A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews. And thanks to my beta: Leeese.


Chapter Twenty Two

Nathan had no idea what he was doing here. He should be getting ready for his date with Haley. Despite Haley being his first girlfriend since Rachel, he wasn't nervous at all. He was ready to move on with someone else. He didn't care if they were separated or not. He loved Haley and was proud to show it.

Sitting at a restaurant waiting for his estranged wife to show up before he went on his big date wasn't part of the plan. He wouldn't be there at all, but she had insisted that it was important. He just hoped that he wasn't wasting his time. He had other things to do than to wait around for her all day.

To his surprise, Rachel arrived just a few minutes after he did. There was silence between them as Rachel told the waiter that she just wanted a glass of ice water. Nathan waited until the waiter left before he spoke. "I guess I should be happy that you're still obeying the rules of being pregnant."

Rachel ignored that rude comment. "That's what I need to talk to you about." Nathan wondered what she had to say this time. He had a feeling that it wasn't good by the look on her face. She took a deep breath before she spoke again. "It turns out that the baby isn't yours." Nathan frowned in confusion. "I found that I had slept with Owen around the same time I last slept with you."

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked before he realized what had happened. "You had too much to drink one night and slept with Owen." He couldn't believe this. Rachel had cheated on him with the bartender. And the son that he was looking forward to raising wasn't his. "How the hell did you find out about this?" he demanded. So many questions were burning through his mind that he wanted to get them all answered. "How do I know you're not lying about this too? You told me that you would have aborted the baby if it wasn't mine. If you slept with Owen around the same time you did with me, why are you coming clean with it now?"

"Because I wasn't even aware that I had slept with someone else until Owen came forward and confessed," she hissed, not wanting the other customers to hear them. She tried to calm Nathan down. "I wouldn't have told you this in the first place, but then the test results came out." She pulled out the file folder from her purse and handed it to him. "It confirms that Owen is the father of the baby." Nathan opened the folder and glanced over the information. "And he is suing for custody. Since he is the rightful father, I'm afraid that you won't have a chance to win it."

Nathan was speechless as he stared at the paper in front of him. There were no words to describe how he felt except he was angry, not to mention devastated. He wanted that baby so badly. He couldn't believe that all of his plans for his family had gone down the drain in one swoop. The news was just too much for him. He didn't say anything as he left Rachel. He couldn't stand to be with her right now. He needed some time alone.

He returned to Tree Hill to call off the date. As soon as he returned home, he called Haley and told her that he didn't feel like going out that night. Haley was disappointed, but was willing to go out on their date another night.

Nathan then stood in the nursery doorway and stared in the room, the room that wasn't going to be his son's room. He knew that he still had a chance to have a family. But it would now take him longer than it already has. He hated Rachel for lying to him about wanting children, for taking his house away from him, cheating on him with Owen and taking his child away from him. It just wasn't fair.

He couldn't stand to be in that room any longer so he left the doorway and went back downstairs. Grabbing a beer from the refrigerator, he walked back into the den and sat down on the sofa. He turned on the television and changed channels until he found a basketball game.

He was so engrossed in the game that he didn't hear someone coming into the foyer until he heard his name calling. To his surprise, it was Haley. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked as he turned off the television.

"I know you and I could tell that something was bothering you," Haley replied as she showed him two containers of ice cream. "So I thought I would bring some comfort food. But I understand if you don't want company. I'll just leave the ice cream and come back another time."

Nathan shook his head. "No, it's fine. I would love your company." It was the truth. He was done being alone. "You make yourself comfortable and I'll serve you dinner. How about I make you your favorite meal? I believe I have a box of macaroni and cheese somewhere in here." Haley nodded as he took the ice cream from her.

"You know, I don't believe that I've been in your house since you've moved back in," Haley said. "Can I get the grand tour?" she asked. Nathan nodded and led her through the rooms. He always loved his childhood home and was glad that he didn't sell it.

Haley didn't ask about his problems until they were cuddled up on the sofa after they were done with their meal. "So do you want to tell me what happened?" she asked curiously. She didn't want to push him if he didn't want to talk.

Nathan let out a heavy sigh. "Rachel called and asked if we could meet. She said that it was important." Haley didn't like where this was going, but she let Nathan go on. "The first thing she told me was the baby wasn't mine." Haley gave him a confused look. "Apparently, she had gotten too drunk and slept with Owen."

"The bartender from the club?" Haley asked in confusion. She had seen him around, but she had never met him. Nathan nodded his head. She gave him a sympathetic look as she realized the truth about the baby's paternity. "Nathan, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how you must feel."

Nathan shook his head in disbelief. "I should have known that the baby wasn't mine, but I wanted to believe that I could still have a part of my dream."

Haley gave him a comforting smile. "You can still have that dream of having a family. Just because Rachel screwed you over doesn't mean you can't bounce back from it." There was a short pause before she spoke again. "I haven't told you this yet, but I was almost engaged to Julian." Nathan looked at her surprised. "He proposed to me and I turned him down because I wasn't ready to settle down yet. I felt that he screwed me over because he never thought about what I wanted. I was only twenty-two. I barely had gotten out of college. I wasn't ready for that next step yet. I wanted to do a lot of things before I settled down and got married."

"Like what?" Nathan asked curiously.

Haley was thoughtful for a moment. She had a list of many things but there was one thing at the top of her list. "I want to see Europe," she told him. "I always wanted to go and visit London. I know it rains a lot there, but that is the point. I love the rain."

Nathan returned the smile. "You know, I haven't seen London either. Rachel and I went to the Bahamas for our honeymoon. We should go sometime. Maybe we could go this summer. Or even next summer."

Haley nodded in agreement. "That sounds like the perfect summer vacation. Would we take the kids?"

Nathan laughed. "You mean as a graduation present?" Haley nodded. He thought for a moment as he considered the idea. "Well, I think that's a great idea. Do you know what else I consider a great idea?" Haley was ready to hear his answer. "You moving in with me." Haley looked at him surprised. "I know neither of us is ready for that next step and that's why you would get your own room. It's been really lonely since Lucas moved out to be with Brooke in their new apartment. And now I don't have the baby to look forward to anymore. And you also have a big house to yourself."

Haley stopped him right there. "Nathan, I appreciate the offer. And you're right. I do have that big house to myself. And that's why Quinn is moving in with me." Nathan tried to hide his disappointment as she continued her explanation. "Since she and David broke up, she wants to start over and I suggested that she should move back in with me. And she would be closer to my parents." Nathan didn't want to hear anymore. Luckily, she was done. "I'm really sorry. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

Nathan didn't hesitate as he answered. "Stay with me tonight." Haley nodded as she leaned in for a kiss. Nathan followed her lead and they soon were having fun in the master bedroom. After making love for awhile, they finally took a break and cuddled up next to each other as they fell asleep.

The next morning, Nathan woke up early and started making Haley breakfast. She was delighted when she saw him over the stove, cooking away. "Thank you. This is so sweet of you. It's probably good that we're eating early. I need to go home and get ready to go to the church."

Nathan frowned. "Since when do you go to church?"

Haley gave him a smile. "I don't unless it's for my godson's christening." Nathan groaned as he realized she was right. Ryan's christening was today. "It's okay. I almost forgot myself until I saw it on my calendar. Are you going to be up to attending the christening?"

Nathan sighed. "Yeah, I'll be fine." Haley couldn't tell if he was serious or not. "Besides, I'm the godfather. I have to be there. Ryan can't get christened without me. Or you. So we should get going. Jake and Peyton wouldn't want us to be late."

A few hours later, Nathan and Haley were standing by Jake and Peyton with little Ryan and the pastor in front of the church. There weren't many people there, but Lucas and Brooke were able to make it. Haley tried her best not to smile as Ryan fussed while the pastor gently put water on his head.

After the christening, everyone headed to the house for the reception. As Ryan was passed around, Haley sat next to Peyton as she opened the presents. However, she couldn't help glancing over at Nathan, who was with Jake. She could tell that he was trying to keep his spirits up, but it was hard with little Ryan being around him.

Brooke joined them after it was her turn to hold Ryan. Haley tried not to laugh as she saw the wide smile on her face. "Please tell me you're not getting any ideas of having children now. You and Lucas are way too young to start having a family. You guys need to finish high school first."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Yeah, we know that already. But don't expect us to do the same for college. Lucas may be going to Duke, but I'm not planning on attending college. I have a hard enough time in class now. I don't know if I would be able to handle college classes."

"College can be challenging, but that doesn't mean that you wouldn't be able to handle the work," Peyton pointed out. "You can always try attending a community college first. That way, you can get a feel of what college is like before you attend a university." Brooke was about to respond when Peyton continued. "You don't have to decide right now. After all, you guys still have another year to think about where you want to go and do."

"I'm hoping that Lucas will change his mind about going to Duke so we would be closer to our nephew," Brooke said. She couldn't help smiling as she said 'nephew'. "Boy, that still feels weird to say."

Her teachers laughed as Brooke went to join her husband. Peyton shook her head in amazement. "Lucas and Brooke do make a cute couple, don't they?" she asked. Haley had to agree. "It's just like you and Nathan." Peyton instantly realized that she had gone too far. "I'm sorry. I promised myself that I would stop playing matchmaker and let you two get together in your own time."

Haley noticed that Nathan was leading Lucas into the kitchen. She didn't have to wonder to know what he was planning to talk to Lucas about. She just wished that he would have waited another day to tell him the bad news.

She was then handed Ryan and she saw flashes of light as Jake took her picture. "Nathan, why don't you get in there?" he asked Nathan once he and Lucas came back into the room. Nathan wanted to protest since there had been plenty of pictures with his godson already. However, he was encouraged to go over and stand next to Haley. He finally obliged, but he drew the line at holding his godson. "Come on, Nate. You will need the practice once your son comes."

Nathan couldn't hold in his feelings any longer. "Would everyone just stop mentioning the baby? There will be no baby. It turns out that the rumors are true. I'm not the father of Rachel's baby, okay? Are you happy now?" he exclaimed angrily as he looked at the stunned crowd. He could see a lot of sympathetic faces and wasn't ready to deal with it. He pushed past the guests and stormed out of the room.

Haley handed Ryan back to his mother. "I think we're going to go now." Peyton nodded understandingly. "I'll call you later." She quickly said good-bye to the others before she followed Nathan out the door.

"You don't have to leave," Nathan told her when he saw that she had come outside. "After all, I'm the one who isn't in the mood to celebrate. You go and hang out with Peyton and Jake and our godson."

"If you're going to go and punch that guy's lights out, let me do it," Lucas said as he came outside. Brooke was right behind him. "I don't want you to lose your job too."

Nathan looked at his brother confused. "I wasn't planning on punching Owen," he replied. "And I don't want you to do it either. You know fighting isn't the answer." Lucas wanted to protest, but Nathan was ready. "I know you're a married man now. And that's why I'm telling you not to fight this guy. Think about Brooke. You can't be a husband to her if you're behind bars." Lucas hated to admit it, but he was right. "Just stay out of this, okay? Promise me you will." Nathan looked at his brother until he finally agreed. He didn't say anything more as he and Haley climbed back into the car and drove off.