A/N: Hey lovely readers! Sadly this will be the last chapter for a couple weeks since I am flying to India tomorrow morning and may not have wifi connection. I will be back on the 9th and will definitely be writing on the plane and stuff so I promise I will update the minute I can. In case i don't update beforehand, I hope you all have a happy new year and enjoy 2016! Thank you for your support since I started writing, it has meant a lot.
Enjoy!
14. The James Clan
*May 15th, 2010*
"Are you sure about this?" Haley said as she stood in the baggage area of the Chicago *May Domestic Airport, while Nathan grabbed their luggage, and Haley held a sleeping Maddie in her arms "It's not too late to turn back" she half-joked.
Nathan looked at her with a dead-panned look on his face "Hales quit it. We're going"
"But they're so annoying" She whined
"I guess it runs in the family then" He joked
"I love them, I really do, but they can't mind their own damn business. And they make the most inappropriate jokes, and Taylor will flirt with anything that moves. The first time I brought a boy to the house, he ended up ditching me five minutes in to follow Taylor around" Haley exclaimed as they walked through the doors and out into the arrivals section.
Nathan grabbed her hand and kissed it as she walked next to him "I promise, the only James girl I'll be with this weekend is you"
Haley smiled at his gesture and his words "I'm sorry. I know I'm being overdramatic, but at the same time I'm serious. My family is insane Nathan, we're not going to get a minute of peace"
"It's nice that they're close though. My family was never like that, my parents didn't give a rat's ass about me" He shrugged
Haley stopped and tugged on his hand gently, causing him to halt with the trolley of luggage to look back at her.
"It's their loss Nathan. And trust me, my mother will more than make up for your childhood years" she tried to joke in hopes of lightening the sour mood their conversation had taken "She'll smother in love and affection you to the point of suffocation. Just don't be surprised when she gets intrusive. She'll let you fall into this false sense of security, then sneak-attack. She's like a ninja"
Nathan chuckled at the analogy "A ninja? Of all the things I can imagine your mother being, a ninja ain't one. You have to have some sort of coordination for that"
"Hey!" Haley exclaimed "I am not that un-coordinated!"
"Babe, you fell off the bed last week trying to tie your hair" He laughed "Coordination and you do not go together" he kissed her nose as she pouted before grabbing her hand again and continuing to walk out of the airport.
"HALEY JAMES!" Haley whipped her head to the direction of her mother's voice and groaned. Not only was her mum there, but her dad, Brian, Taylor and Vivian had all decided to join the trip. To top it off her mother had decided this trip would be the one to finally pull through on her promise to Haley to be a 'normal, embarrassing mother at the airport' and bring a whole bunch of We Missed You and Welcome Home balloons.
Nathan smiled as Lydia basically sprinted towards her daughter and catapulted herself into her daughter's embrace. Haley groaned at the impact of her mother's hug and let her mother sway her vigorously from side to side as she squeezed her body.
"Mama" Haley breathed out "I need air"
"Sorry" Lydia giggle before letting go of her daughter and turning to look at Nathan, who had taken Maddie off Haley before Lydia hugged her "And this must be Nathan"
"It's nice to meet you Mrs. James" Nathan spoke politely as he stuck out his hand to greet the woman
"Nonsense!" Lydia exclaimed as she bypassed Nathan's hand and hugged both him and Maddie as best she could, taking Nathan by complete surprise "Haley's finally brought a man home the least I can do is hug you for willing to put your sanity at risk! and call me Lydia please. Mrs James is my mother-in-law"
"Well, thank you for having me and Maddie this week, Lydia" he emphasised her name and smiled "I really appreciate it"
Lydia smiled and looked at the sleeping girl with her arms latched around Nathan's neck "Of course, it's our pleasure. She's a very beautiful little girl Nathan"
"Thank you"
"Well well, the prodigal daughter returns" Jimmy James joked as he pulled his daughter into a hug
Haley rolled her eyes as she accepted the embrace "It hasn't been that long Dad"
"almost a year Haley Bob, that is too long without seeing my baby girl" he said pulling back from her
"Well I wold've been here sooner if you and mama hadn't all of a sudden decided Wilmington wasn't good enough and instead moved to Chicago to enjoy retirement" She rebutted
Jimmy chuckled at his daughter "Always the debater Haley Bob" he shook his head as he stuck his hand out to Nathan
"Jimmy James" he introduced as Nathan repositioned Maddie and quickly shook the man's hand
"Nathan Scott"
"That's a firm handshake son" Jimmy noted looking at Haley "The kids got a good handshake Bob"
"I'm glad you approve Daddy" She replied sarcastically
They all walked back to the two cars the James family had brought and greeted Brian, Vivian and Taylor before settling into the car and heading back to the James residence.
*May 16th, 2010*
Nathan smiled as he sat on the couch next to Haley. Everyone had arrived yesterday night, and The James family were now all spread out in the living room, and Maddie was playing contently with Brian and his wife Alyssa's child Jimmy Junior, and Vivian and her husband Michael's twins Avery and Sammy. Maddie was normally very shy in situations where she was surrounded by new people, so Nathan was surprised when she agreed to play with the three James boys, and help Lydia make her 'special holiday cookies'. He was glad that she was fitting in and felt comfortable around the family.
He loved the whole atmosphere that was created by the James family. They were all extremely loud and incredibly fast speakers, and it seemed like their was about fifty different conversations going on at once, and yet somehow everyone understood one another and could respond to each person. Nathan especially loved how caring and involved Jimmy and Lydia were in their children's lives. They knew everything that was gong on and had been going on in every aspect of each child's life. He felt like he was finally seeing what his family could have been like, and he was glad that he was able to show Maddie what a family truly was.
"Hey" Haley whispered as she leaned into him "Are you okay?"
Nathan nodded as he kissed the top of her head "Just watching. You're family's pretty great Hales"
"We're a special bunch, that's for sure" she chuckled
"I love being here, It feels so safe and loving. Exactly how a family should be"
"well you're welcome anytime Babe" she said kissing his lips softly.
Their moment didn't last long however, as Haley felt a bump against the back of her head, causing her to whack into Nathan and bite his lip.
"Ow" he muttered as they pulled apart
"Dammit Quinny!" Haley yelled as she turned to see her sister standing behind her, with a pillow in hand.
"Quit the PDA would you? Save all that for the bedroom" she winked as Haley and Nathan both blushed
"Yeah Haley, we need to have a nice discussion later about all that" Taylor smirked indicated towards Nathan and his body
"Oh my god" Haley groaned as she felt herself blush harder. She buried her face in Nathan's chest as he tried to hold in his laughter.
"You might as well have your cake and eat it too"
"MAMA!" She heard Haley exclaim, while Brian, Liam and Josh groaned at Lydia's slightly crude statement
"Hey, I speak the truth" Lydia shrugged as Vivian, Taylor and Quinn all nodded in agreement
"You're unbelievable. It's a wonder I turned out normal with this family" Haley rolled her eyes
"And who said you were normal?" Nathan joked, earning a round of laughter from Haley's family
Haley slapped his chest and pouted dramatically "You're mean. You're supposed to be on my side, not encouraging their antics"
Nathan chuckled softly and kissed her lips gently "I'm sorry baby"
Haley smiled as she looked up at him "I guess I can let it go" she whispered quickly kissing him once more
"We both know it's true though" he quickly added in as everyone laughed.
"I like this one" Lydia laughed pointing at Nathan "You better keep him around Bob"
Haley smiled at her mother as she replied "Oh I definitely plan to"
A/N: I know it wasn't the best, but I wanted to introduce the James family so that we can delve a little more into Haley's family and James and Damien while they're in Chicago! The distance may not really be correct since Tree Hill is technically Wilmington, but it's fanfiction... Anything is possible!
As always, please leave me a review and let me know what you thought!
Hope you all have a great week and last few days of 2015!
- Maddie :)