Hey! So, after getting a review from daddyzangel108, I realized that I did leave you guys hanging for awhile, so I will update more today. I hope you guys will review, but I feel I have to make it up to you, so even if you don't, I'll still update.

Important Note: I have seen the perfect opportunity to end this story, so unfortunately, after this, there will be one more chapter and then an epilogue. I know, so sad :( but I have decided to make a sequel, so it's not over yet! OK, well, I guess you can just keep reading...

Chapter 19:

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone

It was a few weeks later and Brooke, Lucas, Jake, and Peyton had left three days ago. Nathan and Haley were sad to see them go, but glad for the time to themselves. Nathan was at home watching basketball while Haley had gone out grocery shopping. He had wanted her to stay with him, but she'd insisted they would starve if someone didn't get more food soon. Reluctantly, he'd let her go, but not without a fight. Since she left three hours ago, he'd been calling her every 15 minutes or so, whining and begging her to come home.

Looking at the clock, it had been almost 20 minutes since he'd last called her. Picking up the phone, he pressed one on the speed dial and listened to it ring twice before she picked up. "Hey, baby," her voice carried over the line soothingly. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the couch.

His voice was almost desperate as he said, "Come back to me, Haley. Please. I miss you."

She laughed. "I left three hours ago."

He sighed. "Yeah, but it's no fun here without you."

She smiled, though he couldn't see her through the phone. "Aw, that's so sweet. I'll be home soon, honey."

"Promise?" He sounded so adorable.

Suddenly, there was a female voice in the background. "Haley?"

Nathan recognized the voice. "Haley, is that Michelle?"

Haley sighed. "Yeah, hang on." He could hear her talking in the background. "Hey! I didn't know you were still in California."

He could hear Michelle's voice too. "Yeah, I've had trouble finding anywhere else to go. Hey, do you wanna maybe grab a cup of coffee or something?"

Then, came Haley's voice again. "Uh, yeah, sure. Let me just wrap up this call real quick." Then, she came back on the line. "Sorry, Nathan. Looks like it might be a little longer. Me and Michelle are gonna go get some coffee."

"Haley," Nathan whined. "Come on, can't you guys get coffee some other time?"

She laughed. "Nathan, I've spent the past three weeks with you. I haven't seen Michelle since before then."

He groaned. "Yeah, three weeks with all our other friends. Come one, I wanted to spend some alone time with you."

She sighed. "I want to spend time alone with you too, but me and Michelle just have some catching up to do."

"This is not cool," he grumbled. "You're ditching me for my ex girlfriend? That's just wrong."

Haley laughed again. "I'm sorry, baby. I'll be home before you know it. Gotta go. Love you."

"Yeah, yeah. Love you too," Nathan gritted, hanging up and throwing the phone back into its cradle.

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard f Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone

Haley hung up her cell phone and slipped it back in her purse. Michelle laughed. "Let me guess. Nathan, right?"

Haley bit her lip. "Yeah."

Michelle laughed again. "Haley, don't make this uncomfortable or awkward. Let's forget about him and Tim. I mean, let's face it; that's probably the only way we'll ever really be friends."

Haley smiled and linked arms with her. "So, friend, where are we going?"

Michelle just laughed and they headed to a small little café down the street.

I walk alone
I walk alone

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I walk alone
I walk a…

It was another two hours later when Haley finally burst through the door, yelling out teasingly, "Honey, I'm home!"

Immediately, Nathan appeared in the foyer, taking quick strides to her and pressing her against the door, kissing her hard. "I missed you," he whispered, lips sliding down to her neck.

Her hands threaded through his hair. "Mm, I can tell."

He moved back to her mouth as he backed them up to the couch, collapsing on it, her landing on top of him. She smiled. "Hi."

He smiled back quickly, "Hey." Then, his lips were back on hers.

She moved to straddle him and he grabbed her waist, pulling her closer. She sat them up, still straddling him and he quickly pulled her shirt off. She began to unbutton his, but he moved down to kiss her collarbone, making it hard for her to reach. She moaned as one of his hands moved to cup her breast. "What's gotten into you?" she asked breathlessly.

He didn't answer, just picked her up and carried her into the master bathroom, lips never leaving hers. But that was OK with her.

She finally got his shirt off as he unclasped her bra, releasing her as he slid off the material. He wrestled her tight jeans off of her as she took off his belt. And then the phone rang. Nathan rested his head on her shoulder, breathing hard. "Damn it!"

She rubbed his back soothingly and kissed his head. "It's OK, baby. I'll be right back."

She moved to go get the phone in their room and he sank onto the edge of the tub, waiting for her to come back.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ten minutes passed and she still wasn't back in his arms, so Nathan put his shirt back on and walked into the master bedroom. She was packing a bag quickly, stuffing in clothes and accessories. "Haley?" he asked softly, confused, hurt. She looked up and he saw the tears welling in her eyes. Then, she returned to packing as though she were possessed.

He went to her quickly, grabbing her hands gently in his. "Haley, stop! What's going on?"

She ripped her hands from his and returned to packing, never even looking up. "Haley!" he said more firmly. She stopped for a moment and he grabbed her into his arms, sitting them together on the bed. She curled up in his lap, arms wound tightly around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder.

He stroked her hair soothingly, rubbing a calming hand over her back and placing a kiss on her hair.

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk alone

"Tell me what's wrong, baby," he commanded gently, lifting her head so he could look into her eyes.

She drew in a shaky breath, wiping the tears from her cheeks."It's… it's Jack. He's had a…a hear…heart attack."

Nathan's soothing motions along her back and hair jerked to a stop. He didn't know what that meant.

Read between the lines
What's f ucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone

And then, his gaze drifted and he took in the suitcase, the phone tossed carelessly on the night stand, Haley wearing her coat. He stood abruptly. "No," he said softly.

"Nathan, please," she begged, standing and putting a hand on either side of his face.

He shook his head, hands reaching to cover Haley's as his eyes shut. "Haley, tell me you're not going to see him. Tell me you're not going back."

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a…

Her heart broke to see the pain in his eyes as he opened them. "Nathan, please. You have to understand. I need to go."

He took her in his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head. "No, Haley, I can't understand that. You were supposed to be mine. I thought we were working through this. I thought we were fixing us."

She sobbed again. "We were, Nathan, we are. I don't want that to stop, I don't want this to end. But they don't think he's going to make it. I have to say goodbye. I have to."

He tightened his arms around her and kissed her once more. It was long and full of love and as it continued to progress, she wrapped her arms around him. But he pulled away, releasing her slowly. "Do you really want to give this up, Haley? Is it worth it for him?"

She shook her head. "Don't make me choose, Nathan. You know I can't."

"You have to!" he was practically yelling by now. "It's always been me or him. You've just been too scared to admit it or to make that decision. Well, now it's time. What's it gonna be, Haley? Me or him?"

She shook her head, tears falling freely now. "Don't do this. Don't you see? If I say goodbye to him and he passes away, I can finally be at peace with it. My past will finally be gone and we can move on. Together."

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

He looked at her coldly. "It shouldn't take Jack's death to help you move on, Haley. Not if our love's strong enough. But I guess it's not."

"No," she cried, reaching for him. But he moved away. "Nathan!" she screamed. "Please, you can come with me."

He turned away from her. "I don't want to go, Haley. I don't want to watch him steal you away again. I don't want to see him again."

"Nathan..." she begged.

I walk alone
I walk a…

"Go if you want to, Haley. Maybe you're right. Maybe this will work. But it hurts so damn much. I'm just not sure if I can promise we'll still have a chance when you get back."

Her sobs wrenched his heart as he walked away, out to the den, where he sat on the couch and watched TV. It was what had happened the last time she left. She'd come out from their room, suitcase in hand, tears rolling down her smooth cheeks, and just walked out. He couldn't help but notice the sardonic irony.

Why did Jack always have to f uck them over? It seemed like every time things started going right between them again, he came along and tore it all apart. He should've been enough to keep Haley around. But he never was. And that had always killed him. If she could just throw away their relationship, then what kind of relationship was it? Certainly, it couldn't be all that important to her.

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...

Back in their bedroom, Haley was finished packing, but she couldn't bring herself to walk out that door. It was something she'd done once before, several years ago, and she'd never had any intention of doing it again. But, she realized, plans change. And so do people.

But some people don't. She wondered if she ever would. After thinking she was finally over Jack and everything he'd done to her, one phone call brought it all back. And sent her running again. It seemed like she was always running from something. And more often than not, it included running from the one person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with; Nathan.

Slowly standing up, she felt faint, knowing she was about to break his heart again.

He was waiting for her on the couch. Somehow, he knew she would leave. It was the same tired song playing over and over again. Yet they couldn't seem to stop coming back for more. She stood in front of him now, setting her suitcase on the floor beside the couch and sitting down next to him. It was silent for a few minutes. She turned to him. "Nathan, I really hope I can find a way to fix this when I get back. But I have to go. I know you don't understand that and that you're angry with me for it, but maybe someday, you'll know why. I love you."

He just stared straight ahead. A single tear fell from her eye. She brushed it away quickly. "I'm sorry, Nathan," she whispered.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...

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I know, I know, you all must hate me. But don't give up yet. Have faith in me. After all, the story is drawing to a close. Would I really be so cruel as to keep them apart until the end?...

Guess you'll just have to wait and find out. :)