Hey...
So, I kind of got wrapped up in my other stories that I forgot about this one. But hopefully now that summer is here I will be able to manage better and update this one more frequently.
Just want to say thanks to everyone who is reading for being patient and thanks for reviewing. Now onto chapter 8, I hope it won't disappoint...

Summary: Nathan returns safely home from war, only to be injured in a car accident. Will the accident bring his family closer together or tear them apart? Can his friends and family help him to deal with it before its too late? Naley, Brucas

OPEN YOUR EYES
CHAPTER 8

"Can you tell me a story?" Andy smiled sweetly up at her, trying his best to persuade her into it. She shot him a sly glare, but she knew it was no use. She was a sucker when it came to him, and they both knew it. She quickly scooped him up onto her lap and prepared what she was going to tell him.

"Ok, ok. I think I've got one." She glanced over at Nathan who sat across from them in the recliner watching the highlights from the previous game he had watched.

"No kissing…" Andy quickly interjected, his face contorting disgustedly at the mere thought. "Ok?"

"There once lived this great Prince, his name was Nick. All, for his wonderfully handsome good looks and his charming smile, envied him. This Prince, he was good at everything; including sword fighting. He was the best; nobody could beat him. Prince Nick was friends with everyone, everyone except his half-brother, Lance."

"How come?"

"Well, the Prince's father, the king, told him not to be friends with him. The king sent the other brother away to live as a peasant among the common people. Now, Lance, he was also well liked. Infact, he had a best friend, her name was Helen."

"Was Prince Nick friends with her?"

"Nope. Helen disliked the Prince very much. But one day, Prince Nick came to her. He needed help. Helen was a masterful dancer, and the Prince needed to learn. He asked her for help, but she refused. She did not want to be unfaithful to Lance."

She watched as Nathan slowly lowered the volume on the TV in order to better hear her story. He pretended as though he was still watching the TV, but she could tell that she had him interested.

"Very upset, Prince Nick began to pick on Lance. He was extra mean to him. So Helen decided to help the Prince, but only if he left Lance alone. Prince Nick agreed. So everyday, in secret, the Prince and Helen met, and the practiced for hours."

"Did Lance find out?"

"I'm getting there, chill out." She laughed at his impatience. "But one day, when Lance was coming home from practice, he spotted Helen and Prince Nick dancing. He quickly became angered. The Prince challenged Lance to a duel."

She smiled slightly as Nathan fully turned toward them, now not even pretending to watch the game. He too became enthralled by her story. He smiled gently, urging her to continue.

"So Prince Nick and Lance met, in a grassy field far away from the castle. Hundreds of town's people showed up to watch, including the Prince's friend, Betty. They were good friends, and often hung out."

"Was Betty friends with Lance and Helen?" Andy asked curiously.

"Nope. She didn't know them. But Betty found her self strangely attracted to Lance. Anyway, Prince Nick and Lance met in the middle of the large circle, each holding their own sword. And then they fought. Both were equally good."

"Who won?" He eagerly inquired.

"Lance did. He beat the Prince." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, what happened to them all?" Nathan's voice caused both to jump slightly.

"Well, let's see." She tapped her finger lightly against her chin. "Prince Nick and Lance soon became friends, and left the king all alone in his castle. Both were glad to be brothers, and instead of fighting each other, they fought against other challengers."

"What about Helen and Betty?" Andy questioned.

"Well, one day, Helen and the Prince fell in love. Most people did not like their relationship, but they didn't care."

"Did Lance like it?"

"Not at first, but he quickly accepted them. In fact, Lance and Betty soon fell in love too."

"There's no kissing, right?" Andy stuck his tongue out.

"I promise." She swore with a chuckle. "Anyway, Prince Nick soon became King, and he married Helen. Later, Lance and Betty also married, and they had a baby boy."

"What about Nick and Helen, what happened to them?"

"They had a wonderful baby boy too. He was the prince, and they loved him very much." Nathan added to her story.

"That's right. And Nick and Helen lived in their castle, just them and the new Prince. Nick and Helen never stopped loving each other. They all lived happily ever after." She smiled over at Nathan who seemed to be stuck in his thoughts.

"Nathan." She called, snapping her fingers in front of his face to gain his attention. His eyes quickly snapped to hers, the red tint gently rising up his neck.

"Yeah, sorry." He smiled charmingly at her. He grabbed his crutches from beside him and stood up from the chair. "I have to go take care of something." She simply nodded, already knowing what that something was.

He quickly slammed the door shut behind him, the raindrops that had landed on his head now falling from his shaggy hair into his eyes. "Haley?" He called loudly, his voice carrying into the other rooms.

He could hear shuffling coming from down the hallways as he made his way toward the noise. As he neared their partially closed bedroom door he could hear the light sounds of music playing and the thumping of his heart increasing. He quietly pushed it open, not wanting to disturb her if she was sleeping.

He smiled to himself as he balanced himself on his crutches and admired his wife. She sat in the middle of their large bed, her hair thrown haphazardly into a wet bun, most likely she had just gotten out of the shower. She wore one of his old sweatshirts and a loose pair of cotton shorts; she was absolutely beautiful.

In front of her he noticed some sort of large book, which he quickly identified as their photo album. From the pile of pictures spread around the bed he figured she was putting new ones in. He tried his hardest not to pounce on the bed when her soft voice began to sing along with the music.

He craned his head to look at the picture she had stopped at, her eyes welling with tears as her thumb traced the picture, her smile shaking slightly. He smiled too; he remembered that day. He and Haley had fallen asleep in the park under a large oak tree during one of the group's outings; Brooke had taken the picture of the two.

"September." He spoke quietly, her eyes jerking to his jumpily. He smiled sweetly at her as he moved a little closer and motioned toward the picture. "It was September. I remember cause the leaves were this stunning golden color, the color of your eyes when you smile."

She nodded, smiling down at the picture. She remembered that afternoon, the peacefulness she felt as they lay wrapped in each other's embrace and the warm sun beat down against their faces. "What are you doing here?" She questioned, not daring to meet his gaze.

He took another hesitant step forward, the water dripping from his coat onto the hardwood floor, sending tiny splashes against his bare legs. "I…I wanted to see you. I missed you."

"I miss you too." She spoke softly. He hung his head low, afraid to meet her eyes and see the pain and hurt in them. She finally glanced in his direction, noting the way he shivered involuntarily as the ac chilled his soaked body. "You're all wet."

"It's raining." He stated needlessly. She knew it was raining, you could see the drops streaming down the bedroom window and hear them bouncing off the rooftop. He knew she always loved the rain.

He felt like he was sixteen again in that moment, her scrutinizing eyes scanning him, judging him. Would he be able to make it up to her? To make her realize how much he needed her? He could feel the newly familiar burning behind his eyes as he held the insecurities inside, not wanting to feel weak anymore.

"Nathan." She whispered solemnly; his heart sped like it had every time before. He always loved the way she said his name, it seemed to flow off her tongue, almost as if it were second nature for her to murmur it. "You're going to catch pneumonia."

His body shook harshly in another shiver as he fought to keep his balance. He attempted to balance himself as he shrugged off his jacket but quickly gave up as he felt his crutches sliding on the wet floor. "Haley," his voice cracked, "I need help."

She quickly jumped up from the bed, the few pictures that were lying on her lap flittering to the floor carelessly. She paused for a second in front of him, her eyes meeting his for the first time that night. She suddenly felt shy, the heat rising up her neck like the first time he had smirked at her.

Her arm shakily reached out, her fingers softly touching his shoulder as she touched the cool, wet fabric of his jacket. She slowly slid it from his shoulder, doing the same on the other side and helped his shrug it off.

She nervously bit the side of her lip, her mind racing, her heart beating harshly against her chest. Her fingers fisted the sopping material of his shirt and lifted it upward over his head, his toned chest sparkling with water before her.

He shivered again, the cool air hitting his now bare chest, but he knew that wasn't the reason. He fingers softly trailed down his stomach, stopping at the waistband of his shorts. His mind flashed to the first time she had done this, they had both been young and she was just was discovering his body for the first time.

His button snapped loudly in the now otherwise quiet room, the zipper cutting through the silence as his shorts pooled to the floor. He stepped out of them, his breath becoming more ragged as she fingered the elastic of his boxers.

"Haley." His gruff voice startled her slightly, drawing her attention back to his eyes. He used his finger to gently pry her lips from her teeth before cupping her cheek lightly. His eyes were dark, most likely matching the stormy night sky outside, a mixture between love and lust.

"I—" She faltered slightly. She had always found it hard to breathe when he look at her like that; his eyes piercing into her very being, striping her of her defenses, exposing her to the world. "I should start a bath."

With that she swiftly walked away, leaving him clad in only his boxers to watch her retreating form. He slowly followed her into the bathroom, the running water drowning his staggered breathing. "Thanks." He murmured as she passed by him, closing the door a little behind her.

He emerge a while later, his middle wrapped in a fluffy white towel, the steam filtering out behind him as he slowly made his way back into the bedroom. He glanced around the room, his face sinking at her notable absence.

The bedroom door slowly creaked open as she reentered the room, a steaming cup of hot chocolate clasped in her hand. She offered it too him as he sat on the edge of the bed and took a small sip. She softly sat down beside him, careful not to make him spill any of the liquid. He quickly drank the rest of it, ignoring the burning sensation as he swallowed it.

That familiar feeling stung at the back of his eyes, taunting him. It was times like these when he wished he were good with words, like Lucas was. He wished he knew what to say to make everything go away, to take that hurt out of her eyes. "Hales—"

That was all it took to have her lips against his, moving in perfect sync as though they hadn't been apart. His hands sought out her waist, pulling her body flush against his as he leaned her back onto their bed, his weight supported by his arms.

They finally broke apart, both chests rising and falling rapidly as he rested his forehead against hers, their breath mingling between them. His long fingers played with the hem of her shirt, dipping inside to feel her warm skin beneath them.

Her skin tingled as he lightly grazed over it. She slowly let her eye lids flutter shut, reveling in the feeling of being so close to him, to feel him again. He uncertainly pulled it over her head and deposited it onto the floor beside him.

Dipping his head to her abdomen his lips softly kissed her stomach, her chest jerking to a stop as he left wet kisses along it. He slowly moved his way up, moving dangerously close to her chest. His fingers drew a light trail, guiding his mouth, but stopped abruptly before he reached her breasts.

She absently threaded her fingers into his long locks, her nails scraping gently at his scalp. He paused for a second, lifting his head to meet her eyes, asking for permission to continue. "Haley…" He murmured quietly, not daring to speak anymore in fear that he would ruin it.

Her eyes opened partly, lazily, and met his apprehensive blue ones. "Nate, please." She pleaded as his fingers traced the bottom curve of her, not daring to touch her without permission.

He allowed his lips to meet hers, this time more hungrily but still filled with love. She gently bit on his bottom lip, spurring him one. He slowly broke the kiss, his lips trailing down her jaw, stopping on her neck to suck lightly. A hiss escaped her lips as hit teeth bit down, leaving his mark for the whole world to see.

She was his.

His large hands cupped her ever so lightly, her back arching into his touch. His other handed wandered down her stomach, leaving a trail of sparks wherever he touched. He slowly moved the cotton shorts down her toned legs, discarded them where her shirt lay.

Gaining more confidence as he went, spurred on by her quieted moans, he quickly discarded her panties, leaving her naked before him. He admired her body, still as lean and beautiful as when they got married despite having a child.

He positioned himself above her, his lips centimeters away from hers, his breath hot and ragged against her face. "Hales." He spoke out, his voice clouded with lust and wanting. "Look at me." He commanded.

Her eyes stayed shut, savoring his touch, his calloused hand trailing up her thigh teasingly. "Open your eyes." He stated again. She slowly opened her eyes as he entered her, completing her.

She arched her hips, the sensations he brought sending any coherent thoughts form her mind as they both achieved their highs. He slowly pulled out, rolling over beside her and pulling her to rest across his chest.

She laid her head against his heart, listening to the thumping beat, a new calm washing over her. His fingers tangled in her hair, freeing it from its hold, draping it along her shoulders and back. He pulled the sheet over their bodies, shielding them from the cold.

She shivered involuntarily as his fingers traced down her spine, her hand drawing small circles along his stomach. "I'm sorry." She murmured into his chest quietly. She could feel his body tense below her; she immediately regretted breaking the silence.

She dared to let her eyes meet his, waiting for him to leave or to say harsh words. But he stayed quiet, his hand stilling its actions on her back. "Don't." He ordered sternly, his voice low and husky. "Don't apologize."

"I didn't—"

He pressed a finger to her lips, quieting her, stopping her from continuing. "I know." He spoke resolutely. "I'm sorry Haley. For everything." He smiled wearily at her, smiling when she returned the simple gesture.

He let out a jaded sigh, his eyes wandering off, staring blankly at the wall. A picture on the dresser caught his eye; it was their wedding picture. Both were smiling widely at the camera, cake smeared on their faces, but neither cared. At that moment, nothing else mattered.

"I just..." He breathed out jadedly. A tear trickled down his cheek, landing on his lips. He hastily licked it away, his eyes meeting hers in the darkness of the bedroom. "I just want to lay here tonight and hold you in my arms. Just pretend for the night that nothing else matters."

She slowly nodded, burying her face into his chest and leaving small kisses up toward his neck. She finally met his mouth and left a small one on the corner. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, her arms wrapping around his torso snuggly. He slowly closed his eyes and rested his head against the pillow.

Tonight they would pretend.

Tonight, nothing else mattered.