The Search for Something More
Chapter 17 - You Are a Runner, and I Am My Father's Son
Blame a business trip for my delay in updating but I'm so thankful for all the reviews and please keep them coming. Again you guys keep me motivated. I'm glad you guys were happy to see Naley come together last chapter. It was a moment that I've been building up to and I was finally glad to see it come together and full circle. But if you think the story is over, far from it. There's still a lot left for Naley as you'll see. I tried my best to proofread so I apologize for any mistakes. Again, thanks for reading and please review !
. . . . .
Fluttering her eyes, Haley could feel the sun on her face and a warm hard body pressed up against her.
"Hey." Nathan said softy.
Haley blinked her eyes a few more times, still getting her bearings and wondering if this was a dream. Then everything from last night came rushing back to her. Nathan gently started to stroke her cheek sending tingles down her spine and Haley knew that this was indeed no dream.
"Morning." She replied back with a warm smile.
"Morning." Nathan smiled back and leaned forward and the two shared a tender kiss.
"Is this real?" Haley asked as she propped up her elbows on Nathan's chest and started to stroke his hair.
"It better be." Nathan smirked and leaned forward to kiss her again.
Haley rested her head back against Nathan's chest and hugged him tightly.
Rubbing his hand against her arm, he asked, "How'd you sleep?"
"Best night sleep in a while, what time is it?"
"Almost 10." Nathan looked over at his alarm clock on the nightstand.
"I don't want to get up." Haley muttered.
"I'm perfectly fine like this." Nathan smiled and sighed contently. He was a little tired but that was okay. He'd fought sleep last night, just holding and looking at Haley while she slept. He had to admit, he was afraid that when he woke up, she would be gone. He was pleasantly surprised to find out that wasn't the case. He'd been waiting for this for so long, he could hardly believe it was here.
"You're like a big teddy bear." Haley hugged Nathan tighter. "But with muscles." She added with a grin on her face and he chuckled and smirked back at her.
"Well I'm always around if you want to cuddle me." Nathan added and Haley laughed.
"Ohh awww." Haley groaned and clutched onto her belly.
"What is it?" Nathan asked concerned.
Haley sighed as she clumsily got up. "I have to pee."
Nathan laughed as she scurried to the bathroom. Pulling the sheets off of him, he decided that maybe it was time to get up. Haley hadn't eaten at all and he was getting hungry himself.
"I'll get started on breakfast." Nathan called out as he made his way downstairs.
After freshening up a little bit, Haley made her way downstairs and stood off to the side line and watched Nathan prepare breakfast. She had to admit that she could get use to the site of seeing Nathan cooking for her.. and he being half naked was an added bonus. She couldn't hide the smile on her face, she was really happy that she and Nathan were together again. It was as if this big cloud had been lifted over her.
"What can I do?" Haley asked as she made her way into the kitchen.
Nathan smiled and promptly lifted her up and sat her on the counter.
"Nathan, what're you doing?"
"You." Nathan leaned forward and gave her a peck on the cheek. "will be doing nothing."
"But Nathan, I want to help. Put me down." Haley moved her feet up and down. If she currently wasn't with child, she would've easily jumped off the counter top but she couldn't do that now.
"No can do." Nathan shook his head and smirked. "I said I was making breakfast and that's what I'm going to do." He said resolutely.
"Fine." Haley pouted and crossed her arms. The truth was that she was thrilled and touched Nathan was doing this for her.
"So I didn't know you can cook." She mused.
"I can't." He joked.
"Should I be worried?"
"But." Nathan quickly added. Breakfast seems to be the only thing I'm not able to screw up."
"Good to know, so what're we having?"
"Well, I have some fruit and I'm going to scramble some eggs and make pancakes."
"Oh pancakes." Haley clapped her hands. "Do you have chocolate chips?"
Before she can even finish her question, Nathan lifted a bag of chocolate chips to blend in with the batter.
"Well, aren't you Mr. Prepared."
"Like I said, breakfast is about the only thing I can cook." He joked.
"Still, not once have I ever seen you in front of the stove."
"Well, living on my own, I had to force myself sometimes. I remember I used to help my mom on Saturday morning breakfasts so I sort of stuck to that. Well, I can do pasta, spaghetti is probably the most complicated dish I know."
Haley laughed. "But spaghetti is the easiest thing to make."
"Says you." Nathan scoffed as he continued to make breakfast.
"Well maybe next time I cook dinner and you can learn a thing or two from me."
Nathan grinned. "Always tutor girl, huh?"
Haley laughed and then shrugged. "It's in my nature."
"I'd love to." He stopped moving and went back to Haley to giver her another peck on the cheek.
"How about tonight?" He asked. "You can cook dinner.. or we can go out, what do you say?" Nathan asked.
"Nathan Scott, are you asking me out on a date?" Haley feigned shock.
"Why yes, Haley James I am." Nathan smirked.
Haley blushed. "Then it's a date." Haley leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Does this seem surreal to you?" Haley asked a moment later.
"I had to pinch myself twice this morning to make sure I wasn't dreaming." Nathan replied. "But this feels right Haley."
"It does." Haley agreed. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For agreeing to take things slow."
"Haley, you're right, it has been five years, I want for us to know each other again with out all this baggage." Nathan continued to cook. "So tonight, I'm just Nathan and you are Haley."
Haley smiled and nodded. "Sounds good to me, now put me down, I'm starving."
. . . . .
Lucas surveyed the neighborhood and took notice of a couple of down branches and trash strewn around. He was worried something had happened to Nathan and Haley, especially after the last time he spoke to either of them. Yesterday's storm wrecked havoc in the area but luckily he was able to catch one of the few flights to make it in this morning. He wasn't planning on leaving New York so soon but after talking to Brooke, she convinced him he should come back early, plus it helped that she flew down here with him. He took a look at the driveway and noticed Nathan and Haley's cars were still there. He'd been calling both of them all morning long but it just went straight to voicemail. Reaching the front door to Nathan's house, he was about to ring the doorbell but decided it'd be more fun to just use the spare key Nathan gave him.
Opening the door, he made his way inside slowly. He heard laughter in the background and he moved further and he took notice of the lack of furniture and a wonderful scent from the back.
"I thought I smelled pancakes." Lucas smirked as he leaned against a wall with his arms crossed.
Haley and Nathan whipped their heads and Nathan tilted his head over to Lucas. "Shouldn't you be in New York?"
"Took an early flight back." Lucas walked in the kitchen. "Some people here." Lucas gave both of them a pointed look, "don't like to pick up their phones."
"Yeah, well, we were busy." Nathan had a goofy grin on his face and then reached his hand out and grabbed Haley's hand in his.
"Is there something you guys want to tell me?" Lucas squinted and shared the same goofy smile as his brother.
"Nathan and I decided to give it a shot." Haley added.
"As in you're back together again?"
"Yes."
"Not exactly."
Both Haley and Nathan spoke at the same time. Nathan gave Haley a curious look. She gave him a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand before turning back to a confused Lucas.
"What I mean is we're going to give it a shot.. we actually have a date tonight." Haley replied.
"So you're dating?" Lucas asked.
"Well." Haley started to speak but Nathan interrupted her.
"Yes, that's exactly what it means." Nathan turned to Haley and squeezed her hand back. Haley smiled back and blushed.
"Well well, what an interesting turn of events. The last time I saw you, you were all emo and broody."
"Shut up Pucas." Nathan gave Lucas a dirty look. "Second, brooding is your thing."
"Whatever man and way to offer breakfast, you know I like pancakes and to think I came over here to check up on you."
Nathan rubbed his temples, feeling another Lucas induced headache. "Grab a plate you bum and join us." Nathan said annoyed.
Haley giggled to herself, amused at the banter between the two brothers. She liked this, fun and light. Well, she spoke to soon.
"So I'm glad you guys were able to talk things out." Lucas sat down and grabbed two fluffy pancakes. "Sweet, chocolate chip." He took a bite.
Nathan watched in morbid fascination as he saw his brother scarf down a whole pancake. "Umm.. yeah we did."
"See I told you there was an explanation for this whole Dan thing." Lucas chewed his food. "I'm sure it was all a big mix up."
"Actually Luke, it wasn't." Haley cleared her throat. "Dan is on the medical board and he found out about my mom and he came to me offering help."
Nathan and Lucas looked at each other then back to Haley. "Hales, I don't like the idea of you accepting anything from that guy, he must want something in return." Nathan replied.
"I thought you two talked about this?" Lucas spoke up.
"We were too busy making out." Nathan replied quickly.
"He did want something." Haley said carefully.
"What?" Nathan asked.
"Promise me you won't get mad."
"Which usually means, I will." Nathan replied.
"Nathan, promise."
"Okay, I promise. What did Dan want?"
"…."
"Haley." Nathan said in a more serious voice. He knew this morning was going too well.
"Look, before I continue, I just want to remind you that Dan was always lurking around the hospital. I thought it was cuz he was on the board but it makes sense now because his cardiologist is also in the same hospital."
"Okay, Hales, what is it?" Lucas asked.
"Anyway, when he came to me, it was a rough time. Luke you remember, my mom's condition was worsening and I found out I was pregnant. Dan came to me because he found out about my mom … and the pregnancy."
"What?" Both brother's asked.
"Haley, did Dan know this whole time? Before me?" Nathan asked and Haley nodded.
"Fuck." Nathan slammed his fist on the table, shaking all the plates.
"Nathan, you promised you wouldn't get mad."
"I'm not mad." Nathan bit his tongue. "I just feel like an idiot because this whole time, I was trying to keep this pregnancy away from Dan but he knew the whole goddamn time!"
"Nathan, please, I told you I didn't mean to hide it from you."
"No, Hales, you told me about your mom. I can understand you accepting help for your mom but Dan knew about this baby before me!"
"It's not like I told him, he figured it out. He saw me going to my doctor and he came to me because he thought the baby was Lucas'?"
Nathan quickly turned to his brother.
Lucas held his hand up in self defense. "Whoa, don't look at me. Remember, I found out about the baby when you did."
"Obviously, I told Dan it wasn't Lucas." Haley interrupted. "But he guessed you, Nathan, and I tried to deny it but he saw right through me."
"What did he want Haley?" Nathan clenched his fist and started to pace the room.
"He asked me for two things, the other one I don't know what."
"What was the first?" Lucas asked.
"The only thing he asked of me was to tell Nathan about the baby."
"And so that's when you went to San Francisco to tell me." Nathan threw his hands up. He was about to say something but words failed him, he felt like ripping the walls off and so he stormed upstairs to his room.
"Nathan, wait!" Haley tried to explain but it was no use, he just stormed off.
Haley sniffled as she turned to Lucas. "Luke, I wasn't trying to keep the baby from Nathan. I was going to tell him."
"Hales, you shouldn't be telling me this. You need to talk to Nathan." Lucas said sternly.
"Luke, I'm sorry I didn't tell you.. about any of it. I didn't want you to find out I accepted help from Dan."
"I can understand you getting help for your mom but Dan knew this whole time. I'm sorry Hales but that's something you should've told me, or at the very least, Nathan. Do you know how worried he was about Dan getting involved in this baby's life.. how both of us we were worried and the bastard knew this whole time."
"Luke, I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say."
"It's no me you should be saying sorry to."
Haley nodded quietly and got up and went after Nathan. Haley quickly made her way up the stairs and towards Nathan's room. The door was ajar and she saw Nathan putting on a t-shirt.
Haley knocked on the door. "Nathan, can I come in?"
"Why did Dan ask you to?" He scoffed.
"Nathan, please. Let me explain."
"What's there to explain? I mean my agents think I should do a paternity test, I told them they were wrong, of course the baby is mine.. what I didn't tell them was how you didn't want to tell me!"
"Nathan, I was going to tell you!" Haley exclaimed. "God, I told you how scared and confused I was when I found out. I could barely handle the news on my own, let alone tell you or anyone else about. Dan found out and he came to me. Please Nathan, you have to believe me."
"What I don't believe is why you never said anything sooner."
Haley walked over to him and took his hand and put it against her heart. "Believe that I never wanted to hurt you, I knew how you or Lucas would react if you guys found out and if I told you that Dan knew then I would've had to tell you about everything. My own mom doesn't even know Dan helped her." Haley let out a sigh.
"Haley, I know why you did it, I just don't understand why you kept this from me." Nathan took a step back.
"When I went to see you in San Francisco, I didn't know what to expect? The last time I saw you, you treated me like a one night stand. If I told you about Dan, then you would've found out about my mom and I wasn't ready to tell you all that back then. I didn't know how you would react and then you showed up to Tree Hill and then you and Lucas started bonding again. I knew that bringing up Dan would only make things worst."
"…." Nathan looked down and stared blankly at the floor.
"You can be mad at me all you want but I don't regret it because my mom is alive today and whether both of us like it or not, Dan had a big help in that. For that I will always be grateful."
"He knew this whole time." Nathan muttered and shook his head. He reached over to a nearby chair and grabbed his jeans and started to put it on.
"Nathan.."
"I have things to do today." Nathan quickly muttered and he had to stop himself and take a deep breath. "Look, I'll see you tonight. Okay."
"Okay." Haley nodded and looked like she was going to cry at any minute.
"Look Hales, I can't help if I'm mad at you .. at Dan.. and shit at myself right now but I love you Haley." He stepped closer to her. "I love you okay but I just need some time to take this all in. You were right. We should take things slow. I guess we both need to get to know each other again." Nathan said sadly and left the room.
. . . . .
"Sir.. sir.. you can't go in there. Sir!" The secretary stood up and chased after Nathan.
Nathan stormed through the office door with the secretary hot on his tails.
"I'm so sorry Mayor Scott, I tried to stop him."
Dan nodded to the other gentlemen in the room, letting them know he wanted some privacy.
"That's okay. I can spare a few minutes for my son." Dan stood up and walked around the desk and leaned up against it.
Nathan stepped aside to let everyone leave the room and then the door was shut, leaving only father and son.
"First time you visit and it's after a major storm, your timing is impeccable son."
"Cut the crap dad. I'm here to tell you that I know."
Dan looked at Nathan curiously before replying. "I guess Miss James finally told you."
"You stay away from her and my son!"
"Nathan, I was only trying to help and last time I checked, Mrs. James went into remission."
"This isn't about Haley's mom and we both know it. Only you can be so low as to use a Lydia's sickness to make you look like a saint. You know about this baby the whole time!"
"I was only doing Haley's wishes. She didn't want you to find out."
"I don't care Dad but stay away from her and stay away from me!"
"Look Nathan, you're right, if it was anybody else, I wouldn't have helped Haley. I found out about Haley's mom and then I found out about Haley's pregnancy, I thought it was Lucas' and I wanted my grandchild to know his grandmother. But hold and behold, it turned out the child was my grandkid but just the wrong son. Is that what you want to hear?"
"Don't you get it Dad, I don't want anything from you. You did one decent thing and now you expect to be rewarded, it just doesn't work that way."
"I know I screwed up with you son.. you and Lucas but I'm trying to do the right thing here."
"For who? For you or for us?"
"I'm dying son and I lived a life full of regrets, you and Lucas being on top the list and if I die, I want to at least know that I tried. I want to know you two, I want to see my grandson."
"That will never happen!" Nathan shook his head.
"Fine Nathan, be angry at me, but don't misplace your anger towards Haley on me. She's the one that didn't want me to tell you and quite frankly, I thought it would be best if she told you herself. I only wanted what was best for you Nathan and I thought Haley wasn't the girl for you, I guess I was right."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"It took her this long to tell you." Dan pointed out. "I want you to be happy Nathan, really happy and I know you love Haley, but maybe she doesn't love you back, at least not in the way you want."
Nathan paused for a second before shaking his head. "Don't try to twist things around. You were always against my relationship with Haley and five years later, nothing's changed." Nathan shook his head. "I'm serious Dad, stay away from us and if you know what's good for you, you stay away from Lucas too." And with that he left, not wanting to hear another thing from Dan's mouth.
. . . . . .
"Honey, I'm home!" Brooke sing-songed as she went through the back door if Haley's house and into the kitchen.
"Thank you God!" Haley took off her apron and greeted her friend. She was so glad Brooke was in town, she definitely needed the her' help.
"Something smells good." Brooke commented.
"It better be." Peyton added, "We've been slaving over the stove all day."
Peyton rushed to Tree Hill after hearing from Haley how she needed help. She thought something bad happened and Peyton was an inch away from yelling at a pregnant lady. She drove all this way just to help Haley cook dinner, a dinner, she wasn't even going to eat.
"You are a life saver Brooke. I don't have anything to wear tonight."
"I come prepared." Brooke held up the various garment bags in her hands. "Where do you want these?"
"You can put it in my room." Haley replied. After dropping off the clothes, Brooke made her way back down to the kitchen.
"So this must be bad." Brooke stated as she want back to the kitchen and plopped herself on the counter and looked over last month's issue of Vogue that was on the counter.
"You should've seen his face." Haley sighed. "He looked so hurt."
"Don't forget, he was the one that broke your heart Hales." Peyton added.
"Yeah." Brooke agreed. "He should be lucky you're giving him another shot, which for the life of me I don't understand." Brooke quickly added the last part in.
"Look guys, there was a time when I would've liked nothing more than to hurt Nathan like how he did to me but I've forgiven Nathan. We were both really young and that's no excuse but he's apologized and he's already shown how committed he is to this baby. I just hate how this whole Dan blew up in my face."
"Haley, you made a deal with the devil, what did you expect?" Peyton asked.
"Not this." Haley sat down, needing to take a break. "I've tried so many times to tell him but I just couldn't."
"Look Haley, Nathan knows that and give it some time and I'm sure that it'll finally get through that thick head of his." Brooke added.
"I just need tonight to be perfect."
"Well, I don't know if a badly prepared dinner will help." Brooke stuck her tongue out at Peyton and Peyton flipped her off. Haley smiled at her friend's antics; it was a much needed distraction. "But I do know that after I'm done with you, Nathan won't know what hit him." Brooke quickly hopped off her stool and headed for the door. "Which reminds me, I forgot the shoes, I'll be back bitches."
"You sure it was a good idea asking Brooke to help you get ready? You know she's going to take at least two hours to get you ready." Peyton turned to Haley.
"I know, which is why I called you over to help finish making dinner." Haley gave Peyton her sweetest smile she could muster despite the fact that she was nervous as hell and had a bad feeling in her gut.
. . . . . . .
"And then I left." Nathan finished telling Lucas his encounter with Dan.
"Just like that?" Lucas sat at the foot of Nathan's bed while Nathan was going through his closet.
"Yep.. I swear, I don't know where the hell I put this shirt." Nathan muttered as he took another shirt from the hanger and placed it on the bed next to Lucas.
"I'm with you Nate, Dan is up to something."
"He's using Haley, I know it."
"You think she's hiding more stuff from you."
"Honestly, I don't even know." Nathan shook his head. "She should've said something about Dan knowing about the baby."
"You think that the only reason she told you was that Dan made her?"
"…" Nathan stayed quiet. "What do you think?"
"Honestly, I don't even know." Lucas mimicked his brother's words. "By the way, how many shirts do you plan on wearing tonight?"
"Shut up and tell me which shirt looks better." Nathan held up a light blue button down shirt and a black one.
"The blue one." Lucas replied.
Nathan eyed the blue shirt and then put it back in the closet. "Black it is."
"Ass." Lucas grabbed one of the shirts off the bed and threw it at him.
"Stop making a mess and what do you mean, 'you don't know'?" Nathan asked.
"Do I think Dan made her tell you, no. Do I think he was a contributing factor, yes."
"Geez, that helps."
"What I'm trying to say is hat I've been trying to tell you ever since you came back home. Haley's different. I'm not trying to bring up old wounds but when you left it nearly broke her. And just when she was getting her life back together, her father dies and then her mom got sick. She's been through a lot Nathan and as much as I'm her best friend, she keeps things to herself. She doesn't let people in sometimes. I'm not happy about this whole Dan thing either but I know that at the time she was going through a lot. She still is."
"I know."
"But I also know that she's been a lot happier lately and I know part of it has to do with her mom getting better but it also has to do with the fact that she's excited to be a mom and you." Lucas pointed out.
Nathan nodded and took a deep breath but Dan's words kept ringing through his ears. "It took her this long to tell you." Dan pointed out. "I want you to be happy Nathan, really happy and I know you love Haley, but maybe she doesn't love you back, at least not in the way you want."
"I hope you're right." Nathan replied.
. . . . .
KNOCK KNOCK
"Come in." Dan called out.
"The power company is reporting that only less a thousand residents are still out of power. Crews will be working over night. The fire department finally stopped the water main leak on Pine Street." Renee stepped inside the office and handed Dan some paper work he needed to go over.
"Thanks." Dan took the papers.
"I don't mean to pry but one of the other secretaries told me that they saw Nathan come in here earlier."
"He was here." Dan replied.
"What did he want?"
"Nothing I didn't expect." Dan smiled. "He told me to stay away from him."
"That bad huh?"
"He also told me to stay away from Haley and Lucas."
"Ouch. Is there anything I can do?" Renee asked.
"Actually." Dan turned to his computer and opened the internet. Then he scribbled notes on a piece of paper and then handed it to Renee.
"Tell them I'm coming and I'm taking my sons with me."
"Okay." Renee wanted to ask how, since Nathan made it clear that he and his brother wanted nothing to do with Dan.
"And get me Haley James number while you're at it." Dan leaned back in his chair. "It's time to cash in on a favor." He smirked.
To Be Continued . . . .