The Mourning After
Part II Chapter II
Sorry for the delay, if you've read my other stories, you'll know how busy I've been this past summer. I'm so glad to be able to update two stories tonight, the other one being Thicker than Blood, if you haven't read it yet. So sorry again for taking so long and thank you for your patience and your kind reviews. Please keep them coming. I've brought some stuff in from season 5 into this chapter because I also did a jump and I think it suits it real well. I will say that the beginning will be quite different. I took it directly from the show, season 5 episode 14, where you had everyone waking up and each one said the first thing they thought about in the morning. The start of the chapter follows the same thing, you'll see what each character thinks of when they wake up.
So once again, thanks for the wonderful reviews, please keep them coming!!
Haley James-Scott, Tree Hill, NC
The morning sun greeted Haley's face and once again she's turned to her side and looks over to the empty spot next to her on the bed.
Nathan, he's the first thing I think about everyday. How would life be if he were here with me? What would he say if he saw me now? What kind of father would he be to Jamie? Jamie. And then another day without him begins.
Brooke Davis – New York, NY
Brooke woke up to the sun shining in her face. She turned to her side but immediately thought to herself, B. Davis … crap .. what time is it? Crap, the photoshoot.. ahh I'm going to kill my mother for this magazine.. I'm a designer.. not a writer.. writing is Lucas' thing… Lucas. Brooke thought bitterly. Lucas f Scott.. oh man I have to go to the bathroom..
Flashback
"Hey Brooke.. I've been trying to call you all day." Lucas called out over the phone.
"Luke.. honey.. I'm so sorry.. I had no signal all day. Are you at the airport, I can't wait to see you."
"Umm.. about that.."
"Luke.." Brooke stated more firmly.
"Jamie.."
"Lucas Scott!" Brooke yelled at the phone. "You are not doing this again.. not tonight of all nights!"
"Brooke.. I'm sorry.. Jamie is sick and Dan and Deb are out of town."
"And Haley?"
"Haley's.. she's.. she's in one of her moods."
"Luke, in case you haven't noticed.. she's always in one her moods.. and I don't think she'll ever be out of her moods."
"Brooke.. don't talk about her like that."
"Like what? Like I'm speaking the truth.. She's my friend too."
"Yeah.. well act like it!"
"Don't you dare question my friendship to Haley! I have been there for her .. cried with her.. helped her out .. don't you dare call me a bad friend.. just because I moved out of Tree Hill to live MY life does not make me a bad friend."
"Look.. I'm sorry.. I didn't mean it like that.. I'm just stressed and Jamie's been crying."
"Yeah.. okay.. I'm sorry too.. this show has been stressing me out as well.. this'll determine if they want to pick up my line or not and I'm really nervous."
"Brooke, you're going to be fine."
"I'll feel better when you're here.. the show is still a couple of hours away.. you can still make it, what time are you coming in?"
"That's the thing.. I .. I can't make it."
"Luke!"
"I'm sorry."
"No! No! Not on one of the biggest nights of my life.. you are not bailing on me.."
"Brooke.. I'm.. I'm sorry."
"Yeah.. I'm sorry too." Brooke hung up on him.
End Flashback
Lucas Scot – Tree Hill, NC
Oh Brooke, you smell so good… I have to go to work… sure I can start a little late… what? My book's not being published .. I have no job! … and Haley is doing what?! Where's Jamie?
Lucas shook his head violently before shooting up from bed. Thank God, it was only a dream… well mostly a dream. Lucas sighed to himself as he hit his head back on the pillow.
Jake Jagielski and Peyton Sawyer - Savannah, GA
Jake stirred in his sleep and turned around to look at the blond woman sleeping next to him. Jenny, he thought to himself.
Peyton eyes started to flutter open as the sun shone in the bedroom. Jenny, she thought to herself and squinting her eyes to see Jake looking at her. Damn, my man is hot.
"Morning.." She said softly.
"Morning.." He replied back. They leaned in to give each other a morning kiss, but a pair of little feet got in their way.
"You know what.. I'm hungry this morning." Jake commented, taking a hold of Jenny's little foot.
"Me, too." Peyton smiled back as they both playfully bit into her foot and starting tinkling her, the sound of laughter filling the air. Peyton smiled to herself as Jake pulled Jenny closer to him, tickling her ferociously. If every day started like this, I'll live a very happy life, she thought to herself.
. . . . .
"I'm fine.." Haley muttered.
"Haley, you've been saying that for a while now." Dr. Reynolds stated.
"That's because it's the truth." Haley reaffirmed.
"Haley, I can't help you if you don't talk to me."
"Then I guess you can't help me." Haley responded.
Dr. Reynolds sighed to herself. She was Haley's second therapist and for the past month, she has not had any progress in getting through to Haley.
"Look Doctor.. we both know this is a waste of time … I'm just here cuz my idiot brother in-law convinced my father in-law that I should attend counseling."
"Lucas must've had a reason."
"Yeah.. he doesn't know when to stop butting in." Haley retorted.
"Okay.. you don't want to talk about Nathan, let's focus on Lucas. I thought you two are friends."
"The term friends implies that Lucas and I get along."
"Why don't you get along? I thought you guys knew each other you're whole life."
"Like I said, he likes to keep butting in. I don't need him to tell me how to live my life."
Flashback
"I think the bottle is too warm." Lucas said.
"You think everything is too warm .. or too cold, would you relax.. mom." Haley stated.
"Gee.. very funny.. just feed Jamie already.. he looks hungry.. he has that look in his eyes every time Nathan saw a steak.
Haley smiled sheepishly. "Yeah.." She muttered as she brought the bottle to Jamie. He started sucking on it but stopped and started crying. "What.. what did I do?"
"Come here little guy.." Lucas said as he picked up Jamie, trying to soothe him. With his other hand, he took the bottle from Haley. "See I told you it was too warm.. open it up and let it cool down a little… Jesus Hales.. I thought we went over this."
"Sorry.." She muttered quickly. Who you think you are.. his dad?! she mocked thinking to herself.
End Flashback
"But you two were very close. . . he was also very close to Nathan."
"Yes.. yes we were.."
"What happened?"
"I just told you.. he likes to boss me around .. he thinks.. he thinks I'm not over Nathan.."
"Are you? Not over Nathan."
"He's my husband.. his death.. his death was tragic.. it'll always be with me.. no amount of therapy will help me get over it."
"I didn't mean like that Haley.. the death of a loved one stays with us for the rest of our lives.. it's perfectly normal.. but the question I should be asking is if you've finally accepted his death."
"Of course.." She lied.
"Lucas also tells me you go to the cemetery almost everyday to see him."
"So he's stalking me now too?"
"Haley.. I think he's just worried about you."
"And I think he should be worrying about himself.. lord only knows how much progress he's made on that stupid book of his."
Just then the alarm started to ring. Saved by the bell, she thought to herself.
"I guess our hour is up." Dr. Reynolds stated.
"Yeah.. about time… bye doctor." Haley said getting up.
. . . . .
The lights on the river court faded dim, just like them. Lucas typed onto his laptop. Just as fast, he deleted the text and wrote and said aloud. "I SUCK!" and then banged his fist against his desk.
"Hehehe.." A voice distracted Lucas.
"Isn't that right huh? Your Uncle Lucas sucks huh?" Lucas asked his little nephew, who just laughed and held his little guitar out.
"Ball." Jamie said laughing.
"Not quite buddy.. I think you're mommy took that away from you." Lucas leaned down to little Jamie.
Flashback – a few days ago
"Where did he get the hoop?" Haley asked Lucas from the door leading into the backyard.
"His Uncle Lucas gave it to him." Lucas replied back.
"I don't want him playing." Haley stated.
"Haley.. he's not even two years old.. all he wants to do is play ball just like his dad." Luke stated.
"I said I don't want him playing." Haley said coldly. She walked up closer to Jamie and took hold of his little ball and handed him a toy guitar instead. "Bye Jamie.. momma has to go now." Haley leaned in and gave her son a quick kiss on the forehead, before glaring back at Lucas and taking off.
End Flashback
Just then he heard a ring from his laptop and saw that his editor Lindsey has just requested for a webcam conference. Crap, he thought to himself.
"Tell me you're writing the best pages of your life." Lindsey said through the webcam.
"Well, hello to you too.."
"If not the best pages of your life .. then at least a couple of okay pages .." Lindsey tried to sound hopefully.
"I wrote a couple of sentences.."
"Uh hu" Lindsey said excitedly.
"And then I deleted them because it sucked."
"Lucas.. this is serious.. I can't be your editor if I don't have anything to edit… but butt is on the line here.. tell me you have something.. anything."
"Uhh.. Lindsey.."
"Lucas… Lucas Scott."
"I think it's an earthquake." Lucas said shaking his laptop and then turning it off.
Jamie looked up at him with his blue eyes and started laughing.
"Not funny.. J-Luke.. not funny at all." Lucas sighed.
. . . .
"There's my favorite grandson." Dan said coming up to Lucas.
"That's cuz he's your only grandson." Lucas was quick to point out.
Deb stepped in behind Dan took Jamie from Lucas. "Hey Luke.. come on Jamie.. it's time for your bath." Deb said as she took off upstairs with Jamie.
"And how's my favorite son?" Dan joked.
"That's because I'm your only son." Lucas was quick to point out. "Actually.. thing's are not going so well."
"Lindsey?" Dan questioned.
"How'd you know?" Lucas asked.
"Cuz she called asking if everyone was okay from the earthquake." Dan smirked.
"Oh God.." Lucas shook his head.
"Nice one son.. an earthquake? You couldn't have just turned the thing off and claim a black out."
"Oh Black out! I'll keep that in mind next time, dad."
"Haha.. don't worry son.. I'm sure the book is coming along fine."
"No.. it's not… it's bad enough they hated the first draft."
"They didn't hate it.. if hated it, they wouldn't have asked you to publish it."
"But they want to make so many revisions.."
"All part of the game Luke.. you should know about these things.."
"Yeah.. I guess.. I've just been distracted…. Is… is Haley here?"
"No.. she's not back yet from Dr. Reynolds."
"She should've been back by now.. don't tell me she's at.." Lucas said in frustration.
"Lucas.. it's fine.. she's at the cemetery."
"God dad.. she needs to grow up.. she has a son to look out for.. you and Deb can't be there for her all the time."
"Lucas .. calm down.. we've all took Nathan's death hard .. no more so than Haley.. and she may not show it but Deb is barely hanging in there.. thank God for Jamie or else she'd go insane .."
"I'm just saying .. Haley.. Haley needs to get her act together. The three of us are the ones practically raising Jamie." Lucas was quick to point out.
"I'll.. I'll talk to her okay."
"Fine.." Lucas mumbled.
Flashback
"How is he?" Haley asked from the doorway.
"His forehead is still hot." Lucas said bouncing the little boy up and down.
"At least he stopped crying." Haley replied.
"For now."
"Well the doctor said to give him plenty of water and rest.. if the fever doesn't break.. we can see the doctor first thing in the morning… he also prescribed some medicine for Jamie, he already called it into the Pharmacy."
"Okay.. I'll got get it." Lucas said getting up to hand Jamie over to Haley.
Haley immediately took a step back. "No.. it's okay.. I can get it." Haley said quickly as she grabbed her purse and stepped outside the house.
Lucas sighed to himself as it was just him and Jamie… again. He looked at his watch and realized what time it was. He was supposed to leave for the airport an hour ago. There was no way he was going to make it. He got up and placed Jamie back in his crib and then took out his phone. Lord only knows how Brooke will take this, he's been trying to get a hold of her for a while now.
"Hey Brooke.. I've been trying to call you all day." Lucas called out over the phone.
"Luke.. honey.. I'm so sorry.. I had no signal all day. Are you at the airport, I can't wait to see you."
"Umm.. about that.."
"Luke.." Brooke stated more firmly.
"Jamie.."
"Lucas Scott!" Brooke yelled at the phone. "You are not doing this again.. not tonight of all nights!"
End Flashback
Haley walked up to the familiar headstone and placed the flowers she had on the ground.
"Hi.. it's me.." She said softly. "Sorry I haven't been around much .. I've just been busy.." Haley sighed. "You know that Luke gave Jamie a basketball… yeah I know.. trying to be like his old man.. but Jamie won't ever be him.. how could he, without his Dad around .. how could he be someone who he never met." Haley tried to hold back the tears. "He looks so much like his daddy though… it's scary sometimes. Ever since he was born.. he had those big blue eyes .. it was as if .. it was as if I was staring right at his daddy."
Haley traced her fingers along the headstone. "I have a secret .. something I never told any one… do you want to hear it? Of course you do.. at night.. I would hold Jamie in my arms while he slept.. it's the closest thing to peace and relaxation as I've had in almost two years. With his eyes closed, I don't have to look at his big blue eyes and have Nathan staring back at me.. it's too painful Jimmy.. God, there are times I wished you actually did kill me but then I wouldn't have Jamie.. .. you thought I was so brave for standing up to you during the school shooting.. .. I once thought the same thing.. but my courage was gone when Nathan was taken away from me.. God.. I can't even visit his grave.. it's been almost two years and I haven't been there since the funeral." Haley looked out over the distance and saw the clear markings of her husband's grave. "The truth is Jimmy.. he would be ashamed.. ashamed of what kind of person I am.. the kind of mother I am to Jamie.." Haley's voice cracked as she willed her tears away. "I should go now.. thanks for listening Jimmy.. thanks for listening."
Haley got up and walked back to her car as she had always done in the hopes that she could find it in herself to get her life back on track. To be there for Jamie, just as Nathan would have wanted. It was something she told herself over and over again, but somehow always fell short. She hoped that one of these times, she would get it right.
To Be Continued . . . .
As you can see, everyone is suffering without Nathan, except for Peyton, but her story will be explained a little more. Sorry but no Naley in this chapter, you'll get more of Nathan later. With the last chapter I just wanted to make sure you guys know that Haley and Nathan/James will eventually reunite. But these first few chapters will focus in on what's been going on with the characters and what led Haley to find Nathan. Stick along for ride, it'll be good I promise, hehe. So sorry again for the delay and please review !! Don't forget OTH tom night.. who-hoo !!