What Happens Next
Chapter 9
Nathan woke up, feeling oddly at ease. Looking at his surroundings, he briefly wondered where he was. Quickly though, he remembered that he'd finally found Haley and a smile crept across his face. However, just as quickly, he discovered that he was in bed alone. Panic immediately filled his body and he bolted from the bed, pausing only to pull on his boxers. His search didn't take long. He spotted her sitting on the fire escape, wrapped tightly in a blanket, head resting on the knees pulled against her chest.
Unsure if she was asleep or just thinking, Nathan took a moment to watch her. It was the simple things about her, like seeing her sitting there in that blanket, that made him crazy about her.
Slowly he approached her. Once he stood in the window he whispered, "Haley," not wanting to startle her.
Haley turned her head slightly and glanced at Nathan to acknowledge that she knew he was there, then turned back.
"Can we talk?" Nathan hated that she was ignoring him. He crawled out onto the fire escape, forgetting his near nakedness. Sitting next to Haley, he rested a hand on her knee, "Talk to me, please."
"Not now Nathan," she brushed away his hand.
"Don't shut me out, please." Playing with the edge of her blanket, he focused on that, "What are you thinking about?"
Haley sat quiet for a moment longer, "I made a mistake Nathan. I shouldn't have slept with you."
He looked up at her, "Was it really that horrible?"
"Nathan, great sex doesn't change the fact that we can't get along."
"But there was a time when we could. Why can't we have that again?"
"When did things go so wrong for us?"
"When we let life get in our way."
Haley gazed into his sorrowful eyes, "When did you become so insightful?"
He shrugged, "I don't know. Guess I've had a lot of time to think." Taking Haley's hand in his he continued, "The path of our relationship was never a smooth one. We both know that. But together, we made it work. This is just another bump. We're meant to be together. I know it, God knows it, and you know it too. I love you Haley, come home with me, please."
"I just don't know Nathan."
"I'm not going to give up. Nothing will ever change the fact that I love you and want to be with you." Nathan stood up and went back inside, already planning his next move.
Returning to the bedroom, he round his clothes and quickly got dressed before slipping quietly out the front door. He just prayed she'd still be there when he returned.
After hours of sitting on the fire escape, thinking about everything Nathan said, Haley rose slowly. Stretching, she peered in the window, expecting to see Nathan sitting on her sofa watching TV. Instead she saw nothing but walls. All of her furniture and boxes were gone. A wave of panic rushed over her body. She couldn't believe she'd been robbed. And, 'Oh God,' she thought, 'where's Nathan? Is he hurt?' Hastily climbing through the window she frantically raced from room to room looking for him, calling his name.
Tears streamed down her face as she wandered, now aimlessly, back to the living room. Ready to collapse against the wall, heaving sobs threatening to overtake her body, she stopped in her tracks seeing Nathan stroll through the open front door.
Haley ran towards him and flung her arms around his neck. Planting kisses all over his face she murmured, "Oh, you're okay. I was so worried. I've been robbed. And I thought they'd hurt you. Then I couldn't find you. Oh God Nathan."
Nathan didn't know if he should laugh at her hysterics or cry, because she's just proved that she still loved him. "Hales, slow down. It's okay. I'm fine. And you haven't been robbed," he smiled, "Unless you consider me a thief."
Haley looked at him quizzical, "What are you talking about?"
"While you were zoned out I went and rented a moving truck and hired a couple of moving men."
"You did this?"
"Didn't you tell Brooke I could?"
"I said Natalie's stuff."
"Minor details," he put his hand up and shrugged, "I laid a change of clothes in the bathroom, so they could take out the dresser."
"You went through my stuff?" Haley worried.
"Didn't have to. You still organize your dresser the same way. I was able to just reach in and grab things."
"Oh," Haley muttered, glad he hadn't found her journal, or letters.
First wiping away the lingering tears, Nathan put her at arms distance, "I need to know where we stand Hales. You know how I feel."
"Nathan…"
"All I want to know is if I'm returning to Tree Hill by myself or not. We can figure the rest out later, if there is a later."
Haley looked into his eyes, "when are you leaving?"
Nathan tried to hide the pain of his defeat, "I'll be going now," and releasing her he turned to leave. He'd been so sure…
"Nathan, wait," she grasped his hand, giving him a weary smile she said, "Give me ten minutes and I'll be ready to go."
Nathan's heart swelled, "Of course." Watching her scurry off to the bathroom he couldn't help but dance around, she was giving their marriage another chance.
Haley stood in the bathroom, looking in the mirror. Splashing water on her face, she thought about the decision she'd just made. Nathan had given her an out, but for the first time in what seemed like forever she felt like she'd made the right decision. Lately, her life had become one bad decision after another, and it had all begun with the decision to follow her music (and leave her husband), but she had long since discovered that was not her destiny. Yet at the same time she'd been stubborn and ignored what was. Reaching for her toothbrush she realized for the first time that Nathan had truly packed everything, "Nathan! Whatcha do with my toothbrush?"
Nathan chuckled and headed towards the doorway, "It's in the truck somewhere. Sorry."
"That's okay. Will you run across the street and grab that while I get dressed?"
Nathan smiled, "Sure."
As he was walking out of the apartment he heard her yell, "Oh! Toothpaste too!" And he couldn't help but laugh.
Nathan sat behind the wheel of the truck, happily singing along to the radio, closely watching Haley driving behind him. A small part of him feared this was all just a dream and he'd wake up back in Tree Hill, alone.
He was startled when his phone rang. Not recognizing the number he hesitated before answering, "Hello?"
"So your number is still the same."
"Of course. I wanted to make sure you could call if you ever felt like it."
"I must've tried a hundred times. But I never knew what to say."
Nathan smirked, "And you do now?"
"I love you Nathan."
"I love you too Hales."
"I was really worried about you earlier. I thought I'd lost you. And it scared me. I quickly realized that my life would be empty without you."
"I think, deep down, I've always know that Hales," Nathan paused before deciding to go out on a limb, "so will you be staying at the apartment with me?"
Haley sighed, "I don't know yet."
"Okay," he grumbled. "Hey, it looks like traffic is getting heavy, and I'm not familiar with where we're going. Can I call you back when we're out of it?"
"Um, sure," Haley didn't know why exactly, but she had a strange, almost sickening feeling about the way Nathan abruptly ended their conversation.
As much as Nathan hated actually hanging up with Haley, he knew there was a phone call he needed to make. Quickly he dialed Lucas and listened to it ring.
"Nathan!" Lucas answered, "It's about damned time you call. We've been worried sick. Did you find Haley?"
Nathan couldn't help but laugh, "Are you sure you're my brother, and not Haley's?"
"What?" Lucas asked, obviously confused.
"Nothing," he smiled, thinking of Haley's rambling earlier. "We can talk more later. I just called to have you tell Natalie that her mommy and daddy are coming home."
"Good, we've missed you, both of you. When will you be back?"
"Hopefully, tomorrow afternoon sometime."
"We'll see you when you get here then," Lucas paused before whispering, "Welcome back baby brother."