A/N: Whoa, another update so soon! It's craziness I tell ya, just craziness. But I do it for you guys. I really truly do.

TOXIC

Chapter 4

To Seek and Destroy

Haley sat at the bar, on break, alone. From where she was sitting she could still see her friends mingling with them, and it left a foul taste in her mouth. That and she was tired to say the least. The after hours crowd always seemed to spend a little bit more money on booze than the early nighters, which left Haley and the other waitresses with twice as much work. Not to mention the circles Nathan was having her run, making her get this and that and the other thing for him. Making sure she was at his beck and call. It was during a rather quiet spot that she'd managed to squeeze in a short time-out amongst the madness. A light tap on her shoulder broke her out of her thoughts, and she turned her head from side to side.

"Over here," Lucas teased, grinning.

"I'm way too exhausted to think that's cute right now," she said with a heavy smile.

"Yeah well, I wanted to talk to you away from the vultures."

"Is it just me, or have they gotten worse since graduation," she asked.

"It's the trust funds, they finally cashed them in. The money went straight to their heads," he joked, and they shared a laugh together.

"Seriously though Luke, Nathan's become Satan Junior. He might actually be evil now, maybe you should check. I hear they usually put the 666 somewhere on top the head."

Lucas let out a chuckle, and then a breath."He's had a bad year Hales. Don't be too hard on him."

Haley shook head back and forth. "Oh, did pwoo wittle Nafan have a hawd time, at a reaw schoow," she mocked in a child's voice.

Lucas didn't respond, instead only laughed at how easy it was to feel like they were friends again, "I really missed ya Haley."

"He's the only one," an ominous voice came from behind them.

Haley spun her barstool to the side to see Nathan standing behind her, still managing to look as cocky as ever, even when he was inebriated.

"What do you want now," Haley spat back at him, unwilling to deal with his attitude any longer.

"You've haven't come by in a while," he tsk'd, " I was getting thirsty Hope."

"It's Haley, and I'm on a break. If you want a drink order it from the bar. You are standing in front of one after all."

Nathan gave her a charming smile, and turned toward his brother. "Come on Luke, come back and join the party. You can bring your little friend here if you want," he said, giving Haley a distasteful look.

"In a minute," Lucas replied, watching Nathan nod and walk away.

"No! Don't even ask. It's not gonna happen," Haley declared, putting her hand up as if to halt his words.

"Come on Hales, it'll be fun," he begged.

"Like a root canal," she muttered, turning to the table and shaking her head.

"His bark is much worse than his bite, I swear. He's been pissy to everyone today."

"Oh and here I thought I was special," Haley claimed, running a hand through her hair.

"Please, as a favor to me come over there, just for a few minutes," he begged, his eyes sparkling.

Haley sighed in resignation, "Fine, but you owe me, you owe me big!"

"Anything you want," Lucas stated, grabbing her hand and leading her back toward her doom.

..................

True to his word, Lucas had made sure everyone was being their most cordial. That didn't however, stop Nathan from leering at Haley every few moments, while she quietly sat with them.

The entire night felt like a bad acid trip.  It all seemed to much on the of the edge of surreal. And right now, she just wanted it to be over. A quick glance to her watch, informed her it was nearing closing time.

"Where you goin'," Nathan stopped Haley as she made to leave. A teasing grin on his face. Haley looked at him, with an angry glare. Then sending Lucas a pleading glance.

"Let her go Nate," Lucas called from the other end of the table.

Nathan gave her another evil smirk, and let her hand slip from his. "Grab me another Guinness while you're up there," he ordered, looking away.

Haley gave him a baffled expression, "Are you serious, we close in like 2 minutes?"

"Then I'll drink it fast," he returned bluntly.

Groaning in irritation Haley quickly ran up to the bar and asked for the beer.

The bartender checked below and behind him, and then turned to her, "We're all out," he said, "But I think we have whole case in the basement, run down there and get it," he threw her the spare keys from under the counter. "I'm headin' out."

Haley nodded, and went to leave, when he called to her again. "Oh and make sure you put the keys back before you leave.

With another nod, Haley swerved through the crowed swiftly. When she came to the back hallway that held the men's and women's bathroom, she walked all the way to the end where the last door lie.

Grabbing the keys from her pocket she unlocked the door and traveled down a long stairwell to the basement. At the bottom of the steps was a rather large space, cut off by another two doors. One, which led to the storage room where they kept the extra tables, chairs, and other odds and ends. And the other which led to where the alcohol was stored.

Haley had been down here only a few times, usually grabbing a spare case of Vodka, or Budweiser. It was almost always colder then all hell, mostly because her incompetent bosses never deemed it fit to turn the heat on down there. Not even when they did inventory at the end of February. Jerks.

With a stifling shiver, Haley wrapped her arms around her body, using her leg to prop the door open with a half empty box Bacardi.

Searching around the room practically blind, Haley found a metal chain hanging from the ceiling. She pulled down on it, so that the single light bulb dimly lit the medium sized room.

Racks of boxes surrounded her, on all fours walls, and there were no windows to be seen. The cement floor was barren except for a few old signs and a rolled up rug from last years New Year's bash.

Almost instantly Haley found the box of Guinness on the far top shelf, in the left corner. However, unable to reach it on her own, she grabbed hold of the racks pillar's, lifting herself up so that she stood on the second shelf.

Haley checked her watch quickly, while using her other arm to hold onto the left pillar. With a mild groan she reached into the box and pulled out a single bottle, just as the sound of an annoyingly gruff and sexy voice came from behind her.

"You almost done Holly," Nathan purred, standing tall and proud in the doorway, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"What are you doing down here," Haley jumped to the ground, a new level of bitterness and fatigue in her words.

Nathan cocked his head to the side, and smiled. "You know, you should really be more grateful Heidi, I only came down here to help you," he replied innocently, snatching up the box that held the large metal door open. Walking forward a few steps, he let the door snap shut behind him. And came into the room setting the box on the ground, as if helping her move that box was his most charitable deed.

What he then noticed was Haley move as if in slow motion, bursting passed him and screaming, "NO!"

Nathan gave her an odd expression as she barreled toward the now closed exit. "Actually I was expecting more of a 'thank you for your help Nathan,' but...whatever."

Haley meanwhile, frantically pulled on the silver door knob, trying with all her might to get it to open. Short heavy breaths escaped her mouth. When she finally gave up, and turned toward her enemy, pure hatred radiated from her eyes.

"I can't even.....this isn't happening...no...no.....I-I....You," she seethed, settling on his face, unable to move.

Scratching his head in confusion Nathan looked to her, "Excuse me?"

"The door. The one that you just let close behind me. Only opens from the opposite side! Which means---"

"Which means we're locked in," he finished, his eyes wide and glassy.

A/N: Don't forget to review, and let me know what you think so far!!