2011

Denver, Colorado

Haley Scott opened her eyes and the memories of the night before rushed back to her. She couldn't believe it. She was a mother. She and Nathan were actually parents. The baby boy they had loved so much and had looked forward to for nine months had finally arrived in the most dramatic of fashions…

She was nine days past her due date. For a baby that had kicked non stop for five straight months, when it was time to meet the world, the stubborn child had refused to come out. The scheduling had seemed perfect when it appeared Nathan would be home for a good stretch of a week and half around the time their son was to arrive. But the due date came and went and the anxious but thrilled father to be went back on the road with the Denver Nuggets.

Then they had consulted the doctor to induce birth and lo and behold, two days before the scheduled delivery, Haley had gone into labor on her own. Nathan had flown right in from Houston after a landslide victory over the Rockets. He had arrived just in time to hear the nurses tell his tearful and frightened wife that due to dystocia, a medical condition where the fetus had too great a difficulty passing through the birth canal, partly because of their son's large head and the rest of his nine pound body. Haley Scott's naturally narrow hips just were meant for birthing babies and it was off to the operating room for a Cesarean Section delivery.

It all happened so fast. Nathan changed into the scrubs and they signed the surgical consent forms. An anesthesiologist administered the epidural to numb the lower half of Haley's body. With her husband by her head and holding her hand, the obstetrician made the first incision in the skin above her pubic bone. He cut through the underlying tissues, working his way down to the uterus as he made a horizontal cut in the lower section. Haley was awake and holding on tightly to Nathan's hand. She winced when she felt tugging and pressure and then the doctor pulled their baby out.

"It's a boy. He's big and he's healthy and he's beautiful."

Haley cried softly as the medical team cleaned the baby up and examined him. Once the placenta and after birth had been delivered, she was holding the tiny, crying bundle in her arms.

"He's gorgeous, Hales", Nathan whispered in awe, trying to keep it together. "He looks just like you."

"Look at him. Oh, Nathan, he is so perfect. He has your eyes."

Nathan shook his head.

"I can't believe you did this. This is amazing. I can't believe he's ours."

"He is. He's our son, Nathan, the best part of us."

Nathan held his son in his arms.

"What's up, little dude? I'm your dad. Man, I've been waiting a long time to meet you…"

She smiled, remembering that they had bonded as a family right away after delivery. The pregnancy and impending birth had changed their lives drastically. Already married for a number of years, they were still young, just 23 years old. As expected, Nathan had expressed his great disdain in Seattle for the Supersonics franchise and the trade to Denver had gone smoothly. They had fallen in love with a sprawling 11,000 square foot, eight bedroom, six bathroom mansion in the Cherry Creek area of the city. For Haley, it seemed a little big and a little much for two people but Nathan had insisted and the couple closed the deal for the bargain price of 6.8 million dollars.

Then as he assumed the life of a professional athlete, Haley found herself again alone. She made a few friends but nothing like the ones she'd had back in Tree Hill. Her days were spent knitting and writing songs, in a world where she was expected to shop and get pedicures and massages all day. She wasn't even allowed to cook or clean in her own new house as there was a full staff of maids and chefs on 24 hour duty. And even making simple decisions about her day and schedule was planned courtesy of the personal secretary she hadn't asked for.

Haley was bored and borderlining on misery when she realized the companion she most wanted was a child. She had talked it over with Nathan who half heartedly agreed and soon after, she had stopped using birth control. A few months later, a home pregnancy kit confirmed her happy suspicions. Haley Scott was pregnant!

Nathan hadn't taken the news as well as she had expected. Instead he seemed confused, solemn even. As if he could not understand how or even why it had happened. He had been aloof and distant and his indifferent behavior had been the source of many arguments and crying spells. Then on one of his rare days off, he had accompanied her to a doctor's appointment and upon hearing their baby's heart beat for the first time, he was hooked.

From then on it was non stop baby shopping and decorating the nursery by hand. He was a jubilant father to be, his delight only escalated when the 4 d ultra sound showed a clear picture of a healthy baby boy. He would have a son to love and carry on the Scott name. Right away the couple decided on the name, Landon James Scott. They had eagerly anticipated his arrival and after giving his parents a brief scare, little Landon had made his way into the world. The new mother struggled to sit up and she smiled as she saw her exhausted husband sleeping in a nearby chair in their private birthing room. There was a knock on the door and a smiling Lucas, Brooke, Jake, Peyton and Deb entered bearing balloons and gifts of stuffed animals and flowers.

"Hey guys", she grinned. "Look at all this. You shouldn't have. We have more presents than we do room to put them all in."

"Nothing is too good for my little grandson", Deb beamed.

"Well, a bunch of Nathan's fans sent some really nice things and the players' wives gave me the nicest baby shower. I have to start writing thank you cards to everyone. I mean, it's just so thoughtful. Landon will probably be a college graduate by then but I swear I'm going to send a little hand written thank you note to every single person who sent something. They're amazing. I love all this stuff and it's so wonderful but I don't think we'll be able to keep it all. I think I'll donate what we can't keep to the Salvation Army and the toys to the pediatric wing."

"That's a great idea", Brooke hugged her. "How are you holding up?"

Haley sighed. After a year plus of dissention with her sister in law over hiding Lucas' HCM secret, the announcement of the pregnancy had been the one and only thing that had brought them back together and somehow mended their broken relationship.

"I feel great. Labor sucked but the epidural was a godsend. The C-section wasn't too bad and hopefully the recovery won't be either. But I'm a new mommy and our son is healthy and perfect and gorgeous and I am ecstatic right now."

Lucas leaned over and kissed Haley, shaking his brother's hand as well after they hugged and traded blue cigars.

"We just saw him and he's a Scott, alright. I can't believe I'm an uncle", he grinned proudly.

"He's perfect, Haley", Peyton smiled and hugged her. "Ten little fingers and toes. And he's so calm. All the other babies are down in the nursery squawking their heads off but not him. He's so laid back, just looking around trying to take in all the sights with those big blue eyes."

Haley shifted uncomfortably.

"Are you sure you two are okay being here?"

Jake nodded and held her hand.

"We're fine, Haley. Thanks. I mean, it's still tough and we think about Jenny everyday but as hard as it is sometimes, life goes on. But you and Nathan are like family to Pey and me. There's nowhere else we'd rather be than celebrating right here with you guys. Congratulations on the birth of your son."

Haley smiled.

"Can someone call the nurse in to bring us the baby? I haven't seen him since he was born."

Nathan nodded and did the honors, returning minutes later with their child. Peyton was right…he was perfect.

"Hey, Landon", he handed the baby to his mother. "That's your mommy. And your uncles Lucas and Jake and Aunt Peyton and Aunt Brooke and Grandma…"

"Nana", Deb interrupted with a giggle. "I'm only 42 years old, thank you very much and just the other day the bagger at the grocery store told me I was a total MILF."

Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Next time I'm in Tree Hill be sure to point that kid out to me so I can beat him down."

"Anyway, I am too hot to rock the grandma title. Nana, I can handle."

Everyone laughed as they admired baby Landon.

"He is a miracle", Brooke cooed.

Lucas wrapped an arm around her.

"How about trying for a miracle of our own?" he suggested to her happiness.

"He's a gift from God", Peyton sighed, straightening his little blue blanket. "A real piece of Heaven."

"And now he has a beautiful little guardian angel watching over him", Jake added.

Haley kissed her son and he had that perfect new baby smell. Nathan stroked his face and they all literally spent an hour just fawning over him. Then the nurse came and ushered everyone out, giving the new parents a little bit of privacy.

"Mrs. Scott, would you like to try nursing your son?" she asked. "It is the best milk for the baby and it's a good way to bond."

Haley readily nodded and the nurse helped her as Nathan looked on. It took a few tries before he latched onto his mother's breast and the nurse chuckled when the new mother and father nearly had a fit when a little milk came out of baby Landon's nose. It was hard. They had never cared for a newborn before. He was so little and delicate, like a fragile package that could and would break at any given minute. After his feeding the nurse helped Haley burp her son and she placed him in the bed next to her. The couple was still on cloud nine in contented disbelief that something so tiny and wonderful, made from their love, was actually theirs to keep.

"Holding my son, our son is the greatest feeling in the world", Nathan sighed.

"I know. I love him so much it's unreal."

"It's weird, this moment. Everything I've ever done or ever wanted, the NBA, the fame, the money...nothing compares to this, to see something so pure and innocent. I didn't think I could love another human being so much but it was the coolest feeling in the world when he was being born. As soon as they pulled him out...it's cool to meet this little person you helped create who is so much a part of you but at the same time totally separate. I'm so in love with my child right now...and I'm so in love with you for having him."

"Thank you", she whispered kissing him. "I love you, Nathan. I mean that. So much. You and our baby make my life complete. This is all I've ever really wanted. It's all that matters. I am so happy right now. Your mom is here and we get to share this with our friends. My folks will be in at the end of this week. It's perfect. Our little family is perfect. But the best part is doing all this with you. I can't wait to take Landon home and we can play with him and hold him and feed him, change his diapers and fuss about who got up last time to do it."

Nathan kissed her forehead.

"You'll get plenty of sleep, babe. That's what the two nannies are for."

"Two? Nathan, I don't even need one. I told you I don't want hired help with this. I plan to be a hands on mom."

"I know but it's a big change and you're gonna be exhausted."

"Nathan…"

"I know you can handle it. They are just back up, okay?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Fine but I won't need them. I don't need anything but you and our son."

"I know but even though everybody is in town now, they won't be forever. I just want you to have some help around. I go back on the road in two days."

"Two days? Nathan, no. Why so soon?"

He shrugged.

"That's my job. There is no paternity leave in the NBA, Hales. They give me a few days with my son, then it's right back to work."

"Where will you go? How long?"

"It's a short trip, only four games. Orlando, Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington D.C. I'll be home before you know it."

She opened her mouth to speak, to protest but quickly decided against it. It would do no good anyway. That was just the life of an NBA wife and now an NBA child. Her husband's frequent absences saddened her now more than ever but she had to adapt to it. It was her life, his life, their life together. Exhausted but totally overjoyed, Haley settled back comfortably in Nathan's arms, relishing in the bittersweet moment. They'd lived a good life together and the majority of the time had been happy but Haley knew that she was experiencing true joy for the first time. Even though it wouldn't last, she'd enjoy it while it did. Nothing was better than being surrounded by her husband, friends, family and new son.