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Chapter 22
Since the day he was born, Nathan has never felt as helpless as he does right at this moment. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He came back so that things could get better; so that he could hold his wife and teach his son how to ride a bike and throw a basketball. But he was too late, because by the time he was man enough to come back his son had already walked and talked, kicked a soccer ball, scored a basket and he'd learned the difference between an absentee father and a fantastic mother. But that wasn't all, because by the time he came back his wife had already moved on and had even started dating again and she hadd genuinely forgotten him.
He wants to feel betrayed. He really, really does but every time the emotion crosses his mind he remembers that Haley was the one who reached success despite a husband who walked out on her, parents who left the minute they could, and -most of all- despite being pregnant in a judgmental town.
He couldn't even imagine all that she had went through. He thinks he can. He'd heard enough tid pits here and there to realize that Haley's junior and senior year had been hell.
And then there was here getting into Stanford but not being able to go because the scholarship they offered didn't include her baby boy.
He could only imagine the hell she'd been through.
But then he had to go and make it worse. He had to go and move back into tree hill before his contract finished.
And when he finally starts to tear her walls down and he thinks that maybe, just maybe there is still hope for their happily ever after she had to go and faint and become comatose.
Then when he finally gets the opportunity he'd been praying for since he'd met Micca, and he can finally spend the night with his son just the two of them, he can't even enjoy that.
Whenever he thinks about him and micca spending a hopefully fun afternoon together, he can't help but feel happy. But whenever he feels happiness, guilt is never too far behind.
"So you can sleep in the guest room…. Karen sent over some food, it's in the fridge. You can eat that or order something else. Micca's bed time is at nine, ten is the latest. You have all my numbers in case something comes up and-"
"Brooke!" Nathan interrupted Brooke, who had just finished giving him a tour of the house. "Brooke, relax! Micca's going to be okay. You don't have anything to worry about." Nathan promised.
"Okay," Brooke started, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "Okay, I am sorry Nathan. I am just really nervous." Taking another deep breath, Brooke started talking again. "Okay I should really get going! Micca, baby come give Aunt Brooke a hug goodbye."
"Bye, Aunt Brooke!" Micca hugged Brooke tightly, who had knelt down to his level. "I love you,"
"I love you too, bunny. Be good to Nathan okay?" she asked, tapping his nose.
"Okay," he nodded eagerly, giving her a cheeky grin.
"Okay," Brooke nodded, giving him a kiss on the cheek and getting up to leave. "Bye, Nathan." She hugged him goodbye and walked out.
"So…." Nathan started, putting his hands in his pocket.
"so…." Micca repeated, copying his exact gesture.
"You hungry?" Nathan asked looking down at his son with a smile on his face.
"…Nope!" Micca replied, shaking his head.
"yea… me neither…" Nathan agreed.
"NBA Live?" Micca asked suddenly after a moment of silence.
"Yes!" Nathan agreed with a sigh of relieve.
"AWESOME! Let's go!" Micca demanded and took Nathan's hand in his and led him towards his playroom.
"Holly…." Nathan started but caught himself at the sight of his son.
"I know right!" Micca agreed gleefully. "It was a gift from Mama, for my fifd birday."
"You my man, are one spoiled little boy." Nathan declared, looking at his son's playroom. To put it shortly, it was plainly the dream of every little boy. There was a forty five inch flat screen with three shelves full of movies, cartoons, Wii games and play station three games. In the corner were games and action figures, the type that were valuable collectables. On the opposite side of the room was a kid's band set with a guitar, a mike and a drum set. Walking closer to the other corner of the room Nathan noticed a basketball signed by Garret Temble, with children's books surrounding it on the shelf.
"your mom lets you use all of these things?" Nathan asked with wide eyes.
"YUP! Mama only lets me play heee foe two houes dough." Micca said sullenly.
"Hey, what's wrong little man?" Nathan asked in concern and walked towards him attentively.
"I miss mama." He said sadly.
"Micca, you know If your mom could, she'd be right here by your side." Micca stated softly.
"I know." Micca agreed nodding softly.
After a couple minutes of silence. "Okay, so let's get to it, I can't wait to beat you!" Nathan said playfully.
"In youe deeams!" Micca replied and ran towards the TV system, to set up his game.
Two hours later…
"WHAT? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" Nathan asked yelling, after the TV went dark.
"About dat…" Micca started cheekily. "When I said mama had a two houe eule, I meant she set the TV to turn off after two houes. Except when she puts in de passwoed. I figued it out last months but then mama found out and she changed the passwoed again."
"Wow you ramble too huh?" Nathan asked jokingly.
"It's a family trait!" Micca stated in a way that indicated that it was practiced and Nathan grinned.
"You hungry yet Buddy?"
"yup!" Micca nodded.
"well… what do you want to eat?"
"ICE CREAM!" Micca suggested happily.
"Ah….no." Nathan denied and almost agreed at Micca's fallen face but according to Keith and Karen, they had been feeding him ice cream for dinner for the last three days. And maybe yes he's been totally childish around Micca every chance he got because he wanted to win his son's affection but he'd been thinking a lot lately and he realized that Micca had a lot of fun uncles and that what he needed was a firm dad who was reliable. So is he going to be fun? Yes. Is he going to let Micca have his way? Sometimes, yes. But is he going to be childish about it? No, absolutely not. His son needed a dad, not another friend.
"Pizza?" Micca asked hopefully.
"Pizza sounds great." Okay so he wasn't a full on responsible-healthy-eating type of dad yet, but that's what time is for. Right?
2 hours later….
"Alright buddy, time for bed." Nathan said getting up, off of Micca's playroom couch.
"What? But its soooooo eaely." Micca said with wide eyes.
"Its nine thirty, bud." Nathan said and chuckled softly.
"Exactly!" Micca said triumphantly.
"come on Micca! The sooner you get to bed, the sooner you see your mom tomorrow."
"Really?" Micca asked excitedly.
"Of course," Nathan grinned. "Do you need help getting ready for bed?"
"Yes, please." Micca asked shyly.
"Alright, let's go Mickey J." Nathan said picking Micca up and walking towards his son's room.
"Mickey J?" Micca asked, scrunching his nose in confusion.
"Just trying out nicknames."
"Why?" Micca asked curiously.
"Well, because I can't just keep calling you Buddy and besides it's a term of endearment."
"Entremnd?"
"Endearment." Nathan replied smiling, and took off Micca's t-shirt and traded it for his sponge-bob pajama top.
"Whats dat mean?" Micca asked with raised eyebrows.
"…. It's when you really love someone and you want to show some how much you care about them so you give them a nick name." Nathan explained.
"you love me?" Micca asked, getting into his bed.
"Of course! Why? Don't you love me?" Nathan pouted.
"Your funny!" Micca stated randomly.
"Thanks MJ."
"MJ….I like it!" Micca stated happily.
"That's great!" Nathan tucked him into his bed. "I am going to be in the guest room if you need me okay?"
"Okay," Micca nodded softly and Nathan got up and walked towards the door.
"Wait! Nadan!" Micca called out.
"Yes MJ?" Nathan asked softly and looked at Micca.
"Can you read me a story?" Micca asked quietly.
"Sure, what do you want me to read?" Nathan grinned broadly and looked at Micca's book shelve in the corner of his room.
"Robin Hood!" Micca suggested happily.
"You like Robin Hood, huh?"
"Yea, it's my favoeite stoey." Micca stated proudly.
"Okay then….. lets get started….It was a sunny day on a Tuesday morning, when," Nathan started.
Five hours later….
Nathan was sleeping peacefully in the guest room when he felt himself getting poked in the chest. Opening his eyes slowly he was startled by the sight of his son holding a teddy bear in one arm while the other was poking him in the chest.
"Micca?" Nathan asked sleepily. "What's wrong?"
"I had a scaey deeam." Micca stated sadly.
"Want to talk about it?" Nathan asked awkwardly, sitting up and pulling Micca onto his lap.
"No, not eeally. Can I just sleep heee please?" he asked sadly.
"Of course," Nathan agreed, barely keeping his happiness in check. He laid him done softly and then laid down beside him. Three minutes later, Micca moved closer to him and hugged Nathan's arm while still holding onto his teddy bear.
Seven hours later….
Nathan woke up to his phone vibrating.
"Hello," he spoke groggily.
"Nathan Scott?" the voice asked softly.
"This is him."
"Nathan, this is doctor Harrison speaking." The voice replied and just like that any hint of sleep Nathan felt evaporated. "It's about your wife."
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