Disclaimer: One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

Note: Well, that took a while. Sorry about that. The good news is that this is the longest chapter yet. I really hope you enjoy it. A lot happens and a lot happens in the next one. Thank you for being patient with me. You guys are great.

Setting down two plates in front of her customers, Haley smiled and asked them if they needed anything else. She was listening for their answer when she heard the bell of the door sound. She saw Nathan walk in. His shoulders were slumped, his hat was in his hand, and he was looking anywhere but at her. She knew exactly what had happened. She could read him so well. Her heart broke and she wanted to run to him and hug him. She wanted to tell him that everything would be all right. She couldn't, though. She was at work and she also knew that Nathan wouldn't want a public display.

Haley vaguely heard her customers tell her they didn't need anything more. Wiping her hands on her apron out of nervousness, Haley walked up to Nathan. He stopped moving his head around and looking from place to place, but he still wouldn't look directly at her. Without a word, she laced her fingers through his and led him to a stool at the counter. She poured him a cup of coffee and let her fingers linger on his hand before returning to work.

Haley tried to focus on the customers, but her attention was elsewhere. She kept looking at Nathan, who sat with his shoulders slumped, his hands wrapped around the coffee cup. She was sure that he hadn't taken a single drink of it. Karen noticed that Haley was distracted and looked at the young couple sympathetically. She knew what Nathan and Lucas had gone to do that day. She could tell by looking at Nathan what had happened and she worried about what had happened with her own son. She had a feeling she knew and she didn't like it one bit. Still, he was a grown man. He made his own decisions. That was something she had learned two and a half years ago.

Karen stopped Haley behind the counter as she was refilling the pot of coffee. She gently placed her hand on Haley's arm and could feel how tense she was.

"Haley, why don't you take your break now. Don't worry about anything down here. I can handle it."

"Karen-," Haley began.

"Go ahead." Karen looked to Nathan and smiled. He didn't seem to notice her. He didn't seem to notice much of anything. He needed to be around Haley, but she was working. He understood that. He had come to the café for two reasons and both reasons involved Haley. She wanted to know what had happened. He could tell how nervous she was about his trying to enlist. The other reason is that he was feeling useless. Everyone else he knew would probably be going off to fight and he would be left behind. He wanted the comfort that he knew he would get from Haley. He felt it just being in the café with her now. Still, he wanted more and he knew he couldn't have that while she was working. For now, he would take what he could get.

Nathan was broken from his thoughts when he felt Haley take his hand. He knew it was her without even looking. He did finally look at her and he didn't see pity. He saw sympathy. He tried to give her a small smile so that he could tell her that he was okay, but he knew she would know better. She knew him too well for that. She gave a slight tug on his hand and he stood up to follow her. They both ignored the few customers in the café who watched with some curiosity as Haley led Nathan upstairs. They stopped at her apartment, but only long enough for her to grab her coat. Nathan stayed quiet as Haley led him to the roof. She took a seat on the small bench up there and invited him to do the same.

"Lucas and I used to play up here," she explained. There were still remnants from a little golf course that had been there and Nathan smiled. His brother and Haley had been so close growing up. He wished that he could have been part of their little group instead of the friends he did have during school. Haley linked her arm in his and rested her head on his shoulder, leaning into him.

"I love you, Nathan. If you want to talk and tell me what happened, I'm here to listen. If you just want to sit and be quiet, we can do that too. Whatever you need."

Nathan rested his head on top of hers where it was on his shoulder. This was exactly what he needed. They didn't say anything for a while. In the back of his head, Nathan knew that Haley still had to work. He also knew that he did need to talk.

"They think I can't do it because of my knee. They think I'd just slow everyone else down. I could do it, though, Hales. I know I could. But they don't want me." He felt Haley snuggle closer to him and hold onto his arm tighter.

"You know, ever since this happened, there hasn't been much I couldn't do except play baseball. I can walk. I can run. I just do it a little funny. I can't help it. I'm a little slow. I know that. But… I can still defend people. I can still do what anyone else can. I could walk miles and miles like they want me to. They won't even take a chance."

Haley felt a tear slide down her cheek as she listened to him. She put her hand on his cheek and forced his head to turn so that he was looking at her.

"You've always been the most handsome man I have ever seen. Even when I didn't like you," she joked. "You did something, though, not long after you came to work at the club, that made you even more attractive. It wasn't long after you began walking me home instead of following me home.

"Damien West came into the club and he touched me where he shouldn't have. He grabbed me and I know we never talked about it, but he made me feel so uncomfortable. The way he was looking at me and talking to me. It was like I could feel it underneath my skin and it felt so wrong. But then you came to my rescue. You defended me. In that moment, you became even more attractive than you already were.

"You can defend people. You're strong and capable. You're one of the strongest people I know and I don't just mean physically. I'm so sorry that they won't give you a chance and that what happened to your knee is holding you back."

"I'm just as much of a man as anyone else who was there to sign up."

"I know you are. You're more than half of them, I'm sure. But, Nathan, being a man isn't about going to war and fighting. It's about so much more than that. You are a man in every way that counts. Yes, that also means that you can fight and defend when necessary. But it also means that you're incredibly kind and considerate. You do the right thing and you respect others. Please don't let this make you feel like you are anything less than you are. Remember, you're the man that I love and will be spending the rest of my life with. The man I chose for that is, well, he's quite something." Haley kissed his cheek and let her lips linger.

"I'm also a little angry, Hales."

"About them not accepting you?"

"I'm not really angry about that. Disappointed. Feeling a little less than I am, I guess."

"You aren't," she quickly said.

Nathan responded by taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips. "I'm angry," he continued, "because what's going to happen to Keith now? Lucas is going off to war. So, what? Dan gets off free and we don't get to do what we've been planning for nearly three years? That isn't fair, Hales. He needs to pay. He needs to know that he can't run all over people and, and kill them and just get away with it. My mother doesn't deserve that."

"We'll figure something out, Nathan. I promise. We will find justice for your mom and Keith." Haley had thought about this as well during the past week. Ever since she found out that both Lucas and Nathan would be trying to enlist she wondered what would happen with Keith. She had just about made up her mind about what she wanted to do too. She wasn't sure if this would be the right moment to tell Nathan her idea. "You know, I love Lucas. He's like another brother. But, your plan hasn't gotten very far with him involved. I think that this is something that you and I are more than capable of taking care of on our own while he's gone."

Nathan looked at Haley, surprised. "You've thought about this?"

"I have."

Nathan was almost afraid of the answer to his next question, but he decided to ask it anyway. He could always trust Haley to be honest with him and he wanted it that way. "Haley, did you think they were going to turn me away?"

Haley sighed and pulled away so that she could look him right in the eye. "It wasn't that I thought that they would." She bit her lip before continuing. "I was hoping that they would. I know you could have done it. You would have been brave and strong. You also would have been so handsome in that uniform. But I can't lose you, Nathan. You're my future and if you go off to war, our future is very much in question."

Haley couldn't help the flow of tears coming from her eyes and she tried to wipe them away. "I don't want you to die, Nathan. I want you to be here so that we can have a life together and a family."

Nathan hadn't really been worried about Haley's answer when he asked the question. He knew she would have a good reason for whatever it was she was feeling. He was right. He had never met anyone who cared so much about what happened to him. He put both arms around her and kissed her, tasting the salt of her tears.

"I know one little talk isn't going to fix everything, Nathan. Just remember how much I love you."

Nathan nodded. "I do. It's one of the reasons I came here when Lucas and I got back. I had him drop me off here. I knew I'd feel better when I was with you."

Haley was happy. Knowing that she could do that for Nathan meant so much.

"I'm glad you don't want me to die," he said.

"Of course not. I don't think I could handle losing you."

"You won't," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Despite knowing that Haley would have to go back to work, they continued to sit together in silence. They would share the occasional kiss and smile, but they didn't say much.

"I think we should take the ledger," Haley said.

Nathan could tell from her tone that Haley was incredibly serious about what she just said. "Haley, that's a dangerous idea."

"Nathan, what other choice do we have? Lucas will be going off to basic training and then to war. I hope he won't be gone long and that this ends quickly, but I don't think that's going to happen. We need to end this. The ledger is the best piece of evidence that we have. We'll figure out how to do it soon and get to it. What we'll do is we'll take it, copy the information, then put the ledger back. Then we can take it to the FBI. Lucas said that would be best since Dan's got the local law enforcement in his pocket. It makes me sick thinking that he's bought off the sheriff's department. Then we can get him on that and he'll go away for a long time. Keith can come back and testify against Dan. He can go back to his family."

"You have this all figured out, don't you?" Despite the danger of their plan, Nathan was impressed. His girl had jumped in head first and she wanted to help as much as she could. She believed that he would be brave in battle and he knew just how brave she was in this battle. She was always brave. He loved this woman. As soon as this was over, he hoped that they could get started on their life together. He wanted to be able to give her everything she deserved and the desire to marry her immediately was growing stronger and stronger.

The weekend passed and Sunday dinner had been tense. Nathan had been quiet all weekend. Haley knew that what happened when he tried to enlist was still bothering him, but she didn't want to push him. She just tried to be there for him. She noticed that when it was just the two of them, he felt a little lighter than he seemed to around others. She was glad that she could do that for him.

They hadn't spoken to Lucas or Peyton about their plan to continue going after Dan. They had both acknowledged that Lucas would not be happy with this and would try to stop them. They weren't going to sit around and do nothing, though. Each day they saw Keith getting more and more frustrated as he sat down in that basement. It resulted in Peyton spending more time with him trying to calm him down, but he was always in a bad mood. Nathan and Haley also tried to spend more time with him. They could barely get a full sentence from him when they spoke to him.

The club had been busy that weekend and it was also busy that Monday night. People seemed to want to celebrate life knowing that things were rapidly changing in their world. Due to the large amount of people, it took Haley even more time to get to the bar to see Nathan.

As Nathan handed her her drink, she leaned in closer. "Tonight," she whispered. "I'm going into his office. In five minutes, I'll need a distraction." She walked away before Nathan could stop her or protest her plan. She walked away like she was a woman on a mission. He couldn't help but feel proud for her, but he was also nervous.

Nathan looked around, wanting to find some way of distracting Dan and getting him out of his office. He saw his chance. It wouldn't go well for Cooper, but it was a chance. Nathan didn't like using his uncle, but he saw it as his best shot. He leaned forward as Cooper leaned back on the bar.

"I need a distraction to get Dan out of his office. Can you do that and not ask any questions about it?"

Cooper looked at Nathan and Nathan was sure that he saw a glint of mischief in his uncle's blue eyes. "If it'll upset Dan, absolutely." Cooper quickly glanced toward a table where Rachel sat with some other women.

Cooper quickly downed a shot and turned to the bar. He picked up a bottle from the bar and smashed it down on the surface, causing it to shatter and the liquid to spill from it. Taking the remnants of the bottle, he threw it behind the bar, causing Nathan and Julian to duck.

"DAN SCOTT," Cooper bellowed. "GET OUT HERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" The music in the club stopped and everyone's attention was on Cooper. "You and me are gonna have it out right now!" Cooper was still shouting and still throwing bottles and glasses when Dan emerged from his office. Several of the employees were standing near Cooper, trying to get to him to stop him, but with glass and booze flying everywhere, it wasn't easy.

"What the hell is going on here?" Dan looked livid and he did actually approach Cooper. When Cooper had seen Dan, he had stopped throwing things. He closed the distance between he and Dan, getting right in his face.

"You take everything from me. Why, Dan? What is it you have against me?"

"What the hell is going on with you, Cooper? You come here night after night and why? Most nights, she isn't even here." Dan kept his calm. His voice was even and strong.

Cooper shoved Dan and the older man stumbled backward. "You were never good enough for my sister and you were never good enough for her son."

Nathan's head jerked up. He hadn't expected Cooper to bring him into the matter. He looked back toward Dan's office and saw Haley emerging. She gave him the tiniest of nods and he knew that she had succeeded in getting the ledger. Nathan turned his attention back to Cooper and Dan.

Dan had composed himself again and was holding Cooper by the lapels. He leaned in and spoke. His voice was a low whisper.

"You think I don't know the truth? I knew he wasn't mine the minute he was born. He's got your eyes, you know. And the only reason I keep them around is because it bothers you so much that I have what you want." Dan smirked and took a step back.

Nathan continued to watch and he wished he could have heard what Dan had told Cooper. Whatever it was, he had never seen Cooper so angry. The next thing he knew, Cooper had lunged at Dan and threw a punch, his fist connecting with Dan's face.

"Get him out of here," Dan ordered. Two of Dan's goons, Chase and Ian, showed up and grabbed Cooper. They literally dragged him out of the club and threw him out. Nathan hadn't intended for something like that to happen. Cooper had definitely caused a distraction, but Nathan knew that he wouldn't be coming back to the club anytime soon.

Dan disappeared into his office after ordering Haley and the band to begin playing again. Nathan couldn't wait for the night to be over to talk to Haley, but there were still several hours until he could do that. Luckily, the rest of the night went by quickly given how busy the club was.

When the employees were cleaning up for the night, Dan was still there. It happened rarely. Eventually, he came out of his office so that he could leave. He looked angry and looked on his employees with disdain. Nathan tried to ignore him and continued working.

"How many of you am I losing for this damn war?"

A few of the men raised their hands. Nathan just continued working.

"And what about you?" Dan was now standing in Nathan's way, blocking him from continuing what he was doing. "Are you going to even enlist?"

"I tried," Nathan muttered.

"You tried? You tried. What? They didn't want you? Not good enough for the Army? Hell, I thought they'd take anyone they could get for this. Guess they don't want some cripple."

Nathan felt his blood boil. He knew that Dan was angry about what happened with Cooper, but he also felt that Dan believed what he was saying. Dan didn't believe that Nathan was good enough.

Haley watched the scene unfold before her. She had never hated anyone, but in that moment she hated Dan Scott.

"Stop it," she said, trying to stand up for Nathan. She didn't want Dan tearing Nathan down. Nathan was more of a man than Dan ever could dream of being. Both Nathan and Dan ignored her.

"You're useless," Dan spewed.

"Fuck you," Nathan said. "At least I'm not a coward who runs from my responsibilities."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what it means." Nathan turned on his heel, grabbed his jacket and left the club. The rest of the employees stood around for several moments, shocked into silence.

When Haley and the others finally left, she found Nathan waiting for her to walk her home. She knew that he wouldn't have left her there. He apologized for walking out, but she didn't blame him. She understood completely why he had done it. She had wanted to say a few things to Dan herself, but she didn't want to risk angering him. Hidden inside her coat was his ledger and she didn't want him knowing that she had it. She would return it again the next night by using the same excuse that she used with Julian the first time they searched the club.

Nathan didn't stay long at Haley's that night and as he was walking home, he felt like someone was following him. He quickened his pace, but kept going. He barely had time to react when he was grabbed and thrown into a car. He couldn't see where they were going as a burlap sack was thrown over his head. He tried to struggle, but he was held down. He could sense that there was more than one of them. He tried to remain calm. While stuffed in the backseat of the car, his wrists were tied together despite his efforts to stop it from happening.

Wherever they went, it didn't take them long to get there. Nathan was quickly pulled from the car and thrown on the ground. Before he could try to get up, he was kicked in the ribs. Again, he tried to get up, but he kept getting hit. A fist made contact with his face with the snack between them. Still, he felt the skin of his cheek crack and he could feel the blood trickling down his face.

Nathan placed his hand on the floor, trying to use it for leverage to get up. As he was hoisting himself up, he felt someone deliberately step on his hand. He was sure he heard his pinky finger crack. After several more kicks to his ribs he worried that they'd broken some of those too. Finally, there was a lull in the beating. He managed to reach up and remove the sack from his head. He squinted his eyes, trying to adjust them to the light in the building. It looked like a warehouse. Made of cold steel and dirty windows, Nathan thought it might be the warehouse down by the docks.

He coughed and could notice the coppery taste of blood. It had happened when he'd been punched and his lip had split open. He spit, trying to get the blood out of his mouth. He brought his hand to it, wiping away the rest. As his pinky brushed his lip, the pain from the break in his smallest finger went searing throughout the rest of his hand. He continued to squint and then realized that he was having trouble seeing because his eye was slightly swollen. His entire face hurt.

"That's enough."

Nathan didn't need to look up to know who that voice belonged to. He had a feeling he knew before they even arrived here who was behind this. His old man really was a son of a bitch. He tried to get up again, but was kicked in the stomach. He held his stomach, but stayed on the ground. He looked up and saw Ian and Chase standing over him. Chase had a set of brass knuckles on. That explained how his cheek was split open after one punch. Ian moved behind him and gently placed his foot over Nathan's bad knee. Instinct told Nathan to jerk out of the way and move, but he stayed still. He didn't flinch or cry out as Ian placed pressure, bending his knee in a way that would have been unnatural even if his knee was perfect. He looked up at his father and seeing Dan's apathetic expression, Nathan tried to keep control of his temper. He tried to remember what Lucas had told him about getting angry. He tried not to think about the sight of seeing his father kill his mother and shoot his Uncle Keith, leaving him for dead. He tried not to think about all the times that Dan had made him feel worthless, the most recent of which had been just an hour earlier.

He thought about Haley and he found some peace. She would get him through this. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to be with her. It was as if he and Dan were engaged in some sort of staring contest. But, Dan was cheating. Nathan couldn't get up and Ian was still stepping down on his knee. He wasn't going to let Dan win, though. He would be patient and wait for Dan to speak first. He would think about Haley and she would be the one giving him strength. As he was down on the dirty concrete floor, bleeding and in pain, he realized that Haley really was right. They needed to take care of their problems with Dan right away. He was too dangerous to wait for Lucas to come back from the war.

Nathan got a small sense of satisfaction when Dan was the first to speak. It felt like a tiny victory.

"That girl is a problem." Despite the fact that Dan had lost their unofficial staring contest, his manner was still calm. He acted like nothing had happened. It was as if he hadn't just had his goons beat up his own son. "I told you to stop seeing her, Nathan. You were told twice. I told you that if we had to have a third conversation that it was going to go differently.

"I tolerated it when she yelled at me once before. She tried to again tonight. If she keeps coming to your rescue… She's making you weak, Nathan. I see you two and I see how close you're getting. Tonight, you mentioned my responsibilities. I'm just trying to save you from making the same mistake that I made.

"You're headed down a murky road, son. She's a good girl, but she is still a girl. You get her pregnant, like I did with Karen, and you have two choices. You could either leave her to fend for herself. I'm sure she could do it, too. Or, you could ruin your life by staying with her. You'd never realize your full potential. Your life is over. You'd ruin her and her reputation. You don't want that, do you?"

Nathan looked at his father like he was crazy. He had to be crazy. What business was this of Dan's? Why was he so preoccupied with Nathan possibly getting Haley pregnant? Nathan was now more and more convinced that Dan had regrets when it came to Karen. He had seen the way his father would look at her and he knew that Dan believed Keith had stolen Karen from him. It was as if Dan saw parallels between he and Haley and Dan and Karen. Well, they weren't the same.

"Finish things with that girl, Nathan. I mean it." Dan swiftly kicked Nathan in the ribs, leaving his son coughing on the ground and clutching his ribs.

Nathan was angry. He thought his father was crazy, but he was also angry. He hadn't just crossed a line with this beating, he jumped over it. Nathan found some strength and shrugged Ian off of his knee. Unsteadily, Nathan got up, putting most of his weight on his other leg. He limped over to Dan and got right in his face, just as Cooper had earlier that night.

"Leave Haley?"

"Leave that whore, son."

Nathan felt his anger grow and he grabbed Dan by the lapels of his coat. He could hear Ian and Chase move closer. His eyes never left Dan's and he noticed Dan give a slight shake of his head, telling Ian and Chase to back off.

"She isn't a whore. She's the woman that I love," Nathan's teeth were clenched and his grip on Dan tightened. "You're a loser, Dan. You think you can control me just the way you did when I was a kid. You're a coward. If I got Haley pregnant, it wouldn't ruin anything. She is going to be the mother of my children someday. You think she's just like Karen and I'm just like you. I'm nothing like you. I would never repeat your mistakes. You're a loser, a coward, and," Nathan leaned in even closer and lowered his voice, "a murderer. I saw you that night. You told Keith that he stole Karen from you right before you shot them. I was there and I saw the whole thing. Don't think for a minute that I'm anything like you. I'd never be stupid enough to let the woman I love get away." Nathan gathered enough spit in his mouth. It was mixed with a little blood from his split lip. He spit directly in Dan's face before letting go of him. Without a second glance, he walked right past Dan and toward the door that he saw.

He didn't think that Dan, Ian, or Chase would follow him. He saw how stunned Dan looked at his revelation. The minute he stepped into the cold night air, he knew that it was a mistake. Lucas was always telling him to keep his temper in check when it came to Dan. He just couldn't help it this time. His father had him kidnapped, beaten, and then he called Haley a whore. Earlier, he had made him feel useless. Running through his mind as he limped through Tree Hill, he thought of what was going to happen. He would have to tell the others what he had told Dan. They would need to know so that they could be careful.

He hadn't begun walking with a specific destination in mind, but he wasn't surprised when he ended up standing in front of the café. He noticed that Haley's light was still on, so he unlocked the door and walked in. He was feeling weak and sore. The toll of the beating was finally setting in. His face hurt. His ribs hurt and he was holding his side, trying to keep himself together. It took all of his energy to make it upstairs to her apartment. He knew the door would probably be unlocked and it was.

Slowly, he pushed the door open. He saw her in her robe, her hair falling just at his shoulders, sitting at the table and writing something. She hadn't even noticed him walk in, which worried him. What if someone robbed the café at night? He would suggest to her that she lock the door from now on. He wanted to keep her safe, especially after the night he'd had.

Quietly, he closed the door and leaned against it, taking a moment to breath. Not having any more energy, he slowly slid down the door until he was on the floor.

"Haley…"

Haley had been copying everything from Dan's ledger. She wanted to get it done quickly so that it could be returned quickly. She was nearly halfway through when Nathan's voice startled her. When she saw her boyfriend's bloody face and his body slumped down on the floor she felt panic and fear swirling in her belly. She ran to him and gently cradled his face in her hands.

"Nathan? Nathan, what happened?"

"I'm okay, Hales," he replied. "I'm just tired. I just… I walked and I ended up here. I saw your light on and knew you were still awake. You should be getting some sleep, Hales." He found some energy just from her presence and he placed his hand, broken pinky and all, on her cheek. He felt stronger now that he was with her.

"Nathan, what happened?"

Nathan sat up and began to stand. He wasn't surprised when Haley began lifting him. He was larger than she was. She was such a petite woman. But she still wanted to help him up. He accepted her help and they began walking. He was headed in the direction of her sofa when she turned him toward her small bedroom, if it could even be called that. She took charge and brought him to her bed, which was still neatly made. He stood as she pulled back her comforter and blankets and sat him down on it.

As soon as Nathan sat down on her bed, he sprung up from it. He felt like he shouldn't be on it. She placed both of her hands on his shoulders and forced him to sit.

"I'm fine, Haley. I swear. Just a little sore. I just wanted to see you. I'm not staying, Haley. I just… while it was happening… I wanted to see you and be with you," he confessed, palming her cheek and rubbing his thumb along her cheek bone.

Haley laid a soft kiss on the palm of his hand and left him there, sitting on her bed. He heard her leave the apartment, so he stood up and went to the sofa. He couldn't stay on her bed. He was feeling better now that he was there. He just needed a good night's rest. It wasn't like he hadn't been in fights before and been punched. This fight was just a little one sided.

He waited for Haley on the sofa knowing that when she came back he would have to tell her what had happened with Dan. He had also made a decision that he knew she wasn't going to like. Still, it would keep them both safe. That was what he wanted most, even if it meant that he would be unhappy. That thought made him uneasy as he sat and waited for Haley.

His head jerked up when she came in. She was carrying a bowl of water and a towel. She looked at him and shook her head before heading to the other side of the wall separating the common living area from what was her bedroom. When he saw her again, she went to the bathroom and emerged carrying something in a bottle. She stood in front of him, grabbed his hand, and led him back to her bed.

"Sit down and stop arguing, Nathan. I mean it."

With a nod of defeat, Nathan sat. He would let her do this, but then he was leaving. He would not be staying the night.

"Haley, I did something really stupid tonight and it's gonna change things."

Haley had been in the middle of taking the damp towel and using it to clean up Nathan's cheek. She stopped and looked at him. He saw nothing but concern in her eyes.

"Nathan, tell me what happened. Who did this to you?"

He laced his fingers together in his lap and looked at his hands. "I think my finger's broken."

"Which one?"

Nathan held up his right hand and pointed to his pinky. Nodding, Haley went to her dresser and started digging through the bottom drawer. She pulled something out and Nathan tried to turn to look at her, but found it difficult with how sore his torso was. He could move and he didn't have any sharpness when he breathed, so he supposed that his question about whether his ribs had broken was answered. Haley returned with a slip of fabric. Gently, she took his hand and wrapped his pinky finger to his ring finger.

"It's the best I can do, but we should really take you to Dr. Durham."

"I'm fine, Hales. I'm fine. I promise."

"Nathan, you need to tell me what happened." She sat down on her bed next to him, leaving barely any space between them. She reached for his hand, careful not to hurt his finger. Before he could speak, she brought the damp cloth to his cheek again. The bleeding had stopped while he was walking to the café. She set the cloth down and lightly kissed the wound. Nathan closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of her. He would miss her so much. This would hurt more than anything ever had before.

"Dan. Dan did this," he finally said. "He told me that I have to stop seeing you. He's lost his mind, Hales. He really thinks that if I stop seeing you, it'll somehow make up for what he did with Karen. I really believe that. He sees you and me as him and Karen. He thinks I'm gonna ruin your life or you're gonna ruin mine."

"Nathan, we both know that isn't going to happen. He can't stop us from seeing each other. I can't believe that he did this to you. Your own father. Nathan, now I'm even more convinced that we're doing the right thing. We need to take him down and quickly. He's resorted to hurting you. Everything will be fine once we get him in prison where he belongs."

"Haley, I did something really stupid. Really, really stupid."

"What, Nathan? What could you possibly have done?"

"I just got so mad at him, Hales. This past weekend… I just have felt… and I know you told me to try not to and I'm okay with not going… I guess. I was just already feeling bad about it and then at the club he made me feel worse. Then he has those two goons pick me up and beat me up. He… he… he called you a whore, Hales. He told me to leave you and he called you a whore. I just got so angry that I told him I knew what he did. I told him that I was there that night." Nathan looked down, feeling ashamed. He then stood up and began pacing.

Haley noticed that he was limping more than usual. "Nathan, what happened to your knee?"

"Ian stepped on it."

"Oh, Nathan."

"Haley, I love you. You know I love you, right? And that I would never do anything to hurt you?"

"Nathan, what's going on? You're scaring me." Haley stood up, reached for his shoulders and got him to stop pacing.

"Haley, you know, right?"

"I know you love me, Nathan." She knew that she needed to tell him that before he continued. "What's going on?"

"Haley, I have to keep you safe. I have to. I have to leave Tree Hill. If I leave, then he won't get to either of us. I was thinking and I'll take Keith with me. We'll settle somewhere and after a while, I'll come back for you. I don't expect you to wait for me, but if you do… I'll come back for you. It's not safe for you, Haley."

"Nathan Royal Scott, you stop your rambling right now." Haley felt her anger rise. She had made it clear to him that they were in this together. "You think you can come here all bloodied, bruised, and beaten up and tell me that you're leaving me for my own good? What did I get done telling you just a few days ago? I told you that I cannot lose you. I love you." She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help it.

"Haley, I just want to keep you safe. If something ever happened to you…"

"Something would happen to me if you left, Nathan. I couldn't handle that. I need you in my life. I need that future we talked about." She wrapped her arms around him, not caring that there was blood on his shirt and not knowing that his torso was just as bruised as his face. "If you really think that leaving is best, then I'm going with you."

"Haley, no."

"Why not?"

"Because you have Karen, Lily, and Brooke here. Lucas. And Peyton will need you when Lucas leaves. You help with the café and you've been working so hard to afford to go to school. Just promise me something, Haley. Promise me when I leave you won't go back to the club. He's crazy."

"I can promise you that tonight was my last night working there. I can also promise you that you mean more to me than anyone else. Peyton will have Karen and Brooke. They'll have Peyton. I need to be where you are. I told you when I found out about Keith that it's you and me, Nathan. We're in this together."

"Always and forever," he said, his resolve to leave her crumbling. If he was honest with himself, he knew it wasn't very strong. Leaving her would be the hardest thing he would ever have to do and he wasn't convinced he could do it. She was making it very difficult.

"Always and forever. That's right, Nathan. You're my present and my future and I'm yours. Honestly, you know we'd both be miserable if I agreed to this ludicrous plan of yours. But, you're right. We should take Keith with us."

"Haley, I can't ask you to leave your home. Maybe Dan is right. Maybe we shouldn't be together. Look what he's done to me."

"Dammit, Nathan!" Nathan cringed. She'd never sworn at him before. He wasn't sure she had ever done it at all. "Stop trying to be a martyr! How many times do I have to explain this to you? You and me. You. And. Me."

He pulled her closer to him, ignoring the pain. "I love you, Haley James. I love you so much."

"I love you too. That's why I'm going with you." Her mind was racing. The minute Nathan told her what he had done and that he was leaving, she knew that she would be going with him. He needed to get away from Dan and she wouldn't be without him. She had been thinking of where they could go. She had an idea. "We'll go to Charleston. At least, we can start out there. My brother Ned tells me every time he writes me that I can come live with him. We'll make it work. We can start out there and then find somewhere more permanent. Everything will be fine, Nathan."

"Are you sure about this, Haley? Really sure?"

"You're my home. I'm sure of that. I'm sure that I need to be wherever you are. I'm sure that I love you and that you love me."

"I do love you."

"Come on," she led him back to her bed and sat him down on it. She took the bowl and cloth and set them on her small table, not giving the ledger another thought for the night.

"I should get going," Nathan said as she returned. He watched as she untied the sash of her robe, revealing a simple pair of pajamas. He remembered that her bed was still turned down and he found the palms of his hands getting sweaty.

"You should sleep here tonight."

"Haley…"

"Nathan, you're hurt. And I need you here. After you threatening to leave me, I need you here," Haley thought it was a little low making him feel guilty, but the truth was that she needed the security of having him there.

He hadn't even removed his jacket and didn't stop her when Haley lowered the zipper and began lowering it from his shoulders. With her help, he took that off, as well as his vest, tie, hat, and suspenders. He kicked off his shoes and stood up.

"I'll sleep on the sofa," he announced.

"Nathan, no. Please. Just hold me. I know that if someone sees you in the morning, they will talk. I know it isn't proper for us to be in the same bed, but I don't care. I just want you to hold me tonight. Now, what do you usually sleep in?" Her hands were on her hips and he knew that she wouldn't be discussing the matter of sleeping arrangements with him anymore.

"I have pajama bottoms and I usually just stay in my undershirt."

"But, it's freezing outside."

"Blankets."

"Well, you'll have to sleep in your trousers." Knowing he probably wouldn't take his shirt off, she began doing it for him. He almost laughed when he brought a hand to hers to stop her and she swatted it away. He wasn't going to win any arguments with her tonight. He realized that. Honestly, the idea of sleeping next to Haley and holding her all night sounded so good to him.

Haley momentarily walked away to set Nathan's things aside. Not thinking, he removed his undershirt from his trousers. He heard Haley gasp and saw her bring her hand to cover her mouth.

"Oh, Nathan." She went in front of him and knelt. He didn't try to stop her when she lifted the tank top undershirt from him to inspect the large bruises on his stomach and ribs.

"I'm fine, Hales. I'm just sore. And angry at him. But I'm fine."

Haley nodded and bit her lip. She got into bed next to him and both sat there nervously, not knowing what to do.

"I guess we should go to sleep," Haley finally said. "You could use the rest."

"I could," he agreed.

Haley laid down flat on her back and Nathan followed suit. Her bed was just a double and it barely accommodated the two of them. In fact, Haley was sure that she could see Nathan's feet hanging off the end of the bed. The awkwardness could be felt by both of them, but neither was quite sure what to do. This was such a new experience for both of them.

"Are there enough blankets?"

"Yes, thank you," he replied. Nathan reminded himself that she wanted him there. She told him that that was what she wanted. He rolled over onto his side and looked at her. She looked so tense. There was no way that they could sleep like this. He reached over her and turned off the lamp. He then wrapped his arm around her and held her, just like she'd asked. He could swear he felt any awkwardness leave them in that moment. With his arm around her midsection, she put her arm over his.

"Goodnight, Nathan. I love you."

"I love you too, Hales. Goodnight," he said, kissing her forehead.

The next morning, Dan sat in his dining room, sipping his coffee. He hadn't slept the night before. He didn't want to be, but he was worried. His son had seen what he did two and a half years ago. Dan was trying to figure out why Nathan hadn't told anyone what he had seen. He didn't think of his son as intelligent, but keeping quiet may have been the smartest thing Nathan had ever done.

He stared at his wife as she walked in. As always, she was perfectly manicured first thing in the morning. Not a single hair was out of place, her makeup was impeccable, and he was sure that she was wearing a new skirt and blouse. She lit a cigarette and waited at the table for Ida to pour her coffee and serve her breakfast.

"You didn't come to bed last night," she commented.

"No. I didn't. But, if you missed me, I'm sure that Cooper Lee would be happy to keep you company. I'm sure he already does."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rachel said nervously.

"I don't know what I ever did to make you think that I'm stupid, my dear. You think I haven't known for a while that Tommy isn't my son? Unfortunately for him, he's looking more and more like Cooper every day."

"You've been working too hard, Dan. You're imagining things," she said desperately.

Quickly, Dan stood from his chair and in a few quick strides he was standing in front of his wife. "Do not try to play me for a fool. I know exactly what has been going on. You were a marriage of convenience. You were pregnant and my wife had died. The public likes knowing that I found happiness again with a young wife and a baby. You're here simply because you look good to voters. That is it. You're here until I have no more use for you," he spewed.

She stood and faced her husband, "Dan-."

She was cut off when Dan hit her with the back of his hand. She fell to the ground, knocking down the chair. Her hand went to her cheek, which was throbbing. He had been distant and cold. She had seduced him simply for his money and their marriage had never been ideal. She was in a predicament and he could help her with that even if he didn't know he was doing it. He had never been cruel before.

She was shocked and didn't know what to do. She just sat there as he left. She heard the door close and then decided to get up. She was surprised when she felt someone helping her. She looked up and found Ida there. Rachel had never spoken to the woman other than about household matters. There was nothing else to say. She thought she saw something in Ida's eyes, though. It was like Ida was seeing something familiar.

Rachel opened her mouth to say something. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say. She felt like she needed to say something, though.

"I'll see to Mr. Tommy," Ida said before Rachel could say anything.

Rachel went to the phone and picked it up, asking the operator to connect her with a familiar number. She kept bringing her hand to her cheek. She hoped it wouldn't bruise. She had made such a mistake and now she was realizing that more than ever.

Haley had been awake for several minutes now. She had slept so well in Nathan's arms. She knew that she would soon have to get up and get ready for the day and opening the café, but she wanted to stay where she was. Despite the bruise around his right eye and the cuts on his cheek and lip, Nathan looked so peaceful in his sleep. She placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. She then kissed the exposed skin just above the top of his shirt.

She hadn't intended to wake him up, but she felt him stir. She blushed when he looked at her, his eyes still groggy with sleep.

"How do you feel?"

"Perfect," he answered.

"I'm serious."

"So am I." He offered her a smirk and kissed her. It was a slow, sensual kiss. It was the perfect way to say good morning. "I loved staying here with you last night, but I should probably go before someone sees me. We wouldn't want me ruining your reputation."

Haley let her fingers dance over his face, feeling the cuts and bruises. His eyes closed at her touch. He kissed the palm of her hand.

"We have a lot to talk about," she said. "We have a lot to plan."

He nodded. "Well, we don't have to work tonight," he joked. "We can talk to Lucas tonight. He's not going to like this."

"Well, it really isn't up to him. We can't make decisions based on what Lucas does or doesn't like."

His hand rested on her cheek. "Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"Not letting me leave you. I don't know if I could have survived it."

She kissed him. "Don't ever try that again. I'm serious, Nathan."

He nodded and sat up. She tried helping him get dressed, but he wouldn't let her. He assured her that he was fine. He got himself washed up and while he was doing that, she went downstairs to get him a cup of coffee. He drank it quickly, wanting to get out of there so no one would see him.

As he was kissing her goodbye he was overwhelmed by what he was feeling. She really was too good to be true and she wanted to be with him. She loved him. That overwhelming feeling didn't leave him as he made it to the front door of the café. He didn't see anyone in the streets. As he went to unlock and open the door, he paused. He didn't want to leave Haley. Not now and not ever. Before he could second guess himself, he went back upstairs to her room. He opened her door and found her clearing off the table. She was still in her pajamas. Her hair still hadn't been brushed and was flowing down at her shoulders. She wore no makeup and she looked both surprised and happy to see him back there.

He took his hat off and began twisting it in his hands. Now that he was there and doing this he was nervous. They hadn't planned this, but one thing that Nathan had learned in the past two and a half years it was that plans often got cast aside. Things happen.

"Nathan, what's going on?" She set down the bowl of water she had used the night before to clean him up.

"I love you," he blurted out. "No one wants me." He saw her open her mouth to speak. "Let me do this, Hales. Please." She nodded and let him continue. He stayed by the door and she stayed on the other side of the room by the table. "The military doesn't want me. My own father thinks I'm a good for nothing loser. I'm… I was a bartender. Now, I have no job. I live with my brother and sister-in-law saving everything I can. But, you want me. You won't leave me even if it's for your own good. You won't let me leave you and I'm not even strong enough to do that. You want me. You love me.

"I've got nothin' to offer you, Hales. I'm not smart. I'm just a washed up ball player with a bum knee. But, I love you. More than anything, I love you. Everything in the world got better when I met you. Ever since you came into my life, everything is better. I'm not afraid of anything. I'm not afraid of not having baseball and I'm not afraid of Dan. I am afraid of something. I'm afraid of losing you. I don't want that at all.

"You make me so happy. You're the first person to ever get me to really smile and feel like everything would be all right. All I want is to make you happy. I think I can make you happy. Any other girl, she woulda gotten scared after last night and no one would have blamed her for leaving my ass and ending this. Not you. You refused to let that happen and we got stronger last night, Hales. I feel it.

"I've got nothing to offer you. Except for me. I've got to hope that's enough." Nathan closed the gap between them and took her face in both of his hands and kissed her as if his life depended on it. He took a step back and with some difficulty, he got down on one knee before her. He grabbed hold of her hand and kissed it. When he looked back up at her there were tears in his eyes.

"Marry me, Haley James. We already planned to spend the rest of our lives together, so let's start that now. We'll go to Charleston and I'll talk to your brother. I'll ask him properly for your hand. Marry me."

Haley's eyes went wide the moment he got down on one knee. She had been confused when he first came back in the apartment. Her heart had broken as he told her that no one wanted him. She had been curious and on edge as he gave his speech, wondering where he was going. His emotions were raw and his heart was on his sleeve. She had never seen him so vulnerable. When he said that they had gotten stronger the night before her heart had surged. She took comfort in him acknowledging that because it meant that he wouldn't try to leave her again.

She ran her hand through his hair, which was still messy and uncombed. She let herself get lost in his eyes, which she swore were more blue when they had tears in them. He was looking at her with such hope and optimism and it was then that she realized that she hadn't given him an answer yet.

"Just when I think that I couldn't possibly love you more," she said. She felt the tears falling and she didn't even try to wipe them away. "You are my always and my forever."

"Marry me," he repeated.

"Yes," she said, leaning down to kiss him. She kissed him as if her life depended on it. She didn't stop kissing him as he stood, with some difficulty. She didn't stop kissing him as he lifted her off of the ground and hugged her tightly to him. She didn't want to stop kissing him. Not now and not ever.

"Today," she said. "I want to marry you today."

Note: I really, really want to get the next chapter out soon, so I'll do my best. I really hope you liked that. Also, I am planning the story after this one as this is winding down. It'll be called I Love You, but I Don't Know What to Say.