"Haley, you ready?" Chris asks again holding the bus ticket out to the motionless Haley.
A million thoughts were racing through Haley's mind, but the one that stuck out the most was the thought that she'd been insane to marry so young. Who got married in high school anyway, right? She had her entire future ahead of her and she had tied herself down, she couldn't do it. Through shimmering tears Haley smiles at Chris and accepts the ticket, "yeah, I'm ready."
"Good," Chris offers her an encouraging smile. Gently he places a hand on her lower back, but Haley jumps away as if Chris' touch had burned her skin. Once the contact is broken Haley places a hand where he had touched, the exact location of the 23 tattoo.
Suddenly Haley's head and heart are filled with completely different emotions than the ones she had felt only minutes before, all the love she felt for Nathan came back. The reasons why they had gotten married are less obscure and her skinning is crawling from Chris' touch. "I-I-I..."
"Haley what is it?"
"Chris, I'm married." Tears are streaming down her face as she says the words.
"I know but..."
"No buts," Haley shakes her head, "I'm married, and not only am I married, I love Nathan more than anyone in the world. And when I married him for the rest of my life. Maybe I did get married too young, maybe we should have waited until we were older and not in high school. But I made the choice to marry him, because I love him."
"But you're not happy," Chris insists, "and you deserve to be happy."
"I was happy," Haley assures, "before you waltzed in and complicated things."
"I just want to show you the life you want and deserve."
"No, you don't know anything about the life I deserve or want. The life I want is beside my husband, no matter what comes from my music I know he will always be there for me. You, Chris, are just a person passing through my life but Nathan and I will always be together and I'm not walking away from him."
"But you have a talent that you shouldn't give up for a husband who doesn't support you.
"Doesn't support me? What the hell do you know? Nathan is my biggest fan, he's my entire support system and he has backed me up in everything, except pursuing a music career with you. And now I completely understand why."
"Haley..."
The tears on Haley's cheeks have dried by the time she interrupts Chris, "no. Chris just get on the bus and go to New York, I'm going back to my husband."
"You could've been great," Chris shakes his head sadly.
"I still could be great," Haley replies venomously. "But I just won't be with you when it happens." With her words Haley turns and walks away leaving Chris to stare at her back, the tattoo 23 just barely visible between the gap of Haley's pants and shirt.
Walking into her apartment Haley is immediately faced with the dinner table that she assumes Nathan set hours ago, by the candles that have burned low. And the beautiful sight brings tears to Haley's eyes as she scans the apartment for Nathan, her gaze finally landing on him, asleep, on the couch. Kneeling beside him Haley places a gentle hand on his face, "baby, wake up."
Slowly Nathan opens his eyes and focuses on Haley, "where have you been? I made dinner."
"I know, I'm sorry," Haley can hardly restrain her tears.
"What happened?" Nathan is immediately sitting up.
"I just wanted you to know that I love you, I haven't shown it well lately but I do."
"Haley, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Nathan searches Haley's face for some sort of an answer.
"I just have to tell you something, but you're not going to like it."
"Chris asked me to go with him to New York, and I almost got on the bus to go with him." Haley confesses trying to control her tears so she can speak but the hurt expression on Nathan's face causes her to lose it.
"So you were going to leave me?" Nathan asks, hurt registering in his eyes.
"I couldn't," Haley sobs, "I couldn't even get on that bus."
"But you got to the bus station?"
"Yes."
"I don't know what to do with this," Nathan confesses. "I'm going to take a shower, I've got to cool down."
Haley nods silently as she watches Nathan walk into the bathroom. Eventually she gets up off her knees, walks into her bedroom, changes and slips into bed all while listening to the shower and crying silently. While she cries Haley wishes she knew what Nathan was thinking, wishes she knew what to say to make this better, but mostly she wishes that she hadn't even gone to the bus station in the first place. She was sorry that she'd hurt Nathan in her confession but she wasn't sorry that she had confessed, because she knew Nathan would never be able to forgive her for keeping a secret between them.
"Haley," Nathan's words startle Hayley, she'd been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard Nathan come into the room.
"Nathan." Haley sits up in bed, pulling her knees to her chest.
Nathan takes a seat at the end of the bed before asking, "why?"
"I was scared," Haley whispers.
"Of me?"
Haley shakes her head quickly, "no, of course not."
"Then what?"
"I was afraid that we made a mistake, that..."
"We were stupid for getting married so young," Nathan supplies.
Haley nods, "yeah, and that getting married so young would ruin our relationship."
"I know, I feel that way too sometimes."
Haley nods, then adds, "but at the bus station I realized that it won't. That I loved you the day I got my tattoo with your number on it, and today and everyday after this. And that being scared is no excuse for leaving and that to make this marriage work we will have to work hard. But I love you and I know we can because of that."
"Are you still scared?" Nathan asks carefully.
Haley shakes her head, "no. Not anymore. You're all I need Nate."
Nathan slides up the bed, closer to Haley, and he kisses her gently before stating, "and you've got me, forever."