Brooke had agreed to pick Nathan up from the airport upon his latest arrival while Haley was putting in some hours at the cafe.

"Hey Brooke," Nathan grinned, throwing his bag in the backseat of Brooke's car.

"Hey!" Brooke replied with a smile.

Brooke continued down the road to exit the airport.

"So, you guys are going for the paternity test tomorrow?" Brooke asked.

Nathan nodded in response.

He knew that everyone was curious about it but the truth was, he didn't really want to talk about it. It felt like a formality to him that didn't bring up any pleasant feelings whatsoever.

"I know its the right thing to do...but I had a talk with Haley and she's not lying," Brooke said.

"Well I never said that she was," Nathan said a little too defensively.

Brooke was taken aback, "Oh I know, I'm sorry...geez. You're kind of jumpy..."

Nathan shut his eyes. "I'm sorry...the truth is, I don't have any doubts that I'm the father. This is Haley's way to prove to everyone else, so there won't be any doubts."

"Wow," Brooke said. "I don't know that anyone would assume she's lying."

Nathan looked at her, "Brooke. This is Tree Hill - there's always someone out there trying to stir up trouble. You should know you used to be one of them."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "well, I resent that remark. I would never go to such lengths to lie about someone, well, except the Sue Garby rumor I started but that was because she was a miserable whorebag who deserved it."

Nathan chuckled to himself while Brooke continued, "...but Haley James is the model upstanding citizen. I just can't see that people would think she's lying."

"It may not even be that people would assume she's lying. People may honestly think that Haley may not know the paternity herself. She was dating another guy when we slept together," Nathan said, growing tired of this talk already.

"We're just going to take it and get it over with," Nathan said.

Brooke nodded silently.

Nathan decided to change the subject, "So what's been going on for the past week or so since I've been gone?"

"Not too much...Haley's fighting some weird cravings -- I had to go to the store at 10:30 last night because she was dying for some peanut butter covered pickles."

Nathan cringed, "what the hell?"

Brooke made a face and laughed, "I don't know...you'd have to be pregnant to understand that one I guess..."

Nathan shook his head and laughed.

~~~~~

"Tutorgirl, I have a basketball stud here to see you!" Brooke called as she opened the door to the apartment.

"I'm back here, Brooke!" Haley called from the back bedroom. She made her way to the living room.

Nathan took in her appearance. She was wearing sweatpants, an old THHS sweatshirt and gripping a Kleenex.

"What's the matter?!" Nathan was alarmed at Haley's tear-stained face.

"Nothing...damn hormones," Haley sniffled.

Brooke raised her eyebrows. "Well, on that note, I'm going to run to the beach house for a bit. Let you guys catch up -- if she cries, put on a comedy," Brooke threw the suggestion out to Nathan. "Love ya, call me if you need me hun!"

Brooke was gone, leaving Nathan with Haley.

"Are you alright?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah...I've just been getting kind of moody lately. The doctor said that's completely normal though..." Haley replied.

Nathan shook his head. That was clearly understandable after everything combined with the hormones.

"So how was your flight?" Haley asked.

"Long, but not too bad," Nathan said.

Haley nodded in response.

"Listen, my mom was going to have us over for a dinner tonight, but I think we should just stay here," Nathan said.

"Are you sure? You haven't gotten to spend very much time with her," Haley replied.

"It's fine...I will go and see her tomorrow....I'd rather spend some time with you."

Haley smiled and sniffled again, her eyes red and puffy.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Nathan asked warily.

Haley nodded. She was silent a minute too long though.

"Alright...what is it? I can tell something's bothering you...and its not just hormones."

"I don't want you to get mad..." Haley said.

"What is it?" Nathan asked gently.

"...I guess I got to thinking...maybe its the hormones...I don't know....once we get it on paper, I mean, the results of the paternity test....are things going to change once this baby is born?? I mean, am I going to? --will I eventually have a custody battle on my hands?" Haley asked.

Nathan felt like he'd been slapped in the face. "What? You have to be joking....do you honestly think I would try to take this baby away from you?"

Haley's eyes welled up again. "No....I mean, I don't really know what to expect ya know? I mean, I know you're here helping me and all...but, before all of this happened....you hated me."

"Haley, if I hated you, none of this would have happened in the first place," Nathan responded as gently as he could. "I was angry and bitter about what happened. All of that pales in comparison to what's happening now though....and I would never try to take this baby away from you...you have to know that."

Haley nodded. The truth was, she was just as confused as Nathan was.

Nathan leaned over and put his hand on Haley's knee. "I'm not going to stop being here for you. I promise."

Haley smiled through her tears.

~~~~~~~~~

Several hours later --

Nathan and Haley were sitting on the couch, several boxes of takeout containers scattered around the living room table. They were watching one of those cheesy syndicated sitcoms and loving every minute of it.

Nathan couldn't remember a time he'd laughed so hard. It felt good to laugh.

Haley was in much better spirits and was laughing right along with him.

Nathan could see that pregnancy was definitely agreeing with her. He knew it sounded cliched, but she did have a glow about her.

Haley noticed him looking at her, "What?" she asked self consciously.

"Nothing...I was just looking at you," he replied.

Haley looked down, "I look horrible, I'm fat -- none of my clothes fit now...I've got these sweatsuits....that's about it."

"I don't think I've ever seen you look more beautiful," Nathan said in genuine admiration.

He got the overwhelming urge to kiss her at that moment but refrained. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. He knew she was very vulnerable and he in no way, wanted to take advantage of that vulnerability.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Nathan and Haley went to the doctor's office and the paternity test procedures were performed without any complications. They left with the promise of results from Dr. Bader within the next two weeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The next two weeks went by in a flourish.

Nathan and Haley had begun a lamaze class - and when Nathan couldn't be here, Brooke was Haley's partner.

Nathan could tell that Haley was a little uneasy and concerned about some of the stories she was hearing of the birthing process.

Nathan noted the scared look on her face. "It will be okay, I'll be there the whole time," Nathan whispered, squeezing her hand.

After the class, Nathan and Haley had arrived at her apartment and Haley was checking the voicemail messages.

There was a message from Dr. Bader on the machine.

"I guess the results are in," Haley said.

She quickly called the doctor's office and spoke with a nurse who put her on hold. Nathan sat on the couch, listening.

"Yes, Dr. Bader? I just received your message. Yes....yes, thank you so much!" Haley said.

She hung up the phone and turned to grin at Nathan. "Officially and on the record...you're going to be a father!"

Nathan smiled and jumped up to hug her. "Never a doubt...." he said, hugging her to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first of November brought cool temperatures to North Carolina and the Scott/Roe families were preparing for the new arrival to their extended family. The ultrasound had not been conclusive in determining the sex of the baby, so Nathan and Haley were told it would be a surprise.

Despite his initial hesitation and natural concern for his brother and his best friend, no one was more involved in the planning process than Lucas, who was now thrilled at the prospect of having a new niece or nephew to spoil.

Upon enthusiastic approval from his parents, Nathan had set to work converting his childhood bedroom in the Scott mansion into a nursery, complete with a playpen and a bassinet.

"Well, he or she has to have a place to stay when visiting Grandma Deb," Nathan had grinned at his mother when first telling her about his idea.

Nathan continued to keep his apartment but was rarely there.

The majority of his nights in Tree Hill were spent at Haley's, sleeping on the couch- just wanting to be there when she went to sleep and when she woke up in the morning.

~~~~~~

Nathan and Deb were busy at work one afternoon, painting the nursery a seafoam color when Lucas ran down the hallway.

"Nathan! We gotta go!" Lucas said, practically throwing Nathan's jacket at him.

Nathan jumped back so not to get paint on the jacket being thrown at him. "Lucas, man! What the hell?"

"We gotta go now!! My mom just called....Haley's in labor."