A/N: Sorry about the delay. I'd hoped to get this chapter up sooner but I'm
in the middle of finals. Don't expect updates to be very prompt until after
the 12th when I will have three wonderful weeks of freedom.
Chapter 8
"Coach?" Nathan knocked as he entered. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Nathan. Something wrong with your watch? I thought I said five am not pm."
Nathan shrugged. "I know. The doctor at the emergency room put me on some pretty strong pain killers."
"I see. How are you feeling now?"
"Better. I have some bruised ribs."
"And Matt has a broken nose. I'm down two players thanks to the two of you. Matt didn't have an explanation for me, do you?"
"Yeah. That's what I came to talk to you about. Coach, Haley's pregnant."
Whitey coughed, then stared at Nathan in disbelief. "You're serious?"
"Not exactly something I'd joke about. We've known for a few weeks now."
"And the fight is related to that news I take it?"
"Yeah. News starting spreading around school yesterday. You know how high school kids are. Matt said some nasty stuff about Haley and I couldn't let him get away with it. She was upset enough about all the whispers and the stares."
"Matt does tend to run his mouth off. He probably deserved it but in the future I'd like ou to handle your disagreements without the use of fists. Matt's been suspended from the team for the next two games. I'll have to do the same with you."
"Actually that won't be necessary."
"Excuse me?"
"You don't need to suspend me because I'm quitting the team."
"Quitting? I must not have heard that right because the Nathan Scott I've known since his freshman year would not just throw away his future like that."
"You heard right. I'm quitting the team. That's just it Coach, I'm not the kid I was when I joined the team my freshman year. I'm not a kid at all anymore. I can't be. I'm going to be a father and that has to come first."
"I understand that Nathan but that doesn't mean you have to quit basketball."
"Yes it does. Look, I'm sorry for doing this to you; I know this isn't the best thing for the team but I have to do what's best for me, Haley and the baby. You got by without me before; you can do it again. Lucas is a lot better than I used to give him credit for."
"Nathan wait-" But it was too late, Nathan was already out the door.
***
The Next Day
"Hey Nathan!" Jake walked up to his team mate. "You got a minute?"
"I was going to see if Haley wanted to get some lunch but yeah sure."
"Good. Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"Just follow me."
Nathan walked with Jake back to Jake's house. "What are we doing here?"
"Just give me a minute." He disappeared into the house and returned a few minutes later, carrying a little girl who was less than a year hold.
"What's going on?" Nathan asked. "Who is this."
"This," Jake said, looking at the sleeping girl. "Is my daughter, Chiara."
Nathan was speechless. "Did you just say your daughter?"
Jake nodded. "Uh huh. She was born last July. Her mom took off shortly afterwards, she didn't want to deal with it. Everyone said I should put her up for adoption but I don't know, I just couldn't do it. The first time I held her in my arms..." He trailed off. "You'll know what I mean."
"So I guess that's why Whitey cuts you so much slack about practice and stuff."
"Yeah. I went to him at the beginning of the year and told him I was quitting the team. I didn't think I could balance fatherhood and basketball. He talked me out of it, said he'd do whatever he could to make it possible for me to be a father to my daughter and stay on the team. So far, it's worked."
"Coach sent you to talk to me didn't he?"
"Yeah, he said you quit the team and wanted me to 'talk some sense into you' as he said it. I'm not saying it's easy, it's not but it's possible. And there's one really good reason to keep playing."
"What's that."
"You have a really good shot at a basketball scholarship Nathan, you know that."
"Yeah so?"
"Well you could use that scholarship now more than ever. It won't be easy paying for college and raising a baby. A basketball scholarship would lift a lot of financial weight off your shoulders."
"I didn't think of that. You have a point Jake but I don't think I can put up with guys like Matt and their stupid comments. And I don't want Haley to have to put up with it either. As long as I'm on the team, people will be watching us. You never had to deal with that. You seem to have kept your secret."
"Yeah. That's the big reason why I've never said anything to anyone. I didn't want to go through what you're going through right now but quitting the team isn't going to shut people up. They're still going to talk."
"Maybe but my always being in the spotlight isn't going to help. Look Jake, I really gotta go. Haley will be pissed if I don't show up."
"Okay but promise me you'll give staying on the team a little more thought."
"Sure. I'll think about it."
***
"Sorry I'm late." Nathan kissed Haley on the cheek, ignoring the snickers of the people watching them.
"You're not that late. Where were you."
"Jake wanted to talk to me. Did you know he has a daughter."
"What? Are you serious?"
"Yeah. He brought me to see her. Coach sent him to talk me out of quitting the team."
"You're quitting the team?! When were you going to tell me this."
"I just did. Please don't lecture me Hales, I've gotten enough of that already."
"Okay, just tell me why. You love basketball."
"Yeah I do but there are more important things in my life right now." He placed a hand gently on her stomach. "You and the baby are my priority right now."
"I don't want you to quit because of me."
"I'm not. I'm quitting for us."
***
"You're going to clean a hole right through that plate you know." Lucas said, walking up to Haley who was washing dishes at the restaurant.
"Oh, hey Luke?"
"What's got you so preoccupied."
"Nothing." She lied.
He looked at her with the piercing gaze that had become his trademark. "You really think you can lie to me."
"No. I guess you're going to find out soon enough anyway. Nathan's quit the team."
"WHAT?! You're joking."
"Afraid not. He told me at lunch."
"Did he say why?"
"Why do you think. He doesn't think he can play basketball and still be there for me and the baby. I love that he wants what's best for us but I hate the idea of him giving up something he loves. Will you please talk to him Luke."
"Me? What makes you think he'll listen to me."
"You've gotten closer recently Luke. Please try." She looked at him imploringly, how could he say no?
"All right all right I'll try but I'm not making any promises."
"Thanks Luke. He's at home."
"You want me to talk to him now?"
"No time like the present."
"Uh huh. You owe me."
"I'll name you godfather."
Chapter 8
"Coach?" Nathan knocked as he entered. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Nathan. Something wrong with your watch? I thought I said five am not pm."
Nathan shrugged. "I know. The doctor at the emergency room put me on some pretty strong pain killers."
"I see. How are you feeling now?"
"Better. I have some bruised ribs."
"And Matt has a broken nose. I'm down two players thanks to the two of you. Matt didn't have an explanation for me, do you?"
"Yeah. That's what I came to talk to you about. Coach, Haley's pregnant."
Whitey coughed, then stared at Nathan in disbelief. "You're serious?"
"Not exactly something I'd joke about. We've known for a few weeks now."
"And the fight is related to that news I take it?"
"Yeah. News starting spreading around school yesterday. You know how high school kids are. Matt said some nasty stuff about Haley and I couldn't let him get away with it. She was upset enough about all the whispers and the stares."
"Matt does tend to run his mouth off. He probably deserved it but in the future I'd like ou to handle your disagreements without the use of fists. Matt's been suspended from the team for the next two games. I'll have to do the same with you."
"Actually that won't be necessary."
"Excuse me?"
"You don't need to suspend me because I'm quitting the team."
"Quitting? I must not have heard that right because the Nathan Scott I've known since his freshman year would not just throw away his future like that."
"You heard right. I'm quitting the team. That's just it Coach, I'm not the kid I was when I joined the team my freshman year. I'm not a kid at all anymore. I can't be. I'm going to be a father and that has to come first."
"I understand that Nathan but that doesn't mean you have to quit basketball."
"Yes it does. Look, I'm sorry for doing this to you; I know this isn't the best thing for the team but I have to do what's best for me, Haley and the baby. You got by without me before; you can do it again. Lucas is a lot better than I used to give him credit for."
"Nathan wait-" But it was too late, Nathan was already out the door.
***
The Next Day
"Hey Nathan!" Jake walked up to his team mate. "You got a minute?"
"I was going to see if Haley wanted to get some lunch but yeah sure."
"Good. Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"Just follow me."
Nathan walked with Jake back to Jake's house. "What are we doing here?"
"Just give me a minute." He disappeared into the house and returned a few minutes later, carrying a little girl who was less than a year hold.
"What's going on?" Nathan asked. "Who is this."
"This," Jake said, looking at the sleeping girl. "Is my daughter, Chiara."
Nathan was speechless. "Did you just say your daughter?"
Jake nodded. "Uh huh. She was born last July. Her mom took off shortly afterwards, she didn't want to deal with it. Everyone said I should put her up for adoption but I don't know, I just couldn't do it. The first time I held her in my arms..." He trailed off. "You'll know what I mean."
"So I guess that's why Whitey cuts you so much slack about practice and stuff."
"Yeah. I went to him at the beginning of the year and told him I was quitting the team. I didn't think I could balance fatherhood and basketball. He talked me out of it, said he'd do whatever he could to make it possible for me to be a father to my daughter and stay on the team. So far, it's worked."
"Coach sent you to talk to me didn't he?"
"Yeah, he said you quit the team and wanted me to 'talk some sense into you' as he said it. I'm not saying it's easy, it's not but it's possible. And there's one really good reason to keep playing."
"What's that."
"You have a really good shot at a basketball scholarship Nathan, you know that."
"Yeah so?"
"Well you could use that scholarship now more than ever. It won't be easy paying for college and raising a baby. A basketball scholarship would lift a lot of financial weight off your shoulders."
"I didn't think of that. You have a point Jake but I don't think I can put up with guys like Matt and their stupid comments. And I don't want Haley to have to put up with it either. As long as I'm on the team, people will be watching us. You never had to deal with that. You seem to have kept your secret."
"Yeah. That's the big reason why I've never said anything to anyone. I didn't want to go through what you're going through right now but quitting the team isn't going to shut people up. They're still going to talk."
"Maybe but my always being in the spotlight isn't going to help. Look Jake, I really gotta go. Haley will be pissed if I don't show up."
"Okay but promise me you'll give staying on the team a little more thought."
"Sure. I'll think about it."
***
"Sorry I'm late." Nathan kissed Haley on the cheek, ignoring the snickers of the people watching them.
"You're not that late. Where were you."
"Jake wanted to talk to me. Did you know he has a daughter."
"What? Are you serious?"
"Yeah. He brought me to see her. Coach sent him to talk me out of quitting the team."
"You're quitting the team?! When were you going to tell me this."
"I just did. Please don't lecture me Hales, I've gotten enough of that already."
"Okay, just tell me why. You love basketball."
"Yeah I do but there are more important things in my life right now." He placed a hand gently on her stomach. "You and the baby are my priority right now."
"I don't want you to quit because of me."
"I'm not. I'm quitting for us."
***
"You're going to clean a hole right through that plate you know." Lucas said, walking up to Haley who was washing dishes at the restaurant.
"Oh, hey Luke?"
"What's got you so preoccupied."
"Nothing." She lied.
He looked at her with the piercing gaze that had become his trademark. "You really think you can lie to me."
"No. I guess you're going to find out soon enough anyway. Nathan's quit the team."
"WHAT?! You're joking."
"Afraid not. He told me at lunch."
"Did he say why?"
"Why do you think. He doesn't think he can play basketball and still be there for me and the baby. I love that he wants what's best for us but I hate the idea of him giving up something he loves. Will you please talk to him Luke."
"Me? What makes you think he'll listen to me."
"You've gotten closer recently Luke. Please try." She looked at him imploringly, how could he say no?
"All right all right I'll try but I'm not making any promises."
"Thanks Luke. He's at home."
"You want me to talk to him now?"
"No time like the present."
"Uh huh. You owe me."
"I'll name you godfather."
