"Delivery for Mr. Scott", a courier said as he knocked on the door of the waiting room.

Nathan stood up.

"Do you have a first name, man?" he asked. "Because I'm Nathan and my brother is Lucas and our father is Dan. Did it say which one?"

"No", the man searched around. "I'm just the delivery guy but it looks like this was intercepted by a third party. 'Mr. Scott' was the only thing, along with this address and time to drop it off. If you could just sign…"

Nathan sighed as he scrawled his signature on the block.

"Thanks."

He took the large packaged envelope and debated whether or not to open it. He wasn't expecting anything and wasn't even sure if it was for him. Shrugging, he finally unsealed the contents. In bold letters, the words Petition for Termination of Parental Rights immediately caught his eye. He scanned further down to the second paragraph. It read, "I, Haley Joy James, in accordance with the above listed agreement, do hereby, being of sound mind and body, agree to terminate my parental rights concerning my birth child, Jamarah Lillian James and issue physical and legal custody, effective immediately to the child's biological paternal grandfather, Daniel Paul Scott…"

Nathan couldn't believe it but the words were there right in front of his face written in plain English. There were several spaces designated for Haley's initials and finally a block at the end for her signature. All she had to do was sign her name and she would sign away the right to be a mother to her daughter, their daughter forever.

And to Dan Scott of all people. Nathan knew Haley and his father despised one another. Dan had even made that big production following finding out that he was the donor match. Why would Haley give up her baby at all? And to Dan? Why would anyone give Dan their child? The man wasn't fit to take care of a house plant?

The waiting area was empty as their friends and family had gone off to their respective homes and hotels for quick showers, naps, and decent food. Nathan stormed through the small space with fury in his eyes.

"Have you seen Haley?" he asked the first nurse in view.

"I think she went to the rest room, Mr. Scott…"

"Thanks", Nathan mumbled as he barged right in.

"Mr. Scott, that is the women's bathroom! Sir, you can't go in there…"

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as Nathan stormed in and found Haley at the sink washing her hands.

"Nathan, what are you doing?"

"I think the question is, what are you doing?" he retorted, slamming the papers down on the counter.

Haley, heart sinking, closed her eyes as she saw what he was giving her.

"How…how did you get those?"

"Does it matter?"

"Nathan…"

"What's going on, Haley?"

"Look…"

"Don't bullshit me. Something is going on. My dad is up to something and I have a feeling you know what it is so you better start talking."

"Those are custody papers", she said in a quiet voice.

Nathan rolled his eyes.

"No shit, Sherlock. What is he doing with them and why is your name on them?"

"Maybe you should be asking your father that", she tried to brush past him.

Nathan grabbed her arm.

"I'm asking you."

"Fine", she sighed. "His lawyers drew up those papers for me to sign over custody of Lillian to Dan."

"And you were gonna go through with it?"

"Yes…no, look, I don't know. Maybe. It's complicated, Nathan."

"Then why don't you make it uncomplicated for me, Haley? What the hell is going on?"

"Nathan…"

"No, why would you even consider something like that?"

"I…"

"Does he have something over you?"

Her eyes began to tear.

"I can't tell you", she whispered.

"The hell you can't. What did he do?"

"I have to, Nathan. What, you think I like making deals with the devil himself? You think I want Lillian raised by that monster?"

"No, I don't. I know you, Haley and I know you wouldn't do something like that. I also know my dad and he's capable of almost anything."

She took a deep breath.

"He…he wants Lillian. Dan wants full custody and he wants me totally out of the picture. He told me I had to sign the papers or…or, or else…"

"Or else what?"

"Or else he wouldn't go through with the transplant."

"What?"

"I had to, Nathan! Okay? I had to give him what he wants right now or else my daughter could die! I don't want to sign but what else can I do? I figure if I just do it, then after the transplant and after Lillian is all better, I can fight him and…"

Nathan didn't wait for the rest of her explanation. It didn't matter. He had heard all he needed to hear and he knew what he had to do. He left the hospital and hailed a taxi immediately back to the hotel. Blind rage alone led him up the elevator to the floor past his where his parents were staying. Getting off the elevator, he banged hard on the door. Dan answered almost right away.

"Son…"

"Is Mom here?"

"No, your mother stepped out…"

"Good because she doesn't need to see what I'm about to do to you!"

"What?"

In a single motion, Nathan thrust the documents at his father and grabbed a knife from a nearby table that had been brought up with room service. He kneed his father in the stomach and pushed him roughly against the wall.

"What the hell are you doing, man? Blackmailing Haley…"

"I don't know what that little witch told you…"

"She told me everything and I saw the goddamned papers! Are you nuts, man?"

"I was doing this for you, for us."

"Are you nuts?"

"We're not just a family, Nate, we are a dynasty! Haven't you learned anything over the years? Did I not teach you anything? Money and power rule the world. Somewhere along the way you got soft on me when you started caring about all this love nonsense. But love is beside the point. Megan is your wife! She is the perfect wife for you. I recall you felt that same way until Haley decided to come back and ruin everything. Don't you see? Haley is poison! She isn't right for you! She never has been. All that girl has ever done is hurt you and complicate your life. Marrying her was a mistake. Getting her pregnant was another mistake but it's done now. But like it or not, that baby is a Scott by blood. There's hope for her yet. You and Megan lost Yoanna and I'm truly sorry for that. I lost her too, son but we have to prove that when she died, the heartbeat of our empire didn't die with her. Haley's baby is your daughter and I know you love her. Megan could learn to love her. You two could raise her together in North Carolina…"

"Dad! Dad, listen to yourself! You're off your rocker, man. Do you know what that sounds like? I can't just take Haley's baby. And I can't expect Megan to want to raise another woman's, especially Haley's, child."

"Nathan, I have everything worked out…"

"No, you don't. You might think you do. Remember when I was five and Keith bought me that toy set with the castle and all the guards and knights and kings? You and me would play for hours, Dad and our kings would rule the world. But that was a game and they were just toys. This is real. The people are real."

"I know that."

"Then act like it! You say love made me soft…well, I'd rather be soft than be a shell like you."

Dan smirked as Nathan loosened his grip.

"I love you, son. That's why I'm doing all this for you and our family. But there are bigger things to consider."

"You sick fuck!" Nathan shook his head.

"It's easy to blame the Old Man when I've spent your entire life watching out for you and protecting you and making sure you had what was best. I get punished for loving my sons while once again, Haley James, who has done nothing but ruin you since the day you met, gets to walk away without so much as a slap on the wrist."

"Leave her out of this. I mean, do you really hate Haley that much?"

"She's the 5'3" thorn that's been in my side for almost nine years, Nate. I'd do almost anything to get rid of her."

"Including blackmailing her and letting her child die?"

Dan laughed evilly.

"She's such a silly girl. I see her panties are all in a bunch. I was just bluffing the whole time. Of course I'll give marrow to the poor kid."

He treated it like it was all a joke. Just something else to control and play with in the imaginary kingdom he lived in where the only thing that mattered were Dan Scott and his twisted, psychotic rules.

"You make me sick, man. After this transplant is over and the baby is safe, I never want to see you again. You got that?"

Dan smirked at his youngest son.

"Have it your way but you see me every single time you look in that mirror and you know it", he sneered. "How does it feel, Nate?"

Nathan was enraged! His whole life he had been running away, desperately trying to escape the destiny that would clone him after a man he loved, hated, revered, and feared all at the same time.

"I could kill you right now", Nathan hissed, grabbing a knife from a nearby table room service had brought up.

He held the sharp tip to his father's Adam's Apple. Dan's smirking, cocky expression never changed. His eyes almost dared his son to go through with it. Neither one knew how dangerously close Nathan was to the edge.

"Oh my God! Stop! Nathan! What are you doing?"

The door swung open and in ran Brooke.

"Welcome to the party, honey. Why don't you get me a drink?" Dan teased.

Nathan's face tightened as he readjusted his grip. He was deadly serious and they all knew it.

"Nathan, please", Brooke pleaded. "Please don't do it."

"Yeah", Dan mocked. "Don't do it, Nathan."

"Put the knife down", Brooke begged. "Just give me the knife before you do something you'll regret."

"I'd never regret this", he whispered.

"If you do it, you can't take it back. Don't Nathan. Think of your brother and your mom. Think of your daughter."

Nathan closed his eyes.

"Brooke…"

"Come on. He's not worth it, Nate. I promise you, he isn't even worth it."

Taking a deep breath after being talked down from a mental and emotional ledge, Nathan finally backed away. He handed Brooke the knife before calmly leaving the room.

"Nice work", Dan breathed as he straightened his tie.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

Her heart was in the pit of her stomach. She knew that if she hadn't come up to that room looking for Lucas that very instant, Nathan probably would have slit his father's throat. And he had every reason in the world to do so.

"I'm great, darling", he grinned, nodding towards the bar. "Now like I said, how about that drink?"

Brooke shook her head and suppressed the urge to vomit. She had always been told the eyes were the window to the soul but when she looked into Dan Scott's, she saw nothing. She watched him smirking at her, eyeing her like a piece of meat as she left the room. It was then she realized it was she who harbored the regret. Maybe she should have let Nathan kill him. The world might have been better off.