A/N: Sorry it took so long, combo of writers block, making it perfect, and time. Thanks to all those who took the time to review, I hope you enjoy and think it was worth the wait! The song in this chapter is "Lie in the Sound" by Trespassers William.
Chapter 4: Lie in the Sound
Nathan took his time walking up the walkway to the door of the house next to his. Finally he was about to find out if the amazing basketball player that had walked into his gym yesterday was his daughter. He rang the doorbell and awaited an answer. The person that answered the door was someone he never expected to see in Tree Hill again.
"What are you doing here?" she answered harshly.
"Well it's nice to see you too," he said back, I guess she isn't mine.
"I never expected to see Nathan Scott back in Tree Hill."
"I never expected to see Taylor James back in Tree Hill either, let alone living next door to me with a kid."
"What are you talking about? And I thought your mom lived next door," Taylor asked confused.
"This was the address on Savannah's forms for basketball. I have her jersey and I need a parent's signature for her to play," he answered.
"You're the basketball coach at THH?"
"Yeah, is that so hard to believe?" he asked.
"Well last we knew you were in the NBA, so I'm a little surprised to see you knocking on our door."
"Well I need a signature and then I'll leave," he said handing her the forms.
"Okay, hold on a second," she said and opened the door a little for him to step into the walkway. A guitar and singing could be heard in the living room. "I have a feeling this may take a little while."
"Why?" he asked as she walked a few steps back to call into the living room.
"Pinky, where's your mom?" she asked and the music stopped. The voice singing sounded so familiar.
"I don't know. Maybe she's upstairs or in the studio."
"Okay, Nathan I'll be right back," she said and went up the stairs. Nathan stood there waiting in the doorway and a young girl came out of the living room.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Don't you remember me from yesterday? I'm Coach Scott, I have your jersey."
"I don't play any basketball, I'm a cheerleader. You must be confusing me with Savannah," she said. There are two of them and they're obviously not Taylor's. Maybe they are Quinn's or Vivian's? I hope.
"Oh, I didn't know Savannah had a twin."
"Yeah, well most people confuse us, so I'm used to it." As Sadie finished her sentence, arguing could be heard coming down the stairs.
"I don't believe you, Tay. He's in the NBA, not standing in our door-" she cut herself off as she saw him, "way," she finished.
"Oh my god," he said as he saw her.
"Oh my god," she repeated.
"What's going on? Mom?" Sadie asked confused. Oh my god, he thought again
"Sadie, can you do me a favor and go upstairs?" Haley asked her and she went up the stairs. When she was gone Haley spoke.
"What are you doing here?" she asked Nathan.
"What are you doing here?" he repeated.
"I'm going to go…elsewhere," Taylor said and followed Sadie's path up the stairs, stopping when she saw Sadie sitting at the top of the stairs listening.
"It's not nice to eavesdrop," Taylor said.
"Like you're any better. You were coming up to do the same thing."
"Yes, but I already know what's going on, so go find Savannah," Taylor said shooing Sadie away.
Back downstairs…
"I live here, now answer the question, why are you here?" Haley said, slowly getting upset.
"I need a parent's signature for Savannah to play basketball and I had to drop off her jersey," he answered.
"I thought you were in the NBA," she said.
"I came back to Tree Hill after Whitey retired to take over the basketball team," he replied. "Why are you back here in Tree Hill?"
"I wanted my daughters to go to the school we went to."
"So they are your daughters?" he asked.
"They're your daughters too. Didn't you get the letter I sent you before I left Tree Hill the second time? You still don't believe me even after that?" she said even more upset.
16 years ago
"Hay, what are you doing?" Taylor asked as she walked into her sister's hospital room.
"Writing a letter to Nathan," she answered.
"Why? Where's Sadie?"
"Sadie is getting a DNA test with Chris."
"Why? I thought there wasn't a chance they are his; I thought you never slept with him?"
"I didn't," Haley replied.
"Then why are you getting a DNA test?" Taylor asked confused.
"I need to prove to Nathan that my babies are not Chris'. This is the only way I could think to prove that to him. I'll send him a letter with the test results attached."
"Oh, now I get it. How did you get Chris to agree to it?"
"He knew how much it meant to me, and he's been such a great friend lately that he understood."
"Speak of the devil," Taylor said as Chris walked in with a wailing Sadie.
"Aww, my poor baby," Haley said as she took Sadie out of Chris' arms.
"Hey, what about me? I got stuck with a needle too," Chris said.
"Oh suck it up. She's only two days old, she has a right to cry."
"Yeah, well the doctor said he'll give you the result letter in a few days."
"Thanks for doing this. I just hope he gets it and doesn't throw it away without opening it."
2 weeks later
"Nate, you have mail," Lucas said throwing it down on the counter of his brother's apartment.
"Thanks Luke," Nathan said as Lucas went back into the bathroom of the apartment. Nathan opened the letter and immediately recognized the familiar curvy handwriting.
Dear Nathan,
I know you don't believe that I didn't sleep with Chris, but you need to know that the babies are yours. Just so you know, I had a DNA test done with Chris and even attached the results. The babies are yours; I just wanted you to know. Please call me, you know the number.
Love always,
Haley
PS: There are two babies. Identical twins, I wanted to tell you in person, but that wasn't an option.
Present
"I ripped it up after reading 'Dear Nathan'. I was still upset," he said.
"I couldn't believe it when you left the hospital without even a DNA test. You weren't the Nathan I used to know."
"I'm still not. I've been a different person since you left me the first time, and I don't know if I could ever go back," he said.
"But you wouldn't even get a DNA test. That letter I sent you was to show you that my babies weren't Chris'. I knew they weren't and he knew they weren't, but he agreed to get the test so I could show you that they weren't."
"You never told me there were two either," he said, still staring at the same spot on the floor that he had been for a while.
"I tried, I called out for you, but you kept walking out the door. You didn't answer any of my calls and I wasn't going to leave it on the answering machine. That would've been great. 'Just called to let you know that you have twin daughters, call me back.' I wrote it in the letter that you ripped up too."
"When I went to see you there was only one baby in the room. Where was the other?"
"Savannah was extremely small and had trouble breathing when she was born. She was in the NICU for 2 months before I could even hold her."
"Lucas never told me that there were two."
"Lucas doesn't know. We haven't been that close since I moved away again, and I didn't really want him to try and get me to come back home. I haven't seen him since I got back, I'll tell him then"
"I can't believe you didn't tell Lucas."
"The only ones that know are Karen, my parents, and my siblings."
"Why don't they have my last name if they're mine?" Nathan asked.
"They do," she said confused.
"On all of Savannah's basketball forms it says James as the last name."
"Their last name is James-Scott. They were never told who their father was, but they decided that they never wanted to acknowledge his last name with theirs."
"Why didn't you tell them who their father is?" Nathan asked, still remaining calm and surprised at how calm Haley still was. He knew now how bad he screwed up then, and didn't think Haley would be this calm.
"For most of her life Savannah has worshipped you as a basketball player in the NBA. I couldn't bring myself to tell her and have her change her opinions of you because she found out who you were."
"I guess she's going to find out eventually. Especially now that I'm her basketball coach and you live next door to me."
"You live next door?"
"Yeah, my mom gave me the house and moved out to the beach house when she found out I was moving back home." After being near him now for a few minutes, it was finally sinking in that she would have to tell the girls about there father and be seeing him on a regular basis.
"So what do I have to sign?" Haley asked, hoping it would get him to leave.
"These papers," he said handing them over. Haley signed and took the jersey.
"Thanks, you probably have a lot to do, so I'll be seeing you I guess," Haley said moving towards the door.
"Haley, we still have a lot to talk about," Nathan said, picking up on the fact that she wanted him to go.
"I know and we will, just not know Nathan."
"Okay, bye then," he said walking out the door. Haley shut the door and sunk to the floor.
"Bye," she said as the tears started flowing freely down her cheeks. She had just seen her first love, first everything, for the first time in sixteen years, and it was finally taking it's toll on her. Within minutes Taylor was next to her, rubbing her back. Haley knew she had heard everything and had been listening at the top of the stairs. She just hoped her daughters hadn't heard too.
"Let's get you upstairs, okay Hay?"
"Okay. Can you make dinner for the girls or take them out to eat. I don't think I'll be able to do anything the rest of the day."
"That's okay, I'll take care of the girls, just lay down and sleep or watch TV or something."
"Thanks Taylor," Haley said, lying down on her bed.
"If it means anything to you, I think he still loves you and I don't think he'll leave the girls this time." Taylor left the room and turned on her CD, the same song she had listened to every single night since she left Nathan the first time.
It was their song, it let her remember the happier times in there marriage. Haley had many times considered remaking the song for a CD, but could never bring herself to do it. She just listened to it over and over. It was a song that Nathan had set up when they first got married so it was playing as he carried her across the threshold of their small one bedroom apartment, and it still meant so much to Haley. Little did she know Nathan was listening to the exact same moment in his house next door.
I love you more than I should
So much more than is good for me
More than is good
Oh the timing is cruel
Oh I need and don't want to need
More than I should
I am falling, say my name
And I'll lie in the sound
What is love, but whatever
My heart needs around
Oh my sheet is so thin
So I say I can't sleep because
It's so very cold
Oh but I know what I need
And if you were just near to me
Would you go...
I am falling, say my name
And I'll lie in the sound
What is love, but whatever
My heart needs around
I am falling, say my name
And I'll lie in the sound
What is love, but whatever
My heart needs around
And it needs you too much now
A/N: I hope you liked the chapter, I tried to make the Naley reunion my best, but I couldn't figure out the perfect conversation. I didn't want it all screaming, they are 32/33 years old in the story, but I did want a breakdown at the end. I hope you liked it. I'll try to get in another 1-2 updates before I leave for 2 weeks in 2 weeks. Please review, it depends on the reviews if I'll write 1 or 2 more chapters before I go.
Stephanie JJ
Disclaimer: I do not own and am not affiliated with The WB, One Tree Hill, or Trespassers William.