Disclaimer: I do not own OTH or any of it characters places or such. I am simply borrowing them.
AN/ I know it has been way too long since my last update. I am sorry about that. Things got away from me. I made this chapter extra long to try and make up for it. It was going to be two chapters, but I felt bad for leaving you guys hanging for so long. So, here you go. Hope you like it! Thanks for all the reviews and all of the encouragement. Please don't forget to review for this chapter.
As always suggestions are welcome!
Nathan opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by white. He quickly sat up and looked around confused. He was surrounded by a white cloud. He had no idea where he was until a figure came walking towards him. A figure that he immediately recognized.
"Dad?"
"Hi son" Keith Scott said as he approached his son dressed in old jeans and in a T-shirt. Keith reached his right hand out to help Nathan up and Nathan just looked at the hand and back towards Keith
"You are dead"
Keith pulled back his hand and smiled, "yes, I am dead"
"So, then I am dead too" Nathan said frantically. Thoughts of things that he had never done or said came flooding to his mind.
"No, Nate, you are not dead" Keith said reaching his hand out again, "Come with me and I will explain everything"
Nathan hesitantly took his father's hand and was helped to his feet. Keith smiled before pulling Nathan into a hug. "It is so good to see you"
"Dad, how is any of this possible?" Nathan asked, "You are dead, but I am not and yet I can still hug you?" Nathan said pulling back from the hug and standing in front of his father.
"I know it is a little weird. Do you remember what happened and why you were sleeping?" Keith asked
"The last thing I remember…I was at the café with mom and Lucas and…and Andy was there"
"Yes, Do you remember anything else?"
"I remember Andy pointing the gun at mom saying he was going to shoot her and I remember…jumping for the gun and…It went off. Oh god, Mom"
"Your mom is fine. She is more worried about you then anything"
"Worried about me?" Nathan asked not putting all the pieces together
"Yes, they are all worried about you."
It finally clicked to Nathan what Keith was trying to tell him, "Oh god…I was shot"
"Yes, you were shot, that is why you are here. You are in a deep coma."
"A coma? What is here?"
"This place is what we like to call the you choose place"
"You choose?"
"This is the place that you determine whether or not you are going to go back to life on earth or whether you are going to go forward and be with me"
"You mean I get a choice?" Nathan asked
"You do, but not every one does. You are what we like to call a special one. Most of us don't get the choice."
"What do you mean?"
"Take me for example, when that SUV struck me and I flipped, I was gone. I had no say in whether I stayed or went. That decision was already made for me and that decision was that I was gone. You get to make that decision because technically you are still alive. Your body is laying in a hospital bed and your heart is still beating."
"I have a choice. Then, I went to go back. I want to be with our family and my friends. They can't take another heartache," Nathan quickly said
"I figured that, but Nate it is not going to be easy. You are going to have to fight your way back."
"What do you mean fight my way back?"
"You are going to have to grasp on to the fact that you want to live and you are going to have to accept the reality that may be there when you do"
"What reality? How bad was I hurt?"
"The bullet went into your lower spine. Nathan, you may never walk again"
Nathan stumbled as the words hit him; "you may never walk again". That means he could never play basketball or run on the beach or anything like he used too.
"Nathan?"
"I may never walk again?" Nathan asked still not believing his dad's words.
Before Keith could answer, a voice was heard softly. Nathan recognized the voice right away, it was his mom and she was crying. Nathan struggled to hear what she was saying, but couldn't. All he could hear were her sobs.
"How is it possible that I can hear her?" Nathan asked looking towards his father
"You made the decision to live. You are going to be able to hear everyone. Their words are going to help to pull you back. You have to grasp onto them. Remember the people that love you."
Karen sat with her head in her hands, tears flowing down her face. She couldn't stop. She knew that she needed to be strong for Nathan, but it was so hard to see him like that. Karen quickly stood and leaned down to kiss Nathan's cheek. "I love you, Nate. Please don't leave us" With that Karen turned from the bed and walked out the door back towards the waiting room.
Brooke, Chris and Sam were still sitting there all were silent with solemn faces. When Karen entered the room, she tried desperately to control her sobs. She looked at all three of them before taking a seat on the couch closest to Brooke.
"Are you okay?" Brooke asked placing a hand on Karen's arm
"Not really. He looked worse then I thought he would." Karen admitted
"Is he really bad?" Sam asked
Karen looked towards the young girl before answering, "Yes, he is bad, but I know he would want to see you. All of you" turning to look at Chris and at Brooke.
"I will go unless one of you want to go" Brooke said
"I don't think I can handle it yet," Sam said honestly
"Go ahead Brooke" Chris replied
Brooke stood as Karen gave her directions to Nathan's room. She walked out of the waiting room and towards the room not knowing what to expect
Lucas and Haley sat holding each other as people rushed by. Haley's tears had stopped only minutes ago and Lucas continued to hold on to her.
Haley finally broke the hug and looked at Lucas, "Do you really think it will all be okay?"
"I hope so. Nathan has so much to live for. You being one of the most important."
"He is in for a fight."
"Yes, he is, but he has us to help him also. Are you ready to go back upstairs?"
"I don't know if I can face him yet"
"I know. Why don't we just go up there in sit with everyone? I know mom is worried about you too"
"She shouldn't be worrying about me"
"Hales, you are one of her kids. She knows how much you love Nathan. She is going to worry about you either way," Lucas said smiling which draw a smile from Haley also.
"Okay, let go upstairs" Haley said standing as Lucas stood also wrapping his arm around Haley's shoulders again and walking towards the doors.
Brooke pushed open the door to Nathan's room and slowly walked in. When she saw his lifeless body, tears instantly spring to her eyes. She shut the door part of the way and slowly walked towards the bed. She took Nathan's right hand in hers, but couldn't bring herself to speak. Tears began steadily falling from her eyes.
"I don't hear anything anymore," Nathan said still struggling to hear his mom's voice.
"Someone else is there now," Keith said as a voice was heard
"Hey Boytoy""That is Brooke" Nathan said the voice a little louder than his mom's
"Um…you need to come back to us, okay? We need you here. Your mom needs you, Luke needs you, Meredith needs you…we all need you. We love you so much Nathan. We might not show it as often as we should, but we all love you."
"I love them too, dad" Nathan said looking towards Keith
"I know that, son and they know that too."
Nathan smiled over at his father before asking; "Did you know that Brooke and Lucas finally got back together?"
Keith smiled, "I knew that they would all along."
"Nate, please wake up. I am not sure any of us can take losing you. Come back to us, Nate. Come back to Haley"
"Haley" Nathan softly whispered before looking at his father
"Yes, I know about that too. Took you long enough though, son"
Brooke softly kissed Nate's forehead before letting go of his hand and walking back out the door towards the waiting room. The elevator opened as Lucas and Haley stepped out. Brooke wiped at her eyes and tried to smile at them.
Lucas moved from Haley's side and pulled his girlfriend into a hug. Brooke immediately hugged him back. Haley smiled slightly at the scene before walking to the waiting room. Karen looked up as she entered, stood and walked towards the young woman.
"Haley? Are you okay?" Karen asked once she reached her
"Yea, I am hanging in there" Haley said as she looked at the woman she had always considered her second mom.
Karen reached out and pulled Haley into a hug and rocked back and forth. Karen knew that the young woman was hurting more than she would ever let on, especially to Karen. Nathan was Karen's son, but Nathan was Haley's love.
Haley and Karen broke their hug, as Sam asked, "Where's Lucas?"
"He is out in the hallway with Brooke" Haley answered wiping at her wet eyes.
"Did you want to see him, Haley?" Chris asked
"I don't think I am quite ready yet"
"Would it be alright if I went?" Chris turned and asked Karen
"Of course. I am sure he would be glad to hear your voice"
Chris reached over and grasped his sister's hand before standing and walking out of the room. He met Lucas and Brooke in the hallway
"Hey man" Lucas said as Chris approached them
"Hey. I am going to see Nathan. Can you keep an eye on Sam for me? She is not taking this too well." Chris asked Lucas. Even though, Sam and Chris had only recently found out that Lucas and Nathan were their brothers, they each felt a strong connection to each other.
"Of course" Lucas replied before leading Brooke back towards the waiting room.
Chris continued towards Nathan's room. He stopped outside the door to take a deep breath and then slowly opened the large door. He shut the door partway and walked towards his older brother. This was not the Nathan Scott that he had been playing basketball with earlier. The Nathan Scott in front of him was on the verge of dying. Chris sat down in the chair next to the bed and stared at the lifeless body in front of him. He didn't know what to say. All he could say is what was in his heart.
"Hey Big Brother"
"That is Chris" Nathan said turning to his dad, "Do you know about them?"
"Yea, I know about them. I always knew that you guys would find your way back to each other" Keith replied.
"Um…I am not really sure what to say. It is just so weird to think that a few hours ago we were playing basketball at the river court with friends and now you are laying in this hospital bed fighting for your life. We haven't had nearly enough time together. Even though we only met a couple of days ago. I feel this incredible bond to you and to Lucas. You guys are my brothers. Brothers I didn't know I had, but you are my brothers. Something I have longed for my entire life. Please stay with us, Nate. I don' t want to say goodbye yet."
"He really cares about you" Keith stated
"Yea, it is weird, but I feel the same way about him and Sam. I never knew they existed until last week, but yet they are my siblings"
"Even though you have only known them for a couple of days, they still care for you very much."
"I care for them too"
Chris grabbed Nathan's left hand and squeezed it, "Don't leave us, brother". Chris placed Nathan's hand back on the bed before standing and walking out the door back towards the waiting room.
As he walked by the waiting room, he looked in through the windows. Lucas was sitting beside Sam. He had his arm around her in a hug trying to comfort her, much like a big brother should. Haley, Karen and Brooke sat on the couch beside them in their own quiet conversation. Chris smiled at the scene before walking towards the waiting room entrance. He walked towards Lucas and Sam and took a seat on the other side of his sister.
"How does he look?" Sam asked softly
"He doesn't look like the Nathan that you were joking with today, but he still looks like Nathan" Chris answered honestly
"Do you want to go see him?" Lucas asked
"I am not sure if I can" Sam answered
"What if I went with you? We can see him for the first time together"
"Okay" Sam answered
Chris softly gave his brother the directions to Nathan's room as Sam and Lucas started towards the door. Lucas looked back at Haley with his arm still around his sister and whispered, "I will be right back"
Haley nodded her head as she watched them walk into the hallway
"Dad?"
"Yea, Nate"
"Did you feel any pain before you died?"
"Yea, I felt the SUV hit the truck. I felt the truck flip and then that was it. I didn't feel anything else and I found myself here"
"Did you see the SUV coming at you?"
"At the last second. I saw the driver and the look on his face and then I felt the hit. You know how they say that your life flashes before your eyes right before you die?"
"Yea"
"It is true. As that truck flipped, I didn't see it flipping all I saw was you guys and your mom. I only felt love for all of you."
"When Lucas walked into my house that night and told me that you had been killed. I felt my world crumble"
"I am sorry about that son. I wish that I was still there with you guys to watch Meredith grow up, you all get married, play with my grandchildren. Even though I am not there in body, I am always there in spirit. Always"
Lucas and Sam walked quietly down the hallway towards Nathan's room. When they came to the door, Sam abruptly stopped. "I am not sure that I can do this, Luke"
"Yes you can, Sam."
Sam took a deep breath and with her brother beside her she opened the door and walked into Nathan's room. She gasped in shock at the sight before her. They all had said that it was bad, but this was not what Sam had expected. She slowly walked towards the bed where her older brother was laying and sat down in the chair next to him. Lucas stood beside her.
Sam sat there in silence for a few minutes with her hands in her lap and her head hanging. She quietly and swiftly moved her right hand from her lap and placed it on Nathan's left hand still lying still on the bed.
"Nate" Sam began as tears began to rush down her face.
"Sam" Nathan said as he heard his younger sister voice.
"Nathan, please come back to us. We haven't had enough time together. I need you. We all need you." Sam said before taking a deep breath, "Please Nate. Don't leave us. I need my big brother. I know that we haven't known about each other that long, but I feel so close to you. I can't lose you. Please Nathan"
Lucas placed his hand on his sister's back and she turned her head into his body, never removing her hand from its resting place on Nathan's. Lucas crouched down beside her and pulled her into a hug holding her as she let the tears flow down her face. His own tears flowing down his face. His brother, the one he had always thought was the stronger one was laying in a hospital bed fighting for his life. A fight that he had to win. Lucas finally let himself realize the severity of the situation.
"I can feel her. I can feel her hand on mine" Nathan said turning towards his dad as he brought his left hand to his chest.
"Yes"
"Someone else is there too. I can hear her crying, but it is muffled like she is crying against someone."
"Yes, someone else is there"
Sam pulled back from Lucas and looked up at him. She turned back towards Nathan and leaned over to bring his hand to her lips. "I love you, Nate." Sam said before standing and turning to Lucas, "I am going to go back out with everyone else"
"Okay" Lucas said as his sister left the room and he occupied the seat that she had vacated. He sat with his head down looking down at his hands for a few minutes before lifting his head to speak to his brother.
"Nate…Nate, I don't know what to say here. I am lost."
"Lucas…" Nathan said hearing his brother's choked words.
"All I know is that I can't lose another family member. We just lost dad and I am not sure that I can go through that again. I am not as strong as you are. I can't carry this burden alone. I can't help mom raise Meredith by myself. She needs both of us. You and I have been through so much together and we have always come out of it together. This has to be one of those times. I know that you want to live. We are fighting with you and for you, so please keep fighting. It doesn't matter what happens when you wake up; all that matters is that you are here with us. I will be there every step of the way. I will help you with anything that you need. Please wake up. I need you man. I need my brother" Lucas said before standing up beside his brother's bed, "We all need you" Lucas looked down at his brother one more time and then left the room.
"He is wrong, ya know" Nathan said
"Wrong about what?" Keith asked
"I am not the strong one. He is. He stepped up and took care of mom and Meredith after you were killed. I hid in my house in Florida, not even knowing whether or not I was coming back for your funeral until the night before."
"Nate, you came back to this town and that church willing to face all the memories that they both hold. That makes you strong. That is how Lucas knows that you are stronger than he is. He used to tell me that if he had been in your shoes back then, he would not have been able to go on. He would have crawled into a hole. You kept on living. Yes, you escaped into basketball, but you lived. You lived a life that you are proud of, one that Bevin would have wanted you to live." Keith said looking towards his son.
Lucas slowly walked down the hallway towards the waiting room. When he entered the room, he looked straight towards his life long friend sitting beside his mother. She was the one that Nathan needed most right now, she was the love that would bring him back. However, he was not sure that she knew that. He was not sure that she would want to walk into that room. He knew she was afraid of the reality that was behind that door.
Karen turned away from Brooke and Haley and looked towards her oldest son. His blue eyes were red from the amount of tears he had shed over the last couple of minutes. She followed his gaze and knew exactly what he was thinking. Haley would be the one to bring her son and his brother back to them. She was his love.
Haley, who had been quietly talking with Brooke looked up and met Lucas's gaze. The small smile that had been on her face quickly disappeared and she feared what Lucas would say to her. She felt her heart drop into her stomach as Lucas made his way to stand in front of her. He reached his hand down to pull her from her seat and quietly pulled her into a hug, "I think he needs to see you now, Hales" Lucas softly whispered for only Haley to hear. Haley stiffened at his words, Lucas continued to hold her in his arms. He felt the hot tears hit his shirt and Haley shook her head. She pulled from his grasp and started walking towards the door that would lead her to Nathan.
"Dad, I wish that you were able to come back with me," Nathan said after a few moments of silence.
"I know, son, but this is the destiny that was chosen for me. I had a good life. I didn't get to see and do all the things that I had hoped to do, but I got to do the things that I wanted to do. I loved. I loved your mother and I loved you children. I watched you and your brother grow from boys into men that I am proud to call my sons. I helped teach you to be respectable, thoughtful, caring and generous. I got to hold your sister in my arms, give her piggyback rides, take her to the park, ride her on my shoulders and be her daddy. I lived a good life, Nate"
"I wish you were with us though. There are so many times over the past couple of days that I have wanted to come to you for advice"
"I know that, Son. I am always with you even if you can't see me"
Haley stood outside of Nathan's hospital room staring at the wooden door. She was so afraid of what was on the other side. The man that she loved was lying in the bed on the other side of that door, fighting, fighting to stay alive. She knew that he needed her, and still she could not make herself walk through that door. She was being selfish. Haley turned from the door and began to walk back towards the waiting room. She stopped halfway and turned back towards Nathan's door. Hot tears falling down her face.
"It is too quiet in here. Luke, can you turn the TV on please? Give us some noise" Brooke said
"Yea" Lucas said as he walked towards the TV in the corner of the room and hit the on button. Before he could move to change the channel, a news flash was heard and a young woman came on the screen. She was standing in front of the hospital.
"We go now to Katie Morgan, who is standing in front of Tree Hill General Hospital with breaking news. Katie?"
'It has been confirmed that in the hospital behind me, NBA star Nathan Scott is fighting for his life. Scott was involved in a shoot out earlier today at a local café here in Tree Hill, North Carolina. This is Scott's hometown and we are told that he was in town here for the last week following his father's tragic death in a car accident last Tuesday. No details have been released surrounding the shootout or what may have caused it. The only details that we have been told concerning the star condition is that he is in fact in this hospital being treated for a gunshot wound. We will keep you updated as we learn more. Back to you, Shawn.'
Lucas hit the off button on the TV and stared back towards the group. "Damn it! Can't they ever just leave us alone?"
"It comes with the job, Luke" Karen said to her son.
"Yea, well, I hate it! My brother is in there fighting for his life and they are broadcasting our lives all over the place. How did they even find out about dad?"
"It was on the local news. They probably put two and two together." Brooke said turning to help Lucas. She knew that he felt like his life was an open book sometimes.
"Now they are going to be all over the hospital. They are gonna want to know everything."
"They don't know that he is in a coma. That is at least one good thing." Brooke said
"I do not want to deal with these people. I can't deal with them." Lucas said knowing the question that they were going to want answers too.
"Is there someone that you can call? Your agent or someone?" Sam asked her brother.
"Yea, Nate and I have the same agent."
"Call Simon and ask him what should be done. He is more equipped to handle this then any of us right now." Karen told her son.
"Ok" Lucas, said as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and walked out of the waiting room. He turned it on in the hallway and heard the beep indicating that he had a new voicemail. Not wanting to be bothered with voicemail, he walked towards the elevator away from Nathan's room and called his agent.
"Simon Matthews"
"Hey, it is Lucas"
"Oh, Lucas. I have been trying to reach you. Is everything okay? They are saying something about Nathan getting shot"
"No, Simon. It is not okay. Nathan was shot. He is lying in a hospital in a coma fighting for his life and these vultures are outside the hospital biting for any and every detail they can get." Lucas said his anger showing in his voice.
"Are you in Tree Hill?"
"Yea"
"Stay where you are. I am on my way. I am going to get security to the hospital to keep the reporters from getting near any of you. I need a list of people that you want to be allowed near your family and your brother."
"Okay." Lucas said his anger calming down
"I am going to take care of all of this stuff. I don't want you worry about anything, but Nathan. I am going to transfer you to Wendy. Give her those names. I am on my way now. I will be there as fast as I can and I will handle the press. Just stay inside and call me if anything else comes up."
"Okay."
"Okay. Hold one second" Simon said a click was heard and Lucas was transferred to Wendy, Simon's assistant.
Haley continued to stand in the hallway as nurses and doctors rushed by her going in and out of patient's rooms, her tears had stopped. No one said anything to her, but simply looked the other way. They all knew who she was and why she was there. Most of them had watched her stand at the door to Nathan's room without entering, afraid of what she would find on the other side.
Lucas finished the call with Wendy after giving her his friends' names and turned his cell back off. Simon would call the hospital if he needed him. He turned away from his spot by the elevator to walk back toward the waiting room. He spotted Haley in the hallway with her back to him. He walked towards her slowly not sure if she was crying or just in a daze. He didn't want to scare her. As he reached her, she turned and looked at him.
"Hales…."
"I can't, Luke. I can't go in there"
"Oh, Haley" Lucas said as he reached out and pulled her into a hug
"I can't see him like that. I know I am being selfish, but I can't do it" Haley said as sobs racked her body.
"Shh" Lucas said trying to calm Haley down
"I know I need to be strong for him, but I can't. I know I am just going to go in there and cry. I can't be strong for him, Luke"
"Yes, you can Hales. Even if you go in there and cry. You are still there for him. He can still feel your presence. He needs you"
"I can't…."
"Yes, you can. I know that you can." Lucas said trying not to push Haley too hard. He knew that it would help Haley just as much it would help Nathan for her to be there.
"I…" Haley said before taking a deep breath, "I am not sure if I can take seeing him with all those machines."
"Those machines are keeping him alive right now. They won't be there forever."
"I…I…okay" Haley said finally giving into the pull on her heart to go see Nathan. She pulled away from Lucas and looked up at him, "I can do this"
"You can do this." Lucas said as Haley turned for Lucas and walked back towards Nathan's room.
Haley stopped in front of the wooden door once again and slowly moved to open it. She pushed the door wide enough for her small frame to fit through and then closed it not allowing herself to look towards the bed. She took a deep breath and then turned around. She gasped at the sight in front of her and new tears sprang to her eyes. She slowly leaned back against the door for support and watched as the ventilator pumped up and down, sending air through Nathan's lungs. She slowly slid down the door until she was siting on the floor. She could not see Nathan from there, just the machines. The machines that were keeping him alive.
Lucas turned in the hallway to head back toward the waiting room, the elevator opened as two men stepped off and walked towards him.
"Lucas Scott?" one of the men asked
"Yes, can I help you?" Lucas asked
"My name is John and this is Scott. Simon Matthews sent us to protect your family."
"Just the two of you?"
"There are more downstairs. We are here to be near your family" Scott replied this time
"Simon was fast about this one. I just talked to him."
"Yes, sir. We were already on standby. He was waiting on confirmation that you and your family were in fact here." John said
"Okay. Well, I guess come in the waiting room."
"We will just stand by the door" Scott replied, "Let us know if you need anything. Simon will be here soon"
"Okay. Thanks"
"Who are they?" Karen asked as Lucas entered the room and sat next to Brooke.
"Security. Simon sent them."
"That was fast" Brooke replied
"Apparently, they were already on standby."
"Oh" Karen said
"Should someone go check on Haley?" Sam asked
"She just went in to Nathan's room. She has been standing out in the hallway." Lucas replied
"She was scared about what was on the other side of that door" Chris supplied
"Yea, she needs to see him as much as he needs to see her. She is the one that he loves" Lucas said pulling Brooke into a hug and kissing her on the head.
Karen smiled at her son, wishing that her husband were there beside her. She sure could use his strength at the moment.
"We know that dad" Nathan said to his father, "I know mom is probably wishing that you were there with her right now"
"I know she is, but I know that she knows I am here. She knows that I am standing beside you"
"What do you mean? She knows that I am talking to you now?"
"No, no one knows that. I mean she knows that I am watching over you. All of you"
"This is all still so strange. Am I going to remember any of this?"
"Yes, you will remember all of this. I am not sure that anyone is going to believe you. This is more for you than for them anyway. This is the closure that you needed, Nate, one last conversation with your dad."
"They will probably all think that I have a head injury."
Keith laughed, "Yea they probably will, but there is something that I need you to tell a couple of them."
"What is that, Dad?"
Haley's sobs slowly began to subside. She tried to stand up from the cold floor. Her body was weak from all the emotions and crying. She looked toward Nathan and slowly walked towards the bed. Fresh tears began to well up in her eyes again; she willed them back this time. She needed to be strong. She sat down in the chair beside Nathan's bed and reached over to take his hand in her own.
"Whoa" Nathan said as he felt a jolt of electricity run through his body. His felt a calming feeling wash over him as a voice began to speak.
"Hey Nate"
"Hales" Nathan said softly
"I am not sure what to say, Nathan. I…I can't tell you how hard it is for me to see you like this. I keep remembering our talk this morning on the beach. Kind of ironic, we were talking about a long distance relationship and how we were going to make it work and only hours later, I am sitting here next to your hospital bed waiting for you to wake up. Nate, you need to wake up. I need to see your smile, hear your laugh, look into those deep blue eyes, when I tell you that I love you. Nathan, you have always been a huge part of my life. Even when we didn't talk and lived in different cities, there were always things around me to remind me of you. Basketball, the games on TV, pictures of us when were younger, every memory that I have as a child and a teenager has you in it. I want more memories, Nate. I need more memories. Memories of fun times that we have yet to have. Nathan, you are the love of my life. I can't imagine my life with out you in it. Please, Nate, please come back to us. Please don't leave us. We still haven't had our date yet. I know it is going to be a hard road, but I am going to be there with you every step of the way. Nathan, please. I love you" Haley said as she leaned her head down on Nathan's bed and let the silent tears run down her face.
"She loves you, Nathan" Keith said as he watched his youngest son's face
"Yea, I know she does"
"It is almost time for you to go back."
"I can feel myself being pulled"
"Yes, we don't have much time left. I want you to tell your mom, that I love her. Tell her to look in my sock drawer, there is something there that she needs. Tell your brother, that I am very proud of him and that I love him. Tell him not to let Brooke go again. They belong together and I can't wait to see them get married and have children of their own. Tell Meredith about me when she gets older. Tell her that I love her and I will always love her. Tell Peyton, I love her and I will miss her smile. Tell Haley, I love her and I will always be her Uncle Keith. And tell them all that, I was privileged enough to have someone call me dad. I have made my mark and I will live on not only through my children, but those children who have become my children. Haley, Peyton, Jake, Skills and the others. Each of you has a piece of me within you, something that you hold on to. So, Nate even though my body is no longer with you, my spirit lives on through every one of you."
"I will dad. I promise."
"I know you will. I love you son. I am so proud of you and make sure that you don't let that girl go again. Tell her that you love her"
"I will dad. We will all make sure that your grandchildren know of you. I love you dad"
"Do that. Tell my grandchildren how crazy I was, " Keith laughed, "Remember I am always there. Good bye Nathan"
"Goodbye dad"
Haley felt Nathan's hand move beneath her own and looked up towards Nathan's face. His eyes were beginning to open. He squinted at the bright light in the room and tried to move his head, but couldn't. Haley raised her head and moved so that she was in Nathan's view. Nathan's eyes lit up as if he was smiling. Haley smiled back at him. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. How much he loved her.
"Hey you. Glad you are back" Haley said softly before leaning down to kiss Nathan on the forehead. Nathan closed his eyes to saver the kiss. He was alive.
AN/ Okay, the stuff in italics is things that Nathan is hearing. Hope that wasn't too confusing. I have to say this chapter made me cry, tissues were always near by as I was writing. I added the bit about the media seeing as Nathan is an NBA player. Again, I hope you liked it and please review. And I am sorry it took so long.