Disclaimer: Don't own the brilliance of OTH, but I do own this mini plot.
Just bought Jessica Simpson's latest album In This Skin and found the perfect song for Naley - and I don't own it either. This is my first time venturing into the fandom, but I absolutely love Nathan and Haley being together. Naley true love. So, enjoy.
"You sure you wanna do this?" Peyton asked.
Haley glanced back at her guitar case. Pictures of her wedding day covered the black felt lining. Pictures of her and Nathan, of them. Memories of when they were still together, when they loved each other. Chris was gone from her life, and now this was her chance. Despite her abrupt departure, her agent still hadn't given up on her. Haley ran her finger over her golden wedding band before looking back up from the guitar case.
"I have to do this," she said, her voice solid.
Peyton smiled at the words. If she had half of Haley's singing talent, she would be up there tonight singing for Jake too. But tonight was Haley's chance, and Peyton knew it. Reaching over to where Haley's guitar lay propped against the wall she handed it to Haley. The singer looked it over in her hands for a moment, before letting her eyes close with memory.
"Then let's go," Peyton said, opening the dressing room door, Haley following her. Peyton pushed aside the velvet curtain and walked out onto the stage. Haley waited off stage for her introduction.
The DJ ended the song he had been playing with a few drumbeats as the crowd quieted in Tric. All eyes were on Peyton as she took center stage, bringing the mike up to her mouth to speak. She hadn't told the occupants that night who would be the guest performer, only that she wouldn't disappoint. And Peyton knew Haley wouldn't. The singer might not be performing an original song, but the acoustic version was just as good.
Peyton spotted Nathan near the back of the crowded room, Lucas next to him along with Brooke and Jake. It had taken all of them to get him there.
"Well, now that we've got this crowd under control," Peyton began, grinning. Remarks and cheers were heard here and there amoung the crowd, all encouraging their hostess. "An old friend of mine has decided to come and sing for you tonight," Peyton glanced at Jake, who gave her a reassuring smile. "So put your hands together and enjoy her show!" She finished, her voice rising as the sound of the crowd did. Clapping began as whistles were heard.
The neon lights surrounding the crowd dimmed to darkness as everyone waited anxiously for the performance.
Taking a deep breath, Haley walked out onto the stage, guitar in hand. Peyton had told her she wouldn't introduce her by name, as was Haley's request. This was it. Her chance. Light illuminated the middle of the stage in three beams. That way, she couldn't see anyone past the first row of people in the crowd.
Haley sat there, guitar already propped on her lap, her arm hanging over the instrument, microphone in front of her.
Whispers of the identity of the performer spread through the audience like wildfire. They hadn't expected to see the senior traveling singer Haley James-Scott tonight. And neither did Nathan.
He cast an accusatory glance at his brother, but didn't move to leave. He hadn't seen Haley in three weeks, since she had left to go and spend time with her family in Atlanta. He wouldn't admit it – ever – but he missed her. Terribly. And worse, which made his heart do a summersault in his chest; he knew at one simple glance at his wife he still loved her. More than anything.
Remembering what Peyton had told her, Nathan was already there, watching her. That made Haley's stomach go into knots. Taking another deep breath to steady her nerves, she tilted the mike towards her.
"I know I've performed my original work here before," Haley began, her voice filled with the same sweet tone Nathan remembered. "But tonight, I'm going to perform Jessica Simpson's Underneath," she continued. She couldn't see the crowd's reaction, but knew that the silence that followed meant they didn't complete hate the artist she chose. She didn't need to say whom the song was for. Her husband already knew, that she was sure of. "I'll try not to get too mushy on you guys," Haley added, a smile on her face as her mind and body began to slip into the music. A few chuckles were heard scattered in the crowd, including Brooke's.
You're still tutor girl, Brooke thought with a smile.
Singing the acoustic version of the song wasn't the hard part of the performance for Haley. The hardest part was singing the lyrics. She had spent hours trying to find the right song for tonight, and finally deciding on Underneath, she knew she'd have to put it all on the line for the song or else it would mean nothing to the crowd at the end of the show.
Haley's fingers began to dance across the guitar strings, the adapted tune forming the only background for her voice. After a few more notes played, she began singing. The crowd, Tric, the mike, even the knot in her stomach slowly ebbed into nothing, Nathan ever present.
"Sometimes it's hard when you're so deep inside,
To see all you could lose in a blink of an eye."
The first few lines were the hardest for her to sing, but her voice smoothed over the words as she continued. Her emotions already floating to the surface of her skin.
"Dreams could be shattered, you could be gone
How would I survive? 'Cuz you're where I belong
My soul believer, without you
I don't know who I would be
Underneath, I can feel you move through me
Inside out you surround me
I breathe you like I'm taking my last breath
Oh, you're everything I know
So how could I let you go?"
Those last few lines were her emotions in words, everything she had felt since her and Nathan's first kiss, to their wedding night. She couldn't let him go, she hadn't ever. And now she knew that.
Nathan could feel the wall around his heart pulse with pain at the words leaving his wife's lips. The song...how long had it taken Haley to find it? How long had it taken her to memorize it? And it was for him...but was he ready to forgive her? Was he ready to allow her back into his heart?
The crowd remained silent, in awe of the sound of Haley's voice - strong and gentle at once, and in sync with the music emanating from the notes played on her guitar. It might have been a song by Jessica Simpson, but the crowd knew Haley had made it her own. But the song wasn't over yet.
"Sometimes I listen to a voice that isn't mine
I disconnect from anything inside
I have made my choices and wasted all the days
I could've been with you when my heart had stayed
I know you've waited faithfully
Blessing our love even stronger
Underneath, I can feel you move through me
Inside out, you surround me
I breathe you like I'm taking my last breath
Oh, you're everything I know
So how could I let you go?
I've been blessed with all the best
For every gift you have given
I've been touched by hands that trust
My love that's risen..."
Haley let her eyes close with the last words, her heart and head drained from singing them. The songs she had written had never had this affect on her. Lifting her head up again, the spotlights faded as the neon lights came back to life, allowing her to see the crowd's reaction. The tunes from her guitar ebbed into nothing. Almost instantly applause erupted through the entire room. Whistles, cheers and yells of compliment where shouted at Haley. They loved the song. They might not have known the original singer as well, but they loved the performance and the way Haley sung it for them.
When Haley looked for Nathan in the crowd she felt her heart sink when she couldn't find him. Lucas, Brooke and Jake were all in a group together near the back. Lucas shrugged a response, a sad look on his face. Where was Nathan? Had he hated her that much to leave in the middle of her performance?
Standing up, Haley leaned into the mike. "Thanks guys, you've been great tonight," she thanked the crowd for their attention and applaud. Peyton walked back on, giving Haley a brief hug and congratulations. The DJ cranking up the music again, the tunes filling Tric's atmosphere again. People started dancing again, pleased with the performance they had paid for that night.
Haley walked off the stage again and headed towards the dressing room. She pushed open the door and leaned her guitar gently up against the wall. When she turned around, her breath caught in her throat.
Nathan was standing there, holding a picture of them taken the morning after their wedding night. Haley had been the one that snagged the camera and burst into laughter as she snapped the shot. He didn't seem to notice her entrance, nor did he show any sign of it as she moved forward and looked down at the picture he held in his hands.
They were grinning, Haley's hair unkempt and wild with Nathan's arm around her, their sheets covering up the both of them. It was a moment where nothing mattered beyond them. They were the only people on earth in that picture.
"Trust can't be earned over night," Nathan said quietly, his gaze still focused on the picture.
"No, it can't be," Haley replied just as quietly. It had taken a lot for Haley to trust Nathan in a friendship, and even more in a relationship the first time he had kissed her.
"It's something that has to be earned, built on a strong foundation...something that takes time, and effort to earn back," Nathan continued. It wasn't a question, but Haley felt the tears catch in her throat at his words. It had been four months since she had said goodbye to Chris, and that goodbye had been forever. She knew she loved her husband, and her career was just one thing on a long list of things that she would give up to be with him.
"It does," Haley said.
"Relationships don't just repair themselves, you've got to work at them," Nathan said, looking up from the picture and meeting Haley's gaze square in the eye. She couldn't tell what he was feeling by the indifferent look in his face.
"Yes," Haley said, hope slowly slipping from her grasp. Was Nathan going to leave her? Had tonight pushed him over the edge? She wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing that she was the reason she had lost Nathan. Haley never wanted to face that reality.
And almost instantly his expression softened. "Can we just skip that?" He asked, his voice cracking finally. "And can we just be kissing again?" Nathan said, his voice a gentle plea.
Haley didn't know how to react to this. Thoughts fought for attention in her mind as she tried to make sense of what Nathan was saying. "But what about the singing...and your basketball..." Haley trailed off. She didn't want to make excuses not to be with Nathan, but she wasn't sure she was ready to jump if this moment of weakness was just a trick on her heart.
Nathan's hands cupped her face, shaking his head. "I've lived long enough without you. You gave up singing for me, even after you chased after your dreams," he said. She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with a kiss. A gentle one, he pulled back and continued. "Everything's simpler when I'm with you Haley," he said, a smile in the corner of his lips, "And it's complicated. It's everything at the same time and nothing else matters...like tonight, that song." He seemed to be truly struggling with how to say what he felt in words. "I don't care if my parents think I'm ruining your future...let me be selfish. I couldn't let you go then and I can't now. Haley, I love you." His words weren't desperate, but the most sincere she had ever heard him speak to her.
She answered him with another kiss, this time she let her arms wrap around his neck and hold him close until they both had to break apart. Nathan's arms around Haley wouldn't let her out of his grasp, afraid of letting her go after just feeling like he had her returned to him.
"I love you, Nathan, I always will," Haley whispered, her lips against his.
"I'll love you forever, Haley," Nathan returned. After another moment of holding each other, Nathan gave his wife a crooked smile. "Jessica Simpson?"
Haley couldn't help but laugh. "It fit," she said simply.
"You fit," Nathan countered, smiling and leaned down to kiss her again.
So…keep in mind it is my first attempt. I know it was a bit corny city near the end, but I hope the last few lines kinda picked it up a bit. Anyway, please review!