. Nathan came up to the young boy and squeezed his shoulder. "That's alright buddy. You gave it one hell of a try" Jason nodded as the rest of the team also squeezed his shoulder.
As Jamie moved he realized he wasn't at the game. He looked around slowly. His head was killing him. He was confused and had no idea where he was. He leaned his head back and tried to think. Wait he was driving. There was a steering wheel in front of him. Flashes of a shirt came to him, and then flashes of his Mom smiling. He leaned his head back again. His head was pounding. Where in the hell was he? He moved his hand to his head in an attempt to stop the hammer inside of it. Suddenly there was a knock beside his head.
"Son? Can you hear me?"
Jamie lifted his head when he heard the voice. He saw a man standing beside him. "Yeah" he said quietly.
"Son I've called 911. Are you ok?"
Jamie then fought to bring himself up in the seat. 911? What the hell. Where in the hell was he? He reached over and rolled the window down.
"Ah yeah I can hear you. I think I'm ok."
"What about her?"
Her? Jamie looked beside him expecting to see Tiffany there. Instead he began to scream. "Mom? MOM?"
Haley was slumped over in the seat. There was a large cut on her forehead which had blood running down her face. When Jamie looked over and grabbed her hand he stopped immediately. The seat beneath her was covered in blood.
"Son can I call someone for you?"
"Ah yeah my Dad. I am sure he'll be worried. How long have we been here?"
"I have no idea. I happened to be driving by on my rig and I saw the headlights pointing up to the bridge."
"Oh my god. How long ago did you call the ambulance?"
"About twenty minutes ago why?"
"My Mom. She's hurt."
"Son don't move her whatever you do don't move her."
"Ah I've got my cell in here some where." Jamie bent down holding his head. Finally he found his cell phone. He looked at the time. 'Two forty five am? God his Dad was going to kill him.' He punched the number two on the speed dial for the house but got no answer. Finally he dialed number three for his Dad's cell phone.
It quickly began to ring. "JAMIE?"
"Dad." Jamie was holding his head and suddenly he felt sick. The trucker on the outside of the Denali asked. "Son, do you want me to talk to him?" Jamie nodded his head and handed him the cell phone.
"Ah Hi. My name is Roger Davis. I am a truck driver. I have found your son and his Mom. They've had an accident."
"What kind of accident?" Nathan's heart was pounding.
"They drove off an embankment and the truck rolled about thirty feet down until it hit a tree"
"Oh God! Are they ok? Where are you?"
"Just off of Highway One Seventeen about a hundred yards from Turner's bridge."
"Have you called the EMS?"
"Yes."
"Is my wife ok?"
"Sir I can't tell. Her side of the truck is up against the tree. I can see her but I can't get to her. She seems to be unconscious."
"Oh my god. Look the ambulance will be there before I can get there. Can you please tell them that she is anemic and she's pregnant?"
"Anemic and pregnant. I sure will sir."
"Thank you man. Are you going to stay there with my son?"
"Yeah I'll stay until the ambulance gets here at least."
"My son's name is Jamie and my wife's name is Haley."
"Ok. I'll try to keep your son talking to me."
"By the way my name is Nathan Scott"
"Nathan Scott? You're kidding!"
"No I'm not. Why?"
"I'm a huge Duke Basketball fan. I've always kept up with your stats. You were one of the best players ever."
"Thanks man. I am on my way to the hospital ok?"
"Ah yeah" He heard the sirens approaching. "The ambulance is just pulling up now."
"Thanks again."
When the ambulance and fire trucks got there, the emergency personnel moved down to the Denali. The trucker gave the paramedics the information that Nathan had given to him. They managed to get Jamie out and on to a stretcher. It was obvious that he had a severe concussion. He was seriously disoriented. Then they moved to get Haley out of the passenger seat. Once they had a neck collar on her and had moved the back board behind her they moved her slowly out of the Denali.
Nathan wanted to drop to his knees but his three smaller children we in the room with him. As much as he wanted to ease this aching in his chest he couldn't. He turned to the girls and Bri. "Your Mom and Brother have had an accident. We have to get to the hospital now." They loaded up in Nathan's Range Rover and drove to Tree Hill Memorial. When they arrived and got into the ER, Nathan moved to talk to the nurse at the information desk. "Have Haley and Jamie Scott been brought in yet?"
She checked her computer. "No I don't have a record of them sir."
"They should have been here by now. God they are hurt. What's taking so long?"
"Sir I am sure they are on their way. They'll be here soon."
"God they have to hurry" he whispered.
Nathan moved to sit down in the waiting room. About twenty minutes later the double doors opened and he saw them rolling in a stretcher. He moved up beside the rolling bed and ran along side of his son. His eyes fell to Jamie's face. "Son? Jamie?"
"Dad?"
"Jamie, are you ok?"
"My head hurts Dad. It hurts so bad"
Nathan looked him over and saw the huge knot in his hairline. "You're going to be ok Jamie. You're going to be ok."
"Dad?"
"Yeah buddy?"
"I lost Mom"
Nathan felt his heart sink as they rolled Jamie away to the back. What did he mean he lost his Mom? Nathan prayed that didn't mean what it sounded like. His heart was pounding in his chest, panic quickly trying to take over. After ten minutes they were running through the door with Haley's stretcher. "Hales, baby can you hear me?"
"Mom?" Natalie and Nicole cried, while Brian just stood there in shock at seeing his Mom like that. She had a large gash on her forehead and blood was covering the side of her face.
Within an instant they had pushed her to the back where they had taken Jamie. Natalie came to her Dad's open arms. "Dad. Oh God Dad. What are we going to do?" Natalie cried. Nicole stood there beside her sister and waited. When Nathan realized that she was there he moved one arm for Natalie and allowed her to move in with her sister. He held his girls for what seemed like hours while they cried for their mother.
Nathan finally was able to get them calmed down and moved over to Bri. "Hey buddy you ok?"
"Yeah. Is she going to die Dad?"
"I sure hope not buddy." He said with tears in his eyes as he hugged his second oldest son.
"She can't die Dad. You talked to Jamie right?"
"Yeah he was talking." he sniffled.
"Dad, why wasn't Mom talking to then?"
"I don't know Bri. We're going to have to wait for the doctors to check her out and tell us ok?" Being strong when you felt so weak was hard work. Nathan wanted nothing more than to give in to his emotions desire to break down. This was the third time in the last five minutes that he fought it again to be strong for his children.
"Yeah" Brian seemed to realize that his Dad was struggling not to cry. He loved his Dad but he loved the way his Dad loved his Mom even more.
Brooke and Cooper rushed in through the emergency doors. "Nathan, how are they?"
"We don't know. Brooke, can you sit with the girls? Please?"
"Yeah Nathan I'd be glad to." Brooke moved over to Natalie and Nicole and placed her arms around both girls. Bri moved over to his Dad and held his hand. Nathan looked down into his little boy's face. He didn't seem as old as he had a few hours ago. He knelt down and took the boy in his arms as he began to sob. Cooper rubbed his nephews back as his Dad tried to console him. Nathan had held on as long as he could and began to cry with Bri.
An hour later, a doctor came out. "James Scott family?"
Nathan stood up. Cooper came over to place a hand on his nephew's shoulder. Lucas and Peyton hadn't arrived yet. "Hi I'm Jamie's Dad. Nathan Scott"
"Mr. Scott, Dr. Forrester. I am the attending on call tonight. Dr. Baldwin though is on his way. Apparently he has known your family for quite sometime."
Nathan smiled. "He has been my doctor since I was five. How's Jamie?"
"He has a hell of a knot on his head but I think he is going to be fine. He has a concussion and two broken ribs. We can't find any internal bleeding. His ankle is badly sprained. I think he'll make a full recovery."
"What about my wife?"
"Your wife?"
"Haley Scott"
"Oh I'm sorry I hadn't even put it together. Mrs. Scott hasn't come back from the CT scan yet. We're still waiting."
"Ok thank you."
Nathan turned to the kids "Jamie's ok guys. He's going to be ok. We don't know about Mom yet. They are still running tests."
"Dr. Forrester?"
"Yes Mr. Scott?"
"How soon can we see Jamie?"
"We're going to admit him as long as Dr. Baldwin agrees. He should be up in his room in the next half hour or so." Nathan nodded.
Cooper tightened his arm around his nephew. "Nate, come on man deep breaths you have to calm down.
Lucas and Peyton came flying in through the emergency doors.
"Nathan, how are they?"
"The doctor just came out and told us about Jamie. He has a concussion and a couple of broken ribs. His ankle is sprained but he's ok.'
"And Haley?"
"They've taken her for a CT Scan"
Lucas tightened his arm around Peyton. Brooke moved up to Nathan and told him that he needed to talk to Natalie. She was near hysterics.
Nathan moved over to Natalie. "Nat, come here baby" She moved into her Daddy's arms. "Dad she can't leave us. She has to be ok. She and I had an argument on the phone earlier. I wanted to go with her and Jamie and she told me that they were already in Wilmington." she cried.
"Hey, baby. You're Mom is going to be ok. Don't even think about that ok?" he tightened his hold on her. "I know how you feel Nat. I'm scared too, but we have to keep the faith." he whispered.
Lucas went over to Nicole and Brian and Peyton moved to Nathan. "Nathan?"
"Yeah?"
"She's going to be ok. I just saw her and Jamie in town earlier."
"Where?"
"In the mall. You can't repeat that ok?"
Nathan looked at Peyton strangely. "What were you doing in the mall?"
"Sh Sh Shopping?" she stuttered.
Nathan still wasn't sure he believed her. Something was up but right now he didn't have time or the mind to care.
Dr. Baldwin finally came out of the back. "Nathan?"
"Dr. Baldwin. How's Haley?"
"She's going to be ok. She has a bad concussion, a broken collar bone and some broken ribs. She was lucky Nathan, very lucky. But, son I'm sorry. She lost the baby."
Nathan nearly choked on the emotion he was feeling. "Can I see her?"
"Sure. We're going to keep her and Jamie in a room over night for observation. She's miscarried Nathan I want to keep an eye on the bleeding. The last thing I want is for you to take her home and she starts hemorrhaging."
"Ok." He nodded.
"Right this way son." Dr. Baldwin turned to walk back through the ER Department doors.
As Nathan began to follow him the kids were calling him. "Dad?"
"Guys I'll be right back ok. Then we call all go see your Mom and your Brother. Mom's awake. She's going to be ok."
"And the baby?" Natalie asked.
"Natalie I'm sorry honey. The baby didn't make it." Nathan watched as his little girl sunk to her knees on the floor, Brooke and Peyton were moving to her and waving Nathan to go ahead to see Haley.
When he reached her bed, she was lying slightly on her side with her eyes closed. Jamie was right beside her and the curtain was open so they could see each other.
"Hales?"
She opened her eyes and smiled. "Hi"
"Hi baby, are you ok? How do you feel?"
"Like I hit a tree."
"I'm sure. Dr. Baldwin says you're lucky."
"Nathan, I have something to tell you."
"Ok"
"We lost the baby"
A small sob escaped him before he could stop it. "I know baby. I know" He moved to kiss her forehead, then he turned to Jamie on his other side.
"You ok buddy?"
"Yeah Dad. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" Jamie began to cry.
"Hey buddy. It's not your fault." Nathan told his son as he kissed him on the top of his head like he used to do when he was small. "I love you Jamie. Don't blame yourself for this. Ok?"
"Dad I don't know. I can't remember what happened. Mom can't either."
"It'll come. Just give yourself a couple of days ok? Your body has had quite a shock."
Nathan looked back over to Haley. "Hales?"
"Hales?"
"Yeah?" she whispered. "Don't go to sleep just yet ok? You have a concussion and they need to get you up to your room so they can monitor you."
"Ok." she whispered. Suddenly her eyes flew open. "Where are my other children Nathan? Who has them?"
"Hold on. Calm Down Hales. They are in the waiting room with Brooke Cooper, Lucas and Peyton"
"Ok" Haley's eyes flew open yet again as flashes of memory came back to her.
"Hales what is it?"
"Nathan, Jamie and I saw Peyton tonight. She was in the mall."
"She said that she was. What was the deal with that anyway?"
"She admitted it?"
"Yeah why wouldn't she? She said she was shopping."
"Oh" Haley said with a confused look on her face.
"Haley what is it you're not telling me?"
"She wasn't shopping Nathan not the kind I know how to do anyway."
Later they had moved Jamie and Haley to a semi private room. Natalie, Nicole, Brian Cooper, Brooke, Peyton and Lucas were all in the room visiting with the Scotts. Haley continued to look at Peyton. Nathan couldn't read the look on his wife's face, but something was definitely up.
As everyone left but Nathan after a couple of hours, he sat there and had finally realized something. Keith had come to him in a dream and told him that he had to keep the faith when Haley had been hit by the car. Nathan finally understood that Keith was trying to tell him that as long as he believed Haley would be ok. No matter what happened he had to believe.
Haley stirred a few hours later and Nathan moved to her side. "Hey you"
"Hi"
"Do you need anything?"
"No I don't think so. Nathan I saw Peyton last night. She was with Jake"
"What?"
"I saw them walking in the mall together. They were holding hands and before she saw us they stopped and kissed."
"Oh god. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. What kind of friend am I if I don't tell Lucas?"
"That's a tough call Hales."
"Dad?" Jamie asked.
"Yeah buddy?"
"I'm going to tell him. I can't let her do Uncle Lucas like that."
"Ah Jamie maybe you should let your Mom or I tell him."
"Why?"
"Cause if I know Luke, he's going to go off and it just be better if it wasn't on you son."
Haley and Jamie had been home for four days now. Jamie was slowly moving around but Haley was still having problems with her broken collar bone. Nathan had told her that she wasn't a spring chicken anymore and that had depressed her immensely. He leaned over to place a light kiss on her forehead, wishing he could pull her to him. He knew she was grieving the loss of their child but she hadn't seemed to want to talk about it. To make matters even worse there had been some damage to one of her fallopian tubes. Dr. Baldwin wasn't certain if Haley would be able to conceive another child. Nathan kept telling her that it was ok. He loved her no matter what and they would make it through this together.
Jamie was sulking as much as Haley. Tiffany hadn't been to see him. He didn't understand why. He knew that she had asked about him because Jason told him. Jamie lay back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. If only he hadn't asked to go shopping that day. He knew his Mom was hurting and he had no idea what to say to her or his Dad.
He was driving so it had to be his fault, he knew it did.
As he stared at the ceiling, images of the accident began to float through his mind. Suddenly he sprung up. "DAD. OH GOD DAD!!" Jamie swung his feet off of the bed and began to move toward the door. Just as he reached it Nathan came running in.
"Jamie what's wrong buddy? Are you ok?"
"Dad. I know what happened. Oh my god I know why we wrecked"
Nathan looked at the horror in his son's eyes and waited for him to tell him what he remembered. He placed his hands on Jamie's shoulder. "Jamie take your time, calm down ok? Take a deep breath."
"Dad, we were run off of the road."
"What? By who Jamie?"
"By Mad Dawg, the gang member that's been after Tiffany."
"Ok buddy just chill out ok? I'll get her dad on the phone right now."
Nathan called Detective Chatlan at the police station. "Hi this is Nathan Scott; I need to speak to Detective Chatlan."
"I'm sorry sir. Detective Chatlan passed away last night."
"What?"
"Yes sir his wife found him in bed this morning. He had a massive heart attack."
"Oh God. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
As Nathan hung up the phone, he turned to Jamie. "Jamie, Tiffany's Dad passed away last night"
"No, Dad that can't be."
"It's true. Her Mom found him this morning. He had a massive heart attack."
"Dad, I need to go over there."
"Jamie, no son, not tonight. I'll take you over there tomorrow ok? I promise. Tonight I don't want to leave your Mom and I don't want you going over there alone."
Jamie nodded. Now he knew why Tiffany hadn't been. She had been dealing with her own family crisis.
Later that night as Haley lay in bed, her mind floated back over everything that had happened over the last few days. She had remembered the car forcing them off of the road too. Until Jamie had told Nathan she had no idea who had been driving it.
Nathan came into the room and undressed down to his boxers. He moved in bed beside his wife and sighed deeply. He wanted to hold her and comfort her so bad. He couldn't pull on her though due to the collarbone that was broken. It wasn't long before he heard her begin to cry. He let his hand rest on her arm and she turned to him. He put his arm around her good shoulder as she cried against his chest.
"Our baby. Nathan we lost our baby."
Nathan too began to cry. He knew that this was coming. She had held it in too long. He didn't speak just held her to him as she cried it out. There was nothing that could be said. It was a reality both of them had to face.
Haley cried on and off for most of the night. No words were spoken they just held each other. Supporting each other in their grief was all either of them knew to do. Jamie walked by their room one time and heard his Mom crying. His heart felt like it was breaking for her. He knew she was hurt. He also knew that she hadn't blamed him even before they knew the truth, and that just made Jamie feel worse. His Mom was very important to him. They had spent a lot of time together over the years. Jamie had been with Haley the longest. He had always been careful with his Mom. He didn't want to do anything to upset or hurt her. That was even more predominate now. If his brothers and sisters even thought of trying to upset her he would go to their ass so quickly that he would probably scare them.
The following day Nathan got Brooke to sit with Haley while he took Jamie over to the Chatlans. As they both walked in the door, Jamie saw Tiffany sitting on the couch. She got up and moved to Jamie reveling in the hug that he gave her. "It's going to be ok" Jamie said. "I promise it will be ok."
Tiffany nodded her head and then took his hand in hers. She led Jamie to her room so that they could talk. Once they were in there and the door was closed she turned to him and kissed him hard on the lips.
"I've missed you Jamie"
"I've missed you too Tiffany"
"I need to tell you something" she said as she pulled him to sit beside her on the bed.
"Ok"
"Jamie when we first started talking, it was because Mad Dawg had threatened my father. He told me that I had to start pretending to be your girlfriend and find a way to get the key to the Kids Club. His brother Steve had robbed a convienence store. He was sure Steven had hidden the money in the Kids Club somewhere. He found out that you liked me and made me start trying to date you so he could get that key. I never liked him Jamie I swear. He threatened me. He said that he would have my Dad killed if I wasn't his girlfriend. I hated him so much."
"Tiffany why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Jamie, I began to like you too. I was scared that you would hate me if I told you. I might have started this for the wrong reasons, but the reasons I want to stay in it are right. I like you a lot Jamie I swear."
"What about him? What are we going to do about him? Are you sure he didn't do something to your Dad to cause this?"
"Jamie I don't know. I can only say it's being looked in to"
"Ok so you have told someone?"
"Yeah one of my Dad's partners."
"Tiffany it was Jerome that ran me and my Mom off the road."
"WHAT?"
"She ran us off the road. He was trying to get me out of the way evidently. He caused my little brother or sister to die. My Mom lost the baby."
"Oh Jamie I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I should have told you sooner." She cried.
"Tiffany, I wish you had but I understand why you didn't." Jamie smiled as he rubbed his hand up and down her back trying to soothe her.
"Jamie, he needs to be found. He's going to hurt both of us if he isn't."
"I know. Don't worry my Dad is working on it. Who's your Dad's partner that knows of your side?"
"Detective Monahan"
"Ok I'm going to have my Dad go to him. We didn't even know what had happened to your Dad until last night when he tried to call him at the station."
"Thank you Jamie. Thank you for coming to see me and Thank you for not hating me"
"I couldn't hate you Tiffany."
"Jamie you have every right to."
"Nah come on. Everything's going to be ok. Let's go see my Dad ok?"
"Ok" she nodded.
When Nathan and Jamie got back home Jamie moved to his room and Nathan sat on the couch in the living room. He knew that this was karma for what he had done to Dan. He and Haley had lost a child because Nathan was trying to protect her from his crazy ass Dad.
FLASHBACK
Nathan answered his cell phone. "Hello"
"Nephew"
"Cooper. What's up man?"
"I just wanted to let you know that it's done. Dan won't be getting out of jail for another twenty or thirty years."
"Are you serious?"
"Yep nephew I am. The only thing though this one's going to cost you. I need two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to wire to an off shore account tomorrow. Can you handle that?"
"You know I can. Ah Coop?"
"Yeah man?"
"Is Dan alive?"
"Yeah but he wishes he wasn't"
"Coop I know I told you I didn't want to know but man what happened?"
"Dan was framed for the murder of a fellow prisoner last week. They've already tacked twenty to life on his sentence"
"Thank Coop. I'll meet you at the bank tomorrow ok man?"
"No problem nephew. No problem at all."
END FLASHBACK
Nathan finally made his way up to their room. He hated that she had lost the baby. She was hurting and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was hurting too but not as much as he would have if he had allowed Dan to take his wife away. He couldn't take that chance. He hadn't meant to cause something to happen to them by protecting her but it had. He'd never totally forgive himself or his Dad for their son that died. Nathan had really been looking forward to another baby. Now they probably would never have another one. Haley had even told him that she wanted to get her tubes tied. She couldn't stand this. She couldn't lose another baby if she was able to conceive. Her heart wouldn't take it and Nathan wasn't sure his could either.
