Chapter 6

Two Months Later

"Where are we going?" Haley asked as Nathan pulled her down the barren streets of Tree Hill.

"Well since we have to celebrate Christmas with Tommy tomorrow, I thought we could celebrate with just the two of us tonight," he grinned pulling her into his arms hugging her tightly.

"We don't have to celebrate by ourselves, I love Tommy," she reassured.

"I know you do," he nodded, "but I guess I'm just beginning to feel like we aren't spending anytime alone, and I don't know…"

"I know, but with the emancipation, both of our jobs, and Tommy, it's kind of hard," she smiled hugging, "but I really like alone time with you too."

"Well okay then," he took her hand again, leading her further down the street, finally arriving at the docks where they'd had their first tutoring session.

"What's all this?" Haley asked taking in the tablecloth, covered dishes, and lighted candles at 'their' table.

"This is your Christmas dinner," he replied moving to stand behind a bench and held a hand out for her to take a seat. He quickly moved to the seat opposite hers and took his own seat.

"I can't believe you did all this," she smiled as she finished off the last bite of her mac and cheese.

"I wanted to do something special for you," he smiled laying his hand over hers, "okay, ready for your gift?"

"Nathan you really shouldn't be spending your money," she shook her head.

"Haley," he warned, "I wanted to get you a gift and don't worry it's not much…so here." Haley took the heavy rectangular box nervously, she sliced the tape on each end with her barely there fingernails. "You were one of those kids who liked to save the paper weren't you?"

"No," she snorted before ripping the paper straight off the front. But she went back to gently tearing at the tape that held the box together. Lifting the lid she took a deep breath and pulled back the tissue paper. "Nathan this is too much," she sighed pulling the picture frame from the box.

"No it's not," he promised, even though he'd spent more than he knew he should have. When he'd seen the picture frame in the store he knew it'd be perfect. The silver frame was inscribed with a quote about family, and he'd found a picture Lydia had taken of the three of them at Tommy's first birthday where they were all smiling at the camera and placed it inside, "I just want you to know how important you are to us."

"You guys are important to me too," she promised, placing her present aside to hand him his, "I know that you don't really get to buy anything for yourself these days," she shrugged handing him the envelope. He peeled back the flap pulling out a gift card to his favorite sports store, "I wanted to buy you something, but you know me and sports I'd probably end up with the wrong thing. But I also got you this," she handed him a box similar in size and shape to the one he'd given her.

"Hales this is more than enough," he sighed taking the package from her.

"This didn't cost a whole lot of money," she promised. He lifted the book from its box; it was a scrap book of their relationship so far, everything from pictures of the docks to little notes written about certain days and her thoughts.

"It's great, thank you Haley," he leaned forward meeting her for a kiss before pulling back.

"You're welcome," she whispered dreamily, "we should probably be getting back, it is Christmas Eve after all, and there is still a little boy that needs to be put to bed."

"I know; it's weird you know, last year he was in the hospital but he wouldn't know what he'd gotten but this year he's expecting toys," Nathan laughed, wrapping his arm around her as they started the journey back to her house.

"Twucks, and baws," she nodded, "don't you just wish it was still that easy to be happy? A Tonka truck and a basketball?" she sighed.

"Tell me about it," he laughed, "I didn't get to tell you earlier, but when I was waiting for you to get ready your parents offered to let Tommy and I spend the night and do Christmas morning with you guys? Is that okay?"

"Yeah," she agreed quickly, "I'd love to have to there in the morning."

"Good, so you won't mind if I leave the bedtime routine to you? 'Cause I need to run get all his presents and some pajamas," he gave her his patented puppy dog eyes.

"Sure Tommy and I like bedtime," she grinned. She'd been putting Tommy to bed a lot over the last six weeks, ever since Nathan had moved into the apartment. Lydia and Karen had agreed to help watch after Tommy while Nathan was in school. So Lydia would care for him in the mornings at the house and then drop him off at the café around one or two and Karen would watch him until Haley got out and came in for her shift. She usually worked until five and was able to get to Nathan's apartment about the same time as Nathan, coming from practice. They'd have dinner together and then it was bedtime and Tommy really seemed to enjoy having Haley around for that particular event.

"You also both like to get up incredibly early," he replied, as they reached her front porch.

"Yes well you better get your sleep tonight because tomorrow is Christmas which means we get up even earlier," she smiled opening the door, where they were greeted with crying.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked, taking the red-faced boy from Lydia.

"He tripped and fell into the coffee table, no harm done I think it just scared him," she replied, watching the young boy trying to comfort his son. But Tommy was having none of it; his arms were stretched toward Haley.

"Ma ma," he whimpered, shocking everyone, including Tommy himself who stopped crying when everything fell silent. Haley's arms were limp at her side as her eyes grew large; she felt this over-whelming feeling of fear, apprehension, nervousness, and…love. Although when Tommy didn't get his wish though his crying started again.

"Okay, okay," Haley soothed taking him into her arms. He quieted immediately, grabbing the front of her sweater with one hand while the other went into his mouth and his head lay on her shoulder. "There see you're okay," she rocked, gently rubbing his back.

"Seems like you've got this under control," Nathan placed a hand on Tommy's back over hers, "I need to go so I can catch the bus and then get back."

"Oh Nathan don't be ridiculous, you can take my car," Jimmy handed him his set of keys.

"Thanks," he nodded placing a kiss on Haley's lips and Tommy's head, before rushing out the door.

"Hey buddy, you ready for your bath?" Haley asked the little boy, his head shook against her shoulder, "no? But if you don't have a bath and go to bed then Santa won't come and bring you presents."

"Tay," he murmured around his thumb and Haley smiled at her parents as she turned to head upstairs.

After bathing and dressing Tommy, Haley had gotten him a bottle and carried him up to Vivian's old room, where the crib and rocking chair were. She was rocking him slowly, running her free hand over his black hair.

"Both of those boys love you," her mother's whispered words interrupted her.

"I know, I love them too," she replied, smiling at Tommy whose lips had turned up around his bottle.

"I know you do," Lydia nodded, "he's getting attached to you," she glanced to the baby, "I think all three of you are getting attached."

"What's your point Mom?" she asked a little defensively.

"Is he the one, bub?" she questioned quietly, "because you're definitely his."

"He is," she agreed, she'd only really discovered that about a month ago, when they'd been putting Tommy to bed one night. It'd been a stressful day for him with three tests that ended with a horrible basketball game, but as soon as he'd seen them waiting for him outside the gym a smile lit his face. He'd taken her to dinner and then they did Tommy's entire bedtime routine together, and as she pulled the covers up and Nathan kissed the boys forehead she realized she never wanted to be without them again.

"I can't believe I'm about to mention this to my teenage daughter," Lydia mumbled under her breath, "but do you think he'll want to make this permanent?"

"I don't know," Haley answered, "but were too young to get married anyway."

"You're never too young to be with the man you love," her mother whispered placing a kiss on her baby's head, "don't stay up too long, okay?"

"Thanks Mom."

"This is too much," Nathan sighed the next morning when not only was there a stack from 'Santa' for Tommy and Haley, but Nathan as well.

"No it's not," Jimmy pointed to Nathan's stack. Lydia had even recorded them coming down the stairs and the whole deal.

"Thank you," he replied, hugging both before joining Haley and Tommy on the floor with their new gifts.

"I hope they're the right size," Lydia replied when Nathan examined his new shoes, "if not we can take them back."

"No, they're perfect," he double checked before smiling at Lydia and turning to Tommy who was holding a small basketball out to him pointing to his new basketball goal. Haley had gotten a laptop computer, she never asked for anything, but somehow her parents always found something she wanted or needed.

The rest of the morning was spent opening the presents under the tree and emptying stockings, before Jimmy ushered everyone off to shower and change so he could make breakfast.

"You guys really didn't have to do this," Nathan told Jimmy, when he walked into the kitchen clean and dressed with Tommy toddling slowly behind him, "but thank you."

"You're welcome," Jimmy replied. After strapping Tommy in Nathan set the table and poured everyone a glass of orange juice and was just finishing up when Haley and Lydia joined them.

"Oh they fit perfectly," Lydia decided eyeing Nathan from head to toe in the new clothes she'd picked out, "and Tommy's too."

"Yes they do, and thank you, you didn't have to do any of this," he hugged her tightly, "you made my first Christmas away from home special."

"That's what mothers do."