Chapter 6- Chasing Haley

Nathan walked outside the gym after he was changed and cleaned up and met his agent in his car.

"So, did you find it, and get tickets?" Nathan asked his agent.

"You're in luck, I could, small world, maybe, but my little girl is in this play and her Aunt can't come in to see it tonight, so you're free to have her seat, its front row center."

"Dude, you are like the best agent."

"Thanks, so does this mean I get a raise?"

"We'll see, if I get my Haley back, then yes." His agent smiled.

"Okay, well we need to leave now."

On the train Haley and Nate were sitting, Nate starring out the window. "Nate, I think it's time we have one of our mom to man talks."

"What's wrong mommy?"

"Well, I need to tell you something, why I wouldn't let you go."

"Yea, why didn't you."

"Well, that man is your daddy, and I don't like him very much, he hurt me, years ago, but he did do one thing for me, he gave me you, and I am thankful for that every single day."

"What happened?"

"I had a dream, I wanted to be a singer, and Chris, you know Chris, he offered me the chance of a lifetime, to go on tour with him, it was the break I needed, and I wanted to go, but he told me, that if I left, I couldn't come back. I sat up that night, and thought about it, I had supported him in what he wanted to do, everything, and now it was my chance to excel, and he didn't want me to, so I left, and never looked back, and while on the road, I found out about you, and I thought up again that night, and decided I wouldn't go back, I wanted you, and I knew that if I went back I wouldn't have you, and that night, Aunt Taylor came out to see the show, and I told her, and she stayed with me, and that pretty much leads to now."

"Mommy, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Wanting to go with him tonight."

"It's not your fault baby, and I love you. So you excited for the show tonight?"

"Yea, it's gonna be great," he smiled. He had been helping with the play since it started.

The train pulled into the station, and they caught a cab to the school, for last minute preparation.

Haley was rushing around backstage, it was a mess, she shows up ten minutes late and someone decides it's a good idea to put a seven year old in charge.

"Ashley Collins, I have your costume right here in my hand, so whoever's costume you're wearing, take it off, and come get yours," Haley yelled holding up a costume, it was a dress. The little blonde girl came running, and you could obviously tell she was wearing someone else's costume, it was big on her, she took hers and went to change. A few minutes later she brought the other costume to her. Well one down, 30 more to go. She took the costume, well half of them were dressed, in what seemed to be their costumes, then there were about eight fighting about something and the rest, girls, in their school uniforms. This was going to be a long night.

Luckily be eight, everyone was situated in their costumes, knew their lines, and was ready.

Haley went out to start the show, "Good Evening Ladies and Gentleman, families and friends, staff and students of The Northedge Rockwell School for Girls and The Northedge Huntington School for Boys production of Oliver. As many of you know, we have worked many days in school and on weekends and after school to make this production a success. And now I would like to present Mathew Jenkins, to start our play," Haley said as a boy walked out, holding a piece of paper, the lights dimmed as the audience quieted and the spotlight fell on him. Haley walked backstage to make sure everything was all right.

Nathan walked in just as a boy started talking. He was short skinny, brown hair and brown eyes. He seemed okay, a little nervous, but all in all, he did good. They play started, a little rocky, but it was good.

At intermission around eight thirty the lights went back on and the kids went around to their parents, and it was a big thing. Haley and Nate were going around talking to a few people, then had to go backstage to get ready for the next scene, it was going to be a long night, especially since she saw Nathan.

The second half of the production went better than the first. With only one person tripping, not bad, and only minimal forgotten lines, it was declared a success.

Parents were happy with their children's performance. That was good, and it was tapped, to be put on TV at the end of the school year. Haley walked around backstage, cleaning up, so tomorrow morning it wouldn't be hectic, when Nathan walked in.

"Well, you found the place, congratulations, to bad we're closed, and I'm leaving, come on Nate, time to go home," Haley said, taking Nate's hand and walking to the exit. Nathan followed them, out the door, and to their apartment, only he arrived like fifteen minutes later.

He knocked on the door of the apartment that the man he talked to said was hers. Haley looked through the peephole, and saw him, and didn't answer.

"Come on Haley, please, let me in, can't we talk." Haley ignored him, acting like she wasn't there. "Haley I know you're in there, please, let me in, please, let's just talk." He just kept getting louder, and Haley feared he would wake Nate, so she answered the door.

"Some father you are, I swear Nathan, yelling at what is it, almost ten, Nate is in bed, you want to wake him up?" Haley glared at him from the doorway. She could tell he was looking around the shabby place.

"Nice place."

"Whatever Nathan, quit the act, you're not going to see him, okay, I gave you what you wanted, I showed you what you lost, what else do you need, you want to take what I have, cause you're not getting it, I'm happy with Nate, okay, he's my life, my everything, I live for him, and you obviously don't get that."

"I'm not putting on an act, and I realize what I lost, and I'm trying to find it, get it back, and you're not helping."

"Well, maybe I don't want you back, maybe I'm happy with my life the way it is, maybe if you really wanted back what you lost, it wouldn't take five years and me finding you to show you what you lost."

"Haley, don't be like this."

"Be like what Nathan, practical, cause that's all I'm being, I don't want Nate to get attached to you, because after the season, he isn't going to see you again, I'm putting up with this for a couple more months, and that's all, I'm only in it for him and my career. Not to see you, or Luke, or any of the guys, or anyone else, I'm only in it to sing and to see Nate happy."

"You know that's not true."

"Yes I do, good night," Haley started to slam the door in his face, but he grabbed it.

"Just let me come in, we can talk, work things out, please, please Hales, don't you want us to be a family."

"Nathan, we will never be a family, you decided that when you told me when I left that we were over, we were through, done."

"Hales, please, I understand my mistakes, I've made a lot, you helped me not make as many, you turned me into a better man, and I want to be that man again, for you, but I need your help."

Haley shook her head, but moved from the doorway, "Come in," she closed the door after him. She walked into the kitchen/dining area. "Have a seat, look around, make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back." Haley walked down the narrow hallway that led to the three small bedrooms. Nate's bedroom was on the left, Haley's on the right and in the middle was Taylor and Chris's room, when either stayed there. Haley stopped at the closet, just before her room and got out a couple photo albums, started from when she left, pictures of the tour. She took them back to the table and saw Nathan looking at a particular picture on the wall. It was last Christmas, it was of Haley and Nate, Haley was sitting sideways, looking at the camera, wearing a deep blue sweater, with Nate between her legs, her arms around him, and he was looking at the camera, wearing a red and green sweater. There was a fire place background and a fake present in Nate's hands. They looked really happy.

"That was the Christmas both Taylor and Chris came, he was so happy, since both had called and canceled because of all that snow, and then Christmas morning, they both showed up at the door minutes after each other." Nathan looked at her.

"You've kept in touch with him?"

"Yea, he shares a room here with Taylor, its divided in half, it's really funny, you should see it sometime."

"Why do you still keep in touch with Chris?"

"Well, it started he was worried about me, then Nate got attached, and now I'm sure him and my sister are an item, so I'm going to see a lot more of him, and you won't tell me otherwise."

"Haley, you're right, I shouldn't tell you what to do, I don't own you, and I'm not even your husband."

"You're right, you can't tell me what to do, and you're not my husband, but maybe we can take it slow, see where the season takes us, friends maybe, and maybe I'd think of coming back next season."

Nathan smiled, "Maybe, so what have you been up to for the past five years?"

"I'm glad you asked, I've tons of pictures," Haley said, gesturing the photo albums. She opened the first one, it had tons of pictures from the tour, mostly her and Chris, and just her, but others had the wreckers, or later ones with Taylor. Nathan seemed to enjoy the pictures. The next album was of her senior year, her, her with friends, her and baby Nate. There were pictures of her at school, at home, and other places in New York. Presumably she was a cheerleader for her high school, and worked at a local coffee shop.

"You were a cheerleader here, but not for me?"

"I made a lot of changes when I came here, thought I'd give it a shot, I happen to like it, might consider it a profession," Haley laughed, turning the pages of the books, remembering some good times.

"What kind of changes?"

"I became a mother, a working woman, and independent woman, I'm a teacher, and I love my girls, just like Nate, and I wouldn't give up any of this for anything. I like the building, I trust everyone here, its like a family. Nathan, sure I would have loved that you share this with me, but I left, I wanted to know if I was good enough to be a singer, someone who doesn't get booed off the stage, or if I was just destined to sing at TRIC. Nathan, you could have found me at any time, you could have called, told me you didn't mean what you said, told me you wanted me to come back, to work things out, and yet after five years, no word, and now, I went out and found you, don't you get it? The words you said to me that night keep ringing in my head, you told me how you felt, and I knew how I felt, I left, those words hurt me."

"Haley, you can't hold what I said five years ago against me, its not fair, I'm sorry."

"Well maybe sorry isn't good enough Nathan, I couldn't come back, after what you said to me, which is why I have Nate, I knew if I came back, I wouldn't have him, it would be too much to handle, and I love Nate with all my heart, you have to understand that."

"I'm really sorry, and if you give me a chance I could love you and Nate, we could be a family."

"I'm sorry Nathan, no, I won't, I won't let you in and be a part of my family, I can't, if only you saw him tonight, he was so upset when I told him."

"Told who what?"

"Told Nate the truth, he was so upset, his walls are bare, he took off the jerseys and the sheets off his bead, his figurines, everything, his whole collection of you, he got rid of it, I put it in the closet, its all gone, I told him you're his father, and what you said to me, and then he saw you tonight, that just made him worse, and I think you should go before he hears us and wakes up."

"Haley, you can't honestly live your life on what a five year old thinks."

"I think the same as he does, not now Nathan, just leave, it was a bad idea letting you in like this, and I don't want Nate to find out, so please, just go," Haley looked to the door. Nathan reluctantly got up and left without a word.