Author's Note: First & foremost, my sincere apologies for not updating! I have been dealing with the crazies of life. Please forgive me! However, most importantly, I want to send out some awesome shout outs to coffeehearts, pam211, shelleylovesnaley, keep the darkness, 23bNrAuLcEaYs, kaya17tj. Thank you so much for the coolest reviews! It means a lot. Enough with my ramblings, hope you enjoy this chapter! As always, reviews are always welcome :)
Disclaimer: All OTH characters belong to the creator of the show, Mark Schwahn. The song, title, lyrics used is by the awesome Sara Barielles.
{FLASHBACK}
The doctor approaches Clay, telling him that it was time for him to let go because Haley needed to go to the Intensive Care Unit for further evaluation. He was hesitant. He was afraid. He didn't want to let go because he couldn't bare the thought that this may be the last time he'll see her. Most importantly, he didn't get a chance to tell her how much she truly means to him. Seeing her lay there in the middle of the operating table was heart wrenching. She was hurt and he wasn't there to protect her. Tears came sweeping down Clay's cheeks, as he clinched onto Haley's hand with both hands and broke down. The nurses around him could sense the heartbreak and turns away.
The doctor approached Clay again. "Mr. Evans, it's time, we need to move Haley into ICU."
Struggling, Clay looks up with a face full of tears. "She's going to be alright, isn't she?"
The doctor pats Clay on the shoulder. "I'm not going to lie to you. She's not looking so good."
With that, the nurses lead Clay out of the emergency room where Brooke, Lucas, Julian, Peyton, Taylor and Nathan were waiting, anxiously to know the prognosis. As the nurses head back in and the swinging doors close, Clay briefly leaned against it and weakly falls down, landing on his rear-end with his knee bents and completely let go. His sobs resonate through the hallway. Patients and visitors who passed by couldn't help but look at him with sympathy. Looking at Clay, Nathan knew this couldn't be good. He, then, without saying anything, grabs his jacket and walks away. Clay sees Nathan's plan for departure and so he quickly got onto his feet and ran after him.
"Nate." Clay stops a few steps behind him.
Nathan heard Clay and stood still without turning around.
"Did Haley say anything before she-?" Clay chokes.
Nathan clears his throat but you can sense the fracture in his voice. "She said she hates me."
"I'm sorry."
Nathan exhales. "No you're not." He turns the corner and disappeared, leaving Clay standing in the white hallway alone.
{FLASHBACK ENDS}
The alarm didn't go off. But Clay is already awake, sitting in the corner of his room accompany by his own shadows. It's been a week and he has yet to leave his room. Coffee stains are found everywhere on his curtains, bed sheets and his journal pages. He wanted to stay awake because he knows that phone call will come. He knows in his heart that Haley hasn't left yet and that she's just having fun staying in a deep sleep. It's naïve but what can he do.
Meanwhile Taylor is pitching a tent outside of Clay's room. Clay hasn't talked to her ever since they left the hospital. Not even a word, not even a look, he was ashamed. He was guilty. He felt the blame. Taylor on the other hand didn't feel anything. Was she afraid for her sister? Maybe. You can say that. But her affair with Clay? Not so much. She was persistent and determined to make him talk to her, make him look at her the way she wish one day he would. Every day she made Clay coffee; he opens the door, grabs it and closed the door. It had become a song that everyone knew too well. Yet Taylor wasn't tired of it.
All of a sudden, the doorbell rings. Taylor got up and runs to the door. She turns the knob and there stood Lucas, Brooke, Peyton and Julian.
"Hi" Taylor said, with four pair of eyes looking down at her. "Come in" She said, opening the door wider so they can get through.
The foursome gives each other looks having no idea what to say.
Taylor decides to break the ice and said. "He's been in there ever since we left the hospital."
"Well, that's Clay for you. He's outgoing but once a problem hits; he deals with it alone." Lucas responds, as he walks to Clay's room while the other three trails behind.
Taylor finds absolute satisfaction that it wasn't her or so she thought anyway. She smiles happily. Lucas puts his ear against the door, to see if he could make out what Clay may be doing in there. Nothing. It was pure silence besides the fuss that's going outside that vibrates through the door. Lucas places three knocks on the door. No replies.
"Clay, man – can we talk to you?" Lucas said calmly, turning the knobs a couple of times hoping it would unlock.
Brooke walks up to Clay's bedroom door and tries to hold it together. "Clay, sweetie, I know this is hard. It's hard on all of us but I know it's especially hard for you but what I want you to know is that we are all here for you and most importantly, I know for a fact that Haley wouldn't want to see you like this."
"Brooke is right, Clay. Haley has a six sense remember? She knows everything; if she knows that you're inside hiding out without facing this with her head on, she'll be disappointed." Julian said as he clinches onto Brooke's shoulder while she shrugs it off.
"Clay, please, we're all worried about you." Peyton adds, grabbing Lucas's hands as he quickly dodges the grasp.
Julian and Peyton looked at each other and decided to shrug off what just happened with their significant other to worry about what's important right now. The four of them lean against the wall parallel to Clay's bedroom, waiting and hoping Clay comes to the door. Suddenly, they lit up when they heard faint footsteps coming towards the door. The doorknob rattles as they see it being turned. The door swings open and there stood Clay in the darkness. He was a mess. His hair disheveled, bags under his eyes, stain on his clothes and most importantly, they could see a hole in his heart. He was bleeding and you can just smell it. Everyone tried to give him a smile but by the look on Clay's face, he had a question but he didn't dare ask.
Brooke nudges Lucas, hinting to him to give the answer Clay is wondering about. It was his brother after all so Lucas should be the one reporting.
"As you can see, uh, Nathan is not here." Lucas nervously shares. "He got signed back on with the Charlotte Bobcats and championship is a few days away so uh, he has been doing a lot of prepping for that. "
After that bit, silence fills the room.
"But he-he-he sends his love to you" Brooke tries to sound authentic as possible, however everyone knew the real truth.
Throwing a few discomforted looks to the group of four, Clay coughs a few times to clear his throat. "Did he say anything about Haley?"
The four threw each other glances and was afraid to give their answer.
Julian decides to step up to the plate. It wasn't like he was lying so he wasn't afraid to say it besides its Nathan's words, not his. "Nathan said Haley is not his problem." Brooke pinches Julian in the arm and tells him to shush.
Julian flinches. "Look, Clay, it doesn't come to a shock to anyone if Nathan doesn't care about Haley. They hate each other." Julian reminds everyone.
Bleachers. Wax floors. Hoops. Rims. Nathan is back on the court within the last week. He has been doing tremendous training for the championship and nothing was going to stop him from winning it. There stand Nathan Scott in the middle of the empty basketball court. He bounces the ball, runs, jumps and dunks - A signature Nathan Scott moves. After grabbing the ball back, he walks back to the three-pointer line and perfects his shooting. He was so focus, he didn't even hear Lucas and Julian walking in.
"Looking good, man!" Julian tries to sound excited.
"I'm winning that championship" Nathan huffs and puffs, running up and down the court.
"I'm sure you will."
Nathan bounces the ball back and forth between his legs, running from one hoop to the other. Lucas and Julian look at each other, nervously.
Lucas crosses his arm and approaches Nathan. "Stop bouncing for a second, Nate."
Nathan stops and held the ball, giving a serious look to Lucas. "This better be good."
"Clay is a mess, Nate. He needs you right now. Can you please come see him?"
"I don't have time. I got a trophy to win" Nathan begins to bounce the ball back again.
Julian comes and bounces the ball into his hands. "Stop with the bouncing."
Nathan looks at him grimly. "Don't ever do that again." He grabs the ball back.
"Alright! Enough with this bouncing business! Can you please give us a reason why you're acting this way?" Lucas asks, curiously.
"Alright. One, I really don't give a rat's ass. Two, Haley is none of my business. And three, its Clay's business. He's the one that likes or loves or whatever her. Happy? Now get the hell out of my way." Nathan gives them a stern rather frightening look.
Lucas lets out a soft laugh, the kind that irritates.
"Is there a problem?" Nathan asks, annoyed.
"You know there is."
Julian looks at the two brothers, knowing someone is going to leave this gym with a punched face. He pulled Lucas aside and asks, "What exactly are you doing? Are you trying to get slap? Because you know its coming."
"Know there is what?" Nathan walks up to Lucas and pushed Julian aside.
"That there is a problem because obviously you don't hate Haley." Lucas said frankly.
Nathan smirks and became serious. "Read my lips, I hate her. And what do you expect me to do? Leave her so she can bleed to death? Clay wouldn't like that, I mean, he would have had one less sister to juggle with and that's no fun."
"You're the one to talk. You're the one who knows a thing or two about juggling. Guess Clay learned from the best, right Julian?"
Julian tries to look disoriented and softly let out a cough.
Lucas rolls his eyes at him and turns his attention back to Nathan who's about to give his brother a piece of his left fist. Nathan steps forward and put his face directly in front of his brother's. "Two words: Brooke and Peyton. I learned from the best, big brother."
With that, Lucas throws his first punch while Nathan throws a second one to his brother's stomach. Julian quickly grabs Lucas from behind while Lucas tries to wrestle out of his grasp.
Nathan stares down at his brother, outraged, and threw the basketball as far as he can until it hits the backboard then walked away.
Lucas who's finally let go from Julian's grip, angrily yells, "Admit it, you like Haley. And it's killing you. This is one game in your entire career that you're not going to win."
Her eyes fluttered. Her index finger jolted a little. As if it was a scene from a medical drama, we all know too well. The nurse who exams Haley was pleased to see that Haley was giving some sort of feedback, however she's not out of the woods yet. The nurse walks over to Haley's IV and hooks up some antibiotics as well as some pain medication to make her feel comfortable. As the nurse is busy pushing medicines, she jumped a little when she felt a figure walking in. It was a man. A man who the nurse definitely has not seen paid a visit before. She turns around and greets the guy with half a smile. She definitely senses an unwelcoming presence from him.
"Well…hello there, are you here to visit Haley James?"
"Yes." The man spoke with a raspy voice.
The nurse tried to genuinely smile but she can't help but stare at his disfigured face. "Great. Well, Miss James is lucky to have so many visitors. Are you here visiting for the first time? She always has a big group of friends come visit her and I've never seen you before."
"I'm an old friend." The man said sternly.
"I see. I'm sorry that you have to reconnect this way. She's certainly a tough cookie. I'm sure she'll be back in no time." The nurse said a matter of factly.
The man stares at the nurse. "Thank you. Can I please have a moment with her?"
The nurse nods gently. As she walks slowly out of Haley's room, she can't help but glance back, feeling a little uneasy about this man. She turns around at the door and asked, "I'm sorry, hospital policy. We do this with all visitors. What is your name?"
"My name?" The man asks infuriated.
The nurse senses that the man was offended. "Yeah, I'm sorry. Hospitals keep a log of check-ins from visitors. We must know who is visiting who." The nurse said carefully.
"Nate."
"And your last name?"
"Trask."
"Thank you Mr. Trask."
The nurse exits and closes the door behind her.
Lucas slams the door as he walks into his mom's café, causing everyone to stop eating and stare. Julian nervously grins, looking at the customers a bit embarrassed, as he trails behind Lucas with his head down.
"Can you stop causing a scene everywhere we go?" Julian whispers.
"Don't you like that kind of stuff? You're a director" Lucas goes behind the counter and pours himself a cup of coffee.
"Yeah, I do. But I can't yell 'CUT.' So cut it out. Why does it bother you if Nathan likes Haley anyway? You were always the one trying to find a way to make them become friends. And now that those odds came true, which I am as surprise as anybody else, it should make things easier for all of us to hang out."
Lucas takes a sip of his coffee. "I'm not bothered if Nathan likes Haley as a friend. But if he like likes her, there's a problem. Clay like likes like likes freaking likes the crap out of Haley."
"I don't think Nathan likes Haley like that." Julian said as a matter of fact, rolling his eyes.
Lucas shot Julian a look to go on. "Care to explain."
"Where is all this coming from exactly? Nathan tried to save her. That doesn't really say anything. You are reading way into it. If it was any one of us who found Haley, we would've done the same thing but it doesn't mean we like likes her. It just means we are doing the right thing."
Hoping to make amends from what happened yesterday, Peyton walks into Brooke's nursery, the one that was build for her fiancé unborn child with her best friend. She looks around but it was too much to handle when her stomach starts doing major summersaults. As a result, Peyton turns around to make an exit and there stood Brooke at the doorway.
Brooke looks around regretfully in her late baby son's room, barely audible, she asks, "So are you happy?"
Peyton repulse by the question shakes her head. "No. No I'm not. I'm sorry if I hurt you. I never meant to. My intentions were never to hurt you."
"Really?" Brooke smirks. "So let me get this straight, you didn't want to hurt me but then you kissed Lucas, managed to take him away while I was pregnant, and then miraculously my son is gone. Great job."
"Look" Peyton swallows. "Okay, I kissed Lucas but I did not steal him away. It's his choice to be with me and undeniably it's quite unfair that you're blaming me for the decision you made for Jayden."
Brooke lets out a scream, runs to the rocking chair and threw it across the room. "NO! You listen! You don't get to call out my son's name! Ever! You…" Brooke points at Peyton, trying to catch her breath, as tears came streaming down her face, "You destroy everything that was mine. I wanted this family. Lucas was going to be my husband and finally I was going to have the family I never had. And you took it all away."
Peyton stood there, stunned. All the stuff that Brooke revealed was grabbing her heartstrings as if it finally confirmed to her all the things she knew all along but didn't want to realize. Now she finally, not only realizes it but felt it. She absolutely felt nauseous.
On her knees, Brooke looks up at her best friend and points to the door and sternly stated, "Get out!"
Peyton swiftly went and gather her stuff. She turns around before exiting, and clears her throat, "You don't love Julian; do you?"
"How dare you ask me that?" Brooke growls.
"If you don't love him, please don't string him along. He's a good guy."
"So why don't you take him back?" Brooke said seriously. Peyton can tell she really meant it.
{FLASHBACK]
"Ugh, can't believe you convinced me to jumped into the ocean with you in this freezing weather," Haley said shivering in her soaked white-collar shirt with her fuchsia color bra peeking through.
"What I tell ya, refreshing right?" Clay grabs a towel that was conveniently hanging on the doorknob and wraps Haley around with it. His arms fit perfectly around her petite figure.
Haley lets out a sneeze, and scrunches her nose. "God, Clay, I'm sick now. Well this is just great. It means you're going to be stuck taking care of me."
"Don't I always?" Clay smiles fondly. "Chicken noodle soup with extra noodles"
Haley chimes in with an adorable tone. "No extra extra extra noodles."
Clay throws the towel he cleaned off with in her face.
"Gross, Evans. You're lucky I like you." Haley said pretending to be disgusted as she unwraps the towel around her and fling it to Clay's face.
"You just wiped your bum with it. You're dead." Clay chase after her as they circled the living room, making countless rounds.
"My bum smells good," Haley laughed, turning around displaying her tush.
"You lucky I like your hiny," Clay catches her and threw her across his shoulder.
{FLASHBACK ENDS}
Something always brings me back to you
It never takes too long
No matter what I say or do
I still feel you here till the moment I'm gone
Clay feels a tap on his shoulder as he snaps out of his thoughts. He was patiently waiting outside of Haley's room while the doctor was doing a physical on Haley. The nurse signals him in the room.
"Hello Clay, how are you doing?" Dr. Hewitt asks.
Clay swallows, staring heartbreakingly at Haley. "I will be alright if you tell me Haley is going to wake up."
Dr. Hewitt walks over to Clay and puts her hands on his shoulder. "Haley is quite the fighter. I can tell you she's holding on. Don't give up. She's searching for something that will lead her back."
"I wish there was something I can do."
"You're already doing it. Your visits and your chats are reminding her why she needs to come back. This morning was a clear example of that." Dr. Hewitt smiles brightly.
Clay eyes lit up. "What happened this morning?"
"Nurse Sue, here, told me Haley grabbed your hand."
Clay looks confused. "I—she-"
"No it wasn't Clay. I believe it was your friend. I'm not exactly sure. I haven't seen him around before" Nurse Sue interjects.
Clay curiosity grows. "Who came visit Haley?"
"He said his name was Nate. My guess is that's short for Nathaniel or Nathan."
Clay gulps and nods his head. "Yeah, yeah, he's the one that brought her in."
"Well." Dr. Hewitt smiles. "We have a hero on our hands. No wonder Haley grab his hand; she knew he was her saver."
Feeling disappointed that it wasn't him, Clay forces a smile.
You hold me without touch
You keep me without chains
I never wanted anything so much
Than to drown in your love and not feel your rain
Set me free, leave me be
I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity
Here I am and I stand so tall
I'm just the way I'm supposed to be
But you're onto me and all over me