A/N Thank you so much for all the reviews and requests. They mean more than you realize and really brightened up an otherwise dreary week. Hope you think this was worth the wait.

Chapter 21

Lucas was surprised to find Nathan sitting alone in the cafeteria, looking miserable. He couldn't remember ever seeing his brother without Haley or a crowd of jocks and cheerleaders. He was beginning to wonder if he'd tumbled into a parallel universe when he spotted Haley sitting in a corner, also by herself. Every so often she's glance in Nathan's direction and Lucas could see that she'd been crying. It looked like Nathan had too. He walked over to Nathan and sat down across from him.

Nathan looked up and scowled. "I didn't ask for company."

"No, but from my end it looks like you need some. What happened. When I left the doctor's it looked like things were on their way to okay."

"I thought they were. We went to the docks to talk things out and I told her about my dad and everything and she got pissed because I didn't talk to her about it. Long story short she said it was her turn to walk away."

"Ouch."

"Tell me about it. And now I don't know what to do. I've said I was sorry. I've groveled, admitted I was stupid and wrong but she still won't talk to me. I stood outside her window throwing pebbles until her dad threatened to call the cops. I've followed her to all of her classes, tried to corner her at her locker, nothing works. How can I make things better if she's ignoring me? Luke, I need your help. If I lose her.... well I just can't lose her."

"You won't. I know Haley pretty well. Underneath the smart exterior she's a girlie girl at heart. She liked romantic movies and grand gestures. What you need is a grand gesture."

"What do you mean?"

"Do something romantic and unexpected. She's mad because she thinks you shut her out. Prove her wrong."

"Like what?"

"Uh uh, you're on your own there. I tell you what though, I will go talk to Haley, see if I can soften her up a little." "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Now go! You have work to do."

***

"Want to talk about it?" Lucas said, walking up to where Haley was sitting.

"Not particularly but I get the feeling that's not going to deter you."

"Yeah you're right. What happened?"

"Why are you asking me? I saw you talking to Nathan."

"I was getting his side. Now I want yours so that I can pass judgment fairly. That's your fault you know?"

"What's my fault?"

"Me needing to get the facts before passing judgement. If you hadn't threatened me into befriending Nathan I'd just assume that it was his fault and kick his a$$. This way is a lot harder."

"Whatever."

"What, you give your vocabulary to Nathan? I expected a better response than 'whatever'."

"Look Lucas, I'm really not in the mood. If you want to be Nathan's best friend now go right ahead."

"Don't be like that Haley. I care about you and I can see you're hurting. Nathan's starting grow on me too and he's also hurting. I just want to help if I can."

"There's nothing you can do. You know, I really thought me and Nathan could make this work, you know be a family but one conversation with his father and he's gone."

"He panicked Hales and he made a mistake. He came back."

"Because you went looking for him. What happens next time? I can't go through life waiting for the next thing that's going to freak him out."

"He wants to be there for you Hales. He really does. He loves you and he loves the baby and he wants to make up for getting scared and running off but you have to let him."

"I appreciate what you're trying to do here Luke but it's too late. Nathan made his choice and he can't change it now." She got up.

"Hales wait." he called out to her but she'd already run out of the cafeteria.

***

Ring Ring Ring

Lucas ignored the phone and went back to his biology homework. His mom could answer it. He needed to finish his lab notes before the exam the next day.

"Lucas! Phone!"

"Ugh," he grunted and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Lucas, it's Nathan."

"Hey. Making any progress?"

"Yeah. I have a plan but I'm going to need your help."

"My help? What for?"

"I need you to get Haley to the cinema for seven tonight."

"Isn't it closed?"

"Yea. Just get her there. All will be explained in due time."

"Okay. Good luck."

"Thanks."

***

"Lucas what are you doing here?"

"I've come to take you out. Let's go."

"I don't want to go anywhere."

"Hales, I'm not going to let you wallow in self-pity. You need a distraction from all this drama. Come one, you know I'm not going to take no for an answer."

Haley groaned. "Remind me again why I'm friends with you? I'll get my coat."

They got in Keith's truck and Lucas pulled out of Haley's driveway. "So where are we going?"

"I thought we'd see a movie." "What's playing?"

"I don't know; we'll see when we get there."

There were three movies showing at the small local cinema. Haley wanted to see a comedy but Lucas insisted that they go to the romance.

"Since when do you like chick flicks and don't tell me it's Peyton's influence because she hates this kind of thing."

"It wasn't Peyton. I just want to see this. Come on, I've already seen the one you want to watch and I know you don't want to see the horror flick. You'll probably like it."

Haley threw up her arms in surrender. "Fine you win." To herself she added 'it's not like I'm going to be able to concentrate on the movie anyway.'

When they walked it Haley thought it was strange that there was no one else in the theatre. "Luke, we're the only ones here."

"Yeah. Weird." He shrugged. "Guess a lot of people share your opinion."

"Guess so."

The lights dimmed and they sat back in their seats. 'I wonder what Nathan is up to.' Lucas thought. He got he answer when instead of previews, Nathan appeared on the screen.

Haley's mouth dropped open. "Oh my. what's going on here Luke?"

"I can honestly say that I have no idea."

"Hi Hales, guess you're wondering what I'm doing. First off, I have to thank you Luke for getting her here. Now I need you to keep her here. Thanks man, I owe you big time."

"I could kill you for this Luke."

"Don't be mad at Luke Hales, I needed to get you here because I didn't know how else to get you to listen to me. I know have no right to ask but please just watch this and if at the end you still don't want to have anything to do with me, I won't bother you again."

A montage began to play, Nathan as a baby, holding a basketball; Nathan as a toddler learning to dribble; Nathan in the junior leagues. As the pictures faded in and out on the screen, Nathan spoke. "I don't remember a time when my dad wasn't pressuring me to be like him. Some parents read stories or sing to their unborn children, not my dad. He used to read the box scores to my mom's pregnant stomach. He told me that when I first started playing for the Ravens. I think he thought it would inspire me to be great but it only made me realize that if I wanted to please my father and make him proud I would have to be as much like him as possible. You know how I felt when I first found out Luke was my brother? I was jealous of him. Jealous because he'd never had to deal with my father's impossible expectations, never had to feel that he'd never be good enough, never has a dad who kicked his butt when he didn't play well. For a while I wished I could trade places with him. In high school I discovered the plus side to being really good at basketball, the popularity. As shallow as it is, I liked having people crowded around me, screaming my name in the stands. I got validation from their empty praise that I knew I'd never get from my dad. My envy of Luke turned into resentment. I made his life miserable not just to get him off the team but because I wanted to share my own misery with him. I figured why should I be the only one who has to hurt."

The images of Nathan's childhood faded into images of him and Haley together, sitting at the docks, posing for those goofy photo booth pictures and other snapshots of their moments together. "When I met you Haley, my world changed. You were the first person who didn't give a damn how many points I scored in the last game. You didn't take any of my crap. from the very beginning I had to respect you for that. You are the person I always know I can turn to when it feels like the world is against me. I know you'll listen. I don't know when I fell in love with you, maybe I've always been in love with you. Whenever it happened, I've known for a long time that I wanted to spend forever with you."

The next image was of Nathan resting his head against Haley's pregnant belly.

"When I first found out we were having a baby I was thrilled. My head was telling me that we were too young and this was too huge but in my heart, I don't know, I felt calm, settled, like this was the way my life was supposed to go. I thought we'd have our happy beginning. Then my father decided to take one last thing from me. I guess my biggest fear is that I will become for our child what my father is to me, a man he or she fears and despises. My mother left that man, it would kill me if you did the same. It is killing me. I got scared and I handled it all wrong. I've had a lot of time to think Hales and I've realized some things. I'm always going to worry about becoming my father, he was too much of a force in my life for that fear not to be there. I'm learning to accept that. I may not want to become the man my father was to me but I also don't want to become the man Dan was to Lucas. I don't want to be the father who walked away. I don't want to walk away and I won't. You can break up with me Hales. You can say you want nothing to do we me but I'm not walking away. Whether you like it or not I'm going to be in my child's life. Today, tomorrow, the day I take my last breath and all the days in between. You're just going to have to live with that."

Lucas was stunned. As far as grand gestures went, that was pretty good. He looked at Hales, tears were streaming down her face.

"You okay?" She nodded. "I can't believe he did that. That was just so.. I have to see him. Do you know where he is?"

"Right behind you." Nathan spoke softly, hesitantly.

Haley stood up slowly and turned around, then threw herself against his chest. "Nathan." She sobbed.

He buried his face in her hair, taking in its scent. "Haley." he whispered. "Please, please tell me I haven't lost you." He wasn't even trying to contain his emotions and let the tears fall freely down his cheeks.

"You haven't lost me. Who was I kidding. I can't live without you. I've been so miserable."

"You and me both."