Chapter Eighty-Seven: Whenever I Think About You
Author's note: Make sure you've read the chapte before this, because otherwise you'll be confused. Sorry, I posted them in the wrong order.
Haley slowly brushed out her long hair in front of the vanity mirror before subtly opening the drawer and consuming a small pill from a foil package. She hadn't taken one with him around yet. He still seemed to be reconsiling himself with the idea of it.
"You don't have to pretend it doesn't exist," said a voice behind her. She stood up abruptly.
"I didn't know you were there," she said.
"Obviously," he said, his jaw tightening.
"Nathan, do you want to talk? I don't understand why this bothers you so much. At one point, I planned on having no kids with you. Now we have two. Can't you just be happy with that?" she asked.
"No, Haley. Not because of what I want. That doesn't even matter anymore. It's because I know what you want. And I know that you're only halfway there. And I know that you're not going to stay with me forever. So I can only conclude that you're going to get what you want elsewhere," he said. A tear slipped out of Haley's eye and down her cheek. Why did he have to make it so hard? Why couldn't he just be happy, like she'd finally been able to be?
Nathan stopped in each of his daughter's rooms before walking out of his house.
"Nathan?" asked a voice in surprise. Nathan smiled at his little sister. Ryan Scott, now twenty-one, was wearing her pajamas with her hair in a braid reaching her waist.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
"God, you had a fight with Haley, didn't you? I thought you guys were over that," she said, sounding slightly harrassed.
"I did, too. Apparently not so much," he said, dropping down onto the couch in the main room.
"Idiot. What happened this time?" she asked.
"She's going on the pill. I freaked. Some days, Nina and Eve are the only things keeping us together," he said simply.
"Well, that's kind of her choice. As long as you don't pull a Carlos Solis. Or a Shannon Davis," she said thoughtfully.
"It's our choice," he said stubbornly.
"Dude, you seriously need a reality check. Haley's never going to let herself be pushed around by you. You're never going to be perfect. She's never going to want to give birth to your children, one after the other. It's just not her," said Ryan.
"I know. I know her better than she thinks I do," said Nathan.
"Love is hell," muttered Ryan.
"Tell me about it. Actually, do tell me. What's wrong?" he asked.
"I'm in love with Jake," said Ryan, sounding resigned and surprised that he didn't know.
"I know. Anything else?" he asked.
"He kissed me. The night that Nina was born. We were all emotional and freaked and it just happened," she said. Nathan crossed to her side of the room and put his arms around her. Sitting down again, he pulled her on to his lap.
"Baby. Poor thing. You know, I think this is the first time I've seen you as a woman," he said.
"Yet you're still treating me like a complaning toddler," she accused.
"You have to go for it. Everyone knows, except Jake. We're all rooting for you. Even Haley wants you happy, even after all her years with Peyton. Go for it. I've heard rumours that you're a beautiful and confident girl. Show him," he said.
"If he wanted it, he would have kissed me again. It's been months, and we're pretty much back to where we were," she said.
"Which is exactly where you don't want to be," said Nathan.
"It's better than the other option," she said.
"Ry, the other option it Jake and Peyton eventually getting back together. He's mad at her, but he's not given up on her. Jake thinks anyone can be redeemed. Even her. Even after all she's done," said Nathan bitterly.
Jake chose that moment to walk out of the bedroom and come to sit on the couch beside them.
"You've got your hands all over my girl, Scott," he said playfully, lifting Ryan onto his own lap. Ryan sent her brother a look, silently pleading with him not to betray her.
For a moment, Nathan almost did anyways. Not to betray her. Just to make it over.
"So who are we "shipping" now? Jeyton, or uh, Jyan?" asked Brooke, as they fed their sons together.
"Huh?" asked Lucas.
"God, can you read? Who do we want togther? Jake and Ryan or Jake and Peyton?" asked Brooke.
"I didn't know we were presenting a united front, but Jake and Ryan. Ryan is my sister," he reminded her.
"Peyton was my best friend. Like a zillion years ago. But so was Jake. Damn, he's such a moron," said Brooke.
"I've got to agree with you. She's not exactly subtle," admitted Lucas.
"Yet she's too subtle for him. Men," she said disparingly, leaving the room as her cell phone rang. Lucas watched her go sadly. Why did they still bother to pretend?
Nathan ignored his secretary's cheey greeting as he entered the building the next morning, dressed in khakis and a button up shirt. He stormed up to his office, and seemed surprised to find Lucas in it.
"Where the fuck were you last night? Haley called Brooke at midnight, sobbing in to the phone," said Lucas angrily.
"Stay out of it," he said sulkily.
"She's your wife! You can't just leave during an arguement and leave her with your kids! How's she supposed to know if you're even going to come back?" demanded Lucas. Nathan pulled back his arm and threw a punch at Lucas. Lucas reeled back in shock.
Lucas walked out, and Nathan walked to his desk. Pressing a button on his desk, he paged Deb.
"Mr. Scott," she said in surprise, coming in to see him.
"Yeah. I'm coming back to work," he said.
"You're scheduled to be on leave for another month," she said.
"I know. Just relocate Lucas, and push my meetings forward," he said simply.
"But Haley..."
"Deb, stay out of it," he said warningly. Deb Lee backed out in surprise.
This was a Nathan she rememebred from only one other time. What was referred to as the dark period-the two years between Nathan leaving Haley and their marriage.