Chapter 19-I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You
A/N: Hi everyone,a big thank-you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. So I decided to slowly wind down the story, and I am going to tie up some loose ends now until the end of the story. So enjoy the chapter, and please review-Lydia.
"You need to know something,Haley" Nathan solemnly said.
"You know you can tell me anything, you know that, Nathan"
"Peyton and I..."he started
"Yeah?"
"Well what happened is...Well you see....What happened..." he stuttered
"It's okay, Nathan, take your time"
Nathan closed his eyes, and let go of Haley's hand and looked straight ahead.
"That night. Peyton got pregnant"
"Pregnant?" Haley said shock evident in her voice.
"Yeah. When she told me, I told her I wanted to get married. I didn't want our child being called the names Lucas did growing up"
Haley instantly nodded in understanding. She had been there many times Lucas had been called 'bastard' and others worse then that.
"So we got married at Town Hall. Nothing fancy, just Lucas and Brooke were there. Then..."
A single tear slipped down his cheek as he continued the story
"Peyton miscarried. The doctor said there was nothing that could be done,it was fated to end from the beginning" he continued, rubbing his hand anxiously together.
"After...We stayed together, I guess it was out of habit, maybe comfort?I don't , I think it got enough for us. We decided to end it." Nathan concluded.
"Why" Haley asked, as she hugged her knees to her chest
"What do you mean?"
"Why did you decide to end it with Peyton then?"
Peyton inhaled as she opened the door to their small apartment. Living with Nathan had become extremely unpredictable.
Was today going to be drunk-off-his-ass Nathan or maybe absent Nathan? But the worst was sympathetic Nathan. It had been nearly 5 years since the miscarriage, and Peyton thought Nathan had almost taken it as hard as kept telling herself that people grieve in different ways. She worked 15 hour work days, just to escape the predicament she had gotten herself into. Peyton often wondered if she didn't bring over that stupid alcohol, they wouldn't have slept together, and ended up here.
Peyton opened the door,and walked apartment was dark, but Peyton could see the glare of the television. She approached him, unsure what to say or do. Peyton almost laughed at the thought. What wife could seriously think that?. Peyton flopped onto the couch.
"What are you watching?" she asked
"Something stupid" he said, taking another drag of his beer. Ah, so today it was drunk Nathan.
Peyton turned her attention towards the television, as Haley's figure appeared on screen. She was in a white v neck dress, with flowers entwined in her hair. As she slowly made her way down the beach, the camera panned out to see Nathan smiling at her.
Peyton continued to watch as Haley joined Nathan at the spot on the felt the rest of the world fade away as she observed Nathan as he watched Haley walked towards him. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Peyton saw how happy, and she gulped, in love he was with her. Like there was no-one else in the world he would rather be with.
"Why are you watching this?" she asked quietly
Nathan only grunted in response as he continued to watch the video as he exchanged vows with Haley
"Someday, this beach might wash away... the oceans may dry, the sun could dim, but on that day I'll still be loving you. Always and forever. I promise you, Haley." Nathan recited
"I, Haley, take you Nathan to have and to hold from this day forward. In sickness and in health. For richer or poorer. For better or worse. I promise that I will love and cherish you, and will deny all things that come between us. I make this promise for eternity. A promise that I will keep forever. Until the end of time. 'Til death do us part." Haley said
The couple shared a kiss, and the video flickered off.
"Why would you do this to me, to us?" Peyton asked as tears fell down her cheeks in fast succession.
"I don't know Peyton. Aren't you sick of it all?Of the fighting and the bickering? Of not loving each other?" Nathan asked, his heart aching. Not only for the love he lost when he was 16, but for the marriage that was crumbling down before him, and the baby they had lost.
"Aren't I enough for you, Nathan?" Peyton asked her voice increasing in volume. She was getting angrier by the second. Why wasn't he more upset? She thought. More than that, she was upset with herself. Angry that she was got pregnant. Angry that she lost the baby. Upset that she could have spent the last 5 years with someone who actually loved her. Who was in love with her. Most of all, angry that she didn't have the strength to leave before.
"You are Peyton, you just not her" he sighed. Nathan wasn't sure why he wasn't more upset. Maybe the dissolution of his parent's own marriage started a scary precedent. A part of him had always wondered if they did end up having the baby, would he and Peyton ended up like his parents as well? A drunk and an evil son of a bitch? The fact was, he wasn't in love with Peyton. And as much as he denied it, he was still in love with the one person who had stolen his heart a long time ago.
"So is this over?" Peyton asked, not meeting his eyes.
"I think so..." he sighed
"So, that's why it ended?Because of me?" Haley said
"Well, not just because of you, but you were certainly a factor. Sorry"
"Oh" she said crestfallen
"No, it's not your fault, I just couldn't love anyone as much as I love you" Nathan said honestly
"But poor Peyton" Haley said, all of sudden very sympathetic of her former friend.
"It was for the best you know. Otherwise we would have ended up hating each other more."
"Oh Nathan, I'm so sorry" Haley replied, reaching for his hand and grasping it tightly
"Yeah me too"
"Things got pretty screwed up, hey?" Haley stated
"Yeah they did"
"Thank-you for telling me"
"That's okay, you needed to know"
They remained holding hands as the sun rose higher in the sky.
Haley's phone rang suddenly, interrupting the calm that had fallen.
"Sorry, it's Joey." Haley said, looking at the caller id.
"No, go ahead"
Haley smiled slightly as she flipped open the phone.
"Hey Joey" Haley answered
Nathan looked at Haley intently. He couldn't really tell what the conversation was about. All Haley was saying was a couple of "ok's" and "sure's".
"Thanks, Joey" Haley said, closing the phone.
"What was that about?" Nathan asked
"Nothing really" she whispered
"Hales, what's going on?"
"I leave for my promotional tour soon" Haley said
"How soon?" Nathan asked
"Monday"
"Monday" Nathan repeated
"Yeah"
"So what are we going to do?" Nathan asked, suddenly looking intently into Haley's eyes, very aware history could be repeating itself.
"I don't know." She replied sadly
"Haley, I need to know something" Nathan asked, as they both sat in bed as Nathan was looking over the latest game plays.
"Yeah?" she replied, looking up from Pride and the Prejudice.
"Do you remember that interview you did at the Grammy's, a couple of years ago? You were wearing this short little red dress that drove me crazy" he chuckled
"I think I remember"
Haley paced her hotel room, practising her interview questions. She found this to be the most nerve wracking part of going to award ceremonies. Not performing for millions of people, or even accepting awards. It was answering the often spontaneous questions reporters asked her.
Her publicist had prepped her, including answering questions of a more personal nature.
Haley flipped opened her phone and quickly dialled.
"Hello?"
"I can't do this!" Haley cried
"Haley?" Brooke inquired
"I can't do it, Brooke!"
"You can't do what, honey?"
"Melissa just left" Haley replied cautiously
"And?" Brooke said in a sceptical voice. Melissa Peters, Haley's publicist was very cut throat and Brooke didn't have the highest opinion of her. Brooke believed that Melissa wasn't making the best decisions for Haley, and should have been fired years ago. And if it hadn't been for Haley's success she probably would have been. Recent speculation had linked Nathan and Haley as high school sweethearts, however, both of their reps denied it. Only their closest family and friends knew the truth. Haley should have anticipated Melissa would have an answer to this particular issue.
"What did she tell you to say?" Brooke asked hesitantly
"That Nathan and I were just people that went to the same school. Nothing more." Haley said in a monotone.
"Nothing more?Haley she can't make you say that!"
"She can. It's the best for my public image, apparently. According to Melissa, no-one wants to buy a record from someone who was married and divorced before she was a high school senior"
"But we both know Nathan was more than a fellow classmate, Grammy Girl. " Brooke replied gently
"What should I do, Brooke?"
"I don't know, Haley, but if Nathan ever saw you actually say that in an interview, it would crush him"
"I I have to go get ready. Thanks for the talk Brooke"Haley said, sighing at her predicament.
"You're welcome, Grammy Girl. You will figure out what to of luck tonight, and don't forget to mention your best friend when you win all those awards!"
"Bye, Brooke" Haley laughed
"Bye, Haley"
Haley continued to pace the room as the time came closer for her to be transported to the Staples Centre. What was she going to do? Lie for the sake of her career and hurt Nathan, or tell the truth and potentially damage something that she sacrificed so much for?
"So, it was a line you were told you had to say" Nathan replied slowly
"Yes"
"So that's not how you felt?" Nathan asked quietly
"Of course not. How could you think that?!"
"Oh"
"Oh is right. Why did you think the album was called Always and Forever?" Haley asked him
"I thought it was a coincidence, after that interview" Nathan said, looking downcast
"Well it wasn't, you're my biggest inspiration Nathan Scott" Haley declared
"I could say the same for you, Haley James"