Never Gonna Give You Up

A/N: Here's a short little update. I hope you all like it. - Jasmine

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"What do you mean you can't sign the last page Nathan?"

"I mean I can't sign it."

"But---"

"And I can't believe you two would want me to. You're asking too much and it's something I never told you I would do."

"Nathan, it's what's best." said a now frustrated Lucas.

Nathan shook his head. "No Lucas. It's wrong and you know it. If…if I sign that last page then I become Dan and there's NO way that's ever going to happen."

Lucas eyed his brother curiously. "What are you talking about?! You signing those papers won't make you like Dan."

"Oh really." Nathan said as he got up from his spot on the couch and pointed to the top of the last page. "Me signing a non-disclosure agreement suggests otherwise. You want to contractually bind me from ever telling Anna that I'm her biological father. What if it got out to her another way? She's going to think…"

"She'll think what Nathan?" Lucas asked agitatedly.

Nathan sighed. "That I'm an asshole for not at least acknowledging her."

Lucas shook his head. "No she won't. She'll see it as you making a necessary sacrifice for her well-being. Anna…she won't have to grow up confused and with an identity problem. All of those papers…they just solidify the way things were always suppose to be….me as Anna's father. It's what's best for everyone and most importantly her."

"But still Lucas---"

"No…I don't want to hear anymore of it. Just sign the papers. All of them."

Nathan shook his head. "I will never sign that last page Lucas. And if I'm being perfectly honest right now, I'm not sure I can't sign the others either."

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"It's open."

Brooke slowly opened up the door the Naley home. "Hey."

Haley sighed. "What is it Brooke? You come here to shout at me some more?"

"No." Brooke said as she tossed her purse down on the stand next to her. "I think you've had enough of being yelled at. I came here to see how you're doing. I…I know you know about Nathan being Anna's father and I wanted to see if you were okay because I know that was probably extremely hard for you to hear."

Haley shook her head and the tears began to well up in her eyes. "No, I'm not. You're right. It was really hard…hearing that she's his daughter."

Brooke walked up to Haley and hugged her. "I know it was."

"I really wish he would talk to me Brooke." Haley said as she wiped away her tears. "Because as hard as it was to hear about Anna…it hurts even more knowing my husband wants nothing to do with me. Gosh I…I just feel so terrible for what I had wanted to do and if I could take it all back I would in a second, but he doesn't want to sit and listen to anything I have to say."

Brooke let go of Haley and stared deeply into her friend's eyes. "He will."

"I'm not so sure about that."

Brooke shook her head. "He will. And he'll forgive you. Because Haley…Nathan's crazy in love with you and there's no way he's ever going to give up on what the two of you have. Things will be better in time…you'll see. Nathan…he will come and talk to you eventually and you'll be able to work things out."

Haley sighed. "I hope so."

"You will." Brooke reassured. "Because you're Naley. Always and forever, remember?"

Haley smiled slightly and nodded. Brooke wiped away a tear from her friend's cheek and hugged her tightly.

"Everything will be okay." Brooke whispered into Haley's ear. "It'll all be okay."

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Lucas glared into his brother's eyes. "What do you mean you can't sign ANY of them?! Nathan we agreed---"

"I know, I know." Nathan said as he dropped the papers onto the coffee table. "But this isn't as easy I thought it would be. I need more time to think about---"

"Think about what?!" Lucas asked interrupting. "There's nothing to think about! You are NOT her father!"

"But I'm her biological father Lucas!" Nathan said yelling. "And I can't shake that. Anna…she's all I have been thinking about! She's all I've been dreaming about!"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Look whatever dreams or feelings you're having…you're just going to have to find a way to get over them because I…I am Anna's father! I have been that to her for nearly two years now! Don't think that you can waltz into her life and replace me as her father after all of this time just because some stupid test says that your freaking DNA matches! You and I know better than anyone else that doesn't make someone a father!"

Nathan sighed. "I didn't say that I wanted to take your place."

"Then what exactly are you trying to say Nathan?!" Lucas asked shouting.

"I don't know!" Nathan said as he threw his arms up in the air and began pacing around the room. "I don't know. I…I need time to feel this whole thing out. And I need…I need to spend some real quality, one on one time with Anna."

"And then?"

"I don't know. We'll see."

"What do you mean 'we'll see'!?" asked a now furious Lucas. He shook his head. "No forget it. I'm not going to let you dictate this. Look…this whole thing…it isn't fair to either one of us but…we can't change the way the chips fell Nathan. Anna has been my daughter from the very beginning. She will ALWAYS be MY daughter and I'm never going to give her up to you or anyone!"

Nathan's face grew red. "Lucas! I---"

His words were interrupted by cries coming from upstairs.

Peyton, who had remained quiet for the entire argument, threw up her hands in aggravation. "Great! All the yelling woke her up!"

Peyton shook her head and quickly headed for the stairs to check on Anna.

Lucas and Nathan continued to glare at each other until Lucas finally stepped away and headed toward the foot of the stairs. He hollered up to Peyton. "Is she okay?"

A few moments later Peyton emerged, with Anna in her arms, and began heading down the steps. "Yeah she just wants Bunny."

Lucas nodded and walked over to Anna's play pen and grabbed her stuffed rabbit. He then walked back over to Peyton and Anna and handed Bunny over to the little girl. Anna's eyes lit up as she took Bunny from Lucas. She then laid her head down on Peyton's chest and cradled her stuffed rabbit in her arms. Peyton closed her eyes as she held onto Anna closely and lovingly stroked her daughter's blonde curls.

Lucas smiled softly at the sight of Peyton with Anna. The smile soon vanished once his gaze shifted to Nathan, who had his eyes fixated on the little girl in his wife's arms. He walked back over to his brother.

"I think you should go."

Nathan remained silent for a long while before he finally moved his eyes away from Anna and onto Lucas and responded. "Alright…I'll go. But this conversation it isn't over."

Nathan redirected his attention back to Anna. "Not by a long shot."

He then left the living room, made his way to the front door and exited the house.

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Okay…so it looks like this situation is just getting worse. Nathan can't shake the thoughts of Anna from his mind and is confused about what he wants. Lucas doesn't care what Nathan wants as he seems to think it'd be wrong to mess with Anna's life now and change the way things have always been. Should Nathan just back off? Do you think that's what he'll do? Hmm…I guess you all will just have to wait and see what happens! Please review with your thoughts/comments!

Next time…

Lucas and Peyton have a chat with their attorney

Peyton and Brooke sit down and talk