AN: I want to thank all of you for your terrific reviews. It really makes me feel great to open my inbox and it's full of the praise you send. I do want to make one note. For any of you that usually read my fic's I think you probably know this already but for those of you that haven't I feel the need to say. You never have to worry about me killing off Nathan or Haley. I can not write either characters death. Maybe that gives too much away but I surely don't want any reader worried about that. My story might put them in danger but they'll always find their way back to each other. With that said I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 11

We Belong Together

We belong together
Like the open seas and shores
Wedded by the planet force
We've all been spoken for

The hammer may strike, be dead on the ground.
A net to my hand, a cross on his crown.
We're done if, who we're undone,
Finished if who we are incomplete.
As one we are everything,
We are everything we need.

We belong together
Like the open seas and shores
Wedded by the planet force
We've all been spoken for

What good is a life, with no one to share,
The light of the moon, the honor of a swear.
We can try to live the way in which you speak,
Taste the milk of your mother earth's love,
Spread the word of consciences you see,
We are everything we need

We belong together
Like the open seas and shores
Wedded by the planet force
We've all been spoken for

All this indecision
All this independent strength still
We've got our hearts on safe
We've got our hearts on safe

Someday when you're lonely,
Sometime after all this bliss,
Somewhere lost in emptiness,
I hope you find this gift...
I hope you find this gift...
I hope you find this gift.

Gavin DeGraw

Nathan reached over to turn the alarm clock off. He sighed heavily. It was time. He turned and looked over to Haley snuggled into his side and wondered if she'd ever snuggle against him again. He'd barely slept that night. All of the scenarios rumbling around in his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling of devastation that had over come him. He was about to wake his pregnant wife and take her to the hospital for a surgery that could take her away from him forever. He'd been dreading it all night and it only made the time go by faster.

He moved the arm that had been around her all night up and down her shoulder and then suddenly he squeezed her to him as tears once again filled his eyes.

Haley stirred in her sleep and muttered something that Nathan couldn't make out. He looked back at the clock. Four fifty two am. Time wasn't going to stop much as much as he desired for it to. He again tightened the already snug hold he had on his wife and kissed her forehead. "Hales?" he breathed in barely a whisper.

When she didn't move, he cleared his throat, trying to move the lump he found there. "Hales? Baby, we have to get up" he said a little louder.

"Mmmm" she moaned as she slowly opened her eyes. "What time it is?"

"Almost five" he sighed.

As Haley looked up at her husband she didn't fail to notice the tears beginning to well in his eyes. She knew he was terrified for her to have this surgery. She also knew that he had placed that fear aside for her and the baby. There had been little she could say the night before to reassure him that they'd be ok.

She placed her hand on his cheek and lightly caressed it until he turned his eyes to her. "We're going to be ok" she whispered. "Please don't do this to yourself. You're worrying for nothing Nathan"

He choked back the sob that threatened to form. "I love you. God Haley I love you so much." He held on to his wife for dear life.

"I love you too Nathan. It's going to be ok I promise" she said but Nathan knew that she had no control over whether that was to be or not.

………

When they arrived at the hospital they checked Haley into the surgical center and then sat in the waiting room. Nathan, holding Haley's hand could no longer form words. He sat there quietly strumming his thumb across the top of her knuckles until a nurse came minutes later and called her name.

"Haley Scott"

Haley tensed up and her eyes immediately met her husbands. "I'll see you in a few minutes ok?"

Nathan nodded. He knew they would get her into a gown and settled and then come get him to sit with her until they took her to surgery, though it didn't little to ease his mind. He couldn't help feeling as though they were saying goodbye for the next to the last time.

As Haley moved through the doors to the surgical unit Nathan watched her as his heart broke.

Nathan had been sitting there for several minutes when he felt a strong hand grasp his shoulder. He turned and his eyes met Luke's and his strength flew out of the window. He placed his head in his hands and the sobs over took him.

Lucas could not stop the tears from forming in his eyes as she watched his little brother. They had come so far over the years and he knew that this was killing Nathan. He just didn't know how to help his sibling. So, he did the only thing he knew to do and pulled his brother into a man hug. "She's going to be ok Nathan. You have to believe that. They're both going to be ok."

"I can't breathe Lucas. What in the hell am I going to do if you're wrong?"

"Don't think like that Nathan. Haley's a strong girl and why she's being punished like this, why you're being punished like this I don't understand but everything is going to be ok"

Nathan nodded and wiped his tear stained cheeks. "They have to be," he whispered.

"Can I go get you something? Coffee? Maybe some food?"

"No I don't want anything. I just want this to be over and her to be ok. I want the baby to be ok too but Haley has to be ok Luke."

……

Several minutes later the older nurse that came to get Haley came back.

"Mr. Scott? Would you like to come back and sit with her?"

Nathan nodded and got up to follow the woman to his wife. He turned back once he reached the doors and gave his brother a slight unfelt smile. "Thanks Luke. I'll be back out in a few minutes."

When he reached Haley's room, he saw her and his breath again caught in his throat. She was lying in the large hospital bed in the white surgical gown and she looked so tiny and frail to him. Her eyes were closed as she rested there quietly. She looked like an angel to him. Her dark hair was slightly fanned out on the pillow underneath her head and it framed her face so perfectly. His eyes roamed over and noticed they had already started an IV and had the EKG pads and leads hooked to her. He sighed.

Haley's eyes softly opened. As she looked over to him she smiled. "Hi"

"Hi baby" he whispered and bent to kiss her forehead.

"They've given me something. I feel loopy" she smiled back.

"It's ok baby. It's probably to help you relax."

"Maybe we should get some for you" she said.

"I don't think it would help" he smiled.

He moved over to her beside and sat on the stool that was there. Reaching over he took her hand in his. He turned her hand slightly to inspect the IV needle that was taped there.

"I love you Nathan" she whispered.

"I love you too Hales." He said as he slightly tightened his grip on her hand. Doing everything possible not to hurt her anymore than the nurses probably already had.

They sat there for almost an hour, neither saying much but silently willing the other to be strong. Before either knew it the orderlies came for her. Nathan stood up and his eyes met hers. For the first time this morning he saw tears welling in her eyes. He didn't think he had ever felt more broken in his life.

As they started unhooking everything Nathan watched her face as she intently looked back at him. When they were finally read they began to move her toward the door and Nathan walked out behind them. He held her hand as they pushed her down the hall until the reached the doors to the operating room.

As the orderlies stopped Nathan turned to her and leaned down to kiss her full on the lips.

"I love you" he said while his voice was breaking.

"I love you too" she whispered. "Please don't worry" she said as she rubbed her hand across the lower part of her abdomen. "We're going to be fine" she smiled reassuringly.

Nathan nodded but he couldn't stop the sob that escaped him. He kissed her again and then stood up as squeezed her hand before they pushed her bed away from him. After the doors closed he leaned back against the wall, bracing himself up, as his legs would no longer help him on their own. And that's where Lucas found him.

"Hey. Come on let's go get you some coffee. You look like ass man" Lucas said as he squeezed Nathan's shoulders.

"I can't shake this feeling Luke. This is my fault. I can never take those four months back. All of the hateful, disgusting, mean, things I said to her. I can't take it back"

"Nathan, you've made up for that. Haley doesn't hold that against you."

"I do" he whispered.

………..

She had been in surgery for two hours and Nathan hadn't stopped pacing the floor. Lucas watched his younger brother and thought he resembled a caged animal.

"Nathan, come on man. Sit down. You're just making it worse"

"I can't. What if she's in there and starts to hemorrhage again? Huh? What in the hell am I going to do without her Luke?"

"She won't Nathan. You're not going to lose her!" Lucas said as his own eyes filled with tears.

"How the hell do you know that Lucas?" Nathan yelled back.

"Because neither of us can handle that" Lucas said.

Nathan stopped and looked at his older brother. He realized for the first time just how affected Lucas was over all of this. Nathan had been so overwhelmed in his own despair that he hadn't noticed his brothers. He realized now that Lucas was going just as crazy while waiting as he was.

……..

Nathan sat there beside his brother as Haley's Dr. came out.

"Nathan"

Nathan stood up and instantly tried to read the man's face.

"The surgery went fine. She's in recovery and we're waiting for her to come out from under the anesthesia. There was a little more scar tissue than I expected but Haley did exceptionally well."

"And the baby?"

The older man paused.

"What about my baby?" Nathan said a little louder.

"The baby is going to be fine too. During surgery she got a little distressed but her heart rate settled back down and she's fine. They are both going to be just fine"

"She?" Nathan said with a relieved smile.

"Yes it's a little girl Mr. Scott" he smiled and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder before he walked away.

Nathan turned to Lucas and then fell to his knees. His legs wouldn't hold his weight any longer. Lucas moved to his brother and knelt down beside him, pulling him into a brotherly hug while they both cried with relief knowing the one thing they had in common, their love for Haley would not be broken.

Around forty-five minutes later, the nurse came out and called her name.

"Haley Scott?"

Nathan stood up. "I'm her husband"

"She's awake and she's asking for you."

Nathan felt relief wash over him again for the second time that morning. He followed the nurse to Haley's bedside and when he saw her, his eyes again welled with tears.

Haley's eyes softly fluttered when she felt Nathan's presence. She slightly smiled. "Hi"

Nathan bent to kiss her forehead and his chin quivered. "Hi" he whispered. He rose back up and gently pushed the stray hair away from her face. "I've missed you." He said as he continued to smooth her hair away from her face.

"Why? I told you I wasn't going anywhere."

Nathan lightly chuckled. "I know" he said

Haley smiled obviously still very groggy. "You didn't believe me?"

Suddenly she sat up moaning.

"Haley? What's wrong? What is it baby?"

The nurse rushed to her side and placed a plastic pan under Haley's chin, which she immediately got sick in.

Nathan sighed heavily. He'd had no idea what was happening. The nurse turned to look at him and slightly smiled. "The anesthesia probably made her sick"

Nathan nodded and after the nurse left the room he moved to sit beside Haley. After the waves of nausea subsided he lovingly gazed in her eyes. "Hales?"

"Yeah?"

"It's a girl baby"

"What?" she said as her eyes widened.

"Our baby, it's a little girl," he said as he smiled down into her adorable face.

"Oh my god Nathan. I forgot to even ask!" she smiled.

"She's going to be beautiful just like her mother" he said as he leaned over to kiss her lips.

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