Hey you guys. You have no idea how sorry I am for the mix up with this fic. I was planning on updating this update plus a few during break, and I even had them all outlined. I mean, I know exactly what is going to happen and I'm really excited about it. ) But, I left it at school and I pretty much punished myself. So, instead I started a little Christmas fic which I still need to finish, but this is much more important. I'm warning you now though, you're not all going to like what's going to happen, especially in the next few chapters. It's a lot of twists and turns and things kind of just...happen. You'll see, but I have a feeling you'll have a love/hate relationship with it. ;) Now, if you're still actually interested in this story, here's the next chapter.
"You're being stupid," Brooke shouted. Haley had her head buried in her knees.
"Stop yelling at me," she screamed back before pulling the covers over her head.
"Well stop being a moron and I'll stop yelling at you!"
"Stop making me feel horrible about my decisions and I'll stop being a moron!"
"You just called yourself a moron, moron."
"Stop it!"
"Haley, you're being completely unre-" Brooke abruptly stopped yelling at her best friend when she heard the loud chocking sound coming from her petite body.
"Unreasonable for myself or for my daughter?"
Brooke tilted her head to the side making her way over to her best friend, "Oh honey…I didn't, I mean…blahhh! Okay, yeah sure, Baley doesn't need like this whole divorceeness thingymabober that you and Nate have going on, but that doesn't make you need Nathan less."
"I do not need Nathan," Haley mumbled allowing Brooke to take her hair out of her loose ponytail.
"No, you don't need Nathan to survive, I know that, you know that, everyone knows that. You need Nathan to be happy, and without him, you're going to go back to how you were before I introduced you to him. And quite honestly baby, I can't be there to save you this time. I've got this little one to worry about."
"Yeah… about that, when do you think you're gonna get around to telling Lucas?"
"Eh, I mean he doesn't really have to know for a few more months, right?"
"I'm thinking he might. Ya know, only because HE'S THE FATHER BROOKE! You can't not tell him."
"And you can't not be with Nathan, what now!"
"God, you're impossible."
"Oh! Oh! Oh! You think you're not?"
"You've dealt with me for this long, haven't you?"
The snort that came from Brooke stopped the playful banter and turned it serious. Haley's jaw dropped open.
"You think you were forced, don't you? You think you're stuck with me forever, and that you have to take care of me because I can't take care of myself. Is that it? Is that what you think, because it's not true. Not one little bit of it is true."
Brooke advanced towards Haley. "Baby, no, that's not it at all. You're my best friend. I love you, I want to stick with you."
"Sure B, damage is done. You should just stop while you're ahead. You don't want to dig yourself any deeper, do you now?"
"Haley! Come on."
"What?"
"Seriously, what is going on with you lately?"
"Just get out."
Baley finally cracked under all of the pressure and knocked on Haley's hotel room door at two in the morning. Luckily, Haley had been lying awake all night in the darkened room. Having heard the knock, she figured it was Brooke or Nathan and she pushed herself further into the covers.
"Go away," she whisper yelled.
"Mommy, it's me," Baley squeaked.
Haley jumped out of bed and ran towards the door. Flinging it open, she gathered her daughter into her arms as she picked her up and carried her into the room.
"Baley, what are you doing out here so late all by yourself. Anyone could have snatched you up. It isn't safe baby."
Baley's lip began to quiver and she wrung her hands together. Haley leaned her hand in and brushed the little girl's hair back. Before Baley could get any words out she collapsed against Haley's chest and sobbed.
Once Haley had a hold of her daughter she realized how weak she seemed and how frail she looked. Rubbing soothing circles up and down the six year olds back, she decided on staying silent until they were both calm enough.
After a half hour of crying Haley pulled Baley onto the bed and cuddled her close.
"Now, what brought my gorgeous girl here at two a.m. sobbing her heart out?"
Playing with her Mommy's sweater, Baley sighed. "My heart hurts, and you're the only one who knows how to fix it."
Plopping a quick kiss on the top of her daughter's head, Haley pulled them both deep down under the covers. As Baley snuggled as close as she could to Haley, both James girls fell fast asleep.
"Eat your waffles Bay," Haley coaxed the next morning.
"I don't want them."
Running her hands through her hair, Haley tried to think of a quick solution. "Do you want something else?"
"Maybe. What else is there?"
"I don't know, we can go see though. If I take you up to the buffet do you promise to eat what you get?"
"Pinky Baley Promise!"
Haley smiled down at her daughter. 'Pinky Baley Promise' was she and Brooke's special best friend saying that they had made up back in preschool. It was one of those memories that would never fade away.
"You're replacing me!"
A tiny Brooke rolled her eyes at her best friend. "No pickles, I'm not replacing you."
With her hands on her hips, Haley narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to reply. "Yes huh. You are, you really are. You don't love me anymore."
"PICKES! Just a'cause I made another friend doesn't mean I don't want my bestest friend still."
"But you never come to my house to play anymore. You're always at Bevin's house."
"No I'm not. I went there once. You are such a drada queen!"
"It's drama queen Waffles!"
A four and a half-year-old Brooke grinned wide at the mention of her nickname. "You're not mad at me anymore."
"Yes I am!"
"No you're not, you called me Waffles."
"I always call you that. And you've been calling me Pickles even though we were fighting."
"You don't call me Waffles when you're mad at me, and I wasn't ever mad at you."
"Oh…well I don't want you to replace me. I love you the most."
"I love you moster"
"That's not a wor-"
"Pickles, shut up. You'll always be my best friend."
"How do I know you're tellin' the truth?"
"Ummmm. We can pinky baley promise!"
Haley's face scrunched up and she cocked an almost non-existent eyebrow. "Huh?"
"Our names…Haley+Brooke equals Baley. Pinky Baley Promise!"
As Haley unwrinkled her nose she stuck her pinky out. Brooke linked her smallest finger with Haley's and the two hugged.
"I love you Waffles."
"I love you too Pickles. Bevin doesn't even stand a chance."
Haley blinked fast trying to rid her oncoming tears. "Some best friends we are," she mumbled to herself before following her daughter to the buffet.
Stopping abruptly, Haley looked down towards her daughter. "Baley, honey, how about we order something off of the menu instead. You probably won't want anything from up at the buffet anyways."
"But Mommy, they got whipped cream, and strawberries, and stuff up there and I wanna put it on my pannycakes!"
"Okay, okay, calm down. We'll go make you your pancakes."
Baley latched onto Haley's hand and dragged her halfway across the room to where all of the hotel's breakfast food was located. After grabbing to plates, one for herself and one for her mommy, she tried to reach the heart shaped pancakes. Haley's hand shot out just in enough time to save her daughter from getting burnt.
"Baley! First off, you only have one good arm. Secondly, you're too little to reach anyways. Thirdly, you have to use the tongs to get them, not your fingers. Let me do it for you, okay?"
Baley nodded and hid her head into Haley's knees. Haley sighed as all of her frustrations floated away. She leaned down to the six year olds level. Grabbing her good hand, she squeezed it tightly.
"Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. You were just trying to be a big girl. It's not you I'm mad at. I shouldn't be taking my frustrations out on you. I'll try my hardest not to let it happen again. Can you forgive me?"
The tears that had welled themselves up inside Baley's eyes began to stream down her little face in streaks. Haley now realized how fed up with all the fighting and changes her daughter must have been. Gathering her close, she simply rocked her back and forth.
"Mommy, I'm sorry for being so bad before. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings because I love everyone all the same. But Mommy, I'll always love you more than everyone else. I didn't mean what I said. I'm just stupid, and no one wanted me, and I…it's cause I'm so stupid!"
Although Haley wanted to slam her hand over the young girl's mouth and correct her the moment the word stupid came out of her mouth, she stopped herself. She needed to let Baley vent to let her feelings out, because she knew if she didn't everything would bottle it inside and eventually explode. Once the confessions came to an end, Haley placed both of her hands on Baley's cheeks and brought her face close to her own.
"You are not now, never were, or ever will be stupid. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone deals with situations differently. You're just a little girl. What has happened is too big for you, and it's okay that you didn't know what to do or how to act. That does not make you stupid. By telling me how you feel, and by being strong enough to realize your mistakes and apologize for them makes you very, very smart. Not stupid, alright?"
Baley shrugged, but nodded. "Then how come nobody wants me?"
"You mean Daddy?"
"Alex, Natey, Auntie Brookie, everybody…"
"Oh baby. Alex isn't a good person. I know he's your Daddy and you love him, but he has some problems, and until he gets some help none of us can do anything about it."
"I'm mad at him."
"I know. Me too, but my top priority is to keep you safe, and spending time with Daddy isn't safe."
"I never want to see him again! Never, ever, ever again."
"Shh, breathe. I promise you no one is going to hurt you like that again under my watch. And to continue with that list of people, why don't you think any of them want you?"
"Because Mommy, it's obvious! Natey's been angry, and when he came back last night he wouldn't even talk or look at me. He made you cry the other day at breakfast too! Uncle Lukie and Uncle Jakie are too busy with Nathan. They wouldn't have even known I left last night if I hadn't wrote a note to them."
The thought that Nathan didn't go searching for Baley the previous night quickly flashed through her mind, and she squeezed her daughter's hand tighter.
"That doesn't mean they don't want you. They're all going through a rough time too."
"Whatever. Auntie Brookie won't open the door for anyone, not even Uncle Lukie. Oh, and Auntie PeyPey has to look after Jenny. See, I told you, no one wants me."
"Baley, they all love you, but when big stuff like this happens people don't act like themselves. You've got to give them time, but you want to know who will always want you no matter what you do or what happens?"
"Who?"
"Me."
"No you don't."
Haley's jaw dropped. "Huh?"
"You tried to give me to Nathan, and you even told me to go away last night. We haven't spent any time together in so long. I miss you!"
Tears welled up in Haley's eyes. "God Baby no, you've got it all wrong. I just thought I'd give you some space, because you were angry with me. I wasn't myself either. I didn't want to hurt you because I was hurting. I'll always want you. You're my best friend and my favorite person in the whole wide world. I love you more than anyone and anything. Do you understand that?"
"You really love me that much?"
"And so much more."
Flinging her arm around Haley's neck, Baley did the best she could to give her mother a tight hug.
A deep voice clearing his throat behind them caused Haley to pull back from the tight hug surprised. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed Nathan with his hands awkwardly placed in his hoodie's pocket, and she remembered her original reason for not wanting to continue with the buffet plan. Once his stare met Haley's he broke their eye contact and looked at the carpeted floor. The two adults were silent.
"Hey! Why won't you look at me? I told you I'm sorry for being bad. I'm sorry! Don't you forgive me Natey?"
Nathan covered his face with his hands all the while willing himself not to cry. "I'll always forgive you cupcake, but you look so much like your Mommy."
Haley took a sharp intake of breath. Shaking her head in a disappointed way, she sighed. "Come on Baleybub. We'll get McDonalds or something on the way home."
"You're leaving," Nathan questioned, holding back a groan.
"I'm taking Baley home. We've both had enough."
"I'm not leaving."
Haley's eyes hardened. "Then don't leave. Give me my house key and the car keys."
Nathan scoffed. "Are you serious? No."
"Give me the keys. Peyt and Jake will drive you, Luke, and Brooke home. It won't be an issue."
"You're not driving back by yourself."
"It's my car."
"Is that really how you're going to act Haley?"
"That's the way I have to act."
"Fine," Nathan roughly pushed the keys to both the house and car into his ex-girlfriend's free hand. "Go back into your depression. See if I even care."
After having stopped at the Cracker Barrel for brunch, Haley drove herself and her daughter back to Tree Hill. As soon as she stepped foot into her house she felt so much better, and a weight was lifted off of her shoulders. She immediately locked the door behind her and walked towards the message machine. Seeing that it was blinking, she pressed the red play button.
Baley came and snuggled against Haley's leg, wanting to listen to the messages as well. The first few were random missed calls that she could have cared less about, one was from her sister, and the last one made her heart stop.
"Hello this is Mr. Burnes calling for Miss Haley James. Please call me back at (325) 611-2343 to discuss custody matter of Miss Baley James-Crawford between yourself and Mr. Alexander Crawford. Thank you, I hope to hear from you soon."
All of a sudden the house didn't seem so welcoming anymore. It was lonely and an aching reminder of how life used to be. And that, that scared her more than Alex ever could.
Noticing how upset her mother had gotten over a simple message that she didn't quite understand, Baley kissed her on her knee.
Haley looked down, attempted a smile and failed, and ruffled her daugther's hair.
"Mommy...You know how before I said my heart hurt and you were the only one who could fix it?" At Haley's nod of recognition, she continued, "well, I think your heart is hurting too. I bet you I can help fix it!"
Just then did Haley finally let her guard down and let the tears fall.
Thank you for reading, review pretty please? Late Christmas gift for me? lol. )
