Chapter 22 -
April 9 1912
"I promise Mother, we will be careful." Brooke Davis said trying to get her Mother to let her and her friends leave.
"We promsie Mrs. Davis, your daughter is safe with us." Peyton Sawyer said happily, her father had let her go no problem, ther saw it like a new opportunity.
Haley James on the other hand was only taking this trip by luck, her father and mother had been killed earlier on that year and she had been staying by herself in her large home, Brooke's father had agreed to let Brooke go as long as both her and Peyton went with her, so he agreed to also pay for Haley, the familes all had been close and didn't want Haley to be left behind. She had offered to pay with the money her father and mother had left her, but it would have been barely enough, and Mr. Davis wanted her to have some money for when they arrived. Haley's family also was never as rich as Brooke, her father had a gambling problem and was always losing money. Haley would never forget the day a group of men came to her house and held her a knife point until she gave them the money her father owed.
"OK let's go." Brooke gave her mom one last hug and the three sent off, they got into the car.
They began to drive, they had two days until they were actually boarding, they were to spend a night in an inn on the way to Waterloo.
After dark came the three asked the driver to stop at the nearest hotel. They stepped out of the car, it was a smaller inn, nothing compared to what they would normally have stayed at, but until they reached the ship, they were not spending much.
"Hello ladies, can we offer to take your bags?" A young man asked.
Brooke looked him up and down, he looked too well off to be working at a small inn like this. "Do you work here?" She asked curiously.
"No. I was just offering." The man replied.
"Then sure." Peyton replied, dumping her bags into his arms. he made a weak little smile but followed her in.
"I'll take yours." Another guy said to Brooke.
"Good, becuase there is no way I will be taking them myself." She laughed. Haley didn't think it was too funny.
Haley picked up her own bags for the voernight trip, she had about half as much as the otehr girls.
"Would you like me to take yours?" Another guy asked. Haley looked up at him, he was tall with short dark hair, but his bright eyes caught her attention the most.
"I can manage," she finally replied.
"I'm sure you can, but I would like to help." He replied showing off a sly smile. "I'm Nathan by the way. Nathan Scott"
"Well Nathan Scott, if you insist." She handed him her bags.
"So am I allowed to know your name?" He asked.
"Well Mr. Scott aren't you persistant." She replied coldly. She looked into his eyes again and gave up her hard outside shell. "Haley, Haley James."
"That's a nice name Miss James."
"Thank you, but ifyou call me Miss James again, I might hurt you, call me Haley."
He was surprised at her attitude, but he found it erotic insome way. She caught him looking at her and he turned his head to face forward again.
He brought her to the room, Brooke and Peyton had already chosen beds, Haley set her bag onto hers.
"So, you in the doorway," Brooke said looking to Nathan, "Are you going the otehr five of us for a late dinner?"
"Alright, I'm Nathan Scott by the way."
"Brooke Davis, this is Peyton, I'm sure you've met Haley, and I'm pretty sure you know these two since they are your friends. See you in half an hour." She smiled then closed the door.
Brooke Haley and Peyton met Nathan, His brother Lucas, and their friend Jake Jagielski. After an interesting dinner Haley went to bed.
April 10 1912
The next morning, the boys offered to join the girls to the ship, Brooke had come up with a plan that night, but no one knew it.
"Hello sir." She said as she went up to the ticket counter, everyone looked at her strangely.
"What on earth is she doing?" Peyton asked.
"I don't want to know." Haley replied.
Brooke returned, with a large smile on her face, and somthing in her hands. "Hello everyone, so boys, do you still want to come with us to America?" She asked, holding up the tickets she had just bought.
"We.... I..... But.... why.... we can't." Lucas stuttered.
"You can and you will, I will provide money for you guys to buy some proper clothing, not that I don't love the look you have going, but it is not up to where we will be in first class. Please, you guys have been really nice and I want you on the trip with us because you can't afford to go, it's not fair you were robbed."
"Yes Brooke but we had barely enough money to pay for three in second class, it would be taking advantage of you if we got first class ones and an entire new wardrobe."
"Too bad. When Brooke gets her mind set on somthing no one at all can disagree. So let's not make a scene." Peyton said, she grabbed Jake's arm and followed Brooke who was dragging Lucas. Haley gave Nathan a looked, then nodded her head to follow her.
"This is amazing!" Haley exclaimed, the entire group had finished buying their clothing and they stood outside the ship, She was wearing a beautiful new saphire dress Brooke wanted her to get.
"Tickets please?" The man asked as they went to board the ship. Brooke happily handed the man their tickets. "Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, to the RMS Titanic. This is Sedgrick, he will help you with any otehr luggage." He pointed to a tiny man, there was no way he would be able to hold all the things they still were carrying with them.
"I'll take my own." Everyone, aside from Brooke said politely, he had been weighed down by her bags. The man gave tehm a grateful nod.
They were lead onto the ship, everyone was amazed by the beauty and craftsmanship of the vessel, first, their guide lead them up the grand staircase, it was so beautiful. After that, the group was lead down an amazingly beautiful hallway, not one of them had been this taken back by a hallway before. Finally they stepped into their room, and Haley gasped, it was amazing.
They had an entire discussion about how beautiful the ship was, then decided that they would help to unpack a little.
"What on earth could you have possibly been thinking Brooke?" Haley screamed as soon as the men had left.
"What? They were going to get tickets before they were robbed anyway." Brooke replied.
"And you believed it because it came from a good looking guys mouth, now you Brooke are spending the rest of your trip paying for three extra people, do you plan on surviving as a prostitute when we reach America?"
"It wasn't a lie Haley, they were robbed, Jake told me also." Peyton said trying to loosen things up.
"They better have been because, oh I would be so angry. Although now I am going to be busy this whole trip trying to avoid couple activities since you and those men seem to have become close, very fast."
"And you are denying the attraction between you and Lucas' Brother Nathan? He likes you, I see how he looks at you."
"There is nothing there." Haley replied plainly.
Meanwhile
"Aren't they amazing?" Lucas asked out of nowhere.
"I don't really know anything about Brooke or, um Haley, but Peyton is amazing." Jake replied.
"Oh look at you, you hardly know them, you are going to get your little hearts broken when we arrive in America and tehy run off with a fiance or something." Nathan shook his head.
"No, they are not engaged, besides little brother of mine, the other girl, Haley, has obvious feelings for you, you just can't see how she looks at you."
"Oh right, there is absolutely no chance of that, at all!" Nathan said frustrated, he stepped into the washroom and shook his head. Haley was leaning against the other side of the same wall thinking the same thing, this will be a long trip.
Chapter 23 -
April 10 1912
"Hello Mr. Scott." Brooke said happily as Lucas held out his arm for her.
Peyton and Jake had a similar introduction, Haley stepped out of the room, Nathan hardly noticed that she looked so beautiful, he just held out his arm and she took it.
They reached the dinning room, it was a beautiful area. Haley looked at all the details, Nathan was doing the same.
They sat down, "Hello Ladies, gentlemen, Here are your menu's, can I interest you in any wines?
"Red, preferably Italian." Brooke said. Lucas Peyton and jake agreed.
"I'll just have water." Both Nathan and Haley said, they exchanged an awkward look but nodded.
They went to their menu's. Haley looked it over, soon she decided on a Chicken Cordon Bleu with smoked ham and swiss cheese. Soon the waiter came back.
"I'll have the Lasagna Primo," Brooke said sweetly.
"I'd like your Filet Mignons," Peyton added.
"I'll have your Halibut Steak Platter," Jake said.
"Same." Lucas said.
"And for you sir?" He asked Nathan.
"The Chicken Cordon Bleu."
Haley's head shot up, she looked as fast as she could for anything else on the menu, but couldn't find anything in time, "Miss?"
"That sounds good, I'll have the same." Haley said awkwardly. Nathan looked at her funny. She noticed. "I think I'm going to get some air." She said as the man walked away, Haley stood up.
"Go after her Nathan." Brooke said. "She will freeze all by herself on the deck." He stood up and followed.
"Haley," Nathan called.
"Yes?" She turned around and er face fell, why was he following her. "Oh, hi."
"Don't sound excited," he laughed, "I just wanted to get to know you, my other friends seem to have taken to your friends, and for now, another friend would be nice." He made a slight emphasis on the 'friend' statemnt in that sentence.
"Alright Mr. Scott, then I will see you in the dinning hall, I will be alright here." He nodded and turned the other way. He got inside and it all of a sudden felt very hot, he decided he would go take a walk on the other side of the deck than Haley.
Haley walked along the deck, making her way to the front of the ship, as she walked along, she noticed that most of the people on the deck were grown men, she wrapped her shawl around her tighter and walked faster.
Soon she found that there was a group of men following her. She began to go almost to a run.
"Missy, why are ye walking so fast?" One man asked.
"Leave me alone." Haley replied.
"Why, we just want ter talk." They replied, the voice sounded Irish.
"Please leave me alone." She said louder. She kept at her pace.
The men went faster and caught up to her as she reached right at the front of the ship. One of the men grabbed her arm tightly and spun her around. "Why are ye runnin'?"
"Let go of me!" She yelled as loud as she could.
The screams caught Nathan's attention, and he thought of Haley, then thought of all the people seen on the deck, they looked dodgy.
He ran toward the screams, soon he saw a group of people hudddled around something, he went right up to them and saw Haley, she looked like she had fallen to her knees on the deck. "What's going on?" Nathan yelled. The people all looked over to him, then ran in different directions. He thought about going after some of them, but he went to Haley. "Are you alright?" He asked. Her dress was ripped, and she looked scared to death.
"Yeah, I was jsut scared." He reached his hand to help her up. "I'm OK now. Let's go inside. Thank you."
"I don't mean to sound horrible, but you don't look to be in much of a state to be going to dinner." She looked down at herself and laughed a little.
"No not really." She replied. "Would you accompany me to my room?" Haley asked.
"Yes, can I just tell the otehrs we won't be coming to dinner?"
"Yes." Haley replied. She waited outside the dinning room.
Nathan came out and took Haley to the room. "Do you want me to wait outside?" He asked.
"No, you may come in." She replied. She held the door for him. "I'm going to change."
She went into the washroom, then soon came out in her nightgown.
"Are you sure you are alright?" He asked.
"Yes, I am, don't worry." She replied. "Thank you though, I hate to think what would have happened-"
He put his finger to her lips, "shh, don't even think of it." Nathan replied. She nodded. "Why don't you go to bed, I'll wait in here, read a book or something."
"OK." Haley replied. She got into bed. "Nathan?" she said, he turned around. "Thank you."
"Any decent guy would have saved you from those jerks."
"But a real gentleman would make sure I was alright," She turned off the light, Nathan stepped into the other room, he picked up a book and began to read, but soon he fell asleep.
Haley lay in bed awke for a while, she decided she wasn't getting to sleep, so she went out to go see Nathan. He was asleep on the chair. A smile spread across her face, he looked pretty cute. She grabbed a blanket and spread it acroos him, picked up the book from his stomach and turned out the light, then headed to bed herself.
Nathan woke up briefly a few mintues after Haley went into her room, he thought about getting up, but he fell asleep to quick.
April 11 1912
The next morning Haley was pressured as soon as she got up, about what had happened, Nathan had jsut told them that she was gonig to bed.
"Haley, I saw your dress, what happened?" Brooke asked
"I'm fine don't worry." Haley replied.
"I'll just ask Nathan."
"And he won't tell you." Haley replied.
Brooke sighed, and walked out defeated, Haley had to laugh.
Today the group was taking a special first class advantage, tour of the ship "That was amazing," Haley said at dinner.
"Yes, I agree, there is so much work to be done to make a ship go, I am just glad we get the easy road." Lucas laughed.
Everyone agreed.
After dinner Nathan, Lucas, and Jake insisted on taking the girls for a walk. All in differnt directions.
"So I think my brother is falling for your friend." Nathan said.
"Yes, she is too, I have never seen her like that." Haley laughed.
"And my friend seems to be falling for your otehr friend." Nathan added.
"Yes," Haley said, not sure what he was getting at.
"And I think my brother's brother is falling for your friend's friend." Haley looked up at him, he had that smile on his face, and his deep eyes were as beautiful as ever.
"Oh really. So do you think my friends friend is falling for your brothers brother?" She asked.
"I hope so." Nathan added. She just stood there. "Haley, here's the thing, I at first thought you were just some spoiled brat who cared for no one but herself, but after last night I saw something else in you, and I loved that, I'm really falling for you, no one has ever had me thinking about them this much in this short of time, or ever."
She didn't know what to say, she hadn't thought about having feelings for him before, but after he said it, she seemed to feel for him an entirely different way. "I... Um.... I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything, just don't run away." He replied.
"There's no chance I'm doing that."
April 12 1912
Over the next day, Haley did come to understand her feelings for him, he was an amazing guy when she didnt shut him out, and she sure wasn't doing that again.
That night they decided to take another walk, Lucas, Brooke, Jake, and Peyton, had gone off to give the two some alone time.
"Wouldn't it be weird if they got together too?" Brooke asked as they sat by the pool.
"I can see it happening, my brother is never this nice of a guy, he is head over heels for her." Lucas replied.
"Just like I am for you." Jake said to Peyton.
"Ahem" Brooke said to Lucas.
"And I of course am for you." He added embarrassed.
"Good." She said. Peyton laughed, Lucas went beat red and Jake just sat there, just as Jake usually did unless he was alone with Peyton.
"Hello everyone." Haley said as Nathan held the door for her, he had his other hand around her waist.
"Did we not see that?" Brooke laughed, Lucas Jake and Peyton did too, Nathan and Haley looked dumbfounded.
"Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, we are sorry, but me must close the pool now." A man in a tuxedo, obviosly a worker of some type said.
"Thank you sir." Haley nodded her head a little and Nathan took her up to bed.
"I am going to stay in Lucas' room tonight." Brooke said. Haley and Peyton's eyes widened and they looked to each otehr.
"Brooke?" Haley asked.
"It's alright, I love him." Brooke replied.
"It's been only a few days."
"Well I love Jake, and it has only been a few days." Peyton said, eyeing Haley. "We will see you in the morning Brooke."
"Goodnight." She replied. "It's alright Haley. And come on, don't even try to say Nathan and you don't love each other."
Haley opened her mouth to deny it, but then closed it again, she didn't know if she was or not.
April 13 1912
The entire next day Haley was contemplating what Brooke had said, she had never felt like this with anyone otehr than Nathan, but she wasn't sure if it was love.
"Why are you being so distant?" Nathan asked. She hadn't meant to be, but it had become that way.
"I'm not meaning to." Se replied, "I just have a lot on my mind."
"Alright." Nathan replied. "Would you like to join me Lucas and Jake on a trip to the gymnasium?"
"No I think I should spend some alone time with Brooke and Peyton." Haley replied.
"I'll see you later then." he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He hadn't done that before, and a smile spread across her face. "Sorry, I have been wanting to do that for two days now." She smiled.
"You don't need to apologize." she replied, she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She turned around and walked to meet her friends. Nathan did the same.
"So, brother, do you love her?" Lucas asked as they got out of earshot.
"Haley? Yes, I think I do." Nathan said as he nodded a hello to another man.
"I figured." he replied plainly, "You are never this good of a guy." He ran up ahead and Nathan followed.
----------
Brooke Haley and Peyton walked along the front of the ship. While passing a group of third class passengers haley noticed a farmiliar face. "Patricia?" She asked, a girl the three had known back home spun around. "I didn't know you would be on this passage."
"Yes, my father was going to send me first class on the second voyage, but when he was able to pay for a third class one for the maiden voyage, he was thrilled." Her fatehr had been one of the poorer people in the area. "I am going to meet my fiance in New York City."
"Oh, Patricia that is great." Haley replied. She looked abck toward Peyton and Brooke, who didn't like her all that much. "I better go, Peyton and Brooke are waiting." Patricia Brooke and Peyton exchanged nods as hellos.
"Oh Haley, would you mind coming to visit me tomorrow evening?" She asked.
"Why don't you come up to first class and have dinner with us?" Haley asked.
"I would look out of place, we had to sell all of my more expensive things to afford the passage."
"Alright then, I will join you tomorrow evening, what time?"
"Well, we in third class have a later dinner, is ten o'clock alright?"
"That's fine." Haley replied.
----------
"I didn't know you and her were friends." Brooke said.
"She's nice." Haley replied.
"She thinks I am a snot." Brooke replied.
"A little." Laughed Peyton, "me too."
The three headed to meet up with the men after a few minutes.
Chapter 24 -
April 14 1912
"Good morning sunshine!" Haley said as she leaned over Nathan.
He grummbled. but when he realized it was Haley, he pulled her down on top of him!
"Ahh!" She screamed.
"Shut up Haley!" It was Brooke.
"It's not my fault you were up all night!" She replied, she heard cursing from the other room.
"Tell me about it, tonight Haley, I am sleeping on your chair again I got a better sleep there." He laughed.
Haley smiled. "Well I will feel protected tonight then." She smiled. "Oh wait, I am meeting my friend Patricia, she is in third class, I saw her on the deck yesterday."
"Third class?" Nathan asked. "Why won't she come up here?"
"She would feel left out, and below everyone. She would have nothing to wear."
"Then get her a damn dress to wear." He exclaimed angrily.
"Why are you angry Nathan, don't worry about me, I have known her for years."
"I just don't feel right in you going down there tonight, what about tomorrow afternoon, I don't wnat you down there tonight."
"What's wrong with tonight?" She asked.
"I don't know it just feels wrong." He replied.
"I promise, I will do everything with you tomorrow." She erplied hopefully.
"What if I come with you tonight?" He asked.
"Um, that shouldn't be a problem I don't think." Haley replied. "Now, I need to get ready for church."
"I do also." He replied, he left.
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." The pastor finished. "Now, all rise and we shall end our sermon in song."
After the church service the six decided on an early lunch.
"I don't really like church." Brooke said.
"Why because you are afraid you will burst in flame as soon as you step into it?" Peyton asked.
"Your horrible." Haley laughed. "So, why have you guys been so quiet?"
"Huh, sorry, what?" The three said at different times.
"Uh huh, alright." Brooke replied. "Girls how about a swim?"
"Brooke, that is a great idea, and if these three wake up anytime soon, they can join us."
They laughed and went to their room.
"So, Haley are you sure you need to be going to visit Patricia today?" Brooke asked as they made their way to the pool.
"Well I told her I would, I always keep my word."
"Well, we don't want anything happening to you, it is third class you know." Brooke replied.
"I'll be fine, Nathan is coming with me." Haley replied. Brooke nodded.
"I'm going to swim my laps," Haley replied, everyday since they had gotten here she had swam 50 laps a day.
"I don't know how she does that." Brooke said looking at Haley swim.
"She is just committed." Peyton replied.
"I am committed to things."
"Lucas doesn't count." Peyton replied.
"Fine. So she is committed, I am not." Brooke replied. Her and Peyton talked until Haley was finished and they all went into the pool and floated around.
"I think we would all like your lobster today." Brooke said happily at dinner that night to the waiter.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Soon they had their food, it was near 8:30 and Haley didn't want to be late to meet Patricia.
"Well Nathan, are you ready to go?" Haley asked.
"I am pretty much done, sure." He replied.
"OK, well we will see you later." Haley said to the group.
"Have fun." Brooke said in a sarcastic voice. Haley shook it off.
"Hello Sir, Madam, where are you going tonight?" A young worker asked as the two were heading toward third class.
"Oh, hello sir, we are visiting a friend in third class." Haley replied.
"Alright, that is fine." he replied and he let them pass.
They walked around, and Haley soon worried because tehy ahd not learned the room number.
"Haley Haley!" Called a voice behind her, it was Patricia. "Hello." She said nicely as the two approached.
"Hello Patricia, this is Nathan, he insisted on joining us tonight. I hope that is OK."
"That is fine." She replied, she bowed her head to Nathan politely.
They went into Patricia's room, for a third class Haley assumed, and Nathan knew it was pretty fancy.
The three began to talk for a long time, soon a roomate of Patricia's joined them. "Oh, Hello,I'm Marie," She said uneasily. "I was going to go to bed, but I will let you finish talking."
Patricia nodded, but Nathan looked to his watch. "Oh my gosh, Haley, it is jsut past 11:30, soon they will not allow us back up to first class." He exclaimed.
"Oh, really, I never noticed the time go by so fast. Well We better get going, Patricia, tomorrow please have dinner with us, I will come get you around three, then we will go choose a dress of mine and get you ready for a first class dinner."
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Of course." Haley replied. "Oh, Marie, we have kept you out of your room all night, I will bring you to dinner tomorow also, as a thank you."
The girl looked surprised. "Well, alright." She replied, "are you sure?"
"Yes." Haley replied. "Well we better go, I will see you tomorrow at three."
Nathan and Haley began to walk toward the stairways up to first class.
All of a sudden the ship seemed to just stop, it was strange. Then soon after they were moving again, but after only a few seconds they had stopped again.
"What on earth?" Haley asked. "Why aren't we moving? Did you know of some kind of drill or something this evening?" She asked Nathan.
"No, I had no idea. Maybe your friend will, would you like to go ask her?"
"Alright." The two went to Patricia's room, but they also were confused of why they had stopped.
"OK, if you don't know, then Nathan and I will try and understand things in the first class, see you tomorrow." Haley replied.
Nathan and Haley made their wa up to the stariway, when they got there they found a crowd at the doorway, which had been closed off. It was about 12:00.
"What is going on?" Nathan asked as he dragged Haley across to the front of the line. "Let us up. We need to get to our rooms."
The man looked at them, he could tell they were not third class, but they were also under orders not to let anyone up. "Sir, I cannot allow you to come up here, I know that you are not third class, but if we are to let you cross, many other people will push through."
"Who cares, why are you locking us in?" Haley pleaded.
"Stand back Miss, it will be alright in a few minutes." Nathan pulled Haley back, he wasn't going to let on, but he was worried.
Meanwhile
"Everyone wake up wake up!" Screamed a worker into Lucas and Brooke's room.
"What is going on?" Lucas yelled. "You have no right to come in here, get out."
"The ship has hit an iceberg, if you want to live, take a life-vest, and get up to the boat decks. We are sinking, and you choose what you would prefer."
Lucas' eyes widened, Brooke looked horrified.
They took the life-vests and put them on instantly. "Lucas, are Nathan and Haley back?"Brooke asked.
"I am not sure Brooke. I hope they are." The two ran into the other room, but the only people there were Peyton and Jake.
"I won't get on a boat without her." Brooke said.
"Me either." Peyton added.
"Yes you will, Jake and I will find them, don't worry." Lucas said.
"I will not get on a boat." Brooke said again.
Ten minutes later screaming Peyton and Brooke were being carried to the boats.
"No, Lucas I won't get on, Haley is gone." She screamed.
"And the longer you cause Jake and I problems, the more water is filling this ship, and the shorter time we have to find Haley and my brother, I will not go get them until I get you on a boat, if you don't go, we might not find them." Lucas said in a commanding voice.
Brooke who was in tears leaned up and gave him a kiss. "I love you, hurry up and get on a boat. Lucas just get on this boat, I will never forgive myself if you don't get on."
"Ladies, get on the boat or we will leave without you." A worker yelled.
"Lucas I won't go without you." She stood strong. She looked to the man filling the boats.
He looked to see if there were any people above him in employment. "You two, get on the boat with them." He pointed to Lucas and Jake.
"Lucas, I won't go without you, if you really want me to go, trust Nathan to save Haley."
He had no time to think, she pulled him into the boat.
As soon as they beagn to lower down all four broke into tears, and Lucas knew he had made the wrong choice. "what have I done?" he mummbled to himself.
Nathan and Haley were alone, among thousands of others, but they were really alone.
Chapter 25 -
"Nathan, there are even more people here now, it is crowded, I'm worried!" Haley said scared.
"Come on." He lightly grabbed her wrist and they went through the crowds, he held it tighter as the people got worse, and more aggravated.
He took her down the hall, there was almost no one there. It was nearing twelve thirty in the morning.
"Nathan, where are we going?" Haley asked, she held back her tears.
"Haley, don't worry, don't cry." He stopped in the hallway, she rested her back on the wall, he could tell she was scared to death, she was shaking. He came right up clsoe to her. "I'm going to get you out of here."
"Promise?" SHe asked.
He leaned closer to her, rested his forhead on hers. "I promise, Haley James, I love you and I am not going to let you die on this ship tonight OK?" She kept her head down. "Haley look at me."
She did. "I love you too." She had tears in her eyes. "I've been deciding for days now, but right here right now I know I am."
"Good, then I have reason to want to live, let's get out of here." He took her hand again and began to run, she followed.
After running for a few minutes they came to where the water was rising in. The ship was at a noticable tilt now.
"Haley, there is a stairway right there, but we will have to go in the water." he gripped her hand tighter.
"I will be OK, I am a good swimmer."
"I know, it's not even that deep at all, it's the cold I'm worrying about." he stepped in and the chills went up his entire body instantly.
She felt the same, her knees buckled from it, Nathan caught her. "I got you," He held her for a second until the cold brought them abck to the reality they were in. "Let's make a run for the staircase." They did, when they got there as fast as they could they ran up the stairs.
It was locked, now tehy were out of breath, freezing, and still locked in.
Haley began to cry, "There's no way out Nathan." She said, scared to death.
He didn't know what to say, he loved her too much to let her know he was scared, and he didn't know how to get her out. He collapsed in defeate, she sat down in between his legs.
"It's OK Nathan," She put her hand to his face, he looked her in the eyes for a brief second, "I love you so much, I don't want to think about death, I want to think about you." She kissed him passionately on the lips. She at first was motionless, but eventually gave in and showed the same emotion she had.
After a few seconds of kissing he also gave in to the tears in his eyes, one fell on Haley's face and she moved back. Haley bit her lip and wiped away his tears with her finger.
"This isn't how it is supposed to be." Nathan said.
"It's OK Nathan, I'd rather spend these last few minutes, this much in love with you then not ever seen that I love you at all." She didn't want them to die sad like this.
"Haley, I'm not going to let you die." He stood up.
"Nathan what are you going to do, we can't get out." She stood up next to him. "I don't want to spend right now with false hopes."
"Well look, the hinges have been beaten at already and if I try with every bit of strength I have I might be able to break it open." He began to beat the door with his body, he looked so determined.
After a few minutes Haley noticed that the water was now two steps away from her their feet. She had only looked away for a short second when she heard a cracking sound, she wihipped her head around and Nathan had broken through the top hinge.
"You can fit through." he said.
"Well break it more and you can too." She replied harshly.
He turned to her and cupped her face in his hands. "I'll never get on a boat anyway, and if you don't get up there as fast as you can you will die too."
"I won't go without you." She said, the tears were pouring out faster than ever.
"If you love me as much as you say you do, you will do this for me." He said.
She hated him for saying that, she loved him more than life itself, she wanted nothing more than to die with him right then and there. It would kill her heart if she left without him.
"Do you love me that much?" He asked again. Haley bit her lip and nodded lightly. "Then go." He pushed the baracade as far open as it would go and she climbed out. She turned back to him, and took his hand.
"I love you." Nathan said. "Now run."
She leaned in and kissed him through the cracks. he broke away quickly. "God Haley run!" he screamed and torn his hand from her grasp thinking it would make it easier for her to go. She saw right through him, but still ran.
She went as fast as possible down a hallway, up a staircase, down another hallway, up anotehr staircase, never looking back. She ran straight for the door outside, she burst through it and stoppedjust onto the deck. Everything inside her ached. Her heart ached the most. A pain in the pit of her stomach erupted and she turned to the side and just vomitted.
"Miss, are you alright?" A crew member asked. She nodded. "OK, let's get you to a boat." he lead her to one of the lifeboats, there were very few left.
"All passengers on!" Another crew member screamed.
"Wait!" The crew man with Haley yelled, "We have one more." He thrust Haley forward and the other man helped her into the boat. She collapsed down into the nearest empty spot on the bench possible.
People all around her were screaming but all she could hear was Nathan's voice. "I promise, Haley James, I love you and I am not going to let you die on this ship tonight.........." ".....then I have reason to want to live....." "I got you," "If you love me as much as you say you do, you will do this for me." "I love you." "Now run." "God Haley run!"
Before she knew it the boat had hit the water and they were starting to paddle away.
Everyone else watched as they fired another distress rocket, Haley couldn't stand even looking to the ship, so she knelt over the edge and ran her fingers through the chilling water.
"Don't want to be doing that miss, could loose a finger." A crewman with an irish accent who was paddleing in front of her said.
She withdrew her hand. "Sir, what time is it?" Haley asked.
"About twenty after one miss," He replied.
She nodded, that was the last thing she remembered before a deep sleep came over her.
Chapter 26 -
Nathan sat there, all he could do was think of Haley. he watched the water begin to rise and he leaned back against the railing again.
I can break it. he thought. He stood up again, his ankles were now in water. He decided to just take one big jump into it, if he couldn't break it that way he would just fall into the water. He flung his wholebody into the baracade and a huge cracking noise accompanied it breaking through. He fell smack on the floor, but he was free.
He stood up and began to run. He ran past the group of people who he had been crowded with before.
"Sir Help us!" They yelled.
"Go down the hall to the next stairway, the baracade is broken!" He yelled, then ran up the second class stairs.
he made his way up to the top of the staris, it was hard to get anywhere becuase the ship was on such a tilt. As he reached the upper deck he saw everyone trying to get to the back of the ship, but Nathan knew he would never make it.
I'm better off jumping off the side here and swimming as fast as I can away from the ship so it doesn't suck me down too.
He went over to the railing, he climbed over and looked down, then he looked in every other direction. people were running everywhere, sliding down the polished wood on the deck, but the world was in slow motion for Nathan Scott, everything around him meant nothing other than getting off the ship and getting to Haley.
Nathan took a dep breath and pushed off the rail. He didn't make it very far away from the boat so he immedietely began to swim as fast as he possibly could.
The water was so cold that he felt like he was getting nowhere. He strokes seemed to get slower and less powerful on every one.
just breath, think of Haley he kept running those words through his head.
His repeating thoughts were interupted by the worst sound he had ever heard. The ship was cracking in half.
Extended far in the air the back end of the ship was cracking away from the front.
he stopped only for a breif second to see it fall, but as soon as he did, the cold swept over him again. he turned abck around and swam away from the boat.
There were hundreds of people all around him, many barely moving, others frantically slashing around, but just as many were still, he hated to think about the same thing having happened to Haley, Lucas, Jake, Brooke, or Peyton. Or what if it happened to him.
He tried to think of different thoughts. He thought about the first time Haley blew him off, and the second and third. Then he thought about how she always looked, how she smelled on a regular basis, and everything else that made him fall in love with her.
"Hey! You!" Called a voice, it seemed really distant. Nathan looked up, a group of men were all sitting on an overturned lifeboat. "Swim for us! Swim!"
Nathan began to swim to them, he did it slowly, but he knew he had to get there.
he reached the edge of the boat, and was so cold that holding onto it was impossible. Someone reached down and clutched his arm. "I got you. Don't worry." he said as he lifted Nathan out of the bone chilling water.
"Thank you." Nathan was able to say after a few seconds.
"No problem mate, but we need to get out of here, we might get stuck inside a huge amount of bodies." The thought of it made Nathan's stomach turn.
"Why did you pick me up?" Nathan asked. "There are others who are alive out there."
"Yes, but not for long, most are barely moving, you looked like you might make it." He replied. "If it matters, I'm Charles."
"It matters, you saved my life." Nathan replied. "I'm Nathan Scott." He replied.
"OK Nathan Scott, would you mind taking an oar, we have been paddling for a while now and some of us need a little break." he motioned around to the other men sitting there, none had said anything, they all had the same vacant expression of their faces.
"I will." He offered to take one from a boy who looked no older than thirteen. The boy looked greatful.
After only a few brief minutes of using the oar, Nathan could feel it in his muscles, but the lights from the other boats was growing closer.
The ship was gone from sight now, all that could be heard was the screams of the people in the water. It sounded as if they were either very far away, or they were all losing the energy to yell. Nathan liked the think it was the first option.
"Hello!!" Yelled Charles. "Our boat is overturned, there are about twenty of us." He was trying to get someone to hear, but there was no response, Charles' vice seemed to be becoming quieter and quieter.
"Help us!" Nathan yelled, he hurt his throat trying to get someone's attention.
"Is there anybody there?" helled a voice back.
"Yes! Yes! We are on an overturned boat." Nathan replied.
"Come towards the light." The voice yelled.
Nathan looked at the other men on the boat. They looked exhausted. "We can't we have no energy left." Nathan screamed.
There was no reply for a long time. Finallythey heard. "We will come get you then."
They began to get excited from the news. They got too rowdy and the young boy fell into the water.
"Help him up." Charles yelled, Nathan was ahead of him, he had already exended his hand to the boy, the boy couldn't grab back.
Nathan didn't think, he jumped in after the boy and lifted him high enough for the other men to get him.
"Nathan grab my hand!" Nathan heard, he thought it was Charles, but he looked up behind him to find Lucas staring down at him with his arm outstretched. Nathan took his brothers hand.
He brought him up into the boat and Nathan had never seen Lucas so overjoyed. "Haley, where's Haley?" Nathan asked.
"I haven't seen her Nathan." Lucas said, bowing his head.
"I sent her up ahead of me, she went up, she must have gotten on a boat." Nathan said frantically.
Lucas put his hand on his brothers shoulder. "Nathan, lots of people didn't get onto a boat." He replied.
"Don't say that! Haley is alright! She is alright!" Nathan screamed at the top of his lungs.
Lucas didn't say anything and Nathan was able to calm down.
"Can someone get him a blanket?" Lucas finally asked. "One for each of these men."
"We only have five. Give them to those who are the wettest." A crew member said. Nathan, the young boy and three others got blankets.
They reached the other life boats.
"I need anyone with a blanket, and is dry, to give them to me." The same crew member said.
"Why we are cold?" One women in an obviously expensive dress and jewelry said in a snotty voice.
"Ma'am, you may keep your blanket, but these men are wet, and frozen, you had no ounce of wetness on you at all. Everyone on these boats are sick of you complaining about everything. Look over there! Look where our ship used to be. Look how many people still are in the water, now you need to shut up and let the other people with any decency give their blankets to these freezing people." Lucas screamed. he had been puting up with that women and her complaints for the entire time.
Nathan sat alone, he was starting to think about what Lucas said, what if Haley was gone. He had to think of something else.
But the thought of it was in his head until the moment he fell asleep, which came soon. Chapter 27 -
Haley woke up before sunrise, she was unsure of how long she had slept, or what had happened to any of her friends.
She soon noticed that she had her head rested on someones lap.
"Oh sorry." Her voice cracked as she tried to sit up.
"It's fine." Replied a familiar voice.
"Brooke!" Haley exclaimed. "You were on my boat?"
"No, not really, after you had fallen asleep the crew members took all the women out of my boat and the men went looking for survivors." She said with a smile. "Peyton is right in front of you if you were wondering."
Haley looked at the person in front of her, Peyton looked tired and like she had had no sleep for days.
"We were really worried about you Haley." Peyton said. "We didn't know if you and Nathan had even made it out of third class."
"We didn't, they had us locked down there, Nathan had to break through a barricade thing to get me out."
"What about him?" Brooke asked, her expression changed drastically.
"He told me to run, I didn't want to, but he said that if I loved him as much as I said I did I would go." Haley replied. She curled up in Brooke's lap again, Brooke stroked her hair. She didn't know what to say to her friend. "Lucas and Jake, they got off right?" Haley mumbled quietly to her friends.
"Yeah, but we got split up when they went with the other men." Peyton replied.
"That's good then." Haley replied.
"How you doing Nate?" Lucas asked his brother as he woke up.
"I'm tired." Nathan replied. "have you heard anything about Haley?" He asked.
Lucas shook his head. "We are a little ahead of all the other boats. The Carpathia is right there, we are getting off this boat." He said trying to cheer Nathan up. "It's about four o'clock"
Nathan nodded. "Brooke and Peyton are OK right?" He asked.
"Yeah, they put all the women in our boat into a different boat, and all the men got in here to go get you guys and then look for survivors." Lucas replied. "Oh, and Jake is right there sleeping if you wanted to know."
"I'm glad." Nathan replied
They soon reached the Carpathia, Nathan woke Jake up and they lowered a ladder down the side of the ship, asking people to climb up. Nathan, Lucas and Jake had no problem, they were relatively alright, except that Nathan had mild pneumonia; but some people who had major frost bite couldn't feel their feet, so climbing was a very hard process, everyone else tried to help.
Boats came one by one, none had Brooke Peyton or Haley on them.
It was nearing 8:30 and Haley, Brooke, Peyton and teh otehr survivors on their boat sat silently. A crew member finally spoke.
"The Carpathia! Look!" He pointed, and everyones gaze followed his arm, it was off in the distance, but still there.
They were overjoyed. Haley watched smiles light up Brooke and Peyton's face, but she was just not able to smile, Nathan was somewhere on the botom of the ocean, what did she have to be happy about.
Nathan stood at the side of the ship, people pointed to a lifeboat in the distance.
"That's the last one." A crew member said. Nathan considered staying to see if Haley was on it, but he couldn't even think about how he would feel if she wasn't. He walked inside.
Lucas and jake waited anxiously, they knew Brooke and Peyton were on this one, because there was no other boats to come.
They helped bring the survivors up, Lucas and Jake waited until they saw Peyton and Brooke come up the ladder.
Lucas gave Brooke a kiss then leaned close to her ear. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again." He whispered.
When Jake was able to get Peyton into the boat he pulled her into a large ug, she finally felt comfortable in his arms. "Don't ever make me move." She said sweetly.
"Never." he replied. "Peyton, marry me." He whispered. She smiled and nodded.
Haley had jsut climbed up the ladder and watched Peyton and Brooke with Lucas and Jake, she just wanted to be alone for a while.
She found a spot on deck that was unoccupied and sat down, she was beat. All she had done for the last few hours was think about Nathan, she just wanted to be by herself and work stuff out.
Nathan was doing the same, he sat in the dining room and ate his first real meal in 12 hours. There were people everywhere around him, but he just completely tuned them out, all he wanted now was just some alone time, no one else.
He would have to avoid Lucas Jake and them all morning, the last thing he needed was to see them happy.
he hated them for being so happy right now, for not being there for him, but he also knew that if Haley was here, he would be doing the same, so he didn't know what to think.
"Can I have another brandy?" he asked. he figured if he couldn't get out of the real world, being drunk in it would be alright.
He just didn't care anymore.
Neither did she. Chapter 28 -
Haley sat on the deck listening to people cry all around her, she told herself no more crying, she didn't want it anymore. She loved Nathan, but it was a quick romance and she would be able to move on eventually. She hoped.
Haley curled up there all day, as it neared night all of the people went inside to the warmth of the ship's dining room which was now a place for people to sleep.
Haley didn't move, people kept walking by to make sure she was alright.
"Miss, is everything OK?" A man asked in front of her.
"It's fine." She replied. "I just need to be away from crowds for a while." They nodded in understanding.
She decided she needed to move or she wold freeze on the spot, she got up and began to walk away.
"Nathan!" Lucas yelled in his drunk brothers ear.
"What?" He asked.
"Get up." Lucas commanded, he reached his hand to him and he got up. "How drunk are you?"
"A lot," he replied smugly. "Let me sleep."
"No, you need to go find Haley." Lucas said angrily.
"She's not here."
"Yes she is Nathan!" Brooke exclaimed, "She was on my boat with me!"
"What?" Nathan exclaimed excited. "Where is she?"
"I'm not sure, but here have this coffee and go and find her!" Brooke said shoving a cup of coffee in his face.
Haley walked around the deck by herself, she was so amazed at how little was going on around her, but so mcuh was going on inside her.
She began to get dizzy, her world began to spin around her, and soon she fell.
"Haley?" Asked a voice in front of her, she could see bright lights all around her. She could see a blurry figure of what looked like Nathan.
"Nathan?" She asked worried that she might have died.
"I'm here."
"Am I dead?" She asked slowly.
"Ha, Hales, you think we would let you die that easily, especially when your soulmate was drinking his lfie away at the bar?" Said another farmiliar voice, Haley began to see clearer and she saw Peyton standing right there.
"But, Nathan, you, you were stuck down below." Haley said confused out of her mind.
"Well the thought of you being lonely for the rest of your life was too much to bear, not to mention the thought of you marrying someone else." Nathan said with a smile, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"What happened?" Haley asked. "Last night?"
"the doctor said you were overwhelmed and just collapsed from lack of food for a day and too much physical and mental strain." Lucas said. "If Nathan hadn't found you you may have froze to death.
Haley smiled at Nathan.
Within the next few days Haley was told she was alright and could leave the hospital.
Her and Nathan stood at the edge of the deck watching the city of New York get closer and closer. Lucas, Brooke, Peyton, and Jake came up and stood next to them.
"So, now we have to make a new life." Jake said.
"Guys, let's just pormise that this new life of ours we live it together." Haley said. "All of us."
"Well Haley, Peyton and i lvoe you too much to ever let you go, and Nathan Jake and Lucas over here are attached to us at the hip. We won't have to worry about us getting split up."
"Promise?" Haley asked.
"Promise." Everyone chimed.
Haley buried her head in Nathan's shoulder and let the wind just catch her. She had never felt this content in her life, this was home.
April 9 1912
"I promise Mother, we will be careful." Brooke Davis said trying to get her Mother to let her and her friends leave.
"We promsie Mrs. Davis, your daughter is safe with us." Peyton Sawyer said happily, her father had let her go no problem, ther saw it like a new opportunity.
Haley James on the other hand was only taking this trip by luck, her father and mother had been killed earlier on that year and she had been staying by herself in her large home, Brooke's father had agreed to let Brooke go as long as both her and Peyton went with her, so he agreed to also pay for Haley, the familes all had been close and didn't want Haley to be left behind. She had offered to pay with the money her father and mother had left her, but it would have been barely enough, and Mr. Davis wanted her to have some money for when they arrived. Haley's family also was never as rich as Brooke, her father had a gambling problem and was always losing money. Haley would never forget the day a group of men came to her house and held her a knife point until she gave them the money her father owed.
"OK let's go." Brooke gave her mom one last hug and the three sent off, they got into the car.
They began to drive, they had two days until they were actually boarding, they were to spend a night in an inn on the way to Waterloo.
After dark came the three asked the driver to stop at the nearest hotel. They stepped out of the car, it was a smaller inn, nothing compared to what they would normally have stayed at, but until they reached the ship, they were not spending much.
"Hello ladies, can we offer to take your bags?" A young man asked.
Brooke looked him up and down, he looked too well off to be working at a small inn like this. "Do you work here?" She asked curiously.
"No. I was just offering." The man replied.
"Then sure." Peyton replied, dumping her bags into his arms. he made a weak little smile but followed her in.
"I'll take yours." Another guy said to Brooke.
"Good, becuase there is no way I will be taking them myself." She laughed. Haley didn't think it was too funny.
Haley picked up her own bags for the voernight trip, she had about half as much as the otehr girls.
"Would you like me to take yours?" Another guy asked. Haley looked up at him, he was tall with short dark hair, but his bright eyes caught her attention the most.
"I can manage," she finally replied.
"I'm sure you can, but I would like to help." He replied showing off a sly smile. "I'm Nathan by the way. Nathan Scott"
"Well Nathan Scott, if you insist." She handed him her bags.
"So am I allowed to know your name?" He asked.
"Well Mr. Scott aren't you persistant." She replied coldly. She looked into his eyes again and gave up her hard outside shell. "Haley, Haley James."
"That's a nice name Miss James."
"Thank you, but ifyou call me Miss James again, I might hurt you, call me Haley."
He was surprised at her attitude, but he found it erotic insome way. She caught him looking at her and he turned his head to face forward again.
He brought her to the room, Brooke and Peyton had already chosen beds, Haley set her bag onto hers.
"So, you in the doorway," Brooke said looking to Nathan, "Are you going the otehr five of us for a late dinner?"
"Alright, I'm Nathan Scott by the way."
"Brooke Davis, this is Peyton, I'm sure you've met Haley, and I'm pretty sure you know these two since they are your friends. See you in half an hour." She smiled then closed the door.
Brooke Haley and Peyton met Nathan, His brother Lucas, and their friend Jake Jagielski. After an interesting dinner Haley went to bed.
April 10 1912
The next morning, the boys offered to join the girls to the ship, Brooke had come up with a plan that night, but no one knew it.
"Hello sir." She said as she went up to the ticket counter, everyone looked at her strangely.
"What on earth is she doing?" Peyton asked.
"I don't want to know." Haley replied.
Brooke returned, with a large smile on her face, and somthing in her hands. "Hello everyone, so boys, do you still want to come with us to America?" She asked, holding up the tickets she had just bought.
"We.... I..... But.... why.... we can't." Lucas stuttered.
"You can and you will, I will provide money for you guys to buy some proper clothing, not that I don't love the look you have going, but it is not up to where we will be in first class. Please, you guys have been really nice and I want you on the trip with us because you can't afford to go, it's not fair you were robbed."
"Yes Brooke but we had barely enough money to pay for three in second class, it would be taking advantage of you if we got first class ones and an entire new wardrobe."
"Too bad. When Brooke gets her mind set on somthing no one at all can disagree. So let's not make a scene." Peyton said, she grabbed Jake's arm and followed Brooke who was dragging Lucas. Haley gave Nathan a looked, then nodded her head to follow her.
"This is amazing!" Haley exclaimed, the entire group had finished buying their clothing and they stood outside the ship, She was wearing a beautiful new saphire dress Brooke wanted her to get.
"Tickets please?" The man asked as they went to board the ship. Brooke happily handed the man their tickets. "Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, to the RMS Titanic. This is Sedgrick, he will help you with any otehr luggage." He pointed to a tiny man, there was no way he would be able to hold all the things they still were carrying with them.
"I'll take my own." Everyone, aside from Brooke said politely, he had been weighed down by her bags. The man gave tehm a grateful nod.
They were lead onto the ship, everyone was amazed by the beauty and craftsmanship of the vessel, first, their guide lead them up the grand staircase, it was so beautiful. After that, the group was lead down an amazingly beautiful hallway, not one of them had been this taken back by a hallway before. Finally they stepped into their room, and Haley gasped, it was amazing.
They had an entire discussion about how beautiful the ship was, then decided that they would help to unpack a little.
"What on earth could you have possibly been thinking Brooke?" Haley screamed as soon as the men had left.
"What? They were going to get tickets before they were robbed anyway." Brooke replied.
"And you believed it because it came from a good looking guys mouth, now you Brooke are spending the rest of your trip paying for three extra people, do you plan on surviving as a prostitute when we reach America?"
"It wasn't a lie Haley, they were robbed, Jake told me also." Peyton said trying to loosen things up.
"They better have been because, oh I would be so angry. Although now I am going to be busy this whole trip trying to avoid couple activities since you and those men seem to have become close, very fast."
"And you are denying the attraction between you and Lucas' Brother Nathan? He likes you, I see how he looks at you."
"There is nothing there." Haley replied plainly.
Meanwhile
"Aren't they amazing?" Lucas asked out of nowhere.
"I don't really know anything about Brooke or, um Haley, but Peyton is amazing." Jake replied.
"Oh look at you, you hardly know them, you are going to get your little hearts broken when we arrive in America and tehy run off with a fiance or something." Nathan shook his head.
"No, they are not engaged, besides little brother of mine, the other girl, Haley, has obvious feelings for you, you just can't see how she looks at you."
"Oh right, there is absolutely no chance of that, at all!" Nathan said frustrated, he stepped into the washroom and shook his head. Haley was leaning against the other side of the same wall thinking the same thing, this will be a long trip.
Chapter 23 -
April 10 1912
"Hello Mr. Scott." Brooke said happily as Lucas held out his arm for her.
Peyton and Jake had a similar introduction, Haley stepped out of the room, Nathan hardly noticed that she looked so beautiful, he just held out his arm and she took it.
They reached the dinning room, it was a beautiful area. Haley looked at all the details, Nathan was doing the same.
They sat down, "Hello Ladies, gentlemen, Here are your menu's, can I interest you in any wines?
"Red, preferably Italian." Brooke said. Lucas Peyton and jake agreed.
"I'll just have water." Both Nathan and Haley said, they exchanged an awkward look but nodded.
They went to their menu's. Haley looked it over, soon she decided on a Chicken Cordon Bleu with smoked ham and swiss cheese. Soon the waiter came back.
"I'll have the Lasagna Primo," Brooke said sweetly.
"I'd like your Filet Mignons," Peyton added.
"I'll have your Halibut Steak Platter," Jake said.
"Same." Lucas said.
"And for you sir?" He asked Nathan.
"The Chicken Cordon Bleu."
Haley's head shot up, she looked as fast as she could for anything else on the menu, but couldn't find anything in time, "Miss?"
"That sounds good, I'll have the same." Haley said awkwardly. Nathan looked at her funny. She noticed. "I think I'm going to get some air." She said as the man walked away, Haley stood up.
"Go after her Nathan." Brooke said. "She will freeze all by herself on the deck." He stood up and followed.
"Haley," Nathan called.
"Yes?" She turned around and er face fell, why was he following her. "Oh, hi."
"Don't sound excited," he laughed, "I just wanted to get to know you, my other friends seem to have taken to your friends, and for now, another friend would be nice." He made a slight emphasis on the 'friend' statemnt in that sentence.
"Alright Mr. Scott, then I will see you in the dinning hall, I will be alright here." He nodded and turned the other way. He got inside and it all of a sudden felt very hot, he decided he would go take a walk on the other side of the deck than Haley.
Haley walked along the deck, making her way to the front of the ship, as she walked along, she noticed that most of the people on the deck were grown men, she wrapped her shawl around her tighter and walked faster.
Soon she found that there was a group of men following her. She began to go almost to a run.
"Missy, why are ye walking so fast?" One man asked.
"Leave me alone." Haley replied.
"Why, we just want ter talk." They replied, the voice sounded Irish.
"Please leave me alone." She said louder. She kept at her pace.
The men went faster and caught up to her as she reached right at the front of the ship. One of the men grabbed her arm tightly and spun her around. "Why are ye runnin'?"
"Let go of me!" She yelled as loud as she could.
The screams caught Nathan's attention, and he thought of Haley, then thought of all the people seen on the deck, they looked dodgy.
He ran toward the screams, soon he saw a group of people hudddled around something, he went right up to them and saw Haley, she looked like she had fallen to her knees on the deck. "What's going on?" Nathan yelled. The people all looked over to him, then ran in different directions. He thought about going after some of them, but he went to Haley. "Are you alright?" He asked. Her dress was ripped, and she looked scared to death.
"Yeah, I was jsut scared." He reached his hand to help her up. "I'm OK now. Let's go inside. Thank you."
"I don't mean to sound horrible, but you don't look to be in much of a state to be going to dinner." She looked down at herself and laughed a little.
"No not really." She replied. "Would you accompany me to my room?" Haley asked.
"Yes, can I just tell the otehrs we won't be coming to dinner?"
"Yes." Haley replied. She waited outside the dinning room.
Nathan came out and took Haley to the room. "Do you want me to wait outside?" He asked.
"No, you may come in." She replied. She held the door for him. "I'm going to change."
She went into the washroom, then soon came out in her nightgown.
"Are you sure you are alright?" He asked.
"Yes, I am, don't worry." She replied. "Thank you though, I hate to think what would have happened-"
He put his finger to her lips, "shh, don't even think of it." Nathan replied. She nodded. "Why don't you go to bed, I'll wait in here, read a book or something."
"OK." Haley replied. She got into bed. "Nathan?" she said, he turned around. "Thank you."
"Any decent guy would have saved you from those jerks."
"But a real gentleman would make sure I was alright," She turned off the light, Nathan stepped into the other room, he picked up a book and began to read, but soon he fell asleep.
Haley lay in bed awke for a while, she decided she wasn't getting to sleep, so she went out to go see Nathan. He was asleep on the chair. A smile spread across her face, he looked pretty cute. She grabbed a blanket and spread it acroos him, picked up the book from his stomach and turned out the light, then headed to bed herself.
Nathan woke up briefly a few mintues after Haley went into her room, he thought about getting up, but he fell asleep to quick.
April 11 1912
The next morning Haley was pressured as soon as she got up, about what had happened, Nathan had jsut told them that she was gonig to bed.
"Haley, I saw your dress, what happened?" Brooke asked
"I'm fine don't worry." Haley replied.
"I'll just ask Nathan."
"And he won't tell you." Haley replied.
Brooke sighed, and walked out defeated, Haley had to laugh.
Today the group was taking a special first class advantage, tour of the ship "That was amazing," Haley said at dinner.
"Yes, I agree, there is so much work to be done to make a ship go, I am just glad we get the easy road." Lucas laughed.
Everyone agreed.
After dinner Nathan, Lucas, and Jake insisted on taking the girls for a walk. All in differnt directions.
"So I think my brother is falling for your friend." Nathan said.
"Yes, she is too, I have never seen her like that." Haley laughed.
"And my friend seems to be falling for your otehr friend." Nathan added.
"Yes," Haley said, not sure what he was getting at.
"And I think my brother's brother is falling for your friend's friend." Haley looked up at him, he had that smile on his face, and his deep eyes were as beautiful as ever.
"Oh really. So do you think my friends friend is falling for your brothers brother?" She asked.
"I hope so." Nathan added. She just stood there. "Haley, here's the thing, I at first thought you were just some spoiled brat who cared for no one but herself, but after last night I saw something else in you, and I loved that, I'm really falling for you, no one has ever had me thinking about them this much in this short of time, or ever."
She didn't know what to say, she hadn't thought about having feelings for him before, but after he said it, she seemed to feel for him an entirely different way. "I... Um.... I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything, just don't run away." He replied.
"There's no chance I'm doing that."
April 12 1912
Over the next day, Haley did come to understand her feelings for him, he was an amazing guy when she didnt shut him out, and she sure wasn't doing that again.
That night they decided to take another walk, Lucas, Brooke, Jake, and Peyton, had gone off to give the two some alone time.
"Wouldn't it be weird if they got together too?" Brooke asked as they sat by the pool.
"I can see it happening, my brother is never this nice of a guy, he is head over heels for her." Lucas replied.
"Just like I am for you." Jake said to Peyton.
"Ahem" Brooke said to Lucas.
"And I of course am for you." He added embarrassed.
"Good." She said. Peyton laughed, Lucas went beat red and Jake just sat there, just as Jake usually did unless he was alone with Peyton.
"Hello everyone." Haley said as Nathan held the door for her, he had his other hand around her waist.
"Did we not see that?" Brooke laughed, Lucas Jake and Peyton did too, Nathan and Haley looked dumbfounded.
"Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, we are sorry, but me must close the pool now." A man in a tuxedo, obviosly a worker of some type said.
"Thank you sir." Haley nodded her head a little and Nathan took her up to bed.
"I am going to stay in Lucas' room tonight." Brooke said. Haley and Peyton's eyes widened and they looked to each otehr.
"Brooke?" Haley asked.
"It's alright, I love him." Brooke replied.
"It's been only a few days."
"Well I love Jake, and it has only been a few days." Peyton said, eyeing Haley. "We will see you in the morning Brooke."
"Goodnight." She replied. "It's alright Haley. And come on, don't even try to say Nathan and you don't love each other."
Haley opened her mouth to deny it, but then closed it again, she didn't know if she was or not.
April 13 1912
The entire next day Haley was contemplating what Brooke had said, she had never felt like this with anyone otehr than Nathan, but she wasn't sure if it was love.
"Why are you being so distant?" Nathan asked. She hadn't meant to be, but it had become that way.
"I'm not meaning to." Se replied, "I just have a lot on my mind."
"Alright." Nathan replied. "Would you like to join me Lucas and Jake on a trip to the gymnasium?"
"No I think I should spend some alone time with Brooke and Peyton." Haley replied.
"I'll see you later then." he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He hadn't done that before, and a smile spread across her face. "Sorry, I have been wanting to do that for two days now." She smiled.
"You don't need to apologize." she replied, she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She turned around and walked to meet her friends. Nathan did the same.
"So, brother, do you love her?" Lucas asked as they got out of earshot.
"Haley? Yes, I think I do." Nathan said as he nodded a hello to another man.
"I figured." he replied plainly, "You are never this good of a guy." He ran up ahead and Nathan followed.
----------
Brooke Haley and Peyton walked along the front of the ship. While passing a group of third class passengers haley noticed a farmiliar face. "Patricia?" She asked, a girl the three had known back home spun around. "I didn't know you would be on this passage."
"Yes, my father was going to send me first class on the second voyage, but when he was able to pay for a third class one for the maiden voyage, he was thrilled." Her fatehr had been one of the poorer people in the area. "I am going to meet my fiance in New York City."
"Oh, Patricia that is great." Haley replied. She looked abck toward Peyton and Brooke, who didn't like her all that much. "I better go, Peyton and Brooke are waiting." Patricia Brooke and Peyton exchanged nods as hellos.
"Oh Haley, would you mind coming to visit me tomorrow evening?" She asked.
"Why don't you come up to first class and have dinner with us?" Haley asked.
"I would look out of place, we had to sell all of my more expensive things to afford the passage."
"Alright then, I will join you tomorrow evening, what time?"
"Well, we in third class have a later dinner, is ten o'clock alright?"
"That's fine." Haley replied.
----------
"I didn't know you and her were friends." Brooke said.
"She's nice." Haley replied.
"She thinks I am a snot." Brooke replied.
"A little." Laughed Peyton, "me too."
The three headed to meet up with the men after a few minutes.
Chapter 24 -
April 14 1912
"Good morning sunshine!" Haley said as she leaned over Nathan.
He grummbled. but when he realized it was Haley, he pulled her down on top of him!
"Ahh!" She screamed.
"Shut up Haley!" It was Brooke.
"It's not my fault you were up all night!" She replied, she heard cursing from the other room.
"Tell me about it, tonight Haley, I am sleeping on your chair again I got a better sleep there." He laughed.
Haley smiled. "Well I will feel protected tonight then." She smiled. "Oh wait, I am meeting my friend Patricia, she is in third class, I saw her on the deck yesterday."
"Third class?" Nathan asked. "Why won't she come up here?"
"She would feel left out, and below everyone. She would have nothing to wear."
"Then get her a damn dress to wear." He exclaimed angrily.
"Why are you angry Nathan, don't worry about me, I have known her for years."
"I just don't feel right in you going down there tonight, what about tomorrow afternoon, I don't wnat you down there tonight."
"What's wrong with tonight?" She asked.
"I don't know it just feels wrong." He replied.
"I promise, I will do everything with you tomorrow." She erplied hopefully.
"What if I come with you tonight?" He asked.
"Um, that shouldn't be a problem I don't think." Haley replied. "Now, I need to get ready for church."
"I do also." He replied, he left.
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." The pastor finished. "Now, all rise and we shall end our sermon in song."
After the church service the six decided on an early lunch.
"I don't really like church." Brooke said.
"Why because you are afraid you will burst in flame as soon as you step into it?" Peyton asked.
"Your horrible." Haley laughed. "So, why have you guys been so quiet?"
"Huh, sorry, what?" The three said at different times.
"Uh huh, alright." Brooke replied. "Girls how about a swim?"
"Brooke, that is a great idea, and if these three wake up anytime soon, they can join us."
They laughed and went to their room.
"So, Haley are you sure you need to be going to visit Patricia today?" Brooke asked as they made their way to the pool.
"Well I told her I would, I always keep my word."
"Well, we don't want anything happening to you, it is third class you know." Brooke replied.
"I'll be fine, Nathan is coming with me." Haley replied. Brooke nodded.
"I'm going to swim my laps," Haley replied, everyday since they had gotten here she had swam 50 laps a day.
"I don't know how she does that." Brooke said looking at Haley swim.
"She is just committed." Peyton replied.
"I am committed to things."
"Lucas doesn't count." Peyton replied.
"Fine. So she is committed, I am not." Brooke replied. Her and Peyton talked until Haley was finished and they all went into the pool and floated around.
"I think we would all like your lobster today." Brooke said happily at dinner that night to the waiter.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Soon they had their food, it was near 8:30 and Haley didn't want to be late to meet Patricia.
"Well Nathan, are you ready to go?" Haley asked.
"I am pretty much done, sure." He replied.
"OK, well we will see you later." Haley said to the group.
"Have fun." Brooke said in a sarcastic voice. Haley shook it off.
"Hello Sir, Madam, where are you going tonight?" A young worker asked as the two were heading toward third class.
"Oh, hello sir, we are visiting a friend in third class." Haley replied.
"Alright, that is fine." he replied and he let them pass.
They walked around, and Haley soon worried because tehy ahd not learned the room number.
"Haley Haley!" Called a voice behind her, it was Patricia. "Hello." She said nicely as the two approached.
"Hello Patricia, this is Nathan, he insisted on joining us tonight. I hope that is OK."
"That is fine." She replied, she bowed her head to Nathan politely.
They went into Patricia's room, for a third class Haley assumed, and Nathan knew it was pretty fancy.
The three began to talk for a long time, soon a roomate of Patricia's joined them. "Oh, Hello,I'm Marie," She said uneasily. "I was going to go to bed, but I will let you finish talking."
Patricia nodded, but Nathan looked to his watch. "Oh my gosh, Haley, it is jsut past 11:30, soon they will not allow us back up to first class." He exclaimed.
"Oh, really, I never noticed the time go by so fast. Well We better get going, Patricia, tomorrow please have dinner with us, I will come get you around three, then we will go choose a dress of mine and get you ready for a first class dinner."
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Of course." Haley replied. "Oh, Marie, we have kept you out of your room all night, I will bring you to dinner tomorow also, as a thank you."
The girl looked surprised. "Well, alright." She replied, "are you sure?"
"Yes." Haley replied. "Well we better go, I will see you tomorrow at three."
Nathan and Haley began to walk toward the stairways up to first class.
All of a sudden the ship seemed to just stop, it was strange. Then soon after they were moving again, but after only a few seconds they had stopped again.
"What on earth?" Haley asked. "Why aren't we moving? Did you know of some kind of drill or something this evening?" She asked Nathan.
"No, I had no idea. Maybe your friend will, would you like to go ask her?"
"Alright." The two went to Patricia's room, but they also were confused of why they had stopped.
"OK, if you don't know, then Nathan and I will try and understand things in the first class, see you tomorrow." Haley replied.
Nathan and Haley made their wa up to the stariway, when they got there they found a crowd at the doorway, which had been closed off. It was about 12:00.
"What is going on?" Nathan asked as he dragged Haley across to the front of the line. "Let us up. We need to get to our rooms."
The man looked at them, he could tell they were not third class, but they were also under orders not to let anyone up. "Sir, I cannot allow you to come up here, I know that you are not third class, but if we are to let you cross, many other people will push through."
"Who cares, why are you locking us in?" Haley pleaded.
"Stand back Miss, it will be alright in a few minutes." Nathan pulled Haley back, he wasn't going to let on, but he was worried.
Meanwhile
"Everyone wake up wake up!" Screamed a worker into Lucas and Brooke's room.
"What is going on?" Lucas yelled. "You have no right to come in here, get out."
"The ship has hit an iceberg, if you want to live, take a life-vest, and get up to the boat decks. We are sinking, and you choose what you would prefer."
Lucas' eyes widened, Brooke looked horrified.
They took the life-vests and put them on instantly. "Lucas, are Nathan and Haley back?"Brooke asked.
"I am not sure Brooke. I hope they are." The two ran into the other room, but the only people there were Peyton and Jake.
"I won't get on a boat without her." Brooke said.
"Me either." Peyton added.
"Yes you will, Jake and I will find them, don't worry." Lucas said.
"I will not get on a boat." Brooke said again.
Ten minutes later screaming Peyton and Brooke were being carried to the boats.
"No, Lucas I won't get on, Haley is gone." She screamed.
"And the longer you cause Jake and I problems, the more water is filling this ship, and the shorter time we have to find Haley and my brother, I will not go get them until I get you on a boat, if you don't go, we might not find them." Lucas said in a commanding voice.
Brooke who was in tears leaned up and gave him a kiss. "I love you, hurry up and get on a boat. Lucas just get on this boat, I will never forgive myself if you don't get on."
"Ladies, get on the boat or we will leave without you." A worker yelled.
"Lucas I won't go without you." She stood strong. She looked to the man filling the boats.
He looked to see if there were any people above him in employment. "You two, get on the boat with them." He pointed to Lucas and Jake.
"Lucas, I won't go without you, if you really want me to go, trust Nathan to save Haley."
He had no time to think, she pulled him into the boat.
As soon as they beagn to lower down all four broke into tears, and Lucas knew he had made the wrong choice. "what have I done?" he mummbled to himself.
Nathan and Haley were alone, among thousands of others, but they were really alone.
Chapter 25 -
"Nathan, there are even more people here now, it is crowded, I'm worried!" Haley said scared.
"Come on." He lightly grabbed her wrist and they went through the crowds, he held it tighter as the people got worse, and more aggravated.
He took her down the hall, there was almost no one there. It was nearing twelve thirty in the morning.
"Nathan, where are we going?" Haley asked, she held back her tears.
"Haley, don't worry, don't cry." He stopped in the hallway, she rested her back on the wall, he could tell she was scared to death, she was shaking. He came right up clsoe to her. "I'm going to get you out of here."
"Promise?" SHe asked.
He leaned closer to her, rested his forhead on hers. "I promise, Haley James, I love you and I am not going to let you die on this ship tonight OK?" She kept her head down. "Haley look at me."
She did. "I love you too." She had tears in her eyes. "I've been deciding for days now, but right here right now I know I am."
"Good, then I have reason to want to live, let's get out of here." He took her hand again and began to run, she followed.
After running for a few minutes they came to where the water was rising in. The ship was at a noticable tilt now.
"Haley, there is a stairway right there, but we will have to go in the water." he gripped her hand tighter.
"I will be OK, I am a good swimmer."
"I know, it's not even that deep at all, it's the cold I'm worrying about." he stepped in and the chills went up his entire body instantly.
She felt the same, her knees buckled from it, Nathan caught her. "I got you," He held her for a second until the cold brought them abck to the reality they were in. "Let's make a run for the staircase." They did, when they got there as fast as they could they ran up the stairs.
It was locked, now tehy were out of breath, freezing, and still locked in.
Haley began to cry, "There's no way out Nathan." She said, scared to death.
He didn't know what to say, he loved her too much to let her know he was scared, and he didn't know how to get her out. He collapsed in defeate, she sat down in between his legs.
"It's OK Nathan," She put her hand to his face, he looked her in the eyes for a brief second, "I love you so much, I don't want to think about death, I want to think about you." She kissed him passionately on the lips. She at first was motionless, but eventually gave in and showed the same emotion she had.
After a few seconds of kissing he also gave in to the tears in his eyes, one fell on Haley's face and she moved back. Haley bit her lip and wiped away his tears with her finger.
"This isn't how it is supposed to be." Nathan said.
"It's OK Nathan, I'd rather spend these last few minutes, this much in love with you then not ever seen that I love you at all." She didn't want them to die sad like this.
"Haley, I'm not going to let you die." He stood up.
"Nathan what are you going to do, we can't get out." She stood up next to him. "I don't want to spend right now with false hopes."
"Well look, the hinges have been beaten at already and if I try with every bit of strength I have I might be able to break it open." He began to beat the door with his body, he looked so determined.
After a few minutes Haley noticed that the water was now two steps away from her their feet. She had only looked away for a short second when she heard a cracking sound, she wihipped her head around and Nathan had broken through the top hinge.
"You can fit through." he said.
"Well break it more and you can too." She replied harshly.
He turned to her and cupped her face in his hands. "I'll never get on a boat anyway, and if you don't get up there as fast as you can you will die too."
"I won't go without you." She said, the tears were pouring out faster than ever.
"If you love me as much as you say you do, you will do this for me." He said.
She hated him for saying that, she loved him more than life itself, she wanted nothing more than to die with him right then and there. It would kill her heart if she left without him.
"Do you love me that much?" He asked again. Haley bit her lip and nodded lightly. "Then go." He pushed the baracade as far open as it would go and she climbed out. She turned back to him, and took his hand.
"I love you." Nathan said. "Now run."
She leaned in and kissed him through the cracks. he broke away quickly. "God Haley run!" he screamed and torn his hand from her grasp thinking it would make it easier for her to go. She saw right through him, but still ran.
She went as fast as possible down a hallway, up a staircase, down another hallway, up anotehr staircase, never looking back. She ran straight for the door outside, she burst through it and stoppedjust onto the deck. Everything inside her ached. Her heart ached the most. A pain in the pit of her stomach erupted and she turned to the side and just vomitted.
"Miss, are you alright?" A crew member asked. She nodded. "OK, let's get you to a boat." he lead her to one of the lifeboats, there were very few left.
"All passengers on!" Another crew member screamed.
"Wait!" The crew man with Haley yelled, "We have one more." He thrust Haley forward and the other man helped her into the boat. She collapsed down into the nearest empty spot on the bench possible.
People all around her were screaming but all she could hear was Nathan's voice. "I promise, Haley James, I love you and I am not going to let you die on this ship tonight.........." ".....then I have reason to want to live....." "I got you," "If you love me as much as you say you do, you will do this for me." "I love you." "Now run." "God Haley run!"
Before she knew it the boat had hit the water and they were starting to paddle away.
Everyone else watched as they fired another distress rocket, Haley couldn't stand even looking to the ship, so she knelt over the edge and ran her fingers through the chilling water.
"Don't want to be doing that miss, could loose a finger." A crewman with an irish accent who was paddleing in front of her said.
She withdrew her hand. "Sir, what time is it?" Haley asked.
"About twenty after one miss," He replied.
She nodded, that was the last thing she remembered before a deep sleep came over her.
Chapter 26 -
Nathan sat there, all he could do was think of Haley. he watched the water begin to rise and he leaned back against the railing again.
I can break it. he thought. He stood up again, his ankles were now in water. He decided to just take one big jump into it, if he couldn't break it that way he would just fall into the water. He flung his wholebody into the baracade and a huge cracking noise accompanied it breaking through. He fell smack on the floor, but he was free.
He stood up and began to run. He ran past the group of people who he had been crowded with before.
"Sir Help us!" They yelled.
"Go down the hall to the next stairway, the baracade is broken!" He yelled, then ran up the second class stairs.
he made his way up to the top of the staris, it was hard to get anywhere becuase the ship was on such a tilt. As he reached the upper deck he saw everyone trying to get to the back of the ship, but Nathan knew he would never make it.
I'm better off jumping off the side here and swimming as fast as I can away from the ship so it doesn't suck me down too.
He went over to the railing, he climbed over and looked down, then he looked in every other direction. people were running everywhere, sliding down the polished wood on the deck, but the world was in slow motion for Nathan Scott, everything around him meant nothing other than getting off the ship and getting to Haley.
Nathan took a dep breath and pushed off the rail. He didn't make it very far away from the boat so he immedietely began to swim as fast as he possibly could.
The water was so cold that he felt like he was getting nowhere. He strokes seemed to get slower and less powerful on every one.
just breath, think of Haley he kept running those words through his head.
His repeating thoughts were interupted by the worst sound he had ever heard. The ship was cracking in half.
Extended far in the air the back end of the ship was cracking away from the front.
he stopped only for a breif second to see it fall, but as soon as he did, the cold swept over him again. he turned abck around and swam away from the boat.
There were hundreds of people all around him, many barely moving, others frantically slashing around, but just as many were still, he hated to think about the same thing having happened to Haley, Lucas, Jake, Brooke, or Peyton. Or what if it happened to him.
He tried to think of different thoughts. He thought about the first time Haley blew him off, and the second and third. Then he thought about how she always looked, how she smelled on a regular basis, and everything else that made him fall in love with her.
"Hey! You!" Called a voice, it seemed really distant. Nathan looked up, a group of men were all sitting on an overturned lifeboat. "Swim for us! Swim!"
Nathan began to swim to them, he did it slowly, but he knew he had to get there.
he reached the edge of the boat, and was so cold that holding onto it was impossible. Someone reached down and clutched his arm. "I got you. Don't worry." he said as he lifted Nathan out of the bone chilling water.
"Thank you." Nathan was able to say after a few seconds.
"No problem mate, but we need to get out of here, we might get stuck inside a huge amount of bodies." The thought of it made Nathan's stomach turn.
"Why did you pick me up?" Nathan asked. "There are others who are alive out there."
"Yes, but not for long, most are barely moving, you looked like you might make it." He replied. "If it matters, I'm Charles."
"It matters, you saved my life." Nathan replied. "I'm Nathan Scott." He replied.
"OK Nathan Scott, would you mind taking an oar, we have been paddling for a while now and some of us need a little break." he motioned around to the other men sitting there, none had said anything, they all had the same vacant expression of their faces.
"I will." He offered to take one from a boy who looked no older than thirteen. The boy looked greatful.
After only a few brief minutes of using the oar, Nathan could feel it in his muscles, but the lights from the other boats was growing closer.
The ship was gone from sight now, all that could be heard was the screams of the people in the water. It sounded as if they were either very far away, or they were all losing the energy to yell. Nathan liked the think it was the first option.
"Hello!!" Yelled Charles. "Our boat is overturned, there are about twenty of us." He was trying to get someone to hear, but there was no response, Charles' vice seemed to be becoming quieter and quieter.
"Help us!" Nathan yelled, he hurt his throat trying to get someone's attention.
"Is there anybody there?" helled a voice back.
"Yes! Yes! We are on an overturned boat." Nathan replied.
"Come towards the light." The voice yelled.
Nathan looked at the other men on the boat. They looked exhausted. "We can't we have no energy left." Nathan screamed.
There was no reply for a long time. Finallythey heard. "We will come get you then."
They began to get excited from the news. They got too rowdy and the young boy fell into the water.
"Help him up." Charles yelled, Nathan was ahead of him, he had already exended his hand to the boy, the boy couldn't grab back.
Nathan didn't think, he jumped in after the boy and lifted him high enough for the other men to get him.
"Nathan grab my hand!" Nathan heard, he thought it was Charles, but he looked up behind him to find Lucas staring down at him with his arm outstretched. Nathan took his brothers hand.
He brought him up into the boat and Nathan had never seen Lucas so overjoyed. "Haley, where's Haley?" Nathan asked.
"I haven't seen her Nathan." Lucas said, bowing his head.
"I sent her up ahead of me, she went up, she must have gotten on a boat." Nathan said frantically.
Lucas put his hand on his brothers shoulder. "Nathan, lots of people didn't get onto a boat." He replied.
"Don't say that! Haley is alright! She is alright!" Nathan screamed at the top of his lungs.
Lucas didn't say anything and Nathan was able to calm down.
"Can someone get him a blanket?" Lucas finally asked. "One for each of these men."
"We only have five. Give them to those who are the wettest." A crew member said. Nathan, the young boy and three others got blankets.
They reached the other life boats.
"I need anyone with a blanket, and is dry, to give them to me." The same crew member said.
"Why we are cold?" One women in an obviously expensive dress and jewelry said in a snotty voice.
"Ma'am, you may keep your blanket, but these men are wet, and frozen, you had no ounce of wetness on you at all. Everyone on these boats are sick of you complaining about everything. Look over there! Look where our ship used to be. Look how many people still are in the water, now you need to shut up and let the other people with any decency give their blankets to these freezing people." Lucas screamed. he had been puting up with that women and her complaints for the entire time.
Nathan sat alone, he was starting to think about what Lucas said, what if Haley was gone. He had to think of something else.
But the thought of it was in his head until the moment he fell asleep, which came soon. Chapter 27 -
Haley woke up before sunrise, she was unsure of how long she had slept, or what had happened to any of her friends.
She soon noticed that she had her head rested on someones lap.
"Oh sorry." Her voice cracked as she tried to sit up.
"It's fine." Replied a familiar voice.
"Brooke!" Haley exclaimed. "You were on my boat?"
"No, not really, after you had fallen asleep the crew members took all the women out of my boat and the men went looking for survivors." She said with a smile. "Peyton is right in front of you if you were wondering."
Haley looked at the person in front of her, Peyton looked tired and like she had had no sleep for days.
"We were really worried about you Haley." Peyton said. "We didn't know if you and Nathan had even made it out of third class."
"We didn't, they had us locked down there, Nathan had to break through a barricade thing to get me out."
"What about him?" Brooke asked, her expression changed drastically.
"He told me to run, I didn't want to, but he said that if I loved him as much as I said I did I would go." Haley replied. She curled up in Brooke's lap again, Brooke stroked her hair. She didn't know what to say to her friend. "Lucas and Jake, they got off right?" Haley mumbled quietly to her friends.
"Yeah, but we got split up when they went with the other men." Peyton replied.
"That's good then." Haley replied.
"How you doing Nate?" Lucas asked his brother as he woke up.
"I'm tired." Nathan replied. "have you heard anything about Haley?" He asked.
Lucas shook his head. "We are a little ahead of all the other boats. The Carpathia is right there, we are getting off this boat." He said trying to cheer Nathan up. "It's about four o'clock"
Nathan nodded. "Brooke and Peyton are OK right?" He asked.
"Yeah, they put all the women in our boat into a different boat, and all the men got in here to go get you guys and then look for survivors." Lucas replied. "Oh, and Jake is right there sleeping if you wanted to know."
"I'm glad." Nathan replied
They soon reached the Carpathia, Nathan woke Jake up and they lowered a ladder down the side of the ship, asking people to climb up. Nathan, Lucas and Jake had no problem, they were relatively alright, except that Nathan had mild pneumonia; but some people who had major frost bite couldn't feel their feet, so climbing was a very hard process, everyone else tried to help.
Boats came one by one, none had Brooke Peyton or Haley on them.
It was nearing 8:30 and Haley, Brooke, Peyton and teh otehr survivors on their boat sat silently. A crew member finally spoke.
"The Carpathia! Look!" He pointed, and everyones gaze followed his arm, it was off in the distance, but still there.
They were overjoyed. Haley watched smiles light up Brooke and Peyton's face, but she was just not able to smile, Nathan was somewhere on the botom of the ocean, what did she have to be happy about.
Nathan stood at the side of the ship, people pointed to a lifeboat in the distance.
"That's the last one." A crew member said. Nathan considered staying to see if Haley was on it, but he couldn't even think about how he would feel if she wasn't. He walked inside.
Lucas and jake waited anxiously, they knew Brooke and Peyton were on this one, because there was no other boats to come.
They helped bring the survivors up, Lucas and Jake waited until they saw Peyton and Brooke come up the ladder.
Lucas gave Brooke a kiss then leaned close to her ear. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again." He whispered.
When Jake was able to get Peyton into the boat he pulled her into a large ug, she finally felt comfortable in his arms. "Don't ever make me move." She said sweetly.
"Never." he replied. "Peyton, marry me." He whispered. She smiled and nodded.
Haley had jsut climbed up the ladder and watched Peyton and Brooke with Lucas and Jake, she just wanted to be alone for a while.
She found a spot on deck that was unoccupied and sat down, she was beat. All she had done for the last few hours was think about Nathan, she just wanted to be by herself and work stuff out.
Nathan was doing the same, he sat in the dining room and ate his first real meal in 12 hours. There were people everywhere around him, but he just completely tuned them out, all he wanted now was just some alone time, no one else.
He would have to avoid Lucas Jake and them all morning, the last thing he needed was to see them happy.
he hated them for being so happy right now, for not being there for him, but he also knew that if Haley was here, he would be doing the same, so he didn't know what to think.
"Can I have another brandy?" he asked. he figured if he couldn't get out of the real world, being drunk in it would be alright.
He just didn't care anymore.
Neither did she. Chapter 28 -
Haley sat on the deck listening to people cry all around her, she told herself no more crying, she didn't want it anymore. She loved Nathan, but it was a quick romance and she would be able to move on eventually. She hoped.
Haley curled up there all day, as it neared night all of the people went inside to the warmth of the ship's dining room which was now a place for people to sleep.
Haley didn't move, people kept walking by to make sure she was alright.
"Miss, is everything OK?" A man asked in front of her.
"It's fine." She replied. "I just need to be away from crowds for a while." They nodded in understanding.
She decided she needed to move or she wold freeze on the spot, she got up and began to walk away.
"Nathan!" Lucas yelled in his drunk brothers ear.
"What?" He asked.
"Get up." Lucas commanded, he reached his hand to him and he got up. "How drunk are you?"
"A lot," he replied smugly. "Let me sleep."
"No, you need to go find Haley." Lucas said angrily.
"She's not here."
"Yes she is Nathan!" Brooke exclaimed, "She was on my boat with me!"
"What?" Nathan exclaimed excited. "Where is she?"
"I'm not sure, but here have this coffee and go and find her!" Brooke said shoving a cup of coffee in his face.
Haley walked around the deck by herself, she was so amazed at how little was going on around her, but so mcuh was going on inside her.
She began to get dizzy, her world began to spin around her, and soon she fell.
"Haley?" Asked a voice in front of her, she could see bright lights all around her. She could see a blurry figure of what looked like Nathan.
"Nathan?" She asked worried that she might have died.
"I'm here."
"Am I dead?" She asked slowly.
"Ha, Hales, you think we would let you die that easily, especially when your soulmate was drinking his lfie away at the bar?" Said another farmiliar voice, Haley began to see clearer and she saw Peyton standing right there.
"But, Nathan, you, you were stuck down below." Haley said confused out of her mind.
"Well the thought of you being lonely for the rest of your life was too much to bear, not to mention the thought of you marrying someone else." Nathan said with a smile, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"What happened?" Haley asked. "Last night?"
"the doctor said you were overwhelmed and just collapsed from lack of food for a day and too much physical and mental strain." Lucas said. "If Nathan hadn't found you you may have froze to death.
Haley smiled at Nathan.
Within the next few days Haley was told she was alright and could leave the hospital.
Her and Nathan stood at the edge of the deck watching the city of New York get closer and closer. Lucas, Brooke, Peyton, and Jake came up and stood next to them.
"So, now we have to make a new life." Jake said.
"Guys, let's just pormise that this new life of ours we live it together." Haley said. "All of us."
"Well Haley, Peyton and i lvoe you too much to ever let you go, and Nathan Jake and Lucas over here are attached to us at the hip. We won't have to worry about us getting split up."
"Promise?" Haley asked.
"Promise." Everyone chimed.
Haley buried her head in Nathan's shoulder and let the wind just catch her. She had never felt this content in her life, this was home.