Rescue Me
Title: Rescue Me
Author: Diane
Category: Nathan/Haley
Rating: Teen Rated
Disclaimer: I don’t own a thing!
Summary: An alternative way that Nathan and Haley could have gotten closer.
Author’s Note: This fic is slightly AU in that it doesn’t follow the show’s timeline. Nathan and Haley have begun their tutoring sessions but nothing much has happened between them so far.
Haley’s eyelids fluttered open and she blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light. She didn’t recognise the cream coloured ceiling and slowly turning her head from side to side, she realised she didn’t recognise any of her surroundings. Feeling a heaviness on her right hand, she carefully raised it and seeing a tube stuck into the back of it, she started to panic.
As she tried to shift herself higher up in the bed, she noticed a mop of dark hair resting on her left side and she slowly started to relax. She’d recognise that head anywhere. Softly, she stroked her hand through it, lightly brushing her fingers over his forehead. A moment later he turned over to look at her.
“Haley? Oh my god, Haley...” Nathan said, relief evident in his voice as he became more awake. Standing up and leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
“Woah! Not so tight, I can hardly breathe,” she teased as she hugged him with her free hand.
“Sorry,” he replied sheepishly. “I’m just so happy to see you awake and to hear your voice.”
Haley smiled at him. “I’m happy to see you too. But what’s going on? Where am I?”
Nathan looked into her eyes and it was easy to see her confusion. “You...you don’t remember?”
“Remember what?”
Taking a step back, he sat down on the edge of her bed and took her hand in his. “There was an accident... I’d convinced you to let me take you out for an ice cream after school, you know, to say thanks for getting me through that quiz. We were crossing the street and you were slightly ahead of me when all of a sudden this car came out of nowhere. I managed to push you out of the way but you fell forward and hit your head on the kerb.” Nathan took a deep breath. Just thinking about it again made him want to cry and he coughed to clear his throat.
Haley picked up one of his hands and placed a kiss in his palm. “So you saved my life, Mr Scott?”
Shaking his head no, he whispered, “I nearly killed you myself.”
“What are you talking about? If you hadn’t pushed me out of the way I’d have been hit by a car. I think a little bump on the head is nothing compared to that.”
“You...you were so still and I couldn’t wake you up. I turned you over carefully, I didn’t even know if I was supposed to do that and you had this cut that was bleeding and I...I didn’t know what to do.” He closed his eyes as the memory replayed itself over and over again in his mind.
“Well, I’d say whatever you did worked because I’m here and I’m fine. You have nothing to beat yourself up about, okay?”
Nathan slowly looked up and into her eyes and he saw the genuineness of her statement and he smiled back at her. “Thanks. I, uh, I’d better go and tell the nurses you’re awake. I didn’t know how to get hold of your parents so I called Lucas’s house and his mom said she’d do it.”
She nodded and released his hand from her grasp as he stood up from her bed. “Okay. Um...Nathan, will you, uh, come back and see me?” Her eyes lowered as she waited for his answer.
Bending his head, he placed a kiss on her forehead. “Just try keeping me away,” he told her with a smirk before heading out of her room.
Once outside, Nathan leaned against a wall and breathed a huge sigh of relief. He had been so scared when he hadn’t been able to wake her up after the accident and she’d been unconscious for almost three hours. After calling for an ambulance on his cell phone, he had immediately called the café hoping to speak to Lucas but he hadn’t arrived home yet. Thankfully Karen had said she’d take care of things for him.
Walking over to the nurses’ station, he informed them that Haley had just woken up and one of them said she’d notify the doctor. She asked that he stay in the waiting area while they examined her and deciding to use the opportunity to get himself a drink, he headed for the vending machines he’d seen on his way in earlier. After getting himself a Coke, he made his way back to the waiting area and saw Lucas at the reception desk.
“Lucas,” he said tapping him on his shoulder.
The blonde turned around sharply and looked at his half-brother. “Where’s Haley? Is she okay? What did you do to her?”
Nathan narrowed his eyes at hearing that last question. “Firstly, Haley’s fine. She’s just woken up and one of the nurses is checking her out before the doctor gets here. And secondly, I didn’t do anything to her.”
“Then why is she here, huh? I knew her tutoring you was a bad idea,” Lucas told him.
“Look, I was taking her for some ice cream and as we were crossing the street, this car was suddenly coming at us. I managed to push her forward out of the way but she hit her head on the kerb and was knocked out. I know it’s my fault she’s in here, okay, so I don’t need you to dish it out too.”
“Listen, I’m...” The older Scott felt bad about jumping to conclusions and if what he was being told was true, then his half-brother had actually saved her from being more badly injured or even killed.
“Save it. Now you’re here I can go. She’s in room three twenty-five which is just down there on the left,” he said gesturing with his hand. “Tell her I’ll come by later.”
“Nathan, wait.” Lucas called out after him but the other boy didn’t turn around. He stood there for a moment before going to find his best friend.
* * * * *
“Okay Haley, we’ll be keeping you in overnight for observation,” the doctor told her. “It’s just a precaution as you were unconscious for quite a while. The cut on your forehead wasn’t as deep as it first appeared so we’ve just steri-stripped it.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. If you feel at all unwell, just press the buzzer and one of the nurses will come and see you.”
Haley nodded and smiled gratefully as the doctor turned and left the room. She lay back against her pillows and wished she had something to read or better yet, someone to talk to. After Nathan had told her why she was in the hospital, she had tried hard to remember what had happened but was drawing a blank. The last thing she did remember was him being his usual persuasive self when he’d got her to agree to go with him to get some ice cream. She closed her eyes as she smiled at the memory. It had only been a few weeks since she’d started tutoring him but already her feelings about him were changing and she didn’t know what to do. Lucas was already angry about her tutoring him and she knew he’d be even angrier if she confessed that she had actually started liking him.
“Hey you.”
Lucas’s voice brought her out of her reverie and opening her eyes, she saw him standing in the doorway and she smiled at him. “Hey back.” Her eyes automatically looked behind him trying to see if Nathan was anywhere in sight.
“I heard about what happened. So how are you feeling?” He asked as he took a seat in the chair beside her bed.
“I’m not too bad, thanks. I’ve got a killer headache but the nurse just gave me some painkillers so hopefully they’ll kick in soon. What are you doing here?”
“What? You thought I wouldn’t come visit my best friend when she’s lying all alone in a hospital?” He teased.
“No, no, of course not. And technically I’m not alone ‘cos...um...Nathan’s here.”
“He just left, Haley, but he said to tell you he’ll be back later. He told me what happened and I...”
“Nathan saved my life, Lucas. If he hadn’t done what he did I could’ve...”
Lucas placed a hand over hers which was resting on her stomach. “Shh, I know. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened. But what were you doing going out with him?”
Haley sighed. “It wasn’t a big deal,” she lied. “He did well on the quiz he had today and he wanted to say thanks so he invited me to go and get something to eat. That’s all.”
“Oh,” he replied. Deep down he didn’t believe that it wasn’t a big deal. He had been watching the pair of them together since he’d found out about the tutoring and it wasn’t hard to see that Haley liked his brother. His concern though was that Nathan was using her to get to him and if he was...well, he’d make him sorry he’d ever asked her to tutor him.
“Could you maybe do me a favour while you’re here?” she asked.
“Sure, what is it?”
“I’m so bored, could you maybe go down to the gift shop and get me a magazine or something? I’ll pay you back when I get home.”
“You don’t have to pay me back, you know that.” Lucas got up from his seat and smiled at her. “While I’m doing that I’ll call Mom and let her know you’re okay. She was going frantic after Nathan called her. I’ll be back in a few minutes, okay?”
“Okay,” she nodded back at him.
Haley couldn’t help feeling disappointed that Nathan had left without having said goodbye to her but she knew that he and Lucas had probably had another run in with each other. It was wishful thinking to hope that her accident could have brought them a little closer together.
* * * * *
After he had left the hospital, Nathan had gone home to an empty house. His mom was away on one of her business trips and he remembered that his dad was having dinner with a client. Lying on his bed, he was actually grateful for the silence. All he could think about was Haley and what had happened that afternoon.
It had only been a few weeks since he’d asked her to tutor him but already he had changed his opinion of her. He had thought she’d be the easiest way of getting to Lucas but he had been wrong. The first thing she’d done when he’d asked for her help was to tell him she’d only be willing to tutor him if he laid off his half-brother. Even though he’d agreed to her demand, he knew that he was irritating the other boy by having her just talking to him and for now that was good enough.
He hadn’t failed to notice how pretty Haley was and there were times when they were studying together in the tutoring center that he had real trouble taking his eyes off her. There was a natural beauty to her which just seemed to shine through, especially when she smiled. The way she’d smile at him when he solved a problem was enough motivation for him to keep studying so that he’d see her do it again and again.
Feeling his eyes getting heavy, he closed them and fell asleep thinking of her.
* * * * *
Lying in her bed, Haley looked up at the clock above the door and sighed. Visiting hours ended a while ago and Nathan hadn’t kept to his word and come to see her. God, she was so stupid to think he was any different to her first impressions of him. In some ways it was easier to deal with his cocky arrogance, at least then she knew where she stood. But when she’d woken up earlier and seen the relief in his eyes, for a moment or two she had thought...
She sighed again before turning over in the bed. All the sleep she had had earlier meant she wasn’t tired at all now and she was bored to tears. Lucas had bought her a couple of magazines which she’d read from cover to cover after he’d left. He had been willing to stay until visiting time ended but she had told him she was feeling a bit tired and wanted to get some sleep. It had been a lie but she knew telling him that her thoughts were being dominated by Nathan and she just wanted to think about him wouldn’t go over too well. A giggle bubbled up and escaped at the thought of that.
“What’s so funny?” A familiar voice asked quietly and Haley quickly turned to face her visitor.
“Uh...nothing,” she told him before adding, “You came back.”
Closing the door behind him, Nathan walked towards her and took a seat on the bed. “I said I would, didn’t I? I meant to come back sooner but I fell asleep and woke up about half an hour ago.”
Shifting herself in the bed, Haley sat up and rested back against the pillows. “Oh, you shouldn’t have come back if you were tired...not that I’m not glad to see you because, uh, well... I mean, what I’m trying to say is...”
Looking at her flushed cheeks and the way she was rambling, he couldn’t help himself and leaning forward he covered her lips with his own and kissed her. He felt her shock at the sudden move but a second later her lips started moving against his and she was kissing him back.
The kiss was soft yet filled with passion. When Haley’s lips parted, Nathan gently slipped his tongue into her mouth and stroked it against her own. The moan that escaped her throat had him smiling against her lips.
Haley felt like she was flying. The feel of his mouth against her own, his tongue playing with hers was making her feel giddy and bringing up her arms, she wrapped them around his neck holding him tight. One of Nathan’s hands came up to cradle her cheek in his palm while his other arm wrapped around her waist.
The kiss continued for a little while longer before they each drew back, practically panting for air. Haley could feel her cheeks heat up and her eyes left his to look down at the blanket covering her. As they did so, Nathan’s hand, which was still cupping her cheek, went to her chin and raised it so she was once again looking into his clear blue gaze.
“I...I guess I should be sorry I did that but I’m not. I know it complicates things even more but I don’t care,” Nathan told her adamantly.
“I’m not sorry either,” she admitted as her fingers idly stroked over the nape of his neck. “So, what happens now?”
“What, right now? I was thinking this...” he whispered before capturing her lips once more with his. This kiss was just as intense as their first but didn’t last quite as long.
Haley laughed quietly. “No, I didn’t mean right now, not that I’m complaining about you kissing me.”
“Well good,” he said laughing with her. “You mean tomorrow though, right?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I’m not saying we have to decide things right now or anything but...”
“It’s okay, Haley. How about if we just see how things go? I’m not saying we keep this a secret but it might be an idea to keep it quiet and just see what happens.”
“I agree. I mean, it could turn out to be nothing,” she said forcing the untruth out.
“It feels like something to me,” he admitted almost shyly.
Moving forward, Haley took the initiative and kissed him gently. “It feels like something to me too, Nathan. I just don’t want whatever happens between us to affect my friendship with Lucas.”
“I don’t want that to happen either.” Nathan was actually surprised to find that he really meant that. While he usually enjoyed annoying Lucas, he didn’t want to carry on with his plan to use Haley to get to him. She meant more to him than that.
Clearing her throat, Haley asked, “So, how’d you get in here to see me? Visiting hours ended a little while ago.”
“I managed to sneak past the nurses’ station when they were busy. I’d better be going soon before we get busted.”
“We?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t sneak in here.”
“That’s right, let me take the fall.” He teased before turning a bit more serious. “Are they releasing you tomorrow?”
“Uh huh. My parents are on their way back home from visiting my sister and her husband so they’ll be springing me out of here some time tomorrow morning, I think.”
“I guess I won’t be seeing you until Monday then.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll probably be climbing the walls by tomorrow afternoon with them babying me. You feel like maybe rescuing me?”
Nathan nodded before kissing her again. “Oh yeah,” he drawled huskily. “Give me a call when you’re ready and I’ll come and get you.”
“Okay, thanks. I’m sure they’ll want to meet the guy who saved me.”
“Uh, you mean you want me to come inside and meet your parents? I...I...”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to. It’s just that I know Karen told them what happened and I know what they’re like. They’ll want to thank you in person for what you did.”
It was Nathan’s turn to blush. “Anyone else would have done the same thing.”
“Yeah, maybe so but it wasn’t anyone else. It was you.” Haley laced her fingers with his and kissed his knuckles. “You know, I think I should say thanks again,” she said before once again kissing him. Feeling a little bolder, she parted his lips with her tongue and then thoroughly explored his hot mouth.
Nathan held her hand even more tightly in his as the kiss became more heated. He was usually the one in control but he really liked the way Haley was taking the lead and he was sure his body temperature was rapidly increasing.
They were suddenly interrupted by the door opening and a nurse standing there with her hands on her hips. “What the hell is going on in here?” she asked loudly.
The two teens quickly broke apart and they looked at the red faced nurse, trying hard not to laugh.
“You,” she said pointing to Nathan, “out. I don’t know how you got in here past visiting hours...” she trailed off.
Standing up, Nathan turned to look at Haley and he smirked at her. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Just call me and I’ll come and pick you up. You can then carry on thanking me.” Bending down, he kissed her lips again and only stopped when the nurse coughed loudly.
Haley smiled up at him and nodded. “Okay. Drive carefully.” She watched him walk out of the door and she couldn’t stop smiling as she laid back down and snuggled under the covers.
“And you young lady, do you need any more painkillers?”
Turning her attention to the nurse, she shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m feeling much better.”
“Yes, I’ll bet,” the nurse mumbled before saying more loudly, “Well try and get some sleep. If you need anything, just press the buzzer.” Leaving the room, the nurse couldn’t help smiling to herself. ‘Kids these days.’
Fin