It was December 31st and parties across the world were in full swing gearing up for the new year. The McCullough's, a young, successful couple not far from the Scott's Charlotte mansion had invited them to a party. In the past, the foursome had been known to be quite friendly. They had dined together on numerous occasions and it had only been fitting to accept the invitation. Megan at first had declined, stating the couple was busy but Nathan couldn't bear yet another night behind iron gates. And he was a bit superstitious. The old saying went, the way you began the new year was how it would be for the next 12 months and Nathan would be damned if sitting quietly in a cooped up house with his silent wife would determine the new year. So he had called the McCullough's back and RSVP'd to their party. It took a little convincing Megan but finally she had conceded, dressing up as pretty as a picture.

"Meg, let's go!" he yelled up the stairs for the umpteenth time.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold your horses, Nate."

He smiled.

"It's gonna be next year before we get there if you don't put a move on it."

"Beauty takes time, Mister", she joked. "I can't help it that you run on turbo speed."

"Well, you have only one speed and that's slow", he grinned.

Then his voice trailed off. That conversation took him way back many years ago. He was late for a party then and he had yelled into the bathroom for his wife to hurry up her pace. He joked with her then that she only had one speed and that was slow. But that had been a lifetime and one wife ago. It was when he and Haley were late for their own wedding reception.

Nathan jumped at the memory. It was like a powerful physical jolt of electricity flowing throughout his body. He lost his footing, grabbing onto a nearby table for support. Heart pounding, he opened the door to the closet.

"Nate, I'll be ready in a minute!" Meg yelled out.

"Huh? Yeah…um, take your time", he said, flustered.

His large hands shook as he pushed past all the junk on top of the safe deposit box. Then he saw it, picking it up and cradling it safely in his hands as he just stared at it.

"Okay, I am ready and hopefully gorgeous. Get my coat so we can wow the partygoers with our exceptional social skills…"

Her smile faded as she saw her handsome husband on his knees in his nice suit next to the open closet with clothes and things everywhere as he clutched the box for dear life.

"Meg…" he looked at her.

Her eyes widened. She wasn't stupid. She had seen his unnatural interest in that closet so many times. It peeked her curiosity but she hadn't let it get the best of her. She had prayed she had been imagining things but obviously it wasn't just her imagination.

"Nathan…what are you doing?"

"I…"

He couldn't answer her. He could barely look at her.

"Nathan!" her voice rose.

"Megan…"

She backed away shaking her head.

"No! What is that? What is going on? Huh? What the hell is in that damned box?"

"Nothing", he lied.

She laughed in spite of the situation. She could tell he was lying to her. It was written all over his guilty face.

"Nothing?"

"I said, nothing, okay?"

"Okay", she nodded. "Prove it."

"What?"

"Open it."

"Meg…"

"No. You heard me. It's nothing, right? Then it shouldn't be a big deal for you to open it right here, right now in front of me."

"Megan, I…

"What? We're married, remember, Nathan? We don't have any secrets…or do we?"

"Just stop it, alright?"

"No, Nathan, you stop it! I'm sick of this shit! I'm sick of you!"

"What do you want from me?"

"Happiness is a little late, don't you think? So how about the truth for once! I'll gladly take that."

"Don't do this."

"You're the one that's doing it, Nate! This is all you. Now I want some answers! I do want the truth and not you making little deals behind my back with our parents or you telling me whatever it is you think I want to hear so I'll calm down and shut up!"

He coolly put the safe deposit box back in its place.

"I'm not opening that."

"The hell you're not!"

"Look, let's just go."

"No. Not until you open it."

"Why do you want to know so bad anyway? It's private. You don't see me going through your personal things."

"Because I don't have anything to hide from you. I don't have an ex husband I'm still in love with."

Nathan felt his body tense.

"Shut up", he quietly warned.

"Why? What are you gonna do? You think I'm a fool, don't you? You certainly treat me like one. But I'm not as dumb or naïve as you think, Nathan Scott!"

"This is ridiculous. I'm not doing this with you right now. I'll be out waiting in the car for you. You don't join me in ten minutes, I'm leaving without you. If you want to spend New Year's Eve being pissed off over nothing, then that's your deal but I'm not gonna be a part of it. I'm sick of playing your games."

He turned to walk away. She was enraged.

"Your games? You selfish, arrogant son of a bitch! How dare you! I'm not the one playing games, I've just been an ignorant pawn in yours for way too long. Well, you know what? I'm sick of it."

"And I'm sick of you", he said.

"Really? Well, you can't be as sick of me as I am of you. That's the thing, just about everybody has had enough of you. You almost kill your poor mother, you ruin your career and you alienate me. If you were trying to drive me away, congratulations…mission accomplished! I'm out of here."

"That's your choice", he stated simply.

She shook her head.

"No wonder why people leave you. You deserve it. You make them. Your mother…Haley and now me."

Nathan's eyes bulged. He could not believe Megan had taken it there.

"That's it. Oh man, that's it, Meg. I'm not messing around anymore. I can't do this. Either you leave or I do because I'm done. Our marriage is over. You hear me. I'm through."

She walked up and grabbed the box pushing it against him.

"Open it!"

"You're crazy!"

"And you're an asshole!"

He backed away slowly making it clear he had no intention of opening the box. It only pissed her off more. Megan threw it on the ground and ran out past him to the garage. A minute later she returned with a mini sledgehammer in hand.

"Megan! What are you gonna do?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she swung it high above her head and let the blade come crashing down on the box. It made just a small crack but she was angry, determined and seriously hormonal. That made for a lethal combination that had her chipping away furiously at the box until finally the pieces were everywhere. She dug through the debris gasping as she saw the collection of Haley's CD's as well as dozens of pictures of her with Nathan. At the bottom was the colorful, plastic bracelet that she had thrown away and subsequently thrown Nathan into a tizzy. The evidence was all in front of her now. No more wondering or excuses. It was what it was.

"Damn you!" she screamed. "Goddamn you to hell, Nathan!"

"Megan!"

"What the hell is all this? A shrine to her? You sick bastard!"

"You shouldn't have done that", he breathed.

"No, you shouldn't have done that! Oh my God! Look at this shit! I don't believe it! I don't believe you! Are you still in love with her?"

"Megan…"

"No! Don't call my name! I asked you a question. You answer me, goddammitt! You owe me that much, you lying sack of shit! Do you love her?"

"Yeah…I do."

It was what she had suspected and known all along but hearing him saying it absolutely destroyed her. It was insult to injury, a proverbial slap in the face.

"I hate you!" she screamed, grabbing as many contents from the box as her arms could carry.

She made a beeline for the roaring fireplace but Nathan lunged and grabbed her before she could burn his precious memories.

"Don't!" he yelled. "Stop it! Meg, get a hold of yourself! What the hell are you doing?"

She dropped the load and began slapping, punching and scratching at his face, neck and chest. He grabbed her arms to restrain her until she calmed down. Finally they were face to face, flushed and out of breath.

"Did you sleep with her in the Dominican?" she asked.

It was a question that had been weighing in heavily on her mind for months. She had just never had the guts to ask it before.

Nathan just looked at the frazzled, angry, saddened, broken woman before him. Like his father had once done to his mother, it was what he had forced her into becoming. It was all his fault. He owed her a lot. The truth was the least he could do.

"Yes", he whispered.

A flood of tears escaped her icy blue eyes.

"Get out!"

"Meg…"

"You heard me! Now! With the clothes on your fucking back!"

"Megan, let me…"

"Let you what? Explain? Too late for that one! You have lied to me and manipulated me and misled me…I trusted you! I loved you! And you betrayed me, Nathan! How could you?"

"I…"

"Shut up! Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me! You leave this house tonight and I never want to see your evil, twisted face ever again! You hear me?"

Now it was Nathan's turn to cry.

"Please…"

"Screw you!"

"I never meant to do this, Meg", he whispered. "I didn't want to be him. I didn't want to be my father."

She laughed as she wiped away tears.

"You're not. You're worse. Know why? Royal and Dan are rattlesnakes. Everyone knows that. And when they strike and inflict their poison, it's no surprise. People almost expect it. But you…when you strike, you don't make a sound. There is no warning rattle. And that's what makes you dangerous."

"Megan…"

"Now get out. Get out before I call every media member, reporter and photographer I can think of and tell them and show them the truth. And I'll do it too. I'll do whatever it takes to get you out of this house and out of my face and out of my life."

With his head hung low and tears flowing, all Nathan could do was simply comply with her wishes. He had hurt her and now it was time to reap what he had sewn. He left quietly and without further protest.

Megan watched him go. She watched his truck disappear out of the driveway. And only when he was gone could she let loose and break down like she wanted to. She looked up at the mantle of the fireplace and saw a beautiful smiling portrait the couple had taken on their wedding day. What a lie! What a farce! What a crock of shit! It made her blood boil. Giving one last agony filled scream, she picked up an expensive crystal vase and chucked it at the picture, causing it to fall. When it did, she threw the pieces into the blazing fire before melting onto the floor in a hysterical, sobbing heap.