Summary: Haley is about to get married when some unexpected news arrives. Very loosely based on 'Sweet Home Alabama.' Will Haley follow her heart or make the biggest mistake of her life?
Disclaimer: As much as it pains me to say, I do not own James Lafferty –ahem—I mean I do not own any of the characters of the show One Tree Hill. Damn you Mark Schwann.
A/N: This will be the second to last chapter. That's right, only one more after this! It will be a short one, but that's because originally this was supposed to be the last chapter. Thanks to everyone who's been sending in reviews. You guys rock! Don't forget to check out Devil Fever and I'll be posting a oneshot that I'm working on in a few days. Oh and I used the lyrics to 'When You're Gone' by Avril Lavigne in this chapter.
Flashback
Present
Sometimes They Come Back
Chapter Ten: James Lucas Scott
Two and a Half Months Later…
Haley sat at the counter in Karen's Café, a water bottle in one hand and a pen in the other. She was peering down at a blank piece of paper. Her most recent CD had debuted the day before and she was trying to write some new music. Haley looked up when someone set a coffee pot down next to her hand. She smiled when she saw Karen.
"Hey," she said, removing her glasses and setting down her pen.
"Hey kiddo. What are you up to? By the way, I like the hair." She looked down at the paper in front of Haley. Haley had dyed her hair a reddish brown and cut it to her shoulders. She wore it straight now, rather than her usual loose curls.
"I'm attempting to write a song, however, it's not going as planned." She sighed. "I just don't understand it. My last album was a breeze, but ever since this whole divorce from Chris and Nathan denying any paternal connections to this child," she laid her hand on her stomach, "I just don't have any inspiration." At the very moment her cell phone started ringing. Haley looked down at the caller ID and saw it was her manager. She flipped open the phone and brought it up to her ear.
"Hey Marcus. What's up?" He was the last person she wanted to talk to right now. He had been trying to persuade her to drop the charges against Chris. She refused to allow that abusive ass of a man to roam free and make some other girl's life a living hell. They were supposed to be in court in a month and Haley was nervous seeing as how the baby was due in two weeks.
"Haley, I think you might wanna turn the radio on…. Now." Haley furrowed her eyebrows and closed the phone.
"Hey Karen. Can you turn up the radio?"
Karen nodded and picked up the remote to the stereo system. "Who was that?" She asked as she hit the volume up button on the remote.
"My manager." Haley's eyes lit up when she heard the DJ making an announcement on the radio.
"Yesterday, Haley James released her second album, 'This Is Me' and it has already sold 50,000 copies! It's amazing how successful this young woman is. In the past month, she has left her husband and is now due in court to testify against him on charges of assault and endangerment to a child. She is due with her first child next month and things may be looking up with the immediate success of her latest album. Off her new album, here is 'When you're Gone' by Haley James…"
Seconds later, the sounds of a piano filled the café, followed by Haley's soft voice. Tears filled her eyes, but not because her CD was a hit, but because of the song playing. She had written it right after leaving Nathan and Tree Hill to marry Chris.
I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd need you there when I cried
And the days feel like years when I'm alone
And the bed where you lie
Is made up on your side
When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?
When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day
And make it okay
I miss you
I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do
Reminds me of you
And the clothes you left
They lie on the floor
And they smell just like you
I love the things that you do
When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?
When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day
And make it ok
I miss you
We were made for each other
Out here forever
I know we were
Yeah, yeah
And all I ever wanted was for you to know
Everything I do I give my heart and soul
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me
Yeah
When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear will always get me through the day
And make it ok
I miss you
"Wow, Haley. I'm impressed." Karen handed Haley, who was busy trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, a tissue. "You wanna talk about it?"
Haley looked up at her. "Karen, as if Lucas hasn't told you what's going on." Haley ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I just wish Nathan would listen, you know? He won't even take a freaking paternity test." Karen walked around the counter and hugged Haley.
"I promise things will get better for you. You just have to be patient. Besides, once he sees that beautiful baby you two made, he'll come to his senses." Haley smiled.
"Thanks Karen, but at this point, I don't know what it'll take to make him listen. I know I screwed up, but it's not as if he's perfect either."
"We all make mistakes Haley. We just have to decide which ones are worth it." Haley nodded.
"Sleeping with Nathan wasn't a mistake. It was probably the best thing I did in my life. Not because, I slept with him, but because I have another chance to be a mom. I never would have had kids with Chris. He was always too busy with his music to care about starting a family."
"It's a shame that he didn't see what was in front of him. I'm sorry that you had to marry him in order to realize that he wasn't the one for you." Haley shrugged.
"I knew he wasn't the one for me the whole time. I just felt like I owed it to him to marry him because he was there for me after I lost Elizabeth. You understand, right? Keith was there for you when Dan walked out of yours and Lucas' lives. Except that, you actually loved Keith."
"Haley, you have to be patient. You'll see."
Whitey Durham made his way through the Tree Hill Cemetery, roses in hand. He visited Camilla every day. Occasionally he would visit Keith and Elizabeth, as well. He may not have known Haley very well, but he knew she had lost a baby. She had gone to visit him after seeing Nathan with Rachel.
Whitey sat in his office going over new plays for the team. They were playing in the state championship the next week and Whitey wanted to make sure the team was prepared. There was a soft knock on the door. Whitey looked up and smiled when he saw who it was.
"Haley James Scott. How've you been?" He motioned for her to sit down, which she did. He could tell she had been crying; her eyes were red and puffy.
"If I say fine, will you believe me?" She laughed slightly.
"Oh dear, what happened?" Haley looked away and then went on to explain what had happened when she had gone to visit Nathan to tell him about the baby.
Whitey spent fifteen minutes talking to Camilla about everything from basketball to his nearing retirement. Whitey had decided to coach for another eight years after Lucas and Nathan had graduated. Since then, his team had won three more state championships. Whitey looked up and saw a figure over near Keith's grave. He couldn't figure out who it was because he didn't know anyone with short, brown hair. Whitey started to walk over to the person and as he got closer, he realized who it was.
"Miss James. Why is it every time I see you, you're crying and pregnant?" Haley looked up and wiped her eyes. She smiled and walked over to hug Whitey.
"Hey you crazy old man. How the hell have you been?"
"I've been great. I was just visiting Camilla and saw a stranger over here. I like what you did with your hair."
"Thanks. It helps with avoiding Nathan." She laughed slightly.
"Still pulling a Dan?"
"Oh no. Dan acknowledged Lucas as his child. He just didn't act on it. Nathan won't even acknowledge the baby. Hence the crying and I wish Elizabeth was here to meet her new brother or sister."
Whitey looked down at the small stone. "I think Nathan will come around. He just needs time."
Haley nodded. The two stood in silence for a few minutes. All of a sudden Haley doubled over, clutching her stomach.
"Oh no…" This couldn't be happening. She wasn't due for another two weeks.
"Haley, are you okay?" Whitey moved closer.
"No. I think I'm having my baby." She looked up at Whitey, a panicked look on her face.
Whitey helped Haley stand up straight. "Okay, I'm taking you to the hospital missy."
Whitey and Haley entered the hospital and were met with Peyton, Lucas, Tim, Brooke and the kids.
"Oh my god. Haley, are you okay?" Brooke rushed over, looking very concerned.
"Uh huh," was all Haley managed to get out.
Peyton rushed over as well. "I'm going to go find a doctor. Yup." She nodded before running over to the counter with three nurses behind it. Haley shook her head as Whitey helped her over to the counter.
The nurse looked up at her and walked around the counter. "Ma'am, when are you due?"
"Uh, two weeks. Oh…" She clenched her teeth when another wave of pain ran through her body.
"Okay, I'm going to take you to get ready for delivery." She quickly walked down the hall and grabbed a wheelchair and came back. Whitey and the nurse helped Haley into the wheelchair, and the nurse wheeled her away.
"I hope she's okay," Brooke said, hugging Lucas.
Twenty minutes later, Haley was in a room surrounded by doctors with Brooke by her side. She grabbed Brooke's hand and squeezed, willing the pain to go away. Brooke tried to yank her hand away.
"Ow, tutor mom. You're squeezing too hard!" Haley gave Brooke a death glare, threatening her to keep whining. "Okay, it's fine."
The doctor came in and looked over Haley's chart and did a quick exam to check the baby's progress.
"Miss James, you're fully dilated and it looks as if the baby is starting to crown, so this should be quite easy. I just need you to focus and listen. Okay?"
Haley nodded and then looked at Brooke.
"Call Nathan."
Haley lay in bed later that night with her son, James Lucas Scott, in her arms. She smiled down at the little boy. She couldn't be happier. The delivery had taken about three hours and Brooke and Peyton had taken turns holding Haley's hand. Brooke was convinced her hand was broken. Peyton had told her stop bitching, throwing Haley off on her breathing, which resulted in her screaming at them.
After the baby was delivered, they had all taken turns holding him. The girls had gushed over him calling him 'handsome' and 'charming.' The guys had simply said he looked like a baby, claiming all babies look the same.
Haley yawned and was growing sleepy so she pushed the button next to her bed, calling the nurse in. The nurse came in and took James from her and left the room. It was only 7:00 PM, but Haley was wiped out from the delivery. She soon drifted off to sleep.
Nathan walked down the corridor of the maternity ward. Brooke had called him about two hours ago and he had finally worked up the courage to come to the hospital. As much as he wanted to deny it, a part of him knew this child was his. He just had to see for himself. He made his way over to the glass and peered into the room full of babies and nurses tending to them. A nurse walked out and approached him.
"Sir, can I help you?" Nathan looked up, startled.
"Yeah. Haley James gave birth to a baby today… Could I see the baby?" The nurse looked at him hesitantly.
"Are you family?" Nathan didn't know what to say. However, he didn't have to say anything.
"He's fine." Nathan looked up and saw Brooke walking over to him. "He's family."
Nathan nodded at her, as if to say thank you. The nurse nodded and then went back into the nursery to get James.
"Thanks for coming Nate."
"I had to. I have to know Brooke."
"You should already know. I'm disappointed in you. How could you do that to Haley? She trusted you and you called her a liar." Nathan looked away, ashamed. He was about to speak when the nurse came up to him and placed the tiny baby in his arms.
Tears began to form in his eyes as he looked down into eyes that were all too familiar to him. He was a spitting image of his father. He looked at Brooke. "What's his name?"
"James Lucas Scott. He was born at 5:08 PM and weighs six pounds, three ounces. He was born two weeks premature." Nathan nodded.
"I'm going to make this right. I need her in my life. I just pushed her away because she hurt me." He looked down at his son, who was peacefully sleeping.
"Nathan, you and Haley have always given me hope. No matter how long you were apart, you were always in love and everyone could see it. Hell, I'm sure Chris figured it out. Anyway, the point is, you two are meant for each other. I know you two will work it out and be great parents to this handsome young man."
Nathan nodded. "I have to do something." Brooke nodded and took James from him. She smiled as he walked away. Brooke looked down at James. "Everything's gonna be just fine, huh?"
James made a gurgling sound in response.
TBC…