Chapter 8: The Accident
Cooper walked into his guest room to see his nephew in the same place he had been for days. Laying on the bed tossing his basketball up into the air. "Nathan, you haven't been to school in three days. You haven't left the apartment in three days. You can't avoid her forever."
"I can't do it Cooper. I can't see her face knowing she wants nothing to do with me. Knowing if I get near her she will most likely run away."
"So instead you are just avoiding your problems all together." He questioned leaning against the wall.
"I love her Coop, but I can't see he knowing she doesn't feel the same. It hurts to much. I'm not strong enough. She makes me strong."
"Alright, you're an idiot. Haley still loves you. I've seen the way she looks at you and that doesn't just go away after a silly little fight. Now get your ass up and get out of this apartment. I'm sick of looking at you. I don't even care if you go see her, just go out. But shower first because you stink." And with that Cooper walked out the door. Sure Haley loved him, but he hurt her too bad to ever make it up.
Nathan sighed walking down the street as a car pulled up next to him. "Get in." The voice said.
"You're supposed to stay away from me, remember?" Nathan questioned his father.
"Nathan please just get in. I'm sorry. For real this time." He doubted that but he also knew how persistent his father was, so he got in the car.
"After you left and I looked and realized all I had. I realized I had every material thing I ever wanted, but no one to share it with. No one to love. No one to talk to at the end of the night. And I realized I chased them off. I pressured you too much and I'm sorry. I just wanted the best for you. I don't deserve for you to forgive me but I promise you I have changed. I just want us to have a relationship. I want you to know how much I love you, because I do." Dan said glancing over at Nathan.
This was all a whirl wind for Nathan. His world was upside down and here was his father surprising the shit out of him. Was this real? Could he trust Dan? He could. There was just something in his tone, something Nathan never heard before, love.
"Okay." Nathan whispered. "I'll come home, but I swear if things don't change I'm gone for good."
"I promise they will change son." Dan said looking over once more as he made eye contact with his son. Nathan glanced away only to shout. "Dad look out!" before everything went black.
"Cooper!" Haley shouted running into the hospital as tears streamed quickly down her face. "Where is he, what's going on?"
"He's in surgery, it's bad Haley." He said before the girl hugged him. She clung onto him like her life depended on it. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her up because if not he feared she would collapse to the ground.
"The last thing I told him was to get out and to not sleep with anyone else. That can't be our last conversation. It can't." She sobbed in his arms.
"It won't be. Haley, you have to believe that."
"I won't be able to live with myself if it is. That fight was so stupid. None of it matters, none of it matters without him. I need him to be okay."
Haley shakily walked into his hospital room as she saw him connected to a ton of wires, eyes shut, and looking paler than ever. "Hi" She whispered before rushing to his side. "Nathan you need to wake up. You hear me. I need you to come back to me. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I miss you so much and I can't lose you. I won't be able to live. My life has no meaning without you in it so please come back to me. I love you. Always and forever. Remember you promised me that, so keep your promise."
She let out a deep breath through her sobs remembering he couldn't respond and he might never. She took a seat in wrapped both her hands around his one. "They say you just need to wake up. You need to decide to come back to us and then the worst will be over. You just have a few bruised ribs and a broken leg. Dan got the worst of it, which has us all questioning why you were with him. But your head hit the windshield, you didn't have your seatbelt on, and they had to fix some brain damage which is why you are in a coma right now. So fight for me Nathan. You always said you would fight for me forever and here is your chance to show me. Please Nathan, please." She said before resting her elbows on the bed, her hands still holding his, and resting her chin on her hands.
"You always liked when I sang, what about now?" She questioned three hours later, Deb, Cooper, and Lucas now in the room. She had asked Lucas to bring her guitar for her, because their was no way she was going to leave him. "If I sing will you wake up?" She hoped and prayed desperately for a response that she knew wouldn't come.
Breaking out her guitar anyway she started to play a song she had written as she sat staring at him.
You dry my eyes with your long sleeve
Your sweatshirt's way too big on me, but it's perfect
You hate my taste in DVDs
When I let you drive the red GT I get nervous
But laying in your arms is like the first snow
Delicate yet takes my breath away, oh
Say you're forever and
Say that your heart's gonna stay, yeah
Well, you're stubborn and I'm worse you know
Your smile is like that country road in Virginia
You know you never let me win
In Nintendo and that's bullshit in my opinion, yeah
But you can spin my bad days into pure gold
With just a touch of your hand on my waist, hey
Say you're forever and
Say that your heart's gonna stay, yeah
'Cause you, you're who I love
And ooh, this is enough for always
Because my heart belongs with yours
Haley broke down in tears seeing his eyes still shut. She didn't know how much longer she could take this and it had only been a few hours since the accident even happened.
"Haley why don't you go get some air, or some food." Cooper suggested.
"I can't."
"Maybe it would be good for you to..." Lucas started to say before she interrupted.
"No. I'm not leaving him so don't make me."
"Nobody is making you do anything sweetie." Deb said running a hand over Haley's shoulder. "Just maybe you could use a break."
"Not without him." She whispered, focusing on him once more.
Haley sighed strumming the chords of her guitar again. She had laid with her head on his bed, asleep, for an hour or so and now she didn't know what to do with herself.
Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive
We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home
Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul
And it's the only thing that I know, know
I swear it will get easier,
Remember that with every piece of you
And it's the only thing we take with us when we die
And if you hurt me
That's okay baby, only words bleed
Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go
"You sound pretty but would you shut up and kiss me?" A voice said scruffily as Haley dropped her guitar on the floor.
"Nathan." She cried as their eyes connected and she threw a hand to her face, over her mouth.
"Well what are you waiting for?" Haley stood up, took a seat on his bed and leaned into kiss him, before resting her head on his chest. "I'm never letting you go." He whispered in her ear.
"I'm so sorry, about everything. None of it matters. Thank God your awake."
"I know. We will talk about it alter. Just be here with me."
"I love you so much. You scared me." She said before kissing him once more. Then she backed away letting everyone else in the room greet the newly awaken boy. But she didn't let go of him. She sat back down in her chair and held his hand.
Two hours later after all of their friends came to see him as well as the James', Whitey, Karen, and Keith, Nathan and Haley were now alone. Cooper had gone to pick up Isabelle from the airport, as soon as she found out about the accident she booked a flight from New York Fashion Week back home. And Deb had left to give the couple some time together as well as to gather some of her things. She was going to stay overnight with Nathan because only family was allowed.
Haley was simply laying with her head resting on Nathan's bed, looking up at him. They had been doing this for a while now, just taking one another in.
"How is he?" Nathan questioned minutes later.
"He uh...he didn't make it Nathan. I'm so sorry, he got hit the most, and his injuries were far more severe.." Haley said slowly. "Why were you in the car with him?" She then questioned as Nathan only stared ahead of him. "When you are ready to talk about it I'm here." She whispered runner her hand over his. The only reaction was his reaching to hold her hand once more. Nathan didn't know what to say so instead he just stayed quiet. They needed to talk, to fix things, to apologize, but this wasn't the place or the time. They just needed each other now.
The next chapter will be the last. You know, I was nervous about posting this story but all I've been shown is love so thank you so much for that. Also the Kate Voegele song I used I added the last lyric myself to make it fit with the story, so don't mind that please.