The Best I Ever Had
So you sailed away Into a grey sky morningNow I'm here to stay Love can be so boring Nothing's quite the same nowI just say your name now
A knocked at the door sounded through the house, echoing off walls, and traveling down halls, announcing an arrival.
The sound of little sneakers pounding against the tile filled the room as Jamie ran for the front door.
Swinging it open the young blonde haired cutie came face to face with an older blonde haired cutie. Almost mirror images, generations apart.
Surprise widened Dean's pupil, he hadn't expected Jamie to answer the door, or be an actual child when he did. The years had really flown by in the blink of an eye. Dean had half expected he'd be still a toddler.
"You're mom home?" He questioned, with the rough smooth texture of his voice, trademark grin easing his feature.
The sight of Jamie made Dean's heart soften. An urge rumbled up from within, to give the boy a hug or even just a pat of the back, but Dean's brain cautioned to leave well enough alone.
"Who are you?" The boy interrogated Dean with narrowed eyes as if he were a grown man. Always protective of his mother.
Dean couldn't help but smirk at the familiar spunk and protective nature Jamie seemed to have inherited. "I'm an old friend of your mom's." Dean explained with a cheesy grin. Soaking up every moment he had to talk with the boy, since it was rare like once a in a blue moon.
"Jamie," A distinctly female voice called, growing closer by the second. "Who's at the… door." Haley's words stumbled at the end, as she came face to face with the man she least expected to see at her door.
Her heart stopped beating in her chest as the breath stilled on her lips for a moment. Catching her son's perplexed gaze out of the corner of her eye, Haley snapped out of her shock filled fog.
Gazing down at her baby, Haley's protective instincts kicked in, hard and fast.
"Jamie, go upstairs and play in your room." Her voice direct, backed up with a mother's authoritative stare.
"Mom!" Jamie whined a little in protest. "I was playing video games." He explained, as if his answer would some how justify his need to be downstairs.
Haley's eyes dared to drift back to Dean in her doorway for a second, shock suspending her gaze before Jamie's voice pulled her back to the action at hand.
Haley's eyes grew pointed. "James Lucas Scott, do as I say." Her tone nonnegotiable in a way she rarely used with Jamie, but her heart told her this was for his own good.
Giving Dean a lingering glare as warning, Jamie let out a huff, and scuffed the tile with his sneaker as a sign of resistance before charging up the stairs.
Finally alone, their eyes tangled as the mountain of distance and time kept their lips mute. Seeing her manners where forgotten with the sight of him, Dean stepped inside her home, and closed the door behind him to avoid prying eyes.
A few steps, that's all he took, but the closing distance sent her heart on hyper drive, as she fought every urge to keep herself in line. "What are you doing here?" Haley questioned him sharply.
His signature smirk found his face, summoned from her captivating image, and the way her anger still amused him. "Jamie's getting big…" Dean started, trying to ease into this while trying to find out information about the boy who intrigued him most.
His grin sent her stomach in knots, even after all these years it amazed Haley, he still got to her. "Dean," her tone grew testy with a lack of patience, fighting against the way she felt inside.
"What are you doing here?" Haley demanded he get to the point. Pining away for him in her heart complicated her life for years, having the real thing within touching reach was down right dangerous.
So you stole my world. Now I'm just a phonyRemembering the girl. Leaves me down and lonely Send it in a letterMake yourself feel better
His smirk faltered, but his emerald eyes stayed glued. "I heard about your mom." He spoke simply. Leaving out the heart wrenching words, like loss and death to the unspoken ear.
A huff quickly left Haley's chest, as she eyes finally diverted from his. Haley's lips pursed together, as she fought for breath against the choking in her heart from his words. Unable to speak, afraid it would reveal the torturous turmoil inside, Haley nodded with acknowledgement.
Seeing the pain in her eyes she tried to hide, Dean found his feet moving toward her with a will of their own.
"How are you holding up?" He questioned with genuine concern. Every cell in his body screamed for him to take her into his arms, and comfort the sadness away from her eyes.
Haley took a step back from him, keeping her distance, as her eyes darted around the room. Anywhere but his gaze, knowing he'd see right through her.
"I'm dealing with it." She gave the customary answer, detached from her wounded heart.
Finally within arms reach, his course palm dared to reach out, and softly touch her face. "Liar," He smiled softly with sympathy as he gazed upon her stunning face, even now he still knew her well enough to see the pain behind her brave front. She never could hide her emotions from him.
As his rough hand touched her soft cheek, Haley felt her will breaking. Her eyes found his once again, as all the emotions she fought to hide revealed with his presence, and the safety it always seemed to bring. "Dean, don't." Her soft voice begged him.
The creamy suppleness of her cheek filled his insides with warmth. He had almost forgotten she could do that to him.
"You're still beautiful, even when you're sad." Dean spoke from the heart, something he only did with her. This hadn't been the plan, to show up at her door, and instantly be swept away by her, but here he was lost out in her sea.
Emerald and chocolate eyes locked with a love that even after all this time hadn't fizzled away. Her breath hitched, as his thumb stroked her skin and his face inched ever closer.
"Don't." Haley's quiet voice begged as her heart screamed for him to come ever closer.
A demand from the soul to strong to ignore or talk down, their lips came together in a second. Softness slipped with moistness, as their endless love surged between them in the kiss.
Holding her near, Dean kissed Haley with every ounce of longing and love he had held for her all these years on the road. Surrendering, Haley kissed Dean with a heart that would always belong to him, even when it shouldn't.
Being a good woman, and tied to another, Haley pulled back when the starving in her heart had been quenched just an ounce.
And it may take some time to Patch me up insideBut I can't take it so I Run away and hideAnd I may find in time that You were always rightYou're always right
Pulling back from his embrace, Haley took a step back as her head shook.
"You can't do this to me. It's been five years. You can't just waltz back in here. I have a life, and it's not an easy one right now incase you haven't noticed." Haley's voice said the words required of her even as her heart wept for him to stay forever.
Dean took a step toward her to try and reach her, only to watch her feet move back again. Feeling her slip away, Dean found himself opening up in a way he wouldn't do for anyone else, but his heart loved her enough to try. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left. I should have called. I've been so wrong about you and Jamie. I see that now." Dean poured his heart out, as their eyes intertwined so she could see the truth in his words.
Shaking her head, Haley wouldn't let his apology in. She couldn't, even if her heart wanted it more then anything else. It was too little, too late. She had obligations. She belonged to someone else now.
"You should go. Nathan will be home soon and you can't be here when he gets here." Haley said simply, but the tears looming on the horizon of her chocolate eyes revealed how much those words hurt to say.
The sound of Nathan's name pierced Dean's heart, and brought an unpleasant truth to the reality of the situation.
"Tell me Haley, what does he think about Jamie?" Spite slipped off Dean's lips with a heated tongue.
Instantly regretting his hurtful words, Dean cringed a little and softened.
"He's never going to love you like I do."
The look of devotion in Dean's eyes, the impossible truth of this strangled Haley's heart, and threatened to break her where she stood. She had to get Dean out of her sight. He was safer as a treasured memory. As the tears slipped down her cheeks, Haley knew she had to put an end to this.
"Please, just go." She pleaded with him, while admitting inside it was really herself she was pleading with. Pleading to let him go. Set him free from her heart.
Dean visually cringed with the pain etched in her voice mixed with her tears. He never wanted to cause her pain, but that's what he always seemed to do, and here he was doing it again. The perpetual cycle he could never break free from, but now he would. Because Dean realized if he really loved her, he should let her move on. Let her go… for good.
Nodding silently, Dean ran a rough hand along his chiseled jaw line as he took a step back. Keeping his outward pride intact, while his heart was wounded underneath, Dean respected her plea.
Looking up at the woman he would love all this life, one last time, Dean gave a weak smirk, and showed himself out the door.
Haley felt her heart shatter in her chest as the tears turned torrential down her face. Turning away, unable to watch him leave, her tear smeared vision caught sight of a picture on her fireplace panel, the perfect family, Nathan, Jamie and herself. Anger toward herself, with the crippling pain from the lost opportunity burst from her soul, as Haley found her hand throwing that picture across the room with a lifetime of regret.
But it's not so bad, You're only the best I ever hadYou don't need me back, You're just the best I ever hadThe best I ever had
"Best I Ever Had" Vertical Horizon
Note: I've been dying to ask everyone what they think the situation between Jamie/Dean/Haley and Jamie/Nathan/Haley. Cuz I had several theorizes in my mind but I'm dying to know how you interpreted that angle of the story