Good news: Spring semester is over. Bad news: Summer classes have begun. Sorry for the delay. Enjoy. This is what we call a climax.

CAli

Chapter 9 – Shit Meets Fan

Sometimes Haley hated her life. She always wondered why the men she worked with were so dark and emo. Now she knew why. The dreams they had as a little boy of becoming a cop was all a fantasy. The respect, the do-gooder attitude, protector… the list goes on. But nobody told them the reality of being a cop. The death, the violence; the fem-noir of it all. This career wasn't about the respect and being a protector. This career was about dealing with death and being able to breathe at the end of the day. It was a constant battle. You'll never get used to it. It was so easy to get caught up in this fucked-up world of violence and murder. These men that surround her at her job, they were quiet and moody. They never talked about anything. For years, when you witness the same thing over and over again, you become cynical. The thing about Haley, she was already cynical.

She wondered if something was wrong with her. It took years for these men to become quiet and broody. When she stepped into this career, she was already cold. Never trusted anybody, because the last time she got her heart stomped on, he flaunted it in her face. When her heart was broken, everything else about her was broken. Her trust, her personality, and especially her heart were broken. But he came back. Haley promised herself she would never be that person again. Gullible, trustworthy. Before him, it took a hell of a lot to gain her trust. Then, out of nowhere, he rushes back and she finds herself going back to that person.

And when she did, everything else hit the fan. It took Jake four years, four years, to get her trust. And even then, Haley treaded slow. Then she gets back with Nathan, bad timing and all, and Jake betrays her. Haley doesn't know what's worst: her being stupid to trust Jake or Jake being a hypocritical ass and not tell her. And then with Nathan. She doesn't even know where to begin.

Now I know what they feel like. People kill people every day. So how can you trust anybody?

Haley feels she should blame all this on Nathan. Ever since she got back together with him, everything just went downhill. She would go far as to say that Jake was right when it came to Nathan. She changed. She was soft when it came to him. But as far as she wanted to blame Nathan, she couldn't. They didn't know her before him. They thought her personality now was the best of her. But it wasn't. She was dead. Nathan brought her back to life. That's why she was "soft". Because he brought her back and she owes him his life. She can't blame him because she loves him.

Even now, she's across from him at Antwan Taylor's funeral. She wants nothing more but to grab his hand and comfort him. But she can't. Because he's a prime suspect.

It's raining and it's so fitting to the mood. Nathan is between Bevin Taylor and her daughter, Cali, both holding on their hands tightly. Her black trench coat is soaked, but Haley's hair is drenched on the nape of her neck. And she's resisting the urge to go to him. He looks so sad and even though she can't tell with the rain, she knows he's crying. They really haven't talked. Things still have been tensed in the last two days. She hasn't talked to Jake either. She still has to calm down about what she found out. It hasn't worked.

The funeral was a funeral. There was nothing really to say about it. They watched the coffin be lowered into the ground with Taylor's Knicks jersey on top. People started to form a line and toss a rose in the coffin before offering their condolences to Bevin. Nathan stayed with her. Haley skipped out. But before she left, she stared at the six-foot hole and made a silent promise. She was going to find his killer, and she was going to take care of Nathan. After she gets over her trust issues, if she could.

Next Day

BREAKING NEWS! NATHAN SCOTT KILLED HIS TEAMMATE?!

"This is—"

"Jeff Bridges—"

"Natalie Coltman at—"

"WKSF with the latest breaking news of murdered Knicks star, Antwan Taylor."

"Hey, guys, this Guliana Rancic with E! News Breaking. Just a day after Knicks star point guard, Antwan Taylor's funeral, rumors are floating around that his own teammate, Nathan Scott murdered him! Again, this is just rumors—"

"Scott Brown here at ESPN headquarters with some breaking news. A new scandal has arrived the day after Knicks star, Antwan 'Skills' Taylor's funeral. Scandalous pictures and theories are spreading like wild fire about the murder investigation and the new development among the case. We have Doyle Bird on satellite from New York to try and explain this scandal. Doyle, can you hear me?"

"I can," Doyle said after a ten-second delay.

From ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut Scott Brown stands in the middle of the famous soundstage. A plasma TV is in the background with Doyle Bird's face and shoulders can be seen across America. He seems like a hot-shot but with his Boston accent, it just seems to be looks. He knows what he's talking about, but Doyle Bird probably couldn't even hurt a fly even if he tried. His hair was combed back and he had a slight stutter to his words.

"All right," Scott began. "Tell me. What is going on with this bizarre story? Did Nathan Scott really kill his teammate?"

"Well, it's hard to tell, Scott," Doyle answered. "Keep in mind that these rumors are released by paparazzi. The NYPD itself hasn't made any arrests or suggested to the public that Nathan Scott indeed committed murder however they are not confirming or denying anything at the moment. So this whole thing is sketchy at best."

"What can you tell me?"

"Well, I can tell you is that evidence-wise, it's all circumstantial. The case is still being investigated, and no DNA has been released in connecting Nathan Scott. The rumors going around is just motive. The whole jealousy angle is retrospective.

"True, Nathan Scott was a phenom back West, dominated the stats," Doyle said using his hands in a vague gesture. "He gets traded East, and he's a reserve. It's damaging to any ego, and from the stories, Nathan Scott is used to being on the top."

"So could it be possible that Nathan Scott killed his teammate?" Scott asked.

"Motive is there, but DNA isn't," Doyle emphasized. "NYPD hasn't released anything yet, though."

"Well, what about these photos released?"

"Ah, now that's where things take an interesting turn. Everybody knows you can't believe anything on motive, it has to be DNA. But these photos show the two detectives in charge of the murder investigation arguing outside Nathan Scott's condo, which makes people, think about the credibility of it all.

"Then there's the rumor of a new set of pictures released of Nathan Scott's steamy love affair with another woman in the midst of it all. Rumors are flying that the mystery woman in the photos are in fact, the leading detective of murder investigation, Haley James."

While Doyle's facts are spilled, the very pictures appear next to Doyle's face in a split screen. The first were Haley and Jake clearly arguing angrily just two days before. The second set is Haley entering and leaving Nathan's condo, either solo or with Nathan. The photos are blurry, however, skewing a positive ID if it was her. Even blown up, though, you can't either deny or confirm if it is Haley.

"The photos are giving this case something to really think about," Doyle continued. "It's what's damaging the credibility of Nathan Scott and NYPD as a whole, and that's something that's never good. The whole thing is just screwed up, and not a position either one wants to be in. Especially with the timing."

"Has Nathan Scott or this Haley James commented?" Scott asked with a look of concern.

Doyle shook his head. "Neither has commented or the NYPD. But once we know more, so will you, Scott."

"Thanks a lot, Doyle," Scott said then turned his body a quarter inch and addressed another camera. "Stay tuned to ESPN, we're running full coverage of the issue. Hang tight, guys."

Streets

Haley was oblivious. It's funny how she can just walk the busy streets of New York with her favorite white mocha chocolate coffee from Starbucks in one hand and be completely engross in herself. She never noticed the car radio stuck in morning traffic blaring the latest news of her boyfriend or even the newspaper vendors desperately trying to keep track of their sudden business. Maybe because it was a beautiful day compared to yesterday. Haley just wanted to soak it all in.

She walked a couple blocks and was about to turn her body on the corner, left hand already out in front of her to push the crosswalk button. Her hand fell short and she stopped abruptly. Everything hit at once. Subconsciously, Haley's watchful eyes narrowed at the pedestrian next to her. He was reading a tabloid that had Nathan's face plastered on the front cover. A part of the block letter was covered because of the angle, but she knew the title. The vendor behind her just confirmed it. Nathan Scott killed his teammate!

Wordlessly, Haley said what the fuck and turned her body towards the vendor. Her sunglasses shielded her shock as she saw the guy's station plastered with headlines screaming that her boyfriend killed his best friend. The bogus claim of motive and a blurred picture of her in a simple (she distinctly remembers that particular kiss being steamy) lip-lock with Nathan. This. Shit. Cannot. Be. Happening.

"Haley James?"

Before Haley could even process what was going on with the magazines, Haley heard a strange male's voice call to her. Puzzled, Haley turned towards the voice and saw a man in a simple business suit. He was handsome enough but his over-casualness made Haley automatically smell vulture. Maybe he'll be nice and respect her privacy.

Stop kidding yourself.

Haley raises her sunglasses and rests them on hair before answering him wearily. "Yeah?"

"Chris Singleton. Reporter for New York Times."

Between his index and middle finger is his business card. He holds it out in a form of a handshake and when his hand hangs there awkwardly for a few beats, he smoothly brings his hand back and acts like nothing happened.

"Is this your first time finding out about the news?"

Haley just stares at him blankly. He continues though.

"How do you feel?" Chris said. "Is there any truth to the affair? Are you the reason why Nathan Scott hasn't been arrested for murder?"

"Is that what this trash is saying?" Haley finally answers.

"So you're neither confirming nor denying the rumors? How about this? You give me an exclusive and I'll make your credibility so good, these people will be your slaves tuning intensely to every word you have to say," Chris said pulling out his incognito tape recorder, thumb ready to press play. "Will you be the first to comment?"

Haley laughs without humor. She looks down at her coffee and curses this guy to hell and back then back to hell where he dies a fierier death. She's pissed beyond words that she literally cannot speak or else she's going to cause a scene and have more shit she doesn't want to deal with. So while the jackass stands there looking like an idiot, Haley casually takes the lid off her coffee and tosses it in her hand, playing. After a few tosses, she throws it in the trash can before finally addressing the reporter.

"You want a comment?" Haley said. Before Chris could answer, however, she took the initiative by throwing her coffee on him and his tape recorder. "There's your comment."

Haley walks away, ignoring his curses and threats and feels a tiny bit better. But the shit was about to hit the fan.

Nathan's

Nathan doesn't know why he tortures himself. Staring right in front of him is even fucking CNN running a "BREAKING NEWS" bulletin on the fresh rumors. He sits on his coffee table with the phone still attached to his ear. The conversation with his publicist was long dead but he couldn't move. The only thing he focused on was the bold letters questioning if he was capable of murder. And to make things even better (not), it was leaked his relationship with Haley. Or mystery woman as the media is dubbing her. Thank god the pictures were too blurry to confirm but it didn't make the situation any better.

Can this really be happening? Nathan absently reaches down for his glass of scotch next to him.

Nathan's grip on his phone tightened as the marquee kept playing the same headline: NATHAN SCOTT MURDERED HIS TEAMMATE? It seemed like the more it passed, the bigger the headline. He could feel being pulled in a world he didn't want to be in and his eyes water. It wasn't until something slapped on his lap that caught his attention.

Nathan looked down and saw one of the latest tabloids staring right back at him. Front page was him and Haley kissing outside his building. The heading was the same. Were they never creative? But on the sub-note had something juicy: The reason Nathan Scott is getting away with murder – he's dating the detective! More details inside!

Shit.

Nathan looks up to see Haley staring at him with murder in her eyes. She's breathing through her nose and her hands on her hips. He keenly notes that her right hand keeps twitching back and forth near her gun. To grab or not to grab. It doesn't take a genius on her emotions.

"Did you see this?"

A simple question. A simple answer and he knows for a fact no matter how he answers, it's not the right one. "Yes," he sighed.

"That's it? One syllable, three-lettered word?" It took everything in Haley to say this calmly, yet it wasn't.

"What do you want me to say, Haley?"

"I want you to say more than one syllable! Say you're taking care of this!"

She blows up and in chain-reaction so does he. He stands and tosses his phone on his couch and paces away from her. He roughly rakes his fingers through his hair to show his frustration.

"Is that all you care about? Your precious reputation at your job?" Nathan bits out. "What about me, huh? I'm accused of murder!"

"Yeah, I kinda figured that, jackass. Stop the self-pity, this is more than that!" Haley gestures with her hands.

"Really? So this is about you, not my murdered best friend that the public thinks I killed out of the stupidest reason ever!"

"Don't try to turn this on me! This is about Antwan, but your little self-pity is not helping, even if you didn't do it."

"So you believe them?"

"What are you attacking for? I know you didn't do it!"

"Then tell me about the case."

"You know I can't do that."

"Clear my name, Haley. Tell me what you know."

"How is me leaking information to you about my case going to help you clear your name?"

"See, there you go again. Your case. This isn't about me it's about your job!"

"My job is to find your best friend's murderer! What don't you get about that? I can't discuss an ongoing investigation to—"

"—Your prime suspect? That's what I am, isn't it?"

"I don't know what you want from me."

"That's right, you don't know me. All you know is your job. You never once thought how I'm tied to your precious case is affecting me. I got public enemy number one thinking I'm a murderer and you won't give me any hope and give me any closure on who killed Skills!"

"Really, and there you go being selfish! This isn't about you! It isn't about my job; it isn't about anything except Antwan. And, you closure? Well, if you get off your ass and stop moping, maybe actually doing something, you'd get your damn closure. Stop being so damn passive!"

"Passive?"

"Yeah, passive. Like right when I came in here. What were you doing, Nathan? Just sitting on your ass, passive. Were you doing anything to attempt damage control? We've discussed this. If we're ousted, you might as well give a paid vacation to Antwan's murderer!"

"Oh, and I'm selfish? You can deny it all you want Haley, but you damn well know why you're so upset about these paparazzi photos. Haley James actually in a relationship! Oh, but wait, it's with her ex-boyfriend who's rumored to be a murderer! Twist it any way you want, Haley but you know damn well even a tiny bit, this is about protecting your image. You don't want to be seen with me!"

"Is this what this is about? That we have to hide our relationship? You know what, I'm sick and tired trying to explain this to you. Do me a favor and stop being such a sensitive bitch and be a man! Deal with it. This is some deep shit."

"Oh, you want me to be a man? Fine. Are you withholding information from me because this relationship is a lie?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you the one leaking the photos? Is this a test reaction to see if I'm capable of murder? Just snap."

"Oh, I know you're not accusing me of what I think you're accusing me of."

"Why not? Huh, Haley? You wanted a reaction. Here it is. The whole fucking world thinks I'm a murderer, are you just trying to confirm it? Was this relationship just an undercover sting for you? Was the non-stop fucking the last couple of days just a bonus for you?"

Nathan watches as Haley shakes her head and strides toward him. He's not for sure if she's going to punch him, slap him or hell, and even shoot him. Briefly he considered maybe she'll kiss him because the argument was that intense. But he quickly threw that option out the window. The look in her eyes said it all. There will be no fucking, but there will be a lot of pain.

Nathan never found out what Haley was going to do. Mid-stride, her cell phone beeped a series of annoying streams, letting her know she got a text. Eyes still filled with anger, Haley stopped and yanked her cell phone off her belt. She flipped it open and stared at it for a few minutes. She flips it back closed and glides her hand back to her belt before scoffing angrily at him. She's breathing hard and he sees her right hand reach towards her gun before settling with just a clenched fist.

"You know what?" Haley shakes her head. "Don't worry about your reputation. That was the CSI Lab letting me know about my evidence. In the next few hours, the world is going to know you as the mourning best friend, not a murderer. Your status is fine. Our relationship, however, is not."

She settles for a hard slap and walks away, slamming his door with all her strength. Nathan watches the door still rattle before scooping up his half empty glass of scotch and throwing it violently at his wall.

What the fuck did he just do?

CSI Lab

Nobody dared looked at Haley. She walked silently towards the CSI Lab and people were smart enough not to make eye contact. You'd had to be blind and deaf to not know why she was pissed. Haley walked angrily down the corridor, her eyes scanning for any sign of Tim, who texted her. Finally, she spotted the goofy CSI in what she thought was the DNA lab and pushed the swinging glass door with unnecessary force.

Haley watched as Tim look up from his thin beaker and eye-drop before ducking his head down as quickly. She was about to praise God for giving Tim back his common sense but she silently spoke too soon.

"What's got your panties in a bunch, Detective?" Tim asked casually. "Paparazzi got under your skin?"

"You texted me?" Haley purposely ignored his questions.

"So it's true? You're dating Nathan Scott?"

"You know what they say about rumors?"

"What?"

"They're rumors. Focus! My blood drop."

"Ah, yes. As you can see, I'm working so the equipment's back up. I ran your blood drop especially with the first choice of your rumored boy-toy," Tim said putting an emphasis on rumored. "Just to clear the air."

Haley clenched her fist, which made Tim gesture with the eye-drop as a way of apology. "Sorry," he said. "The blood drop does not match Nathan Scott's DNA."

Despite her anger at him, Haley breathed a sighed relief. She hoped it was small and quiet to pass the sometimes dense Tim Smith but when he was amused by something he was a lot like Jake. It wasn't good day since Tim smirked at her, letting Haley know she wasn't slick this time.

"Relieved?"

"Why the sudden interest in my non-existent love life? I'm starting to think you're in love with me." Haley said tilting her head to the side.

"Oh, but I am," Tim said leering. "I love a woman in charge."

"Gross," Haley recoiled. "Well, thanks for the info. Get this shit out to the public so people will stop saying my name."

She starts to walk off before Tim tentatively calls out to her. Haley started to think it was too good to be true. "Um, there's more Haley."

"What do you mean?" she turns back to him. "Our prime suspect is not our prime suspect. It's time to find who that blood drop belongs to."

"That's the thing. The blood drop is 100 percent not Nathan Scott's. However, it is similar."

"What?"

Tim sighs when he hears the incredulous tone in her voice. He sets his props down, trying to figure out the best way to explain this to her.

"The DNA in both samples is similar," Tim explained uncomfortably. "They're called pairs."

"Relatives."

"Yeah, from what I could tell, they're pairs."

"So, wait. You're saying one of Nathan Scott's relatives killed Antwan Taylor?"

"Yeah."

"Can you narrow it down?"

"Heh," Tim laughed nervously. "Funny how karma's blue-balling you on this case."

"If you value junior and his two friends, you will tell me what the fuck you're talking about in simple terms."

"Um," Tim sighed. "With the blackouts lately, we just only got some of our technology back. Fortunately for you, our machine to tell DNA made the cut. Unfortunately, the machine to tell me how many pairs in DNA didn't."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Haley rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Well, go old-school," Tim offered.

"I have been," Haley grumbled.

"Think blood type."

"What?" Haley asked skeptical.

"Well, you know how your blood type is one of your parents'. That's a sure way to know if you're adopted or not," Tim offered unnecessarily. "But go from there."

"How does that help me?"

"I dunno. Starting off point?" Tim shrugged.

Haley stood there frowning. Tim realized that their conversation met a dead end and went back to work. Her hand rested on the cool metal table as she crossed her legs at her ankles, leaning her whole body. Blood type? What the fuck? Relatives. Nathan was never close to any of them. Why would they kill his best friend? He was an only child, had a distant cousin he barely talked to, grandparents are dead, and Haley was sure Nathan never met his dad's brother. His parents treated him like shit... this was all confusing!

Think, James! It's a relative. But Nathan has no real family. Who is sadistic enough to kill?

"Fuck!" Haley yelled before rushing out of the Lab, barely hearing Tim's yell of "your welcome!"

Hallway

"Hey! Watch where—Haley," Jake said when he realized it was his partner who ran into him, making him almost spill his coffee. "Are you okay?"

"Why aren't the landlines working?"

"Another blackout this morning."

"Fuck me," Haley whispered. "What the hell is up with these blackouts?"

"I dunno, why don't you take it up with the mayor?"

"That's not the point. I need North Carolina on the phone."

"Why? What's up?" Jake frowned in concern.

Haley opened her mouth but then noticed the people around her. She might be mad at Jake right now, but he was the closest thing to trust right now. Haley rolled her eyes before grabbing Jake's elbow to lead him in a hallway for privacy.

"I just got back from the Lab," Haley whispered. "I know who killed Antwan Taylor."

"What?" Jake's eyes went wide.

Haley leaned into him and whispered in his ear. Jake's face stayed stoic on the first part of the information but the second part made him wide his eyes more. When Haley moved away from him, she expected shock, however he was squirming. Her breathing picked up and she tried with all her might not to jump to conclusions. She was a grown woman. She will not stomp her foot and whine, then cause physical harm.

Being the only believer is hard.

"What?" Haley bit her lip.

"Are you sure?" Jake asked.

"Yes! What kind of fucking question is that?"

"Haley," Jake started slowly. "That's a far stretch."

"What are you talking about? It makes perfect sense!"

"I dunno," Jake shifted foot to foot.

"I can't fucking believe you," Haley mumbled.

"The evidence is there, Haley!"

"No, your fucking gullibility is there! The evidence cleared him, Jake! DNA does not match Nathan Scott's."

"With all these blackouts lately, how do you know the machines didn't fuck it up?"

"That's a crack-ass defense! You really gonna believe garbage over our own technology?"

"Okay, I'll humor you. Say your guy did it. Why?"

"Same theory, different person. You weren't there. You never witnessed it first hand. Okay, you didn't know what it was like. And I witnessed it outside looking in."

"Are you reacting this way because of the shit that's going down right now?" Jake asked softly.

"We're really gonna have this redundant argument?"

"Yes," Jake kept eye contact. "You're way too attached. Okay, you know how damaging this is. Okay, there are too many what-ifs in this case to ignore. I think Nathan Scott is capable of murder. I understand he was your first love—"

"You know what, fuck you," Haley practically yelled. "Fuck you, Jake! I don't know what else to do to fucking show you you're wrong. Fucking evidence cleared him!" Haley punctuated those last four words to make it clear.

"Nathan isn't capable of murder," Haley was shaking with anger. "And you want to know why I know? Because, yes, Jake I'm fucking him. I'm more than fucking him; I'm in a goddamn relationship with him! Just like you and Peyton you fucking hypocrite!"

"What?" Jake was flabbergasted.

"Yeah, I fucking know. I saw you."

Jake sighed. "When?"

"Two days ago. And the way you guys were wrapped in each other arms looks kinda like how I am with Nathan. In love." Haley shook her head.

"Haley, I'm—"

"Don't you fucking say it," Haley said angrily. "Don't you dare say you're sorry. After all the shit you put me through with Nathan, and you're doing the exact same thing. Pretty fucking nice, isn't it?

"And Nathan didn't do this," Haley pointed her finger at Jake. "I'm right. So get over whatever pre-judged opinion you had of him because the paparazzi is bringing up good points. Evidence fucking cleared him! And I swear to God, you make one more dig, one more Jake, and I will report you and Peyton to the board."

Haley storms off leaving Jake in the middle of the hallway. He felt like shit, Haley could tell. But she doesn't care. She has to tell the bad news to Nathan. God, this was going to kill him.

"James!" Peyton stuck her head out of her office in time to see Haley coming towards her. "Are you out of your fucking mind? Did you just assault a reporter with coffee? I swear to God, James, I have every right to—"

"Fuck you!" Haley spatted and kept walking.

"What the--? Get back here, James! I swear I'm sick of your attitude..."

Peyton made a move to follow her and felt a strong hand grab her elbow. She was about to cuss out whoever held on before she made eye contact with her boyfriend. Something was wrong.

"Jake, what—"

"She knows," Jake stated quietly. "She knows about us."

Her face said it all. Oh, shit.

Madison Square Garden

Haley hated traffic. As a matter of fact she hated the 21st century for that matter. All this generation ever promised was technology to make life a little bit easier and faster. All it did right now is annoying Haley to the brink of death. Traffic was coincidently slow because of the stupid blackouts. Nathan wasn't answering his cell phone (she didn't really blame him). And to top it all, she knows how killed her murder victim but Haley couldn't do a damn thing about it, because once again, technology failed her.

Haley pressed the middle of her steering wheel long and hard at the yellow cab in front of her. He didn't move quickly enough and Haley was awarded with the finger. She was tempted to get gun-happy but she thought better than that. She wasn't nowhere near Chelsea; agitatedly on her way to the only place she knew her boyfriend might be. When he didn't pick up the first ten times Haley called, Haley bitterly thought the only good thing technology was good for was to get a(n) (illegal) GPS trace on Nathan's cell phone. She recognized the address when it popped up on her screen. Haley was starting to hate that place.

After what seemed like an eternity, Haley double parked and hastily flashed her badge before slipping inside via the basement route. She climbed only one level before she found the hallway that led to her destination. Haley didn't hear voices or bouncing for that matter. Her silhouette appeared bigger in the abandon tunnel and completely disappeared when Haley stepped out into the blaring lights. There, in the middle of the Knicks logo on the polished wooden floor, stood Nathan, his sleeveless gray shirt covered in sweat and a basketball tucked firmly under his left arm.

Nathan had his head down and even from the distance; Haley could tell he was breathing hard. She sighed. This wasn't exactly easy for the both of them.

Nathan seemed oblivious as he just stared on the floor. Haley decided this was time to make her presence known and started to walk towards him. Her business shoes echoed ten times louder than usual as she walked. It gave Nathan plenty of warning that she was here. Haley stopped a few feet away from him and didn't say anything. It was obvious their harsh words earlier were replaying in both of their minds at the moment.

"I'm sorry," Nathan broke first. "It's just..."

He sighs before shoving the ball harshly on the wooden floor. If it was meant to come back to him, he miscalculated when the direction of his arm forced the ball to bounce away behind him. His free hand moved his hip and so did his right as he faced Haley.

"I know," Haley said softly. "We were both mad."

"It hurts to know that these people think I'm capable of murder," Nathan said quietly. "That... I could... he was my best friend. And it's hard playing basketball right now. Because every time I look at this place, I think of him."

She heard the sob and despair at the end of his sentence. She couldn't take it. Haley sighed before rushing to hug him. Nathan took the embrace heartily and hugged her tight.

"I understand, and I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

"I don't know what to do," Nathan sobbed. "How can I overcome this? And people think you're covering for me—"

"Shh," Haley looked up at him. "This isn't about me. It's about you and grieving."

She silently takes his hand and sits him in the front court seats meant for the audience. They sat down and Haley grabbed the back of his neck and forced him to her bosom. She held him there until the sobbing subsided, absently rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry for the fight," Nathan mumbled.

"I am too," Haley whispered.

"I don't know why I was so harsh."

"I do," Haley sighed and kissed his temple. "A lot has changed in the eight years we've been apart. I guess I was used to the temper-barely-controlled Nathan and you being so passive pissed me off. So I pressed buttons. We're both passionate people. It was bound that our fights get intense even after eight years."

The tiny scoff turned laugh made Haley smile in appreciation.

"You're forgiven if I'm forgiven," Haley said.

"You're forgiven," Nathan mumbled before lifting his face for an appropriate make-up kiss.

It started to get intense, as usual, until Haley pulled back suddenly. "People won't think you're a murderer within an hour."

"What are you talking about?"

"A blood drop was found at the crime scene near the entrance. Small, but able to compare," Haley took a deep breath. "We compared your DNA. You didn't kill Antwan."

Despite himself, he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally! Solid evidence to clear him of this appalling, horrific crime. But the look on Haley's face said there was more.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked.

Haley swallowed. "Nathan, this isn't easy to say. I'm only telling you this because you deserve to know. But please don't say anything."

"Haley, you don't have to," Nathan started to protest. "You could lose your job."

"Jake and my boss already know. Since I've ousted their relationship," Haley gestured vaguely. "Different time. I don't care about my status. I care about you and bringing justice to Antwan. The blood drop is not yours but similar."

Nathan kept eye contact and didn't hide the fact that he was confused. "What?"

"Nathan," Haley cupped his face. "The blood drop we found is similar to your DNA. That means one of your family members. It's called pairs, but baby, I'm sorry."

Haley really hated herself. Her eyes filled with tears as she told him this and held his hand for dear life.

"Your father killed your best friend."