A/N : Thank you for all the reviews :) I love reading them all!
Hopefully you like this next installment
He looked at her softly, watching her at the kitchen table, her head resting in her crossed arms, she looked tired…worn out and not the same as he remembered. He placed a cup of hot coffee in front of her "Drink up" he smiled as she blinked a couple of times becoming aware of her surroundings.
"Hmmm" she mused bringing the mug to her lips, "Thanks Luc" Haley glanced up at the wall clock hanging up, it was one in the afternoon, she must have drifted off for a couple of hours. "Where's Karen?" she asks yawning slightly.
"Karen's here!" the dark haired woman chuckled as she walked out of Lucas's old room, where a still sleeping Abby was resting. She headed towards the counter, filling up her own mug before joining her son, and in her eyes, her daughter at the kitchen table. "It's so weird to see you in my kitchen again Haley." Karen smiled, it had been so long since she'd seen Lucas's best friend, of course they had kept in contact but it wasn't the same.
"I'm sorry I haven't come down sooner" Haley sighed, propping her chin up on her fist, "its just…things at home are so…" she struggled to find the word.
"Complicated?" Lucas supplied, reaching to place his hand over hers, Haley smiled at him softly before squeezing his hand and biting her bottom lip nervously, "yeah" she whispered. A slight shiver shot through her as she thought back to her life in Cleveland. Her children back at home…and her husband… she brought herself out of her thoughts as she felt Lucas gently rubbing his thumb over her palm. She looked up towards the two of them and noticed they were both staring at her intently, worry clearly etched on their faces.
Haley took another sip of her coffee, allowing the burning liquid to scorch her tongue, anything to take away the real pain. "I'm sorry this is all so spur of the moment" she shook her head, "but I just had to get out of there…to get…" Haley could feel the tears forming behind her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall, shed been too strong for too long.
"Honey, you're welcome here anytime" Karen smiled at her, "you know that". Haley nodded her head mutely; afraid that if she spoke the truth would just come rolling off her lips and the tears would flow.
Lucas looked at his best friend dejectedly, he had never seen her so depressed, so upset, and it killed him that she was like this, and he couldn't do anything about it. It hurt him more that Haley hadn't told him what was wrong, he wanted to be there for her, to help her get through this. He let out an aggravated groan as he looked up towards the clock. "Damn" he mumbled, knocking back the rest of his coffee.
The two women looked at him puzzled, " I gotta get to work" he sighed, standing up from the table and placing his mug in the sink, "I promised I'd check in on the new machinery we got coming in". Eight years ago Keith had died suddenly, he was on his way to pick up Karen and Lucas from the Café; but sadly got smashed into by a car running a red light. 'Keith's Mechanics' had then been handed over to Lucas; he took great pride in the fact that he was running the place in his uncle's memory. Luc walked towards his mother, planting a kiss on her forehead, before walking around to Haley doing the same, lingering longer and wrapping his arms around her shoulders from behind. "Everything's going to be alright Hales" he whispered gently in her ear. She smiled up at him warmly, hoping he was telling the truth, "Now shoo!" Haley chuckled, "we don't want you late for work!" she playfully hit him on the butt as he headed towards the door, about to leave, "Oh Hales…Dinner. Tonight. With me and Pey?" he asked.
"Sounds like fun!" Haley replied, finishing off her own coffee, running her finger absentmindedly over the rim of her mug. Lucas seemed happy with her response and with a final wave walked out of the house. Karen watched Haley carefully, she was still transfixed on the cup before her, her eyes glazed, a small frown set on her features, where was the fun spirited Haley James that she had known and loved? Then she remembered, she was no longer little Haley James, now she had matured into Haley Moore, housewife and mother to four little girls, and she still had her whole life ahead of her.
"Haley dear." Karen spoke up, "Why don't you go lie down? I know Abby's in there and there's not much room…but--"
"Oh Karen I'm sorry to just turn up like this, but I had no where else to go, and I would of stayed with Lucas and Peyton, but things are so hectic over there right now, they just don't need me and my confusion!" Haley rambled on.
"Don't be silly!" Karen chuckled "I just cant believe its in 3 months"
Neither could Haley, "Lucas is finally tying the knot" she chuckled, him and Peyton had been together way over 6 years now. When Haley and most of the students at Tree Hill moved away Lucas and Peyton were the only ones remaining. What started out as an innocent friendship soon turned serious a couple of years later, when both realised they're future was with each other.
"Took him long enough!" Karen smiled, Haley let out a hearty laugh, manoeuvring around the kitchen tidying away, "You know you don't work for me anymore Haley, you don't have to tidy up!"
Haley span around, dishcloth thrown over her shoulder, "I know" she smiled, washing up the dishes in the sink, "But I feel I should…I need to do something"
"Go and get some sleep that's what you can do" the older woman approached her, gently easing the plates out of her hand and began washing them herself.
"No I cant sleep…" she shook her head.
Karen turned to face her, placing her hands reassuringly on her shoulders, "well then go for a walk Haley," she smiled, "A bit of fresh air will do you good."
That really did seem like a good Idea, she needed to get out, to get a feel for the place again, but she couldn't. "I cant…what about Abb--"
Karen smiled, cutting Haley off, "I think she needs to spend a bit of time with her Grandma don't you?" she beamed, so proud that the little girl had called her that, she didn't have any grandchildren of her own. So for Haley to have four girls, and for them to call her grandma, meant the world to her. "Go on now!" she shooed Haley away with her hands, the young woman laughing as she quickly picked up her handbag, and headed towards the door.
"Thanks." She spoke softly, barely above a whisper, Karen nodded her head in acknowledgement, before turning her back and continuing washing up.
"So that's it?" he asked, a tumbler of Jack Daniel's in one hand, his other kneading his forehead tiredly. He had only been back home for less than two hours and already he felt the strain, the constant tension that sparked through his body as soon as he entered the house. It was never a happy home, although they acted like it was and plastered a smile on their face, none of it was real. It was all fake, even down to his parent's marriage. He knew they weren't happy, often wondering how life would have been if they were able to free, it was his fault. By him being born, he had forced them to remain together; he had suffocated them both and made them become the people they were today. And he hated himself for it.
Deb nodded mutely, she sat opposite her son on the couch, Nathan was leaning back in the main armchair, she rested her elbows on her knees, head in hands. The past week had been the toughest of her life, that's why she had called him home, she needed someone to share this with, she needed him to comfort her. "He…uh…has to go in tomorrow for a multislice computed…uh…tomography scan'" she stuttered, " it's a new state of the art discovery, best treatment money can buy." She smiled encouragingly at Nathan, wanting to make sure that he was in safe hands.
Instead Nathan scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Trust dad!" he bit out, "he may be dying, but you bet he's gonna go out in style, flashing his cash!" he downed his drink in one go, gasping as the liquid stung his throat.
Deb gasped, shocked at her son's outburst, "Nathan! That is your father you are talking about!"
"And?" he replied quizzically.
"And he deserves to be treated with some respect!" she exclaimed, raising from her seat coming to stand in front of him, hands on hips. Her face stone cold, she admits there wasn't a lot of love in her relationship with Dan. It had started off that way, but she knew she didn't have his heart that was taken way before, to a woman she still envied today.
Nathan laughed, "He lost my respect a long time ago!"
She let out a long frustrated sigh, "So why are you here Nathan?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air, "Why did you fly all this way? To rub it in his face? If you did, that's just…"
"You want to know why I came?" Nathan slammed his glass down on the table beside his chair, he felt the tumbler explode in his hand, shards of glass flew in all directions. He rose from his chair pointing his finger in his mother's face. "YOU! You were the one who phoned me in hysterics! You were the one begging me to fly down here to help you, to help you cope through this…through this mess. So now I'm here ok? I'm here…for You!"
Deb took a deep breath, shaking slightly at the recent eruption from her son, then without warning she broke down, collapsed on the floor. Tears bursting through her body, uncontrollable and unstoppable, Nathan slid down beside her, embracing her slightly, he shushed her softly, whispering repeatedly in her ear, "It'll be ok mom…It'll be ok."
Nathan threw the last of the glass in the bin, and looked towards his mother, she was sat back on the couch, her hands still visibly shaking, "I'm sorry." Nathan mumbled, taking the seat next to her, "Its just…you know how I get with dad."
"I know sweetie" she clasped his hand in both of hers, squeezing it gently, "but he's not well Nathan, and he needs you. He needs you to be there for him"
Nathan looked up in his mothers eyes, he saw them still glazed over, he knew that her soul had left her, she looked so lifeless. He wondered if she could see that reflected in his own eyes? Cos that's how he felt, lifeless, empty, useless, he stared down at their entwined hands, "I don't know If I can." He spoke throatily, a sob threatening to spill, how could his father cause him to feel like this, like he was so broken.
"Just go up and see him" she begged, twisting to face him, "He would love to see you." Nathan scoffed, kicking at the carpet with his toe, he always did that when he was nervous, "I mean it Nathan…He really wants you here."
"I--"
"Please Nate…for me" Deb whispered a single tear trickling down her face, Nathan nodded mutely, rising from the comfort of the couch, and began taking the stairs two at a time. He had to get this over with as quickly as possible. Inside his head he continued to play his mantra, the same one he had repeated since he was ten years old, "He can't hurt me…he can't hurt me…he can't hurt me"
Pushing open his parent's door slowly, Nathan saw his father lying there, eyes closed. He had never seen him look so old before, age clearly shown on his face.
"Well are you coming in or you just gonna stand there?"
His voice cut through Nathan like a knife, the man who had made his life a living hell for as long as he could remember, and here he was, sick…ill…practically on his death bed, and still he terrified him.
"How are you?" Nathan asked, still not moving from his spot.
"Good!" he flashed the famous Dan Scott smirk, "never better!" he tried to push up on his hands to sit up straight, his frail body not strong enough to support him, almost making him slip, Nathan rushed to his side, placing a helping hand on his back.
"Get off me I'm fine!" Dan barked, shrugging Nathan's hand off and resulting to remain lying straight on his back. Why did he even bother? Nathan sighed, why did he run over to his father so quickly, he knew the reaction he was going to get, yet still he just wanted to please his father.
An awkward silence lasted for what seemed like an eternity, before Dan finally spoke up, "I caught your game last Sunday Nate!" he exclaimed. Nathan didn't reply, he knew what was coming, he was gonna get a right earful about how he didn't get enough points, and how he should be playing much better. For Nathan it was old news, he had already heard the same story, at all different stages of his life, no matter how much he gave, or how much he sweat, it still wasn't enough for the great Dan Scott!
And sure enough he lectured him, for a solid 5 minutes about his game, and how he could improve, Nathan just stood there and took it. The words passing through one ear and out the other, "—I mean it Nathan, you better buck your ideas up or soon enough you wont be playing at all. I would of played way better than that lame ass effort you give, If--"
That was it, Nathan had heard too much, "Well you didn't play did you dad? Cos you quit! You gave up…you were weak!" he practically shouted, he was sure his mother could hear them, but at this point he didn't care, " So don't you dare talk to me about how much effort I put in! I have worked my ass off to get where I am now. And no one- not even you, is gonna take that away from me." He harshly spat out at his father, not even waiting for a reply before he walked out of the bedroom, racing down the stairs. He passed his mother in the kitchen, before she could speak Nathan cut her off. "I tried mom, but he's still an arrogant son of a bitch!" he threw out towards her, yelling the last obscenity so that Dan could hear it upstairs. Slamming the door as he exited the Scott mansion, he jumped in to his Aston Martin DB9, and sped off, destination unknown, he just needed to escape. A silent sob escaped his throat as he spoke softly
"He can't hurt me…he can't hurt me…he can't hurt me"
What possessed her to come here she had no idea, she didn't think this would have been her number one spot in Tree Hill, but it had a calming serenity about it that was just what she needed. In this silence she had time to think to reflect on her life back in Cleveland, her home, her broken marriage.
Jack Moore had been the love of her life, in some ways he still was. She still remembered how they first met, she had stumbled in late to her first English lecture, she had seen him sitting there at the back watching her. Haley had been caught in the rain, soaked through to the skin. She had sat at the back in front of him, Jack had leant forward, and without saying a word placed his jacket over her shoulders. She knew then that he was her knight in shining armour…oh how things had changed, she thought to herself.
"So we meet again!" the voice whispered huskily next to her ear, she felt their breath on her neck, goosebumps popped on her skin. She spun around to be met with his smile, the dazzling smirk, which could charm the pants off any woman.
"You!" she exclaimed raising an eyebrow at him puzzled.
"Me" Nathan mocked her, raising his eyebrow also. Haley rolled her eyes at him as she turned back around to face out towards the water.
"What? Are you stalking me now? Is that it?"
"Well when you talk like that you're just too irresistible!" he chuckled sarcastically coming to sit beside her on the bench, both staring straight ahead.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I could ask you the same question!" he replied matter of factly, causing Haley to look at him properly for the first time, God why did he look so familiar? She pushed that thought to the back of her mind, she probably had never met him before in her life.
"Well I did come here for some peace and quiet. But now you're here it doesn't look like I'm gonna get either of those things." She scrunched up her face; a slight scowl set on her features. Why did he have to come and interrupt her alone time, she just wanted to be by herself.
"Why are you so angry?" he bit out
"Why are you so annoying?" she replied not missing a beat.
They both stared at each other's stern faces, before breaking out into laughter all the tension and built up frustration seeped out of both of their bodies. Nathan watched her laughing, just as he had on the plane, and noticed how beautiful she was when she didn't have her guard up. She must have caught him looking at her, as she stopped suddenly, a small blush creeping on her face as she sent him a shy smile.
"Look, I'll promise to stop be annoying if we go and get a coffee now!" he charmed, beginning to get up and come stand in front of her.
Haley looked at him cryptically; again that sexy smirk was enticing her, even though a part of her was screaming 'You don't even know him!' She bit on her lip indecisively as she thought about it, she needed someone to vent at, to take out all her anger on, and him standing there so cocky, was the perfect guy.
"I'll go if you shut up!" Haley copied his smirk, a false air of confidence washed through her as she tried to appear strong and sure. He smiled back at her goofily, which caused her to groan in annoyance as she realised, he was going to stay anything but silent.
"Fine!" she gave in raising her hands up in mock defeat, "But just try not to act too stupid." She told him bluntly as she jumped off the bench, and walked beside him to his car. Neither saying a word as Nathan opened the door for her politely, then walking around, climbing in the driver seat and speeding off… away from the Rivercourt.
Thats it ! please R&R
