Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: but as she felt him deepen the kiss, she suddenly and simply just didn't care.
It was the first time he had left her side in three days.
He walked through the flower shop, searching intentely for the ones he needed to find. Daisies? Nope. Red roses? Nope. Daffodils? Nope.
"May I help you with anything?" a store worker asked Nathan. Nathan smiled at her and nodded.
"Yeah... I'm looking for something very specific."
***At The Hospital
"You need anything else?"
Haley sighed and grinned at her best friend. "No, Luke. I'm okay," she replied, setting down her empty glass of water. He pressed his lips together and smiled.
"Okay, just checkin'."
Lucas had almost been as over-protective as Nathan had been since the moment Haley had opened her eyes three days ago. A lot of Lucas' vigilantism was driven from guiltiness. He hadn't spent a lot of time with his best friend in a while, and almost losing her had made him see her from a whole new perspective. She wasn't just his best friend, or his step-sister in law. She was someone he simply couldn't stand losing. Ever.
"So how are you doing?" Haley asked. Lucas looked at her and smirked.
"Okay, I didn't think that question was worth laughing at," she said teasingly, blushing slightly. The colour in her skin had started to flush back after the second day of being in the hospital, making her look healthier and more vibrant.
Lucas shook his head and stared at her through squinted eyes. "It just... amazes me that you're asking about me when you're the one in the hospital bed."
"Well, I'm tired of people asking about me," Haley replied, a hint of offence in her voice. "I'm okay. The doctors say I'm okay. The babies," she patted her stomach and smiled, "are great. Now the only people I'm trying to convince of that are you guys."
Lucas patted her hand and sighed. "You're still weak, and you don't really look one hundred percent."
Haley rolled her eyes. "How flattering."
"You know what I mean," Lucas said. "Nate's still worried sick about you, even if he doesn't show it. I mean, before your surgery, the last he saw of you was you being unconcious and...pale. You should have seen him."
Haley bit her lip and watched her hands. "How was he when I was unconcious?"
Lucas inhlaed a deep breath, and exhaled loudly. "To be honest...a mess. A total mess."
Haley put her hand to her forehead. She hated hearing about Nathan being distressed.
"What can I do to convince him that everythings okay?" she asked, massaging her temples. Lucas shrugged.
"Let him help you. Don't be so...independant." He cracked a slight smile at the glare she shot him. "He wants to be there for you. You have to let him help you."
She nodded her head slowly. "So be...needy?"
"No," Lucas shook his head, reconsidering his thoughts. "He knows that you're getting the best care possible when he's the one helping you. I think everyone knows that. I mean, come on Hales," he shrugged again, "no one is going to be as delicate towards you, or as sweet, or as loving, or as willing to do anything for you, besides Nate. So just let him have that, alright?"
Haley chewed her lip as she processed Lucas' words. "You're right," she said after a few seconds of silence. "What would I do without you, Lucas Scott?"
Lucas chortled and wrapped his arm around her. "You'd be lost without me, Haley James Scott."
"Hey, get your arms off my girl."
Lucas and Haley's heads snapped up at the sound of Nathan's voice. Haley grinned widely at his presence.
"Yea, stop flirting with me, Luke," she said, winking at Nathan. She noticed his hands were pinned behind his back.
"What do you have there?" Haley asked, automatically scooting over in the bed so Nathan could climb on. It had been routine for her to let him climb on, since every time he entered her room in the past three days, he always went straight to the bed and pulled her into his arms.
"A surprise," he beamed, shooting Lucas The Look. The Look was the wordless exchange between the two brother's that meant they wanted alone time with their wife. Lucas smiled and stepped back, waving at Haley as he left the room. Nathan stood still, even though Haley had cleared his half of the tiny double bed. She patted the empty section, but he didn't budge.
"Come here," she said.
Nathan shook his head.
She sighed. "Do I really smell that bad? I mean I know I haven't showered in days, but it's because the doctor's won't let me leave this bed!"
Nathan's already beaming grin somehow widened at the adorableness of his wife. He shook his head and took a step closer.
"If I went to lie down beside you, I think I'd squish these." He revealed what he had been hiding behind his back.
Haley gasped, tears spurting to her eyes almost instantly. He had found them. He had actually found them.
"You found our purple flowers?" she whispered, accepting them as Nathan gave them to her. He then proceeded to climb onto the bed and pull her into the warmth of his arms.
"Who knew Canada actually had tons of them?" he murmured, kissing her cheek.
"Had?" Haley questioned.
"I may have boughten a wee bit more than just this bouquet."
She chuckled. "Define wee."
Nathan cringed. "I kind of... bought all of them."
Haley laughed heartily. "How many were there?"
"Uh... a lot..." His voice was full of guiltiness, as if he had been caught committing a crime. "I couldn't help myself!"
"Well, where are they?" she asked, snuggling into his arms, her eyes starting to droop.
"In the back of the rented car."
"They need water, you know," Haley pointed out. Nathan cursed and pulled out his cell phone.
"Hey, Clay?" he said. "I need you to get a bit bucket of water. No, don't ask why. Why can't I get it? Because I'm a little busy right now, that's why. Okay, thanks man. Alright, bye."
He pressed the end button. "Done."
Haley smiled, the soft murmur of his voice almost putting her to sleep. He noticed it, too.
"You're tired, babe," he whispered against her temple. "Go to sleep. I'm right here."
"I want to stay awake and be with you," she said, her words mixing together from the sleep about to dominate. "I love you..." she trailed off, slipping into a deep slumber. Nathan just grinned a grin of complete bliss, and placed a loving kiss on her head.
***2 Hours Later
"Nate, I got the water, but it's just been sitting in your hotel room, what do you want me to-"
Clay stopped himself mid sentence as he saw Nathan and Haley sound asleep on the hospital bed. She was in his arms, and he had a smile on his sleeping face. Clay piveted and went to the waiting room to get Quinn and her camera. They returned a moment later.
"That's just too cute," Quinn squeaked, focusing her camera on the sleeping couple. She zoomed in, and clicked the button to take the picture, setting off a huge flash. The peaceful couple instantly woke up and looked around themselves.
Quinn looked at Clay frantically. "Run!" she whispered, and the two were out of there before Nathan and Haley had comprehended what had woken them up.
"What the hell..." Haley trailed off, wiping her eyes.
"Lightning?" Nathan suggested groggily.
Haley nodded and rested her head back into his chest.
"Well now I'm awake," she sighed. "How long were we asleep?"
Nathan checked his phone clock. "About two hours. You hungry?"
Haley's stomach flew to her ever-growing stomach. Nathan noticed the movement and placed his hands ontop of hers.
"Are you two hungry, as well?" he restated. Haley smiled.
"Yeah, I kinda am. And so are they," she said, interlocking her hands with his. Nathan sighed longingly.
"I guess I have to get up now."
"Or I could," Haley suggested. Nathan pressed his lips together and shook his head forcefully.
"Nope, not happening. I'll be back in a jiffy." He carefully moved from underneath Haley's body and got to his feet, kissing her before he turned and left the room. Haley couldn't help but simper goofily as the door closed.
"You hear that man, guys?" Haley whispered towards her stomach. "That's your dad. And he's the greatest dad in the world. Actually, he's the greatest guy in the world."
"Who you talking to?" Jamie asked, walking up to the bed. Haley quickly glanced up at her seven year old and chuckled.
"The babies," she said. Jamie raised an eyebrow.
"There's more than one?"
Haley's eyes widened as she realized that her and Nathan hadn't told Jamie that they were having twins. Her heart rate accelerated as she decided to tell him right then and there.
"Uh, yeah, there is. We just found out that you're going to have two younger siblings, instead of just one." She chewed on her bottom lip, gaging his reaction.
Jamie stayed relatively calm, except for the smile that appeared on his face. "That's so cool, momma! So I'll have two younger brothers to play with. It'll be like Uncle Lucas and dad...and then another one..."
"Or a girl," Haley said. "They could be two girls, you know."
Jamie's smile disappeared. "Oh...true."
Haley opened her arms and Jamie climbed onto the bed with her.
"Girls are great too, you know." she said. "It's just like having Sawyer around, and you love Sawyer don't you?"
He nodded his head. "Yeah, Sawyer's cool."
"And your sister or sisters will be too...if one or both of them are girls."
"How long does it take?" Jamie questioned.
"About nine months."
"And how many months has it been so far?"
"About three."
Jamie nodded his head, taking in this newfound information. "Well, I'm excited for you, momma."
Haley smiled warmly down at her sweet son. "Thanks, Jame."
"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, his bright blue eyes reminding Haley of his father's. They shone with passion and concern.
"Yeah, I'll be just fine, buddy. I love you."
Jamie grinned toothily up at Haley. "Love you too, momma."
***That evening
"So then I was like, psh, you're not modelling for the new line, you're too skinny. And she was like, pft, you bitch. And I was like, pfffft, you're fired." Brooke grunted. "Models these days..."
Haley chuckled, taking one of Brooke's apple slices she had been munching on, dipped it in caramel sauce, and plopped it in her mouth. Nathan was ordered by Clay to go back to the hotel and shower, since he hadn't for almost four days. He left, not without reluctance, but was promised by Brooke and Peyton that they would watch over Haley.
"But Alex is still modelling, right?" She asked, her mouth full. Brooke nodded.
"Yeah, everyone loves her too much," she rolled her eyes. "She's good at what she does though, and she's not a nuisance to me and my personal life anymore, so I just thought, why not, you know?"
Haley nodded, peeking over at the paper Peyton was carefully drawing on. Peyton noticed her doing so, and quickly lifted the paper to her chest, shielding it from her.
"It's not done yet," she said, tucking a curly blonde hair behind her ear, eyeing Haley. Haley smiled and tore her suspicious eyes away from the page that Peyton had been drawing on nonstop for three days.
"Alright, alright." She relaxed back into the comfortable pillows. Peyton didn't remove the paper from her chest, or her eyes from Haley. Even though Haley was awake and seemed fine, they still hadn't figured out what had caused the very severe allergic reaction. And it made Peyton uneasy.
"So still no word on what caused this whole mess?" she asked her best friend. Haley sighed, shaking her head.
"I wish. I can't be released from this hospital until they do. I mean, it's friday, and Jamie starts school on Tuesday. I have to be out of here by Monday at the latest."
"You know, Luke and I can always take him back to Tree Hill, let him stay at our place for a while, until you're let out of this prison-like place." She shuddered at the white walls surrounding them. "Lucas would love to spend some quality time with Jamie too since he hasn't in a while."
A small smile appeared on Haley's face at Peyton's suggestion. "Yeah, that may have to happen if they don't figure this out soon enough. Thanks, Peyton."
Peyton smiled and slowly lowered the paper back down so she could continue sketching. "Anything for my girl, Haley James."
"Yeah, whatever you need, I'll do it, Hales." Brooke piped in.
Haley raised an eyebrow, a smirk curving her lips up. "Well, in that case, I'd like a million dollars, Brooke Davis."
Brooke scoffed, finishing up her apples. "No can do. But I can give you the last apple..."
"Hmmm," Haley hummed. "very tempting. I guess I'll cave," she snatched the last apple, savouring the juicy taste before swallowing it.
"Okay, time to play...Let's Read B Davis Magazine!" Brooke exclaimed, whipping out the newest edition of her magazine from her purse. Haley and Peyton laughed and shook their heads, leaning over Brooke to glimpse at the magazine and read it together. Haley glanced at Brooke and Peyton as Brooke started reading her opening column. Her and her two best friends were back together again. And it felt great.
***The Next Day
"I wish my life could just randomly burst into song."
Nathan chuckled. "Well, that would be extremely weird."
Haley glanced at him and shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever. I know you would join in with me if I started singing a song about basketball."
"That's the only reason I'm watching this, you know. Because of the basketball." Nathan whispered, flinging his hand towards the small tv set up in front of them. Everyone was situated around the room, watching High School Musical 3. Sawyer's choice. Clay had used his boyish charm to convince the receptionist to let everyone in Haley's hospital room at once, and with the lights off, just the sound of the movie, and some random hilarious movie comments from Julian, Haley already felt one hundred percent better.
"Shh!" Brooke said, placing her index finger over her lips. "Zac Efron is really hot, and he's about to take off his shirt..." she trailed off, watching as Zac Efron, who played the lead boy, Troy, took off his shirt in the changeroom.
"Turn around, turn around, turn arounnnnnnd," Brooke whispered, bracing herself.
"Dammit!" Haley, Peyton, and Brooke said at once as Zac slipped on his Wildcat's jersey before turning around.
"What cougars you guys are," Julian commented. "This guy is like twelve."
"Twenty two," Peyton corrected. "Only three years younger."
"But isn't he dating that girl, Gabriella? In real life, though. " Haley commented.
Brooke nodded. She knew all the celebrity gossip, mostly because she was one. "Yeah, Vanessa. Damn, we'll have to find a way to work around her..."
"Shh!" Sawyer silenced the group of adults, flashing them her wide, bright blue eyes. They succummed to her cuteness and stopped their chatter about Zac.
"Okay, we're shutting up," Haley chuckled, snuggling deeper into Nathan's arms. The group finished the movie up, and everyone was off and back to the hotel by ten thirty. Except for Nathan, of course.
"I feel bad," Haley whispered, fiddling with her tangled and greasy hair. She desperately needed a shower.
"Why?"
Haley huffed. "Because you and your six foot body is crunched onto a teeny double bed with me. You should really get back to the hotel and sleep on the nice, comfy, king sized bed..."
Nathan shook his head prominitely. "Wouldn't be the same without you."
Haley grimaced. "And when was the last time you worked out? The coaches strike could end at any time and you could be called to play without notice. I want you to be ready."
"Hales," Nathan said huskily in her ear. "Clay hasn't even been bugging me about not going to the gym. It's okay."
Haley peered up at him through uncertain eyes.
"Seriously," he confirmed. "I don't know what I'm going to do when you have to go home, though." He paused for a moment, then added an afterthought. "Maybe I'll come home too."
Haley cocked an eyebrow. "You're going to stay in Toronto and play... don't even think about coming back to Tree Hill with us!"
"Ouch."
Haley giggled. "Sorry, that was harsh. But you know what I mean..."
"Yeah," Nathan exhaled loudly. "I just wish I could come home with you and take care of you. And our babies."
Haley kissed his hand. "I wish you could too. And so do they," she patted her stomach. "But someone's gotta bring home the bacon!"
He buried his face into her hair and laughed. "How about my famous musician wife?"
"I'm a little preoccupied with you know, the whole twins thing."
"Oh, you are now?"
Haley shifted and turned to look at him, flashing him a grin and a wink that made his knees a little weak. He sighed.
"Okay, then I guess I'll have to play. Or else we may run out of money." His tone was mocking, and he was glad that after all that had happened, he could still have lighthearted conversations with her.
A few moments of silence later, Nathan heart the light snore coming from Haley's lips. He smiled and stared at her face. It was beautiful, nonetheless, and it did look better than the previous days. Less...sick. But he still hated the fact that she was going to have to leave soon,and still toyed with the idea of taking a few games off and going home. His coach would understand...right? His coach had a wife and kids.
Nathan just wasn't sure if his coach put his family first, like he did.
***The Next Day
"Potatoes? Seriously?"
"You sound...disappointed."
Haley cocked an eyebrow and reread the medical sheet Dr. Opacta had handed her. "I'm not disappointed per say...just, I don't know...confused. I mean I just got told the food that set me off was potatoes."
"But this is good, Hales!" Lucas chirped. "It means you can go home before Jamie's vacation ends."
Haley pondered the point Lucas had just brought up. She was glad to have everyone there for Jamie, for he still explored Toronto with them in the past three days while her and Nathan stayed at the hospital.
"Yeah," she said, locking eyes with Nathan for a second before looking away. She noticed the hurt in his eyes. He wanted to go with her so badly, she could tell. She thought that maybe she should stop fighting him, and let him come home with them and help her. Lucas' words popped into her head from the other day, the words that told her that she should let him have the satisfaction of being with her and helping her recover. Did he feel as if she was neglecting him because she kept telling him to stick with basketball, and not come home? Haley knew Nathan better than anyone in the world, and knew about his crappy past growing up with a father like Dan. Maybe Nathan felt like he was acting like his father when he was away for half the year, especially when she was pregnant and having some pregnancy roadbumps.
Haley sighed, shaking her head to rid of all the thoughts running through them. She just had one thing to do.
"Yeah," she repeated. "We can all go home." She looked at Nathan, who's eyes were pinned to the floor. "Even you, Nate."
His head snapped up. "What?"
Lucas raised his eyebrows. "Huh?"
Haley's eyes went to Lucas first. "I didn't want him to come home with us because I didn't want him missing basketball because of me. I feel guilty."
Lucas nodded at her reasoning. She then turned her eyes to Nathan, who had walked up beside her. She cupped his face and gazed into his deep eyes, almost forgetting her point.
"I hope you don't feel as if I don't want you to come home or something when I tell you that you should stay here, because I do want you to come. I love you. Everyday you're gone I wish you're with me. I miss you so much when you're gone."
Nathan smiled sadly and nodded mutely.
"I just want you to have your dream, you know? You've worked so hard to make this happen, and I don't want it to all go away because you want to come home and take care of me. Even though I appreciate it to no end.
"But I mean, the coaches strike isn't over. And besides, I shouldn't be telling you what you should and shouldn't do. If you should or shouldn't come home. If you should or shouldn't play basketball. If you should or shouldn't-"
Her words were suddenly cut off by the feeling of Nathan's soft, warm, lips against hers.
"You talk too much, Haley James Scott." Nathan said when they parted. He plucked a single purple flower from the bouquet he had given her the previous day and placed it in the space between her ear and her temple. "I love you," he murmured into the same ear. "And I'm coming home."
Haley grinned at his words, pushing herself to her knees so she could fling her arms around his neck and kiss him with the passion she had been containing for the past few days of craziness and stress. She was aware of Lucas and Dr. Opacta in the room, but as she felt him deepen the kiss, she suddenly and simply just didn't care.
And it seemed like Nathan didn't either.
***That Night"I'm really going to miss Canada. Even though we didn't really get to see it."
Nathan nodded, packing some of Haley's things into her bag. He had insisted that he would pack up her things, and she would follow the Doctor's strict orders of taking things slowly. And avoiding potatoes.
"Yeah, me too. Now I'm going to have to make sure you don't eat any potatoes or french fries or anything like that."
Haley chuckled, twirling one of her purple flowers' stems in her hand. "I'm really going to miss french fries..." she said thoughtfully.
Nathan shrugged. "I think you would miss your life more if you ate them and then... nevermind." he shook his head.
Haley placed her flowers down and walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his muscular torso. "I'm not going anywhere," she mumbled into his back, stepping onto her tip toes so she could place a kiss on his shoulder. "I promise."
Nathan placed his hands over hers. "Good, because I kinda want you to stick around a little bit longer."
Haley smiled, resting her head against his back, breathing in his intoxicating scent, relaxing into the warmth of his body...
No. She needed to rest.
"Okay, I'm going to let go of you before I do something Dr. Opacta would not approve of."
Nathan instantly spun in her arms and wiggled his eyebrows, a seductive smirk playing on his lips.
"No no no..." Haley stepped back, giggling as she started skipping around the room, escaping Nathan chasing her with open arms. He suddenly piveted, changing his direction, and caught Haley in his arms in no time. He picked her up and spun her around gently, tackling her lips with his. He took caution with her, and set her down on the bed. He heard her mumble some incoherent things as he kissed around her face and down her neck. He stopped briefly to whisper a few words.
"We wouldn't want Dr. Opacta to disapprove of us, so I think I'll have to settle for smothering my sexy wife in kisses..." he lost his train of thought as Haley nibbled at his ear.
For the first time in days, a sense of steadiness washed over Nathan. He felt a mix of warm emotions lying there with Haley. She was going to be okay. And he knew he was going to be there to make sure of that.
Yay for fast updates haha. Guess what day's todaaaaaay.
I had a lot of time on my hands, so I wrote another chapter.
If you said Tuesday, you would be correct.
And guess what that meansssssss.
One Tree Hill is on! haha but I'm sure you all knew that.
I'm excited to see what this episode will bring to the table! Pumped! :)
Thanks for reading!