Forever's Not Supposed to End

Nathan's point of view

My heart was pounding as I parked the car. The sun had risen now and the weak early morning sunlight was burning my tired eyes.

Matthew was fast asleep in the passenger seat.

He'd cried for hours after I told him about Hayley being pregnant. He'd go between being insanely happy, to extremely confused as to how it happened, to worried sick about the baby and Hayley.

He'd eventually cried himself to sleep, and I had just let him sleep as I drove.

Knowing it was wrong, I got out of the car and locked it, leaving him there sleeping. I needed to see Hayley, just the two of us.

After rushing into the main reception area, I practically sprinted through the maze of white corridors until I found the room number that the receptionist had given me.

I held my breath as I knocked on the door. I had no idea as to how seriously Hayley was hurt, but the fact her room wasn't in the ICU was a good sign.

Nobody responded from inside the room so I opened the door a little bit and peeked inside.

Hayley was staring up at me from a bed in the middle of the room. She looked in pain and I crept into the room quietly, closing the door behind me. She didn't have any injuries that I could see.

"You scared the shit out of us," I sighed, sitting in the chair beside her bed and taking her hand.

"I'm sorry," she said sadly.

"Don't be ridiculous, it isn't your fault. Stuff like this happens by accident sometimes, I'm just glad you seem to be in one piece," I said, slowing down towards the end of my sentence.

"You're OK though right? Just in shock?"

She shook her head slowly.

"I'm really really bruised and beat up, they said I was lucky I didn't break all of my ribs. My stomach and chest are gonna be lovely and purple tomorrow though where I hit the steering wheel," she said, looking away at me as her green eyes started to fill with tears.

The way her face crumpled as she started to cry told me the answer to a question I hadn't yet asked.

"I'm so sorry... there was nothing they could do... the impact. and then I went into shock and... I'm so sorry Nathan, it's gone," she sobbed, looking at the ground.

"Hey, don't be sorry OK, none of this is your fault," I said, taking both her hands in mine.

"Can I hug you?" I said, fighting back the tears threatening to spill.

"I hurt too much right now I think," she said quietly.

"That's OK. But don't you dare blame yourself, this was just an accident OK. This was nobodies fault. But.. I told Matthew-"

"Fuck. What did you tell him?" she cut me off.

"Just that you were pregnant, I didn't tell him the truth or anything... but he was so happy, he really was," I said, a weak smile finding its way onto my face.

Maybe this was for the best. Then neither of us would have to live with guilt.

"Is he sleeping?" she asked slowly.

"Yeah he is I-"

"Can you go get him?" she said, cutting me off.

I nodded and stood up slowly, wiping the tears from my face.

I felt numb as I walked back to the car, and plastered a fake smile on my face as I woke Matthew up by gently shaking his shoulder.

"What time is it?" he mumbled sleepily, stretching slightly and opening his eyes.

"Uh.. just after seven am," I said, quickly glancing at the time on my phone.

"I'm all smushed from sleeping in the car," he said, standing up slowly.

"You'll be OK. Come on, let's go see her," I said, pretending I hadn't already been inside to talk to her.

We asked for Hayley's room number at the reception desk, and the woman gave me a strange look, obviously remembering me from just a few minutes ago.

I pretended I didn't know where I was going, and allowed Matthew to get us hopelessly lost in the corridors, before I pretended to suddenly know the way to the room.

"Nathan, what if its really bad?" he said, pausing before he opened the door, his face pale and his hands shaking.

"I'm sure she's OK," I said, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly.

He opened the door slowly, Hayley smiled slightly, wiping away a few tears on her face.

"Hayley, you scared the living hell out of me," he whispered, rushing to hug her.

She winced as he gently hugged her. He didn't know how battered and bruised she was, and she clearly didn't have the heart to tell him.

"Don't you ever, ever get in a car again unless I'm the one driving it, you got that?" he said quietly.

She nodded, closing her eyes and burying her face in his neck.

"I was so scared," he whispered to her, starting to cry again.

"Me too Matthew, I'm so glad you're here now," she smiled weakly.

I felt slightly awkward standing in the room, almost like I was intruding on their moment together.

"Hayley.. I... why didn't you tell me? You should have just told me," he said quietly, pulling away from her slightly to look into her eyes.

I felt my heart breaking as she crumpled into tears again. I couldn't help but to take her hand in mine, trying to support her without words.

"I- Matthew I-.. It's-" she whimpered.
She didn't need to finish the sentence. He knew what she was telling him.

"It's OK. So long as you're OK, that's the most important thing, I don't ever want to lose you," he said, clearly trying to fight back more tears.

I couldn't even imagine how he was feeling right now. From finding out just a few hours ago that he was going to be a 'father' to now finding out the baby was gone.

Maybe almost as bad as I felt.

"We'll make another one, someday?" he said, smiling slightly, his eyes twinkling just a little bit.

"Matthew," giggled Hayley, playfully shoving him.

"Are you gonna be allowed home today? I get to be your nurse now," he said, sitting on the side of her bed and smoothing her hair. I held onto her hand and she held onto mine, I think she was as grateful for the contact as I was.

"I forbid you from taking care of me. You need to be resting yourself. I can go home whenever, my Dad actually left not long ago to go and make up my bedroom at his place, he's coming back over to get me any minute and I'll be staying with him until all my bruising has gone down and I'm feeling better," she explained, wincing as she sat up a little.

"You're just bruised? How fast were you going? And what even happened?" asked Matthew, looking concerned.

"Uh... the car in front of me blew it's tyre out and I couldn't stop. I was going too fast," she admitted.

A knock at the door interrupted the conversation.

"Yeah?" said Hayley.

The door opened and a middle-aged man in a business suit entered the room. He was short, even shorter than Matthew and I, and slightly round, with a kind yet stressed looking face. He resembled Hayley a lot, apart from the eyes, his were brown where hers were green.

"I see you've found some friends?" he said, walking over and standing next to the bed on the same side that Matthew was sitting on, he was still stroking her hair.

"Dad, this is Matthew and Nathan Leone," she said, pointing to each of us in turn.

"I'm Frank Williams," he said, offering me his hand. I shook it and did my best to smile.

"And you must be the young man I've heard so much about," he said, turning to Matthew, who blushed slightly.

"I'm hardly young sir," he said, shaking Frank's hand.

"I've heard a lot about you. Take good care of my little girl - she's the only one I've got, and don't you dare call me sir," he said, nodding.

"OK, and don't worry," said Matthew, looking back down at Hayley and smiling.

"I will, I promise," he said. Hayley smiled weakly and closed her eyes, she was obviously exhausted.

"Come on Missy, let's get you home to bed," said Frank, he and Matthew helping her sit up slowly.

"I need to change back into my clothes," she said, looking at them folded neatly on the counter top.

"I'd offer to help you, but that's kinda awkward in front of your Dad," said Matthew, laughing slightly.

Frank laughed too. He seemed to have a good sense of humour. He seemed like a good guy in general, and it made me confused as to why Hayley was always so negative when she spoke about him.

"I don't think I can lift my arms far enough to pull on my shirt," she sighed, moving around slightly and wincing again.

"Can't we just bring you in your hospital gown and blanket?" I suggested.

"Let's go, come on, forget the clothes, just put this on," said Matthew, wrapping the blanket around her carefully and then doing something I was not expecting and picking her up very carefully, bridal style.

Her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Are you OK?" she asked him quietly.

He nodded quickly and the four of us left the room, Matthew carrying Hayley all the way to the car. I could see his legs shaking from the exertion, but there was no way he'd give up carrying her.

"We'll follow you and see you in a little bit OK?" I said as Matthew set Hayley in the back seat of her Dad's car, still wrapped up like a caterpillar in a cocoon in her blanket.

He turned to me, his eyes pleading silently.

"You go with them, I'll follow in my car," I said, sighing slightly. I didn't want to be by myself right now.

Matthew smiled and climbed into the back of the car next to Hayley.

She immediately cuddled into him and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her close.

"I'm gonna do your seatbelt for you OK?" he said quietly and she nodded, he reached up and grabbed the seatbelt, then careful of all her bruises buckled it up, then his own.

"See you in a bit," he smiled to me and I closed the door, walking back over to my own car and starting to follow them.

We drove for around twenty five minutes, seemingly out of the city, the houses got bigger and bigger and I noticed fancier and fancier cars parked in the driveways of the neighbourhoods we were driving through.

Eventually we stopped outside a large house with a white picket fence surrounding its perfectly kept lawn.

The house was modern looking from the outside and I expected the inside to be incredible, but I didn't care, so long as there was a bed, couch or floor I could sleep on.

I yawned widely as I walked over to Frank's car where Matthew and Hayley were both fast asleep in the back seat, hands clasped together.

"Well that's just adorable," smiled Frank and I nodded.

"Should we wake them up?" I asked.

"Better had, she should sleep laying down, and I get the feeling your brother has his own reasons for needing rest," he said knowingly. I nodded and we gently woke them both up.

Frank carried Hayley into the house. I barely registered any of the surroundings as I walked behind them, Matthew arm draped over my shoulders and much of his weight leaning on me.

Frank entered a room with Hayley and I smirked to myself as we followed. It was like it hadn't been touched since she was a teenager, posters covered every surface and there was mess everywhere, completely the opposite of her own house.

"You two get the next two rooms along, and I'm sorry Matthew, but you can't share a bed with my Hayley under my roof, that's rule number one here," he said and Matthew nodded instantly.

He let go of me and took a few steps towards Hayley in the bed and he crouched down so his face was level with hers.

"I'm not allowed to sleep in here with you, no boys in your room OK?" he said quietly.

"Daddy he's harmless, they both are, let them stay in here," she sighed.

Frank rolled his eyes and started to walk towards the door.

"Get some sleep. I'll see you guys in a few hours," he said, leaving the room and closing the door behind himself.

"Well that was easy," grinned Matthew, climbing into the bed next to Hayley.

"He's a pushover," she mumbled sleepily.

"Get some sleep baby, I'll be here if you need anything. And by that I mean I'll be here to wake Nathan up if you need anything so he can go get it," he sniggered.

"Jerk," I laughed, pulling off my shoes and belt and also crawling into the bed. I was grateful it was king sized so the three of us could fit comfortably.

"It's been a weird kind of day," mumbled Hayley sleepily, her eyes closed, she was falling asleep quickly.

"Tomorrow will be better, I Love you," said Matthew, kissing her forehead. She smiled weakly.

"Love you too."

"Aw you guys, I'm such a third wheel," I pouted.

"Love you Nathan," sighed Matthew.

"Aw. Thanks," I said, scooting closer to him. I didn't want to feel alone in the slightest.

If I let myself think about what I had lost today I might just lose my mind.

I closed my eyes and snuggled up to Matthew, draping my arm over his chest. He was curled protectively next to Hayley, his arm carefully next to her but not across her, as he didn't want to touch any of her tender abdomen and chest. They were holding hands though, which was cute.

I could hear the birds singing outside and knew that all three of our sleep schedules would be fucked if we slept for too long in the morning. But I didn't care. I just needed to sleep desperately.

I forced myself to think of what I had gained today, freedom from a lie I could never have kept a secret, and not what I had lost.