We float

A/N: Hey guys, so judging by your feedback I got that most of you didn't like how Nathan pounded Tim and also how Haley passed out. To defend both of those things, Nathan beating Tim to the pulp was because of his anger, he hasn't totally changed yet, but he is trying. He WILL change. He is still got that Nathan Scott inside of him which he himself doesn't know how to control. But of course, he will show regret and remorse and take responsibility for his actions. And understand how violence is never the answer. Just how in the show Nathan learnt the hard way. It takes time. But I won't drag that out lol. And with Haley passing out, it was nothing more than a panic-attack. Nothing serious, just because that time was hard for her and those memories just came crashing back. But it was just to show that the wounds are still healing. For both Nathan and Haley, they're both on the road to recovery. Hope you guys understand.

I appreciate all the feedback, and take it on board. So thank you guys. Enjoy :)

"We wanted to find love. We wanted success. Until nothing was enough. Until my middle name was excess. And somehow I lost touch. When you went out of sight, when you got lost in the city. Got lost on the night, I was in need of help heading to black out. 'Til someone told me to run on in honey."

Brooke quickly grabbed a bottle of water from her bag and sprinkled some on Haley, in hopes she would open her eyes.

"Haley, honey. Wake up please.", cried Brooke

Before she knew it, Haley opened her eyes as she started to look around. Haley sat up in confusion.

"Wha-what happened?"

"You totally KO-D dude. You okay?"

Haley put her hand on her head as she stood up with help from Brooke. Slowly becoming refamiliarized with her surroundings. She looked at the locker, the same locker where she had bled next to for hours in agony and pain. She walked up towards it and put her hand on on it.

"But now we float. Take life as it comes", she said

"What does that mean?", asked Brooke

"Without the dark, we'd never see the stars. It means it was my past, It's gonna take time for all that pain to heal you know. But I'll get there." She smiled as she glided her hand down the locker and turned around.

"And I'll be here. Every step of the way", assured Brooke.

As Haley and Brooke made their way to class they saw Nathan being held by Whitey being escorted to the Principals office. Behind them was Tim, he was in a rough state. He held onto his nose as it bled, blood was stained all over his shirt. Tim looked Haley dead in the eyes.

"All your fault bitch", he whispered

Haley's eyes were left stunned. She stood there as she figured out the situation, of course. Of course, Nathan probably lost his temper and pounded Tim to the pulp. And now he was gonna pay for it. Nathan didn't even try to make eye contact with Haley. He knew if he did, he'd only be filled with resentment.

"Nathan", yelled Haley

Nathan dared not to turn towards her. He stopped, and took a deep breath. How on earth was he going to explain himself in this miserable situation. He was at fault, he lost his temper and used violence yet again to express himself. His face was covered in regret as he knew what consequences followed. Nathan knew from the moment he looked Haley in the eyes, he'd break down. He'd start his stories over again and apologise to her, for doing this. He'd want to embrace her in his arms and beg for her forgiveness and promise not to do it again. But that was getting old. How many more mistakes was he going to keep on making, until he realised he has totally fucked up.

"Nathan?", she yelled again

"Stop calling him you bitch. This is all your fault", cried out Tim whilst holding his blood nose.

Nathan took a deep breath. He tightly clenched his fists and refrained from making any comment, or saying anything. He stood there hopeless. He closed his eyes.

"Bite your tongue, Nathan. Bite your tongue", he said to himself in his head.

"Tim, I'm pretty sure Nathan already pounded you for saying something stupid. Why are you trying to make it a second time? So I suggest you shut the fuck up before I add another shade of black and purple to that face of yours", fretted Brooke.

"She did this! She trapped him and had his baby. He's never laid a hand on me. For ANY girl. Now look. What the fuck happened to Bros before Hoes? I said one thing about her and he beat me like there was no tomorrow. She fucking did this", yelled Tim in anger

Nathan felt as though his patience was being tested to the core. He took a deep breath and bit his tongue, shaking his head. His eyes rolled back into his head as his heart was racing. He wanted to tell Tim to "Shut the fuck up", and throw a punch. But for some reason, by Haley being there he felt as though he couldn't. He would be less of a man in her eyes if he did anything.

"Haley, get to class. Tim shut up and go to the Nurse's office. Nathan, come with me", said Whitey as he held onto Nathans' arm, escorting him into the principal's office.

Haley watched on as Nathan disappeared into the office. She sighed.

"Why is he like this?", she angrily said to Brooke

"Haley, he doesn't know any better. The only ever way he's been able to express himself is by throwing a few punches and showing them who's boss. Classic bad boy. I know what he did was wrong, and whatever punishment he gets, he deserves. But you have to understand who you're dealing with here. Nathan Scott. Son of Dan Scott. He hasn't got any role-models in his life, Hales"

"Are you defending him?" she questioned

"You know as well as I do who he is"

"Just because he's Dan Scott's son, doesn't give him a right to go around beating people up, just because he get's angry Brooke. One minute he's calm and fine and the next he's exploded and spreading his torment everywhere. It scares me", she jested

"I get it. But you out of all people should understand that. Teach him. Be his friend. Show him. Someone once told me there's good inside everyone, we just have to help them find it. Especially if they don't see it themselves"

"I hate you" she sighed

"Love you too", Brooke joked

"All jokes aside kiddo, I think he should really take some anger management classes or something. That dude needs to chill. And also, you shouldn't come down on him so hard, he's already probably feeling like crap. Did you notice how he didn't look you in the eyes not once. Obviously he didn't want to feel worse than he already did. He cares about what you think. Use that to your advantage. Teach him Haley, show him the way. Just like how you did with me. You never gave up on me." Brooke smiled

"Yeah, I guess you're right", she said as they hurriedly walked to class.

In the principal's office waiting room

Nathan watched the clock as he sat there next to two other "delinquents". He rested his back against the wall as he tapped his foot continuously against the ground. He fiddled with his hands and rocked back and fourth on the bench as his anxiety and regret grew, not knowing what punishment he would get. It was weird, he had been here many times before. On multiple occasions.

His record was insane, the amount of crap he pulled, he was surprised that he was even allowed back in school. This time, even he knew he had gone too far. What was he thinking? Tim had always had a cocky mouth on him. He didn't know when to shut up. What the hell came over him. Why was he like this? His anger had always cost him so many things in life, he got that from the great Dan Scott. How cursed did he have to be to have a father like Dan Scott. God Damn. He shook his head in annoyance at his situation, which he had put himself in.

"Nathan Scott", yelled the secretary

Nathan stood up, his heart was beating like a marching band of drums. He gulped.

"The principal will see you now," she said in a stern yet threatening voice.

Nathan walked his way over and took a seat in the chair. Waiting for what punishment was to be given to him. The principal took out his huge file and rummaged through it, sighing in dismay. Nathan felt as though he was a prisoner. He felt scared and wanted to run.

"Look, before you give me my punishment, I feel like I should say something."

The principal looked up and had a screw face, he was angrily squinting his eyes and was scrunching his nose.

"I know what I did was wrong. I should never had beaten on Tim like that, I'm a total idiot for doing so. And I know I make a ton of mistakes. But you gotta understand me, Principal Turner. I got a girl pregnant, a girl who I didn't even know. Haley, you know her. You know the girl who almost bled to death in the school hallway? Well, our baby had a brain condition thing and needed surgery and he was sick for days. Scratch that. He was sick for months. I was so stressed out. I'm 17, and my kid was sick. I'm a kid with a kid. It's so damn hard. Today was my first day back, and Tim aggregated me. He said all kinds of crap about Haley and my baby. I lost my temper, I pounded on him. I don't know what came over me. I get angry so damn quickly. And I always end up regretting it. I'm sorry. I screwed up, yet again. I know you're just as sick of this as I am. I don't know what to say. I promise you, it will never ever happen again. Cross my heart and hope to die", he was panting, he had never been more nervous in his life

"Nathan, remember the last time you were in here. Not too long ago now." Said Principal Turner

"Yeah"

"What were you in for son?"

"I cheated on a test?"

"No, try harder. Think again."

"I called Mrs Daniels a slut?"

"No. Try again"

"I set fire to the Tree outside the school parking lot?"

"We could do this forever. The last time Nathan. The last time you were in here?"

"I don't know I can't think of anything?"

"I beat up that foreign kid because he was looking at me funny?"

"One more time", he sighed

"Uh, okay. Erm. I don't know? Oh. I punched Lucas during a game because he wasn't playing properly?"

"And bingo was his name-o"

"And what did I tell you that time?" asked the principal

"Don't do it again?"

"Nathan. I talked with you for a real long time, and don't do it again was all you got from that. My oh my"

"No, I'm sorry. You said that I need to learn how to control my anger. There's only so many chances you can give me…"

He stopped. He remembered full well what conversation they had had. The words "Military school" popped into his head. His eyes widened with shock, as he realised what Principal Turner was getting at.

"No no. Not military school. Look, I'll do anything. Just don't send me there. Give me another chance. I'll do volunteer work until I graduate. I'll get my GPA up. I'll take extra classes. Anything. I just don't want to go to Military school. I got a son and a..and a"

He froze.

"And a girlfriend, they need me. I need them"

"I know. And because of your son, I wouldn't dare to separate you from them. It's wrong. You're lucky. If you didn't have that responsibility of being a father, I'd be filling out a form to send you to Military school right away. But this is not on Nathan. Your behaviour is outrageous. It threatens the safety of all of my other pupils." He stopped and sighed

"4 weeks' suspension, volunteer duty for a year, weekend classes for a month. Oh and also, Anger management sessions, for a year"

Nathan was relieved at his punishment; it could have been a lot worse. Thank God.

"Thank you so much"

"And let me be very clear Nathan IF you do anything, and I mean ANYTHING wrong henceforth. This. This is where you'll be. And I don't care if you got a son to raise", he yelled as he pointed to the Military school form.

"I understand. Thank you, principal Turner. Thank you for the chance"

"Don't let me down. This is your LAST and FINAL chance", he threatened.

The school day had ended and Haley was back at home with baby Jamie in her room.

Haley hadn't managed to get in contact with Nathan and was worried about his whereabouts. After that incident in school, she needed to talk to him. She called his cell multiple times, but each time it kept going to voicemail. She was growing frustrated.

"Dammit Nathan! Where the hell are you?" she said to herself as she lay Jamie down on the bed in front of her

She looked down at Jamie. He looked exactly like Nathan, bright crystal blue eyes, small slender nose, bright pink lips. He was literally a Mini-Nathan. She smiled.

"You're just the most adorable baby boy in the world aren't you. Yes, you are! Yes, you are", she said as she tickled his belly.

"You may look like your daddy, but I pray to God you don't have his anger" she sighed as she tried reaching him again.

There was a knock at her door. She lit up, in hopes it was Nathan.

"Nathan?"

"No, Luke", he said as he walked in

"Luke! How are you?" she smiled as she embraced him in a hug

"Just came to check up on you and my little nephew", he said as he gave Jamie a kiss on the forehead.

"We're both doing fine" she smiled

"Well, your fake smile totally sells it. What's wrong?"

"Did you hear what happened with Nathan at school today?"

"Yeah, he beat up Tim. What an ass"

"Language!" she yelled

"Oops sorry. Yeah, I heard he beat up Tim and got sent to the principal's office. Rumours have it that he may have to go to military school. Now if you ask me- "

"What? Military school?" she said in shock

"Yeah Haley. You know how bad he is. How many times he's messed up. It makes sense. Have you seen his record!"

"Yeah, but. Oh God. I don't know what to say" she frowned

"There's nothing to say. I don't even know if it's true. It's just a rumour. You know as well as I do, how crazy those rumours can be"

"Yeah but you know what happened with Bobby Singer. He was just like Nathan. They were best friends for crying out loud. Look where he is now! Military school"

"Bobby was way more messed up than Nathan. His parents were both junkies, and he was an alcoholic. He literally tried selling coke to the damn principal. The kid didn't know right from wrong. As much as I despise Nathan, he's no Bobby"

"Luke, I'm so scared. For everything. Nathan just gets so angry and does these stupid things. We have a baby now. I'm scared"

Lucas sighed as he kissed her on the forehead and hugged her.

"It's gonna be okay. Look, Brooke told me that he's changing. He's becoming a better person. So that's something. And this is coming from me. The guy that hates Nathan"

"Where is he anyway?" asked Lucas

"I don't know, I've been trying to contact him since school finished.", she said worriedly

"Let me call, Deb", he said as he dialled the phone to Nathan's mum.

"Hello? Hey Lucas, how are you? Everything okay?"

"Hey Deb, uh yeah. Hey listen I was just wondering if Nathan was at home?"

"No, sorry Lucas. I thought he was around Haley's? He hasn't come home."

"Oh. Eh, nevermind. It's okay. Thank you"

"Why? Is he not there either?" she said growing worried

"Uh"

Luke looked at Haley who was shaking her head.

"Don't tell her. She's gonna worry needlessly", Haley whispered.

"Yeah but she's his mum. She needs to know, so she can call him to" he whispered

"Luke? Is everything okay?"

"Well, Nathans not round Haley's house and he's not answering his phone either. We don't know where he is"

"Hello? Deb? Hello?", said, Luke, as Deb had cut the phone

"Why did you tell her? What's wrong with you? She's gonna get worried now. He's probably fine", she said in anger

"She's his mum Haley. She deserves to know. Besides, she can probably track him down."

"I hope you're right" she sighed as she looked at her phone praying his name would show up…

"Before somebody blows your goddam' brains out. You shoplifted as a child. I had a model's smile. You carried all my hopes. Until something broke inside. But now we float. Take life as it comes. So will we die of shock? Die without a trial. Die on Good Friday. While holding each other tight. This is kind of about you. This is kind of about me. We just kind of lost our way. But we were looking to be free"