Please
Title: Please
Author: Diane
Entry: 05
Fandom: One Tree Hill
Pairing: Nathan/Haley
Rating: Teen Rated
Genre: Romance
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing!
Spoilers/Warnings: This is a companion piece set between 9.10 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' and 9.11 'Danny Boy' and it's my take on what might have happened after Haley's cell phone rang.
Word Count: 1,066
Summary: Pressing the touch-pad on her phone, she heard her own voice waver slightly as she answered the call. “Hello?”
Author's Notes: This has been written for The October Writing Challenge.
The quiet and stillness of the house made the sudden ringing of Haley's cell phone sound almost deafening. Fear mixed with anticipation swirled in the pit of her stomach, making her feel nauseous. As she tentatively picked it up, she silently hoped and prayed that she was finally about to hear some good news concerning her husband's whereabouts.
Dan hadn't told her much about what he'd planned to do but she was under no illusion that it was going to be dangerous... very dangerous. Her nerves had been – and still were – shot to hell and she hadn't been able to sit still all day. The treadmill had kept her occupied for a while but as soon as she'd stepped off of it, she was back at square one; all the negative thoughts she'd been having rising to the surface and overwhelming her.
Watching old video footage of him only made her miss him all the more, something she didn't think was even possible.
Pressing the touch-pad on her phone, she heard her own voice waver slightly as she answered the call. “Hello?”
“H-Hales...”
Haley's eyes widened at hearing Nathan's voice and a sob tore from her throat. “Nathan? God, please tell me it's really you and that I'm not imagining your voice,” she begged.
“It's me, baby.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks and she squeezed her eyes shut as she said a silent prayer of thanks. “Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I'm fine,” he told her. “I'm at the hospital getting checked out and—”
“I'm on my way,” she cut in as she jumped up from the couch and ran to get the car keys.
“Be careful, okay? I don't want you getting into a wreck rushing to get here. I'm fine so just take your time.”
“I will,” she promised. Closing the front door behind her and locking it, she practically sprinted to their car parked in the driveway. Climbing into the vehicle, she closed the door and then paused for a moment before starting the engine; the enormity of the situation suddenly hitting her. “Nathan?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too... so much. I'll be waiting for you in the ER so—”
“You said you were okay?”
“I am,” Nathan told her before adding, “It's Dan.”
“H-how is he?” she asked, running her fingers through her unruly curls. While she hated hearing that he'd gotten hurt, the selfish part of her was relieved that it wasn't her husband lying in the ER.
“He's in a pretty bad way but I don't know anything more than that right now. I'm waiting to speak to a doctor.”
“I'll be with you soon.”
“I can't wait,” he replied. “I'm going to hang up so you can concentrate on the road, okay?”
Haley half-laughed, half-sobbed at hearing him say that. The fact he was worrying about her after what he must've experienced... She swallowed past the lump in her throat to answer, “Okay.”
Reluctantly, they disconnected the call and she did her best to focus on her driving. Her emotions were all over the place as she did her best to stay positive instead of wondering what state she was about to find him in. God only knew what he'd been through in the time he'd been gone. Giving herself a mental shake, she forced herself not to go down that path. The important thing was that he was safe and, soon enough, he would be back in her arms where he belonged.
* * * * *
Pushing open the front doors leading into the hospital, Haley rushed inside. Her eyes scanned everywhere for any sign of her husband, the corridor seeming endless as she ran down it. Turning a corner, she paused for a split-second at the unmanned reception desk but knowing there was no way she could wait until a member of staff appeared, she continued on her way.
Turning in a half-circle, she searched all around her.
When the automatic doors to the emergency room slid open, she hurried inside; her gaze looking from left to right, doing her best to spot him.
As another set of sliding doors opened and a few people moved out of her line of sight, she suddenly stopped. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest as she took in the beautiful sight of him standing before her.
As if sensing her presence, Nathan turned; his blue eyes meeting her chocolate brown ones and they stared at each other for what felt like an eternity but, in reality, was probably just a few seconds.
“Hi, Hales.”
“Say that again,” she whispered.
“Hi, Hales,” he repeated as he began closing the distance between them.
Running to meet him, Haley threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder as she crumpled against him. “I can't believe you're really here.” Her palm caressed the back of his neck as she reveled in the feel of him.
“I know,” he murmured as he tightly held onto her, his fingers running over her hair.
Drawing back from him so she could look into his face, she asked, “Are you okay?”
“I am now,” Nathan told her, nodding as he gave her a shaky half-smile. Lowering his head, he pressed his mouth against hers and kissed her for the first time in what felt like forever.
Parting her lips, Haley welcomed his kiss; one of her hands softly caressing his cheek while the other one rubbed over the back of his head. God, she'd missed him so much and she almost felt like pinching herself to make sure this was real and not another one of her dreams.
As the kiss intensified, she slid her arms up around his neck while his own wrapped around her back as he pulled her even further into him so that not even an inch of space existed between them.
He knew she would want to know everything that had happened to him but, for the moment, all he wanted to do was hold her and lose himself in the feel of her.
For a little while at least, everything else could wait.
Fin