"Haley come on, or we will be late." Nathan said walking over to where she sat with their six week old baby.
"I can't leave him." She said quietly looking down at her sleeping child. "I can't be away from him for that long."
Nathan took a seat down next to her watching his son, "I know but we have too."
"Go on you two." Deb said as she stood in the doorway of the nursery she made in Dan's old office. "He will be fine, it's only a few hours. It will be over before you know it." She took the baby from Haley's arms. "Get going."
"Goodbye, James Lucas Scott." Haley said kissing his head.
"We love you." Nathan said "Thanks again mom."
"Of course." She smiled as they walked out the door.
"Tutor mom you've back." Brooke shouted across the courtyard, running over to them, Lucas, Jake, and Peyton walking behind her.
"Unfortunately." She sighed as Nathan kissed the side of her head, he missed Jamie just the same.
"I get it, let's just get to class. The sooner you get it over with, the sooner you're home with him." Jake said.
"Except when we get home, the entire James family is coming over." Haley groaned.
"Why?" Peyton asked.
"I don't really know, they've all seen him but they want to like see him together or something. They are so strange."
"Is it weird that I'm looking forward to being up with him in the middle of the night because lately it's the only time that we've had him to ourselves." Nathan pointed out to Haley. Luckily, most people they knew were giving them their space but they wish they had another week to just spend at home with their baby and no interruptions.
"Yes. Very unlike you to not get your eight hours of beauty sleep, princess." Lucas said teasing his brother.
"Watch it." Nathan threatened raising his eyebrows.
"How is the little one?" Peyton asked.
"He's great." Nathan said quickly pulling out his phone to show her pictures. "Look how cute he is. I made that."
"Good work buddy." Peyton said patting him on the back as Haley smiled. Nathan was so proud to show him off an it only made her heart swell.
Haley nearly pushed Nathan out of the way to get into the house that afternoon. "Deb?" She questioned walking into the huge house.
"In the kitchen" she called out as the two made their way for it to see her rocking him back and forth while she pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge.
"Oh baby, Mommy missed you." Haley said grabbing Jamie and kissing his head, cuddling him close and taking in his smell before handing him to Nathan.
"How was your day?" Deb asked taking a seat at the island.
"Torturous." Nathan said rocking back and forth, not taking his eyes off his son. "But thank you for watching him."
"When are you two going to stop continuously thanking me. I love being able to do this for you." She nearly complained as they nodded. "Now go ahead and get out of here, I will see you tomorrow morning."
"Bye." Haley said hugging her before giddily taking Jamie out of Nathan's arms.
"Haley Bob!" Joey shouted walking into his parents house.
"Shhh." Haley said quickly walking into the front room. "The baby is sleeping."
"Not for long, the whole James crew is behind me." He said before Vivian, Logan, Addison, Matt, Clare, Cassidy, Elle, Tyler, Kate, Quinn, Clay, and Taylor all walked through the door.
"Perfect timing." Nathan said walking down the stairs, Jamie in his arms.
"Oh I want to hold him Nate." Quinn said.
"No me first." Taylor said nearly pushing him out of the way.
"I want to hold him too." Clare smiled.
"Can we please not play hot potato with my son?" Haley questioned as her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said "Get used to it hon. Now who is ready for dinner?"
"Nathan." Haley called out as they got ready for school the next morning. "I laid Jamie on the floor by the bed under his mobile. Do not step on him!"
"Haley!" Nathan said annoyed stepping out of the bathroom, half of his face shaved. "Would you stop saying that, I can see my feet, and I can see our son. I won't step on him."
"Ohkay." She said sarcastically rolling her eyes.
"Stupid hormones." He muttered walking back into the bathroom. "Go finish getting ready, we have to leave in ten minutes."
"Hi momma." Haley said as her mother knocked on the apartment door.
"Hey baby girl, where's Nathan?"
"He ran out for milk." She said as Lydia sat next to her and looked at the baby in her arms.
"He's beautiful Hales."
"I know. I'm a lucky woman."
"You did well for yourself honey." Lydia said wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"Thanks mom. I only was able to do it all because of you."
"No, this was all you." Lydia smiled
"Knock knock" Karen said walking in.
"Oh look your other mother is here." Lydia joked.
"Hi" Karen smiled. "I brought over some food for you guys."
"Thank you so much." Haley smiled getting up.
"Don't worry there are two containers of mac and cheese."
"You're amazing." Haley said hugging her as Lydia came over, kiss her daughters head, put her hand on Karen's before walking out.
"So are you. I'm proud of you." Karen smiled running her hand through the young girls hair.
"Hey Luke." Haley said walking into the cafe, the next morning, car seat in hand. It was ten minutes before opening so she knew it would be empty. Jamie woke up early and Haley wanted to get him out of the house so Nathan could get some rest.
"Hey Hales." He said coming out from behind the counter. "How is my godson today?"
"Very awake." She said with yawn as she set the car seat on the table and lifted him out. "I wanted Nathan to have a little time to sleep in."
"Well that's nice of you." He smiled moving to hold Jamie.
"He's been great you know. I got lucky with him." She smiled looking at her son. "And with you. Thanks for always being there for me, Luke."
"Of course." He said smiling over at her. "I've always got your back buddy."
The bell to the front door rang as an older man walked in. "Are you open?"
"Sure." Lucas said, looking at the clock it was a few minutes early but he wasn't going to turn down the business. Lucas handed Jamie to Haley before moving behind the counter.
It was then that the man looked over at Haley with Jamie and thought. "You should have gotten an abortion."
Haley and Lucas's mouths dropped as Haley just stared at him in shock. She didn't know what to say.
"Can I get a coffee to go?" The man then asked Lucas.
"No, you can leave please?"
"What?"
"Get out before I call the police. I asked you to leave, now go." Lucas threatened as the man groaned and walked out. He walked back around the counter and sat across from Haley. "You listen to me, Jamie is not a mistake. Don't listen to him."
"I know, I know my son isn't a mistake. I just can't understand how people can be so hateful."
Lucas simply nodded with Haley. Nothing he could say would change how she was feeling.
Haley laid on Brooke's bed as Brooke sat at the bottom painting her nails. Nathan and Lucas were watching Jamie for two hours so that way Haley could have some time to relax. "But so then, Peyton and I looked at each other and started laughing so hard."
"That's funny." Haley smiled, she needed this girl time to unwind. "Can we talk a minute about how Nathan was with me during labor. He was amazing Brooke."
"How?" Brooke asked, she didn't even really know what labor was like let alone what Haley would want during it.
"He was constantly by my side asking what he could do. He let me squeeze his hand everytime I had a contraction, never once complaining about how I almost broke it, instead he would rub my head and did his best to relax me. At one point I had to walk the halls and he walked with me, holding my hand, and my cup of ice chips in the other. He was just completely involved and even though there was a machine to monitor my contractions when we got to the hospital he still timed them himself. And then when Jamie was born, the way he looked at Jamie I will never forget. There was so much love in his eyes. And even now he is so great with the baby." Haley gushed thinking of her wonderful husband.
"You're a lucky woman."
"Yes I am."
"And he is an even luckier man. I'm so happy for you Hales. You worked hard and got what you deserved, the man of your dreams and the family you always wanted."
"Thanks Brooke" Haley smiled moving to hug her. "And don't worry, you will have a family too one day."
"But for now I'm perfectly content as Aunt Brooke, the coolest most kick ass aunt in the world."
"Okay" Haley laughed. "Just don't say kick ass around him too much."
"Deal."
"Alright, he is fed, changed, and read for a nap." Nathan said handing off the baby to Lucas.
"He's great Nathan."
"I know." Nathan smiled over at him. "I've gotten real lucky with him and Haley."
"But you've also grown up and matured over these last few months, you've stepped up and I have to say I appreciate that, as Haley's best friend. She couldn't do any better than you."
"Thanks man." Nathan thought about it, he always thought Haley deserved so much more but here was his brother saying he was the best thing for her. He was glad that others thought this, even though he was always trying to be a better man for her.
"Now let's get playing." Lucas said taking a seat on the couch as Nathan fired up the Playstation and moved to get the baby sling out of the closet.
"You know how to work that thing?" Lucas joked nodding towards the sling as Nathan put it on.
"Ha ha really funny."
Haley and Brooke walked up the stairs to the apartment and could hear shouting coming from inside. Haley quickly opened the door only to find Lucas and Nathan playing NBA Live.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Haley asked.
Nathan quickly paused the game. "Oh hey babe, we just were getting a little competitive."
Haley and Brooke both started laughing at them. Nathan stood up and Haley saw that he had Jamie in the sling attached to his chest. She loved when he did that and thought it was the sexiest thing ever.
"Hi" He said walking over to her and kissing her gently.
"Hi" She whispered back against his lips running a hand over her son's head.
"Hey Brooke" Lucas said moving to hug her but she nearly pushed him out of the way. "Oh you're old news, let me see that baby."
Nathan laughed and smirked at Lucas as he secured one hand on his son, and used the other pull off the sling. Nathan handed Jamie over to Brooke who instantly started cooing at him.
"You'll do fine." Nathan said walking behind the curtain to where Haley stood pacing on the school auditorium stage.
"You know me so well." She laughed, running her hand over her son's head.
"Please welcome Haley James Scott." She heard principal Turner announce.
"Good luck." Nathan said kissing her forehead before she walked out from behind the curtain. "Hi everybody. Most of you probably know about me. I'm Haley James Scott, I'm a senior and valedictorian of my most of you probably know me because I had a baby this year. Nate." She said as he walked out with Jamie. "And this is my baby daddy as most of you call him. But I call him my husband or simply Nathan." She joked taking Jamie from his arms as Nathan laughed. "Thanks babe. And this is our son Jamie." Nathan walked back behind the stage. "I love my son and my husband. But that doesn't mean life isn't hard. Which is why Principal Turner asked me to com talk to you guys about safe sex and preventing pregnancy."
Haley had to stay after to talk to the Principal and others on the board of the school so Nathan was on his way out of the school when he saw Whitey. "Hey coach."
"Hi Nathan, James." Whitey said with a smile.
"Look, it's Grandpa Whitey." Nathan said to Jamie.
"Whitey's smile grew bigger. "You're a good man Nathan Scott."
'Thanks coach."
"Hopefully this one isn't as big of a knuckle head as you." He then commented as Nathan laughed.
While Nathan and Haley were at school the next day, Nathan got a call from his mom saying that Dan was out the house. That was all Nathan needed to hear before he went to get Haley and left the school. When he pulled up he saw Dan standing on the porch. Nathan quickly got out and shouted "What the hell are you doing here Dan?"
Dan turned around "I came to talk to you."
"Well I don't care just leave. Leave mom and me and my family alone." Deb opened the door and quickly let Haley in to hand her Jamie as she cradled him close to her.
"I saw him pull up, I locked the door and called you guys right away."
"Thank you Deb."
"Please let me talk, I want to apologize."
"Well you're too late Dan." Nathan said facing his father. "I don't care."
"Please son listen to me. I know everything I've done is wrong and I'm incredibly sorry."
"And what brought on this act?" Nathan questioned, this couldn't be real.
"It's not an act. My grandson is seven weeks only and I've never even seen him. I realize what I've done to you. And how I've acted was wrong. I'm truly sorry Nathan and just want to work this out and gain your trust back." Dan said sympathetically.
"Why don't we all go inside and talk." Nathan said quietly, seeing the sincerity in his father's eyes. He knew this was real because he had never seen that look on his fathers face before.
Haley sighed placing her backpack down on the table, and Nathan's. Nathan placed Jamie's carried next to them and began to take Jamie out with a yawn. "Let's just lay down together."
Haley nodded. They were both exhausted emotionally from talking with Dan and physically because Jamie kept them up all night. Nathan laid on his back with Jamie planted on his chest as Haley moved to place pillows on the one side of Nathan, just in case Jamie somehow rolled over, and laid on the other side of him, cuddling into his side. "So that went pretty well."
"I never expected that from him." Nathan said thinking of his father's confession and apology. Things weren't completely resolved, it would take time, but this was a start. His father was willing to change and even agreed to go to therapy with him, which was something he never expected from Dan.
"I'm proud of the way you handled yourself around him, you kept your cool." Haley said.
"I learned from the best." He admitted before the room quieted.
"We are going to be okay." Haley said barely above a whisper.
"Of course we are. We can do this." He said knowing Haley's mind was on something else now.
"I'm this strong because of you."
"Who do you think I learned how to be strong from?" He asked looking down at her.
"I love you, and I love our little family."
"I love you, and our son too. Always and forever." He smiled as she leaned up to kiss him. "Now get some rest, we'll still be here when you wake up."