For a brief moment, the whole world stood still. "We have a match" was the sentence and those few words made time stop ticking. After the initial shock wore off, Haley could not contain her joy. Tears filled her eyes and her hands covered her mouth as she mumbled a prayer of heartfelt thanks. It had all worked out. A donor had been found. Lillian was going to be okay.
"Who was the match?" Karen asked.
The doctor flipped through some notes.
"Mr. Daniel Scott."
The irony of the situation was not lost on the group. It could not have been scripted more dramatically than to have Dan of all people be the sole match for Nathan and Haley's baby.
"Thank God", Deb mouthed out loud.
"What happens now?" Lucas asked. "How soon can the transplant be done? How does it work?"
"Well, we'd like to begin as soon as possible. The transplant can take place as early as tomorrow afternoon. Mr. Scott, you have proved to be a viable match, however, there are still a few more tests that need to be done to prepare you for the procedure as well as tell us if your body can handle it. We have no doubt the transplant would be a success but it is standard practice to complete the necessary evaluations prior. Right away we would like to begin injecting you with protein growth factors. That will stimulate your marrow to make new white blood cells. Once we are ready, you will be taken into surgery under general anesthesia. Peripheral blood stem cells are obtained through a process called aphaeresis, which separates blood into its different components. Mr. Scott, there will be plenty of medications provided to keep you comfortable and after a 24 hour in patient hospital stay for observation, your part is done. A full recovery is expected and your body should replace the donated marrow in two to three weeks."
"And the baby?"
"Once the stem cells have been harvested, frozen and preserved from Mr. Scott's marrow, they will be injected into baby Jamarah. It's much like a blood transfusion. It won't take long for the process but it's the aftermath that is the most concern. Because of her age, we will likely keep her hospitalized for a week or so. We will need to monitor her reactions closely to see if her body accepts the new marrow. But I assure you these type procedures are performed all the time. I can't make any promises but this was her best chance. If all goes well like we hope and expect, our little patient should make a full recovery."
"Will she be in any pain?"
"The staff will do its best to ensure she is made comfortable at all times."
Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief. It didn't seem so bad or so complicated.
"Thanks, Doc", Lucas shook his hand.
"We were just lucky to find a suitable match."
Dan cleared his throat.
"Is that common? I mean, what are the odds?" he smirked. "A donor being a non relative."
The doctor raised his eyebrow.
"The odds are always better, sir, when the donor is a blood relative, as was in this particular case with you and your granddaughter."
"Granddaughter? What hat did you pull that rabbit from?"
"Nathan Scott and Haley James are listed as the baby's parents and you are the biological father of Nathan Scott."
"I am Nathan's father but whose to say this woman's child is his?"
"Dan!" Deb admonished.
"Dan, exactly what are you saying?" Karen demanded.
"I'm just curious because paternity has not been proven. It could be Nathan's or Chris' or hell, anybody's…"
"You son of a bitch", Taylor shook her head.
"Dad, just stop it, man? Alright? She…she's my kid", Nathan said quietly.
Haley was furious.
"You know, I try to give you the benefit of the doubt, Mr. Scott and assume you're a half decent human being, or hell, at least a human being but there you go proving me wrong yet again. To answer your burning question, yes Lillian is Nathan's daughter. She is your flesh and blood grandchild. But that's irrelevant right now. It shouldn't even matter. All you need to know is that a little girl is dying and you're the only one with the ability to save her life. Whether she's your grandchild or somebody else's, the only thing you should be worrying about is trying to help out."
"I never said I wouldn't help out…Miss James", he grinned evilly.
"Okay, everyone just stop for a minute!" Lucas put his hands up. "Dad, Haley's right. The baby is Nathan's but regardless, you are the only available donor. Only you can save this baby's life. And she is a baby. A beautiful, innocent, tiny, helpless little baby. Just do the right thing. Please. Everybody put their differences aside and quit bickering."
Dan rubbed his chin and nodded as if he were contemplating his next devious move.
"I would like to have a private discussion…with just family and the doctor of course. Deb, Lucas, Nathan…and I guess you, too, Haley."
Karen looked nervous as Dan summoned the members just like they were apart of the staff at his dealership. He seemed so casual about it, like it was another day at the office discussing the latest inventory as opposed to the life or death of a child.
"Dan, what is this all about?" Deb asked frantically when they were all alone in a smaller, private room with the door closed.
"Bottom line, I want a DNA test. You can make that happen, can't you, Doc?"
The doctor looked confused.
"Of course but I'm sorry I don't see the relevance…"
"Oh it's very relevant. I need to know and I need to know now if indeed Haley James' baby was fathered by my son, Nathan."
"Dad…"
"Mr. Scott, it would be no problem to perform a paternity test, if Ms. James and your son agree to it and the results would be back in 72 hours but please. We would like to begin the transplant process immediately…"
"Dan!" Deb grabbed him. "What the hell are you trying to pull? You have done a lot of vile and despicable things over the years but this takes the cake. Now I don't want to hear another word about this paternity crap. You march your ass down to that hematology clinic and you do whatever you have to do to save that little girl's life. Do you hear me?"
"Dad", Lucas began. "Look, I know Dan Scott isn't best known for having the biggest heart. You are who you are and I get that. But you're not the evil, ruthless, sick fuck everyone thinks you are. You know that and I know that. God, over the years no one hated you more than me. But I gave you a chance after your heart attack, man. I got to know the real you. And deep down inside is a real human being who loves his family. You know that Jamarah is Nathan's daughter. Still not sure? Go into the Isolation unit and take a look at her, Dad. She's a Scott, alright, if I've ever seen one. But even if she wasn't, I know you're not going to let an innocent baby die. Don't do it. Not to me or Deb or Nathan or Haley…and not to your own conscious, man. We already lost Yoanna. There was nothing any of us could do to save her. But we can do something about this. You can."
Dan sighed as he listened to the heartfelt words of his oldest son.
"This is not a game, Dad", Nathan shook his head. "This isn't something for you to play with or use to your advantage. It's another human life. And it's my daughter. I'm not asking you to save her, I'm telling you because if you don't, I'll never forgive you. Not only will you be dead to me in spirit, you'll be dead to everyone else because if that baby dies, as God as my witness, I will kill you with my bare hands."
The younger man was eerily calm but obviously, deadly serious. Dan looked at his sons, his wife, former daughter in law, and the doctor.
"I need a moment", he cleared his throat.
Deb, guided by Lucas, tearfully walked away in disbelief while Nathan simply stared his father down, extra measure added to let him know his earlier threats were anything but idle. Only Haley remained.
"What do I have to do, Mr. Scott?" she asked softly. "You're right…in the end you always win. I know there's a catch, a stipulation, a condition. As much as I can't believe it, as much as I hate you for it, I don't have a choice, do I? Omce again, it's time to play the game by Dan Scott's rules. Fine. If that's how you want it, fine."
"My, my", Dan eyed. "I've never seen you so…compliant."
"My child's life is in your hands. You control whether or not Lillian lives or dies. I'd say the ball is pretty much in your court."
Dan nodded.
"You say that's my blood that runs through that child's veins and it is my marrow that will save her life. She's a Scott? Then she needs to be one. There is no such thing as being a 'part time Scott' even though you unsuccessfully tried to invent it."
"What are you getting at?"
"Simple. I'll have my attorneys draw up the papers in a matter of minutes. I want custody of my granddaughter."
"Are you crazy?" Haley yelled.
"What? We're the proud, loving, concerned mother all of a sudden? Gee, Haley, what brought that about? My sources tell me a week ago, you couldn't even stand to look at little Lillian or Jamarah or whatever the hell her name is."
"I was sick", she trembled. "I couldn't help it…"
"I know, I know. Post partum depression, they call it. Just another excuse for pieces of trash like you to not be a mother. Funny thing is, you should have thought about that before you slept with another woman's fiancé and started breeding like a horny St. Bernard in heat. But then again, that isn't your fault. Why, nothing is ever poor Haley's fault, now is it? How…unfortunate."
"I love Lillian."
"Then you'll do what's best for her. You'll allow me to save her life…and then let me give her a better one."
Tears streamed down Haley's cheeks.
"Over my dead body", she whispered.
Dan smirked as he turned to leave.
"Or Lillian's."