"One more year has come and gone, and nothing has changed at all..." -- unknown
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"And in other news tonight it looks like the Philidelphia 76ers look to wrap up Detroit's own Pistons tomorrow night without help of rookie stand out Nathan Scott. That's right sports fans it looks as though the young Scott's career has taken a turn for the worst with last nights potentially career ending injury in game five of their play off run. When asked earlier of the seriousness of the younger star Nathan's injury Alexande McCawley, who signed a year before his college teammate, says he expects a full recovery as soon as next year. The team trainer and doctor seems to think this is optomistic thinking and has released..."
Nathan glowered at the voice on the television and looked down at his glass. Scotch on the rocks, just as his father had taken it before him. While they weren't on speaking terms Nathan couldn't help but have a certain respect for the way he had played the game. His life had gone exactly as he'd wanted it most of the time. For that Nathan admired him, for everything else he loathed him. At least he wasn't sitting at home by himself, he thought, convinced that it was better to be out. Here he could at least be social.
Or not. Nathan was only vaguely aware of what the person across from him, his best friend since college, had been saying for the past hour. Only remembered little snippets from the conversation before that. Living how he had as a teenager and even before that had given him the well honed ability to nod and say non-comittal words where it was needed. Alexander, his friend, knew this of course. He had known Nathan long enough to know when the twenty-four year old athlete was zoning out. But Alex was also smart enough to realize that he needed his space. After a near career ending injury Nate wasn't ready to be his loud and rambuncious self just yet. Given time he'd return he always did.
"Yeah man I hear you." Nathan said dully when a pause in conversation came up. Alex merely nodded and tipped his bottle back draining what was left of the contents leaving Nathan to wonder what he'd just 'sympathized' with. Lucky for him his friend was taking it for an okay agreement. Judging from his past relationships and the dozen or so he had been around for Alex figured that Nathan knew exactly what he meant when he complained about his girlfriend. After all a marriage didn't fail for no reason, not that Alex knew anyway. It had been an unspeakable since they'd met and he'd only heard him talk about when Nate was drunk or depressed.
"Yeah." Alex mirrored nodding and looking between his empy bottle and the empty glass his friend held. He looked toward the bar knowing that it was in their best interest not to have another drink but not caring. He knew Nate would get it anyway and he would only follow suit. It was never fun to be the odd man out, not drinking when everyone else was. Even if their coach warned against things like this on the night of a big game. Partying was simply not supposed to be done after a certain hour but he reasoned that it wasn't exactly partying more like male bonding with alcoholic pluses. "I'm gonna go refill, you want?"
Nathan nodded his head and passed the empty glass across the table. While he could have stayed at the table and signalled a bartender/waitress Alex took it as his cue to leave. Not that he much minded anyway. The whole atmosphere that seemed to have blanketed their table was suffocating. Getting away, if only for a few moments, was a well taken opportunity.
Watching Alex blend with the crowd Nathan allowed his head to droop a little before he propped it up on his hand. As girly a move as it might be he just didn't have the will power to do it on his own. He was no light weight but six drinks into the night he was starting to feel the effects and knew that tomorrow he would regret his decision. But it was only eleven thirty and he still had half an hour until midnight. That was half an hour he could spend as he wished before he was allowed no drinks, no food, no anything but water until well into the afternoon the very next day. Besides now a days he needed it just to numb the pain not only from the leg that now sat firmly braced from a torn ACL but the pain of knowing while he was failing she was out there with the potential to succeed. She had chose to quit he had been told to. And even after all these years, even after the divorce was in the final stages of being he was unstable while she had her life together.
His mood if anything darkened at the thought. The only time he ever felt ill will toward her openly was when he was drunk or worst, when his mind was chemically imbalanced and he couldn't keep the friends act up. The truth was they were still friends and would probably remain to be so. Even if she was determined to win him back to this very day. Caught up on the idea that they were meant to be together as she had told him nearly three weeks ago. When she had said that though he was giving up she would not, that she was done chasing him but in the end he would see that they belonged together. It was on nights like these that he longed to just pick up the phone and call her but he didn't dare do it. He knew that she would be nothing but a girl to warm his bed and take his mind off of the pieces of his life that were rapidly falling away. He couldn't do that to her. As much as he tried not to let it be so she meant more to him than that and he would always love her. Just not in the way he had at first, at least that was what he had taught himself to think. It was hard to tell what Nathan really thought. A woman scorned was a terrible encounter but a man such as himself was a hundred times worst.
Alex came back with the drinks and set his glass in front of him breaking the reverie that had been going on. The internal battle with his inner self. The very want that drove all man to make terrible mistakes. And he didn't notice as he took a drink from the glass that had been set in front of him that Alex was watching with bated breath waiting to see if he noticed anything wrong or different. And it was only after Nathan gave a look of contentment, as if his further intoxication was easing his mood and spirits, that Alex allowed himself to relax and enjoy his own drink. He merely figured that his friend's tastebuds had been so numbed by his prior drinks that he hadn't noticed his newly watered down supplement. Alex had specifically asked for it that way unwilling to watch him slip back into a brain altering, personality suppressing, stupor.
"So Nate," Alex began his newest attempt at a conversation. He hoped that Nathan would take the bait and pay attention this time as he awaited any sign of recognition. Or anything to show that he was listening in the least now that his name had been directly used, nick or not.
"uhm." Nathan merely grunted in response through a mouthfull of his downgraded usual staring at it as though there was something deeply interesting about the amber contents of the glass. Knowing of course that there was not.
"I hear the funeral is set for thursday," He said pausing to tip his bottle back and looking nervously at Nathan. He knew how his reaction had been when the news had reached them just a few weeks prior. He had literally caused himself a heart attack with all the stress and activity he had done to release it. "How're you holding up man?"
"What do you think?" Nathan replied turning the question on his friend. He was being a bit snappy but he didn't mind enough through his own problems to care how Alex was reacting to his new attitude. He knew that in reality it was unfair of him to treat the other this way and after a few moments of silence he exhaled rather deeply. "As good as can be expected. You know, hard to believe they're actually gone you know?"
Alex nodded his head but inside he couldn't imagine the devestating blow it must have been. He hadn't understood the dynamics of their relationship but Alex had known that the two had been acquainted for many years. He had only had the opportunity for a brief meeting on a couple of occasions. Nothing for him to get a real feel for the person they actually were but enough for him to know that they had been an influence and a good one on the younger of the two friends.
"Understandable." Alex said after letting a silence pass in which he tried to find a phrase or word to say. It wasn't enough to be awkward but it had been enough to give Nathan an idea that it might be an uncomfortable subject for the other. Brought up only for his benefit and out of worry. "Are you ready? To go back I mean?"
"To see her you mean?" Nathan corrected him with a knowing look.
Alex shook his head, signalling a misinterpretation of his real meaning. "I mean all of them." He corrected peeling at the label on his nearly full bottle. He wasn't into drinking the rest of it and merely had it because Nathan had one. He didn't want to pass judgement or seem like he was trying to be saintly either when it came to their choices tonight.
"Probably not," Nathan truthfully answered after swallowing the last of the scotch from his glass. It had been rather surprising to both that he had actually admitted this but he knew he could deny it in the morning if it got out. Besides this was Alex, he was almost like a brother. He wasn't one of the other team who he'd just met and been hazed by. "But it's something I have to do. If roles were reversed they'd be there."
Alex nodded, again unable to find proper words. Instead he chose to let the topic fizzle out giving him a simple and non committal 'yeah' in response. And while he had been invited to tag along as Nathan's plus one he had declined the offer. He wanted to be there for the kid he viewed as a younger brother but he had the game. Not to mention the awkward moments that might follow. A near stranger walking into all their lives. No, it was a time for family and friends not for intrusions and introductions. He'd just have to hope that his friend didn't sink into a stupor. That the once again auburn girl that had crushed him before didn't come calling for a second visit. Because as much as everyone else was okay with Haley and their friendship Alex though it would be best if they cut ties. The again who was he to talk? His fiance had done some pretty frowned up things to him and vice versa.
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Disclaimer: I do not own the concepts, idea, or any situations I use that come from the television series One Tree Hill. Nor do I own any of the characters (Nathan & Haley) that I frequently use or those that I use sparringly that come from the television series. They all belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own situations, themes, concepts, characters (Alexander) that you don't recognize from the show. Please don't steal. The title is from the song Catch Me When I Fall by Ashlee Simpson as will many of the chapter titles. Quotes at the chapter beginnings are not mine either. The quote at the beginning of this one is finished in the next chapter.
Minor Note: This is not going to be the typical Naley fic I feel there are too many out there. This will also not be the typical OTH Nathan is miserable story those are done over and over until you get tired of them. This will be entirely new with a new cast of characters for the most part. If you want visualizations for characters say so in a review and I will provide them for you via PM. R&R otherwise this story wont be completed. As long as I get a review (although more would be appreciated) I will continue the story.