Author: Selene Romanov

Title: Fade to Black

Rating: PG

Summary: Nathan lost the only person he'd ever really loved and he reflects on his love for her.

A/N: I just intended this as a one time story. A short vignette, if you want more, let me know!!!

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Brow creased in frustration, Nathan rolled over onto his side. His hand clenched as though he'd lost something in his sleep. Only in reality, he would never lose anything. Clutching his hand to his chest…………….he inhaled deeply.

Drawing on the deep sweet air, Nathan looked around him. He was in a place, where there was no sadness. Blue water lapped at the sand, as he walked down the beach, shielding his eyes from the sun. A shadow briefly blocked him from the sunlight, then the glare was back. He opened his eyes, squinted, and saw nothing…………

"Who's there?" he yelled.

Brown hair, flecked with golden highlights revealed by the sun came into his peripheral view. Turning sharply to his left. He saw her. Beautiful, sexy, independent Haley.

Turning sharply away. She was like a ghost, shamelessly haunting him………..he'd met her that summer at the beach in South Carolina, and then when he'd gone back to One Tree Hill in September, he never thought he'd seen her again.

Carrying the sweet memories they'd made, like a security blanket. He blocked any girl's attempt to date him. Haley………he loved her and only her.

Early October dawned in One Tree Hill and then Haley was there. For a short time, they were together and everything made sense. Beautiful sweet sense, and then she was taken from him. Cruel fate crippling him at the knees. Without Haley, how would he go on.

Coming back to the present, Nathan looked at the water. Where he and Haley had frolicked………..thinking time was on their side, because they were young and in love….if only he'd known……….he would've treasured every moment they'd had so much more.

She ran to him, arms wide open. A sweet innocent smile on her face. "Nathan." She shrieked in joy.

Nathan opened his arms and caught nothing but air, she vanished like the ghost that she was…………

Nathan jerked awake, tears in his eyes. A cold moon greeted him as he walked out onto his deck. "Haley, I miss you so much." A lone tear drifted down his ivory cheek. Chocolate eyes looked upwards to the heavens, anger in his gaze. "Why did you have to take her from me?"

"I loved her, she was the only good thing in my life." Nathan's tone was laden with anger and conviction.

Bracing his hands on the deck, his mind raced through all the memories he had of Haley.

Blind to the cold, he sat on the deck, welcoming the roughness of the wood. His body sat on the porch, but his mind drifted back in time to a place when he'd been truly happy.

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