Author's Note: This chapter jumps about 2 years into the future. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Brooke Scott has come to the realization that she is not cut out to be an NBA wife anymore. At first it was awesome; it was a title she was proud to have. But now, at the age of 38, the excitement has worn off and she's just going through the motions now. She's still proud of Nathan, she still smiles every time he steps out onto the court, but her cheering isn't as loud anymore. She loves watching her children during Nathan's games though, they get so excited and more than make up for Brooke's slightly diminished cheering. Brooke grown out of the lifestyle that comes along with being an NBA wife.
Nathan walks out of the locker room after yet another game. He loves playing in the NBA, it's been a dream come true to step out onto the court each and every night. But it's hard being so far away from his family. It's hard to see them, since the kids are in school during the most of the season and when Nathan does have time off there's something going on that prevents him from going home to see his family. He's been playing in the NBA for almost ten years now, and recently Nathan has been thinking about retiring. He knows that retiring will be hard, since he's been living this hectic life and enjoying every minute of it. But his kids are getting older now and he wants to leave when things are good instead of waiting until the wave comes crashing down.
Brooke sat in her office looking over the designs for the new collection when her cell phone began to ring. Sighing Brooke set the tablet down and looked over at her phone, she glanced at the caller ID and furrowed her brow when she saw Nathan's name flashing on her screen. "Hey Nathan, is something wrong?" Brooke asked glancing over at the time; Nathan didn't usually call until much later.
"Nothing is wrong; I just wanted to hear your voice." He replied starring out over his balcony enjoying the warm weather.
"I miss you." She whispered leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes.
"I miss you too. How are you?" He asked leaning against the railing.
"I'm okay, just crazy busy working on the new collection. How's San Antonio?" Brooke replied indulging in the small talk wondering what was really bothering Nathan.
"It's San Antonio." He flatly replied starring out his window and seeing nothing special.
"What's on your mind?" Brooke finally asks not liking the silence that had fallen between the two.
"Nothing I'm just thinking I guess."
"About?" She probes worrying about him even more with each passing moment of silence.
"Retiring." Nathan replied pinching the bridge of his nose, not sure what was going to actually happen.
"What brought this on?" Brooke asked concerned that there was something else that Nathan wasn't telling her.
"I'm just tired of being away from you and the kids all the time. My weekend trips aren't enough time with you guys and it's getting harder for you guys to come see me. I don't really know what I'm going to do just yet but it's an option and what better time to leave then when I'm sort of on top instead of waiting until I'm playing poorly, ya know?"
"It makes sense, but I don't want you to retire just because you think that it would make things easier."
"Wait what do you mean by make it easier?" Nathan replied leaning forward on full alert, not liking the tone of voice that she was using. "Brooke, what's going on?" Brooke sighed and ran her hand through her hair.
For a moment she couldn't help but laugh at the concerned tones in Nathan's voice. Even miles away Nathan could still pick up on things just by her voice. "Nathan, I'm pregnant." Nathan, who was in the middle of pacing the distance of his small living room, stopped mid step and pulled the phone away from his ear starring at the phone.
"huh?" Nathan muttered still in shock over the bombshell of good news that Brooke had dropped on him.
"I'm pregnant, about 2 months so, in fact."
"Wow." He muttered still frozen in the middle of his living room.
"I'm taking that as a good wow." Brooke replied standing up and beginning to pack up her things since she had to pick up Megan and Adam from Karen's.
"Of course it was a good wow. I'm happy I'm just sort of in shock ya know? I mean one minute we're talking about me retiring and then you tell me you're pregnant."
"I know but that's how I roll. I'm all about giving you good news when you're thinking about major life changing situations." Nathan laughed and walked into the kitchen looking for something to eat. "I really wish that I could help you figure this out Nathan, I really do. I know how hard it's going to be for you to make this decision, but I'm here for you. I'll always lend my ear to listen and if need be I'll be on the next flight out to see you." Nathan smiled wishing that he was there with her.
"I know baby, I know. I love you so much for just being you." Brooke smiled and looked down at her calendar. Suddenly she had the perfect thought on how to both celebrate her being pregnant and help Nathan at least somehow with her decision. "I'm going to shower and make something to eat so I'll call you later."
"Okay I love you Nathan."
"I love you too." Brooke smiled, picked up her bag, and dialed the number of her always on call former assistant, now turned Vice President.
"Yes boss lady?" Brooke smiled at Greg's term for her as she walked out of her office.
"I need a favor."
"Anything for my favorite boss."
"Okay can you get me three plane tickets for San Antonio for tonight?"
"Sure, is anything wrong?" Greg asked already picking up his office phone and already dialing the number of their travel agent.
"Nothing major is wrong; I just think that since the kids have a four day weekend because of conferences that we would go visit Nathan."
"Did you tell him?" Greg asked referring to the news about her pregnancy, news that he had been there to witness first hand when she found out three days ago.
"Yes I told him, that's partly why I'm flying out there."
"Alright I'll make the arrangements and let you know the info."
"Thanks Greg, you truly are the best and I can't imagine what my life would be like without you." Greg smiled and shook his head; Brooke was the best boss that Greg had ever had. Although he wondered if she knew that she was spoiling him with all the praise she was giving him. Shaking his head again Greg hung up his cell phone and concentrated on arranging Brooke's last minute trip to San Antonio.
Nathan sat in his living room bored out of his mind. He could've been out partying with his teammates and just enjoying a fun night of drinking and clubbing, but lately Nathan hadn't felt like going out. He honestly thought that his time could be better spent at home with his kids. He wished now that he had convinced Brooke into moving out here with him. Sitting up he rubbed his eyes and headed into his kitchen to get something to drink when a knock on the door sounded throughout his condo. Starring at the door for a few moments wondering who could possibly be knocking he proceeded slowly towards the door. Opening the door he smiled when he saw Brooke holding the hand of two very sleepy children. He wasted no time in ushering them into the apartment. Megan and Adam were both very awake when they saw their dad and both jumped into his arms and wrapped their arms around him, happy to see him.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked his arms still very tightly around his children relishing in the comfort that his children could give him without even trying.
"Well I noticed that the kids had a four day weekend and I decided that I couldn't wait another month to see you." Nathan beamed at her and set his kids down before pulling her into his arms and pressing his lips passionately against hers. "I missed you." Brooke murmured lovingly as she pulled away and laughed quietly at how Adam and Megan slipped back into their tired moods again.
"How about we get you guys to bed?" Both shook their heads wanting to spend some more time with their dad. "I promise tomorrow morning we'll get up and you guys can help me make breakfast for mommy, okay?" Adam, the silently nominated spokesperson for the Scott children, thought about for a moment and nodded his head as a yawn slipped out of his mouth. Nathan smiled at Brooke and grabbed a hand of each child and led them into the bedroom that they shared when they visited and tucked them into bed.
Brooke walked into the kitchen and searched for something to drink while she waited for Nathan to come back. She settled on the bottle of unopened wine that had obviously been left over from the last time she came to visit and settled onto the sofa in Nathan's living room.
Nathan came back 10 minutes later and sat next to her setting her glass of wine down on the table next to his he pulled her towards him again and kissed her again. He was beyond happy to see her and wanted to make the most of the time they had together. "Mhmm, you must've missed me a lot." Brooke joked leaning back with a dreamy smile across her face.
"You have no idea." He replied capturing her lips again. Pulling away Brooke rested her forehead against Nathan just enjoying the moment between the two. It had been a long time since the two of them and had a moment like this. "I'm really glad you guys are here." Nathan whispers as he grabs both of their wine glasses and leans back against the sofa.
"You didn't sound right this afternoon, there was something off in your voice and I knew that I needed to get to you as soon as possible. I need to know what's really going on in your head." Nathan took another drink and sighed.
"I'm not happy anymore. It's hard being out here day in and day out with no one here, I mean when I win a game you're not here to celebrate with. When I lose a game you're not here to make it better. I'm just tired of being away from you for such a long time."
"Nathan, I know that it's not the easiest situation and it's so hard to be away from you, but if you still love playing and still get excited when you step out on the court than I don't think you really want to retire."
"I think that I'm going to retire at the end of this season because honestly I wanna go out when I'm still playing well. I'm not going to wait around and become a joke like some other players and plus our kids aren't getting any younger and with another on the way I really want to be there for their pivotal moments in their lives. I'm still gonna talk to the coaches and GM to see what they think and then I'll officially make a decision."
"I'm behind you 100% no matter what decision you make, you know that right?" Brooke asked part of her afraid that Nathan was making a rash decision and the other part slightly happy that she would finally get to have her husband back full time. Nathan looked at her, there was something off about her tone, something in her voice made him feel as if she felt bad for the decision he was about to make.
"What's really bothering you Brooke? I know that there's something bothering you because I can hear it in your voice."
"I just don't want you to feel that you have to do this. I don't want you to retire and then in 6 months completely hate me because I ruined your career. I know that being pregnant again really isn't the most ideal in this situation but I don't want you to rush into anything." Nathan smiled and leaned forward gently pressing his lips against Brooke's.
"Brooke, I'm not making this decision just because you're pregnant or because it would make life easier. I'm making this decision because I think that 10 years is more than enough time for me. I think it's time that I move on to the next item on my career to-do list." Brooke shook her head and leaned back against the sofa content that Nathan knew what he was doing and that he wouldn't be making any rash decisions anytime soon.
The next morning after Nathan and the kids had made breakfast for Brooke; Nathan headed off to yet another day filled with practice and work outs. Brooke sat in Nathan's living room working on her designs while Adam and Megan spent time with Amy Duncan and their two kids. She looked up from her sketchbook and tuned into what the reporter was saying on Sports Center, a program that Brooke had started watching with Nathan. When she saw Nathan's picture appear on the screen she scrambled for the remote and quickly turned up the volume.
"I just received word that the General Manager for the San Antonio Spurs has called a press conference. We have no idea what exactly this press conference could be about, so we send you now to San Antonio." The screen switched from the sports caster to R.C. Buford who was standing at a podium in front of a background that was used for every major press conference. Brooke sat forward setting her sketchbook next to her on the sofa.
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the press, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to come here. So without further ado, I would like to bring out the man responsible for calling this press conference, Nathan Scott." Cameras flashed left and right as Nathan walked across the 'stage' towards the podium where R.C. stood, both men shook hands and R.C. leaned forward whispering something into Nathan's ear causing Nathan to laugh lightly and smile, erasing the serious expression from his face.
"Thank you all for coming. I know you're all probably wondering why on earth I would call this press conference since we all know my personal feelings on the media, but with such an important announcement to be made I felt that I could put aside those feelings. It is no secret that I have had a somewhat blessed career in the NBA, a career that I would do again in a heartbeat. But with my tenth year in the league coming to a close, I feel that it is time that I hang up my jersey, when the tide is high." Nathan stopped and looked up a look of pure relief and content washing over his system. R.C. stepped back towards Nathan and rested a hand on his shoulder.
"The Spurs are very sad to see that Nathan will not be returning with the team next season but we wish him continued success and happiness as he continues on in his career. We will now open up the floor for questions." Immediately voices filled the seemingly quiet press room and Brooke fell back against the sofa soaking it all in. She looked straight ahead at the screen watching silently as Nathan answered questions, but she heard no sound. She never thought that Nathan would make a decision this quickly. She at least thought that Nathan would wait until closer to the end of the season, but now that it was a reality Brooke didn't know how she felt about it.
Nathan walked into the locker room to change for practice and with each step he took he felt a hundred times lighter. He knew the moment that he walked into R.C's office that R.C. was going to stand behind him 100%, he knew that it was time to hang up his jersey and focus on his family. As he changed he knew that retiring was going to make him play his heart out from now until the end of the season. For the moment Nathan was focused on finishing the season on the best note possible, he had no idea of what was going to happen the day after he played his last game, he would have to concur that bridge when he came to.
Back in Tree Hill the news of Nathan's retirement was spreading like wild fire. Everyone was talking about it and quickly got around to the heads the gossip chain and some key people at Tree Hill High School were very pleased to hear about Nathan's retirement.
A/N: So there's the next chapter with a slight hint about what's going to happen. I'm sad to say that there is only one chapter left of this story and since I start my spring break tomorrow I'm hoping to finish this story during that time. I'm so thankful for the readers that have stuck with me and I hope that you enjoy this chapter.
