A/N: Thank you all for the awesome reviews. And thanks to my beta: Leeese.

Chapter Twenty Five

It took Quinn a few moments before she was able to speak again. "Pregnant? Hales, are you sure?" she asked. Haley nodded. Quinn gave her sister a frown. "I don't quite understand why you don't want to tell Nathan about this."

"Because he is still not officially divorced from Rachel," Haley reminded her. "And if I return to Tree Hill with a pregnant belly, I can just imagine the rumors that would go around town about who the father really is. And I can't do that to him."

"So what are you going to do?" Quinn asked. "You wouldn't have an abortion, would you?"

Haley let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"We'll figure it out together," a familiar voice replied. Haley gasped in surprise as Nathan appeared. She was trying to get her words out as he spoke up first. "I thought I would surprise you by staying a few extra days." He then showed her something that he had hidden in his hands and Haley saw that it was one of the pregnancy tests that she had taken that had turned up positive. "When I was in your bathroom, I found the pregnancy box. I knew that something was up with you. I just didn't know it would be this."

"Nathan, you and I both know that we can't keep this baby," Haley told him. "I know Rachel wouldn't press charges against you, but you know her mother would or try to encourage Rachel to do it. It's already hard being away from you. Please don't make it harder by having me take care of our baby alone." Nathan wanted to respond, but Haley didn't allow interruptions. "I know you want a baby after what had happened with Rachel, but this isn't the right time for either of us."

Before Nathan was able to respond, Quinn spoke up. "While you two work this out, I'm going to go and call Clay."

Nathan turned to Haley and gave her a look. "Do you think that is why I want this baby? Because I was cheated out of having one with Rachel? I want this baby because it would be our baby. We would be the ones raising it together. I know this isn't the right time, but is it ever the right time to have a baby?"

"What are we supposed to tell people when I return to Tree Hill and find out that I'm pregnant? I decided to be a surrogate for someone? Do you really think that will fly with people? Maybe you don't care what people say, but I do especially since Victoria has already made me the bad guy. I don't want to repeat the process with Charlene."

"Maybe we don't have to tell anyone," Nathan suggested. "Maybe I'll move here after the divorce is final so we can be together." Haley raised her eyebrows in surprise. Was he really serious? "I love Tree Hill, but maybe it's time for me to move on with my life."

"But what about Lucas? Or your job? You love coaching the Ravens," Haley pointed out. "And you were talking about taking them to State this year. I'm sure Skills is a great coach, but they need you." Haley was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Opening the door, she was surprised to find her parents standing there, the last two people she wanted to see right now. "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?"

Lydia just gave her youngest daughter a wide smile as she embraced her in a tight hug. "What do you think we're doing? We decided to come and surprise you."

"What about the family reunion?" Haley asked as she closed the door behind them. That was the whole point of why Quinn came to St. Louis to visit her sister. She was relieved to find that they weren't carrying any suitcases. It would be too crowded if they stayed with her.

Her mother laughed. "The family reunion happens every year. We haven't seen our daughter since her move up here. So we thought we would travel across country in our new R.V."

Haley raised her eyebrows. "R.V.?" She didn't remember them ever mentioning that in their recent phone conversations.

"Yes, we've been meaning to travel for awhile, but we have been waiting until your father felt better."

Haley turned to her dad concerned. "Is everything okay?" she asked, not wanting a repeat of last year when he had the heart attack. It would be too much for her.

Jimmy gave her a comforting smile. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm perfectly fine." He then noticed Nathan, who had just hid the pregnancy test. He knew it wouldn't be wise to have that out in the open. "Well, this is a surprise. We weren't expecting to see you here, not without Lucas and Brooke."

"They had made their own plans with their friends," Nathan explained as Quinn appeared in the room. She looked just as surprised as Haley did to see her parents. Yet, she gave them a smile as Lydia embraced her in a tight hug.

"Did you hear that they now have a R.V.?" Haley asked.

"Well, we just bought it a few days ago," Lydia said. "And we can't wait to show it to you. Why don't you all get ready and we'll meet you downstairs? We'll have breakfast in the R.V." Quinn gestured to the forgotten food that was on the stove. "That's fine then. Eat your breakfast and get ready. We will see you outside." She and Jimmy then said good-bye before they went out the door.

Nobody spoke after Jimmy and Lydia had left the apartment. "I don't know how much more of this I can take," Haley said as she turned to Quinn. "Are you sure you had no idea that they were coming?"

Quinn gave her a look. "No, I was just as surprised as you were. But are you really that surprised? They do stuff like this all the time. They didn't tell us about helping Lucas and Brooke until after we asked them about it."

Haley knew that she had a point, but she still wasn't happy about her parents' unexpected arrival. However, she didn't answer. Instead, she went back into her room to get ready for breakfast with her parents. Nathan was right behind her. Closing the door behind him, he turned to Haley. "I don't think you should go today. You don't look like you're feeling well."

"I'm fine," Haley snapped. "I just need to take a shower. So why don't you get out and give me some privacy?"

Nathan didn't respond as he walked out of the bedroom. He knew that it wasn't right to argue with her right now. "Well, I can say that Haley definitely has the pregnancy hormones down," he told Quinn.

Quinn wasn't amused. "Don't joke like that, Nathan. Haley is very vulnerable right now. She needs some support from you."

"Why do you think I offered to move here to be with her?" Nathan asked. "Do you think I wasn't serious about that? It kills me that we're doing this long distance relationship. I want to be close to her and the baby. I want to go public about us."

"Did you ever think that she doesn't want the baby?" Quinn asked. "After all, she is only twenty-three. She's not ready to settle down and start a family yet. That was her problem with Julian. He didn't listen to what she wanted. You need to do the same because I won't stand for my sister having her heart broken again." She didn't let Nathan answer as she disappeared from the room again, leaving Nathan deep in thought.

After Jimmy and Lydia showed them the R.V., Haley and Quinn gave them a tour of St. Louis while Nathan stayed behind at the apartment. He thought it would be awkward if he would join the family. Besides, he had a lot of thinking to do and the quiet apartment was the perfect place to do just that.

Quinn's words kept repeating in his head. Did Haley really not want this baby? How could she not want this baby? Nathan tried to understand the situation from her point of view. She was a young woman who was struggling with her job and being apart from her family and friends. Taking care of a baby would just add more stress in her life, especially if he wouldn't be able to be there right away. Nathan let out a heavy sigh. He didn't know what to do.

Later that day, he met up with them for dinner. "So how long are you guys planning to visit?" Nathan asked, hoping they were going to be gone before he had to leave. He really wanted to talk to Haley about where their relationship stood.

Jimmy shrugged. "We're in no hurry. We have all the time in the world to continue on our adventures. What about you, Nathan? What are you going to do once you're a free man?"

Nathan was caught off guard by his questions. He tried to think of a good answer, but nothing came to his mind. "I think I have awhile before I have to figure that out, but I have been thinking about moving on from Tree Hill. By the time I'm divorced, Lucas will be at Duke and he won't need me anymore. I don't think he needs me now. After all, he has Brooke."

"How are they doing?" Lydia asked as she took a sip of her water. "Are they adjusting to marriage life okay?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, I think so. They've had some problems, but they have worked them out like any other married couple. I'm just glad that Lucas isn't planning on making me an uncle any time soon. I'm not ready for that. I'm still trying to get over the whole fiasco with Rachel's baby. I don't know if I can handle another one so soon."

Haley didn't know if that was directed at her or not, but her mind wasn't focused on that. Instead, she concentrated on the cramp in her stomach. It had been building throughout the day and it was hurting her more by the minute. She couldn't take it anymore and finally spoke up. "Excuse me for interrupting, but I think I'm ready to go home," she told her guests as she gave her parents an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I wanted to spend more time with you guys, but my body is telling me to rest."

"I'll take you home," Nathan offered, getting up from his seat. Haley just nodded as she said good-bye to her sister and parents. He waited until they were in the car before speaking. "Hales, are you okay?" He couldn't help but notice how pale she looked. Haley just shook her head. "Screw the apartment. I'm taking you to the hospital."

It wasn't long before Haley was lying on a bed in the hospital and Nathan was sitting in the visitor's chair next to it. The doctor was standing on the other side preparing Haley for an ultrasound scan. She was staring at the ceiling as she waited for what she already knew to be confirmed. The doctor ran the transducer over Haley's abdomen and studied the screen intently. Nathan's eyes kept going from Haley to the screen on the monitor. After a few minutes of studying the screen, the doctor placed the transducer down and wiped the gel from Haley's belly.

"So what's the verdict?" Haley asked as the doctor finished wiping her belly. She almost didn't want to hear the answer. Yet, it was important to hear in order to make it reality.

"All the tests and the scan are telling me the same results I'm afraid," the doctor said softly. "You've had a miscarriage. I'm sorry."

Nathan couldn't help but feel disappointed. He gripped Haley's hand as she managed to find her voice. "So what happens now?"

"You can go home, but you need to rest. Take painkillers if you need to and try a hot water bottle to help ease the cramps," the doctor explained. "If the bleeding hasn't stopped within two weeks, come back to see us. If you feel like you need to talk to somebody, I can arrange a therapist for you."

Haley firmly shook her head. "No, I don't need one," she replied. "I just want to go home."

"I'll leave you to get ready then while I discharge you," the doctor said as he left the room.

There was silence between them before Haley spoke. "I appreciate it if you didn't tell my parents about this hospital visit." Nathan nodded understandingly. He wasn't planning to tell them anyway. "And I want you to go back to Tree Hill." Nathan was going to cut her off when Haley didn't let him interrupt. "I know you wanted to stay longer for me, but I want some more space. I need more space from you."

Nathan couldn't believe what she was saying. He was so lost and confused. As much as it hurt him, he knew that it was best to give her what she wanted right now. "I'll wait outside while you get dressed." He then left the room.