"Dan." Lucas called and Dan turned happy because he thought Lucas was coming after him. However, Lucas punched him in the face several times until Nathan joined him and joined in. The twins ran outside and Claudia chased after them. 

"Grandpa!" Jamie and Grace shouted as they saw their grandpa with his back against the car, he was bloody from the punches. Lucas and Nathan were gasping for breath.

"Jamie! Grace!" Claudia shouted as she chased after them. Dan was so happy to see his grandchildren.

"Hey, buddies." Dan smiled at his two grandchildren.

"Twins." Claudia called out but they were already at their Grandpa Dan.

"I got to go now. You go back to your mom, okay? Go on. Go on." Dan explained, Jamie and Grace walked back to their mom but Jamie turned around to face Dan.

"Grandpa. Thank you." Jamie smiled before him and his twin walked back to their mom.

"Jamie, Gracie. I will be right behind you." Claudia smiled and her kids ran into the house. She waited until they were gone and then she marched up to Dan. "You are one creepy sociopath Dan Scott." Claudia spat before she slapped him across the face. "That is for flirting with me in the car and killing Keith." Claudia stated angrily before he fixed her hair and stood beside her husband. Dan got up and left, the three of them watched. 

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked and Claudia shook her head.

"He is lucky he brought back Jamie or I would have killed him then and there." Claudia answered truthfully before she walked into the house. Nathan turned to Lucas.

"My girl is something else." He smirked as he watched Claudia stride off into the house. Claudia heard and bit her lip smirking. 

___

Claudia was watching Nathan as he watched over his two kids. It was late and the twins were in bed, they were sleeping in Claudia and Nathan's bed because Claudia was not prepared to let them go. 

"You can stay here tonight, if you want." Claudia stated and Nathan turned around to face her. "For Jamie and Grace." Claudia added and Nathan nodded his head.

"I would like that." Nathan replied and Claudia smiled at him before she leaned on the chest of drawers. "We need to talk about things Claude, maybe not tonight or in the next week. But we have to." Nathan added and Claudia nodded her head.

"I want us to go to therapy." Claudia stated bluntly and Nathan furrowed his brow. "I want to work through this and I only see us doing that through therapy. I am giving you the option, but if you don't come then I will know the truth." Claudia explained and Nathan walked towards the love of his life.

"I will be there every week, I promise." Nathan replied and Claudia smiled up at him.

"Thank you." Claudia stated before she walked away from Nathan and slipped into bed with her kids. "Good night." Claudia added before she closed her eyes and went to sleep. She hugged her children so that they would feel safe and so that she would feel better knowing they were safe. Nathan continued to watch them until they fell asleep. He didn't want to leave them ever again and was going to do whatever he could to get them back. 

 + + + Four Weeks Later + + + 

"I guess I still find it hard to let Jamie out of my sight. It's just it's only been a month since he was abducted." Claudia started off, her and Nathan were sitting in marriage counselling. They were getting stronger but Claudia wasn't fulling trusting Nathan again. "Is it so crazy that I would still hear echoes from that day, that I would still be a little overprotective?" Claudia asked.

"Protective or overprotective? You said over protective." The Therapist asked and Claudia stayed silent for a moment.

"Okay. Well, you said it yourself. Identification is the first step to recovery, right?" Claudia asked and the therapist nodded her head. 

"How have things been going since Nathan moved home?" She asked in her english accent. Claudia turned to face Nathan.

"Better." Claudia nodded.

"Better." Nathan said. 

"I mean we went out together. We did what you said." Claudia stated and the therapist smiled at her.

"What did you do?" She asked and Claudia looked over at Nathan.

Claudia and Nathan were sitting at the kitchen table awkwardly, their therapist had told them to go on a date like old times.

"Where should we go?" Claudia asked starting up the conversation. She was trying to think of places to go but she didn't want to leave her children on their own.

"Haley and Jack will be here any minutes so we really should decide." Nathan explained and Claudia looked down at her cracker jack bracelet. "I have an idea." Nathan smirked and Claudia looked at him worried.

+++

Nathan had blindfolded Claudia as took her to his idea place. Claudia was more worried then excited.

"Nathan, this might be a bad idea. Maybe we should go home." Claudia suggested but Nathan wasn't having that he needed his wife back. 

"We are here." Nathan smiled as he sat Claudia down. Claudia took off her blindfold. They were sitting at the market street dock, it was at night and it was all lit up.

"Wow." Claudia smiled in awe as she looked at how beautiful it was.

"Almost as beautiful as you." Nathan smiled and Claudia blushed bright red.

"Nathan, come on." She laughed, she hated being complimented. She just couldn't take it. Nathan took out a cracker jack box and Claudia laughed a little. "Wonder whats inside Mr Big Shot with you touch downs?" Claudia asked jokingly and Nathan opened it up. It was a basketball key ring. Claudia took it off of Nathan. "Don't say I never gave you anything." Claudia smiled as she handed it back to him. 

___

"We've spent the past four sessions discussing you and Nathan as a couple, as parents to Jamie. Let's talk about you as individuals." The therapist explained before she turned to face Claudia. "Who are you, Claudia?" The Counsellor asked and Claudia was confused.

"You mean, like, what do I do for a living, or what are my hobbies, or..." Claudia dragged on and the therapist cut in.

"No, I mean who are you?" She asked interesting.

"A mum." Claudia replied bluntly and the counsellor nodded her head.

"Okay, what do you too want? Nathan you go first." She asked and Nathan had no hesitation before replying.

"I want my family back. And I want Claudia to trust me again. I want her to look at me the way she used to and see a better man than maybe I'll ever be. And then I want to be that man. And I will be, for her and for Jamie and for Grace." Nathan explained honestly and truthfully as he looked over at Claudia. Claudia kept her eyes on the therapist.

"I want to believe in Nathan again. And I want to believe in the goodness of people. And I want my son and daughter to be safe, and I want them to be great, and I want that greatness to be seen and appreciated. That's what I want." Claudia stated truthfully. It has always been a fear of hers, her children not being able to make a mark on the world. 

___

"My problems with my past are of my own doing. I'm stubborn, and I have a temper, and I don't always make the best decisions." Nathan explained and Claudia watched him. 

"It must have been very difficult for you, coming so close to the NBA. Do you think about that much?" The counsellor asked and Nathan shrugged. 

"Sometimes. Yeah. I mean, sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night, and I walk through town, past the school, past the gym I can still hear the echoes, you know?" Nathan explained and Claudia gaped at him. 

"You never told me that." She stated and Nathan looked at her. 

"It's not something I'm all that proud of." Nathan said before he turned to the counsellor. "It's like... look, I'm not good with being vulnerable. In fact, this is probably the closest I've come to it... Well, the second closest." Nathan explained and the therapist leaned forward. 

"What was the first?" The counsellor asked intrigued. 

"When I was a junior in high school, I took some... stuff to help me with my game... drugs... and it was a stupid thing to do. I ended up collapsing on the court, and my father was all about, you know, covering it up for the Scouts." Nathan explained getting away from the subject. Claudia listened in. "Anyway, when I left the hospital, I went to see Claudia, because I needed to know if she could forgive me. I wanted to see if I still had the chance to be great in her eyes. And when she did... she forgave me... that was the moment that everything changed for me. That was the moment I fell in love with her, this girl who could see past all the mistakes I've made. I don't know. I guess maybe sometimes I screw up because I want to feel that again." Nathan continued and Claudia felt bad for him. "I suppose that sounds pretty broken." He added and Claudia shook her head. Claudia held onto his hand sympathetically. He looked down and smiled at it.

"It doesn't sound broken." Claudia replied truthfully. 

___

"I think not knowing is the hardest part." Claudia stated before she stayed silent. "Just not knowing what our marriage means to Nathan, if he still wants the same things out of our relationship that I want, if he still finds me sexy, or if he still wants me." Claudia explained and Nathan was shocked.

"How could you not know that?" Nathan asked and Claudia didn't even look at him. 

"The name Carrie comes to mind." Claudia replied bluntly and Nathan sighed. "Why didn't you just tell me about the flirting?" Claudia asked still not looking at him. 

"I don't know." Nathan replied and Claudia crossed her arms over.

"Did you like it?" She asked snapping her head in his direction. 

"Maybe. Maybe I just needed it." Nathan admitted. 

"Why, because I don't flirt with you after a long day of wrestling with high-school students and parenting our children?" Claudia asked rhetorically holding back the tears. 

"No, because you don't look at me like that anymore." Nathan replied and Claudia kept her eyes on him. "And I get it, you know. I haven't been worthy of that look from you in a long time. But, God, Claudia, I just... I miss that." Nathan admitted and Claudia turned away. She didn't know what to say.

"When was the first time you felt a sense of accomplishment, Nathan?" The counsellor asked.

"It was when I started playing basketball." Nathan replied.

"And the support of your father?" She asked.

"When I started playing basketball." Nathan repeated.

"And this year, all that stopped... all the praise and adoration... at least until your nanny started swimming naked." The Therapist explained and Nathan looked away- almost frustrated. "It's not the craziest case of transference I've ever heard." She added.

"So, what, I need to start swimming naked for my husband's ego?" Claudia asked and Nathan quickly turned to face her. 

"No, you don't... Claudia, this is not your fault. It's not." Nathan replied honestly.

"Why not swim naked? You could try it together. It might be fun." The counsellor suggested.

"Okay." Claudia laughed as she wiped away her falling tears. 

"After all, you are 22. Tell me something. When was the last time the two of you did something really young and foolish together?" She asked.

"With all due respect, we have been married nearly 6 years. We have a son and daughter who are almost 5. We don't get to be young." Claudia explained and parenting always came first with her.

"Everyone gets to be young... especially when you are." The counsellor smiled and Nathan looked over at Claudia, as she looked straight ahead. They were far apart on the couch.

___

"Let's talk a little more about basketball, Nathan. I find it interesting that when you describe yourselves, you describe being parents and spouses and siblings and friends. But, Nathan, you never once described yourself as a basketball player." The counsellor explained. 

"That's because I'm not anymore." Nathan replied and Claudia felt bad for him, it was his dream.

"Why not?" She asked.

"That's what happens when your spine gets crushed." Nathan replied.

"And the doctors definitively said you couldn't play?" The counsellor asked and Claudia crossed her legs and looked at Nathan. 

"There's no such thing as definitively, but nobody's ever come back from something like this before." Nathan replied. 

"But you're Nathan Scott." The counsellor challenged.

"I'm not that Nathan Scott." Nathan replied and then the counsellor redirected her attention towards Claudia.

"And, Claudia, you never refer to yourself as a musician." She stated and Claudia nodded her head. "You were the Claudia Scott. Your music spoke to people and then you just stopped." She added.

"Yeah. Well, I haven't recorded in a really long time. My last album was Twenty Three." Claudia explained.

"Why not?" The counsellor asked.

"I had a son and daughter to raise, and Nathan's accident." She explained taking off her jacket, she was wearing a white sun dress and a brown leather jacket. 

"And now?" The counsellor asked.

"And now I still have a son and daughter to raise because I haven't found a really unattractive nanny yet." Claudia joked and the young married couple laughed. "I also don't know if I will be good enough." Claudia added and Nathan looked at his wife who was being vulnerable.

"How did you use to get inspiration for your songs?" The counsellor asked but everyone already knew the answer.

"Nathan." Claudia smiled as she looked over at him. "When I met him my music really started to be something. Then I found out I was going to a mum and my music continued to just come out of me." Claudia smiled to herself. High school really gave her music soul and passion.

"When was the last time you wrote a song?" The counsellor asked and Claudia didn't even have to think about it.

"The night when I kicked Nathan out. I actually wrote at least three. Then when I found out he kissed Carrie two more." Claudia explained honestly. 

"Have you named them?" She asked and Claudia nodded her head.

"Yeah. I have Karma, Don't Start Lying to Me Know, Cry Myself to Sleep, Letting me Down and While you are Out Looking for Sugar. But they are just lyrics, they have no music behind them." Claudia listed and Nathan felt the pain that Claudia felt through the song titles that Claudia had just said. 

"Find some. Make some." She stated and Claudia nodded her head. "Look, I'm only as intelligent as the diplomas on my wall, but here's a thought. Maybe you aren't the people you fell in love with because neither of you is trying to be the people you fell in love with." The counsellor explained and the married couple looked at each other.

"Claudia, will you ever go back to music?" The counsellor asked and Claudia shrugged.

"I won't be an absentee parent. If I have to sacrifice some things, then so be it." Claudia stated proudly and it was all the truth.

"That's noble, Claudia. But it also might be part of the problem. You both have individual passions, individual gifts, individual dreams. And you should, especially at your age. Maybe if you spent a little more time being selfish 22-year-olds, you might love yourself a bit more and resent each other a bit less." The counsellor explained and Nathan shook his head.

"I don't resent Claudia or Jamie or Grace. I mean, they're the three best things that ever happened to me." Nathan explained and Claudia nodded her head.

"Yeah. I agree with that. We're the best things that ever happened to him." Claudia joked and they all laughed. Claudia grinned at Nathan. They moved closer together on the couch. They were coming together again. "No, I agree that Nathan, Grace and Jamie are the best and most important things that I have." Claudia added seriously.

"What about music? I asked Nathan this before. What was it like, hearing the cheers of enthusiastic, sold-out crowds every night?" The counsellor asked and Nathan leaned forward.

"Incredible. It was humbling and wonderful. I was singing my own songs and covers of legends songs. I got to fulfil my dream of being a soul singer. Winning my BRIT Award was amazing." Claudia explained thinking about it all.

"But it took you away from Nathan." The counsellor added and Claudia turned to face Nathan.

"Yeah, we really struggled then and then I stopped because I had kids. I'm not avoiding music now because I'm afraid that that's gonna happen again." Claudia replied honestly.

"Good. Leaving Jamie and Grace out of all this, would you say those were your best days, where you were happiest with yourself?" The counsellor asked and Nathan turned to face Claudia.

"I wasn't proud of myself, because I knew Nathan was hurting and I was hurting a lot. But personally, I guess I loved it, yeah." Claudia explained sad. The tour for her was a mixture of feelings.

"What about you, Nathan? Best days ever... playing basketball in front of thousands?" The counsellor asked and Nathan smiled a little.

"The road trips sucked because I was away from Claudia, Grace and Jamie, but for me... yeah." Nathan smiled and Claudia looked at him intrigued. 

"If you could have those days back, do you think you might do things differently... maybe treat each other a bit differently in the face of those dreams?" She asked and Claudia nodded her  head.

"Yeah." Nathan replied sure.

"Definitely." Claudia answered.

"Maybe you can. Maybe you will." She replied and Claudia looked over at Nathan. Nathan took his hand in Claudia's before he leaned back. Claudia looked down at the hand smiling. 

___

"Now, we're nearly out of time, so let's end this session as we have every week. Claudia, tell me some things you love about Nathan." The Counsellor asked and Claudia didn't even have to hesitate.

"I love that he's here with me every week without fail." Claudia smiled as she sat forward and placed her hand in his upper thigh. "And I love that he holds himself accountable for his mistakes." Claudia continued as she leaned back on the couch. "And I love that he's so protective over me, Gracie-May and Jamie." Claudia continued as Nathan looked down. "And I love that shirt that he's wearing... and maybe the way he wears it." Claudia smirked and Nathan laughed.

"Nathan?" The counsellor asked just as the end of session timer rang. Nathan sighed.

"It's okay, really. I'm not that great at taking a compliment." Claudia sighed as she grabbed her jacket and they stood up.

"Oh, well, we'll be working on that next week, then." The counsellor laughed and so did Claudia. "You two are going to be okay. I really think so." She added and Claudia smiled up at Nathan.

"Thanks." She grinned at the counsellor before they left the room together. 

___

Claudia and Nathan were back from their session. They were making some real progress. Claudia was beginning to trust him again and see the man that he once was. They walked into the bedroom, Claudia first then Nathan.

"Quiet around here without Jamie and Grace." Nathan said, starting up the conversation. "And without Heidi." Nathan joked and Claudia laughed. Her and Heidi were always singing around the house. 

"Yeah. They are with Brooke. Baby steps." Claudia replied as she began to make the bed, Nathan leaned on the door frame and watched her.

"Yeah. How you sleeping these days?" Nathan asked and Claudia just shrugged.

"So-so. Jamie tosses around like a tasmanian devil." Claudia joked laughing.

"Grace nearly gave me a black eye." Nathan added and Claudia laughed a lot. "Maybe they should probably go back to their own beds, or we can swap over the kids? The whole separation thing." Nathan explained and Claudia wasn't too sure about that. She turned away and continued to make the bed. "You know, sometimes I find your goodness staggering." Nathan stated and Claudia turned to face him confused. "I didn't get a chance to tell you in the session, but your kindness is overwhelming, Claudia." Nathan added and Claudia smiled.

"Are you just trying to get me to sleep with you?" Claudia asked jokingly as she sat down on the bed.  "Because, I haven't fallen for that trick since, oh the night the twins were conceived." Claudia laughed and Nathan joined in before he turned serious again.

"I mean it, you saved my life. If I haven't said it lately, you're also sexy as hell." Nathan added and Claudia couldn't stand them being apart for much longer. She stood up and looked at him mousy. 

"Hey, I have an idea." Claudia stated and Nathan turned to face her. "I have this big empty bed and maybe we could try not sleeping in this bed." Claudia suggested laughing a little. and Nathan sighed happily. He had been waiting so long for this. He walked over and took her onto the bed, their faces were inches apart. They started to kiss and Claudia pulled away.

"You got any more of that sexy talk?" She asked smirking. 

"What, the kindness stuff or the sexy stuff?" Nathan asked flirtatiously. 

"The sexy." Claudia whispered. 

"You have a serious ass, Claudia Scott." Nathan smiled and continued to make out. They had both waited so long for this. 

___

Claudia was sitting at the piano wearing Nathan's shirt, she had a lot of new material that she couldn't wait to test out. Nathan was lying on the couch throwing  the ball up into the air then catching it. Claudia got up off of the piano and walked over to him. He sat and Claudia sat beside him.

"Let's never let anything come between us again." Claudia smiled as she touched his face. "I love you." Claudia added. 

"I love you too Claudia Scott." Nathan smiled as they continued to kiss. They ended up falling off of the couch and onto the floor.