Find Our Way Back

Chapter 12

Like I Am

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these OTH characters, as much as I'd like to. And none of these songs are mine.

Lying here with you
I watch you while you sleep
The dawn is closing in
With every breath you breathe

I can feel the change
The change you've made in me
But will I ever see
All the things you see in me

Nathan sat at one of the zoo's many picnic tables eating lunch. He chuckled at Jimmy, who'd abandoned his lunch, as he cheered for each seal as it caught a fish. Brooke had been right, the zoo was perfect. He thought back to the night before…

When you say that I'm one of a kind
Baby, I don't see it but you believe
That I'm so strong and true, I promise you
I'll try to be that kind of man
Because you love me like I am

Nathan and Haley sat in her living room with Brooke and Lucas, while Jimmy slept soundly upstairs.

"Come on Haley," he'd pleaded. "There must be some excuse we can make so I can spend the day alone with him."

"I dunno Nathan, he still doesn't know you that well."

"I've been here over a month…"

Lucas stood up for his brother, "Jimmy loves Nathan. He thinks mommy's boyfriend is fun."

Nathan smiled at being referred to as Haley's boyfriend. It was something he'd gotten used to. "See, I'm fun."

"Oh shut up," Haley stuck out her tongue.

"And," Brooke began, "Jimmy told me it's cool that mister Nathan is going to be his daddy because they already have the same last name."

"Really?" Haley and Nathan asked in unison. Haley wondered what made her son believe that Nathan was going to be his daddy. While Nathan was pleased that Jimmy liked the idea of him being daddy.

"Yep," she shook her head, "So let Nathan take him to the zoo. He can show off 'his' zoo to someone new."

Everyone laughed, Jimmy knew his way around the zoo better than most of the employees.

When it comes to love
I may not know the rules
But there's one thing I know
My heart belongs to you, just you

When you say that I'm one of a kind
Baby, I don't see it but you believe
That I'm so strong and true, I promise you
I'll try to be that kind of man
Because you love me like I am

Haley had finally agreed, thus his afternoon with the zoo expert (aka - his VERY busy five-year-old son). He focused back on his son who hadn't given up his position at the fence. "Hey Jim!"

"What!" Jimmy didn't tear his attention from the seals.

"Why don't you come eat your own lunch."

"I want to watch the seals."

"The seals can be seen from here."

"Only because you're big."

Nathan sensed a bit of an attitude that he hadn't witnessed before from the youngster, "You need to eat buddy."

"So."

"Your mom's gonna ask about lunch, and she won't be happy if you don't eat."

"So what."

Nathan was getting frustrated, "I guess we'll just leave then, and skip seeing the rest of the zoo."

"We can't leave," Jimmy whined, "You haven't seen everything. There's lots more cool stuff."

"Guess I'll just have to come back to see it another time."

"With me?"

"No, probably not."

"But I love the zoo…" Jimmy had worked his way to the table.

"And I like being here with you, but you need to listen."

Jimmy picked up part of his sandwich, "What if I eat my lunch like a good boy?"

Nathan knew this was a small victory for him, "Nooo…I think it's too late. We'll just have to go home."

The five-year-old dropped his sandwich back on the plate and grasped onto the adult's leg for dear life, "Pleeeeeeease," he pleaded. "I'll eat my lunch and do everything you say. Pleease lets stay."

Nathan grinned, so maybe he hadn't exactly won, "Well, since I've never seen the rest of this zoo…but no more seals."

"Fine. Thanks."

You show me you love me
With a fire that burns deep inside

When you say that I'm one of a kind
Baby, I don't see it but you believe
That I'm so strong and true, I promise you
I'll try to be that kind of man
Because you love me like I am

That night, after Jimmy was in bed, Nathan and Haley sat in the living room talking. "So," Haley started, "Jimmy told me all about the zoo…" (he'd left out the part about getting in trouble)

"Where'd he learn to talk?" Nathan interrupted. "He NEVER shuts up. Neither of us is like that."

She grinned, "No, but his most favorite Aunt Brooke is."

Nathan laughed, "Fine, that damn woman's staying away from him."

It was Haley's turn to laugh, "SO, did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, I did. He's a great kid, and he knows so much about the whole zoo."

"That's what happened when your brother has bought us an all-access membership every year for Christmas." Haley smiled, "I think he's going to end up being a zoologist or a veterinarian."

"Not a basketball player?" he pretended to pout.

"Anything could happen," Haley laughed, "since his dad's a hot-shot basketball player."

"If he's as smart as his mom, basketball won't be his only option, like it was mine."

"You know that's not true Nathan. You weren't even going to play anymore. What were you planning to do?"

Nathan kissed her, "Let you be my sugar mama?"

"You're quite the dreamer there mister Scott."

"You know it," he kissed her again, "I should go. It's getting late."

"Do you have to?"

"You know I do Haley."

"But it's my dumb rule. I can change it."

"Not now you can't. You've said it yourself. Should Jimmy wake up, it wouldn't be cool. Besides, I don't know about you, but I'm not fond of sneaking around."

"You're right, I know. I just wish you weren't."

"Me too Hales, me too."

When you say that I'm one of a kind
Baby, I don't see it but you believe
That I'm so strong and true, I promise you
I'll try to be that kind of man
Because you love me like I am

Nathan sat alone in his apartment that night, thinking about what they had talked about earlier. He really hadn't had a plan. It has always been assumed that he'd be drafted and play in the NBA until he couldn't do it anymore. He received a college degree in business, but never had any intentions to use it. He'd never imagined retirement would happen after five years. But getting back together with Haley was what he'd hoped for, and saved for. He knew he wouldn't have to work, but part of him wanted to.

I am
I'll never understand
I don't think I'll ever understand
Why you love me
Why you love me just like I am