A/N: I don't get a whole lot of reviews for this story and it's kind of disappointing but at the same I dont have a lot of time to update on a regular basis so anyway...I'm not giving up on this story though. I'm going to try my hardest and not get discouraged and rush though it like I have in previous stories. Enjoy and leave me some love.

Lifesize

Nathan quietly shut the door behind him, clenched his eyes shut and sighed. Stepping to his left just a foot, he slid his weary body down the length of the wall, letting his knees sit up, and resting his elbows on them to support his head. The experience was like nothing he had ever even considered partaking in. It was like taking the bullet all over again, only now it was a choice he had readily agreed to and somehow, it felt much more, much deeper. The fear he helped erase from her eyes was a reward enough to make him feel like if he died tomorrow, his life would've made an impact on this world. Even now, with his emotions running sky high and his senses and thoughts in overload, he knew that if given the chance, he would do it all over in a heartbeat.

She had fallen asleep in his arms afterwards. After she had cried in joy, and partially he thought in fear of what was to come, as she held the small infant wrapped in blue in her arms. After she had smiled up at him, her eyes full of excitement and wonder. After she had kissed his cheek in appreciation. He let her rest there, her back on his torso and her cheek resting on his chest, for what seemed like a small eternity; the murmurs of his heart lulling her to sleep. Then he had slipped from behind her, gently placing her head on the pillow and brushing the hair out of her face. Pain and anguish and trepidation didn't appear on her face then and as his finger traced the side of her cheek, he couldn't help but think she was the most peaceful he had ever seen a person.

Now came the hard part for her. He wasn't dense enough to realize that the previous months hadn't took it toll on her emotions; the constant stares and whispers and malice spitting from people's mouths. To have something, someone, so small, so innocent, so completely dependent on you was something Nathan could barely grasp. He liked to think of himself as independent but he wasn't naïve to the fact that is mother still did his laundry and cleaned his room; or at least she paid someone else to do it. Haley on the other hand was completely on her own, taking care of a newborn, and struggling herself to find her place in the world.

"Where is Haley James?" Nathans eyes popped opened and he looked in the direction of the nurses stations just a few short feet away. There a tall and skinny guy with blonde spiky hair was demanding to see Haley. He slammed his palms down on the counter as the nurse slowly typed away at the computer in front of her. "Sometime this year lady. I don't want to be waiting on you when she pops out her next kid."

"And who might you be sir?"

"I'm Chris Keller. Who the hell are you?"

Click. Click. Click.

"I'm sorry sir, but the doctor hasn't updated her prognosis. You're going to have to wait." The nurse politely informed Chris much to his dismay. She gave him a pointed look, waiting to see his reactions. Pointing her finger to the left, she smiled. "The waiting room is down the hall that way."

"Well you don't have to be such a whore about it." Chris scoffed, shaking his head and walking in the direction of the waiting room.

"Hey wait!" Nathan called out from his perch by her door. "She's in here."

Chris stopped and spun around on his heels, pointing at the door beside Nathan. "She's in there?" Nathan nodded and Chris began to walk towards him, glaring at the nurse when he went by. "See was that really too hard for you?"

"She's asleep." Nathan informed Chris as he reached for the door handle. Chris shifted his hand, extending it out to Nathan, helping him off the floor. "You must be Chris. I'm Nathan."

"The bullet dude." Chris clarified as he shook Nathan's hand. "Good to meet you man. Look, I dunno if you're desperate or anything, but the chick at the nurse's stations is a totally slut bag."

"She's fine."

Chris studied the nurse. "Well, I guess if you're into that whole awkward shaped body thing. I guess someone needs to be interested in them."

"Not her, you idiot." Nathan chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Haley's fine. And the baby."

"Elvis?"

"Elvis?"

"Never mind." Chris motioned with his hand to dismiss his comment, throwing his arm over Nathan's shoulders. "Let's go get some coffee. No offense dude, but you look like ass. In all seriousness though, the kid's fine?"

"Yeah I guess if you're into that kind of thing." Nathan smirked as they began walking down the hallway. "He's good. Ten fingers and ten toes."

"Haley's been driving me nuts with all her whack ass dreams of the kid having double D breasts and eight arms with three legs. Oh and don't forget the one eye." Chris grinned stopped them in front of the elevator. "You were in there with her?"

"Yup." Nathan confirmed as they stepped inside the elevator and he pushed the button for the lobby. "She was quite the trooper."

"You don't know Haley." Chris commented, looking up at the mirrored ceiling and picking at his hair. "She's always a trooper."

X-x-X

"You're quite the actor."

Brooke pushed herself off the door frame and walked into the bedroom, plopping herself down on the bed. Jake sat in his wheelchair, his mind a million different places as he stared out of the window to the world outside. Peyton had only moments earlier come bounding out of the hospice, her pail face glowing brightly with joy. Things had to be done and preparations had to be made because Jake was wanting to come home, the giddy blonde had hurriedly explained to Brooke. So Brooke clicked off the ignition, going inside with her, knowing things were far from as perfect as Peyton wanted to believe.

"You managed to convince her you were okay?" she asked, watching the door carefully for any indication of Peyton's return.

"I am okay." He shot back, his jaw clenched. "I am just peachy."

"You're paralyzed Jake." Brooke said bluntly, knowing that babying and petting him wasn't someone Jake needed. "And there's nothing you can do about it. But pretending that you're okay enough to go back to the real world will not help you. It certainly won't help Peyton. She seems to be living in a dream world were the lines of reality and fairytales are so blurred she's crossed eyes with delirium."

"What do you want me to do Brooke?" he questioned, his voice only raising slightly above a whisper. "Things are so screwed up right now. I can't be okay right now; I can even begin to think about being okay. But I need to try, not only for my sake; but mostly for hers. She needs me Brooke; to keep her head straight and her emotions in check. Mine can't be all haywire on her."

"Alright." Brooke threw her hands up in defeat, pushing the bangs back on her forehead. "But you really think going back into a world you're not ready for and pretending you're okay the entire time won't take its toll on you eventually?"

Jake sighed. "I know what you're saying Brooke. I get it, I do. It's scaring me shitless right now. But it's either be here alone, wallowing in self pity or trying out there with her."

"Do you ever blame her?" Jake's head snapped at Brooke's query. Her mouth dropped open a little at the bluntness of it and she stuttered to cover it up. "I mean, do you ever wonder what would've happen if you hadn't protected her?"

"I would've blamed myself forever." Jake responded, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "There was never a second where I doubted my actions that day. Peyton is the only thing bright in my life right now and that's totally worth me being in this wheelchair."

"Hey." Peyton greeted, bounding into the room, taking a seat on Jake's lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him into a quick kiss. Brooke cleared her throat, willing away any of the previous conversation. "You get to come home."

"I do?"

"He does?"

"Yup." Peyton bobbed her head up and down happily. "What's even better is you get to come home with me."

"How's that babe?" Jake stared up at her, sweeping some of her unruly curls away from her eyes. "Not that I would be disappointed her anything."

"Well, apparently the mayor feels really horrible about you getting like this because of a police bullet. So he offered up to pay for in home care and tutors. So I offered up some sob story to your parents and mine about being completely terrified to stay at home by myself since my dad will be leaving in a couple of days. And voila!" she flung her hands and smiled in satisfaction. "Yup baby, you and me shacked up in sin."

Brooke coughed. "That's my queue to exit. I'll be downstairs Peyton. Bye Jake."

"Ignore her, she's just jealous." Jake told Peyton, capturing her lips with his own. "Peyt, I love you." He spook earnestly, and even though she was ecstatic over everything, she could hear the crack in his voice; the waver in it as he spoke.

She choose to ignore it.

"You better."

X-x-X

Haley stirred, rubbing her eyes softly as she woke up. For the moment she just wanted to lie there; savoring the quiet, and basking in the loneliness that shrouded her. The fact of the matter was, that as soon as reality hit, as soon as she opened her eyes, she would never be completely alone again. The little peanut shaped blur that she had looked at so many months ago was a life-sized, beautiful baby boy. She was his mother. Nothing in her life had ever made more sense than the moment she had held him. Turning her head to the side, she allowed her eyes to slide open and had to smile warmly at the sight that greeted her.

"Be easy on your mom okay?" Nathan spoke softly down to the sleeping baby. "She's been through a lot and kid; it's not going to get any easier. But don't worry too much. I'll be around; if anything to make sure you don't become fruity like I think your Uncle Chris is. It's really good to meet you though."

"Hi." Haley whispered, loud enough to grab Nathan's attention but gently enough to not wake her son. "Can I see him?"

"Oh, yeah of course." Nathan got up, tenderly placing the baby in Haley's arms. "He's a good looking kid."

"I know." She grinned down at the infant, her fingers grazing his face. "I made him."

"I met Chris." He told her and she glanced up briefly before turning her attention back to her son. "Do you want me go get him."

"Actually I wanted to talk to the two of you together." Nathan got up at her request and poked his head outside the door, motioning for Chris to come inside. She beamed up at Chris as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Hey you."

"I'm so sorry I missed it." He apologized, squeezing her hand softly. "But apparently I had a very good understudy." He smirked at Nathan, taking a seat beside him.

Haley took a deep breath, glancing from her son to the two of them. "You two are the men in my life apparently. Chris, you've gone above and beyond the duties of being my best friend. Words and actions could never express how much you mean to me; how much what you do means to me. Especially the past few months, with everything going on you've been the rock that I've been able to lean on. And just when I think everything is falling apart, you put me back together once more."

"I'd do anything for you Hales."

"I know." She turned her attention to Nathan. "You," she smiled softly. "You're just a stranger. But I feel like I've know you my whole life."

The bond she felt with the blue eyed boy in front of her was undeniably strong. She had allowed herself, several times in fact, to entertain thoughts of what could be if she was an unwed teenage mother. Great effort on her part had been put forth not to think of such notions but with someone like him, it was hard not to. Perhaps in a different life, in a different world there could've been a chance. But he was obviously one with many talents and hopes and dreams and far be it for her to hold him back in any way. Instead, she just shoved the feelings deep down and prayed for them to go away.

"I literally owe you my life." She continued, ignoring the thoughts streaming through her mind. She looked down adoringly at her child. "And this little guy too. You didn't have to do what you did, and regardless of how you many think or you may feel; you did it for a reason. You may not understand it and I may never grasp it but it's there, and it's real and it was for the best. Thanks is such a small thing in comparison to what you did. Holding my son in my arms right now is the best thing I've ever experienced. It just kinda makes everything worth it."

"Seeing you hold your son, makes it all worth it to me too." He said honestly, touching the small child softly. He looked up at her and noticed a few silent tears streaming down her face. "Definitely worth it."

"So anyway," she sniffled, swiping away the tears and grinning at them. "The reason for all that was for this. I want the two of you to name him. Honestly, I don't think he would be here right now if it wasn't in some part from you two. I just really hope that the values and honestly and integrity that at in the two of you are bestowed on him as well."

"Hales, I can't name him." Chris was the first to respond, his eyes wide with confusion. "Regardless of what I have or haven't done or will do, that's still your child."

"Yeah, I agree." Nathan asserted, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. It was one thing, well two things to save her life and hold her hand as she delivered her child, but she had said it best. They were strangers; and it wasn't anywhere near his realm of right to name her child. Having the honor though, just the thought, seemed very humbling to him.

"Guys, please." She pleaded, motioning for Chris to take the infant from her arms. Once he did, she picked at his blanket, peering over his face. "I want his name to be special, and I want it to mean something. I can't think of any other way to do that and honor you at the same time than have you give him a part of his identity."

"You won't even let me name him Elvis!" Chris pointed out, giving Haley a piercing look. "George. That was my dad's name. He was a good guy; strong and tough and he totally rocked out on the guitar."

"I like that." Haley responded, kissing the baby on the forehead. "I like that a lot actually. Nathan?"

A/N2: Any thoughts on the name??