Chapter 5

After comforting Nathan enough to leave. Deb excused herself to the kitchen to make him some hot tea to calm him down further. While making the tea she found herself reflecting on what just happened and the past six years.

When she opened the door she felt her heart swell with happiness at the sight of her son standing before her. But her happiness didn't last long; because the moment Deb looked up she felt her heart break at the sight of her strong son with tears pouring down his eyes. She had always regretted that night six years ago, the night she banished her son away from her life. She was filled with so much rage at the fact that the only quality of her husband that her son had was the worst one. The ability to abandon their families.

For over six years she has always felt torn, on whether she did the right thing or not. Although logically speaking she felt she did the right thing. But motherly speaking she felt as though her son had needed his mother, at the time, more than anything. But then she'd get flashes of Haley's face as she told her about Nathan leaving. She still remembers the devastation and pain on her face. Haley had become like a daughter to her in the span of the past six years, and the look on her face that night still tore at her heart to this day.

On some level she always knew Haley didn't just mourn her sorrow over her husband leaving. She knew Haley mourned Nathan as though he had died, she knew that in order to get past it she had to look at it as though he wasn't out there some where still living his life as though Haley and her son never existed. She knew that, that was how Haley looked at it. And it breaks her heart to think that Haley was that hurt that she needed to deal with it in such a harsh way.

The sound of the water boiling cut through her thoughts and she found herself pouring the hot water into two mugs and walking towards the living room, where Nathan was standing.

She stopped dead in her track as she looked at Nathan and found him looking at all the pictures hanging in the living room. She walked towards him and looked over his shoulder. She found him looking at a picture of Micca, Haley, and her. They were all smiling around the birthday cake. She remembered that day Haley had insisted that Micca take pictures with everyone there. They had to wait for about half an hour in order to eat the birthday cake.

"That was on Micca's fifth birthday." She stated softly.

"When is his birthday?" Nathan asked softly, regret deep in his voice.

"March 3rd." she answered quietly.

"Two more month huh," He replied quietly.

"Yea…"

"So how did that happen?" he asked.

Even though he didn't elaborate, she knew exactly what he was asking.

"It's a long story!"

"I have time" he replied softly.

"Before I left rehab, the doctors there called your apartment looking for you or Haley. But at the time you had already left and when Haley answered they told her that I was leaving rehab and that I would need all the family support I could get. At first Haley made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with me. At the time I had no idea you had left her and I thought that it was you who didn't want me there. So after about a week I decided that it was about time that I go over and apologize in person. When I did go over, Haley told me everything that happened.

"At first I didn't believe her and that's when I went to see Dan, and boy was he proud of you Nathan." Deb laughed dryly.

"I remember he went on and on about how you did what he couldn't do. How you were able to walk away from your wife and son when he couldn't. Anyway, after that I went to see you and when I came back I went to see Haley again. I told her that if you couldn't take responsibility, that as your mother I should take it for you I told her i'd pay the child support and that i would love to be in the baby's life, and that even if she didn't want me in his life that i woud still pay anyway. I remember she looked as though i had slapped her across her face. She looked at me and told me that she didn't want my money and then she slammed the door in my face."

"Sounds like Haley." Nathan stated with pride.

"Yea, it does." Replied Deb fondly.

"What happened next?" Nathan asked eagerly.

"Well I kept my distance I didn't want her any more stressed than she already was. And then about a month before her due date she came to me and started rambling about how her son doesn't have a father and that the least she could do for him is give him a grandmother. Anyway after that we worked an agreement that she'd let be in his life but i couldn't talk to him about you. And that she would life with me in the house until she went off to collage and that after that she's still welcome to come back but she never did. After she came back from UNC, and after a lot of working and money saving on her part when she came back she and Brooke bought a house together. And the rest is history." She finished with a fond smile.

"How long are you here for Nathan?" Deb asked with an edge to her voice.

Blinking Nathan answered honestly "For as long as it takes to get my family back."

Looking doubtful Deb replied "Its not going to be easy Nathan. Haley wont let you anywhere near her son until she's positive you deserve to be and-"

"Our son, mom. OUR son."

"I know sweetheart but I also know Haley, and as much as I hate to admit it you haven't been much of a father and to her you're no better than a complete stranger."

"I know" whispered Nathan.

"if you want your family back Nathan, then you have one hell of an emotional roller coaster ahead of you."

"yea I figured as much" Nathan said dryly.

RING RING (doorbell NOT phone :) )

Haley ran down the stairs as fast as she could to make sure the sound doesn't wake anyone else up. Swinging the door open, she felt a smile grace her lips at who was on the other side.

"Hey Peyton!" Greeted Haley excitedly while hugging her.

"Hey Hales! Glad to see you missed me, even though I was gone for about three days." Peyton said laughing.

"Sorry it's just been a rough couple of days." Haley said. Then steered her towards the living room couch.

"That's okay." Peyton said sitting down.

"What happened with the meeting with Record productions?"

"Oh, that didn't go as planned apparently since you're the one producing Mia's album they wanted to talk to you and Zach."

"Oh, well that sucks! Did you at least enjoy the trip?"

"Hmmm lets see, I was at least three states away from Jake and Jenny and my friends oh yea it was a blast." Peyton replied sarcastically.

"Have you talked to Jake lately?" Haley asked after she stopped laughing.

"Umm yea last night and I saw him this morning but we didn't get a chance to talk I got home as he and jenny were leaving for school. Why do you ask?"

Taking a deep breath Haley answered "Nathan is back."

"WHAT?" Peyton asked with shock written all over her face.

"He came back last night. Wanted us to be a big happy family again." Haley said with a bitter laugh.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Peyton yelled with an angry scowl.

"Ladies! Ladies, beware little children's ears." Brooke said playfully while coming down the stairs with her hands covering Micca's ears.

Putting on cheerful faces, Haley and Peyton turned around with smiles on their faces.

"Good morning mama." Micca said happily as he went to Haley and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning baby!" Haley greeted back.

"AUNT PEYTON YOUR BACK!" exclaimed Micca while going over to Peyton and hugging her.

"Well guys as fun as this is we have work and you little man have school." Haley said, turning to look at Micca.

"Grrr…." Micca scowled jokingly.

Laughing Brooke took Micca by the shoulder and stirred him towards the stairs. "Let's go little man I have to go meet your uncle Lucas."

"Is he still brooding?" Micca asked while scrunching his face and looking up at Brooke.

Laughing Brooke answered him "Buddy your uncle has been brooding long before he was even born."

After making sure they were gone Peyton turned back to Haley "are you okay Hales?"

"No. But I will be."

AN: This whole start writing a fan fic is really not gonna help with my grades. i wrote this while sitting in Math this morning talk about a good student.