Find Our Way Back
Chapter 13
Open Arms
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these OTH characters, as much as I'd like to. And none of these songs are mine.
Lying beside you, here in the dark
Feeling your heartbeat with mine
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere
How could our love be so blind
We sailed on together
We drifted apart
And here you are, by my side
One month later…
Brooke and Lucas were still sleeping when the phone rang. Lucas grumbled and picked it up, "'lo?"
"Lucas? Did I wake you?"
"Yeah," he looked at the clock, 8:30 on a Sunday morning. "This better be good Hales."
"I'm sorry Luke. But I really need to talk to you guys."
"Can't it wait Hales?"
"I don't want to wait anymore."
"Are you okay Hales?"
"I will be."
"You want to come here?"
"Yes."
"We'll be here."
"Thanks Lucas."
Brooke looked at Lucas after he hung-up, "Is she okay?"
"I dunno. She sounded weird."
So now I come to you with open arms
Nothing to hide, believe what I say
So here I am, with open arms
Hoping you'll see what your love means to me
Open arms
Haley showed up 20 minutes later and Lucas looked around, "Where's Jimmy?"
"He stayed at Nathan's."
"Is that what this is about?"
"Yes. Jimmy likes Nathan, right?"
"You know he does. He never stops talking about him hun," Brooke hugged an obviously distraught Haley.
"I want to be a family."
"You will be Haley."
"I want to tell Jimmy."
"About Nathan?"
"Do you think he's ready?"
"He's always been ready. You're the one who wasn't ready," Lucas replied.
Brooke looked at her friend, "Have you talked to Nathan about it?"
"Not recently. But I don't just want to tell Jimmy. I want Nathan to move in with us."
Lucas's eyes grew large, "Are you sure?"
"God yes," she looked from Lucas, to Brooke, and back to Lucas. "I was all alone last night."
"You were alone whenever Jimmy stayed with us."
"But this was different, I didn't see Nathan at all, he picked up Jimmy at school. How did I live five years without him?"
"We've always wondered," Lucas chuckled.
Brooke hugged her again, "Nathan is going to be SO happy."
Living without you, living alone
This empty house seems so cold
Wanting to hold you
Wanting you near
How much I wanted you home
Nathan walked into the restaurant holding Jimmy's hand. They'd had a great time together over the past 24 hours. When Haley had called earlier she'd asked to meet him for dinner, she'd mentioned that they had something important to talk about. Somehow he knew she was finally ready to tell Jimmy.
When Jimmy spotted Haley he dropped Nathan's hand and ran to her, as he was kinda disappointed that he dropped his hand so fast; until he heard Jimmy talking.
"It was so cool mommy! Nathan bought me a basketball hoop, and a basketball jersey. It even says Scott on it - just like us."
"That is pretty cool. So you had fun?"
"Yep! And he's teaching me to play. Nathan says he used to play."
"Oh he did, did he."
"I did," Nathan smiled.
Dinner was filled with Jimmy's chatter about basketball and Nathan.
While they waited for ice cream, Haley decided it was time. She squeezed Nathan's hand under the table, she realized that he knew what she wanted to do. "Hey kiddo, Mommy and Nathan have something important to tell you."
"You're getting married! YAY!"
"No, that's not it buddy," Nathan said.
"Having a baby?" Jimmy questioned.
"No baby," Haley replied.
"Then what?" he got tears in his eyes.
Haley looked at Nathan, "Well, you know how your last name is Scott, and my last name is Scott,"
"Mommies are supposed to have the same last name as their kids."
"Right, but my mommy's last name is James."
"It's different," she could see Jimmy was trying to understand.
"That's right, because mommy got married."
"To my daddy?"
"Yes, to your daddy," Haley smiled.
"You also know that Nathan has the same last name."
"Yeah it's cool that two friends have the same last name."
"We didn't have the same last name when we met."
Jimmy looked at Nathan, "So do you know my daddy then too?"
"You could say that," Nathan replied, not sure what to say.
Haley saw it click as his five-year-old logic somehow understood, "Jimmy, Nathan is your daddy."
"He is?"
"Yes."
Jimmy looked at Nathan, "Why'd you leave?" he cried.
Nathan's heart broke, "I…"
"He didn't leave baby. I did."
"Why mommy? You love him."
"You're right. I do love him. But I was dumb."
"Did mommy tell you about me?"
"No, I would've been here. I promise."
"I know."
"You do?" Nathan asked.
"Yep, because you're nice to me, like Uncle Luke."
But now that you've come back
Turned night into day
I need you to stay
Jimmy sat quietly during dessert, Haley knew he was mad at her. She hoped that he'd forgive her, and that he was okay with this new information. But as soon as they got home, she knew he'd be fine.
Turning to his mother, jimmy put his hands behind his back and rocked on the balls of his feet. Turning on the charm, he asked, "Mommy, can I call Uncle Luke?"
"Sure kiddo."
Nathan watched his son dash to the phone in the living room, "Do you think he's okay with all of this? He seems a little mad."
"He's mad at me. I'm sure it's because I didn't tell him, or you. But he'll get over it. He's five, five-year-olds don't hold grudges."
"Boys don't hold grudges. Girls do, at any age."
Haley laughed, "Hey," she smiled, "Right now he's just trying to soak everything in."
"Think he'll figure it out on his own that Lucas is my brother?"
"He might. I'd wait to tell him though."
Jimmy's excited voice floated in from the other room, "Guess what Uncle Luke!"
"What is it buddy?"
"Memember I said Nathan be my new daddy."
"Of course."
"Not no more."
"Oh no?"
"No. He my old daddy."
"What do you think about that?"
"It's cool. I like him, and mommy like him. And he likes us. He's teaching me basketball."
"Is he now."
"Yep. He might take me to a game."
Lucas smiled. He knew that Nathan had to go back to Chicago in a week. He'd told his brother that he couldn't bear the thought of going back, because he'd be alone again-even if only for a few weeks. But he was planning on announcing his retirement after the last regular game, so he knew he had to go. "Can I talk to Nathan?"
"Not Nathan, daddy," Jimmy turned to the living room and yelled, "Uncle Luke wants to talk to daddy!"
Nathan's heart soared hearing that one simple word. He went to the kitchen and retrieved the phone. Kissing his son, he sent him off to bed. "Hey bro."
"So he took it well."
"Yeah, he did. I can't believe he called me daddy already. We didn't say he had to."
"Dude lil' bro, he's been wanting you to be his daddy since he saw you. He loves you. Don't do anything to change that."
"I won't. And you can count on that."
"Go be with your family."
"Thanks Luke."
So now I come to you with open arms
Nothing to hide, believe what I say
Nathan watched Haley read to Jimmy as he drifted asleep.
She saw him standing there. Walking up to him, Haley wrapped her arms around his waist, "Can we talk?"
"Sure."
"Nathan, I was thinking, and, well, I was wondering," she couldn't believe she was so darn nervous. "I was wondering," she paused again.
"Spit it out Haley."
"Will you move in with us?"
"Not now Haley."
"But Jimmy knows now."
"I just don't know that we're ready yet. Besides, the lease on my apartment still has three months left on it."
"What does that matter? You won't have to pay to live here, so you won't have double, or rather triple, rent."
"I leave for Chicago at the end of the week, and I'll be gone for three. I don't want to confuse Jimmy."
"I'm sure he'd be fine."
"Lets wait and see once I get back."
"Fine," Haley crossed her arms and pouted.
"I still love you both."
"I know."
"I just don't think it's the right time."
"I guess."
So here I am, with open arms
Hoping you'll see what your love means to me
Open arms
Nathan knew Haley was mad when he left, but if he moved in now, it would ruin everything.