Title: Parental Approval

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Okay guys I realize last chapter was about Nathan but it is essential for him to progress with the story. There will be at least one other chapter about Nathan. This is a Lucas / Haley story...I repeat L/H. No one worry that I am going to switch that on you. Just deal...and review.

Now onward we go-

12.

Lucas sat holding Haley's hand while Mr. and Mrs. James whispered to one another. Finally Jessica came over to Lucas pulling up another chair while Bob left the room. "So...how long have you and Haley been dating?" she asked causally though the topic was not casual. They had been away and Lucas had a key to the house. Any number of things could have taken place...especially when their daughter was home alone...with a boy...even if the boy was Lucas Scott.

He tilted his head and read between the lines. "That night Mrs. James. We started dating the night this happened," he murmured running his fingertips over the bump on Haley's head. "We agreed that the shindig I'm taking her to rather than Nathan would be a real date," he said as he returned his fingers to the self-appointed task of petting Haley's hand lightly.

"But you aren't sleeping with my daughter?" Jessica clarified.

Lucas chuckled, "Always blunt aren't you?"

"Seven kids and all," she said with a shrug.

He sighed and shook his head, "No we aren't sleeping together." He leveled his gaze to hers and said, "I'm not my father either," referencing Nathan's earlier sentiments.

She smirked. "You're a teenage boy Luke. At some point in the near future you will want to sleep with my daughter...I just want to have it up front this time rather than a surprise." Mrs. James was alluding to finding one of her other daughters in bed with a boy that she and her husband didn't know she was dating.

Lucas smirked, "I heard about that." He looked down and then into Jessica's face again, "I grew up without a father. If anyone understands the drawbacks to teen pregnancy, it's me. Dan told mom to abort me so I got a pretty good fix on the whole array of reactions."

"Okay, well...Let it be said that I like your continence far more than your brother and am much happier this go round. When my baby wakes up we'll have 'the talk' and she'll be mortified that I discussed this with you," Mrs. James said simply.

There was a distinct pause as Lucas stared at his fingers interlaced with Haley's. "I love her, you know," Lucas mumbled.

Jessica ran her hand through his hair. "I know...you always have...just took you a while to realize that your relationship was changing."

Lucas's cell phone began to ring. It took him a minute to recognize the sound and locate it. He wasn't even supposed to have the stupid thing on in the hospital wing. The number was Keith's so Lucas just called him back on the hospital phone. "What's up?"

"Are you going to press charges against Nathan for assault?" Keith's voice said smoothly.

"I hadn't thought about it." Lucas flexed his jaw in anger, "Why? Is he trying to get out of it?"

"No Luke. He's not." There was silence for a few moments. "Luke, he is serious about this...he wants to be punished. He is looking for you to press charges."

"I don't understand."

"You and your mom always had limits, areas you knew you couldn't cross. You understand that it's a sign of love. Nathan has never had boundaries...he has always gotten away with stuff and now someone he loves is hurt because of his carelessness. He wants penance," Keith explained from the front porch of the Scott's home. "He doesn't want Dan involved and he doesn't want to coast through this...Now are you going to press charges or not?"

"Let me talk to him."

"What?" Keith questioned.

"I want to talk to him before I decide," Lucas explained.

"Hold on."

Keith went inside and handed the phone to Nathan, "Lucas wants to talk to you...'talk' being the operative word here."

Nathan took the phone cautiously before he stood and began to pace, "Hey."

"Hey."

"Anything change?" Nathan asked quietly.

Lucas looked at Haley's face, "No."

There was silence for a while, then Lucas got up the nerve he needed, "What assurance do I have that you will let Haley be once she wakes up?"

Nathan was stunned. He hadn't considered the idea before. His brain had been swimming with so much hate and frustration at himself he forgot to think about life moving on from this point. "I guess once I see she is okay with my own eyes, I won't bother her again...I'll find another tutor...I'll walk away if that's what you both want."

Lucas let out a deep breath, "Hold on a second." He turned to Jessica and asked, "Are you going to be filing assault charges against Nathan?"

Jessica shook her head, "That would be Haley's choice and yours."

Lucas nodded and went back to Nathan. He paused. If he ever wanted Nathan Scott out of his life for good, this was his chance. If the roles were reversed Nathan wouldn't think twice...but that was why Haley was with him and not Nathan. He was the bigger man. "I won't file charges but I don't want my mom or Haley's mom, for that matter, to have to pay for the ambulance, stitches, and general health care. If you and your mom are willing to cover the expenses then I am willing to not press charges. I can't speak for Haley though."

"I'll be lucky if she doesn't get a restraining order against me," Nathan mumbled.

Lucas chuckled, "Now that I know she won't do. North Carolina has some pretty stiff penalties for stalking."

Nathan gave a half laugh, "Would serve me right though."

Lucas could feel Nathan's anguish and did his best to ease it. The one thing Nathan wanted more than anything was for Lucas to acknowledge that he did not intentionally injure Haley. Lucas could give him that. "Nathan...I do believe you when you say you would never hurt Haley...at least intentionally." Lucas was quiet a moment then continued, "You going to be okay with the fact that Haley and I are together?"

"I'm going to have to be," Nathan said leaning his head against his windowpane. The coolness of the glass eased his growing headache.

"Wait until Haley wakes...she may be okay with seeing you," his brother offered.

That was more than he could take, "Why do you have to be so nice about all this?"

"Kill 'em with kindness...It's a southern tradition," Lucas said off hand. "Look...at the hospital I was pretty rough on you. It was like Peyton's car all over again, except it was Haley that was broken...Knowing that you aren't backing out of your part makes this a lot easier to deal with."

There was a long period of silence before Lucas spoke again, "I'll...ah...let you know when she wakes up okay?"

"Okay."

Nathan hung up the phone and handed it back to Keith. He wanted to cry so badly his gut hurt. Deb noticed her son tremble slightly and came up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his middle. "I love you honey. We're going to get through this." Nathan turned in his mother's arms and let himself be comforted...and he let himself cry for what he knew he had to let go of...Haley.

Lucas set down the phone back on the cradle and looked over at Jessica who was looking at him fondly. "You're a good man Lucas Scott. My daughter is lucky to have you."

"Yeah. Well... points for Mom Approval," he said swallowing the lump in his throat.

Jessica tugged Lucas back down to his post by Haley's side, "You love my daughter and I know it. I can't ask for more than that."

He shrugged. "When Nathan gets his act together he could provide wealth," Lucas pointed out playing with the frayed edge of his sleeve.

"A wealth of money does not help with a wealth of heartache Lucas," Mrs. James said sweetly. "Now try waking your Sleeping Beauty with a kiss..."

His eyebrows jumped to his hairline. "What?"

"Just give it a try," Jessica encouraged. "Haley always was a sucker for Prince Phillip."

Lucas chuckled and shook his head. Jessica nodded and nudged his shoulder. He breathed deep before whispering to Haley, "Come on sweets. Open you eyes for me...come back to me." He kissed her sweetly on the forehead, nose and then lips. Lucas stared at her a moment then sighed, "Not a prince after all."

Jessica laughed, "Always a prince."

Lucas took up Haley's hand again and kissed it. "I'll wait Hales...I may not have a hundred years but... You just get better." Jessica and Lucas just smiled at on another for a moment. It was about then that Haley's fingers twitched in Lucas's palm.

Tbc...

A/N: Haley will wake up next chapter...promise.

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