Nathan didn't know what to do and he didn't know what to tell Haley. She was his girlfriend, they worked together and they started dating at the beginning of the year.
That evening, Nathan was out for diner with Haley at his favorite italian restaurant. He was happy to be there with her, but his mind kept wandering to what he had just learned.
Haley had noticed that Nathan was preoccupied.
"Nathan, honey, you're okay?" she finally asked.
"Yeah, just tired" he answered.
"Nate, I know something's bothering you. Tell me"
"Hales, it's nothing." he replied.
"Don't shut me out"
"I'm sorry. It's just hard. Okay, so, there a young woman, she has a little girl. This woman, she has cancer, she's dying"
"Oh, Nate...she's one of your friends?" Haley asked sadly.
"Yeah...she's...she's dying and... the little girl...she..." he didn't know how to say it.
"She's your daughter." it was less a question than an affirmation.
Nathan's head bolted upright. "How do you...How do you know"
"I read it on your face, I understood."she answered with a weak smile.
"Look, I didn't know about her until today. Well actually I did know that she existed, but I didn't know she was my daughter, I thought she was some other guy's. Hell, even that guy thinks she's his daughter." he explained.
"How old is she"
"She's four"
"Poor little girl, losing her mother so young."
They finished their diner and walked towards their appartement, holding hands. "You ok with this?" Nathan suddenly asked "I mean me having a daughter"
"Well it's a big thing, but it's not like you knew or anything." she responded. "What are you gonna do anyway"
"Well Brooke said she wanted to fix things before she died, she said she wanted Mary to know her real father, to have a father, because actually, Lucas, the guy who was supposed to be the father was not around." Nathan said.
"It's so sad for her. I mean for the first years of her life she didn't have a father and now she'll have to grow up without her mother." Haley added.
"So you are ok with me taking Mary?" he wanted to be sure.
"Yeah, she'll need you"
"I know, but I don't want to lose you"
"You won't" she smiled and added gigling " you're stuck with me Scott"
Nathan dropped her hand and pulled her in his arms, before kissing her deeply.