Author's Note: So Jen, you want an invitation, huh? Hhhhmmmm...I'll think about it. Exactly how old are you? If you had a Care Bear and Cabbage Patch AND a Garbage Pail kid growing up and you can remember episodes of Different Strokes and Family Ties before the syndication days, give me a shout on the e-mail, lol...

I can smile now...Mora AND Carys have returned. All is right in "Malissa Land" now!

"Rock a bye baby,

On the treetop,

When the wind blows,

The cradle will rock,

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,

And down will come baby, cradle and all."

Haley sighed as Lillian finally seemed to be settled in her baby bed. After Taylor and Chris had left and Sesame Street had ended, it had been a nightmare in the James' household. It had taken a couple of hours but after a few lullabies, the tired child had cried herself out. Now Haley was all alone…until the knock on the door, that is.

"Taylor, if you forgot your key again…"

She opened it and it wasn't her sister.

"Hey", he said.

"Nathan…hi…um, what are you doing here?"

He wanted to say something, tell her everything but it was so hard. So he did the only thing he knew to do. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in and kissed her hard.

"Hales, we have to talk", he finally pulled away.

She was panting and breathless, suddenly embarrassed that her hair hadn't seen a comb and that dried baby puke stained her shirt.

"Um, okaaayyy…Nathan, what is going on?"

"Chris just left my apartment."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Oh God, is he dead?"

Nathan couldn't help but chuckle.

"Actually no. The punk ass talked and I listened to what he had to say and it put a lot into perspective."

"Chris? Chris Keller?"

"Yes. And if you tell anyone I think he made sense, I will deny, deny, deny."

"Nathan…"

"Did you read Esquire?"

She nodded.

"Yeah."

"That came from my heart. It was real and honest and…"

"I know", she said softly.

"Everything I said in there, I meant."

"I know that, too."

"I love you, Haley."

"And I love you but…"

Nathan stood up.

"No. Why does there have to be a but? Why can't we just love each other and go on from there?"

She put her head in her hands.

"Because I'm scared. Scared for you and for me and for Lillian…"

"I'm scared too but I don't care anymore. Right now the only thing scarier than being with you and Lil is being without you. That tears me up, Haley. I lost you once…I can't do that again."

"Nathan…"

"Don't you get it? We're meant to be. No matter how much time or what happens, we are supposed to be together. It's our destiny. All the shit we went through that tore us apart and we still ended up here with a baby even. What other sign do we need?"

"Listen to me…"

"No. You listen to me. Please. I want you. You are the love of my life. I have needed anyone or anything like I need you right now. My heart physically aches for you, Haley and it has been for eight years. I'm saying to you now what I should have said back then. What I should have done the night you got on the bus or all the nights after when you called me. I don't care about ego or pride or Chris Keller or music or any of that now. All that matters is you and me together with our daughter."

A tear slid down her face. He wiped it away with his thumb.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" she whispered. "I mean that. You have to know, Nathan. And I don't even know how to express it to you because there are no words. Everything I have…the money, the awards, the fans, the success…it never meant as much because you and I didn't share it together. I love my life and I'm proud of what I have done but if I could turn back time, I never would have gotten on that bus…not if it meant losing you. Because at the end of the day, it isn't worth it. All the riches and fame and accomplishments in the world don't amount to a hill of beans. This right here…the overflowing dirty diaper pail and the sleepless nights and…looking into your eyes. That's what means the most."

Nathan was afraid to breathe.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

She took a deep breath.

"I'm saying I can't imagine my life without you."

He nodded.

"Neither can I but I can't be just your friend, Hales. I'm sorry. Maybe that's selfish but it's just the way I feel. We'll always be in each other's lives because of Lillian but if you think for a second I'm cool with just being your buddy then you're wrong. Because I'm in love with you. I'm tired of fighting how I feel when I love you so much I can't even see straight. I'm serious about this, Hales. About everything. I'm getting my life back in order and I want you in it. I need you and Lillian. I'm back in the NBA and I'm gonna play right down the road in Jersey. We're gonna be together again…just like a real family."

"Nathan", she cried out.

"Yeah?"

"Hold me."

Her voice was so soft he could barely hear her but he had been waiting for her to say those words for eight years. He enveloped her and it felt so good he trembled. Feeling her warmth and the beat of her heart at that one moment made up for every tear he's ever cried. She was back where she belonged. They were a team and he didn't plan on losing her again.

"I love you", he kept saying over and over again.

She cupped his handsome face and smiled through her tears. God, he was just as beautiful as she remembered if not more. She pulled him towards her and her lips fell on his. He parted them and their soft tongues enjoyed a beautiful uninterrupted slow dance.

"Oh my God", she pulled away, giggling uncontrollably.

Nathan raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, I wasn't exactly expecting laughter. What's going on?"

She blushed.

"That was good…like so much better than I remembered."

"Thanks", he grinned.

"I mean it. Little birds are chirping in my ears and I can't breathe and I'm seeing stars and even Snow White is dancing around."

"What can I say?" he joked. "I see I haven't lost my touch."

She hit him with the pillow.

"Watch it, Mister. I see you haven't lost your arrogance either."

"I prefer confidence."

"Whatever", she stuck her tongue out at him.

"There's one more thing I didn't lose", he said in a serious tone.

"Nate…"

"This."

He pulled it out of his pocket and held it up in front of her. She gasped, the color draining from her pretty face.

"Nathan! Oh my God! Where did you…"

"I kept it", he smiled.

"After all these years?"

"Yeah, you…you left it that night."

Haley closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you did, I guess. So many times I wanted to throw it out but I couldn't. It reminded me of how much I loved you. And even when it got really tough and I was really pissed, I would remember that day at the docks."

"I never forgot", she said. "And don't think for a minute that I did."

He nodded as he put his larger palm to her smaller one. The Cracker Jack bracelet was stretched and placed on both their hands, then he slowly slid his south so that it fell into perfect place on her wrist. It was back where it belonged.

"There you go", he said. "Don't say I never gave you anything."