Disclaimer: I don't own OTH or OTH characters. sigh

AN: Wow, I am so sorry it's been so freakin' long since I've updated! My only excuse is that this has been the busiest semester of my life. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed: I got over 100!! Woohoo! You guys are the best!! Anyways, I think you guys have waited long enough, so without further ado…..

Chapter 21

Nathan was beginning to worry. After his second walk through the house, including checking outside, Haley was nowhere to be found. A feeling of dread began to settle in the pit of his stomach. Something was not right.

As he was doing another sweep of the living room, he saw Tim. Grabbing Tim's arm as he passed, he pulled him over to the side of the room where they could hear each other.

"Have you seen Haley?" Nathan asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

"Nah, man, not since the kitchen. Why? Is something wrong?"

"I dunno, I've been looking all over for her. Will you start asking around?"

"Sure thing Nate. I bet she just wandered out to the beach or something," Tim could see the frantic look in Nathan's eyes and was trying to reassure him.

"Thanks Tim. I hope you're right."

Tim and Nathan took off in separate directions. Nathan circled the room once again, before stepping outside onto the back porch. Glancing around, he froze when he found who he was looking for.

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"Oh crap."

Lucas looked up quizzically at Peyton's surprising comment.

"What?" he asked, before following her line of vision.

He sighed dramatically when he saw Nathan making a beeline for them. This was not going to be good. He braced himself for the explosion that was Nathan.

"Have you seen her?" Nathan practically shouted when he was in Lucas's hearing range.

Lucas was confused to say the least.

"Seen who? Haley?" He asked as Nathan stopped in front of him.

"Yes Haley, you idiot," Nathan said between clenched teeth. Taking a deep breath, he knew he needed to push aside his not so affectionate feelings for Lucas if he wanted to find Haley. "Have you seen her?" He repeated the previous question, his desperation evident this time.

"Not since she was with you," Lucas said. "Why? Is she okay?" He asked, sounding worried.

"Shit," Nathan muttered. He had really hoped Lucas had seen her recently. "I don't know," he replied as she shoved a hand through his hair in frustration and worry.

"What do you mean you don't know?! Where the hell is she!" Lucas shouted.

"I mean I don't know!" Nathan yelled back.

"You lost her?!"

"I didn't lose her! I just, I, I don't know where the hell she went!"

Peyton decided it was time to step in and end this shouting match. "Just shut up both of you! You're not helping the situation at all!"

Both boys immediately stopped yelling at each other and stared at Peyton.

"Nathan, when was the last time you saw her?" Peyton asked calmly.

"We were in the living room and she left to go get a drink from in the kitchen. But that was like 15 or 20 minutes ago."

"Okay, and you can't find her anywhere in the house?"

"No, I've looked everywhere for her!"

"Damn it!" Lucas yelled as he threw down his drink. He just wanted to find Haley safe and sound.

"Did you check the bedrooms," Peyton asked quietly, knowing what she was suggesting.

"What? Why would……no, no, no, no," a look of horror crossed Nathan's features.

"Oh god no," Lucas whispered, before tearing into the house, with Nathan and Peyton close on his heels.

They had barely made it back into the living room before Tim nearly barreled them down.

"Billy said he saw this guy in the kitchen with Haley. He said she looked pretty wasted," Tim got out between breaths, having obviously been running around looking for them.
Lucas and Nathan ran off before Tim had even finished talking, both pleading for her to be all right as they dashed toward the hallway.

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Haley was trying desperately to stay calm. She knew if she started freaking out now, there was no way she'd be able to help herself. She needed to stall. Nathan and Lucas were both at the party, and would be looking for her by now, right? Yes, yes they were. They were looking for her right now. They'd be here any minute. She just needed to give them a little bit more time. Oh god, please get here soon, she pleaded desperately. Her pep talk wasn't working quite like she had hoped.

Her eyes followed Trent around the room as he checked the lock again, making sure it was secure. He then walked over and disappeared into the bathroom. Haley heard a faint click, and guessed he had locked the other door to the bathroom because it connected with the room next door.

During these few minutes, Haley tried to move her legs, but she could only slide them a little along the bed. She found she could lift her arms an inch or so, but that wouldn't do her much could. The only thing she could do was speak, and not very loudly at that. It felt like her throat had closed up on her. But she needed to keep him talking. It was the only way she could stall for time.

Haley's heart constricted as Trent made his way back to the bed with a grin on his face. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside her.

"Alone at last."

"Why are you doing this?" Haley tried to keep her voice strong, but it came out as a pitiful sounding whisper.

"Why Haley?" He asked in a mocking tone of voice as he began to run his fingers through her hair. "Because I want you. I have for a very long time." His hand moved to stroke her face. "I loved going to English class because I knew I'd get to sit and look at you for an hour." Trent's leer instantly changed to a frown as he drew his hand back, much to Haley's relief. "But you never noticed me. I was always there, and you never knew it."

"I'm sorry Trent. I really am. But this is no way to go about getting my attention. If you let me go now, we still could be friends." Haley hoped that he would buy it.

Trent sat for a moment, just staring at her, before a crazed look took over and he threw back his head and laughed.

"I don't want to be your friend Haley. I want to be with you. But since you already have a boyfriend, and a backup boyfriend it would seem, this is the only way to get what I want."

He stood up now, and loomed over her.

"And I'm going to enjoy it."

Haley struggled as much as she could when he reached out and grabbed a hold of her shirt, before tugging it up and over her head.

"No! Please, stop this!" She tried to yell, but it came out in a normal tone of voice. She couldn't help the tears that sprang to her eyes.

He stared at her lustfully, relishing the fear in her eyes, before moving down to remove her heels, then eagerly took off her jeans. He stepped back to admire her, clad in only her bra and underwear on the bed.

She shivered in disgust as he trailed his hand from her cheek to her neck, across her chest and belly, and all the way to her thigh. But she was not ready to give up yet.

"So is this the only way you can get girls Trent?" She asked, her voice mocking. "You have to drug them and rape them to get any?"

Trent's gleeful expression turned angry. His eyes hardened and filled with rage.

"How many girls have you done this to Trent? Just the ones you pick, or all those girls who have rejected you?" Haley continued to push, knowing this was her last resort.

"Shut up!" He roared as he raised his hand and slapped her hard across her cheek. But Haley barely flinched. She simply turned her head back to face him and smirked, despite the growing red spot on the cheek.

"Do you hit them too?" She asked quietly, her voice low.

Trent shook with fury. How dare she mock him! He hit her again, this time causing blood to drip down from her lip. Seeing her bleed gave him a little pleasure, but he was still furious with her. He reached out and gently caressed her neck with his hand, before a dark look crossed his features and he tightened his grip on her throat. Haley instantly began gasping for air, her eyes wide in terror as she thrashed on the bed.

After a moment of seeing her at his mercy, he let go and watched in fascination as she took huge gusts of air into her lungs. When she was finally able to breathe normally again, she glared at him.

"Do you kill them too?" She asked, her voice raspy from her struggle to breathe.

Trent's eyes hardened a moment, before a look of delight overcame him. He caught on to what she was trying to do.

"No more stalling Hales," he said, mocking Nathan and Lucas's nickname for her. "It's time to play."

He leaned over her and placed a kiss on her belly, before kneeling on the bed, straddling her waist. Placing his hands on either side of her head, he shifted his body so his lower half covered hers, but held his weight with his hands so he wouldn't crush her.

Tears slid down Haley's cheeks when she realized the game was over and she had lost. She sobbed when she felt him place kisses along the length of her neck and shoulder. But just when he had pushed her bra strap away to kiss her where it had rested, a sudden pounding at the door caused them both to jump. Haley eyes were glued to the door, willing it to open. She didn't care who was on the other side, she just wanted someone to save her.

"Haley?!" The muffled shout came through the door.

Haley's eyes shone with joy at the sound of Lucas's voice.

Trent look startled, but he made no movement to get off of Haley, and instead resumed kissing her neck. He couldn't ignore the pounding anymore, however, when the door was kicked in by Nathan, and Lucas, followed by Tim and Peyton, flooded the room.

A look of fury crossed each of their features the instant they rushed in the room and saw what was happening.

In half a second Nathan ripped Trent off of Haley's prone form. As soon as Nathan had pulled him off of her, Lucas swooped in and scooped up Haley in his arms. He whispered comforting words to her while he stroked her hair and wiped the stream of tears that were coming down rapidly from her cheeks. He gently wiped the blood off her chin as rage built up within him when he saw the bruises on her cheek and her neck. The bastard had hit her, and based on the dark bruises that looked like fingers on her neck, had apparently tried to strangle her too.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Nathan threw Trent to Tim to hold, then began punching the guy in the face and stomach, pleased that some type of revenge was being dealt to the bastard. Peyton had run off to call the cops, and satisfied that the situation was now under control, he focused all of his attention on the beautiful girl in his arms.

He sat on the bed, facing away from the door, and while still clutching her to him, managed to get out of his shirt and place is on Haley, saving her from the curious eyes that were crowding around the doorway to the room.

Haley had yet to manage a word, but her tears were slowing down the longer she was held in Lucas's arms. She felt so warm and safe next to him, and it did wonders to calm and comfort her. When he had wiped the last of her tears from her cheeks, she slowly looked up to meet his gaze.

"Hey," Lucas whispered as he brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes.

"Hi," she whispered back, her voice hoarse from sobbing.

"You're safe now," he said softly as he gently stroked her cheek.

"I know," she gave him a weak smile as she leaned into his touch. The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.

Nathan, after making sure Trent was out cold, motioned for Tim and some other guys to watch him before he slowly approached Lucas and Haley. He squatted down to her level and reached out to push strands of hair off her forehead.

"Hey sweetie."

Haley smiled at him in return.

"You're safe now," he said as he took her hand in his own and held on tight.

Between Lucas and Nathan, Haley had never felt safer in her life.

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I hope you guys liked it – I'm not sure how great I am at writing intense scenes so thanks for bearing with me. There's probably only 1 more chapter and an epilogue, but we'll see. Anyways, thanks for reading and sticking with me! Have a wonderful day!!

Until next time,

Western