Ok we've reached the prologue. This is the turning point in this story - we're entering the second half of this story from here on and there is lots more to come.

Thank you your reading and reviewing - your interest in my work means so much 😊

Chapter 21

May 12th

Nathan's twitched his nose form the slight ticklish touch ; Haley smiled watching his cute face as he came out of his sleep.

Nathan rubbed his hand at his nose opening his sleepy eyes as he spotted her.

'Morning.' Haley said brightly.

He smiled noticing the little daisy she had obviously decided to poke him with. 'What is it with you and them flowers?' He teased her.

Haley smiled. 'These are all over the common area I picked some this morning.' Haley said cheerfully as she went back to making her chain. 'This always makes me feel clam.' She said then.

'And what have you got to be worried about?' He asked full well knowing the answer.

'How are you not a bundle of nerves?' Haley said as she tied the short stems into knots.

Nathan couldn't help but smile at her, she could be so weird sometimes and exuberant over the silliest of things but it was also something he really admired and something that brought him a lot of joy. She was a joy to be around, it was a change he'd felt in himself being around her. 'I am nervous but it's an exciting kind, I can't wait to get out on that court.'

'Do you think you guys are going to do it?' Haley asked softly.

'I mean we would be only kidding ourselves if we get too confident, Tarheel are strong opponents I think it will be a fight right to the end.'

'Maybe I'll wear this in my hair as a good luck charm for you.' Haley teased then as she slipped the chain onto her wrist.

Nathan smiled. 'Not that I don't like having you here first thing in the morning how did you get in?'

'I stole your key last night.'

'You stole my key to my apartment.'

Haley chuckled. 'Yea, Karen told me last night I didn't have to do the breakfast shift so I decided to do it here instead.'

Nathan beamed at that…'did you?'

'Pancakes…bacon, eggs and maple syrup. Yes.' Haley smiled smugly.

'Your amazing.' Nathan beamed.

'I know.' Haley goaded him. 'I've only waited like ten years to hear you say that.'

Nathan just chuckled as leaned up grabbing onto her and pulling her down against the bed with him.

Haley giggled as he tickled her sides. 'Nathan….stop…' She shuffled underneath him, both their laughter filling the air before he finally let up.

'I told you I don't like being tic…' she began only he quietened her words with a deep kiss, slanting his mouth over hers, his tongue seeping into her warm wet mouth.

'Hmm…' Haley moaned before pulling away catching that damn smirk on his face. 'You….you can't keep doing that just to shut me up.'

He smiled heartily. 'I just wished I hadn't waited ten years to figure that out.' He teased echoing her earlier words.

Haley just smacked him playfully on the shoulder before gracing his jawline as she leaned in to kiss him again.

XXXXX

Nathan glanced around his complex as he waited. not that he needed to be bothered about anyone around here seeing him, no one knew him. Still there was something increasingly eerie about this Daunté character and he was learning that the hard way.

He had been such an idiot. As much as the money helped him in the short term, the pact he'd made to help uncover whatever the hell Jimmy was up to had been a reckless moment of indecision and maybe even a little hope. Hope that Haley could be free or even worse in some way he could look out for Haley and still make his father happy. That thought only poured the guilt on him further.

Daunté had got the ledger but he didn't know a thing after that.

Seconds later the familiar black Mercedes pulled into the parking lot. Nathan stuffed his hands into his pockets feeling the wad of cash before he walked over.

The window wound down.

Nathan pulled out the wad of cash he'd rolled up into a money bag. 'There's everything I owe.' He said evenly. His hand slipped into his zipped-up hoodie then as he pulled out an A3 envelope. 'And there's the sheet on the accounts.'

Daunte raised his eyes in surprise. 'I'm impressed but should I be? your Dan Scott's son after all..'

Nathan didn't respond.

'Is that ALL of the money?'

'It's what you gave me.' He responded curtly.

'Tripled?'

Nathan shook his head. 'I got you the account references.'

'And you think that covers it.'

'you couldn't have got that without my help.'

Daunte just scoffed. 'Go figure you would be as cocky as your father. Your interest on that loan was for you to get me everything I needed and seen as you're not doing that you either owe me 2,000 more or you we go back to the original deal.'

'I can't do that anymore.'

'Weak in the knees huh maybe you're not Dan Scott's son after all.'

Nathan just crossed his eyes.

'You work on getting that money back to me or I'll give you something to be scared about.'

Nathan just stepped back from the car. 'Oh and Nathan…'

He wearily glanced up.

'Go Ravens!'

He heard his jarful chuckle before he drove off. Nathan gritted his teeth turning and kicking through the flower shrubs harshly. 'Dammit..' He gritted out. He knew this wasn't going to be simple but he thought handing over that account would mean something, it felt like Daunté wouldn't stop until Nathan gave in. What had Jimmy done?

XXXXX

'Yeesh those boys are on fire tonight…' Peyton commented as the girls cheered from the side-lines, the game had been nail bitingly close up until half time and then Nathan and Luke came out and just dominated the court, it was simultaneously inspiring and shocking how they fluidly worked together with the help of their team mates to put so many points up against the Tarheels. The state championship was almost in their hands.

It was the first night in the history of their games the Scott brothers had worked so powerfully together. It was like an innate connection they had wanted to keep suppressed but there was no denying the chemistry on the court between them, anticipating each other's movements, they made the battle against their opponents seamless, like they were the only two on that court. Like they were real brothers.

Haley could easily allow herself to get swept up in that, in ways she so badly wanted to, to relish in this moment with them both.

There were only two minutes left in the game.

'I can run to Lucas if you want to run to Nathan.' Peyton shouted in Haley's ear.

Haley just looked at her friend in surprise.

'You two deserve that moment.' She said pointedly.

Haley just smiled as she pulled her friend in for a one-armed hug.

It feels like magic in here tonight, we're through a moment in history that so many who grace the halls of this high school will talk about for years, the night the Ravens claimed the State Championship after 22 years. 10 seconds left on the clock now, Nathan Scott is barrelling down the court once again and a quick turnaround he's thrown it over to Lucas at the free throw line and he goes for the win….

mouth dropped the microphone jumping from his seat as the crowd erupted from the stands confetti bursting into the air around them.

Fists pumping into the air, some teammates falling to the knees, the cheerleaders ran into them.

Nathan turned a wide smile on his face as she ran towards him and jumped into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as they hugged each other tightly.

'you were amazing out there.' She whispered in his ear as she left an inconspicuous kiss below his earlobe, it was tortuous not to be able to kiss in public right now.

'I think the daisychain brought me luck.' Nathan teased her.

Haley pulled back, the wide smiles gracing they features mirror images on each other. He was looking at her now like he was trying to figure something out, his eyes were questioning and the most beautiful harmonious shade of bright blue she'd ever seen them, not a trace of darkness, her heart was beating so wildly in her chest she was sure she would only ever find this feeling with him…'Nathan I…..' Haley began just as Brooke bounced up to them.

'Well done superstar.' She said punching Nathan in the arm giving Haley's legs a tap and a sly wink. Nathan dropped her to the floor just as Peyton and Lucas made their way over and for the significance of the moment a sense of joyful harmony was all that could be felt amongst them.

Lucas just gave Nathan a nod which he returned before he glanced down at the floor. A look passed between the ladies as they all felt the shyness that seemed to be lingering around this version of the brothers. It was sweet but they also knew it was a passing moment in time and things were never that simple or that easy to change things as much as they all wished it to be. The group were broken up then as Karen and Keith and more parents began to approach the floor.

As they hugged Lucas Haley mouthed over to Nathan. 'Are you ok?'

He smiled at her as he nodded his head.

Dan Scott may be a horrible father but it was still hard not having him hear or someone here to see celebrate this moment in his life with him. Haley smiled as Keith approached Nathan then and she turned as Lucas pulled her into a warm hug. 'I told you you'd make it.' She reminded him of what she said to him the first night he stepped out on the team.

'Thanks for believing in me best friend.'

'Always.' Haley said as she squeezed him even tighter. For the first time, in the longest they felt like them again. It warmed her heart.

XXXXX

'I never thought I'd see you two in the same room much less this café and not be arguing..'

'We're doing it for the team and Whitey.' Nathan reasoned.

'If that's your story.' Peyton nudged him. 'It just shows you know you can put your stubbornness aside and maybe actually be friends.'

'I wouldn't go that far.'

'It would mean you could kiss Haley when you like.'

Nathan just shook his head at her. 'You're the devil you know that Peyt.'

'I prefer to be the angel of death.'

Nathan just grimaced at her words.

'That's a story from my last school.'

'No wonder you have no friends.'

'But I have you.'

'The things I do for Haley.'

'What are you doing for me?' Haley butted in as she dropped some more blue cupcakes down onto the table.'

Nathan couldn't help but smile at her going around with the black apron tied over her ravens sweatshirt. She still had the daisychain wrapped around the blue ribbon in her hair.

'He's only friends with me for you.'

'That's not true. He told me he's really happy you moved here..'

'You said that?' Peyton quirked.

'Haley you're not supposed to just blab our private conversations.'

'Why not?' We're all friends here.'

Peyton reached across to pinch Nathan's cheek as Haley giggled. 'The best of friends.'

'Eh Haley can I borrow you for a sec…' Lucas said as he approached her.

'Sure…..eh…'

'Here I'll take them.' Nathan said as he took the tray from her hands.

'thanks.' She smiled before she turned back to Lucas and followed after him onto the rooftop.

She watched as she walked over towards their little step and sat down. Haley followed suit. In ways now felt like the perfect time to tell him but also possibly the worst. It felt like they were both on the cusp of such change though that she needed to tell him soon.

'This is amazing.'

Haley smiled at his words. 'Is it everything you ever dreamed of?' She questioned softly.

'Mostly.' Lucas agreed. He wished he could have had Brooke by his side tonight but that was his own fault. He regretted it now, he was a coward saying they were just two different and it wouldn't work, he had used their status in this society as an excuse. He was going to change that.

'What are you thinking about?'

'Us.' He said softly.

Haley smiled. 'I'm proud of you Luke.'

'Yea I'm sort of proud of you too you know.'

They sat together in silence for the longest time. Now she knew why he called her up here, to be like this again. their friendship had been solidified on this very roof. In ways it was the foundation of them.

'Hey there's something I gotta do but let's hang out tomorrow, just the two of us.'

'I'd like that.' Haley said softly knowing she had to tell him then. She didn't want to hide it anymore; it was such a huge part of her life now.

XXXXX

Haley giggled as Nathan walked behind her his hands tickling her sides.

'Nathan…' she laughed. The café door had barely closed and his hands were on her.

'It's ok I seen Luke leave.' He said then as he clasped his hand around hers, intertwining their fingers. She smiled down at the action.

'I'm going to tell him…'

Nathan paused then just before he went to cross the road he turned back towards her 'What?' H wondered if he heard her right.

'Tomorrow Nathan I'm going to tell him, I don't want to feel like this anymore ….I just the way we were tonight all of us, it felt like we would be ok you know….'

He smiled at her words. 'If you need me..'

'I think I have to do this alone.'

Nathan nodded in understanding.

'He'll still be your best friend hales.'

'How can you be so sure?'

'Because I couldn't willingly not have you in my life…'

Haley smiled as she squeezed the hand she was still holding, glancing at him, he looked so deviously handsome in his light blue game shirt and tie handing loosely, his hair all undone. He only became more attractive in her eyes each passing day.

'Come on I've got something special for you.' He teased her then as he glanced onto the quiet road before pulling her along with him.

'Where are you taking me Nathan Scott? You know I hate surprises.' She teased the pair of them smiling as they crossed the road together.

He paused at the other side, his grin crinkling the corner of his eyes. 'Just you wait and see Haley James….' He teased back.

She was about to reach up and kiss him when she noticed the blinding lights glared full force before the heavy sound of the engine approached them. 'Nathan look out…' She screamed as she pushed him out of the direction of the way and within seconds her body was ripped away from him over the windscreen of the car before it fell limp to the road.

blinding lights coming full force down the street towards them.

'Nathan look out…' She screamed as she pushed him and within seconds her body was ripped away from him and thrashed over the windscreen of the car before it fell limp on the road…

'Haley' Nathan screamed as he ran over to her body sprawled out on the road. 'Haley….baby…baby.' He kept repeating as hot tears welled in his eyes.….'Haley god'

'Wh….what happened?' Lucas barely got the words out through his anguish.

'He….he just hit her man..' Nathan said shakily as he kept feeling for Haley's pulse and cradled her body in his arms.

'I'll call 911…'

A crowd began to filter out from the café at the scene. Nathan didn't leave Haley's side even as she was lifted into the stretcher he refused to leave her and held onto her hand as she was lifted into the ambulance.

Lucas was barely coming to terms with that when he got a proper look at the car that had crashed on the other side of the street. A black Mercedes. The same car that had shown up at the river court twice when Nathan was there.

XXXXX

Black dots distorted his vision as his whole body convulsed with a disparity to descend into darkness, even amidst the stark fluorescent lighting, the incessant ringing, the impending screeching of trolley wheels across vinyl floors he couldn't hold onto his sense of self.

Nathan fell to the floor, a quivering, shaking mess. Hot tears streamed down his face further distorting his vision, bloodstained hands trembled as they tugged on his thick raven hair.

Pain seared through his veins; the anguish felt like it was tearing out from inside of him.

If he lost her…

She was all he had.

All he ever had.

That little girl, those wide brown eyes, blonde wisps of hair framing her face. She was his anchor; she always had been.

He felt every part of him descend further into darkness. The pain of her loss would be his end.

'Nathan….' His name came in a shrill, vacant cry; the potential loss of life had already nestled in her bones.

Nathan lifted his head. Peyton Sawyer. A girl who has only moved to Tree Hill in the past year who had become one of Haley's closest friends and his. She was one of the only people that knew them.

'What happened?'

'It should have been me.' Raw. Pain. His voice screamed raw pain. Sent chills right up her spine as she bent down to him.

'He was aiming for me.'

'What are you talking about? Nathan it was an accident…' Peyton quickly discovered there was no reaching him. His brain was already shutting down.

'It wasn't an accident.' He barely got the words out, the burden of his actions literally turning his body stone cold.

His body shivering and shaking beyond his control.

'Is he ok?'

'No…no…..his girlfriend was in a really bad accident…' Peyton barely got out as she stood back up. 'I think he's having a panic attack…' Peyton said fearfully stepping away as the nurse bent down beside Nathan.

'Where is she?' Lucas barrelled through the emergency doors then, that familiar grey hoodies draped across his ragged form; there was fire in his eyes but it wasn't strong enough to quench the complete and utter fear that resided there. 'Oh my god….Peyton….please…please tell me she's ok…'

Peyton swallowed hard then as Lucas gaze fell to the floor. 'He…he caused this! He did this to her!' He seethed through hot, fiery tears.

The nurse that was with Nathan stood up. 'Sir please you need to take a seat..'

'Why are you helping him? He shouldn't even be here!' Lucas' rage was blinding his rationality, tear drops dripping to the floor clinging to the vinyl beneath them.

The anguish of the two brothers so palpable.

'Luke come on…' Peyton said as she guided him out of the emergency room down the hall.

He kicked the side boarding of the wall before resting his arms against it as he tried to calm his breathing. 'She left the café with him.' His voice was dry, he choked the words out. 'I know Nathan was trying to take down Jimmy. I saw him talking to that guy driving the…' Lucas hiccupped then, his words racing ahead of his breaths as he barely held his frame up against the wall.

'He stopped.' Peyton said quietly.

'How do you know that?' Lucas said lifting his gaze up to meet her.

'Because he loves her.'

Lucas' laugh was bitter and mocking, tears led a slow path into his gaping mouth.

He gazed up at Peyton with burning resent for her words.

And he walked away.

XXXXX

Nathan placed his quivering hand on the door to her room, he couldn't fathom how he was standing anymore when he was barely breathing.

He opened the door knowing everything he'd planned for had brought him and her to this very moment.

He was in the end, their destruction.

He should have known his love would be like his father's; the kind that dismantled everything it touched, broke bones, souls, and spirit. It wasn't even tragic; it was a wicked kind of love.

He fell apart all over again as his eyes found her feeble, faded frame lying on the bed. Jaded spirit.

The cautious beeping of the machine beckoning him further into the abyss of guilt and self-immolation. The beeping of life hanging in a very unsteady balance; clear tubes ran from that machine up to mouth, her nose; tubes touched her delicate skin giving her breath and simultaneously taking her own away with one single beep.

He barely made it to her bedside as he fell to his knees beside her, his large hand encasing her petite one. 'Hales….I'm so sorry…..I'm so sorry…' Words were swallowed back and choked out through heavy sobs; her hand felt oh so cold. It didn't give hi life anymore. She couldn't rescue him now.

He didn't deserve it, he never had.

Even with the faith she may wake up he knew he'd lost her forever.

'I love you so much' He'd never actually said those words out loud. Nathan brought her hand to his lips kissing her softly as he held her oblivious to his brother standing watching his every move through the window.

'He's in love with her.' Lucas said slowly, softy to himself then as if he was trying to comprehend the meaning of those words out loud.

The world as he knew it didn't belong to him at all.

'They're in love.' Peyton said softly, her eyes incredibly raw and bloodshot. 'They never got a chance.'

'How could she love him?' Lucas' tone was low and distasteful.

Peyton looked at him sadly, two brother's heart's breaking, she only hoped this collision would bring them together rather than push them further apart.

She'd do everything in her power to make that happen.

Tragedy had touched too much of their lives and ever since she set foot in this town she'd witnessed how the youths were overshadowed by fragmented conflicts and the unforgiven mistakes of the generation before them.

Nathan and Haley's love she believed was the very one that had been destined to come along and change that.

She needed Lucas to believe it too.

Peyton reached into her satchel bag; the crackling sound of paper filtered between them as she pulled the script from her bag. 'You should take a look at this….'

'What is it?' Lucas said frowning at the strip of artwork and words she placed in his hand…

The girl wasn't selfish with anyone but with him, the boy wasn't selfless with anyone but her - they bring out the best and the worst parts of each other , they are an actual moulded entity of that very fine line between love and hatred, they collide in the most dangerous way possible , and yet when they give in its more transcending than anything they've come to know, it changes him - it softens him, the love that runs through his veins for her is the most powerful thing he's ever felt, he loses all sense of status, of ego. And for the girl, she feels completely free, unbound by the ties of heavy expectation, she feels wild and yet never more at home in her heart. There is something about him that draws her in, that makes it so easy to be unguarded to express herself and yet every societal fact would point to the very fact she should remain guarded around him, but she can't it's like she's compelled to be otherwise - like the forces of nature are going against what people expect of them and inevitably pulling them together…

'It's their story…' Peyton said as she left the script in his hands and walked away.

XXXXX

Her artwork was so vivid, it told more than her words. It felt like some form of fairy-tale Peyton had made up although she never struck him as the type to believe in such fables. How could they be in love? He felt like crumping the script she gave him up in his bare hands but he couldn't with shaking hands it rolled it up as he opened the door.

'Why did you do it?'

Nathan hadn't even heard him come in, his hand was balmy and sweaty against her sickly cold one, the contrast was nauseating. It didn't feel like life.

'I just wanted her to be free.'

Lucas eyes welled up as he glanced at the lifeless body of his friend, hours before they were on the cusp of a promising change, he never thought it would lead them in this dark direction. He unrolled the script out leaving it beside him.

'What's that?' Nathan croaked out; his eyes could barely make out the drawings. He felt like he could drown in darkness and yet simultaneously become paralysed by the glaring hospital lights forever.

'Apparently your whole other life…' His words were vacant, emotionless.

Nathan closed his eyes.

'What were you pretending for 10 years that you hated her and this is some kind of sick plot twist or was it all part of your revenge plan….'

'It wasn't like that…'

'You put her in here…'

'I know that Luke god it was supposed to be me….I know that.' Nathan barely got the words out as silent tears unravelled dragging past, clinging to, and burning his blood-stained eyes.

'All you've ever done is hurt her and now…'

'I love her.' Nathan fought back strongly.

'How could you do this to someone you love?'

He'd being asking himself the same question over and over, was he really that fucked up, doomed like his father, was his love going to have the same ugly consequences? Dan had wreaked havoc on Karen's life, his mother's and even his and Lucas and all been a spiralling domino effect of what his love had caused.

'Stop it.'

They hadn't even heard her enter the room. 'how can you say that Lucas?' Her hand was over her heart, like a broken image as she heard the ugly words coming from his mouth right beside the one girl who had become a daughter to her through the years.

'It's the truth.' Lucas said angrily.

'Don't do this not in here.' Karen resolved. 'Haley needs space to heal and she sure isn't going to do it with you two fighting over her so once in your damn lives you better put your differences aside and let her be.'

Lucas had never heard his mother so heated. Even Nathan shrunk back in his chair.

The boys stayed quiet, nothing quiet matched Karen Roe when she became livid.

Her order was obviously too much for Lucas to bare and he stormed out of the room.

Nathan let her frail hand go, his legs barely held him up as she stood up from the plastic chair. 'I'll go.'

'No it's ok. She needs both of you right now.' Karen said knowingly. 'Just hold her hand maybe even talk to her she'll know your there, believe in that.' Karen said softly with tears in her eyes.

XXXXX

Peyton swallowed back the stabilising pain in her throat as she walked into Haley's room where Nathan had his head rested down beside her, his hand holding hers. Her script now crumpled on the sheets beneath their hands.

She'd only knowing this girl for 9 months now and she'd become one of the most stable people in her life.

There was something about the love Haley gave away so willingly that in ways maybe attracted lonely souls, those that had their hearts guarded.

Her light always found its way into that darkness. It did with Peyton and it had with Nathan.

'Hey buddy…' She said nudging him softly. He wasn't really sleeping just semi-conscious.

'Jimmy is on the way.' She mumbled breaking the news.

Nathan closed his eyes painfully, the chair screeching back as brutishly as that news against the vinyl floor.

'That doesn't mean you have to leave…'

'No he's going to kill me….' Nathan barely got the words out as his hand came up to his mouth seemingly stop himself from throwing up, he looked ghastly pale his image had shivers coasting up her spine.

'Why would you say that?' Peyton asked him.

'Because I did this….'

She figured he was in such a blind panic earlier when Haley was brought it that he was speaking nonsense. He was still following that trail of thought.

'Nathan it was a hit and run…'

'There's more to it than that..' He heaved a shaky breath. 'Can you take me out of here? Please…I can't be here Peyton when he comes…he's going to…'

'Ok, ok…its ok Nathan just breathe ok…' Peyton said, he seemed to be going into a case of blind panic again.

'You're coming back to mine ok.'

He just nodded as he tried to stabilise himself before he bent down leaving a shaky kiss on her forehead.

Peyton turned around from the sight swallowing back a choking sob.

XXXXX

'She's going to look for you when she wakes up.'

'Not when she finds out the truth.' Nathan said.

The two of them were sitting in her car in the hospital car park. Peyton was reluctant to leave she was sure Nathan would regret it.

'Daunté. That's the name of the guy who hit her.'

Peyton didn't question how he knew that. She waited patiently.

'I borrowed money off him, I told him I'd pay it back but in return he wanted me to help him. I guess Jimmy had something on him so he wanted to get to him first.'

'Was it about the money or Jimmy?' Peyton asked softly.

'The money at first and then he mentioned Jimmy and it just seemed to consequential to pass up, it's like I had that opportunity to make it right for Haley and for me.'

Peyton looked at him questionably.

'Your script lied Peyton. I'm not selfless with her….I saw an opportunity to please Dan and make him happy by going after Jimmy and I justified that by thinking I was doing Haley a favour but I was kidding myself.'

'Lucas must know.' Peyton said softly. Nathan met her eyes. 'When he ran into the hospital he told me you did this because you went after Jimmy and I told him you stopped.'

Nathan just scoffed bitterly at himself. 'How selfish does that make me? I not only went after him once but I did it again…even worse because this time I l….' He paused then as he swallowed the words down, he didn't deserve to say them. How could he?

'She could forgive me the first time but she'll never forgive me for this Peyton and I don't deserve it. Wha…..what if she doesn't…' He flustered shakenly…

'don't….don't go there.' Peyton said sadly.

'How can you be so calm?' He replied, his voice quivered as he spoke. 'I've created this mess….I'm…look what I've done, everything I touch I just destroy….just like him.' He countered spitefully; his tone was lewd at the mention of his father.

'Nathan you made a mistake…' She reasoned, something about this just didn't add up for her though. And she wasn't sure what that inkling was or what it even meant. But it didn't add up.

'But you're going to make an even bigger one if you punish yourself this much for it..'

'I deserve to be punished…' He rested his head into his hands, bloodstained fingers running though his thick raven locks. Peyton felt the bile rise in her throat at the sight of it.

XXXXX

'Is he asleep?' Jake whispered as Peyton pulled the door ajar and stepped out into her hallway. She shook her head. 'He's….he's just sitting there. I don't know what to do Jake, it doesn't matter what we say now he's getting worse….'

Jake just pulled her into a tight hug.

'Something about this just doesn't feel right.'

'What do you mean?'

'The way it happened, how this Daunté guy came offering Nathan money right at the time he was kicked out of Jimmy's..'

'He must have known their history.' Jake whispered.

'How?' Peyton whisper shouted.

Jake shrugged. 'Dan, I don't know..'

'But he tried to kill him Jake….so if Dan is behind this that man just tried to kill his own son. It won't matter anyway; I mean Nathan ultimately blames himself.'

'He's and idiot he should have reached out…'

'He doesn't need you to tell him that believe me.'

'I know I just thought he could come to me with something this big you know.'

'What's going to happen Jake?' Peyton said softly.

He shrugged. 'I don't know. But I think this day will change everything…it already has.'