Jen and I are back again ;) With a story I'm in love with, it's short, only five chapters and even with that the final one I'm already warning you is only 600 words but I just can't wait till tomorrow to post so here it is! Enjoy.

"Do I have to go?" Nathan Scott groaned as he sat in his manager Clay's car.

"Yes, you need to clean up your act. If you want any form of sponsorship you have to start making yourself look better."

"But Haley James Unplugged?" He sighed. "That's the event you choose."

"Hey, she's America's sweet heart or golden girl or whatever," He said with an eye roll. "and she's donating the profits of the event to St. Jude, everyone feels bad for sick kids. Your just lucky I got us invited."

"Whatever, we're sneaking out the back halfway through." Nathan said before stepping out of the car and into the press line, to start interviews.

An hour later, after he got past the press line and red carpet, Nathan was finally seated at the bar next to Clay when Haley James took the stage. "Hey everybody." The short blonde smiled taking a seat on a stool in front of the mic, her guitar on her lap. "Thank you all for coming, I'm excited to be here. It's an honor to be able to perform a few of my songs and a few of my favorite cover's acoustically for you all, so lets get started. I'm sure a lot of you have seen...a lot...in the tabloids about me breaking up with my boyfriend and well, this song has always been a favorite but now has a new found meaning."

"What's a cover?" Nathan whispered to Clay.

"When you sing another persons song." He replied as Nathan nodded.

As Haley started to sing, just her and her guitar, his eyes were set on her.

You know the bed feels warmer

Sleeping here alone

You know I dream in colour

And do the things I want

You think you got the best of me

Think you've had the last laugh

Bet you think that everything good is gone

Think you left me broken down

Think that I'd come running back

Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

You heard that I was starting over with someone new

They told you I was moving on over you

You didn't think that I'd come back

I'd come back swinging

You try to break me, but you see

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

Thanks to you I got a new thing started

Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted

Thanks to you I'm finally thinking about me

You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning

In the end...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

"Nate we can leave now if you want?" Clay asked walking back to where his friend sat, her set is done."

"We can stay a little longer." Nathan said scanning the room as Clay shook his head and laugh.

"Don't corrupt her, it will make you look worse."

"Whatever dude." Nathan said pushing him as Clay walked away.

"Great set Haley!" A woman said a Haley walked by

"Thanks" She smiled before leaning against the bar. "Hi, can I get a long island ice tea."

"That was a great set." Nathan said putting his hands in his pockets.

"Thank you" Haley said turning to face him "Nathan Scott? Your the basketball player right?"

"You know basketball." Nathan questions as she quickly shook her head.

"Not really" She laughed "My best friend is, his name is actually Lucas Scott and he was always a fan because of your last names."

"That's pretty funny actually." He chuckled.

"I never thought a guy like you would be here." She said knitting her eyebrows together.

"Yeah me either." He said biting his lip.

"You have to clean up your act or face major consequences?" She questioned.

"How did you know?" He asked moving to take a seat as she followed.

"This event was originally planned for after my album dropped in three months, but because of the breakup they moved it, so I got good press."

"Everybody loves sick kids." He filled in.

"Yeah."

"You were great up there, Haley." Another person said walking by.

"Thank you" She said smiling over at them "Have a good night."

"I guess this place is probably shutting down soon." Nathan said looking around to see everyone starting to leave.

"Yeah, the clean up crew will probably be in within the next half hour." She explained, used to this type of thing.

"Do you want to go somewhere quieter, to talk?" He clarified.

"That sounds nice." She said following him out of the room.

Eight hours later the pair was still sitting on Nathan's living room floor, a pizza, four beers, a liter bottle of soda, and two emptied bags of chips around them.

"So you told her to fuck off?" Haley questioned.

"Basically, and then she went to the tabloids… and Clay hated me."

"I'd imagine so." She laughed as Nathan's phone started to ring.

"Hello."

"I thought I told you not to corrupt her." Clay shouted into the phone.

"What? What are you talking about?" Nathan asked.

"Go to TMZ's website." Nathan stood up, noticing it was eight am and realized they had stayed up talking all night, something he had never done with a girl. His computer was on the table, he quickly opened it and went to see what Clay was talking about "Oh shit."

"Yeah, way to go."

"Clay, nothing happened we just talked, she's here now."

"Nathan Scott doesn't just talk."

"Well he did. I have to go." He sighed hanging up.

"What is it?" Haley asked getting up.

Nathan proceeded to read "Last night after Haley James's set at the Roxy she was seen getting friendly and chatting it up with Hollywood's notorious bad boy and heart breaker, Nathan Scott, before they left the club together. Is this the start of a new romance for the twenty somethings? Is a bad boy what Haley needs just as she gets over Chris Keller? Only time will tell." He sighed "And there is a photo of us when I let you wear my jacket because it was cold and put my arm on your back to cross the street."

"I don't think your a heart breaker." Was the only thing she said looking down.

"Society doesn't see that." He sighed "They just see the motorcycle I ride, my tattoos, and my record of girlfriends, half of which I never dated."

"But they don't see the side of you I saw last night." She said looking up at him and stepping closer.

"Last night was a first for me, I've never stayed up all night talking to a girl."

"Me either."

"So where does this leave us?" He asked "Because right now, I'm feeling something that I never have before."

"I think that I know the press paints a picture like it isn't, that your record of girlfriends is half that list or less, that you riding a motorcycle terrifies me a little but I could get over that, and that your tattoos...are sexy. I know I'm known as America's Sweetheart, and I love being her, but I know I'm falling for a bad boy." She smiled up at him before he leaned down to kiss her.

"This isn't just a fling for me Haley" He whispered against her lips before pulling away. "I've felt more for you in eight hours than I ever have in my life."

"Good," She smiled kissing him. "because it isn't a fling for me either. Now strip."

"What?" He asked laughing as she smirked.

"I wanna see your tattoos."

"Oh, well I have my back piece, and the tattoo across my chest. I want to get my sleeve done but I can't while I still play in the NBA so I'll have to wait." He said pulling his shirt off.

"Wow" Haley said looking at his back. "This is beautiful."

"Do you have any?"

"Tattoos? No, I'm too chicken even if I want one."

"What do you want?" He asked as he felt her hand running along his back.

"Make it count across my ribs."

"Why that?"

"When I was young I lost my cousin to leukemia, and we were close and it always resonated with me. For weeks after, for some reason, I watched the Titanic like everyday and something Jack said, make it count, just always stuck out in my head."

"Lets go" Nathan said grabbing ehr hand.

"What? Nathan, where?"

"Why wait any longer."

"I can't" She said shaking her head.

"Yes you can...I'll get the same one across my ribs too."

"Fine." She sighed "But we need to change first, so you go get ready then we can stop by my place."

"What are you doing?" Haley asked as Nathan pulled the cover off his motorcycle.

"Face your fears Hales." He said holding a hand for her to take.

"Be careful." She whispered.

"Of course." Nathan smiled, handing her a helmet and straddling the bike. He put on his helmet and looked over at her.

"You look really hot right now." She said blushing.

"I know, now come on babe." Babe. Haley smiled. This was different than anything she had ever felt before, and it was progressing quickly, but she couldn't be happier.

"Okay" She said moving to sit behind him and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Wow" Haley said getting off the bike as they pulled up to her house.

"Mhmm" He said smirking.

"That was actually really fun."

"Yeah, is this your place?" Nathan said looking at the small little bungalow.

"Yeah, it's not what you'd imagine right? I just wanted something small and cute. I'm trying to not get sucked up in the L.A. lifestyle and remain grounded and somewhat normal." Haley said as she led him inside.

"No I like it, it's cozy."

"Here Hales take a picture of me." Nathan said handing his phone over to Haley as the man in front of him started to tattoo over his ribs. Haley convinced Nathan to go first, she wanted to see his reaction before she did this same.

Okay, smile." She said smiling herself.

"Alright, now put it on twitter and write with it New Ink."

"Miss, if you would like, I could get started on your tattoo." A woman said moving next to her.

"I wanted to wait until he was done." Haley said biting her lip.

"Go ahead Hales." Nathan nodded.

"But I'm afraid." She admitted quietly.

"Can you put her chair right next to me so I can hold her hand?" Nathan asked.

"Of course." the woman smiled moving on of the chairs closer "Now why don't you lie down and I will get your prepped."

"Okay" Haley whispered laying down as Nathan reached out to hold her hand, she smiled looking over at him, and kept her eyes on him until it was over.

"See it wasn't that bad." Nathan said as Haley moved out of the chair.

"This looks amazing." She said. "Take a picture." Haley said giving him her phone.

Haley then grabbed her phone back and went to twitter herself. She tweeted the picture as Nathan watched with the hashtag MakeItCount. "Let's see how long it takes for people to freak out."

"Thank you" Nathan said to the tattoo artists as they both moved towards the door. "Let's see how long it takes for people to blame me for turning you bad."

"You didn't turn me bad. You made me brave." She said as he smiled and opened the door for her as they left the tattoo studio.

"Where to next?" Nathan asked.

"Lets just walk around downtown." She said grabbing for his hand and leading them down the street.

"Are you sure, people might see us?"

"I don't really care. Let them watch." She smiled leaning up to kiss him, something he happily reciprocated.

"Okay then." He laughed.

"I know...I know this may seem sudden and completely crazy." She said stopping to look up at him and bite her lip. "But I love you Nathan Scott."

Nathan smiled looking down at her as she nervously fidgeted, even when he put his arms around her and pulled her close to him. "I love you too Haley James."

"Really?" She questioned, not believing it.

"Really." He said wrapping an arm around her waist and leading them towards Sunset Boulevard. The paparazzi would be all over it and he wanted to show off his girl. The love of his life.

"I don't want to have sex until I get married." Haley said quickly.

"What?" Nathan asked nearly spitting out his water. The two were seated at a restaurant, in a corner booth.

"I'm a virgin." She whispered. "Is something wrong with that?" Haley said with a raised eyebrow.

"No." Nathan said quickly reaching for her hand. "You just surprised me. We were talking about our favorite foods and then you suddenly brought up sex."

"Yeah I guess it was a little random." She laughed. "But before we got too far into his, I wanted you to know."

"Well thank you." He said before thinking a minute. "But that doesn't change anything. I still love you."

"Really you don't want to end things because of this?"

"Of course not, we're going to get married one day anyway."

"Oh we are, are we?"

"Definitely." He smiled taking her hand. "And I respect the fact that you told me. And I respect that you respect yourself to do this. You probably can tell that I haven't, and have had sexual relationships with many women but now that I know I want to spend forever with you, I wish I hadn't. It's going to be hard but your worth it."

"Thank you for telling me that." Haley said wiping a tear.

"Why are you crying?"

"No one has ever told me that they respected my decision, or that I was worth it. They just tried to force me out of it."

"Well, that won't happen with us." He said with a smile.

"This is beautiful." Haley said as she lay on the beach next to Nathan.

"You're more beautiful." Nathan smiled as Haley blushed. "But people can talk shit about how gross L.A., well this makes up for everything."

"Let's go in the water." Haley said getting up and pulling Nathan with her. Nathan moved to tickle her and raced her down to the beach trying to chase her. When he finally caught, her which wasn't hard on his part, he picked her up and ran her into the ocean with him. Dropping her in when they were far enough that their feet no longer touched the sand of the ocean. Haley dipped herself under, coming up with a smile on her face. "Marry me." Nathan said quietly.

"What?" Haley shuddered out.

"Marry me Haley James. Tonight" He asked once more wrapping his arms around her.

"Nathan, we just met."

"I know, but I've never felt this way before Hales, I know this is real and will last forever."

"Is this to get in my pants?"

"No, I would never." He said slightly laughing before she bit her lip. "I'm going to ask one last time now, Haley James, will you marry me?"

Her straight face turned into a smile as she thought. "Yes. I will marry you Nathan." Then she leaned in and kissed him.