Disclaimer: OTH and its characters do not belong to me. Neither do the songs quoted in this chapter. They are 'I Wanna Grow Old With You' by Westlife and 'Angel' by Sarah McLachlan.
Please take the time to let me know what you think. This story will contain multiple flashbacks which will be in italics! Xx
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This Wasn't Supposed to Happen
Chapter Six – I Want To Grow Old With You
It had been three days, an hour and twelve minutes since four friends had had their world shaken to the core. Each moment had passed so painfully, loaded with fear.
"How is he?" Peyton asked, walking into Nathan's hospital room, startling a subdued Lucas.
"Hey" Lucas spoke, sleepily. "No change" Lucas spoke. "This is hard" he laughed, as though the words he spoke didn't make his stomach ache with dread.
Peyton sat down next to him, placing her head on his shoulder.
"How is she?" Lucas asked.
"Broken, upset, wracked with guilt. She blames herself for not being here when he, you know." Peyton nervously played with her hands, avoiding the words 'when we lost him.'
Lucas knew what Peyton was thinking. "They got him back" Lucas reassured her.
"But…" Peyton searched for the right words. "He's in a coma Lucas. What if we never get him back?"
Lucas didn't answer. He couldn't answer, he'd love to be able to reassure her, reassure himself. But he couldn't. Anyone could see that the future was uncertain.
"When is Hales coming back?" Lucas asked, changing the subject.
"Soon, I guess" Peyton answered, rising to her feet and moving toward Nathan. "She didn't want to leave, but Tyler needed to sleep."
"At least she's holding him again" Lucas watched as Peyton stroked Nathan's head and lightly kissed his forehead. "Why did this happen, Peyton? They finally had their family. After everything, everything they went through with the pregnancy. They didn't deserve this"
Peyton sat down again, leaning against Lucas whilst twirling her platinum ring round and round the finger on her left hand. "It wasn't supposed to happen." Peyton began to tear up. "They were perfect"
Lucas wrapped his arm around his fiancé. "He'll wake up" Lucas wasn't sure if he was convinced by his words, but in that moment, he knew Peyton needed to hear them.
Tears began to fall, as Peyton turned to face Lucas. "I couldn't face the world if it was you" she choked out. "How is Haley doing this? She's so strong"
Lucas pulled Peyton tightly to him, kissing her softly, in an attempt to ease her pain.
Another day
Without your smile
Another day just passes by
But now I know
How much it means
For you to stay
Right here with me
The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger
But it hurt so bad I can't take it any longer
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna die lying in your arms
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna be looking in your eyes
I wanna be there for you
Sharing everything you do
I wanna grow old with you
Lucas smiled to himself.
"Hey" Peyton coughed, shaking off her tears. "What you thinking?"
"Do you" Lucas laughed. "Do you remember Haley's 20th birthday?"
Peyton began laughing herself. "Ooo our Hales was not a happy girl."
"Happy Birf…day to yoouuuu" Nathan tripped over his own foot and fell into the microphone, as he stood on stage, attempting to serenade his girlfriend.
Nathan began giggling at himself, as he attempted to find his feet. "Oops." He spoke into the microphone. "I've been dwinking."
Haley sat in front of the stage as she watched her boyfriend and his brother, stumble over each other, both ridiculously drunk.
"Haleeey is our, my, his" Lucas stopped talking as confusion flooded his thoughts. Shaking his head he began again, "We love you Haleeey"
Haley folded her arms and looked to Brooke who sat next to her, anger filling her face.
"Hey Hales" Nathan spoke again. "Come up here and sing with me" Nathan took a swig of his beer and looked down toward his girl.
Peyton rose to her feet. "Lucas Scott, get down here right now. And bring your drunken brother with you."
"Oooo" Lucas laughed, grabbing Nathan and jumping down from the stage.
"What?" Nathan tried to wrap his arms around Haley, but she moved away.
"You Nathan Scott are Drunk. And it's MY birthday."
"But…" Nathan put his hand to his head, confused. "But am I not sexy when I'm drunk?" Nathan breathed alcohol all over Haley's face.
Haley looked around her friends, each was staring at them argue, Lucas, in his drunken state was laughing uncontrollably.
Rage filled Haley's head. "You are so sleeping on the couch tonight" she spat, grabbing his arm and hauling him out of the club.
Lucas and Peyton sat cuddled up next to each other, as they reminisced the past.
"Ok, I guess maybe they're not actually perfect" Lucas laughed.
"Who are you kidding Lucas Scott? Yes they are. What about his 21st?"
"Drink Hales?" Nathan shouted above the music and across the table.
"What?" Haley shouted back, unable to make him out.
"Do you want a drink?" He yelled again, as the song faded out.
"No" Haley shook her head.
"No?" Nathan laughed. "Since when do you turn down a drink? Come on babe it's my birthday!"
"I said no" Haley spat, slightly alarming Nathan.
Peyton joined the conversation. "He's got a point Hales" she laughed. "Why aren't you drinking?"
Haley stood up from the table, angry with her boyfriend and her friend.
"Hey" Nathan was concerned. "Haley what's going on?"
"Nothing" she replied. "Nothing we should talk about now. I'm going to get some air."
A mixture of concern, alcohol and anger fuelled Nathan.
"No Hales" he yelled, the music in the club seeming louder and louder. "What's wrong?" his words pushed Haley to near tears.
"Haley" he repeated, his words harsher and increasingly cold. "Tell me"
Haley turned to look Nathan in the eye and yelled, just as the music faded to silence. "I'm pregnant."
The club was silent as the beginning of a new song was only just beginning. All eyes were on Haley and Nathan.
"I didn't know how to tell you" Haley wept, before turning to run from the club.
Nathan stood, aghast at the news he had just received. He was shocked and scared, but also knew in that moment what mattered to him.
"HALEY" Nathan yelled, pushing past Lucas, Peyton and Brooke. "Haley!"
Haley didn't turn round just kept on running.
"Haley!" Nathan screamed as he caught up with her, as she struggled to make her way through the crowds who stood at the door.
Trapping her against a wall, Nathan took her face in his hands.
Haley looked to him with tears, streaming down her face. "Nate, I'm sorry" she whispered.
Nathan passionately kissed her. "Why?" he asked. "I'm not." He kissed her again, as he traced his fingers over her stomach. Pulling her into a hug, he spoke into her ear. "Always and Forever. We can face this together."
Haley closed her eyes tightly and began to smile, as a concerned Peyton, Lucas Chase and Brooke looked on.
Tears were in Peyton's eyes as she thought of how perfect Nathan and Haley really were. "Luke" she began. "What is Haley going to do?" Lucas looked deep into hr eyes.
"I don't know" he answered, with total honestly.
A thousand miles between us now
It causes me to wonder how
Our love tonight remains so strong
It makes our risk right all along
The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger
But it hurt so bad I can't take it any longer
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna die lying in your arms
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna be looking in your eyes
I wanna be there for you
Sharing everything you do
I wanna grow old with you
Things can come and go I know but
Baby I believe
Something's burning strong between us
Makes it clear to me
Lucas woke to find Haley sitting on the opposite side of the room. Peyton still lay sleeping in his arms.
Clutching tightly to Nathan's hand, Haley faked Lucas a smile. "Hey sleepy head."
Lucas rubbed his eyes. "When did you get here?"
"Just a few minutes ago." She answered. "I didn't want to wake you guys."
"How are you feeling?" Lucas really wanted Haley to open up to him.
"Tyler's asleep, snuggled up with Auntie Brooke." Haley laughed, ignoring Lucas' question.
"Ok" Lucas replied, unwilling to push Haley into talking. "Peyton" he began to gently shake Peyton's arm. "Baby, Hales is here."
"Oh" Peyton began to stir. "Hey" she mouthed to Haley.
"Hey" Haley replied, smiling half heartedly at her two good friends. "You guys don't have to go" Praying that they wouldn't leave her n her loneliness.
"No its ok" Lucas spoke, rising to his feet, and helping Peyton to hers.
"We love you" Peyton spoke as the young couple left the room.
"You too" Haley sighed, turning to look at her helpless Nathan.
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna die lying in your arms
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna be looking in your eyes
I wanna be there for you
Sharing everything you do
I wanna grow old with you
Haley found herself cold and alone in Nathan's grey hospital room as day turned to night.
Taking a deep breath and holding back her tears, she began to wonder how this could ever have happened. In all the upset, in all the shock, 'how' had little crossed her mind. Who had done this?
Leaning forward she spoke softly. "Wake up baby?" She began to tear again. "Argh" she screamed. "These tears won't stop" she laughed, in an attempt to laugh away her aches. "What can I do?" she spoke, desperation filling her tone.
Getting to her feet, as darkness consumed outside, she lay down on the bed, wrapping her arm over Nathan's chest and pulling the sheet around them both.
"I'm here" she spoke, as she slowly began to sing her pain, in a desperate attempt to reach Nathan.
Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that would make it okay
there's always one reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
In the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight line
and everywhere you turn
there's vultures and thieves at your back
the storm keeps on twisting
you keep on building the lie
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escaping one last time
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees
In the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
As Haley's song ended, she wept softly into Nathan's chest.