The Mourning After
Epilogue
As expected, the reviews dropped and I had some pretty interesting private messages. Like I said, please wait for the Epilogue, so here it is. It turned out that I was able to get internet during my stay in LA, so here it is. It didn't turn out as long as I thought it would be but enjoy and please review.
xxxxx
7 ½ months later
"Breath Mrs. Scott." The nurse told Haley.
"Where.. where is he?" Haley pleaded with the nurse.
"He's coming .. Mr. Scott was on the way."
"I can't do this without him! Ahh!" Haley screamed.
The nurses rolled Haley into the delivery room. From the glass window up above, Haley could make out Deb, Dan, Karen, Keith, Brooke and Peyton watching from afar. Just then Dr. Stanpole came walking in with another nurse following him.
"Haley.. how are we doing?" Dr. Stanpole gave her a warm smile.
"Not so well!" Haley screamed in pain. Dr. Stanpole looked underneath the blanket and could tell the baby would be arriving soon.
"I can't believe he is late.. this is so like him!!" She yelled.
"Don't worry.. he'll be here." Dr. Stanpole reassured him. Just then the doors flew open and blond haired man, trying to put on his scrubs came rushing in.
"Lucas Eugene Scott.. I could kill you!!" Haley glared.
"Sorry Hales.." Lucas said putting his cap on.
She instantly reached for his and squeezed it hard. Lucas fought back the pain, who knew Haley had such a grip.
"Okay Haley.. are you ready to push?"
Haley shook her head. "No.. no I can't do this.."
"Haley you can do this." Lucas tried to reassure her.
"No.. I can't !! I can't do this by myself."
"You're not alone Hales.. I'm right here." Lucas looked up and saw his family and friends looking down. "Everyone's here for you Haley.."
"NO! Lucas I am alone! Nathan!! I need Nathan." This time she couldn't hold back the tears she has been holding in these past few months. "I can't do this with out him!!" She pleaded.
Deb looked on hearing her daughter in law call out for her son. The tears fell from her eyes as she clung to Dan's hand. Keith held on to Karen's, who was also tearing up.
"Oh God Brooke." Peyton reached over to her bestfriend.
"I know Peyton."
Both girls clutched each other trying to get their emotions in check. They knew how hard it has been for Haley and tried as much as they could to be there for her, but they knew it would never be enough. Nathan left a void in her heart that they didn't know could ever be filled.
Haley continued to scream out for Nathan and everyone's heart ached for her. It was nearly 8 months ago when Nathan tragically died on the operating table. Nearly 8 months since Haley had a restful nights sleep, 8 months where she fought bitterly not to cry and after all this time she couldn't hold it back.
--Flashback--
The sun was bright and there were only a few clouds in the sky. It would've been a perfect day for their outdoor wedding ceremony, but instead a different service took it's place. Today was supposed the day, Nathan and Haley were going to stand up in front of their family and friends and declare their love once again for each other. Instead, Haley's dream wedding turned into the funeral from hell. Having all of Haley's family there brought little comfort for the young woman who had been through so much.
When she found out Nathan died, she nearly lost it and the doctors and nurses had to sedate her for the baby's sake. Now, it was the little child growing in her that kept her emotions in check. Every last bit of control she had, she poured it into her and Nathan's child. Her eyes were red and puffy but she did not cry, did not flinch. She just looked on with stoic grace and everyone was amazed to see how strong she appeared. But her friends knew better, her walls were building up, protecting herself for if she let herself go then her baby might be gone from her as well. When Nathan left, a piece of her also went with him. As they lowered Nathan's casket, she did not cry like those around her. No she couldn't cry, for who cries at their own funeral.
--End Flashback--
"Nathan.. I need Nathan!!" She continued to plead to Lucas. Lucas couldn't do anything and looked on at the doctor for any sort of help.
"Lucas.. you have to call her down." Dr. Stanpole pleaded.
Lucas turned back to Haley. "He's gone Luke.. I can't.. I can't do this with out him."
"Hales.. look at me.. LOOK AT ME !! Nathan is not gone!.. Do you hear me!! Nathan is not gone.. he is right here." He placed his hand over his heart and then pointed to her heart. "He's right here.. with all of us.. he's inside you right now, waiting to come out… ."
"Luke.." She continued to cry.
"You can do this Hales… I know you miss Nathan .. I know it hurts like hell but you can do this.. think of what Nathan would want.. he would want you to have this baby… he never left you Hales.. a part of him has been growing inside you for nine 9 months now.. he's waiting to come out Hales.. let him out..." Lucas said with tears in his eyes.
Haley looked at him and then looked up at the gallery. She saw everyone there looking down at her with tears in their eyes, even Dan was tearing while the Deb, Brooke and Peyton wept openly. She looked at the people around her all had sad but hopeful expressions in their eyes. She looked for Dr. Stanpole for support and even the male nurse behind him. She just met him and she could already see his green eyes watering. All these people were all rooting for her. She turned back to Lucas and stared into his blue eyes, there were blue like Nathan's but wasn't exactly the same. Lucas was right, Nathan was still with her. Through their son, Nathan would never be far from her. Using that as her motivation, she summoned her last bit of strength and began to push.
XxxxX
"AHhHHH!" Haley screamed and then the faint sounds of a baby boy crying could be heard.
"Here.. I got him." Dr. Stanpole stated. He handed it off to the male nurse behind him who was waiting with a blanket. He wrapped the little child in his arms and covered him up and gently rocked him back and forth.
"You did it Hales." Lucas said giving her a kiss on the top of her forehead. "I'm so proud of you."
Haley was panting, trying to catch her breath and trying to control her emotions. She laid her head back, trying to recover. After a few minutes, she managed to gain some strength back.
"Wh.. where is he?"
The male nurse turned around and slowly walked over to the new mother and handed it off to her. Immediately she felt something as she held her little boy in her arms. It really felt as if Nathan did come back to her. Her son was crying and a wave of emotions came over her.
"You're an uncle!" Haley stated as she turned the baby towards Lucas.
"And you're a mom!" Lucas stated.
"Welcome to the world James Lucas Scott."
Lucas was shocked, she knew Haley had already had a name for her son, but wasn't going to divulge the name until the baby was born.
"Hales.. I .. I don't know what to say." Lucas was speechless. "Th.. thank you.. it's such an honor."
"Don't thank me.. thank Nathan.. he was so sure we were going to have a son and this is the name he wanted." Haley looked at him and smiled. Lucas couldn't hold back the set of new tears streaming from his face. His heart ached for her best friend and for the brother he lost. He had only truly known his brother for less than two years but in that two years, Lucas had grown to respect him, to love him as family and he missed his brother terribly.
The baby's cries died down and for the first time, the little boy opened his eyes. Haley held little James tightly as she continued to sob.
"Hales.. what's .. what's wrong?"
"James.. he .. he has his eyes Luke.. he has Nathan's eyes…" Haley said with a fresh batch of tears in her eyes. For a moment, she felt extreme joy, a feeling that Nathan was right there looking right back at her, but at the same time she was coming to grips that no matter what, Nathan, her Nathan was truly dead. She didn't think it would be possible to shed tears of joy and sadness at the same time, but for Haley James-Scott, she did just that.
Later …
Dan knocked on the on call room and slowly opened the door.
"Dr. Stanpole told me I could find you here." Dan said softly. The man inside didn't move from his spot and Dan couldn't make out who he was because his back was turned to him. Dan closed the door behind him. "Nurse Lafferty?" He said barely above a whisper and this time he got a reaction as he heard the other man sniffle.
The tears were stinging his eyes and the man rubbed his eyes and threw out the green contacts that he was wearing as well as discarded the hairnet and facemask he had on. "I .. I held him.. he was in my arms." The man said as he brought his hands up.
"I saw him come into this world.. for a few minutes he was in my arms.. I didn't want to let go!" He turned around and faced Dan. "James needs his father.. he needs me!"
"I know son.." Dan said as he went over and gave him a hug. "I know this is hard for you Nathan."
"No Dad you don't !!" Nathan glared at his dad and pulled away.
"I never made it in time." Dan said softly.
Nathan just looked at him, trying to get a grip on himself.
"When Lucas was born.. I rushed to the hospital but I was too late.. I never got to hold him." Dan said with despair and regret in his voice, which helped to calm Nathan down.
"Dad.. what am I going to do? I can't go on like this.. my family needs me .. I need them .. I miss Haley so much.. I can't do this anymore Dad." Nathan was practically frantic.
"Look Nate.. I know this is hard on you.. we both know it would be.."
"I made a mistake Dad .. I should've never done this."
"You were protecting your family.. you still are.. never loose sight of that… as long as Bear.." Dan tried to speak but his own emotions were getting the best of him. He took a deep breath. "..someday this will past and you can come back home."
"When Dad?! It's been almost 8 months .. how much longer will I keep hurting the people I love!?"
"I .. I don't know." Dan said honestly. "I'm doing the best I can."
"That's not good enough.. forget this.. I'm seeing Haley right now.. she needs to know I'm alive." Nathan said walking past him.
Dan grabbed his arm. "Nathan you walk out of here.. you might as well be dead and think about the consequences this will have on Haley and your son.. you need to stick to the plan Nathan.. we already risked a lot to bring you here for your son's birth."
As much as it pained him, Nathan knew his dad was right. Nathan finally broke down and wrapped his arms around his dad. "I missed you Dad.. I love you."
"I love you too son… I hate to say this but you have to go.. you have to go right now.. word of your child being born is already spreading.."
"I love Haley and our son so much." He said gripping his father tighter.
"I know.. I know." Dan tried to comfort him.
"Take care of them."
"You know I will."
Nathan nodded, knowing that once again he would have to leave his family.
The Beginning . . . .
This is the Epilogue to "The Mourning After" and also doubles as the prologue for my yet to be named "The Mourning After" sequel. I know many of you must be scratching your heads but this was something I planned a long time ago. I'm still trying to come up with a name for the sequel, but at the same time, I'm wondering if I should just continue it under the same story or just make a brand new story. Below is the summary:
"Set roughly two years after the events of 'The Mourning After,' the lives of Nathan's closest friends and family have changed dramatically. Relationships have been broken while others have made amends, secrets, lies and drama abound. Haley struggles as a young single mother, trying to make sense and direction of her life. Her life takes another tailspin when she meets a mysterious man named James Lafferty."
With out getting into too much, I would like to clarify that Nathan is alive. Yes Nathan is alive, what you read above was not a dream sequence. To the world, Nathan Scott is dead and as of now, the only one who knows he is alive and Dan and Dr. Stanpole and that the reason for the cover up has to do with Daunte. The hows, whats, wheres, etc will all be answered in the sequel. And if it wasn't so obviously clear, Nathan Scott = James Lafferty (I have a thing for using the actor's real name, so James Lafferty is actually Nathan's undercover name), which means that yes Haley will find out that Nathan is alive. Originally, I was going to write the sequel without expressing that Nathan is really alive until later but I realized that it would serve the story better to have the reader already know that Nathan is alive and that the mystery surrounding his "death" and how it affected those around him would be the driving force in the story. Plus this is a Naley story after all, so I hope I still have your attention and that you kept the faith!! Sorry for the mislead, but I'd love to hear what you guys think so please review !!