Nathan stirred and yawned as he rolled over searching for comfort on the hard little couch. He bumped into the warmer, smaller figure stretched out beside him and they both awakened instantly. He found himself staring into the warmest, most beautiful set of brown eyes he had ever looked into.

"Hey."

"Hey", she said back.

"What time is it?"

Haley checked her watch.

"A little after midnight."

He sat up and winced, his back crying out for relief after countless endless nights of catnaps without comfort.

"Where is everybody?"

"Your dad got released so he's resting at the hotel and Deb went to be with him. Chris had business upstate and Taylor and Karen are at my place. I sent Brooke and Lucas back to their hotel."

Nathan nodded. It was just the two of them.

"How's Lillian?"

Haley smiled at the mention of their daughter's name.

"Sleeping. I looked in on her about an hour ago."

"And that treatment stuff they're giving her?"

"She's okay. She's not in any pain. The doctors just want to make sure her little body is strong enough for her part of the transplant."

He stared at the floor.

"I hope it works out…all of it."

"It will", Haley said quickly.

It had to. She couldn't see it any other way.

"When are they gonna actually put the bone marrow in her?"

"We're shooting for tomorrow afternoon if all goes well."

Nathan looked around at the quiet and dimly lit room.

"Maybe you should try to get some sleep. Some real sleep. I could hang out here if you want to go to your place for a few hours."

She shook her head.

"I'm okay. I don't want to leave her. I can't leave."

"You look so tired."

"So do you. We all are, I guess. But I won't be able to rest until after the transplant is over with and we know it took and she's okay. Besides, I took a bunch of naps here earlier. I'm okay. I just need some coffee."

"Me too."

"I'll get it", she stood.

"Look, Haley, I…I'm kind of tired of that crap coming out of the vending machine. Want to go across the street to that little diner? I think it's open 24 hours and it can't be much worse."

She nodded.

"Okay. Um, just for a little while."

They were silent on the short journey and the street diner was empty when they arrived. Nathan grabbed a couple of doughnuts and croissants while she made two cups of coffee. He paid and they settled at a table.

"I lied", he said as he swallowed his first sip.

"Excuse me?"

"About the coffee", he sheepishly grinned. "It is worse or just as bad I should say. Tastes like liquid crap."

She took a gulp and frowned before she smiled.

"At least it's hot liquid crap."

"Know where you can get the best coffee in the world? And don't tell Karen because she'll kill me but there's this little place in San Diego called the Korova Coffe Bar…"

Haley's face lit up.

"Yeah, I know that place. It's on Park Boulevard."

"Yeah."

"Oh I love their coffee. It's so good. I stop there whenever I tour in San Diego."

"Yeah, I went there every time on my way to L.A. to play the Lakers."

His voice trailed off.

"How is that? Basketball, I mean. Any word on next season?"

"No", he sighed. "So far the pre season is a no go and I haven't heard squat on the regular season. I don't even know what's going on with my contract in Charlotte."

"I'm sorry, Nathan."

"Don't be. It's cool. It's not your fault."

"I can't help but think that some of it is."

"It isn't. I messed up. Mouthing off to coaches, showing up plastered on game night, skipping practice, being a dick to my teammates…that shit doesn't fly in the NBA. I was unprofessional. All the other garbage I was dealing with personally shouldn't have interfered. I reacted and just handled things wrong, now I have to deal with the consequences."

"Wow", Haley raised her eyebrows. "That's very mature of you."

"I've grown up a lot. I didn't have much choice these past few months. I made a lot of mistakes and it was time to fix them. I have to learn to accept responsibility for my actions…or at least that's what they tell me in AA."

"AA?"

"Yeah", he looked away. "I go to meetings sometimes. It helps, I guess. I tell Luke I only go for the refreshments but uh…it works out. I haven't touched a sip of alcohol since the accident."

"And the guy you hit?"

"Mike? Oh he's cool. He's a good guy. His whole family is made of good stuff, I tell you. He's out of the hospital and in physical therapy."

"He's going to be okay?"

Nathan sighed.

"Okay as okay can be. He'll never be the same. That's why I paid all his medical bills and I pay for his therapy and right now I'm basically supporting his family. I will help them out financially for the rest of my life if I have to."

"That's big of you."

"I owe him that and then some. But it's not just about money. I don't do it for show or because I have to but it's because I want to. It comes from my heart. I messed him up pretty bad because I was being stupid. Through it all, he has still managed to be my friend. That says a lot about the guy."

"That'll come back to you. I mean it. It's a good way to square your karma."

"I know but I don't care about that."

"I know but just the same. It might help you with basketball. I know how much you love it. Not the pressure or your dad on your case but just the game itself. And you're so great at it."

"I'm not gonna lie. I'd like to get it all back but if it doesn't happen, then I'll deal. I lost a lot more than basketball this year."

"I'm sorry about your daughter", Haley blurted out. "Your other daughter, I mean. Yoanna."

Nathan looked sad.

"That was…it's really hard."

"I can't imagine…"

"It was rough on me and just everybody. Especially Meg. It tore her up inside."

Haley sighed.

"I…I heard about that, too."

"She left me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Man, news travels fast. Lucas tell you?"

"No…Dan actually."

Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Great", he mumbled. "Mom must have told him. That's what I had to talk to her about when I saw you guys eating."

"Are you okay? I mean, with everything else going on…"

"I can't even think about that now. It's just one more thing to deal with. I can't say that I blame her. I can't believe she hung around this long. I'm ashamed to admit it but uh…sometimes I wasn't very nice to her. I hurt her a lot actually and she didn't deserve it. I put that girl through hell and back and she loved me and stayed loyal to the end when plenty of times she could have and probably should have punched me and told me to my face what a bastard I was. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. It's over now and that's probably for the best but I didn't get the chance to say good bye. She wrote me this sad but totally awesome letter and I never got the chance to hold her or apologize or just say good bye. I just wish there was something I could have done or could do to repay her for all the things she did for me. All I ever did was give that girl heartache."

"Nathan…"

"I'm sorry. Guess I shouldn't be discussing this with you."

"It's okay", Haley whispered. "You're just being honest and saying what's on your mind…and in your heart. There's nothing wrong with that. You've been through a lot."

"I've been through a lot and I've lost a lot and because of all that, I've learned a lot. Man, I'm still not perfect. Sometimes I don't think before I speak or I let my temper get the best of me but I'm trying. I'm really trying. I'm trying to make sense somehow out of everything that has happened. But I know I've got a lot of good people in my corner. I'm tired of letting them down…and myself for that matter. I didn't have the chance to do it with Yoanna but if you'll let me, I want to be there for Jamarah."

A tear slid down her cheek.

"Okay."

"Thanks, Hales", he said softly.

"Lillian", she cried.

"Huh?"

Haley smiled through her tears.

"Her name is Lillian. Not Jamarah or Jamma, just Lillian."

"Okay", he laughed. "Are you going to change it on her birth certificate?"

Haley thought for a minute.

"Nah. Lillian is her middle name so I'll just call her that. Besides, Jamarah isn't so bad. It actually kind of grows on you after a while but if you tell Taylor I said that, I will kill you."

"Your secret is safe", he grinned.

"Thanks."

"Haley, one more thing…"

"What's up?"

"I would like you to change the name on her birth certificate from James to Scott."

"What?"

"I mean, you can keep James or hyphenate it but I'd really like my last name on Jam…I mean, Lillian's birth certificate."

Haley nodded.

"Okay then. Jamarah Lillian James-Scott it is then."

"Sounds good."

"It does, doesn't it?"

They just looked at each other.

"We should get back", Nathan suggested.

Haley nodded as they stood to leave.

"I'll be so glad when this is over", she groaned. "I just want Lillian to be okay and I want to be a mom and just return to my normal life."

Nathan smiled as he stood close to her, a loud clicking sound jarring them.

"What the…"

Across the street at almost two in the morning, the paparazzi had spotted them and began snapping their pictures. Haley hid her face with her hands while Nathan briskly guided them back to the hospital entrance.

"Just great", she complained when they were safely inside. "Wonder what kind of story they're going to print now?"

Nathan tipped the security staff and asked them to keep the vultures away.

"Who knows?" he sighed. "Welcome back to our normal life."