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Authors notes: I hope you all like this chapter, I'm not exactly loving it but WTF. Please read and review.

Ch.12

" You ready for this? " Nathan asked, as he walked her to the door of her classroom.

" Not really, I thought I had years to go before I'd be announcing my retirement. " She replied, placing her hand on the door nob but not turning it yet.

He wrapped an arm loosely around her neck and pulled her into him for a hug, placing his lips against her forehead.

" Want me too hang out in the back of the room? " He offered, wishing her could help her in some way but knowing this was something she had/wanted to do on her own.

" Nah. Go hang out in the gym with Lucas. " She replied. " I'll call you if I need you. "

" Okay. " He kissed her lips before heading down the hall.

She watched him go and once more thanked god that she had him in her life. He really didn't know it but he was her stregnth. On days she didn't think she could make it through, she would think of him and everything they had ever been through together and she would muscle through it. It was because of him that she knew how strong she truly was.

Stepping into her classroom, she took a deep breath. She wasn't ready for this too be over, hell it hadn't even began. She hadn't had the chance to change anyones life, too make some sort of a diffrence. Sitting at her desk, she looked around the desks and wondered if they would ever remember her. One day when asked what teachers inspired them, would her name be on that list. Had she taught them anything.

As the day went on, she said good bye to each of her classes. Most of her students took the well considering. She had lunch with Nathan and Lucas in Lucas' office, not wanting to face the other teachers in the lounge. As she walked through the halls, students and the other teachers watched after her with pity on their faces and it was starting to piss her off. She didn't want to be looked at like that.

Her last class of the day proved to be her most difficult to say good bye to. She watched one by one as the students filled the small room. By the looks she was receiving, it was a safe assumption that most everyone had already heard about her announcement but still, she had to say it herself. Her breath caught as Quinten entered the classroom, purposefully avoiding her eyes. Everyone took their seats and began pulling out their notebooks.

" You can leave your notebooks in your bags, you won't be needing them today. " She said, stopping their movements. " Today is pretty much a free day. "

Nobody said anything, they just stared at her.

" I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that everybody knows by now. " She watched as everyone nodded their heads and Q stared out the window.

" So, it's true? " Colby, a tall blonde haired boy questioned.

" Yes. " Haley nodded, swallowing back the lump threatening to form.

" Theres nothing they can do? " Marissa, a short dark haired girl asked.

" No. " Haley shook her head, swallowing even harder.

" That's bullshit! " Q shouted, standing up so fast that it sent his chair flying back and crashing hard against the ground.

" Quentin. " She tried to intervene but he didn't give her a chance.

" There is always something that can be done, your just too scared to try. " Q stared her down, his brown eyes intense.

" It's not that easy. " Haley told him quietly.

" But giving up is. " He countered.

The room was quiet, watching the show down between student and teacher.

" I'm not giving up. " She insisted, and he snorted in disagreement.

" You're not fighting. " He pointed out.

" It's a fight I can't win. " She pinched the bridge of her nose, willing the headache she feared not to come on.

" You don't know that. " He challenged.

" Would you like to continue this discussion after school? " She offered, aware of the students still watching.

" What's the use? " He mumbled but she heard anyway.

" What do you want from me? " She shouted, surprising herself along with everyone in the room. " I'm the one sick and yet your acting like this is about you. Grow the fuck up, Q, not everything is as cut and dry as you want it too be. "

Seeing that she had everyones full attention, she took a deep breath, willing herself to regain control of her emotions.

" I am 22 years old and I am dying. I won't see my son grow up, have more kids or grow old with my husband and that terrifies me but it also wakes me up. Not one of us is promised tomorrow. " Clasping her hands together, she began walking around the class room. " I have made the most of my short life, I've had a semi successful music career, gone to college, fallen in love and had a child. I have few regrets. "

" Is it true that you got married at sixteen? " A boy in the back of the classroom asked, for the life of her, she couldn't remember his name. Memory loss was a side effect of her illness, so she didn't dwell on it too much.

" I did. " She answered slowly, choosing her words carefully. " I don't recommend getting married that young. Marriage is never easy then factor in high school, college and kids. "

" How did you know Nathan was the ' one ' " A girl in the front row prodded, Haley thought her name might have been Melissa but wasn't positive.

" Nathan was my very first boyfriend, he was my first kiss. I have never had to question my love for him, it was always just there. When everyone was telling me what a bad dude he was, my heart was telling me different, his heart was telling me different. I just knew. "

" Didn't you almost get divorced? " Stephen, a varsity basketball player, added.

" Um, yes, twice actually. Like I said, marriage is very easy and it's more difficult trying to navigate at sixteen. "

" Did you have an affair with Chris Kellar? " A female voice asked, she was unable to see who asked the question.

" No. " She answered simply, wringing her hands together nervously. " I worked with Chris on a song and then went on tour with him but he and I were just friends. "

All of her prevous classes had just listened not questioning anything. Then again, she'd known from the beginning of the year that this group was different.

" What was the most impulsive things you've done? " Kelley, one of her brightest students, asked.

She thought long and hard and then just smiled.

" Besides getting married? " She questioned with a grin and continued when the girl nodded. " I would have to say getting a tattoo. When Nathan and I began dating and I realized I was in love, I went and got his jersey number tattooed on my lower back. "

" Teach got a tramp stamp? " Q asked in disbelief, relaxing a little bit from their earlier argument.

For the rest of the class, they asked questions and she answered. She allowed them to see her as someone other than a teacher. They got to see her as a person.

" So? " Nathan asked, taking a seat beside his wife on the couch. " Was it as bad as you feared? "

" Uh, not really. Q didn't take it well and argued with me in the middle of class but I figured he would. " Haley answered, closing her eyes as he began rubbing the back of her neck. " Some of the other teachers came up and told me how good he is doing. "

" Yeah, Lucas stays on him too. " Nathan told her, moving his hands from her neck to her shoulders.

" I want to work with him as long as I can. " Haley said, placing a hand on his wrist, halting his movements. " Where's Jamie? "

" Brookes, she wanted to keep him for the night, give me and you some much needed time alone to talk. " He couldn't help but smirk as he added. " And some other things. "

" Really? " She bit her lip.

" Yep. " He watched as she got up from her spot. " But we have to talk about something first. "

" What is it? " She was suddenly nervous.

" Sit down. " He softly ordered, patting the couch coushin she had just vacated.

He smiled as she did as he asked.

" Brooke… " He trailed off, trying to find the right words.

" Brooke? " She smiled, gently prodding him to continue.

" Brooke contacted a doctor out of New York. She specializes in your condition and says that it is not in the realm of impossible of you going into remission. " Nathan explained, watching the hope flash in his wifes eyes. " Brooke went ahead and booked a flight, got the hotel reservations and made you an appointment. "

She didn't say anything and it almost scared him. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything.

" They were just going to ambush you with this, the only reason they involved me at all is because Brooke needed me to get your records so she could send them to her. " Nathan explained, hoping that his wife would agree to this.

" They? " Haley asked, quietly.

" Brooke, Peyton and Rachel. " He answered. " What do you say, Hales? Will you go? "

" Yeah, I'll go. " She smiled lightly, kissing his softly.

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