Almost There and Back Again

by Nancy

Chapter 38

Lucas stuffed another chip in his mouth as he went by. “The PDA…it’s getting a little disturbing people,” Lucas mumbled to Nathan and Haley who were still huddled in a corner making out. The same way they’d been for the last twenty minutes. Lucas rolled his eyes at the rest of the group gathered in the living room.

“I can not believe he’s still eating,” Nathan mumbled against her neck he was nuzzling.

Her hands rubbed slowly around his chest while he thumbed away another stream of tears. His hands settled gently on her waist. “Hales…I know your nerves are on edge and your emotions are completely out of whack, but baby you’re going to have to try extra hard to stop that,” he chuckled at her pouting teary eyed face. “You don’t want to blubber all through the ceremony do you?” She shrugged, her bottom lip drooped a little further.

She laid her head to his warm chest. He engulfed her in his protective arms stroking through her hair. “I don’t want to sleep without you tonight,” she mumbled into his shirt. “I’m just so tired.” She snuggled in closer.

“I’ll stay if you want me to.”

“You could climb in my window when everybody goes to sleep so they won’t know.”

“Hales, I think at this point it would be okay if I just came through the door. Besides, who climbs through windows anymore?”

She pushed up to look at him with a small frown. “It’s romantic you goof.”

“Oh…sorry,” he laughed. “Okay, I’ll climb in. I just hope I don’t bust my ass.”

“It’s bad luck.”

“To climb in the window?” He was confused. She just said it was romantic.

“No. If you see me before the wedding it’s bad luck. I won’t have you tonight. I can’t see you till late tomorrow afternoon. This totally sucks.” She wiped away fresh tears.

“Okay…this is…you need to go to bed. Come on.” He took her hand guiding her up the stairs where he tucked her in bed like a small child. It took several minutes of sniffled back tears before he finally felt comfortable enough to leave her alone. Elope. Crap, why didn’t they just elope!

It wasn’t quite eleven o’clock when he pulled his watch off to set it on the dresser with a long tired sigh. He glanced at his phone with a thought of calling Haley to check on her, but opted not to hoping she’d fallen asleep. He tugged the shirt tale from his pants with a wide yawn. The rehearsal had gone perfectly, and he was still stuffed from the rehearsal dinner. It was the one thing, after much arguing with the James’ that he and Haley had finally submitted to letting them pay for. And they’d gone all out. If anyone poked him with a pin he figured he’d pop right there.

“For crap’s sake,” he grumbled when he heard the firm knock at his hotel door. He shuffled in his socked feet to the door while he worked open the buttons on his shirt.

He opened the door to find Lucas, Brooke, and Peyton grinning at him like they’d had too much to drink. And judging by the bottles each one of them held, they had. “We come bearing drink,” Lucas chortled moving past Nathan without waiting for an invitation.

Nathan stepped back letting the others pass into his room. “Thank god you didn’t bring food. I think I’d barf right here if you did.”

Peyton snatched up a coffee cup from the ones setting by the room coffee maker and filled it from the bottle of Scotch she’d brought with her. “Here.” She handed it to Nathan with broad smile. “We decided to give you an impromptu bachelor party since you didn’t get one.”

Nathan shook his head smirking as he peered into the cup. “Damn Peyton, if I drink all this I’ll stay a bachelor ‘cause I’ll still be drunk at wedding time. And the guys on the team gave me a bachelor party of sorts in the club at the hotel in Denver when we were there last week. So really…I’m good.” He propped himself up against the headboard, stretching his legs out on the bed taking a sip from his cup.

“Complete with naked dancing girls?” Brooke curiously inquired from where she’d plopped down next to Lucas on the room’s small couch.

“Uh…no. No dancing girls, naked or otherwise,” he chuckled. “There were girls in the club, but it was pretty much just us guys acting stupid. Are we having dancing girls?”

“Only if Peyton drinks too much.” Brooke laughed at the tongue Peyton just stuck out at her.

Nathan pulled a pillow from behind his back tossing it at Peyton so she could lean against the other end of the headboard where she’d stretched out on the other side of his bed. “Where’s Jill? What happened to everybody’s other half?”

“Jill is watching some chick flick with my mom. When I left, they were both griping about not being able to hear over Keith’s snoring. He lasted about the first ten minutes of that crap. She said to send grouch her love,” Lucas laughed topping off his drink from the bottle on the table.

“I like her,” Brooke grinned at Lucas. “She totally reminds me of… someone…I don’t know who…, but anyway. I like her. I approve. You can marry her now.”

“Well thanks Brooke, I’ve been waiting for your approval,” Lucas smiled amused. “You’re welcome,” Brooke beamed back. She threw her legs over the end of the couch leaning against Lucas’ arm to prop herself while she swallowed down more of the colorful cocktail she’d mixed together. Lucas could only smile and shake his head. He knew she was still going to be the same Brooke at fifty.

“Are you going to marry her?” Peyton was quick to pick up Brooke’s trail.

Lucas sighed throwing a pleading look toward Nathan who only offered a smirk in return. He took another sip of his drink slumping further into the bed. “I don’t know. Maybe. Probably…oh…leave me alone. He’s the one we’re supposed to be bothering,” he grumbled trying to deflect the attention back to Nathan.

“We’re falling one by one Luke, may as well give it up too man. Speaking of which, where are Jake and Greg?”

“They went to see Haley.”

“Are you kidding me! She doesn’t need visitors she needs sleep! Shit! Call ‘em and get them the hell out of there Peyton.”

“God calm down. They’re not going to stay the damn night Nathan. They just went to talk, take her some ice cream or something. Jeesh, get a grip,” she puffed at his reddening face. “She’s fine.”

“She’s not fine! She’s about to have a freaking breakdown. She’s tired, she’s cranky, she’s…delicate. You look at her funny and she bursts into tears. I’m telling you she can’t handle much more. She needs a ton of sleep. Damn it,” he grit with complete irritation.

“One more day Nathan,” Brooke tried her hand at calming him. “She can sleep on the honeymoon.”

“Pftt, uhh no…they’ll be no sleeping on the honeymoon,” he scoffed at her preposterous statement. They all broke out laughing.

“Alright alright enough talk of fiancés and spouses and marriage and all things pertaining to the above. This is supposed to be a party so lets…party. Let’s play I Never,” Brooke smiled pushing off Lucas to sit upright. There were groans all around.

“Who wants to not play I Never?” Nathan asked holding his cup aloft. Lucas, Peyton, and Nathan all drank. Brooke threw a scowl at the whole bunch.

“That’s not how you play,” Brooke deadpanned. “Besides you all drank which means you want to play so…here goes.” There were loud sighs, but little further protest. It was Brooke…what good would it do anyway?

“I never…hmm…I never saw Whitey naked.” Brooke drank while the others gave her disbelieving glares. “What? Oh come on…you two had to see him naked.”

“No Brooke, we never saw Whitey naked,” Lucas retorted. “He didn’t make a habit of showering with the team. And you didn’t see him naked either, you just wanted to drink.”

“Bull! Okay…he wasn’t exactly naked. I sort of…passed through the boy’s locker room one day and he was shuffling to the shower in his slippers with one towel thrown over his shoulder and one around his waist.” Nathan and Lucas stared at each other before they both shook their heads at Brooke. “I did too! He had a little buddha belly to go along with his bald buddha head…he was kind of cute in a…Whitey sort of way,” she shrugged taking another drink at the twisted memory. “Anyway…I know what I saw. I also know I didn’t want to see it again…but…go Peyton?”

“Crap. Okay I never…god I don’t want to play this…I never…had sex in the football stadium bleachers,” she shrugged with a little giggle as she took a drink. Nathan cocked an eyebrow at the group when he was the only one who didn’t drink.

“Oh please you big liar.” Peyton gave Nathan’s arm a hard punch.

“What…I never did it in the football stadium,” Nathan laughed.

“Whatever, you did it everywhere with everybody,” Brooke scoffed.

“I did not! I wasn’t the big man whore you guys seemed to think I was.” The other three stared blankly back. “I wasn’t,” he continued to defend himself with a mild chuckle. “Alright, I was a whore…just…not a big one…shut up,” he huffed at their continued silent stares. “I never did it there,” he muttered taking another sip of his Scotch. He peeked inside with a little grimace. It was half gone. He knew he’d better quit soon or his head would be pounding in the morning. He set the cup on the night stand.

“So, who’d you do it in the stadium?” Nathan smirked over at Peyton. She tipped her glass toward Lucas. Nathan laughed at Lucas’ blushing cheeks. Brooke gasped darting straight up. She narrowed appalled eyes at Lucas.

“You did it with ME there too!” She shouted reaching back for a couch pillow whamming him repeatedly. Lucas broke out laughing curling in a tight ball trying to deflect the pillow assault.

“Now who’s the man whore?” Nathan howled thankful the guns were turned on Lucas for a change.

“I never had sex with anyone in this room,” Nathan quickly stated unable to contain his guffawing knowing he was again the only one wouldn’t drink. “Tsk, tsk, tsk…Lucas Scott. And you were the good seed. Apparently no one knew the real you.” Nathan couldn’t stop laughing. “Who else did you do it with?”

Lucas deflected another late shot from Brooke. He couldn’t stop laughing either. They’d all had way too much to drink already. “Just these two. And…Amy East.”

“What!” Peyton and Brooke both loudly blew out. They were always under the impression he went right from Peyton to Brooke. Obviously he’d been sidetracked. Peyton picked up Brooke’s discarded pillow and flung it at Lucas’ head.

“Stop! We were done, and Brooke and I hadn’t really got going yet and Amy offered so…”

“What are you laughing at?” Peyton laughed slapping Nathan for his perpetual chortling. “You did it with Amy too! Whore. Both of you. God! You guys like knowing you both did it with the same girl? As did half of Tree Hill High School by the way.”

Nathan and Lucas glanced at each other; both shrugged uncaring causing them both to burst out again.

“I never did it in a movie theater?” Lucas asked still trying to choke down his giggles. Lucas and Nathan both drank. “Must have been Amy’s go to place or something. That’s where I did it with her too.”

“It wasn’t Amy,” Nathan corrected him.

“No? Who then?”

Nathan pushed further down in the bed tucking his hands behind his head. “Haley,” he stated plainly. There were three loud gasps followed by three hanging mouths.

“James?” Lucas deadpanned. “Miss perfect, miss innocent Haley James? Damn man, you did corrupt her.”

“Why do you guys look like that?” Nathan chuckled looking from one to the other. “Haley’s like a sex goddess. She…”

“Okay…stop right there,” Brooke quickly interrupted. “I’ve heard this already, and once was enough believe me,” she groaned out.

“You heard it? Haley told you about the theater?” Nathan’s questioned with complete surprise.

“No, not the theater. The Haley the sex goddess part. I’ve heard how great she is in bed, and I…”

“From who?” Nathan barked loudly bolting up in the bed. Brooke’s eyes went wide at the volume.

“From you!” She returned as forcefully. Nathan’s eyebrows knot with confusion. “I guess you don’t remember. I’m not surprised, you were totally wasted. In your drunken stupor you were kind enough to share with me what a sex kitten your bride to be is. I never did thank you for sharing by the way,” she sarcastically added.

“I sure as hell don’t remember all that,” Nathan mumbled searching his memory banks for a recollection that wasn’t coming. He’d had far too many drunken stupors around Brooke the past few years.

“Who knew Hales was the freaky sex type,” Peyton shrugged. “Sex in cars, lakes, theaters…her office,” Peyton’s voice trailed off into her glass with a little laugh. Nathan’s mouth gaped.

“What? I heard about the office,” Peyton retorted trying not to giggle at Nathan’s dumbfounded expression. “You think guys are the only ones that talk about their sex lives? I mean I didn’t get details…exactly. Just something about it being… ‘so great! so hot! Like the hottest sex of my life! Nathan was so…and we…and…oohhhh!” Peyton extolled with breathless dramatic exaggeration. Nathan was speechless; his red flushed cheeks spoke for him. Brooke and Lucas were about to fall off the couch laughing at the both of them.

Peyton took another sip of her drink. “And thus, we have a baby on the way,” she added with a matter of fact shrug. A loud ‘umph’ came out when Nathan’s pillow landed against her head. She giggled from behind her messy curls at his smirking face. “Just a coincidence?”

“Probably not,” he mumbled with a deep chuckle.

An hour later and they were all slumped into the furniture all talked out and tired from laughing, having relived almost every crazy moment of their misspent, but almost regretless, teenage years.

Peyton couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Brooke sound asleep with her head on Lucas’ shoulder while his laid back against the couch, a light snore coming from his slightly ajar mouth.

“Now there’s a sight I never thought I’d see again,” she quietly laughed to Nathan from where she laid curled on her side next to him on the bed. He glanced over to the other two with his own soft chuckle.

“Yeah, me neither. I guess there was a day I thought they’d be together forever, and then another day, I knew there was no way. I’m not sure what it was. Just wasn’t meant to be I suppose. I guess things worked themselves out. I know Lucas’ mouth dropped the first time he saw Jill, he was totally gone, and now he’s happier and more content than I’ve seen him in forever. I mean she is a little like Brooke I guess. She rides my ass, she’s annoyingly bubbly like Brooke, but not near as dramatic about every little thing. And being around Brooke and Greg the past few years…they’re a perfect compliment to each other. He doesn’t give in to her drama queen act, but it’s easy to see she has him totally wrapped around her finger. He’s not nearly the bad ass he pretends to be.”

“Sounds like somebody else I know,” Peyton smiled, nudging Nathan in the side. “Speaking of the past…there was a day I didn’t think I’d see you get married. Or settle down at all for that matter, especially with someone like Haley.”

“Me either. Haley the all-American girl…,” he chuckled. “I guess that’s one reason I love her so much. She so different than what I’d expect I’d want. She’s a hell of a lot more than I deserve.”

“That’s not true Nathan. You deserve to be happy, and she obviously makes you happy. She’s very lucky to have you. I’m so excited you guys found each other again.”

Nathan returned Peyton’s sincere smile, taking up her hand he intertwined their fingers patting softly over the back of her hand. “I love you Peyton.” He chuckled at the surprise that flashed in her eyes. He sighed pushing his head further into the soft pillow closing his fingers more snugly around hers.

“I haven’t always you know.” He laughed harder at her light giggle. “God I resented the hell out of you when we first moved to Tree Hill. My parents were at each other like crazy. I would never admit it then, but it didn’t take long before I realized it was the right thing to do. I mean you’d just lost your Mom and you needed mine…but so did I,” he sighed glancing over to see Peyton watching him with ever watering eyes. “It just seemed like she only quit work and stayed home for you. We only moved for you, but that wasn’t true. She came home for both of us. She took on my Dad and all his baggage that he’d left in Tree Hill for both of us. She knew I was losing it without her around, and she knew you needed her help. I shouldn’t have given her such a hard time. Or you either Peyton. I’m sorry.” Peyton only smiled bringing his hand up to lay a kiss on the back of it.

“I was secretly glad you were there…most of the time anyway. Like a sister I could hate or something. I swear your room was like a refuge from my father some days. I’d lie on the floor while you played that crappy music of yours. We hardly talk, but you knew what I was going through. You’d tell me the same thing when I’d finally scrape myself off the floor to leave. ‘I know he treats you like crap Nathan, but he does love you’, I used to think you were nuts,” he laughed at the vivid memory.

“And I still say the same thing. Dan’s trying so hard with you now Nathan. Let him in. He does love you.” He looked at her letting go a long tired sigh as he rubbed a heavy hand through his hair. “I know he does,” he quietly relented.

He glanced toward Lucas still sleeping on the couch with a short laugh. “Never in a million years would I have predicted back then Lucas would be the best man at my wedding. My parents argued continually about him before we moved. Just one more reason I didn’t want to go to Tree Hill. God how I hated him. You guys always calling him broody, and man was he ever,” he chuckled again “And everybody just loved them some Lucas, which made me hate him all the more. And then you took up with him, and…man I wanted to kill you for that.”

Peyton laughed. “I think I just did it to piss you off.”

“I figured as much,” he snorted with pretend annoyance.

They laid side by side listening to the quiet. Holding hands. The last time they did that was at Peyton’s mothers wake. The house was crammed with people she’d never seen, and she was a complete wreck. Her father and Deb were busy with well meaning mourners offering their condolences. Nathan watched her unsurely from across the room. Finally going over to sit beside her, he took her hand, holding it between his when she couldn’t stop crying. No words passed between them. She glanced up to him with a grateful smile laying her head on his shoulder, and eventually she quieted. They’d never been a physically expressive kind of family, he felt kind of…weird about it, but at the same time it just felt right. They needed each other, the way only family can understand sometimes.

“Peyton?” Nathan tentatively broke into the comfortable silence that had settled over the room.

She shifted her head on the pillow. “Hmm?”

“Thanks for helping Haley. If you and Jake hadn’t shown up when you did, forced the issue…there’s no telling where she’d be. Who knows what would have happened with her. We wouldn’t be here…together, and getting married I know that. Thanks for being there for her Peyton. Never giving up on her, being her friend. I love you for that too.” His voice crackled softly.

Peyton pushed up on her elbow smiling down into Nathan’s serious gaze. She gently wiped at the water that had leaked out the side of his eyes. “I love Haley. She’s my friend. She needed help, I’m just glad it worked out. She’s so happy now Nathan. Because of you, you make her happy. She loves you.” She leaned down placing a soft kiss to his cheek. “I love you too Nathan. Not just because you’re my cousin and you’re supposed to love family…I love you because of who you are Nathan. You’re a good person who deserves to be loved, deserves every happiness. Never forget that.”

She finally pulled away from his tight embrace, brushing a light hand down his cheek, patting it softly. He was working hard not to break down in tears. He was so tired, and nervous, and anxious, and like Haley his emotions were right on his sleeve waiting to spill every where. “I think you’ve had about all the introspection you can handle for one night. You need some sleep. Let me get the two lumps over there and get out of here so you can. You’re getting married tomorrow!” They both laughed with mild amazement.

“I’ll talk to you in the morning,” Lucas mumbled as he all but stumbled still half asleep out the door and down the hall to his hotel room.

Nathan had to quickly pull his pants back on when he heard the knock at the door. “I forgot my purse,” Brooke sleepily muttered shuffling past him to snatch her purse up from under the table. “Peyton’s driving. I hope we make it back to the in-laws. Sleep good,” she said giving him another quick hug. He wrapped his arm around her pulling her into him for a more lingering tight hug. Brooke’s eyes widened at the unexpected affection from Nathan before relaxing into his grip.

“Thank you Brooke.”

She leaned back with confusion searching his face for answers. Her brow creased at his obviously tearing eyes. “For what?” Her soft voice hesitantly inquired. She rubbed comforting hands around his back.

“For being there. You and Greg both. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you two. Not…not just with Haley, but…I’m not sure I’d be here at all. At least not in a fully functioning condition. I…sometimes…you know sometimes I think there was a reason I ended up in Boston. Because you guys were there, and maybe somebody knew I was going to need help so they put me where you were. Where they knew someone would help me. Where somebody really cared about me. I know that sounds stupid,” he said with a brief smile.

“No, actually it doesn’t.”

“Anyway…thanks for everything. For bailing me out…literally, for including me, for being a friend, for putting up with my crap, for taking care of me when I pulled stupid shit or just…for everything Brooke. I just want you to know how much I appreciate it. I love you Brooke. Greg too,” he pulled her into him again. She unsuccessfully tried to sniff away the tears.

She quickly swatted them away when he finally released her smiling up into his still smiling face. “What else were we supposed to do? You’re our friend. You were hurting…we had to take care of you even if that meant going out in the middle of the night to haul your ass back home...over and over and over.” They both laughed easily when she teasingly smacked his chest. “If our help led you here…to being happy and back with the love of your life…then I’m thrilled we had a hand in it. I like you much better this way Nathan. Happy. In love. She brings out the best in you. You’re a good person Nathan. You always have been. Even when we were kids, and you were being dreadfully mean to Peyton, I saw glimpses, I knew there had to be a something more…underneath the assy layer,” she giggled. “But…you’re welcome. I’m glad we helped.” She wrapped him in another quick hug before pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I love you too Nathan. So does Greg. Now…get some sleep. Haley needs a rested full functioning groom on her honeymoon,” she said with a flirty wink. “See you tomorrow.”

Lydia poked her head in the door shushing them for the third time. There were children sleeping, there were…”oh forget it”, she finally said rolling her eyes at the three of them trying to hold back their laughter and just closed the door again defeated.

Haley burst out in a ridiculously loud fit of giggles that only caused Jake and Greg to roll around on the floor laughing all the harder. Her silly giggle definitely had an effect on men. It totally turned Nathan on…Jake and Greg…it always made them laugh like possessed hyenas.

“Yes you did Haley James, yes you did! He told me! They were pink, and they had little purple…hearts or triangles or something like that. Then where did you get the money?” Jake accused with a huge smirk.

“What is it with males and my pink underwear! I did not show him my underwear. God Jake! I wouldn’t show a boy my underwear for money. Especially Bradley Langston! He was horrible! What kind of girl do you take me for?” She huffed folding her arms across herself with feigned irritation.

“One that would show her underwear for money,” Greg sputtered as he and Jake howled again. “Where’d you get the two dollars Haley? Hunh…hunh…where’d you get it? You showed him didn’t you?” Greg continued to goad.

She glared down at them with narrowed eyes from the middle of her bed. They were so damn smug. They were always so damn smug. She tightened the grip around herself, glaring around the room, ignoring their barely contained laughter. “Fine! Fine alright, I showed the jerk my underwear! Happy now! I was six. Big deal! God!” she puffed at their fist knocking know it all laughter. “It got us ice cream bars didn’t it? You ingrates.”

“Flashing boys for money. Man you started early James. Flashing Bradley at six…Nathan at eighteen…who knows what you’ll do at thirty.” Jake continued to laugh.

“I did not flash Nathan. Not intentionally anyway. I mean I flashed him, unexpectedly by the way, and look where it eventually got me…unwed and pregnant. Pink underwear… obviously men are suckers for it,” she said beginning to giggle again.

She scraped the bottom of her ice cream carton swallowing down the last bites with a loud satisfied sigh. She licked the spoon and dropped it in the container setting it on her night table looking down at the other two sprawling over her bedroom floor with a wide smile.

“That was delish. Totally hit the spot. Thank you very much.” She wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand as she scooted further into bed, pulling the covers up around her, contently folding her hands over her stomach.

“It definitely put you in a better mood.” Greg stacked his carton in Jake’s already empty one before laying on his back and propping his head up with his hands with a long groan. He was already too stuffed to have eaten that ice cream.

“I know. God, sorry about that. I’ve been bawling at the stupidest things here the last few days. I think Nathan’s afraid to move right now for fear he’ll set me off. Gah hormones! I’m probably giving him second thoughts.”

“Yeah whatever Hales,” Jake laughed. “He’s probably going to be there at the crack of dawn waiting for them to unlock the church. He’s been wanting this day since he saw that pink underwear.” Haley laughed, giddily pleased with that idea.

“What’d you guys do with Brooke and Peyton anyway?”

“They went to see the groom. Get him drunk. Take him to some titty bar. Let him do some shots off some flat stomached hottie. Nothing much,” Jake shrugged dodging the stuffed bear Haley tossed at his head.

“Ha ha,” she grumbled. “There isn’t a titty bar here.”

“Oh yeah that’s right. I don’t know then. Maybe they found somebody to come to the room.”

“Cut the shit dumb ass,” Greg grumped up at Jake. “You’re going to get her started again. Her tears give me the hives so quit.”

“I’m fine,” Haley said trying not to pout. “I know he’s kidding.”

“Hives?” Jake chuckled. “You’ve always been the biggest wimp. I swear anytime Haley cried you’d almost started blubbering yourself. You’re pitiful man.”

“I’m sensitive,” Greg said giving Jake’s arm a solid punch.

“Ow!” he whined rubbing at he red mark. “Sensitive my ass, you’re a damn bully. Asshole.” Greg shrugged unfazed while Haley laughed at the two idiots.

“Greg is sensitive. Remember when my dog ran off and I snotted all the way around the neighborhood looking for him. By the time we found it you were crying too. Worthless dog. I should have been glad it was gone. God that thing was stupid,” she laughed. “I can’t even count the times you teared up. The seventh grade dance…Alex Cobb…ditched me for Allie. I cried. I was so dumb. He was a total loser. She had big boobs already, that’s all he cared about.” Jake and Greg shook there heads in agreement both with little smiles. Haley rolled her eyes at them. “Slut. She was a slut you know.” They both nodded their consensus. “Did you guys do her?” she snit disgusted with their wistful smiles.

They looked at each other wide-eyed before shrugging off the question. “Did you?” They each threw an accusatory thumb at the other. “Both of you! That’s…that’s…eww...yuck,” she shuddered appalled.

“She did have big ones Hales,” Greg chuckled at the face she made.

“Boys! God I can’t believe I hung out with you two. Both of you out doing fawning girls after games while I went home and watched movies…and ate. You think the rest of the school ever thought we were…you know?” She asked with sudden curiosity.

Greg and Jake looked at each other breaking out in loud laughter. “You?” they exclaimed at the same time before howling again. Haley’s brow knit while her arms landed with a huff around herself again.

“What is so funny about that?” she ground out.

“Haley please…you had like this glowing halo around your head. Come on, that never entered anybody’s mind. Most people thought you were trying to save us, not do us,” Jake laughed stretching out on the floor next to Greg.

“I did stuff. I drank…a little. I…I…okay, all I did was drink, but…that’s something. No, I had sex too,” she indignantly argued. “Not that I’m bragging considering who, I mean who didn’t he do, but still…” Greg and Jake both rolled their eyes, their mouths twisted with irritation.

“Need we go into when all that started Haley?” Jake groused. After all these years he still wanted to ram David’s head through a wall.

“No, we need not,” she grumped back. “My point was I did stuff in high school too. I wasn’t an angel.

“Oh please, you had fucking wings in your closet Hales,” Greg scoffed with a low laugh.

Jake started to chuckle to himself. Greg stared over like he’d lost his mind. Haley looked at Greg for a clue, but found nothing.

“Give,” Greg finally said when he too started to chuckle, but had no idea why.

“I was just…I have no idea why this came to me, but remember when I was going with Dawn Baker…” “Slut,” Haley chirped in from the sidelines with a fake smile. “I swear you think everybody’s a slut. Although, she had her moments…anyway, she was jealous of you.” Haley’s eyes darted open with shock. “She wasn’t the only one. Did you get that too?” He directed to Greg.

“Oh hell, all the time.” ‘Why do you always hang out with her? She’s such a goody goody. Everybody thinks she’s so perfect, she thinks she’s so perfect,’ Greg mocked on in a high pitched girly voice. Jake was laughing, but Haley was stunned into silence. ‘You have a thing for her, I just know you do’, Greg continued.

Jake was rolling. “I got that one too,” he roared. Haley’s eyebrows were practically crossed her frown was so tight.

“What?” Jake said trying to choke back his laughter.

“Was I so undesirable you couldn’t even fathom having a thing for me?” She snapped at them. They stared at each other dismayed.

“Well…no, but I mean…it was you. And…that’s kind of gross Haley,” Jake mumbled.

“I kissed you, so see I thought you were hot,” Greg enthusiastically jumped in trying to avoid more wrath directed his way.

“Whatever dude. You said it was like kissing your sister. So shut it.”

Haley’s mouth fell open. “I’d be pissed at that except I had the same reaction.”

It was Jake’s turn to punch Greg. “Wow man, staggering effect on the girls there. Nice.”

Greg flipped him off.

“Look Hales…you were you, and we were us, and it just…I don’t know it didn’t make sense. You were like a guy with boobs, and no athletic skills or something. Did you want us to have a thing for you?” Jake posed a bit bewildered.

“God no. That’s disgusting,” she shuddered. “But gosh it would be nice to know you at least thought I had potential or was…pretty or something.”

“Oh hell yes. Yes, yes,” they both stammered. “Definitely pretty. Beautiful. Like a beautiful guy with boobs and no athletic skills,” Greg argued agreeably. “Really pretty,” Jake hurriedly confirmed.

Haley grinned at their groveling. “That’s better. Besides I got the same comments,” she admitted. “Me hanging out with you two used to make - boy who shall not be named - crazy. He bitched and griped about me having a secret thing for you two till we almost broke up over it. I should have come to think of it,” she absently mumbled.

“Nathan never said anything?”

She shook her head a bit. “Surprisingly, not really. Nathan has a jealous streak a mile wide, but he never said much about you two. He got grumpy a few times when he thought I was giving you more attention than him, which totally wasn’t true, but no…he never really seemed to mind. Weird huh? What about Peyton and Brooke.”

“Please, get real. We lived with Lucas, the ex-boyfriend of both of them. How could they even think about starting some stupid shit like that?” Greg scoffed with a laugh. “And they loved you too much anyway.”

“I guess Nathan loved you too.” They both grimaced. “Okay, he…trusted you. I mean a guy could look sideways at me and he’d get all surly and bow up, but I could go or do whatever with either of you and it was like ‘yeah whatever, see ya’. That’s strange huh?” She shrugged as if just considering it.

They were on a role, swapping reminiscent stories. Haley shrieked with horrified laughter at Greg’s first time revelation that he walked in on his older brother and Taylor in the middle of having sex in their hall bathroom.

“How could you keep that from us!” She gasped with another hard giggle. “I am so going to bust him on that tomorrow. Oh my god! You think he was her first?”

“I was about eleven so she must have been what…fifteen? He was seventeen. So maybe. Surely he was one of the first…of many.” They all chortled heartily again.

Lydia knocked on the door as she pushed it open. She had three shot glasses in her hand. “I hate to break up the party, but it’s after midnight and everybody needs some sleep. Especially you little lady.” She smiled as she handed a glass to each of them.

“What’s this?” Haley asked leaning her nose to the liquid. “Smells like Bayley’s.”

“It is. You have Irish Crème, they have tequila. One final toast to the single life and off to sleep. I expect to hear you two stomping down the steps shortly. Goodnight.”

“Mom, it’s alcohol. I can’t have it.” She held the small glass out to her mother.

“Haley, it’s barely above a thimble full. It’s liqueur, low alcohol content. It won’t hurt anything. Drink a toast and go to sleep. The biggest day of your life is ahead of you…the biggest day until junior gets here anyway, which will make this wedding seem like a stroll in the park. Get on with it Haley. And goodnight.” Lydia closed the door behind her with a wink to the boys.

Haley sat up straighter in the bed staring into the liquid, twisting the glass round and round in her fingers. “What should we drink to?” she asked softly, once again overwhelmed with the feeling of impending tears.

A few short hours and everything would change forever. It was daunting. She glanced to Jake and Greg with a hesitant smile as she climbed out of the bed to join them in the middle of her old bedroom for the last time. She fixed her long shirt down around her.

They returned the smile both with light, almost nervous sighs. They looked at each other hoping the other would begin.

Greg was married; Jake was about to be…why did it seem so different that it was Haley?

They couldn’t protect her any longer. The scrawny, braniac neighbor girl they’d cried with, and fought for, and fought with…and loved. They had to let go. Let her fly on her own. She’d already been doing that hadn’t she? She was grown, she was a mature woman, but somehow…still…it felt so…final. Somebody else was going to have their job now. Permanently. Forever.

“Don’t you dare man,” Jake mumbled at big Greg and his watering eyes he was fiercely trying to blink away. Greg rolled his eyes with a short sniff. Jake was having a hard enough time swallowing down the hard lump in his throat.

Jake finally sucked in enough clean air to begin. “Okay…um…to Hales…Haley, and um…god I’m gonna’ freakin’ cry,” Jake choked wiping a quick hand over his eyes. He drew another deep breath. “To Haley and that asshole who’s taking her away from us.” They all laughed wiping at their own tears. “Just…be happy Haley. He’s the complete love of your life. That’s easy to see. It’s been obvious to everyone, including the two of you, since you first met seven years ago. And, at the risk of sounding like a cheesy Tom Cruise movie,…he completes you. He really does. This has been a long day coming. Too long. Longer than necessary actually,” he said with an arched eyebrow that only made Haley giggle. “But…it’s here finally, and I’m…we’re very excited and really really happy for you. He loves you Haley. Treat each other with love and kindness.” Jake glanced at Greg waiting for him to chime in. Haley caught Jakes eye. They both tried hard not to chuckle at the way big Greg was wiping the running water from his cheeks. “Your turn man.” Jake nudged when Greg finally cut his eyes Jakes direction.

“I don’t know if I can,” he barely choked out. He fought back another sniffle. “Um…to Haley and the asshole who’s taking her away from us…” Haley couldn’t stop another giggle. “Um…may their baby be as beautiful as Hales, and as smart as Hales, and as sweet and kind as Hales, and as gentle and gracious as Hales, and…play basketball like Nathan…I guess… ‘cause I don’t know what else they’d want from the big jerk,” he grumbled out at the end. Haley laughed giving Greg’s chest a hearty swat. Greg chuckled. “Okay…he has pretty eyes.”

“What?” Jake gasped a loud huff.

“He does,” Greg defended. Haley shook her head in agreement fighting hard against an all out gut busting laugh. “Sorry, he does.” Jake could only shake his head.

“Anyway…I didn’t interrupt you,” he grumped under his breath. “May this baby bring you great joy and love and many, many years of untold happiness. Which…I know it will babydoll because I know you’re going to be a fantastic mother. People are going to brag about the greatness of Haley James’ children. Wait and see. I love you babydoll. We’ll always be here for you. Always. Remember that and be happy.”

Haley didn’t bother to wipe away the tears that trickled down her cheeks as she looked up into the eyes of the two males that had been her protectors, her confidants, her mischief makers, her supporters, her angry foes, her best friends. As far back as she had memories…they were part of them. This wasn’t the end; there could be no end to what they had. It was only a new beginning. A new chapter. They would share it with her. She would make sure of that. She would always need them, and they her.

“To Jake and Greg…the best friends a girl could ever hope for. You have always been there for me. Always. Even when I didn’t make it easy for you, even when I fought you tooth and nail, when we didn’t agree, when we were angry and mad at each other…I knew…I always knew you were there. Loving me, as I did you. I love you both. Thank you for helping bring Nathan back to me. I know you carried him in Boston Greg. I know you took care of him, and helped him, and…loved him. And I am so…so grateful to you and to Brooke. He wouldn’t be with me now if it wasn’t for the two of you being there for him. Thank you so much. And Jake…if not for you and Peyton kicking my ass and making me face things, get help…I don’t know,” she sighed looking away searching for more words. “I know I wouldn’t be here now. With Nathan, the absolute love of my life. The man I never stopped needing. The man I’ve always, always wanted and loved. You did it, both of you. You brought me here. You brought Nathan here. So thank you. I love you both with all my heart.”

They held their small glasses together. “To the kids from Mayberry, those Tree Hill kids never stood a chance,” Haley grinned as they lightly clinked their glasses in toast.

Lucas threw the curtains wide. The sun was barely peeking through the still cloudy sky. It had rained like a mother last night; he was relieved to see the sun’s appearance. The last thing anyone should have to face on their wedding day was a torrential downpour.

He frowned perplexed at Nathan still twisted in his covers in the middle of the bed sound asleep…his arms draped around his computer.

Lucas relaxed a knee into the mattress bouncing up and down a bit trying to jostle his brother awake. “Hey…hey!” He said raising his voice when Nathan didn’t flinch. Still nothing. He made a full body flop onto the bed. Nathan jerked straight up.

“What the fu…damn it Lucas! You scared the piss out of me! How’d you get in here?” He fell back against the mattress trying to regain his startled breath. He recaptured the computer lying next to him pressing at the lid to assure it was closed.

“I told the cleaning people I forgot my key,” he shrugged. “I guess I have an honest face.”

“What time is it?” Nathan tried unsuccessfully to rub away the sleep from his head. He didn’t get near enough.

Lucas turned his wrist. “Nine. Get up, let’s go get some breakfast. What’s with the computer in the bed? Need something warm to hug since Haley wasn’t here?” He chuckled at his own lame joke.

Nathan set the laptop on the table. “Something like that,” he mumbled. “Give me a minute and we’ll go eat.”

Lucas had taken to eating off Nathan’s plate. It looked too good to waste. Nathan had barely touched his food. His stomach was one huge knot complimented by swirling butterflies. He glanced at his watch. He wasn’t going to make it.

Lucas watched Nathan’s shaky hand bring the coffee cup to his lips. He couldn’t help the quiet laugh. “You that nervous? Holy smokes Nate…this is what you’ve been waiting for. Relax. You’re about to get everything you’ve been wanting, right?” Nathan nodded his agreement with a tight smile. God how he wanted to throw up.

“You know…I think I am going to ask Jill to marry me,” Lucas stated out of nowhere leaning back against his chair with a thoughtful pose. Nathan wiped away the coffee he’d choked on. He grinned at his little brother’s shocked face.

“Seriously?

“Sure, why not. Brooke did it, Peyton’s doing it. Now you, who I always thought would be last, if at all, is doing it so…what the hell. I may as well too.” Lucas smiled pleased with himself.

“Well now, there’s the spirit,” Nathan laughed. “Why don’t you try it my way…have a couple of ki…I mean have a kid at the same time. Just jump right into the fire.”

“No. I’m not that brave. Thanks anyway. The kids can wait a while. I’ll let you work the kinks out of that and let me know.” Lucas watched his brother nibbling at his toast with mild hesitation. “So um…Dan was wanting to talk to you…did he find you yet?” He quickly scooped up his juice for a long drink.

Nathan cut his eyes across the table to Lucas, resisting the urge to roll them. “Yeah…he kind of cornered me at Haley’s parent’s house last night. Lots of advice you know. Marriage advice…life advice,” he snorted a small laugh. “Definitely the one I should be taking that kind of help from.”

“He’s come a long way Nathan. He wants to be included. He wants to be a part of your life. He’s crazy about your wife to be, he’s ecstatic about this baby…it’s time to let it go don’t you think?”

Nathan’s hands dug deep into his scalp with a long hard sigh. “I guess. It’s so damn hard for me to trust him Lucas. I’m trying. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I really am. I’m happy about the way he’s taken to Haley, but way deep down, a part of me worries there’s an ulterior motive you know. Like he wants something… It’s just an automatic reflex with him. It’s hard to get past it.”

“I understand that, but that’s not it Nathan. He does want something. To be in your life, but he’s not using Haley to get to you. He’s not. He genuinely likes her, and he loves you Nathan. Let him in. Let it go okay? It’s amazing what a freeing feeling it is.”

“I’m trying Lucas. I guess I’m just not there yet.”

“Okay…alright,” Lucas smiled knowing that was all he was going to get right now. “Let’s go see if we can’t get you together.”

Haley stood sideways to the mirror brushing a hand over her stomach. She watched her figure as she practiced different stances. “Ow! Ow ow ow,” she grimaced grabbing at the back of her head where her mother was trying to pin her veil. “Leave a little hair will ya. Man!”

“There,” Lydia smiled pleased. “You still have a strand or two. I’ll be right back.”

“You’re hunched,” Brooke scowled from the doorway huffing from one hip to the other.

“I look less pregnant this way,” Haley mumbled running a hand down her dress again.

“You are pregnant. Everybody knows it. Nobody cares.”

“I know it’s just…I don’t want to look pregnant today. Have my child look at our wedding photos some day, point to my protruding stomach and say ‘look, there I am’.” She slouched her shoulders a little rounder.

“Better to look pregnant than like Mr. Burns from the Simpson’s. Stand up,” Brooke ordered moving to the mirror to touch up her lipstick.

Peyton was fluffing at her veil, Brooke fluffing at her dress, as Haley shifted from foot to foot petrified. Brooke dabbed at her lips with a tissue, Peyton added a little more eye shadow. The music was beginning to play in the church and Haley could barely hold herself upright.

“This is it,” Peyton said quietly with a wide smile, taking Haley’s hands into hers. “You’re breathtakingly beautiful Haley. You finally made it. You finally got him.” Haley beamed back trying to stave off the tears that had been threatening since she walked in the church. “He loves you so much Haley. His hearts about to pop it’s so full. Take care of him okay. Love him. He needs you Haley; almost to a fault he needs you. Never take advantage of that. Just…just love him. Let him love you. That’s all he wants. You’re all he’s ever wanted. Always love him.” Haley blinked hard against the tears. Biting deep into her lip she could only nod her agreement.

Brooke took one of Haley’s hands, tugging a few pieces of hair into place with the other. She smiled through her own tear welling eyes at Haley. “He’s fragile Hales. I know he’s all tough guy and…grumpy, and like he’s mr. independent on the outside…, but we all know different. He’s a big soft lump, especially where you’re concerned. He cracks pretty easy Haley. Take care of him. All it takes…all he wants…all he’s ever wanted is you. Your love. Just you Haley. He never stopped loving you. He never will. Cherish him.” Brooke enveloped Haley in her arms for a few moments before letting Peyton do the same.

“I um…I need half a second to…gosh you guys…thanks, I’m like dying here now,” Haley laughed taking the tissue Peyton pushed in her hand to dab at her eyes. “Thank you. I know you love Nathan, and so do I. I’ll take care of him, I promise you.”

They glanced at each other, Brooke and Peyton broke out in giddy giggles at the swelling sound of the organ music. “That’s our cue I think,” Haley sighed blowing a long slow breath across her trembling lips. “Let’s go do this.”

Nathan rolled his eyes at the way Jake and Greg kept brushing at his suit. Greg was going to choke him if he pushed the knot in that tie any higher. “Hey…I think I’m good here. You can stop grooming me now…please,” he pled with a short chuckle, tugging at his collar. They both laughed as well stepping back to examine Nathan once more.

“You know,” Jake started. “We’re actually the ones giving Haley away. I mean Jimmy thinks it’s him, but we all know the truth. It’s us,” he grinned nodding at Greg. “She a great girl Nathan. The best, and she loves you like crazy. She has since day one. She never stopped, never wavered in her love for you. So just…take care of her. Be a good husband and father. Be the man we know you are. The one she’s always known you were because she’s too special for anything less. We’re letting you have her…for life. Love her Nathan. Love her like she’s the precious gift she is. She deserves that. She’s yours now. You only need to love her.”

“I will,” were the only words he could form.

“Jake’s right man. She’s precious and…breakable. Treat her right, treat her with kid gloves, with soft hands so she doesn’t break. She trusts you, she loves you. We do too. That’s why we’re letting you have her. Because we know you love her, and she loves you. Never forget that Nathan. Never forget what you’ve been through, what you’ve both been through to get here. Neither of you want to relive anything like that so work at it. Work at this marriage and never take her, or your life together, or your family your about to have for granted. Just love her, love her with all your heart Nathan, that’s all we ask.”

“I will. I swear I will. Thank you for trusting me with her. I won’t let you down. I promise.”

“Alright then,” Greg smiled at the other two with a relaxed sigh. He gave Nathan a hard slap on the back. “Let’s get you hitched.”

She was barely aware of her father walking beside her, of the music, of the flowers, the candles, of the pews of brightly smiling faces watching as she passed. Her complete focus was on the one face smiling back at her from the front of the church. The face that gave her comfort and confidence as it did now. She was finally getting everything she wanted, everything she needed. They both were.

Her father was hugging her tight, whispering loving words in her ear. She tried to listen. The surrealness of the moment made it almost impossible to hear it seemed. “I love you Daddy,” she murmured against his cheek with a soft kiss. She took Nathan’s arm and ascended the altar with him. They were both so nervous it felt as if their clinging to each other was the only thing keeping either of them up.

Nathan glanced down at her, his smile still wide. God she was breathtaking. His hand squeezed comforting and tight over hers that lay draped over his arm. “I love you,” they both whispered to the other as the music died away. They turned back to Fr. Pete with smiles and nervous breaths.

Nathan had hardly been in church at all much less attended a mass. Haley tried to fill him in, but all this kneeling and the constant up and down had him confused. And just when were they going to get to the good part? He was ready to say ‘I do’ already.

Haley hadn’t loosened her grip on Nathan’s hand the entire time. She glanced over almost giggling at the way his brow was knit in hard concentration on Fr. Pete and the words of his sermon about love and devotion and…what the heck! She almost gasped out loud.

She slid her other hand to her stomach. Her eyes darted from side to side waiting…waiting…must have been a twitch of nerves, and then… “Hhh!” she quietly gasped. Her hand pressed harder against the edge of her abdomen where the…nudge had come from. Nathan looked down at her silently questioning the sound. She smiled back after a moment with a small it’s nothing head shake. He focused back on Fr. Pete. She waited for more, but blew it off when it didn’t come. Just her imagination.

It was hard to tell from which side of the aisle more tears were coming as Nathan and Haley faced each other, taking the others hands as they began to pledge their lives to one another. Jimmy and Dan both draped their arms lightly around their tear dabbing wives. If they concentrated hard enough on comforting their wives maybe it would keep them from breaking down themselves. Their own trembling lips were making it more and more difficult to hold back the water works.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she was amazing herself. Her voice was so steady and clear and her broad smile never slackened in the least. The lump in her throat had finally been swallowed down. She’d never been more certain of anything in her life, and her voice affirmed the feelings. Without a doubt this was the one thing she knew she’d always wanted, the most right thing she’d ever done. Nathan’s unwavering smile and firm grip on her hands only added to her strength.

“……and in health, to love and to…” She abruptly stopped. Her mouth dropped open with a loud gasping intake of air. “Oh my….” She dropped one of Nathan’s hands pressing her own firmly against her stomach. “Uh! Feel…feel,” she giddily blurted out grabbing Nathan’s hand and pressing it against the soft nudges coming from within her belly. “Feel that! Oh my gosh! Can you feel that?”

Nathan chewed at the edge of his lip letting her hold his hand firmly against her stomach. His eyes shot over to hers when he indeed felt the light push against his fingers. His smile grew wider. He chuckled at her exuberant smile and soft laugh.

She reached up behind Nathan’s neck pulling him down as she pushed up on her toes pressing a quick kiss to his mouth. “They’re moving!” She giggled louder.

The words crossing her lips were like a jolt back to reality. “Oh…oh I mean… I um…it’s…,” she stammered. She slowly turned her head toward the pews, and all the array of both amused and confused expressions. She caught her mother’s eye. Lydia rolled her eyes with a little headshake directed at her daughter. She hesitantly turned back to Fr. Pete who was staring at her with incredulity. His head fell to one side and then the other as if questioning whether she was done. “I uh…,” she began to stammer again under the weight of his stare. “Sorry, I…”

“We haven’t gotten to that part yet,” Fr. Pete simply stated waving a hand between her and Nathan. No one bothered to stifle their laughter.

Nathan was ignoring the whole thing. His hand was still pressed against her hoping for further signs his children were making their presence at their parents wedding known. He let loose another quiet chuckle when one of them did a quick thump against his palm. Haley returned his grin as she too felt the movement. Only Fr. Pete’s throat clearing brought them back.

“May I?” He rhetorically inquired of the couple. They grasped hold of the others hands again, trying to regain some sense of composure. A light breath blew across Haley’s lips as she closed her eyes and released another long breath. She opened her eyes to Nathan, tightening her grip on him. He smiled to the priest with a small nod that they were ready to continue.

“Now…where were we?” Fr. Pete mumbled to himself adjusting his reading glasses as he scanned his prayer book in search of his place.

This wasn’t his first pregnant bride wedding. And he’d had more than a few oddball occurrences at weddings he’d officiated. He’d had fainting grooms, fainting brides, a married matron-of-honor and best man who silently argued behind the marrying couple throughout the ceremony thankfully holding out till the reception to get in a full out screaming match, and numerous forgotten rings. There was great excitement at one a few years back when a bridesmaid backed into the unity candle, sending it crashing to the altar where the carpet quickly began to smolder. Only the actions of a quick reacting altar boy dousing it with a bowl of holy water kept the whole ceremony from going up in flames. But this was definitely a first. Pausing mid-vows to gush over a moving baby…that was new. Leave it to a James kid to pull that one.

Their lingering kiss was beginning to draw snickers. Fr. Pete was doing his best to look anywhere but at the newly married couple. He couldn’t help the chuckle when his eyes met Jimmy’s. Neither of them could.

Nathan couldn’t let her go. He had her in a crushing embrace, that left her lifted up to the tips of her toes, his face buried in her hair, hers pressed tight against his shoulder. His repeated ‘I love you’s’ into her ear as he held her ever tighter had her already tear brimmed eyes spilling out as she returned the chant. Only the increasingly loud organ music and the growing strength of applause broke them apart long enough to get back down the aisle.

“How much longer do we have to stay?” Nathan grumbled to his wife as they continued to sway to the music. She giggled.

“Are you already bored? We’ve barely gotten this thing going good.”

“I’m ready to get the honeymoon started.” He smirked at her playful swat at his chest, pulling her more snugly against him. “I love you Pinky. We’ll rest tonight and start the real honeymooning tomorrow. How’s that sound?”

“Okay,” she mumbled into his chest as she rested her head against him with a tired sigh. “I love you.”

They endured picture after picture, numerous introductions to people one or the other of them barely remembered from somewhere in their childhoods, and toast after toast. As the evening wore on, the toasts got longer and more elaborate as the drinks freely flowed. Haley had finally just settled herself on Nathan’s lap periodically resting her head into the crook of his neck. If she let herself, she could easily fall asleep.

They laughed watching their tipsy friends take over the dance floor. Despite Jill’s best efforts not to upstage him, Lucas still looked pathetic with his wooden footwork next to hers. They needed to just step aside and let Peyton and Brooke have the floor. Jake and Greg had long ago just become props to the girls dancing together anyway.

Haley turned tired eyes toward her father who’d squatted down beside them. “You had enough?” She shook her head. “Let’s get you guys out of here then.”

“Dad, we need to say something before we go.”

“Alright.” Jimmy said going in search of the microphone.

They finally managed to quiet the music and gather the crowd so the couple could make a retreat. Haley tried to hand Nathan the microphone but he gently pushed it back her way.

“We just wanted to thank everybody for coming. It all kind of came together really quick and without much notice so thank you for making the extra effort to be here with us. I just want to especially thank my Mom for helping us with all of this. It never would have happened without her. So, thank you Mom. I love you. Like everyone’s been telling us the past few days…this day has been a long time coming. But we finally made it, and we’re so grateful all of you came to share it with us. Thank you so much. And now…” She grinned up at Nathan who hugged her closer into his side. “Nathan has an announcement,” she giggled thrusting the microphone into his surprised hand.

“Thank you dear.” Nathan pretended to grumble as everyone laughed. “Haley knows how I adore public speaking. I um…I want to say thank you as well. This day has been way overdue, but with tons of help we made it so thanks to everyone. We’re very happy all of you could be here with us. And um…I guess I do have an announcement of sorts.” He rubbed a nervous hand over the back of his head as he smiled down at his beaming wife. He chuckled. “Haley and I went to the doctor this past week, and…we’re um…well…we’re having twins.”

The only noises were from the gasping intakes of breath from around the room and... Brooke’s squeal of delight before the room erupted in loud cheering.

If the rush of people begging to offer their congratulations was any indication, they were going to be there quite a while longer. But the sheer joy and excitement gave them a bit of renewed energy.

Maybe that honeymoon would be starting tonight after all.

Chapter 39

She tipped the driver who had wheeled in one bag and strapped the other one over his shoulder. Neither were heavy, she could have easily handled them both, but he was being so darn accommodating she figured who was she to turn him down. She was beginning to come to the conclusion people thought you not only lost all motor skills, but brain power when you were pregnant.

Glancing across the massive lobby she expected to see employees milling about, but except for the two guys in the red vests and black pants leaning against a pillar way on the other side of the lobby she saw no one. Five star hotel, five star service…yeah, whatever.

She rubbed a brisk hand over her bare arms. She expected spring to be much warmer than this in Los Angeles. It was late afternoon, and it was down right nippy. She adjusted the strap on her sundress and wished for the tenth time since her plane landed she would have worn something else. She slapped her hand more firmly on the bell sitting on the check-in counter and began to impatiently tap her foot.

She gave the young man who quickly appeared from some back room a less than sincere smile.

“Hello, welcome to the Westridge. I’m so sorry for the wait. How can I help you?” His voice oozed graciousness as he tried unsuccessfully to hide his leering at ever deepening cleavage and breasts that bubbled out from the low neck of her dress. His smile widened appreciatively. Haley fought back the eye roll.

That was another thing. Males were much more interested in staring at her chest than her face these days. Nathan included. Men.

“I need a key to Nathan Scott’s room please.”

His face dropped. Groupie. She didn’t have the typical groupie look, but with tits like that he should have known. He briefly wondered what type of sex goodies her suitcase contained. “Who?”

“Nathan Scott.” She kept the smile, but the eye roll was threatening again at his falsely confused tone.

He half smiled at her and began tapping on his computer. “I…I don’t see that name. Do you have a room number?”

“No, I don’t. He’s with the Charlotte Bobcats. Maybe it’s listed that way or something. I know he’s here.”

“The Bobcats?”

Her shoulders slumped. The eye roll came. “The basketball team. Okay…Dean,” she sweetly called him by the name on his tag she made no pretense of reading. “I know you want to protect your customer’s privacy and all but I know they’re staying here.”

He paused gazing down at her, disbelief still in his eyes as he clicked on his keyboard again. “You’re sure they’re here, but you don’t have a room number?” He gave her a questioning shrug.

“Dean,” she sighed with growing frustration. She had things to do. She needed a little nap. “I just need a key to his room. Please. He’s my husband.”

Dean’s eyebrows perked with surprise. “Oh…I see. You’d think you would have a room number if he’s your husband.”

“I’m surprising him Dean. But if I stand here much longer the games going to be over and the teams going to be traipsing back through the lobby and there won’t be any surprise. So…a key…please.” Her smile was beginning to fade fast as she held her open hand out on the counter.

Dean sighed uncertainly. He eyed her cleavage again. Haley’s gaze narrowed at his leering. “Do you have some ID?”

Haley groaned slapping her purse up on the counter and digging out her wallet. How any groupies ever got in somebody’s room was beyond her. Maybe she was supposed to grease his palm with a big wad of bills or something. She fingered the bills in her wallet quickly deciding she could handle that if it came down to it. She slid her driver’s license across to Dean.

He examined it, and then Haley. It was definitely the same girl. “It says James not Scott.” He checked it a little closer before pushing it back to Haley.

“We’ve only been married a couple of months. My new one hasn’t come in yet. And beside that…Dean,” she huffed his name. “Not everyone changes their name these days. I could be James and still be his wife you know.” Dean shrugged.

He folded his arms leaning on the counter with a small smile. “You could also just be a groupie trying to get in his room hoping to show him a good time.” His smile was getting smugger by the second. Haley groaned a long heavy sigh. She didn’t have time for this crap.

“Come here Dean,” she said crooking a finger at him. His brow furrowed. “Come on…come around this side of that counter. It’s alright; I promise I won’t do anything.” Even aggravated as she was she couldn’t help but smile at his apprehension.

Dean glanced around checking for the location of reinforcements in case this lady came undone. He slowly made his way out from behind the counter and around the corner. He stopped short when he saw her completely. Haley smile went wider.

“Do I look like a groupie to you Dean?” She rubbed a hand over her substantial stomach. “Ever see a pregnant groupie? I’ve already shown him a good time Dean…that’s how I got in this shape to begin with. And quite frankly Dean, I have plans to show him more good times, but I really need to get in his room first. You know what I mean?”

Dean’s mouth twisted one way and then another. Haley could see the wheels turning in his little head. His arms folded across himself as he sized her up. She was definitely not the typical groupie. He’d never seen a pregnant one that’s for sure, but how did he know she wasn’t just some random woman Scott had knocked up somewhere on the road and was here to confront him? Stage some insane scene in his room. A scene that would require security, maybe even police, and god knows management would get involved. And Nathan Scott and the entire Bobcat organization would be demanding to know how this woman got in his room and the hotel could lose the account and he could lose his job and…

He glanced around the lobby continuing his inward debate. There weren’t any more employees around than there was when Haley first walked in.

Haley sighed as her eyebrows hitched together in growing dissatisfaction at his hesitation. “Well…can I get the key now please?”

Dean lightly shook his head from side to side. “I don’t know…I’m not sure about this. You don’t have proper identification…I mean you could be his wife, but then again you could be some girl he got pregnant somewhere and just wants to…you know…get money or something. I mean…”

“LOOK Dean! I’m married to the man!” Haley roared, her patience completely gone as she thrust her ringed finger toward his face. “Married okay! I’m not some slut he got pregnant for crap’s sake. We dated since freaking forever Dean! I’m not after his damn money. I already have access to every damn penny of it,” her hands landed on her hips with a loud huff. Her eyes narrowed at the now cowering man. “Listen to me Dean…I just flew all the way across the country. I haven’t seen him in ten days. Do you realize how long that is when you’re a newlywed Dean? Well let me tell you, it’s a long freakin’ time! And they still have another week left in this god forsaken road trip because some imbecile in some NBA office somewhere is a scheduling idiot! I’m tired Dean. I’m tired and I’m fat and I’m hor…, and…and…I miss my husband. Now I want a key! Don’t make me go all crazy pregnant woman on you Dean! ” She rubbed a soothing hand along side her stomach at the concerned nudges she was receiving from the inside. This Dean was stressing everybody out.

Dean’s eyes were already wide at the decibel level of her voice. She was already loud and crazy, how much crazier could she get?

“Okay…man…shhhh!” Dean grit, waving his hands at Haley to lower her voice. He quickly glanced around the vacant lobby again. “You don’t have to yell alright. God…okay already. I believe you. Man. Okay, I’ll get you a key, but if I lose my job over this…,” he shook his head still mumbling to himself as he went back around behind the desk and made Haley a key card. “Fifth floor. Turn right off the elevators, five fifteen’s at the end of the hall. Welcome to the Westridge,” Dean dejectedly mumbled handing Haley the card.

“Thank you very much Dean. You’ve been very helpful,” Haley grinned at the still flustered young man as she tucked the card into the pocket of her dress. “Oh…and I can get my own bags,” she smiled with a little wave as she turned on her heels and contently waddled off for a bank of elevators.

The game had been over for a while now. She glanced at the clock again. She figured he should be there in the next little bit. It had been over an hour already.

She opened the room refrigerator and dipped her finger in the whipped cream…for the third time since room service brought it up. Whipped cream and strawberries…heavy on the whipped cream she told them. She giggled taking another finger full. She dug out a small box of matches from some random restaurant they’d been to recently out of the bottom of her purse and went about lighting the candles she had toted from home and set around the room. She opened the lid and took a long whiff of the bubble bath. Heavenly. She placed it on the edge of the oversized tub.

Sitting on the edge of the bed she glanced around the room with a pleased sigh. “Now, all I need is my husband,” she told herself as she went about turning down the bed, and stripping off her clothes.

“Alright…this is getting ridiculous,” she grumbled glaring at the clock. She was tempted to blow out the candles for fear they’d burn out, but decided it would be just her luck he’d come in while she was in the middle of it. She punched the pillows behind her head and forlornly picked at the material of the one she had strategically placed to cover the…good parts. And on top of it all, she was getting sleepy. And one kid was obviously stomping on her bladder ‘cause she had to pee…again. She hurried off to the bathroom.

Nathan glanced at the front desk as he and his teammates sauntered through with a small head nod at the group gathered there. He cut his eyes back at the blonde guy who seemed to be intentionally locking eyes with him. He could still feel eyes on his back. He glanced back over his shoulder as he rounded the corner. He was still staring at him alright. He shook it off. Sorry dude, I don’t swing that way, he telepathically sent the young man a message.

He followed his teammates and a couple of girls that were waiting for one of them in the hotel lobby into the elevator. He was still replaying the game. They’d lost. The way the rest of them were guffawing they’d already blown it off. He hadn’t. That fucking Kobe he grumbled to himself. And then the bastard had the nerve to grin, slap him on the back and congratulate him on his marriage. It took everything in him not to tell him to take his congratulations and stick it up his ass. Prick.

Haley almost choked on the water she was drinking when she heard the card scratch into the lock. She quickly set it on the night table and adjusted herself so she was angled across the bed, one hand tucked under her head the other lightly draped over the pillow she set across the length of her body. She hugged one end of the pillow between her legs, the other end pressed into her breasts. She punched at the pillow trying to get it down enough that her breasts almost, but not quite, flowed over the edge. She ran a fluffing hand through her hair…and smiled.

Her smile fell a bit when she heard the giggling female voices in the hall. “Aren’t you going to join us?” One of the female voices asked with obvious disappointment. “Yeah man, we’re going to get something to eat in a few minutes and go out to a club or something for a while. You in?” a male asked.

“I think I’ll pass,” Nathan answered with a light chuckle. “I may come down to eat later, maybe have a drink, but I think that’s it for me. I’m beat.”

“Oh man…come on. We won’t be out too late.”

“Not tonight. I’ll see you guys later.” He inched through the door letting it fall shut behind the disappointed “aww’s” from the girls. Finally, he sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to do anything but veg out in the bed, go to sleep early, and call his wife. Which he would do as soon as he ordered some room service.

Haley almost giggled when she heard his low expel of breath followed by a barely audible “oh shit.”

Nathan felt stuck to the floor. He hadn’t moved an inch from the spot just inside the door. He uneasily took in the room dimly lit by candles. Numerous burning candles. Like someone had come in his room and torched up a bunch of candle candles. He gulped. Shit.

He tossed a look toward the bathroom. It was dark. He chewed at the edge of his lip. His tongue nervously swiped across them. He inched forward. He could barely see the edge of the bed. “Hello?” he hesitantly called out. Haley could hardly hold the laugh in at his tone of dread.

“Well come on in. Don’t be shy,” she deeply purred trying desperately to disguise her voice.

He choked down another hard swallow.

He broke out in a wide grin when he shuffled a couple more feet and tilted his head around the edge of the wall to find his wife spread across his bed, her birthday suit strategically camouflaged by a pillow.

“You do know you scared the hell out of me.” His grin turned into a pleased smirk as he scoped her barely hidden body. Haley could only giggle, happy with the reaction.

Stepping around the edge of the bed he tugged at the pillow guiding it down the length of her body letting it drop to the floor. She giggled again at his appreciative growl. Rolling to her back, her legs went further apart as she slid one knee up the sheet, her finger tips teased light and slow along the softness of her inner thigh.

His eyes filled with instant lust as he slowly swept her body from her smiling face across her voluptuous breasts to her expansive belly and her hand whose seductive strokes beckoned him. “My god you’re beautiful Hales. This is a fantastic surprise. Thank you,” he breathed out as his knee pressed into the bed, his hands balancing his weight to each side of her as he eased down toward her naked body.

Her hands reached up to brush against his chest. “Skin skin skin,” she impatiently murmured pushing lightly at his still clothed chest.

He responded with a small chuckle as he pushed himself back to his feet and quickly made waste of his clothes, dramatically chucking them around the room as his wife giggled more with each discarded item.

With a broad smile and his arms spread wide he stood next to the bed in all his naked glory, his complete excitement at her bare body stretched out on the bed in front of him was readily apparent. “Happy?” he asked with another chuckle.

“Yes, very,” she beamed. “C’mere.”

Their lips fused together as their tongues tangled with increasing passion. His lips moved to her breasts that his hand had been massaging since he laid his body along side hers. His complete fascination with them was not lost on her. She sighed with utter satisfaction at his mouth that devoured her breasts and his hands that massaged up her thighs relishing his touch she hadn’t felt for only days but felt much longer.

His mouth that had licked and opened hot and wide over her breasts now laid soft tender kisses around her large swollen stomach. She smiled at his sudden gentle touch. Her fingers played languidly with his hair.

“Hey guys,” Nathan whispered against her stomach as his hands rubbed soft circles. “It’s Dad. I missed you.” He grinned down to Haley at the firm pushing against his hand. “They hear me,” he laughed pressing his lips around her stomach and rubbing a bit more briskly over her skin. He laughed louder at the hard thumps that seemed to grow in intensity with every word and soft stroke. “I love it when they do this. I really think they recognize my voice Hales.”

“Yeah,” Haley lightly breathed out, trying not to flinch at the hard kick one on the babies had just laid into her side in response to their father’s deep voice and gentle touch. She shifted trying to covertly nudge one of them around in an effort to move whatever body part they were poking her with.

“This is amazing. I swear they’ve grown a foot since I’ve been gone.”

She rolled her eyes. She felt like an elephant already, him pointing it out was not helping.

“Nathan…”

“Hmm?” he distractedly replied with more kisses to the babies.

“Nathan…can I get a little attention here.

With another light kiss he glanced up to see her nibbling at the edge of her lip, her eyes glistening with water and frustration. “What?”

“Can I get a little attention…please. I mean I flew all this way to see you and you know…,” she shrugged picking absently at the sheet next to her. “All you’re doing is talking to them. What about me?” she pouted biting back the threatening tears.

His hand continued to rub gently over her stomach as he stretched back out on his side next to her. His fingers stroked softly through her hair, smiling down at her and the way she refused to look back at him. “I’m sorry Hales. I thought I was paying attention to you. I was just saying ‘hey’ to the kids. I missed them, and I think they missed me too,” he said trying not to acknowledge the pressure of the movements he could still feel rising and falling within her. “I love you baby,” he whispered against her cheek as he plied her face with tender kisses. “I missed you most.”

Her eyes fluttered closed and her soft sighs increased with his attentive ministrations. She took his hand that rubbed across her stomach and placed it on her breast, turning his lips to hers. “They’ll never settle down if you keep that up. They did miss you. I did too. But I need to them to go to sleep right now so I can have sex with their father. Okay?”

He cupped her face in his hand pressing another kiss against her lips. “Sounds perfect. I love you Haley.”

“I love you too. And by the way…there’s whipped cream in the refrigerator.” She laughed at the way his eyebrows shot up and the broad smile that filled his face. He scrambled from the bed quickly bringing back the bowl of cream. He dipped a finger in the thick substance licking it off before offering Haley a finger full.

They both laughed when he placed small dollops of cream over her nipples. “Alright you two, go to sleep now. Mom and I are going to get a little kinky so give her a break. She’s all mine,” he breathed against her lips before devouring their sweet taste.

She decided against drying her hair, Nathan was still sound asleep. Instead she wad it in a messy bun and tied it in place. She examined her naked figure in the bathroom mirror the same way she did every morning. The astounding changes to her body never ceased to amaze her. Her stomach was stretched out far and wide and she still had a couple of months till the due date. Her breasts were seemingly bigger and heavier every day. She wondered now why she’d always wanted a bigger chest. They just get in the damn way she thought as she adjusted them into a bra.

She sighed as she caressed her unborn children. She really was going to need to wear a tent for Peyton and Jake’s wedding. She slid another sundress over her head and tugged up a pair of panties she would be incredibly glad to quit wearing. Even grannies wouldn’t wear these she mused to herself with a little giggle. Nathan said they were sexy. God he was easy.

“Where you going?” Nathan asked with one eye barely cracked open when he saw her dressed and rummaging in her purse.

She nudged a spot to sit next to him on the bed, leaning down to kiss his head. “Your kids are on a different time zone. They’re not going to leave me alone till I get them something to eat, and the crackers I found in my purse a couple of hours ago are not holding them. I thought I’d just go down to the gift shop and get something to tide me over till you’re ready for breakfast.”

The clocks red numbers said eight-thirty. It was almost lunch time back home. No wonder everyone was hungry. Nathan included. “Let me get a quick shower and we’ll go eat.”

“I’ll meet you downstairs. I forgot my book so I’m going to see if they have some trashy novel in there I can read,” she winked pressing another kiss to him before pushing up and leaving him to get ready.

She was trying not to eavesdrop, but she just couldn’t help herself as she only pretended to read the plot summaries on the back of some books. She had her back to the two voices. Her eyes went wide as she took a quick glance over her shoulder. They were huge. She hadn’t met everyone yet, but she was certain by their size and their clothes they had to be two of Nathan’s teammates. Her ears really perked up at their discussion when she realized who they were.

“I thought he was married,” the one in blue said.

“And?” the man in black deadpanned.

“He hasn’t been married that long has he? I mean he’s already screwing around on her?”

Haley’s mouth dropped open. What a scum bag! She was going to find out who they were talking about and tell Nathan to stay away from that jackass!

“I guess. Not any different than half the married guys on this team. Wife at home, girls on the road. That’s why I don’t get married. Too much pressure,” the one in black scoffed. “I’ll just take the road girls. Lots easier. Do ‘em and get on the plane. But man…I’m getting the name of whoever he was with cause damn…she was into it man. They were at it half the night.”

The man in blue couldn’t hold back his loud junior high giggling.

“I swear I had some damn porn movie on and it was nothing compared to the noises coming through that wall. Shit! I even hit the mute button a few times cause I couldn’t tell if it was coming from his room or the T.V.” They both laughed.

Haley shook her head in disgust. Some jerk getting some over sexed hottie up to his room so he can screw her all night while his poor unknowing wife sits at home. Pitiful!

“You’re going to have to give him hell,” the one in blue said through more giggles.

“Oh hell yeah, you know I am. Hell I could even hear him sometimes, but it was nothing compared to her. She was thrilled as hell about whatever he was doing I know that. I never heard so many screaming ‘oh god’s’,” he moaned out, “in my life.” There were more loud chortles from the pair.

Haley’s face dropped at his words, her eyes flew open. She gripped the book between her hands with a hard swallow. Oh god…oh shit! It was me she thought with a cold panic.

Her eyes darted from side to side wondering if she could make a quick unnoticed escape. Get upstairs, change her clothes and redo her hair in hopes they wouldn’t recognize her. It was too much to hope they hadn’t seen her. She was standing not ten feet from them and they’d made little attempt at keeping their voices down.

“Hey baby…did you find something?” Her shoulders slumped at the sound of Nathan’s voice. Before she could even look up his arms were around her and his lips were nuzzling her neck.

So much for an unnoticed escape.

“Umm…yeah, I think I’ll take this one,” she mumbled back.

“Looks hot,” he chuckled turning the book in her hand to see the picture on the cover of the woman with overflowing breasts laying in the arms of a half clothed man.

“Yeah,” she agreed with a half-hearted smile.

He slipped his arm around her waist. “Let’s get you fed,” he said laying a kiss to her temple. “Hey man,” Nathan smiled bumping fists with the two men whose conversation Haley had just been privy to.

“Hey Nate,” they greeted back with wide smiles. “How’s it going?”

“I don’t think you’ve met my wife,” he said turning Haley so she was facing the other two. She was suddenly fascinated by her feet. “This is Chris and Kenny. This is my beautiful wife Haley.”

She could feel her entire body turning crimson. Despite the coolness of the morning she was suddenly sweating from every pore. Her face was positively on fire. Her head slowly drifted up until she met their shocked but smiling eyes. “Oh god,” she barely squeaked out with a sheepish shrug. The men blinked with their own embarrassment. “It’s really nice to meet you,” she hesitantly mumbled to the men.

The two exchanged quick stunned glances. “Oh um…hi, nice to meet you too,” they both stammered shoving their hands out to shake Haley’s.

“You’re um…you’re pregnant? I mean…you’re having a baby?” The one in blue asked as both of them stared with ever growing fluster and shock at Haley’s figure. They hadn’t paid much attention to the little woman perusing the books while they gossiped, but they were severely regretting their big mouths now.

“Having a baby, that’s what pregnant is alright Kenny,” Nathan laughed, wrapping his arms around his wife and stroking his hands around her stomach.

Haley nodded with a small smile. She couldn’t begin to form more words. She knew they must be really thinking she was some sort of sex freak now. Pregnant out to there and still moaning her way through a night of marathon sex. God!

“We’re having twins actually,” Nathan crowed proudly.

“Twins! Wow Nate…Haley, that’s…that’s great. Congratulations.”

“Yeah, congratulations,” Kenny heartily agreed.

“Thanks,” Haley quietly smiled.

“We were just going to get something to eat. You guys want to join us?” Nathan asked with a sudden spurt of hospitality. Haley’s jaw clamped tight.

They thankfully read the dread in Haley’s eyes. “No, no that’s alright. We were going to go out for something to eat and then find something to do.” Haley and the two gave each other relieved smiles.

“It was nice to meet you,” she quickly threw out taking Nathan’s arm trying to get him moving.

“Yeah, you too.”

Kenny and Chris waited till they were out of sight before they looked at each other still shocked at the revelations. “Damn!” Chris said with a long whistle. “What’s she like unpregnant?”

“That is one lucky dude,” Kenny laughed as they slipped out the door.

Lying back in the cool thick grass he held the water bottle over his face and squeezed a long stream of the liquid around his face and head. He’d finally finished planting the four flats of flowers they bought two days ago. He put them exactly where his wife said to put them. He knew better than to buck the system at this point. She was getting crankier by the hour.

Ever since Peyton and Jakes wedding the doctor had ordered her to stay off her feet. Everything was swelling, her feet, her hands, and everything in between. Tomorrow it would be July, and the heat was just adding to the problem.

The due date was the twenty-eighth, and the plan all along had been to induce labor a couple of weeks early if they didn’t come on their own before. But after yesterday’s doctor visit the plan had changed. One of the twins was breech and didn’t seem real inclined to turn itself around. The doctor rescheduled the birth for the fifth. And there would be no inducing, they were going straight for the caesarian section. That left them with five days. Haley’s need for perfection kicked in full bore.

Haley’s slow nesting phase she’d apparently fallen into had turned from slow to frantic. Nathan had read about all this nesting stuff in her pregnancy books, and was pretty sure she was going to have a nest the size of a small tree house if she kept it up, but at least it was slow and methodical, now she was barking orders and on the verge of either anger or tears most of the time. Things weren’t going to be ready.

What things he wondered to himself. What the hell else could they possibly need to do? They’d painted the nursery. She’d had someone come in and paint murals on the walls. Everything they could possibly need was in there and in duplicate no less. He’d quit arguing with her about it, just throwing up his hands and saying ‘yes’ to whatever she said. And the more she laid in bed the bitchier she got until Nathan was practically cringing every time he heard her call his name.

He tried to sneak in the house as quietly as possible, cleaning up in one of the downstairs bathrooms. Now he was sucking down a cold beer and staring into the freezer trying to come up with something for dinner. Grabbing a package of chicken he figured grilled chicken was safe. Wouldn’t upset her stomach…wouldn’t get him yelled at.

He almost dropped it when he turned around to find her standing in the kitchen staring at him. “Jesus Hales, don’t sneak up on me like that. What are you doing out of bed?”

“I’m tired of laying in bed. My back hurts. I’m getting bed sores. And I need you to look at the printer. It’s not working, and I wanted to print off some things from work. Did you finish the flowers?”

“Yes ma’am I finished the flowers.” He bit off any comment when she took the beer out of his hand and drank a long swallow.

“Sorry,” she said reading his mind. “It looked good. I just wanted a little taste. Here,” she said swiping a hand across her mouth as she handed it back.

“Let me get the grill started and I’ll rub your back,” he said popping a kiss on her head.

By the time he finished cleaning up from dinner she was sound asleep on the couch. He flipped through the channels till he found a movie with acceptable screeching cars and blazing guns. She barely flinched when he lifted her up enough so he could scoot under her and settle her head in his lap. She burrowed herself so her back was turned and he could continue to massage her aching muscles.

He glanced down at Haley. She was still asleep. He couldn’t figure out how. His hand that was resting across her stomach had been given sharp elbows or knees or feet or something several times in the last little while. It amazed him that she could sleep through all that activity.

“Come on you two, give it a rest okay. Mom’s beat,” he whispered down at her belly.

He was startled out of his sleep by her shrieking his name from…somewhere. He dropped his feet that were on the coffee table to the floor and whisked a harsh hand around his face trying to knock some of the sleep from his head. And there was his name again. The room was still dark except for the television that just glowed a blank blue screen. He glanced at the clock. It was two-thirty. What the… He pushed to his feet.

“Nathan!”

“Yeah…yeah I’m coming,” he finally called back trying to move his feet faster. He took the stairs two at a time.

Her head was hanging over the sink and she was furiously brushing her teeth. She was wearing one of his t-shirts. His eyebrows knit tightly together at the way she was standing with her feet awkwardly spread apart and the out of place towel sitting on the floor between them.

“Haley?”

“Get dressed,” she garbled out as she spit and rinsed her mouth. “My water broke.” She wiped her mouth, scooped the towel off the floor, clutching it between her legs as she rushed past him.

“What the f…”

He was finished dressing before she was. He grabbed her already packed bag out of the closet. “What are you doing?” He huffed when she stood there brushing her hair. “Let’s go!”

“I can’t get my ring on,” she stammered out as she tried again to push her gold pinky ring on her shaking hands. “I can’t get my ring on,” she repeated, pleadingly looking up to him as the water flooded her eyes.

He grabbed her trembling hands. She watched him take the ring from her fingers and drop it back in the jewelry box. “Haley…you haven’t been able to wear that ring for weeks. It’s fine. Let’s go,” he ordered in a voice so calm he had no idea who it belonged to.

“You alright?” He asked when he heard her suck a quick breath from the seat beside him.

“I think I’m having contractions. My water broke…of course I’m having contractions,” she absently told herself.

“Well…just stop having them okay. ‘Cause we’re not there yet, and just…don’t have any more.” She could help but laugh at the absurdity of his command.

“I’ll get right on that honey. Dad said stop it,” she loudly called out toward her stomach.

“Did you call the doctor?”

“No. Did you?”

“No,” he grumbled back. He cursed the seat belt as he tried to dig his cell phone out of his pocket. “Do you have his number?”

“I already put it in your phone…under Dr. Wilson,” she added impatiently when he seemed confused by the names scrolling by in his list of numbers. “I don’t know if he’s even in town. I think that’s why he scheduled it for the fifth cause he was going away for the fourth of July. But it’s only the first so maybe he’s here…I hope he’s here because he knows what’s going on and I really don’t want one of his partners because they don’t know me and they…”

“Haley!” Nathan barked into her ramble earning him a hard glare. She bit into her lip with another contraction, griping the arm rest and the door as she held her breath listening to Nathan talking to what was obviously the answering service. “He’s already at the hospital with somebody else. They’re going to let him know we’re coming.” He glanced over to her grim face. “You’re supposed to breath through those things remember. Don’t hold your breath.”

“You don’t hold your breath! I’ll hold my breath if I want to! Drive faster. God, since when did you turn into a Grandma behind the wheel.”

“I’d like to get there in one piece.”

“Well I’d like to get there while there’s still only two of us and not four. So pick it up.”

Ten minutes later he was whipping into a parking spot. Haley frowned over at him and the way he’d slammed the brakes on so hard she nearly popped off the seat. He shrugged rolling his eyes back at her. “Sorry,” he mumbled before jerking the door open and hustling around to help her out.

“Now what the hell am I supposed to do with this towel?” She asked as she stood next to the car completely flummoxed.

“Leave it in the car.”

“And do what? Waddle in with this…this…water trickling down my legs?”

“Well…hell I don’t know. It’s that or try and keep it tucked up under your dress which I’m not sure is possible. You want me to get a wheelchair?”

“A wheelchair?” she puffed back annoyed. “I don’t need a wheelchair.” She looked around seeking other unknown options. “Oh…forget it. I’ll just waddle and trickle. Let’s go.”

His head was pounding from all the instructions she was giving him as they checked in. Call people, move the car out of the no parking area, etc, etc, etc.

“She’s having contractions,” Nathan told the admitting clerk who seemed completely unimpressed. “She’s not supposed to be having contractions. This was a scheduled caesarian delivery for the fifth…it’s the first.” Still nothing, only more typing. “It’s twins…ones breech.” He was about to play the ‘don’t you know who I am’ card when her eyebrows shot up at the breech word. Breech, twins, contractions…she knew enough to know that wasn’t necessarily a good combination.

Haley was amazingly passively letting Nathan do all the talking. She just slapped the insurance card in his hand when he silently held out his open palm for it. God forbid he dig out his own card.

The girl typed faster. A few more clicks and she jumped up, grabbing up a wheelchair from the room behind her. “You need to get over to labor and delivery right now. Have a seat.”

Nathan sat in the hall waiting for them to finish there preliminary checks of Haley and the babies. He made phone call after phone call while he waited. It was the middle of the night, and still everyone said they’d be there as quick as they could.

She was situated in a bed when he finally got to come in. They had her and the babies hooked to monitors. He smiled at the whooshing sound of the babies heartbeats.

“What’s wrong?” He asked when she gave him a glare of disgust.

“They gave me an enema.”

“Oh,” he chuckled. “Should I stand clear?” He asked dramatically stepping from in front of the bathroom door.

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry. It works in like two seconds. I’ve been there done that.”

“What’d they say? The babies sound good huh?”

“Yeah…they sound good. They’re going to do a sonogram in a minute to see what’s going on in there. They want to wait for Dr. Wilson before they give me anything so I’m still having contractions. And I’m already at a five and he better hurry cause this is starting to get uncomfortable and… ssss…umm…”

“Breath Haley…come on don’t hold it.” She cut narrowed eyes at him, but blew out a long breath and drew and blew out several more before relaxing again.

He took up her hand kissing over the back of it. “You want me to rub your back?” She shook her head rolling on her side so he could reach her back. He eased down to sit on the edge of the bed. He slapped her bare butt with a little chuckle.

“Watch it,” she grumped.

“You know…you look kind of sexy in this open backed gown. No panties. This is kind of a turn on Hales,” he snickered while kneading into her flesh. She glared over her shoulder at his smirking face.

“Don’t you dare talk about being turned on.”

“Really. I mean your little bare butt and all the rest of you so…easy to get to. I think I’m getting a little excited here. Gettin’ a woody alright,” he chuckled dropping a kiss on her cheek.

She drew another sharp breath and they breathed through another contraction.

“I swear to God if you dare mention having a hard on while I’m in labor I will divorce you right here. I swear you could get turned on in a…a fire. You’re the whole reason we’re here you know.”

“Oh I am, am I,” he laughed moving his hands to massage her shoulders. “And how do you figure that? I seem to recall you being there too.”

“You’re the one that stormed into my office and you know…what was I supposed to do?” She incredulously asked.

“Exactly what you did. Give it to me, and open wide,” he crassly whispered in her ear with a quick kiss against it and a chuckle. He wasn’t fast enough to avoid her hand that swatted him in the head. He laughed again. “Besides, what makes you think it happened then?”

“Because it did,” she confidently retorted.

“I don’t know. This could all be your fault. If memory serves me, one sexily dressed Haley James showed up at my doorstep at midnight and proceeded to seduce me…”

“I did not,” she puffed.

“You stripped Haley. You talked nothing but sex and you stripped. That’s seduction in my book. And what was I supposed to do?” He smirked throwing her words back at her. “I had to give in to you.”

“Whatever. You’re so easy I could have shown up in a burlap sack and read nursery rhymes and you’d still want to do me.”

“You got that right,” he chuckled dropping another kiss to her head as he continued to massage her body. “They need to get that damn doctor in here,” he grumbled when another contraction started. “I’m going to get somebody,” he said when it ended.

He and the nurse rolling in the sonogram machine almost ran into each other. “Excuse me,” she smiled wheeling it around him when he held the door for her.

The all grinned at the wiggling forms on the screen. The breech twin was not so much head at the top, feet at the bottom as it was just…laying completely across her stomach. No wonder she felt like someone was trying to kick out her sideways. It had to be getting kneed in the rear end by the other twin. There had to be a fight going on in there. Haley certainly felt like there was. They looked really…uncomfortable.

“Do you know what they are?” The nurse asked as she wiped the gel from Haley’s stomach.

“No we don’t. Can you tell?”

“I think so. I won’t tell don’t worry. You’ve hung in here this long it won’t be much longer. Dr. Wilson’s on his way.”

“About time,” Nathan mumbled under his breath.

“Be nice,” Haley instructed when the nurse left. Nathan rolled his eyes. Nice was relative.

She couldn’t get comfortable. Rolling from one side to the other she finally just sat up. Nathan continued to rub her shoulders and down her arms before moving down to massage her feet. He tried to distract her with his stories of waking everyone, especially Brooke.

Brooke had given him an earful about how they’d already arranged their vacation to Hawaii around the baby’s birth. They were coming through town on the fourth so they would be there for the birth on the fifth before leaving a few days later for Hawaii. And now the babies were coming early, and she’d have to rearrange their flight and she didn’t even know what color to buy things because they had refused to find out the sexes, and she was just going to have to call Peyton and tell her… Haley couldn’t help but giggle at the lecture she could already hear coming her way. After all, it was all about Brooke wasn’t it?

“What’s going on with these two? Don’t they know it’s the middle of the night, and besides that they’re not supposed to be here for a few more days,” Dr. Wilson laughed as he finally came through the door. “Let’s have a look.”

Nathan stepped aside and toward the head of the bed. It was just too weird to watch a man look and prod around on his wife while she was all…wide open. No matter how ‘normal’ it was supposed to be…he thought he’d never find it anything but…uncomfortable.

“What time did your water break?” He only ‘hmmm’d’ at Haley’s answer. “You’re actually progressing nicely. You’re at a six which is good considering it’s only been just over an hour.” He examined the sonogram pictures the nurse had printed out. “But…this little trouble maker here is just…not cooperating at all.” He tucked his glasses into his scrub top. “I’ll send in the anesthesiologist and we’ll get you numbed up and we’ll be on our way,” he grinned at the nervous parents who could only shake their heads in return. “Relax. Everything looks great. The contractions are not a problem.”

“Not for you,” Haley mumbled.

“True enough,” the doctor laughed. “They’ll get you into some scrubs too,” he directed to Nathan who had his cheek nervously sucked into his teeth. “Hang tight they’ll be with you in a minute. I need to run check my other patient. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Nathan and Haley’s eyes met with nervous breaths and even more nervous smiles. He squeezed her hands between his, pressing their lips together for a long soft kiss. “This is it,” Nathan said with as reassuring a tone as his petrified state would allow. “I love you Hales.”

“I love you too. Oh uh…you might want to get the camera.”

“Oh god! No shit I need the camera. Thank you. God, at least one of us still has a clear head.” He rummaged through her bag for the video camera, having to constantly side step all the people that were suddenly in and out of the room as he got it together.

The anesthesiologist started the epidural, giving Haley’s stomach a little pinch every so often to check the status of the numbness while the nurse rubbed over her abdomen with the awful brown cleanser. Haley wondered if the woman thought she hadn’t showered in weeks the way she scrubbed and scrubbed that gunk all over her.

“You know there’s a little bet of sorts going on out there,” the anesthesiologist told them with a little laugh.

“Oh?” Haley asked confused.

“Celebrity babies. Well, as celebrity as we get in Charlotte. Everybody wants in on the delivery. So they can say I was there at Nathan Scott’s babies’ birth.”

Nathan let out a long sigh and a deep irritated groan. “Whatever,” he mumbled with another groan. “All we want is the most competent group. I want everybody concentrating on my wife and kids, not my stupid ass.”

“Don’t worry. You have complete competence. Tonight’s crew is first rate that’s for sure. They may want a few autographs though.”

“Fine whatever. They can have anything as long as they take care of business first.”

“Don’t worry,” she winked. “Can you feel that?” she asked Haley.

“Sort of I guess. Kind of dull. I know you’re there, but it doesn’t hurt or anything.” She glanced up at Nathan’s still aggravated face. She squeezed his hand. He shook his head down at her. He hated that crap. This was absolutely not about him, and he wasn’t about to let someone make it about him.

“We’re good to go then,” the anesthesiologist smiled. “I’ll get the nurses and we’ll get you into delivery. See you in there.”

“They don’t care about the delivery, they just want a look at your pretty face,” Haley tried teasing the scowl off his face. “They want to look into those baby blues of yours.”

“I’m sure,” he grumbled. “Now smile for the camera and say something memorable,” he ordered chuckling at her silly grin.

“Your Dad said to say something memorable, so here goes nothing. It’s four ten - a.m. - on July first, and we’re on our way to delivery. You’re Dad’s behind the camera. Wave Dad.” Nathan obediently stuck him hand out in front of the lens and waved. “He’s camera shy,” Haley whispered. “I’m going to have a C-section because one of you is being contrary. And I’m about to find out who, and I will be sure to remind you every chance I get, throughout your entire life,” she giggled. “I’m only kidding. This has been a fantastic, wonderful, glorious nine months…well almost nine. I’m so excited to finally be getting to meet you two, and so is your Dad. Aren’t you Dad?”

“Very.”

“See. We can’t wait. We don’t know what you are so we’re very excited and anxious to find out. You’ve been great babies while you were inside, and I know you’ll be the most wonderful children we could ever hope for. You’re going to be successful, and beautiful, and bring us years and years of joy and happiness. I love you. We love you. See you in a few minutes.” Haley blew a kiss to the camera and patted a soft hand over her extremely swollen stomach.

“Perfect,” Nathan grinned bending down to place another kiss on her lips. “I love you Pinky.”

“Ready?” the nurse smiled from the doorway. She was obviously one of the lottery winners.

They looked at each other with surprise when they saw the number of people already in the delivery room. The doctor, the anesthesiologist, the pediatrician, and more nurses than they ever imagined necessary. There had to be over a half dozen and more seemed to be coming and going all the time.

“Camera ready? Alright here we go,” Dr. Wilson said with more mumbled instructions to his staff.

They told Nathan not to walk around, but he couldn’t help himself. He was trying to get a better angle, but there were too many damn people in the way.

“We’re going to take the trouble maker first.”

Haley searched the ceiling. Her eyes nervously darted from one side to the other. She was fervently saying prayers in her head as she listened to all the mumbled conversation, but none of it meant very much and…where the heck had Nathan gotten off to?

“Nathan?”

“I’m here baby.” He called from somewhere she couldn’t begin to see, not with the curtain up in front of her blocking all the action. “Oh my god,” she heard him gasp. “Oh my god Hales…”

“What what what?” she anxiously answered.

“This is unbelievable. Oh my god. It’s…jesus it’s incredible.” He drew a loud breath at the little squirming ball of energy the doctor just pulled from his wife. “It’s a boy Haley!” he exclaimed two seconds before she heard the squalling of the newborn infant.

The tears flowed unencumbered down her cheeks. “A boy?” she barely choked in reply. “How’s he look?”

“He’s beautiful,” Dr. Wilson answered for a speechless Nathan. “Time of birth…four thirty-three. He has all his little parts and he looks just perfect Haley.” He quickly handed him off to a team who took him over to the side and began cleaning him up and doing the standard newborn testing. She craned her neck trying to see her son, but once again there were just too many people in the way. Haley couldn’t help the relieved laughter at the loud and constant crying that he was belting out.

“He’s perfect Pinky,” Nathan said as he reappeared at her side dropping a quick kiss on her head.

“We ready for number two?” Dr. Wilson called to his team. Nathan scurried around with his camera at the ready.

“This is absolutely the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” Nathan breathed out as he watched the doctor wrangle the second baby from his wife’s insides. “Absolutely incredible. God…look at that.”

“What is it?” Haley impatiently asked.

“Just a second…there it is…there it is…there she is! It’s a girl Haley! We got one of each! Can you believe that! It’s a girl!”

“She looks perfect too Haley,” Dr Wilson said right after her daughter let loose a long hard squall. “Time of birth is four thirty-eight.”

Haley laughed with utter relief. She wrapped a hand around her husband’s neck when he bent down to kiss her. She couldn’t stop kissing him. “I love you. I love you,” she repeated over and over until they were both sobbing against each other’s lips.

“Thank you Haley. Thank you,” he whispered against her cheek as she kissed his salty tears that mingled with hers. “God I love you.”

“Can I see them?”

“Let me get you sewn together right quick and they’ll bring them over.”

Nathan trained the camera on the crew of nurses cleaning and testing and readying his babies, a permanent radiant smile adorning his face.

“Here they are,” a nurse softly said as she gently laid them one by one in Haley’s arms.

“They’re gorgeous…look at all that dark hair. Oh my gosh Nathan…they’re so pretty.”

“They sure are Hales. They sure are.”

“They’re so tiny. How much do they weigh?”

The nurse that handed them to her came back with a sheet of paper. “Let’s see…baby boy…six pounds even and baby girl…six pounds three ounces. Together that’s a lot of baby!” She must have been able to tell from Haley’s furrowed brow they seemed awfully light to her. Not even close to the seven or eight pounds she was used to hearing about. “For twins, especially coming almost a month early, they are a fantastic weight. Very healthy and strong too. And both are…nineteen inches long. They’re beautiful Mrs. Scott. Congratulations.”

Haley dug a hand out from the blanket feeling and counting their tiny fingers. “So perfect,” she sighed relieved as she kissed over their hands. Nathan dabbed at the tears on her cheeks with his thumb while he kept the camera on the trio.

Life couldn’t get any better than it was right now.

Nathan stood at the nursery window watching his children sleep. He smiled at the little faces that lay contently in their bassinets. He wondered if they felt a little strange with all that room now. No fighting for space any longer. But still he thought they must be a little lonesome without being curled up next to the other.

He couldn’t get over the feelings consuming him when he saw them first appear. The exhilarating rush of love. Of the all encompassing need to protect them. He loved Haley with every fiber in him, but this was different. A different kind of love. A kind he didn’t even know he was capable of.

And watching them now…he felt completely at peace, with himself, with his life. A peace and a calm he never thought he’d ever know, and from a place and a source he never imagined possible. From his wife, his children. He’d found it not on a basketball court, but with his very own family.

“You ever see two more beautiful babies in you life? Those are my grandchildren.”

Nathan startled at the unexpected voice. He quickly swiped at the tears he only now realized were streaming down his face. “Hey Dad, I didn’t hear you.”

Dan stretched his arms around his son’s shoulders giving them a firm squeeze. “That’s alright son. I’ve shed more than a few of those myself this morning. Congratulations Nathan. You have two beautiful children.”

They stood for a few moments silently watching the babies sleep, both mesmerized by the new life.

“Do you believe in love at first sight Dad?”

Dan chuckled. “Oh I don’t know. I suppose it’s possible. You had that with Haley didn’t you?”

It was Nathan’s turn to laugh. “I don’t know about love at first sight. I think it was more like lust at first sight. Something I’m still suffering from with her I think. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over that,” he chuckled lightly. “When I first saw the babies…I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe how much instant love I had for them. God…they’re my kids. Mine. I helped make two perfect little people. God Dad…do you know how incredible that is?”

“I think I do,” Dan smiled at his son’s exuberant revelations.

Nathan arms folded across his chest as they continued to watch his children with awe. A small smile formed at the way they would smack their lips and make little faces while they slept. His hand came up to cover his mouth as he felt his lips quivering and the tears coming again. “I don’t want to screw this up Dad,” he said through a choked whisper. “I want to be there for them so badly. Make them happy, and give them everything they want and need. I want to be a good father and…I just…I want them to know how much I love them.”

Dan rubbed a comforting hand over his son’s back squeezing tightly into Nathan’s shoulder. “That’s all any of us want Nathan. You’re going to be a great father. Just show them…everyday, show them how much you love them. They’ll know, and the love you get in return Nathan…it’ll bring you a happiness you never imagined.”

Nathan glanced to his father and held Dan’s eyes that were glistening the same way his own were. He turned back to the nursery window swallowing hard against the lump in his throat.

“I want you in their lives Dad.” He looked back with little hesitance to his father again. “I want them to know you. Every kid needs a grandfather to spoil them, and I want you to be able to do that.”

Dan didn’t bother to wipe away the water that leaked from his eyes. “I’d like that Nathan. Thank you.”

Nathan nodded. He could not only see it, but he could feel it, feel the relief, the complete joy ebbing from his father.

It was time. Time to let go. Time to move forward. Time to start over, start anew. It was time for him and his children to get to know Dan Scott.

“I love you Dad.”

Dan was barely able to suppress the stifled cry as he thrust his arms around his son and clutched Nathan to him in a fierce unyielding hug. “I love you too son. I love you too.”

Seven weeks later…

Haley threw the covers back and sat with her feet hanging over the side of the bed as she took a moment to gather her wits and a bit more energy. The sounds coming through the baby monitor on the dresser only grew louder. She glanced at the clock, frowning at the time. It was only eleven o’clock. She and Nathan had been asleep for barely an hour, but her body seemed so dead it felt like several.

She felt Nathan grab her arm as she started to stand. “I’ll go. You go back to sleep.”

“Thank you. Just bring him back to bed. I’ll put him in his bed when he gets full. If that’s even possible. He’s definitely the pig of the pair.”

Nathan pulled the covers up around her when she laid back down and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll take care of him. There are plenty of bottles in the fridge. He can have one of those.”

“Nathan…”

“I’ve been gone at camp all week. You need some rest Hales. I got it.” He pulled a t-shirt from the drawer tugging it over his head as he grabbed the monitor and took it with him.

Nathan patted his freshly diapered son’s back as he warmed the bottle. With one arm he grabbed a quilt from a downstairs closet and spread it over the carpet. He laid the wide-eyed gurgling infant in the middle of it and went to get the bottle.

“I’m glad to see you didn’t run off this time,” he lamely teased, chuckling as he lifted the baby into his arms and settled into the rocker recliner. He tucked a little bib under his chin to catch the overflow from the corners of his mouth that was sure to happen given the way he was gobbling down the bottle.

He grinned back at the baby who had paused in his meal to give a small smile to his father that was tickling his cheek. “You are a little porker,” Nathan whispered to his son.

He was stunned by how much they both seemed to have grown and changed in the week he was gone. He was already beginning to dread road games, and the season was almost two months away.

He was walking the floor with his son, patting firmly at his back trying to coax out a burp when he heard the other half crying out through the monitor he’d brought down with him.

“Perfect timing,” he smiled when the baby he held let out a hard burp. “I have to go get your sister before she wakes your Mom. You lay right here and I’ll be right back.” He gingerly laid his son on the quilt and hurried up the stairs to get his daughter before she woke Haley. Monitor or not, she was easy to hear.

It must have been the lack of noise that woke her this time. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. She raised her head looking confused around her bedroom when she found the place beside her empty. “Nathan?” she mumbled to herself. She glanced at the clock; she’d been asleep for almost three hours straight.

The babies’ room was empty.

She snuck up on them, quietly taking a seat on the couch smiling down at her family. Nathan was stretched out on a quilt in the middle of the living room floor soundly sleeping; another blanket covered him up to his chest and over their daughter who was snuggled into her father’s chest. Her little body was rising and falling with content sleep. Nathan had one hand over his daughters back, the other lay out to his side and around his son’s leg. The infant was covered with his own little blanket. Lying on his back his arms and legs were spread wide beneath it as he too contently slept.

Haley laid on her side beside Nathan. She brushed a light hand through his hair and held her lips to his forehead. His eyes slowly crept open.

“Hey,” he said with a lazy smile. “What are you doing up?”

“It was too quiet,” she whispered pushing another kiss to his cheek.

“Quick, go back to sleep while you can.”

She angled her lips over his prodding his mouth wider with hers. Her tongue slid seductively over his lips before easing it into his willing mouth. He moaned softly into her mouth, releasing his son’s leg his fingers slid up his wife’s jaw to thread in her hair, pulling her mouth more tightly against his.

She smiled at the surprise on his face and the way his eyes fired with desire when she finally pulled back. She wiggled her eyebrows at him giggling quietly. He chuckled softly.

“What are you up to? Better keep it G, kids are present.”

“I don’t want to keep it G,” she whispered low against his ear, trailing her tongue along the edge. “I much prefer a hard R…or even X if you prefer.”

Nathan grinned at her proposition. “Okay Hales. Don’t tease. It’s been too long. I’m not sure I can take it.”

“My sentiments exactly. I can’t take it anymore either. Let’s go have some crazy sex.”

He adjusted his head so he could see her face better in the very dim light. “Are you serious?”

She vigorously shook her head.

“Really?”

“Yes really. Can we go while they’re still asleep please. I figure if we’re lucky we’ll have an hour. Come on.”

“But you haven’t been back to the doctor yet. Doesn’t he have to clear you for sex or something?”

“Oh my god Nathan. He said six to eight weeks. It’s been seven. That’s long enough. I want some sex. Would you come on already.”

“Okay okay. You take Sarah, I’ll get Brian.”

“Okay,” Haley agreed gently scooping Sarah off Nathan’s chest. “Be really really easy with him. Don’t wake him up,” she whispered as softly as possible.

~*~

Nathan rolled onto his back trying to recapture his breath. “Damn that felt good!” he blew out through ragged breaths.

Haley brushed the stray hairs from her face with a long satisfied sigh. “Did it ever,” she heartily agreed. She rolled to her side, throwing an arm and leg over his body, peppering her husbands face with kisses. “I love you Nathan Scott.”

“Keep that up and we may get in seconds before they wake up.”

“Promise?” she laughed crawling on top of him, taking over his smiling mouth with her own.

She popped straight up giving Nathan a twisted frown several minutes later when the first cry rang out. Her eyes flit around the room. “She quit,” she mumbled taking his lips again when the crying stopped.

Nathan’s chest shook beneath her when it started again a few minutes later. And his chuckle broke out into a full out laugh when both babies began to demand attention by squalling at the top of their collective lungs.

Haley, still straddled across his waist, sat up annoyingly throwing her hair out of her face. She huffed a long groan down at her laughing spouse.

“Meet you here next naptime?” Nathan asked holding his palm up to her.

“It’s a date,” she agreed slapping his hand.

They climbed out of the bed throwing some clothes on before slipping their arms around each other and heading down the hall toward their children.

Their lives would never be the same, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. Life truly was beautiful.

Epilogue

1 - 3 :: 4 - 7 :: 8 - 11 :: 12 - 13 :: 14 - 15 :: 16 - 17 :: 18 - 20:: 21 - 22 :: 23 - 24 :: 25 - 26 :: 27 - 28 :: 29 - 32 :: 33 - 35 :: 36 - 37 :: 38 :: 39 :: Epilogue