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A Not So Friendly Conversation

Brooke walked down the extended path on the docks. There were yachts everywhere and she was afraid she'd get lost amid all of the boats.

She stopped looking down at the piece of paper Lucas had given her. He had wrote down what slot Haley's boat was docked in so that she could find it easily.

"Excuse me," Brooke stopped s older man walking passed.

"Yes ma'am," he politely answered with a southern accent.

"Yes, I'm wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for slot 12 on pier 48," she said looking down at the paper. Brooke then passed it to the nice man so that he could see himself.

"Sure, sure. What you want to do- go down to that boat there," he pointed. "Then you need to make a left on the port. When you get about two boats down, that's it," he said handing the paper back.

"Thanks," she smiled. Brooke followed the gentleman's instructions and she found the boat she was searching for rather quickly. She stared at the monstrosity for a few minutes wondering how to get someone's attention.

Did she just walk onto the boat, was there a bell? Brooke didn't know.

She saw a man above scrubbing the outside deck and she decided to call out to him.

"Sir. Sir," she called.

He turned around to see the beautiful women looking up at him.

"Can I help you?," he asked.

"I'm looking for Haley James. I'm her sister- I mean her friend,' Brooke corrected.

"Why yes. This is her yacht. May I ask your name?"

"It's Brooke. Can I come on? I really need to speak with her."

The man disappeared and Brooke stood patiently waiting for him to get Haley.

After a few minutes, he was releasing the boats plank down and allowing Brooke to walk on.

"The misses is currently occupied," Tim said. "She'll be down in a few minutes. Please wait here."

Brooke nodded and the butler went back to his afternoon work.

She looked around curiously and Brooke could see the loads of expensive artwork hanging on the walls. The furniture was very high end and the carpets were plush and beautiful.

It wasn't anything new to Brooke considering her childhood and her adulthood. Money wasn't ever a issue. But seeing the expensive furnishings and paintings still made her feel weird. It was probably because her family stayed really low key when it came to things of that nature. Besides the more than pricey house that she lived in, life was simple. They didn't buy expensive paintings and things of that sort. Different strokes she supposed.

Haley walked into the room and she saw Brooke standing there looking around. She hadn't seen her in a few weeks. Haley was really not in any mood to hear her apologize. The pain was unbearable as it was and dealing with losing Nathan was more than enough for anyone to deal with all on its own. She didn't need Brooke reminded her of all the rest she had lost because of that lie.

"What do you want?,' she asked coldly seeing the brunette standing there.

Brooke jumped a little startled before turning to see Haley.

"I wanted to see you," Brooke admitted. "I miss you."

"Well, you've seen me. I really think you should go now," she said beginning to leave the room.

"Haley please," Brooke stopped her. "Don't do this. I'm sorry."

"I'm really getting sick of hearing that. You're sorry, Nathan's sorry. I'm sure Lucas is sorry too. But it doesn't change the fact that you all lied to me. You let me believe that Nathan was my husband. That Daniel and Matty were my children. My whole life was a lie. And the worst part of it all is that I thought you were my friend Brooke."

"I am. Your best friend. You have to believe that."

"How can I? A friend doesn't let you live this huge lie all the while laughing behind your back about it, " Haley insisted.

"I wasn't. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I never wanted to lie to you. But then we all started to love you and it became nearly impossible to tell you the truth. I wanted to, Haley. So damn much."

"But you didn't," she sadly shook her head. "I get it Brooke- your priorities lied with Nathan, your loyalties were to him. I was just this new stranger in your life, no way would you consider my feelings."

"That's not true!," Brooke hollered. "I saw how much you and Nathan were falling in love, Haley. All I wanted was for everything to work out. I wanted you guys to be together, raise the boys. I was so happy when you told me about having a new baby."

"What a joke that was, huh? I wanted a baby and you all knew the horrible truth I was living. I must be the biggest idiot alive, I didn't see it."

"You're not! It was a good thing, Haley. Nathan wanted a baby with you. He wanted to really marry you. You have to believe that he loves you. He's hurting so bad."

"He's hurting? What do you think I feel? I wanted a new baby with my husband. Only Nathan wasn't the man that I married. He was practically a stranger. I was betrayed. He didn't care that I had a life, a family, a finance'. They were worried sick about me and he kept me hidden away from them for practically a year. They thought I was dead," she begin to cry.

Brooke started crying as well. She could feel the anger and frustration Haley was experiencing. It was so palpable.

"I don't know what you feel, I can admit that," Brooke sniffed. She wiped her eyes trying to stop the tears from falling. "But I don't want you to make a huge mistake because you're still so angry. Please call off this wedding- just for a month or so. Things may look very different for you by then."

"Nigel loves me. Why should I? He doesn't deserve me toying with his feelings."

"Do you love him?," Brooke asked seriously.

"Of course! What kinda question is that?"

"That sounds really convincing Haley. It's a really great endorsement for someone you supposedly love," Brooke sarcastically said.

"I do! How dare you question my feelings? You have no idea what Nigel means to me, how long I've loved him. He's been in my life a lot longer than that little con you all pulled on me. He's a good man," Haley said.

"Yet you still haven't said that you love Nigel," Brooke noticed. "You care about him, I'll give you that- but you aren't in love with him anymore, Haley. Things have changed. You've changed! You feel obligated to marry him because he's been there. That's no way to start a marriage with anyone."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about," she huffed angrily.

"I think that I do, Haley. You just don't want to admit it because then you'll have to call off your wedding and you know that. I'm just trying to help you. Do you love Nathan?," she asked. Brooke knew it was like walking into a fire with that question, but she needed to know what Haley was really feeling.

Haley glared at her before sticking her chest out defiantly and answering.

"You're way out of line, Brooke," she glared furiously. "But if you must know, I don't love him," she lied. "I don't even think about him anymore. If it weren't for the boys-my life would be completely free of him...and of you," she stammered. Her face stood awash of indifference as she tried to convince Brooke of what she was saying.

"How did it go?," Lucas asked his wife a while later.

"Not good. She's not going to call off the wedding," Brooke sighed.

"I'm sorry, babe. I think it's a lost cause unfortunately. As much as I wish things were different, it's not. I hate seeing my brother in so much pain."

"I just thought if I could get her to see it from a different perspective. It didn't matter. She's way too upset about all of the lies. It was like I was there talking to Haley, but it wasn't our Haley," Brooke said. "Our Haley was so relaxed and understanding, compassionate. She just seemed so indifferent to everything."

"I guess that's what happens when you find out your whole life has been one big lie. We need to let it go, Brooke. It's over," Lucas said.

Nathan stood behind the wall of Lucas and Brooke's bedroom listening to the entire conversation. He closed his eyes in sadness listening to his brother and Brooke giving in to defeat. It was already hard knowing how bad he had screwed things up with Haley, but hearing them both realize it too, it was devastating. It broke the tiny bit of resolve he still had inside of his heart.

Haley would never take him back. The loved they shared was gone. She was moving on with her life without him. And with that realization, Nathan knew what he had to do.

He couldn't keep living like this. Spending his nights in some seedy bar and being completely hungover the following day. The boys didn't deserve that from him. He needed to be the great father he had always been because this behavior was unacceptable.

Nathan quickly got dressed. He went into the kitchen and could see the pitying looks on Lucas and Brooke's face. He ignored it and thanked them for taking care of him last night. He asked Lucas for a ride to his car where they left it at the bar last night.

After Lucas dropped him off, he sat thinking in the quiet parking lot. He pulled his SUV out of the parking space and drove towards Haley's boat to get the boys from their sleepover.

They were usually running out to the car as he pulled in but today and wanted to speak with Haley. He knew she was still so angry with him, but it didn't mater. Nathan had to have his say. He had a feeling that she was intentionally avoiding him and that the boys coming out just on cue was her way of not seeing him anymore.

He walked up to the yacht and just as he suspected the boys were waiting with Tim. He sighed feeling frustrated but decided he would push forth with his plan. They needed to talk.

"Hey boys," he greeted. "How you doing Tim?"

"Very good, Nathan," the butler said. "How are you?"

Nathan hunched his shoulders. "Breathing."

The butler nodded sympathetically. He could see the pain Nathan was feeling all over his face. He was clearly heartbroken.

"Dad, you're late," Daniel said.

"Sorry bud. I was at uncle Lucas's. It's only 15 minutes," he said looking at his watch.

"Daddy, we had fun!," Matty said. "Momma's the best."

Great. Make Nathan feel worse. He hated that his kids seemed happiest when they weren't even in his presence. Haley was their joy now. Any time they spent with her was what they treasured most these days. And while that made him happy, he also felt a little sad and envious about it.

"That's good, Matty. Daniel take Matty to the car. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Why?," Daniel asked.

"Just do it. I won't be long."

The boys walked toward the truck just as they were told and Nathan turned back around to speak with Tim.

"I need to see her," he pleaded.

"Oh sir. I don't think that's a good idea. She doesn't want to see you. I've been given specific instructions for her guest list. I'm so sorry."

Nathan sighed. "Please Tim. I'll say that you didn't know- that I snuck onto the boat."

Tim felt bad for the man and his eyes did a quick sweep wondering if he could get away with allowing Nathan onboard.

"Ok," he agreed reluctantly. "But I didn't let you in. I want to keep my job," Tim informed him.

"My lips are sealed," Nathan promised. He didn't want to get Tim in any trouble.

The nice butler then led him to a really girly bedroom on the boat. He opened the door with a key and told Nathan to stay there.

Tim then left Nathan alone and went back to work.

Nathan looked around a bit and was almost a bit surprised at all frilly pink stuff filling the room. It was clearly Haley's room and he felt as if it was a whole new person. She was never overly girly with him. And pink- that was so not her. She hated that color. How could this be her room?

Haley walked in the room smiling from ear to ear. She immediately froze when she saw a strange man standing there. When he turned toward her- the anger and betrayal hit her like a two ton brick.

"What are you doing here?," she asked. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Please leave, Nathan. You don't belong here."

"I have to talk with you," Nathan said desperately.

"We have nothing more to say. Things are the way they're supposed to be. It's over."

"I just need a few minutes, Haley. Give me that, and I won't ever bother you again," he promised.

She looked into his eyes and could see how sincere he was. Maybe he would really leave her alone if she listened to what he had to say.

"Two minutes," she sighed.

"Thank you."

"Whatever. Just say whatever it is that you have to say, Nathan. I don't have all day."

Nathan could feel the cold glare Haley was giving through his entire body. He wondered if she would really listen to what he was saying.

"What I wanted to say- I mean," he stuttered clumsily. Her eyes were making him nervous.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"You told me that already. No need to rehash it all over again."

"I meant that I understand, Hales," he called her by the shortened name. It was very natural for him to say it despite the major rift between them. "What I did, it was terrible. I completely broke your trust and I let you believe all of these things that weren't true. It was stupid and it was thoughtless."

"And I get it," Nathan continued. "All I want now is for you to be happy and for the boys to be happy too. What I feel doesn't matter right now because you three are the most important people in my life. I know that I made a huge mistake , but I'm so thankful that you're not taking that out on Daniel and Matty. They're so innocent and they really love you. I'm just really appreciative for you allowing them in your world."

"I love them," she said.

"I know you do. And I thank you for that. You'll never know how lucky we were to have you."

"I'll never abandon them," she said. Despite being pissed at Nathan, the boys weren't to blame for this mess. They were victims of the whole lie too.

"Yeah," he sighed stuffing his hands nervously into his pants pockets. "You know I've always thought my life was good, Haley. I mean I had the boys, a successful company. What more could I really ask for? We didn't have that typical two parent household, but it was good, ya know?"

"And then that day came when I made the dumbest decision of my life- I decided to live this huge lie. It was so stupid, Haley. Looking back- I don't know what the hell I was thinking. Things would never work for us because of this huge lie hanging over our life. And I know that now...as much as it hurts, I know it's my fault. I deserve your hate and I deserve you cutting me out of your life because of the hurt I caused you. It was selfish of me to play God with your life. I may never forgive myself."

Haley turned away from him then. She faced the door and she felt extremely uncomfortable talking about this again. It was too overwhelming for her to deal with.

"But in a way, I'm not sorry," he finally said.

Haley looked to him again. "What?," she asked confused.

"I don't regret it, Haley."

"Well of course you don't," she started to get mad. "Why would you regret tricking someone with amnesia?," she sarcastically said.

"That's not what I mean. I often find myself wondering if we'd ever have a chance at a life together if I hadn't cultivated such a huge deception. We weren't exactly running in the same circles and we pretty much hated each other since the first time we met," he hunched. "That would've been a crime, Hales. Because you brought so much into my life, into the boys life. You changed our entire world for the better.I sometimes think that having you in my life was a double edge sword. Yeah, we had love, but not really. You were never gonna stay," he realized sadly. "Getting to know you was the greatest privilege of my life. Loving you, it brought me this unattainable happiness that I never even thought was possible, or real, Hales. I mean that having you there- it was the best time of my life. You were everything. Telling you the truth, it became nearly impossible for me. I didn't want to lose you over something so insignificant and stupid."

"It wasn't stupid. It was my life!," she yelled. "I had a right to know!"

"You did," he admitted calmly. "But that meant losing you...and I didn't want that. I couldn't reconcile you being out of my life forever. It was unbearable. I fell in love with you, I couldn't help it. You just have this way about you, Haley. People can't help but love you," he smiled sadly. "Seeing you becoming the boy's mother and seeing how much you cared for them, it gave me peace in my mind. Yeah, I made a bonehead decision, but how could I take you away from Matty and Daniel- how could I take them away from you? I wouldn't let myself imagine that pain. My own heart was breaking thinking of being away from you- thinking of you marrying another man, giving him children," he looked down sadly realizing that was exactly what was happening. Despite all of his good intentions, Haley was going to marry Nigel, and no matter what he said, that wouldn't change. This must've been what hell was like and Nathan couldn't wrap his mind around the devastation he was feeling.

She sniffed loudly trying to stop the emotion. The tears were pooling in her eyes listening to his words.

"It wasn't your choice, Nathan. Maybe I would've chosen you, chose the boys," she cried out frustrated that Nathan took away her right to make a real decision. "But you never gave me that chance, Nathan. I don't know where my life is supposed to be! Who I am anymore!," she screamed out. "You did that!"

"I've done a lot of stupid things in my life, Haley. But I never imagined myself doing some so heinous and cruel to someone I loved- someone I love. Because I do, Haley. I love you more than I even thought was possible."

"You don't love me, Nathan. You can't possibly love me and do what you did to me," she cried uncontrollably. "I'm so damn mad at you. I just want to yell and scream until you understand the pain you caused me," she sniffed. "And I want to forgive you, I can admit that. But then I feel that anger building up and I feel that devastation hit all over again. You wrecked me and you destroyed our family. The thing that meant everything to me is gone all because you couldn't just tell the truth."

"And for that, I will be forever be sad. There aren't enough words in the English language to communicate my sadness and regret. You'll be happy with Nigel," he frowned bitterly. "It's not what I hoped for, but it's what's right. You should go back to the life you were meant to have. And as much as it sucks, I get that now. I should've never taken away that right."

"I'm gonna marry Nigel soon," she stood firm in telling him. "He's going to be my husband and with some time, I hope that you can respect it, Nathan. Because it's happening. My feelings for you- it doesn't matter," she shook her head sadly and resigned to their situation. "You didn't think that my feelings for you were enough. And that's why I can never ever forgive you," Haley admitted tearfully.

She ran from the room leaving Nathan alone and confused.

So many thoughts were running through his head. Maybe if he'd told the truth Haley would still be there. He would never know now because it was too late. She was getting married and their life together was all but gone.