CHAPTER 8

"Nathan! Nathan can you hear me?" Haley yelled into her cell phone. Of all the nights Nathan had chose to go out with his buddies from work, it had to be tonight.

"Hey Haley!" Nathan's merry voice sang down the phone from across town. She could hear a chorus of 'Hey Haley's' in the background followed by loud cheering and the clink of bottles. "I love you, Hales. I don't tell you that enough, but I love you so much!" Nathan slurred but Haley cut him off.

"Nathan, I think the baby is coming!" Haley grabbed a hold of her stomach as another contraction sent pains shooting up her back. "Ow!" she yelled.

"What?" Nathan's shocked voice could be clearly heard as he found a quieter spot in the bar to hear her. "Are you sure? It isn't time yet…are you sure it isn't that Braxton Hicks thing again?" he asked referring to the two previous times they had rushed to the hospital in the last few weeks.

"No it's definitely not! This is different, more painful. Oh god, it hurts Nathan!" she breathed deeply as she'd been taught in her ante-natal classes.

"Oh shit!" On the other end of the line, Nathan was quickly sobering up. "I'll call Joanna to come get you. I can't drive, I've had too much to drink."

"Nathan, it's after midnight, I don't want to wake her; she can't leave the boys."

"I'll figure something out, ok? Just hold tight, I'll be there soon." he hung up and Haley cursed herself for assuring him that she would be fine by herself tonight and had encouraged him to go out with his friends. Her due date was only a week away but she was so sure she was going to pass it that she was completely unprepared. Her back had been aching a little more than usual today but she had just put it down to fatigue as she hadn't exactly been sleeping much over the past few weeks. Her huge stomach made it difficult to find a comfortable position.

Lifting herself from the bed, she waddled over to the closet, gasping with every step, and took out her black 'Juicy' sweatpants and one of Nathan's old Raven's hoodies. She changed as quickly as she was able to and picked up the car keys on her way out of the apartment. There was no way she was waiting around for Nathan to arrive; by the time he found a taxi to take him back from across town and then to the hospital, she could have had the baby on the kitchen floor.

On the drive over, she found a soothing radio station and practiced her breathing exercises, willing herself to stay calm and not cry. Ever since she found out she was pregnant, the prospect of actual labour itself terrified her. Haley hated pain, plain and simple, and what she was about to endure was the mother of all pain: her worst nightmare come true. She had to keep telling herself that it would all be worth it in the end.

Reaching the hospital, Haley parked the car and made her way into the admissions area. "Excuse me?" she latched onto the first nurse she could find.

"Can I help you, miss?" The nurse asked kindly.

"Um… yes. I'm in labour, I think I need to see a doctor. No, I need to see my doctor, Dr Montgomery?"

"Of course, sweetheart. My goodness, you look as if you're about to pass out. Don't be scared, hon, it's ok. Are you here alone?" The nurse searched around with her eyes before turning back to fill in the admission forms and then leading Haley to the maternity ward.

"Right now, yes, but my boyfriend will be here soon. I hope…"

"Ok hon, well I'm nurse Violet. Let's get a doctor to have a look at you. How far apart are your contractions?"

"About 40 minutes, I think. That's good right? It means it's gonna be a while before the baby comes?"

"Is this your first?" Nurse Violet looked amused as she helped Haley onto a gurney.

"Oh yeah. First and last, trust me. Is it that obvious?" she asked, a little embarrassed.

"Not at all. You're a lot calmer than most of my mothers-to-be. With first time pregnancies it's likely your labour won't be a short one. The doctor will be along shortly. You just try to relax. Is there anyone you would like me to call?" the nurse fiddled with a few wires and monitors as she spoke.

Haley started to answer but closed her mouth quickly. She had very nearly asked nurse Violet to call her mother. "No, it's ok. Nathan will be here soon." Haley smiled nervously.

Almost an hour later, Nathan arrived at the hospital dishevelled and distressed. "I went back to the apartment and you weren't there. You drove to the hospital?" he asked dubiously.

"I didn't want to wait around." Haley said simply, seeing no need for further explanation. She had changed into a gown and was reading a magazine when Nathan had entered the room looking frantic.

"I thought you were in labour!" Nathan accused.

"I am! I'm 10cm dilated."

"Oh" Nathan pulled a chair closer to Haley's bed and took her hand in his. "How're you feeling?" he asked, his voice soft and sympathetic. He smelled of freshmint; his attempt to cover up the smell of alcohol as he knew that Haley hated that smell. "I called Lucas on the way over, he's going to call Peyton and Karen."

"Good. I'm actually ok. The contractions are still quite far apart, but when I do have them, they hurt like hell." Haley made a face thinking about them and Nathan squeezed her hand harder.

"It's scary isn't it? We're going to be leaving this hospital with a baby…" For a moment, Nathan looked bewildered but he composed himself and smiled assuredly at his girlfriend. "I'm cool. I'm drunk, but I'm cool."

Six hours later Haley had only dilated a further 1cm. It was almost 7am and Lucas and Peyton had arrived with their other halves and Joanna had also dropped her boys off at her ex-husband's house and had arrived with an armful of balloons and teddies.

"They're so cute!" Brooke exclaimed when she spotted the teddies. "We didn't bring enough…" she pouted.

"I think there's a gift shop downstairs." Peyton suggested helpfully and the two girls decided to go in search of it.

The group were waiting in the corridor outside Haley's room as she was being examined by her doctor. Nathan came outside to join them, a coffee in his hands.

"Hey." he said as he hugged Joanna and accepted her gifts.

"How's mommy doing?" she asked barely containing her excitement.

"She's ok. Tired and bored mainly, but she's hanging in there. You can go in, she's been waiting for you." Nathan rubbed his tired eyes and ran a hand over his chin, realising that he needed to shave. He took a seat next to his brother and Jake.

"How're you holding up, man?" Lucas asked, nudging Nathan with his elbow but he just grunted, too tired to answer.

"The worst part is the waiting." Jake said knowingly. "Jenny kept us guessing for 32 hours." Nathan looked at him confused and Jake chuckled. "Peyton told you I had a kid, right? Jenny, she's three."

Nathan nodded. "Oh yeah, she told us. Sorry man, my brain isn't functioning properly right now. My hangover is kicking in and the aspirin the nurse gave me isn't working."

The three boys sat in silence until Peyton and Brooke came back, laden with gifts.

"What'd you do? Buy the whole store?" Lucas joked.

"Almost, and with your money!" Brooke chirped happily. "Haley is going to love us when she sees this stuff."

"What'd you get?" Nathan asked curiously, trying to peek inside one of the bags but Peyton slapped his hand away.

"Mind your own business daddy!" she laughed.

"We bumped into some hot surgeons in the elevator." Brooke informed them. "You guys are officially being dumped for McDreamy and McSteamy. Sorry boys!" Lucas growled playfully and pulled his girlfriend into his lap who giggled as he whispered into her ear.

"Ok, we can forget the doctors!" she laughed as she jumped back up again. "I already have a McSteamy!" she winked at Lucas and began to empty her bag. "Let's see…" she pulled out a silver picture frame and presented it to the group. "When the baby is born, we're gonna take a picture of mommy, daddy and baby Scott and it's gonna go in the frame. It'll be your first family photo." She pulled out a disposable camera "Ta daaa!"

Everyone looked to Peyton, waiting expectantly for her to share her purchases. She looked a bit sheepish as she said "I got bath salts and a card."

"I hope she likes the outfits I made for the baby." Brooke rescued Peyton from any further harassment and pulled out another bag from under her chair. She glanced at Nathan to make sure she had his full attention before taking out the clothes she'd spent weeks designing and sewing. They were mostly little jackets, sweaters, t-shirts, booties and pants in neutral colours as they didn't yet know the sex of the baby, despite Brooke begging for them to find out so she could make specific items, but Nathan and Haley insisted it be a surprise. The special piece Brooke had put together last week on a whim, just in case it was a girl. She showed Nathan a pale yellow summer dress with a frill skirt and an embroidered pink heart on the front and matching knitted cardigan and booties.

Nathan was impressed; there was a whole lot more to Brooke Davis than he'd realised back in high school. "These are great, Brooke. Haley will love them." He held up the dress to her "Do you know something we don't?" he joked, but she grinned at him.

"Just a feeling…" she shrugged.

Another few hours passed and shortly before midday, Haley was being wheeled to the delivery room, Nathan by her side. Holding his hand, fear gripped her and she looked up at Nathan. "What if I'm not a good mother?" she wheezed between contractions, which were now less than a minute apart. "I don't want our baby to hate me!" she began to cry and Nathan tried to suppress a smile.

"Hales, you are going to be an amazing mother." he stroked her hair from her face and caressed her cheek. "Our baby is going to be the luckiest kid in the world because it has you as it's mom. With your brains and my good looks, it'll be twice as lucky." he smiled when Haley attempted a laugh.

"Nathan Scott, you are the vainest person I know. But I love you anyway…" Haley's face contorted in pain as another contraction began.

Nathan leaned down and kissed her softly "I love you too." he whispered to her.

At 12.45pm, Haley gave birth to a healthy 7lb 10oz baby girl. An hour later, they were back in her room and Nathan sat on the bed next to her, his daughter in his arms. Both of them looked up when a soft knock on the door brought about their friends.

"Oh my god…" Brooke whispered when she saw the sleeping raven haired beauty in Nathan's arms. "Yay! A girl!" she celebrated quietly.

"She's beautiful" Peyton whispered, standing beside Nathan and peering over his shoulder. He turned and smiled at her, full of pride.

Lucas inched forward for a closer look just as the baby opened her eyes and flexed her tiny fingers. He reached out and smiled when she wrapped her whole hand around his own finger. "Where's Joanna?" he asked absently.

"She just left a few minutes ago, she had to collect her kids." Haley's voice was weary but she looked serene as she leaned back in her bed and watched her friends coo over her daughter.

"What are you going to name her?" Jake was the first one to ask.

Nathan and Haley glanced at each other and smiled. "We're thinking about Sophie." Nathan admitted. "Sophie Celine Scott. What do you guys think?"

The gang nodded their approval. "She looks like a Sophie…" Peyton said quietly, resting her chin on Nathan's shoulder to get a better look.

"Do you want to hold her, Uncle Lucas?" Nathan offered, already moving towards his brother who held out his arms stiffly. He had never held a baby before so he was terrified he might hurt her. He sat down on one of the chairs and settled back as he got comfortable with his niece in his arms. He ignored the chit chat of the rest of the group and became completely entranced by little Sophie and all her little movements. Her hand gripped and released his finger, her eyes opening and closing as she dipped in and out of a slumber. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, took a picture and sent it to his mom's phone. She was flying in tonight but he knew she would love the picture. He looked up when he noticed that Brooke was staring at him and she blushed when she realised she had been caught. He smiled and raised his eyebrow at her and in response she rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. She could see the alarm in his face; Lucas was just so easy to read. Turning her attention back to Haley, she handed her the bag of clothes she had shown Nathan that morning.

"I know you already have tons of clothes for her, but you don't have any Brooke Davis one of a kind pieces. I had so much fun making these that I'm seriously considering designing a line of baby clothing." Brooke said excitedly.

Haley teared up and hugged Brooke after seeing each item; she was genuinely touched by the time and effort Brooke had put in for someone she barely knew. "Thank you so much, Brooke. They're adorable, I love them. Aren't they amazing?" she looked to Nathan who nodded in agreement.

"Well I can't make clothes, so I got you something simple." Peyton leaned forward from the chair she had swiped from Jake and handed Haley a small gift bag. "It's just some bath salts and body scrubs and other smelly stuff for when you get home and need to relax." Peyton smiled shyly. "There's also a card in there, it's kind of cheesy but I thought you'd like it."

Haley tore open the card eagerly and looked at Peyton curiously. Haley loved everything cheesy so she couldn't wait to read the card. It started with Peyton's handwriting:

Hey Haley

When you read this, you'll be a mommy and we'll have a new addition to our little clique. I'm really excited to meet him/her lol. When you began this journey, I'll be the first to admit I wasn't exactly supportive but when I see how happy you've become over the past 7 months, I'm glad you never listened to a word I said because I was so so wrong. I underestimated you; you and Nathan are going to be wonderful parents and you guys can get through anything. I hope you like the poem in this card, it's sweet ain't it?

A mother's love is something

That no one can explain,

It is made of deep devotion

And of sacrifice and pain.

It is endless and unselfish

And enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it

Or take that love away…

It is patient and forgiving

When all others are forsaking

And it never fails or falters

Even though the heart is breaking…

It believes beyond believing

When the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty

Of the rarest, brightest gems…

It is far beyond defining,

It defies all explanation

And it still remains a secret

Like the mysteries of creation…

A many splendored miracle

Man can not understand

And another wondrous evidence

Of God's tender guiding hand.

Haley looked up, tears in her eyes and reached out to hug her friend. "Thank you." she whispered into Peyton's mop of blonde curls.

"You know I love you, right?" Peyton whispered back and Haley held her tighter, the two girls fighting back tears. Pulling away, Peyton composed herself. "So am I gonna get to hold this kid or what?"

A/N; So there's a bit of a reconciliation between Peyton and Haley. Don't worry all you Peyton haters, she will become a bitch again in a few years time. Which is the next chapter lol. Review and let me know what you all think! Poem is by Helen Steiner Rice…