Woo it's been a while and I apologize. I am graduating soon so I promise to write more! I plan on updating Fame Games within the week. On with the story.

IMPORTANT

Make sure you read the update version of chapter 10 or you won't understand what's going on. It was the ENDING that changed.

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

"Looks like you're spending the night."

Nathan and Haley walked out of TRIC hand in hand. Their walk to the car was quiet but peaceful. Pulling on the handle, Nathan opened the door for Haley, helping her in the SUV his mom let him use.

Once he was buckled in, he started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"I never got to ask you what it's like living with your parents again," Haley enquired, playing with his fingers that rested on her thigh.

Sighing, Nathan shifted in his seat. "It's not enjoyable, to say the least. You are a much preferred roommate," he said, turning to look at her with a smirk. She giggled in reply, and urged him to continue.

"It's just hard. Mom wants a divorce, and Dad said he'd give it to her after his mayoral campaign is complete. Can you believe that? He's using us, making it seem like we are a perfect family when we are probably one of the most dysfunctional ones in Tree Hill."

Haley slowly caressed his hand with her soft thumb. "I'm sorry baby. I hate seeing him hurt you."

Nathan pulled her hand to his lips. "As soon as it's over, he'll be gone, and I can finally get away from him. And then after graduation, I'll get the hell out of this town and all the screwed up people in it."

Haley frowned upon hearing this, not knowing if he was including her in that statement. It made her question what they were as a couple. Were they dating or were they married? Or was he thinking something else entirely?

Before she could prompt him on it, the car was sliding up the driveway. Nathan put the car in park and went around the front to open Haley's door for her. Grabbing her hand, they made their way up to the front door.

Dan swirled his scotch in the glass, sitting at the kitchen counter when Deb walked by. Grabbing her arm, he turned her to face him.

"What the hell do you think that stunt was earlier?"

Deb pulled her arm out of his grasp. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Dan scoffed. "When you walked front of endorsers in your underwear? You might want to watch it, because I will ruin you."

"What can you do, Dan?" she remarked. "The divorce will be finalized at the end of your campaign and there isn't anything else you could do that I haven't suffered through."

Just then, Nathan walked through the front door with Haley behind him. Making eye contact with his parents, Nathan quickly grabbed Haley by the waist and rushed her up the stairs in front of him.

Dan smirked at Deb. "Who said it would be you who suffered?" And with that, he slowly made his way up the stairs.

Nathan opened his bedroom door and dropped Haley's hand as he makes his way to his dresser drawers.

"What are you looking for?"

"Clothes for bed. Although I wouldn't mind seeing you in that Jasmine costume for a while longer," Nathan confessed, smiling at the laugh she let out in response.

Digging through the top drawer, he pulled out a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. Holding them up, he smirked at Haley and said, "Top or bottom?"

She looked in shock, wondering if he was actually being serious. Walking up to him with a smirk of her own, she pulled on the boxers but not enough to release them from Nathan's grip.

"Bottom," she whispered. Looking at his surprised face, she grabbed the shirt instead and made her way back towards the door laughing.

Nathan shook his head in amusement. Only Haley. Once he changed into the boxers, he looked up to see his wife stripped out of her costume and only standing in her bra and panties with a giant smirk on her face.

She enjoyed his look of awe as he checked out her body, but her face reddens with blush. "Like what you see?"

"Of course," he replied in a husky voice as he made his way towards her.

Just as his hands came to rest on her bare waist, there was a knock on the door. Haley looked up at her husband with panic written across her face, unsure of what to do with the situation at hand.

Nathan mumbled a quiet "shit" under his breath before swiftly taking the shirt from Haley and sliding it over her head. She adjusted the shirt to its proper position just as Dan made his entrance.

Quickly pulling his wife behind him, Nathan turned to face his father.

Dan frowned at how close the teenagers seemed, but quickly replaced it with a smile.

"Didn't know you were slumming, Nathan. Don't wear yourself out too much tonight, we are training tomorrow. Oh, and don't forget to take the trash out before you leave," he remarked, making direct eye contact with his daughter-in-law before stepping out of the room and down the hall.

Nathan sighed in exasperation. "Why is it that every time we are having a moment or anything, someone has to walk in and ruin it?"

Haley turned Nathan by his torso and rested her head on his chest. "Fate?" she offered.

Little to their knowledge, Deb was standing in the doorway, watching the interaction. She watched as Nathan brought his lips to Haley's forehead and sighed. This was the first time since Haley left for the tour that she had seen her son so content, and before meeting Haley, she had never seen the look on his face.

Thinking back on her part in raising Nathan, Deb realized she spent most of his childhood absent, whether on a business trip or her affair when he was eleven. And when she returned for good last winter, it was just too late. He had grown up at the hands of Dan and any child who had to endure that, well, turned out cold and unforgiving, just like her soon to be ex-husband.

Only Haley had been able to reverse the effects of years of psychological damage Dan endured on Nathan, and Deb cringed thinking about how long she had spent last spring trying to remove Haley from her son's life. She was upset that Haley had stolen her son from her, but reality was, her son was never hers. Not after she handed him over to the devil himself.

With that, Deb walked away, leaving the couple in peace.

Haley crawled into bed and snuggled into Nathan's chest, smiling as his arms wrapped around her. Looking up, she found herself captured in his bright blue eyes that only reflected love back at her. Slowly, Nathan dipped his head to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. It was slow but sensual, a reunion after so long apart. They hadn't kissed since before he left for High Flyers.

Haley let her hands slide up and down his chest as she laid over him. They parted only when air became an issue.

Looking down at her husband, Haley pecked his lips once and settled back on his chest, whispering an "I love you" and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

Nathan ran his hand through her blonde locks as he felt her breath become shallow and steady, and then followed her into a deep rest.

Downstairs in the study, Dan was working on his second scotch of the night. Opening his email, he saw he had one new email in his inbox from rgatina . He opened it and read:

Mr. Scott,

It has come to my attention that you and I are both fighting for a similar cause: Nathan's independence from his so-called wife Haley. I have already planted a few tricks, but they have seemed to prematurely backfire. So I am calling for your help. From what I hear, you believe Haley is a nuisance to Nathan and a distraction as he works towards getting offers from the scouts. Luckily, I am here to help get rid of her. You are known as a mastermind at these things, so let me know when you're interested to start.

Rachel Gatina

Smirking at the computer, Dan cracked his knuckles and clicked reply.

Dear Ms. Gatina,

I'm glad you've contacted me.

I'm sure we can work something out…

Now Dan is involved mwah ha ha. Let me know what you think and REVIEW