My Security
Chapter Twenty-one
What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Bringing his body as close to Haley's as possible, Lucas soothed the delicate girl's hair. She was coming around and they were desperate for a reaction from the fainting miss. Nathan was at her other side, shaking and stroking her hand. He didn't even care that Luke was practically mauling her. She was his first priority. The fear and uncertainty shown through his eyes. He knew this was a reaction to the news he could be the father of Nikki's child. What would Haley do?
Lifting herself to a sitting position, Mr. James insisted Lucas give the beauty some air, but say a word to Nathan when he didn't budge. The boy pecked her forehead and brushed his hand up and down her arm.
"Are you alright, Hales. You scared me." He breathed honestly. " Do you need..."
Ready to lift her into his loving arms, his hands slipped beneath her knees and lower back, but his girlfriend shook her head adamantly.
"I'm fine." She waved off before directing her comments at to all the frightened faces surrounding her. "I guess my blood sugar is a little low. Maybe we should head into breakfast." She stated sheepishly trying rise from the cool marble. Nathan and Lucas helped her up, Nathan noticing her sway before finally taking a standing position.
" Hold up, Nathan! I think the subject before Ms. Prissy had her little spell was Helena, our daughter!" The child started bawling at the tone of her mom's voice and Nikki bounced her on her hip.
"You sure have a way with women!" Nikki commented.
"Maybe she doesn't want you screaming in her ear." Nathan shot back and the verbal sparing began.
"Maybe she wants her father's attention for the first time in her life." Nikki rolled her neck.
"If I had known about her, she would have had it, Nikki!" He struck a nerve.
"So, I take it you're claiming the child?" Jules James sneered. The boy always looked like the type that couldn't keep it in his pants, but hopefully the baby wasn't his. Once she got him to marry her daughter, Taylor didn't need to be sharing his inheritance with some teenage whore's offspring.
Nathan looked down at Haley, whom stared after the child as Karen took her and had Larry set up the portable play pen in the dinning room. Helena could play with her toys and have a juice. Hopefully relaxing the upset toddler.
"The timings right from when Nikki and I dated." Nathan shrugged. "She has my blue eyes."
"A couple hundred other guys in this town have them too." Peyton blurted.
"Just because I'm dating your brother doesn't mean I can't kick your ass!" Nikki threatened and Peyton laughed, not at all intimidated.
"She's all talk." Taylor surmised. "Nathan, you could really do better when it comes to your baby's mama."
"What the hell are you implying?" Nikki accused the blond that looked a lot like Haley and was giving her a disgusting look. "You don't even know me."
"I probably couldn't say that about half the guys in Tree Hill." Taylor taunted, receiving a high five from Peyton and a dirty look from her father and Luke. The younger James smirked uncertain as to why she was so defensive. She didn't know Taylor and didn't care to know her, but she had obviously broken Haley's heart. True, Taylor and Haley were friends now and spent a lot of time together, but feeling this fiercely protective of the older girl was very odd.
"Taylor! That's enough!" Jimmy scolded his daughter as the elder sibling's arms wrapped securely around her own curvy frame. Hales refused to fall apart in front of the crowded room.
"Ah, C'mon Dad! I'm just saying what everyone else here is thinking. If I thought Nathan was going to knock somebody up, it would definitely be Haley." She said simply as mouths dropped open.
"Taylor!" Nathan's fist clinched and his jaw tightened.
"But they're not even..." Mr. James pointed at the couple.
"Dad, you are not that dense. They've been going at it like..."
"Taylor, damn! You're not helping ." He growled nodding his head over to where Haley stood flushed and wide-eyed.
Peyton and Taylor laughed while Luke's eyes bored into Nathan like lasers.
Haley turned away, completely humiliated. "Excuse me." She spoke softly before bumping Taylor when she marched off towards the downstairs lavatory feeling the bile rise in her throat. That girl just didn't know when to say when sometimes!
"Thanks a lot, Tay and Pey!" Nathan threw his hands up in the air strolling off to find Haley.
Luke gave Nikki a subtle elbow.
"Nathan! You need to be spending time with your daughter instead off following Haley around like a puppy!" She deviously interjected.
"She's right, Son. Haley will be alright." Mrs. James demanded.
Nathan stopped taking a deep breath before facing them. He was a dad now. He had to be mature and responsible. "Why don't you go ahead and start eating. I'll get Haley and we'll sit down at breakfast and decided what's best for Helena." He said civilly.
"This is your problem, not Haley's!" Lucas snapped.
"First, a child is a blessing not a problem, Luke ass! Two, Haley's has an input in every decision I make. We're a team." He smirked confidently before continuing on his journey.
"Not for long." The Sawyer boy sing songed under his breath, praying this would be the straw that would finally split Nathan and Haley up permanently.
Haley took one of the several new toothbrushes in the bathroom vanity and placed paste on it, brushing vigorously since a few minutes prior she was puking her lungs out. Once she was finished she washed her face and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red rimmed and her face flush.
What Nathan saw in her that was beautiful, she never would understand. But that didn't matter much now. She knew her happiness would only be temporary. Discovering he has a child and with Nikki as the mother, she was positive their relationship would soon dissolve. She had already fallen in love with his precious daughter, how could Helena not already have him wrapped around her finger. He can't be the full time father, Haley knows he'll need to be and be at Princeton with her.
Hearing his knock on the door, she was shaken from her reverie. She checked her reflection, raking at a few of the curls in her hair before leaving to join the others. Opening the door, she smiles at him pretending to be fine.
"Let's eat. I'm starving." She giggle, patting her growling belly. Truthfully, it was empty.
Nervously, he placed his hands in his pockets, hovering like the protective lover and friend he was. Resting his large hands on her hips he pulled her closer to him, waiting until she looked up at him with puffy brown eyes.
"This isn't going to change anything, Haley. I love you. I never expected her to get pregnant. We only..."
"Just stop!" She backed out of his embrace watching his face distort. Her reprimand hurt him, so she calmed herself before continuing.
"That was in the past, Nathan, before us. You don't have to explain. We should go, everyone is probably waiting." Raising up on her toes, she hugged him. For a moment she clung with all her might, her nose tickled by his aftershave. Her small figure becoming aroused when his large hands swept up and down her back in figure 8's. She reveled in the serenity, knowing their lives would begin to dramatically change once they stepping into the large dinning room.
Nikki and Lucas had purposely saved two seats betwixt them, knowing Haley wouldn't sit beside the sneaky brunette and Nathan would rather eat on the back porch and beside Lucas at the table. Nikki couldn't wait to strike up a conversation with Nate as he took his seat and Haley's long time friend had a few things he want discuss with her too. However, Mrs. James brought the table back into a discussion of the current situation.
"Nathan are you going to actively participate in Helena's life?" Jules questioned peering over at the child babbling in her play pen. She did look a lot like Nathan.
His primary concern was Haley's reaction. She seemed a little more relaxed right now, her eyes urging him to answer. After all, she didn't hold any animosity for the bubbly tot playing in the corner of the room.
" If she's my daughter, absolutely." Nathan announced proud and strong.
"That an if with a capital I and F." Peyton threw in, always looking out for her buddy.
"I know who I slept with!" Nikki disputed.
"Maybe when you woke up in some guys bed sober." Peyton added remembering just how easy Nikki used to be when she was dating Nathan. "But what about the hundred others, Drunk Girl?"
Nikki dove across the table at her, Nathan held his body partially in front of Helena's mommy so she was unable to reach Peyton.
"Peyton Sawyer! That was not appropriate!" Karen scolded.
"But the truth!" His dear friend continued reminding Nathan of the real possibility that Helena could be someone else daughter.
"Oooo! This is soooo Maury! Can I swab your mouth with the Q-Tip when you get your DNA Test, Nathan? Pleeeaassse?" Taylor begged, giddy by the recent the soap opera dramatics.
"Hales, he didn't put a bun in your oven too? Is that why you fainted or look like you just threw up. Oh my Gawd! You have morning sickness!" She rambled, obviously a Jame's family trait.
Amazingly, no one disputed Taylor and all eyes when to Haley. She immediately shook her head back and forth."Tay, I'm not pregnant! I swear."
You could feel a breeze from all the breathes let out at the table with the exception of Nathan. His lip curled down as if he were slightly disappointed.
"Taylor Rick James!" Her father's voice bellowed. "That's enough. I don't want to hear another word about teen age sex lives or pregnancies. I'm trying to eat here!"
Haley kept her head down, maneuvering the food around on her plate, but eating nothing and refusing to look up. She knew Taylor didn't mean anything by her words. She was very outspoken, but it stung no less to know she wouldn't be the woman having Nathan's children. They had always shared the dream of a child in their future. A girl with his eyes and her sweet manner. A baby just like Helena. She struggled with the complete break down she was on the verge of having and rose from the table.
"I'm not feeling very well today. I'm going to go lie down." She admitted and no one could deny she had good reason.
Passing the play pen, Helena had woke from a mini nap. She was groggily standing and reached out for Haley. Turning back to the table, all eyes were still on her, including Nikki's. The auburn haired teen held the blue-eyed girl Nathan's blue and planted a kiss at her temple. The tired tot settled her head against Haley's chest, lifting her chin up so she could examine Haley's face with great curiosity. Helena's chubby digits traced her features until Nikki interrupted, snatching the child from her nemesis.
"I'll take her. She is my daughter!" Nikki emphasized.
The cranky child whimpered, looking over her mommy's shoulder as she carried away from Haley and over to the table, reaching her position beside Nathan.
Haley's steps were still set. She watched the parents and adults coo over the sweet darling. Nathan's fingers threading the large ringlets of her long pig tails. She could see his fascination with this new person he had created.
With similar thoughts as Haley's Nathan tickled the happy baby. He mostly thought of himself as a screw up, but he was going make his parents proud and become a great father.
Lucas eyed Haley's with longing glares and struggled to be supportive before nudging Nikki. She got the message without a pause and continued Helena's bonding session with Nathan.
"This is your daddy, Helena. His name is Nate." Nikki introduced the toddler, Luke stroked her leg under the table as his approval.
Meanwhile, Nathan let the cherub take him in with great interest. Her tiny palm brushing his handsome face and strong nose.
"You can call him daddy." Nikki encouraged. "Say hi to Daddy Nate."
"Nate!" The girl exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Nate!" She giggled." Nate! Nate! Nate!" Reminding him of Haley when she was in a perky mood. His heart fluttered and you could easily see the joy twinkling in his ocean colored orbs, just like Helena's.
"Did you hear that Hales?" He called to his partner, needing to share this with her.
Twisting, he found she was gone. Facing his daughter, he pressed a gently kiss atop her head with his full lips before backing away from the table. "Excuse me, Helena." He whispered kindly, tapping her nose. "Daddy has to find Haley."
The little one gave him a sideways glance, waving as he rose. "Bye, bye, Nate." She continued to wave watching his moments with great care.
"Nathan!" Nikki and Mrs. James shouted in unison.
"Haley is okay! We have more pressing matters." Jules warned, happy for the friction the child was already bringing into Nathan and Haley's relationship. Soon, Haley would not only be out of Mr. Scott's life, but her families too. She wouldn't have to worry about the natural affection Mr. James held for his estrange daughter.
"If she were alright, she wouldn't have slipped away! Mr. James, would you please make the arrangements with Nikki to have the paternity test taken for Helena and me. I'll pick her up later this afternoon."
Surprisingly, Nikki didn't bicker with him, suddenly pale and nervous. Luke patted her hand and she was instantly reassured. However, when Nathan stopped behind the Sawyer boy's position, the blond put out his arm to halt Nathan's journey.
"I'll go check on Haley. I doubt she's even speaking to you right now." He said with all the phony sincerity he could muster up.
The raven haired lad knew it was true. She had to be completely devastated. They had made so many plans and it was going to take a lot of work to keep those dreams. He wasn't willing to give up but it was going to take more a than a few reassuring words to convince Haley.
The rest of the week zipped by as Nathan and Haley's relationship appeared as strong as ever to outsiders. Unfortunately, she had been distancing herself from him. She took on some volunteer time, helping the elderly and poor with budgets and ways to save money a couple of hours after school and on Saturday mornings.. A few hours a day were always spent with Taylor and Nathan would in no way refuse her that bond, but his need for his Haley time was growing everyday.
She caught a movie with her Rivercourt pals when Nikki brought Helena over for a visit with Nathan Friday night, knowing he wouldn't have an opportunity to protest. She doubted being missed.
She got in late from the cinema, opting to play a few rounds of mini golf with Lucas before heading home. He had been a really great friend lately, supportive and understanding without giving advice or judging her situation. There was no tension, just fun and laughter. After all, he was dating Nikki so he was the only one that could truly relate. They never actually talked about Nathan and Nikki in the same sentence, but she was secure in the common tie.
Haley finally made it home after 1 a.m. She didn't see Nathan watching through the foyer glass as Lucas walked her to the door. The blond joked with her for a few minutes eliciting several giggles before gathering her into a bear hug.
"I'm so glad we're close again." Haley smiled into his shoulder, trusting him. "I need you, Lukie." She teased earnestly.
"You always have me, Haley. Always." The conniving male tossed in, aware they were being watched. Giving her an uncharacteristic peck on the lips. It was quick but full, leaving her speechless with her fingers brushing her mouth...
Pamela