Thanks to Tim McGraw for the song.
Last chapter----
Chapter 28: My Best Friend
I never had no one that I could count on
I've been let down so many times
I was tired of hurtin'
So tired of searchin'
"I'd really rather stay here." Nathan groaned into his pillow while his fiancé tugged incessantly on his ear in attempt to wake him up.
She snorted in laugher, "You think I wouldn't? I can't bale on this Nate, I promised a long time ago that I would do this interview and a short photo shoot." She bit her lip when there was still no movement from the male body in front of her, "Come on, these people are always really nice, and you get free bagels."
"We have bagels, Haley. I ate one yesterday morning." He grumbled in response and wrapped a toned arm around her waist. "I'd rather stay here in bed." He smirked and added as an afterthought, "With you."
Again, she laughed and he smiled in spite of himself. God, he loved her laugh. "I told you yesterday I don't have any birth control left, Nathan."
He turned his head off his pillow and looked at her. Reaching his arm up from her waist, he tucked a curly strand of her hair behind her ear, and kissed her forehead. "So what?" He shrugged, Scott smirk firmly in place on his lips. "What's one time gonna do?"
Her jaw dropped and she let out a hollow laugh, "Nathan? Didn't we learn that lesson when we were teenagers? Uh, hello-o! Nicole and Hannah are perfect examples of what one time is going to do."
He shrugged seductively, pulling her closer to his naked chest and basketball short covered legs, "What are the odds that you'd get pregnant again though?" He reasoned, already decided he would persist until she gave up. He brushed her hair away from her neck and started to place soft kisses along it as she started to babble.
"Well, I don't know the exact odds, but you never know Nathan. It could happen again. Everything can always happen again. I mean, look at us, we happened again. And, and I still have to be at the high school for this interview in less than an hour... and"
He silenced her with a searing kiss and continued his argument as if he had not heard a word she had said, "And would it be such a bad thing if you did get pregnant." Ching, ching. Major fiancé points. In his arms, he felt her entire body tense at his words and he inwardly smirked.
"You, you want kids... more of them?" She choked out, willing her body to relax and for her eyes to reopen.
He brushed his rough hands against her soft face, causing her eyes to open and stare directly into his bright blue eyes. "Haley, if we could, I'd have as many kids to fill an entire basketball team, bench players and all. Obviously we're gonna need somebody to continue the Scott men tradition."
Haley chuckled quietly, " Isn't Lucas already taking care of that?"
"Nah, it'll be a girl. I know it." He yawned confidently.
She bit her lip again, "How do you figure that?"
He looked at her questioningly, "This is Brooke's first kid too. It's going to be a girl. I know it for a fact."
"Oh yeah? And how do you know we'd have a boy?" She challenged, loving every moment of thinking about their future together.
"I don't." He breathed huskily into her ear. It was enough to make the hair on her back stand up and a smile to spread on her lips. "I just really, really want one. You want kids, don't you baby?" He knew it. He won.
She nodded, "We can be a little late... I suppose." She sighed and relaxed into his arms as he pulled her on top of him. Weighing his options, he could take a few hours at some dumb magazine if it meant he got this.
"Late, of course Hales. They won't mind." He assured her between kisses as his hand slid off the shirt she had pulled on. "They won't mind at all."
-.-.
Til you walked into my life
It was a feelin' I'd never known
And for the first time, I didn't feel alone
You're more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do
"Nicky, you got any plans for Saturday night?" A perfectly combed brown haired boy cocked an eyebrow across the table from her. She smiled and started to respond, but a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and a lunch tray came down next to hers.
"Actually, she does." Sean glared across the table. "We're going to the movies."
Nicole pushed his arm off her shoulder and said playfully, "Oh really? Since when?"
Next to the brunette boy, Hannah's red lunch tray flopped down and she draped her backpack across the back of the chair. "Since Monday, duh. Remember we are going to see that movie that came out last week, the one we didn't get to see?" When Nicole looked down at her lunch, Hannah winked over the top of her head at Sean and he returned it with a thankful smile.
Nicole sent her a confused look, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
A brief look of panic crossed Hannah's features before her mischievous side kicked in and she winged it, "Oh come on, the movie I've been talking about forever! The oneabout the boy and girl in love that live in New York and havethesesocialite lives."
Sean tried to restrain his laughter when he saw Nicole really trying to remember the movie that Hannah had just fabricated. "I know what you're talking about now. We saw it on that MTV news special!"
Hannah, now the lost one, pressed on a smile and nodded her head, "Yes, that's the one."
Sean turned back to the boy across the table and glared, "See? She has plans, and they aren't with you."
Sighing the boy stood and to Nicole scoffed, "Whatever, hang out with that loser if you want. Call me if you change your mind."
When the boy was out of earshot, Hannah bent over her lunch and whispered, "Please Nicole, Brent McGrand? Why would you want to do anything with him?"
"I didn't" She answered simply. "But Mr. Protective over here didn't give me a chance to say no."
Hannah watched Sean's jaw clench and then practically tear his sandwich in half. Poor kid. Maybe she should just tell Nicole that Sean is madly in love with her. Everybody knows it but Nicole. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to go. I have to, uh..help mom paint my new room." Hannah received the room next to Nicole's after the engagement tension hadlifted. Nicole and Hannah loved each other, but obviously were incapable of sharing a room. "It'll just be you two then."
"But you were the one who wanted to see the movie," Nicole said while next to her Sean grinned like a kid on Christmas.
Hannah shrugged, "Then see a different one. Whatever."
Nicole looked over into Sean's eyes and smiled, "Just us then?"
"Just us." He confirmed. Hannah rolled her eyes and swears she will make sure they get together sooner or later.
–.-..-.-.
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Everytime I look at youI don't know where I'd be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You're my best friend
"I can't believe this. I waddled my ever expanding butt all the way over here and no one is even home. Lucas, didn't you call!" Brooke scolded her fiancé as she looked around the empty Scott mansion's living room. "Hot Shot! You have to be here, do not hide from me, Nathan Scott. I will find you!" Hormone wise, Brooke was extremely unstable today which came to be accepted as the norm lately.
Rapidly, the younger Scott brother appeared at the top of the stairs, rubbing hair product into his stubborn dark hair. "Hello, Brooke. How's the baby doing?" He spoke evenly as if he was reading out of a social guide book. Haley was down the stairs immediately after him, and she was desperately trying to button her shirt.
Taking a look at Nathan and Haley's rushed appearances, Brooke's eyes glinted and she smiled deviously. "Did I interrupt something here?"
Nathan and Haley quickly glanced at each other. Lucas grimaced, "Brooke, I don't think-"
"Shut up, Lucas. I want to know." Brooke shot back.
Haley smiled innocently, "No, we have a interview for a magazine that we are late for, right Nate?"
"It's not exactly mine," he corrected, sending a slight and short glare to Haley, "but she made it mine."
Brooke smiled, pleased with the answer, "Already making him whipped... wait you've always had him whipped." Lucas nodded, chuckling in agreement.
"I'm not whipped," Nathan denied quietly, scowling at his brother and friend.
"Oh, of course not baby."Haley cooed, giving him an endearing kiss, "Now go get my purse please."
"Not whipped huh?" Lucas chortled when his brother immediately went to get Haley's purse.
Leaving the room, Nathan threw over his shoulder, "You're just mad because I'm getting laid, and all your getting is bitched at."
Haley turned read from dire embarrassment, while Brooke turned crimson from blind anger. "I can't wait until you knock up Haley again! Then we'll see, hot shot. Then we'll see." Brooke swore to them while grabbing a jaw clenched Lucas by the arm and tearing out of the house.
From the other room Nathan was heard laughing hysterically, "She's nuts."
"She's pregnant, Nathan," Haley shook her head. "I can't believe you said that. Not only is it a little bit of an over share, but it is also rude. She's your best friend and he's mine."
"Who ever said she was my best friend, Hales?" He shrugged, nodding to the door when he returned with her purse.
Haley huffed, "You lived with her for eleven years. You love her just as much as I love Lucas, and it wouldn't kill you to show a little compassion to her."
Nathan stopped and turned around, charming smile on his face. "But baby, see, I like to save all of my compassion for you. I may tolerate Brooke and call her my friend, but I love you and pretty soon I'll be calling you my wife, so-"
"Save it Nathan. We're going to the interview."
-.-.-.
You stand by me
And you believe in me
Like nobody ever has
Three months later.
"Guys, the issue came in the mail!" A joyful Nicole bounded into the living room where their entire family sat. Brooke and Lucas sat curled up into each other on the armchair as everyone looked at their Valentine's Day wedding pictures. Peyton and Jake sat side by side on the couch with Peyton's head on Jake's shoulder and Jake's hand on Peyton's eight month pregnant belly. Haley was bustling about trying to make sure everyone had drinks in between moments of preparing a dinner for them all.
Nathan yelled, "Hales! Get in here!" earning a swat from both his mother and Peyton who were near enough to touch him. "Ow! What?"
"Don't command her like that Nathan. She's busy and doesn't need you bossing her around." Came Deb's disapproving voice as an apron clad Haley entered the room.
"You beckoned?" She dead panned, glaring at her fiancé.
He grabbed her wet hand and pulled her down onto his lap. "The article is here." He said softly, brushing a curl of brown hair out of her face.
Immediately she perked up, "Oh! Read it Nicky!" After a moment of scanning the room, her motherly instinct kicked in and she warned, "Hannah, you're going to spill that. Put it on the table."
"Okay, here it goes, ugh Dad, that is a horrible picture of you." Nicky said, beginning to read the magazine to the room.
For celebrities, Nathan Scott and Haley James are unbelievably normal, even after their very public proposal in January of this year. With the proposal came the news of their earlier relationship during their high school career. They wed on a beach in their hometown of Tree Hill, North Carolina, when they were both seventeen years old and in their junior year. She became pregnant the following school year and gave birth to twin girls, Nicole Debra and Hannah Karen Scott, in September of their first year of college. They divorced a few months into college life and he took off to California to play basketball at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with Nicole while she studied the arts at New York University (NYU) with Hannah. After college, she went on to pursue a musical career and he was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers. Last summer, their daughters coincidentally met at a summer camp and conspired to mend their family back together. It seems implausible and completely idealistic to do such a thing, but nevertheless it worked and now, months later, the couple is engaged to be married.
Teen People: Nathan, how did you two meet in high school and then later fall in love?
Nathan Scott: It's a pretty long story, actually. So I'll just say she was my half- brother's, who was my enemy, best friend. So I tried to get to him through her and she became my tutor. But Haley... she was, she is, different than anyone I have ever met in my entire life. Karen, Lucas's (my brother) mom, always says it's hard not to love her.
Teen People: How did Lucas and yourself become the great friends that you are now?
Nathan: Haley changed everything.
Teen People: And w as it hard being away from Haley and Hannah for so many years?
Nathan: It was extremely hard. I kept this secret from Nicole about her mother and sister for so long that it was tiring, especially on anniversaries and whatever. But my friend Brooke, Lucas's wife, helped me through a lot of the pain, particularly those first few years after our divorce.
TP: You were engaged to another woman when you saw Haley again last summer, right?
Nathan: Yeah, her name was Kristin. I guess with her, I was just settling. At that point, I figured I'd probably never see Haley again, and if I did it would probably be at a reunion where we'd say hi and then leave. When I saw Haley again, in Tree Hill, it was almost like I was imagining it. Immediately, I remembered exactly why I loved her all of these years.
TP: When you moved back home this past year to play basketball with the Charlotte Bobcats, did you worry that Haley wouldn't follow you?
Nathan: A little, but I knew she loved me. I mean, really, who wouldn't?
TP: In basketball, do you ever find that the increased pressure makes it difficult to have a personal life?
Nathan: I have never really cared when they said bad things about me. However, I'm way more protective of our relationship than my jump shot so it makes me more angry when they say we're not meant for each other compared to when they say I need to bend my knees more or something.
Tp: And finally, Boxers or Briefs?
Nathan: Haley can tell you that. I'm going to get a doughnut.
Teen People: Haley, was it love at first sight between yourself and Nathan?
Haley James: Not at all. In fact, before I even met him I thought he was a jerk, which was very judgmental of me, but he was very mean to my best friend, Lucas who is his half- brother. It wasn't until much later that I even developed a crush on him, okay, well, it wasn't THAT much later. He is pretty cute.
TP: When you and Nathan first saw each other after all of those years of being apart, what first went through your mind?
Haley: My first thought was, 'That's not him. It just can't be.' Then I thought, 'Maybe he didn't see me... run!'
TP: Your proposal shocked most of the world. He always had the bad boy reputation and you are America's sweetheart songstress. Is it difficult for the two of you to surmount everyone's doubts?
Haley: It is emotionally grinding for people to constantly be telling you that the choices you are making in life are bound for failure, but Nathan and I have overcame so many obstacles in our lives that I am confident in our staying power. We were very young when we were married and I think we needed to find ourselves a little more, and now that we have done that, I know we are ready to try again.
TP: You have taken a break from your career to settle down with your family. Do you think you will ever pick it back up again?
Haley: Maybe, I love to sing, but I also have always wanted to become a teacher and lately I have thought of trying to explore more options in life. So, as far as my career in music is concerned, it's not completely out of the question.
TP: Your daughters are thirteen and going to be starting high school. Does that make you nostalgic for their childhood again?
Haley: Of course, and if you are actually trying to ask me if Nathan and I are planning on having any more children, I won't answer that question.
TP: Finally, does Nathan wear boxers or briefs?
Haley: He has two pairs of lucky basketball BOXERS, but that question is kind of odd.
Teen People: When is the wedding?
Nathan: Never. We lied.
Haley: Be quiet, Nathan. We haven't set a date yet.
"There is almost nothing about us! You guys talked about Pimp Daddy more than your own children, and gross about the boxers thing." Nicole shook her head to rid it of the lucky boxer picture flashing in her mind.
Brooke stood up, "That's it? I waited three months for the same information I already knew!" She threw her arms up and looked angrily at Nathan and Haley. She pointed to her belly. "I wanted some good, juicy gossip! I'm running out of things to tell the baby!"
"Yeah, I'm with Brooke. That sucked." Peyton pouted. She absently tugged at the hem of her maternity designed Tric shirt. "I waddled all the way over here for nothing."
Nathan smirked. "Ah, Peyt. It wasn't for nothing. The doctor says you should get exercise in whenever you can." Still, after all of these years, Peyton and Brooke always complained and Nathan always had a remark to push back with.
Peyton and Brooke glared and Peyton snarled, "Go play in traffic, Scott."
"What? And miss the pregnancy pout parade put on by my two favorite friends?" He feigned shock and held a hand to his chest. He lowered his voice, "Never!"
Haley smacked the back of his head. "Be nice." She told him, and then to the room, "Dinner's ready."
Everyone made their way to the living room, except Nathan and Haley. Nathan wrapped his arms around Haley's apron clad waist, and bent down to press a kiss into her neck. "I love you." He swore, and she remembered why she wanted to spend the rest of her life with a rude, egotistical basketball player. Why she would deal with groupies flirting with him forever on and why she would specially wash his lucky boxers before every basketball game. Why she would never see him as a thirty one year old man, but rather as a seventeen year old boy who asked her to spend the rest of his life with her. Because he was her one true love.
And she was his.
They headed to the table hand in hand, where Lucas immediately picked up his champagne flute. "To life bringing us happiness and together again."
They locked eyes across the table. "To love."
Nicole kicked Hannah underneath the table to get her attention before rasing her glass, "To pairs."
Hannah added with a glance at her parents, "That are perfect for each other."
When my world goes crazy
You're right there to save me
You make me see how much I have
And I still tremble when we touch
And oh the look in your eyes
When we make love
You're more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Everytime I look at you
Notes:1st. Thanks to all of you readers for you continued support and reading and reviewing and all that goodness.
2nd. I decided to make a SEQUEL, whichwill be entitled: "Our Family Portrait."
3rd. You guys are sweet and I hope I hear from you guys during the next fic.
Shout Outs: Last Ones to be delt for a while. Be sad.
RoseRows: I did you first because you have been reviewing constantly since the beginning. I thank you for that. I hate school too. Especially finals because you stress so much to study then you stress until you find out your grade. Seriously, finals take off a good two years of a person's life from stress. I hope you read the sequel and I can shout out to you about school and things like that.
nicolec: I'll miss you too. And I'm sorry you are sorry it is ending. You can read the sequel though :
xSmile: The sluts thing started at the very beginning of the story. And as for Sean and Nicole, you'll need to read the sequel for that information.. to see if they end up together. I hope you read the sequel...
emmalee05: haha. What you wear any day is important at my school. However, the first day is of course the most important. You have to see if you look better in your new Back to School clothes than everyone else.
Nathanlvr: Sorry, I know you really wanted Hannah and Sean. But you'll see in the sequel, (if you read it) why I did what I did. I promise you will be happy. It'skind of a OTH twist. Anyways, thanks for reading. You are cool for doing that.
PEACE OUT
-KATIE