Part II Chapter X
Thanks so much for the reviews, they helped inspire me to get this chapter out there. Rachel has always been planned to be brought back into this story so don't worry, she'll her part to play as well. With the holiday weekend, I'll try to get the next chapter out during the weekend. Thanks to kelly for beta-ing. Enjoy, please review and happy thanksgiving !!
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When the front door closed, Haley emerged from the closet, tears running down her face.
When she heard the voice, she knew it sounded familiar but Haley caught a glimpse of her when she grabbed her jacket from the closet, confirming her suspicions.
"You're.. you're with Rachel." Haley's voice trembled.
"It's not what you think." Nathan put his hands up and walked closer to her, but she took countered, taking a step back.
"Don't.. stay away from me!" Haley put her hand up, telling him to back out.
"Haley.."
"Don't you dare move another inch!" Haley warned. "You left me." She cried. "You left me and our son, you made this choice with out talking to me…"
"I was trying to protect you.. both of you." Nathan tried to reason.
"Protect us!" Haley scoffed. "By shacking up with Rachel!"
"Haley, please just hear me out, you don't know everything."
"I know enough." Haley said coldly, as a few tears slid down her face. "Like how your closet is full of women's clothes, which I'm sure doesn't belong to you!"
. . . . . .
"You're late?" Brooke stated. "Which I find impossible since I'm the one who just came back from LA and rushed my ass from airport to be here. This better be good." Brooke warned playfully.
"Oh it is." Rachel said sitting down in the booth next to Brooke.
Brooke rolled her eyes and yawned, she was still in west coast time.
"Cute jacket by the way."
"Thanks." Rachel responded. "Anyways, tall dark and dreamy is behind the counter." Rachel nodded over to the bar.
"That's Owen?" Brooke asked.
"Yeah."
Brooke shrugged. "He's okay, I guess."
"Okay? He's totally hot. Unless you're still pining over Lucas." Rachel teased.
"I didn't say that." Brooke fired back. "And if you think you he's so hot, why don't you go for Owen?"
"Well remembered that guy I told you about?"
"Yeah? The one that was hung up on his ex?"
"That one. It's serious now, we actually just moved in together!" Rachel smiled proudly.
"Get out!" Brooke slapped Rachel's shoulder.
"Oww that hurt, bitch."
"Oh shut up, tell me details about this mysterious guy of yours."
"Well we just moved in together, we still haven't fully moved in yet and he's not mysterious."
"That's why you didn't even bother giving me a name or what he does, the only thing you said was that he's hot and great in bed. I'm starting to think you made him up." Brooke teased.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't know how serious it was. Like I said, he was still having issues with his wife.."
"Wait, he's married!" Brooke gasped. "Rachel, how could.."
"It's not like that." Rachel interrupted. "It's just that.." Rachel stopped when she noticed her phone vibrate. She smiled when she saw the message.
"Actually, he's meeting us here, he just came."
"Where is he?" Brooke started to look around.
Rachel waved her hand and Brooke noticed a guy walk in and wave back and was now heading in their direction. Once he was closer, Brooke's mouth dropped as she looked into his bright blue eyes and boyish grin.
. . . . .
"Haley, please just hear me out, you don't know everything."
"I know enough." Haley said coldly, as a few tears slid down her face. "Like how your closet is full of women's clothes, which I'm sure doesn't belong to you!"
Nathan walked up to Haley and took a hold of her arms. "Please just hear me out. Yes, Rachel knows I'm alive but it's more than that." He pleaded and Nathan recanted the tale of how Rachel got involved in all this.
Dan smiled as he looked across the café. He couldn't believe that the Raven's just won the state championship, couldn't believe that both his sons were state champions. He looked on with pride with the other parents and adults there while the team and their friends celebrated.
"Hey Dan, can you get some garage bags in the back?" Karen asked while she was clearing up some plates at the counter.
"Sure." Dan nodded and went to the back to go grab the bags. He stopped when he heard his phone ringing.
"Hello." He answered as the voice on the other end spoke, Dan grew cold and angry.
"Listen Daunte, I told you never to call me!" Dan tried to keep it down so no one could hear him.
"I thought we had a deal Scott.. you sold me out!"
"Plans change.. you should know something about that ..like when you approached my family.."
"I told you I had no choice.. but it doesn't matter anymore.."
"I told you to hang in there.. stick with the plan and we'll both get what we want.."
"I'm tired of your lies Scott.. I'm done.. I'm done with it all!!" Daunte yelled angrily.
"Daunte! Daunte!" Dan quietly yelled into his phone but he had already hung up. Frustrated, Dan slammed his phone and just then Rachel walked in.
"What do you want?" He asked coldly.
"Just looking for the garbage bags.." Rachel said quietly. He handed her some and she took off. Dan needed a minute to cool down. He came back to the front just as Nathan and Haley were coming down the stairs.
"Hey guys.. we're going to take off." Nathan said. Nathan and Haley said bye to him and their friends.
"Bye mom."
"Bye Deb."
"I'll see you back at the house." Deb said giving her son and daughter in law a hug.
Nathan and Haley just stepped out of Karen's Café. Outside, the morning newspaper was already out. There on the cover was a picture of Lucas on his knees, hands in the air with the caption reading "Raven's Soar." Nathan smiled looking at that, he definitely needed to get a copy of the later.
He turned back to his wife, who now clutched onto his arm. "So the doctor said you're fine." Nathan wanted to make sure. "You and the baby?"
"Yeah" She looked up.
"We're fine...we are all going to be fine." Haley said as she smiled at Nathan. This was one of the greatest nights of his life, despite a rough first half, Nathan managed to step it up at the end. They decided to wait until tomorrow to tell everyone the news. There was already enough excitement in the air with the Ravens winning and now their wedding was coming up this weekend and it seemed like all if not most of Haley's family would be attending.
They crossed through the dark streets of Tree Hill, in a happy mood, Nathan twirled Haley across the street.
"Listen.. there's a reason why I played so bad tonight at first…" Nathan said softly, wanting to tell her about his conversation with Dan earlier about Daunte. He was scared for a moment that Daunte did something to her because he got his dad involved. He wished he didn't have to get his dad involved but Haley got mixed up with Daunte and he needed help taking care of it.
"What do you mean?" Haley asked as they stopped in the middle of the street. But just then a pair of headlights shown in her face. "Nathan look out!!" Haley screamed. She grabbed into Nathan's arm but he pushed her away. She fell back and watched in horror as the man she loved, her husband hit the hood of a black Cadillac. He went straight into the windshield and rolled over and hit the ground.
"Nathan!!" She screamed.
. . . . . .
Rachel raced to the hospital. Brooke left a cryptic message that something was wrong. Nathan, Haley and Lucas were all taken to the hospital but last she heard, everyone was fine. The doctors were just going in to set Nathan's leg.
She reached Nathan's room and found Peyton pacing by the door, biting her nails. Peyton looked up, her blood shot and teary eyes, Rachel's heart sank.
"Peyton, what's going on?" Rachel stopped in front of her and then she looked inside the room and saw Lucas slumped over Brooke, crying inconsolably.
"He didn't make it." Peyton cried out. "When they were setting his leg, marrow from the bone seeped into his blood stream and stopped his heart. He's.. he's dead." Peyton choked out.
Rachel gasped. No, no this isn't right.
Rachel walked down the hallway and saw Haley sitting down, her face white, pale and expressionless as Deb cried into Karen's shoulder. Haley just looked like a zombie, her grief not yet allowing itself to take hold just yet. She watched as Dan stepped out of the waiting, room. He looked tired and sad, but not that sad.
"Mr. Scott." Rachel ran up to him.
"Ms. Gatina right? Look, this isn't the time."
Rachel held her ground. She stepped closer to him and whispered into his ear. "Don't think I didn't hear your conversation with Daunte at the café and next thing you know he runs Nathan over and now Nathan is dead after a simple procedure, yes Mr. Scott, I think you need to make some time."
. . . . .
"Wait, he's married!" Brooke gasped. "Rachel, how could.."
"It's not like that." Rachel interrupted. "It's just that.." Rachel stopped when she noticed her phone vibrate. She smiled when she saw the message.
"Actually, he's meeting us here, he just came."
"Where is he?" Brooke started to look around.
Rachel waved her hand and Brooke noticed a guy walk in and wave back and was now heading in their direction. Once he was closer, Brooke's mouth dropped as she looked into his bright blue eyes and boyish grin.
"Hey." Rachel smiled as stood up and gave a small kiss to their new guest.
"Brooke I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Clay.. Clay this is my friend Brooke."
"Nice to meet you?" Clay stuck out his hand.
"Like wise." The two shook hands. "I've heard so much about you."
"Good things I hope." Brooke laughed.
"Mostly." He winked at her. "Can I get you ladies a drink?"
"Beer for me hun." Rachel answered.
"Same." Brooke replied and with that Clay walked over to the bar to get their drinks.
"Oh my God." Brooke mouthed over to Rachel. "He is so hot."
Rachel grinned. "I know."
"I still can't believe you went after a married man but then again, I can't say I blame you." Brooke looked back towards the bar and saw Clay ordering their drinks.
"Was married." Rachel clarified. "Look, his wife Sara died suddenly not too long ago. He's been trying to move on."
"Oh no."
"Yeah, that's why I didn't want to say much, but we're good, we're happy."
Brooke smiled back at Rachel. "Well, I'm happy for you."
. . . . . .
Haley sat on the bed trying to get her breathing in order. Nathan just explained how Rachel got involved in this whole mess.
"I can't believe she knew all this time." Haley muttered.
"Yeah, she knew something wasn't right when they announced my death. She over heard my dad talking to Daunte before I got ran over. My dad didn't have a choice, Rachel threatened to go talk to you or to Lucas, we couldn't let that happen." Nathan replied. "We don't get to see each other much because she's busy and always traveling but she's the only friend I've had this whole time." Nathan replied softly.
Haley gave a small smile and caressed his cheek. "But her things.."
"She has a new boyfriend they she just moved in together. Their place wasn't ready yet so I told Rachel it would be okay if she left some of her things her until their place was ready. She took most of her stuff but she still has some of her clothes in my closet.. obviously."
"I'm sorry, I jumped to conclusions.. it's just.."
"Hales.. its okay. This was a lot to take in. Actually, I'm still having a hard time myself.. I mean, how did you even find me?"
"I didn't." Haley laughed softly. Haley then went on to explain how she saw him from a distance and how her tour guide Amanda gave her his name and how she eventually followed him.
"Wow." Nathan took a deep breath. "Small world." He muttered, not believing in a city of millions, the one person he loved the most found him. "But wait, why were you looking at schools?"
"After you died, Jamie was born, school wasn't a priority but now that Jamie is older, I thought I'd look at schools." Haley mumbled.
"Jamie?" Nathan questioned. He smiled. "Jamie." He muttered again.
It was then that Haley realized that he didn't know their son, didn't even know his nick names and that saddened her.
"James Lucas Scott." Haley said softly. "Just like we talked about." Haley gave him a small smile. "He has a lot of nicknames though, Jamie of course and then theres' J-Luke.. that's Lucas' favorite." Haley started to tear again, thinking about how much Nathan had missed out on his son's life.
"You've missed out on so much.."
"I know." Nathan said softly.
"You missed out on everything." Haley shook her head.
"Not everything." Nathan replied.
"Huh?"
Nathan took a deep breath, knowing that this next bit of news would send her world reeling again.
"I was there." Nathan said softly. "When James.. Jamie." He corrected himself. "was born, I was there.. I was the first one that got to hold him." Nathan said with tears in his eyes, remembering the last moment he saw his family. The first and only time he got to hold their son.
Haley gasped. "You were that male nurse… I knew I felt you.. but I thought it was because of Jamie.. I can't.. I can't believe you were there." Haley was amazed.
"I begged my dad to be there. But it took everything in me not to take off my damn mask and stupid contacts." Nathan let out with a shakey breath. Faking his death and fleeing Tree Hill was one thing, to come back and see his whole world, Haley, his son, it was even harder to leave.
Haley nodded and sighed. "I can't believe any of this." Haley muttered as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"I know it's a lot to take in."
"A lot is an understatement." Haley huffed. An awkward silence filled the air and Nathan didn't know what else to do.
Haley yawned and scratched her eyes. She was both physically and mentally exhausted.
"Hey." Nathan caressed her cheeks. "Why don't you get some rest?" Nathan suggested.
"I don't think I can sleep but I think I do need a break." She sat down on the bed and wrapped herself up in Nathan's sheet.
"How about I fix us something to eat?"
Haley nodded as she faced away from him and hugged one of his pillows.
Nathan got up to give her some space, lord knows she needed it after what he'd just put her through. He closed the bedroom door, leaving it slightly ajar and went into the kitchen to get something to drink. He opened his fridge and noticed that he didn't have much in there but figured he'd try to whip something up.
Luckily, he had something in mind. He took turned on one of the burners on the stove and placed a pot of water over it. He opened one of his cabinets and pulled out a box of macaroni and cheese. He waited for a couple of minutes until the water was boiling before he placed the pasta inside and gently stirred it.
He went back to his room and quietly peeked his head inside to check up on Haley. He frowned when he heard her trying to stifle her tears. Nathan took a step back and went back to the kitchen, wondering how many times over the years had he made her cry. Sullenly, he went back to stirring the pasta and preparing the cheese. Once everything was done, he mixed the cheese with the pasta in a larger pot and put a lid over it to keep it warm.
"Smells good."
Nathan whipped his head around and found Haley standing there, wearing one of his t-shirts. Nathan licked his lips at the sight of her, God she's gorgeous. But his smiled wavered when he noticed the stains her tears left behind on her beautiful face.
"I made your favorite." Nathan gave her a small smile.
"I can see that." She smiled warmly at him. She walked over to him, resting her hands on his bare chest. She smiled even wider and then looked up into his confused eyes. She tiptoed up and gently kissed him on the lips.
"You're alive." She said softly. "You're alive." She said louder and kissed him again. She buried her head into his chest and wrapped her arms around him. "You're alive." She repeated again.
"I am." Nathan hugged her back, now he was really confused because she was crying again.
"Hey don't cry." Nathan pulled back.
"You know, I could ring your neck for what you've put me through." She grasped onto his shoulders. "But there was so many nights, I cried myself to sleep thinking of you, wishing, praying that you would come back. I told myself that if given the chance again, I'd tell you how much I love you, how much I need you. And now you're here." She kissed him again.
Nathan smiled against her lips. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry I lied to you, I'm sorry for it all."
"As painful as the past two years have been, being with you again.. that's all that matters Nathan."
Nathan smiled and kissed her back, her mouth opening up and their tongues clashed. Pulling back for air, Nathan held his forehead against hers. He was so close to loosing himself in her again like when she first showed up but he needed to draw the lines. He needed to put a stop to this.
"Haley, I love you.. I love you so much but you can't stay here."
"Natha.."
"It's too risky Hales." Nathan pulled back. "If Bear finds out that I'm alive, then he'll know my Dad was onto him this whole time and everything my Dad and the FBI have done will be for nothing."
"But Nathan.. I can't.. I can't lose you. Not again!" She pleaded.
"You never lost me, Hales." He pulled her in for a hug. "Until the investigation is over, the world has to still think that Nathan Scott is dead."
"And how long is that?"
"I.. I don't know."
"No, I can't go back there.. please Nathan, I need you. How can you expect me to go back to Tree Hill when I know you're here?"
"I don't expect you to, Hales.. but I need you to. If word gets out, not only will the investigation be blown but you'll be at risk.. our son will be at risk. I know it sucks Hales.. but it's the only choice."
"No, you're wrong!" Haley shook her head. "No one has to know." Haley says softly.
"What're you talking about?"
"We can keep it a secret?" Haley said quietly and then looking up into his eyes.
"We'd be living a lie." Nathan softly replied back, all resistance failing as he started to get lost in hopeful brown eyes.
"We're already living a lie." Haley informed him as she took a step back. "Can you honestly tell me that you'd be fine with me leaving? Not being able to see me? To talk to me?"
"…." Nathan stayed quiet as he looked away from her, she already knew the answer.
"No one knows Nathan, we can do this.. I don't know how, but we can make it work until Bear is put away."
"But the risk.."
"There's a risk you can be exposed now and I would've had nothing to do with it. Rachel was able to keep this a secret for this long and I know she still talks to Brooke and Peyton." Haley reasoned as she was in near tears, knowing that Nathan was alive and not being able to even see him or do anything about it was killing her.
"Please, Nathan.. I can't lose you again.. I won't survive."
Clenching his fist, his resolve finally waved. He was already having a hard time coming to grips with his realty and seeing Lucas not too long ago offered him a glimpse into his former life. He hadn't been the same and became even more miserable and now seeing Haley, being with her, kissing her, he knew he couldn't go back either. He walked towards her and cupped her face, bringing her lips to his, "You won't have to." Nathan swore with a kiss.
To Be Continued . . . . .