Title: Everything
Summary: A glance at Nathan and Haley's life as directed by the song Everything by Lifehouse.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to One Tree Hill or its characters. (That doesn't mean I don't wish I did.)
A/N: I really can't explain how this story came to be. I was listening to this song and the idea formed and I swear this whole thing popped out so fast I don't even really remember writing half of it. That being said, please ignore any and all mistakes there may be :) And please let me know what you think! Thanks :)
Everything - Lifehouse
Find me here
Speak to me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you
You are the light
That's leading me
To the place where I find peace again
He heard her before he saw her.
Walking through the park was his normal route home from practice. It was shorter, and it offered several distractions from any problems in his life.
He saw kids playing with their parents, adults entertaining their dogs, or couples just enjoying each other. Musicians were also common during the warmer season. They sat on benches, playing their music for the whole world to hear. Some laid their cases open at their feet, inviting people to share what they could.
Her voice stopped him in his tracks.
He didn't move, for fear he would lose the sound. He turned and looked everywhere, trying to find the music. He saw a group of people starting to form further down the sidewalk, and he knew that had to be it. It was like the music was calling everyone to her.
He walked closer and her voice got louder.
His heart started beating faster, as if keeping time with the song.
He gently pushed his way through the crowd of people, determined to see her. He was mesmerized as he watched her strum her pretty red guitar and sing the most beautiful words he'd ever heard.
The first time she looked at him his heart felt like it was on fire. She smiled at him, and he knew he'd never see any smile more miraculous than hers for the rest of his life.
You are the strength
That keeps me walking
You are the hope
That keeps me trusting
You are the light to my soul
You are my purpose
You're everything
This was the moment he'd thought about ever since that day in the park. It had surprised him at how sure of this he was after knowing her for such a short amount of time. He didn't know where she was from. He didn't know what she did for a living. He didn't know what her favorite movie was. And quite frankly, he didn't give a damn. He just wanted to take her on a date.
Now, he knew how her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him. He knew how her laughter echoed through his soul. He knew her flawless beauty. He knew how her kindness overwhelmed him, and made him want to be a man good enough to be seen with her. He knew she was the first thing he thought about when he woke up in the morning, and the last thing he thought about when he fell asleep at night.
And he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
They found themselves back at that spot in the park where they first met. He hadn't told her that he made sure he walked home past this spot every day simply because it reminded him of her.
It just felt right.
They sat on the exact same bench. She rested her head on his shoulder and together they watched all the people go by. Neither felt the need to entertain. They just wanted to be with each other. The silence was comforting.
That's how he knew this was love.
They'd discussed the idea, and to his pleasure she hadn't laughed at him when he told her he could see himself with her farther on down the road. She'd taken his hand, looked at him more deeply than ever before, and told him she saw the exact same thing.
That thought on his mind, he knew he couldn't wait any longer.
Of course he'd had some sort of plan for this in his mind. He thought he'd tell her everything he loved about her, how she made him feel, and how he couldn't imagine life without her.
He'd dress up for the occasion, have a bouquet of roses in hand, and probably be somewhere more romantic than a park. But sitting there, with her, he knew there was no other spot more perfect.
She was surprised when he stood up, but realized what he was doing when he got down on one knee. Before words even left his mouth she had tears running down her face. They would have worried him, if not for her growing smile.
He told her everything he'd thought of before. But instead of giving her the long speech he'd practiced, he was able to say it all in three little words.
I love you.
How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
He knew he should be paying better attention to the man in front of him; this was a day he would remember for the rest of his life. Everyone told him he would want to memorize to every detail because after awhile it all starts to run together.
But he just couldn't help staring at the beautiful woman next to him. Each time he did he felt his breath catch and it all felt surreal, like he was going to wake up and find out this was all a dream. The way she was squeezing his hand told him otherwise.
Her captivating appearance caused him to miss his cue. She laughed as he scrambled to remember what he had rehearsed thousands of times. But the truth was, he didn't need a prewritten speech for this. He spoke from the heart. Looking at her, standing there in her stunning white dress, straight from the heart was exactly what she deserved.
She was here. He was here. They were here. Together.
She would be his. He would be hers. Always and forever.
You calm the storms, and you give me rest
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall
You steal my heart, and you take my breath away
Would you take me in?
Take me deeper now?
Starting off their life together hadn't been easy, but they didn't expect it to be. He had to adjust to working a job that meant sitting in an office eight or nine hours a day, five, sometimes six, days a week. Coming home to his family, though, made it all worth it. She made it all worth it.
He counted the chimes on the clock on the mantle as he made his way slowly out of bed. Three o'clock in the morning. These middle of the night interruptions were hard to adjust to.
He followed the sound of his crying child down the hall. When he opened the door he saw his son standing up in his crib, begging to be held. Was there really any way he could say no?
He knew she'd been taking a lot of the night shifts with their son this week so he was doing his best to comfort him, but there were just some things only a mother could do. Heck, he'd be crying too if he didn't get to have her right next to him every night.
As if on cue she came shuffling in, offering to take her turn since he had to be up for work in a few hours. He'd rather she get the sleep, but she wasn't budging. She never did.
Their son stopped crying when she held him. She went over to the rocking chair next to the crib and sat, rocking the baby slowly, lulling him to sleep with her voice. Like father, like son, she had a special way of calming them both down, no matter what was wrong.
He stood in the doorway and waited. He wouldn't be able to sleep without her in bed with him anyways, so why go now? Besides, watching her hold their son was better than anything he could dream about.
Once their son was finally back asleep, he watched as she gently laid him back down in his crib, smoothing his small mop of hair and giving him a kiss before heading for the hallway. They both stood there a minute, taking in the sight of their sleeping son. He didn't know how it could get much better than this.
How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
He smiled as she squeezed his hand harder than she did on their wedding day. He gave her a gentle one back, letting her know that it was going to be alright. After giving him a smile she returned her attention back to the stage, not wanting to miss their son.
When his name was called she jumped up and cheered. Luckily she wasn't the only mother doing that, so it wasn't completely out of place. He watched his oldest son shake hands with the dean and receive his diploma. He looked out and gave his mother a humoring wave as he walked back down to sit with his classmates. Of course, he wasn't done after this. Now it was on to medical school. Obviously he had inherited his mother's knack for learning, definitely a good thing.
She sat down and got out a tissue to wipe her eyes. She'd been crying since they left the house that morning. Their other two sons and daughter didn't understand the big deal. They couldn't wait to start college. He smiled and sat back in his seat, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
Anything he'd ever accomplished in his life felt inadequate to the sense of pride and joy he felt at this moment. Together they'd raised a man who would go on and do great things. And they still had three more kids to go.
He knew it was more her parenting than his that contributed to their children's success. Sure, he was the one they went to first when asking for something because they knew she'd be quick to turn them down. He never saw the harm, but she always had a reason. And because of such there were plenty of nights they'd gone to bed on opposite sides, angry over some trivial thing. But every morning he woke up with her in his arms. Exactly the way it should be.
Cause you're all I want
You're all I need
You're everything
Everything
Once again he found himself standing with her, professing his love for her in front of all their friends and family. It had been her idea to renew their vows, and knowing how much it meant to her he was more than happy to oblige.
Time being an issue, their children had all flown in to help put this together. It wasn't too extravagant, just a small ceremony in their backyard with some decorations here and there. They'd managed to get enough of a heads up out so that most everyone could make it. But it didn't really matter who was there. She was the only one he saw.
This time he made sure to pay attention when it was his turn to speak. And like before, he spoke from the heart. Everything they'd been through raising this family and living their lives had brought him to love her even more than before. This was a little harder to put into words, but the tears running down her face told him she knew exactly what he was saying, and that it meant the world to her. That fact in itself meant the world to him.
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
He stood in the same spot he'd stood in every day for the last three months, staring at the same piece of rock with her name carved into it. He felt the familiar pain sweep through him and take over all sense of feeling.
It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She was the one who deserved to keep on living, getting everything she possibly could out of her life. He'd gladly trade places with her if it were possible. He knew she'd argue with him about it, but this would be one time he wouldn't let her win.
Of course, this wasn't possible and he was just going to have to get used to her not being here with him. Though it wasn't really like that at all.
She was with him all the time, he could feel it. Being with her for so long, he didn't know how to not feel her with him. She was there every time he laughed, or cried, or listened to their song. She was with him when he went to sleep each night, spending time with him in his dreams until the next day came and he had to do it all over again.
He picked up the flower he'd left yesterday and replaced it with a new one. She didn't deserve to have a droopy flower by her name.
He felt her with him here too. He knew she'd yell at him for spending so much time missing her. When he closed his eyes he could see her standing in front of him, giving him the stern finger she'd given their children so many times before, telling him there were better things he could be doing than thinking about her.
He couldn't think of any.
Before he left he said the same thing he said every day he visited, though each time it meant something different. Some days it meant 'I miss you'. Others, 'I still can't make those damn cookies the way you did'.
Just like she'd felt when her days were coming to an end, he knew his time was coming as well, so today it meant 'I'll be seeing you soon." But no matter what it was, it always came out in the same three words.
I love you.
You're everything.