Chapter 9
"Hey baby" Connor said as he walked into the apartment.
"What are you doing here?" Haley said backing away from him.
"I came to take you and Emily home."
"This is our home. We aren't going anywhere with you. Get out of my apartment" Haley stated.
"I'm not leaving without you" Connor threatened.
"Mommy" Emily said as she walked into the living room.
"There's my baby girl. Come here Emily" Connor said turning his attention to Emily.
"Don't you touch her!" Haley shouted.
"Em, come here. Come see your daddy."
"Emily, baby, go in your room."
Connor took a few steps toward Emily.
"Emily Dakota get in your room now and close the door!" Haley ordered.
Emily ran to her room and shut the door. Connor turned back toward Haley.
"Don't ever do that again!" Connor raged.
"Get out of my apartment now!" Haley shouted.
Connor turned and walked toward the door. But, he didn't leave, he closed the door and locked it. Then, he turned and walked toward Haley.
"Stay away from me" Haley quivered as she backed away.
Connor continued walking toward Haley until he had her backed into a corner.
"Go pack you and Emily's stuff cause you're coming home with me" Connor ordered.
"F uck you Connor! We're not going anywhere with you!" Haley defied.
Haley's comment enraged Connor. He grabbed her arms and slammed her up against the wall. Haley winced in pain.
"Don't ever f ucking talk to me like that again! I said pack your s hit cause you're coming home with me!" Connor seethed with anger.
"No" Haley whispered.
"What? Oh, does this have something to do with your new boyfriend? You know, the tall, dark haired guy you were grinding with last night at the club" Connor said as he glared at her.
A look of shock came over Haley's face. Connor smirked at the look on her face.
"Didn't I tell you that I'd find you Haley? I didn't have time to do it earlier than now. But, I hired a P.I. to find you. I got here yesterday and I followed you and your friends to the club where I saw you acting like the little whore that you are" Connor informed her.
"You bastard! I am not a whore! I never cheated on you! I have never been with anyone other than you and you know it! No, cheating was your job" Haley retaliated.
Haley's outburst only served to make Connor even more enraged. His hand went up and came down across Haley's face. Her head snapped to the side from the force of Connor's hand coming across her face. Tears welled up in Haley's eyes as she brought her hand up to her face.
Nathan had just stepped out of the shower. As he was getting dressed he heard screaming. He listened closely and realized it was coming from Haley's apartment. He could hear Emily screaming and crying, Haley screaming and he could also hear a male voice screaming. Then he heard something hit the wall and shatter. Nathan quickly finished dressing then walked over to Haley's apartment. He turned the door knob but the door was locked so he knocked on the door but no one answered.
"Haley" he shouted.
There was no reply. Haley was unable to hear him calling for her. Nathan walked back into his apartment, picked up the phone and dialed Jake's number.
"Jake, it's Nate" he said when Jake picked up.
"What's up?" Jake questioned.
"I just got out the shower and I heard shouting coming from Haley's apartment. Emily is crying and screaming, Haley's screaming, I hear a guy screaming and I heard something break. I tried to get into her apartment but the door's locked" Nathan spat out.
"Shit" Jake replied then slammed the phone down.
"Jake? Jake, hello?" Nathan said before hanging up the phone.
Five minutes later Jake arrived to find Nathan banging on Haley's door.
"Nate, we need to get in that apartment now!" Jake said sounding frantic.
"Jake, what the hell is going on?"
"No time to explain. We need to get in there now! Help me break the door open" Jake demanded.
Nathan and Jake rammed themselves against the door until they finally broke it open. When they burst through the door they found Haley lying still on the floor. She wasn't crying, she just looked like she was in shock. They saw a tall brunette guy standing over her screaming at her.
"Get the hell away from her" Jake shouted.
Connor's head snapped up and he turned to face Jake and Nathan.
"Well…if it isn't the little boyfriend" he sneered.
"Connor, don't" Haley began.
"Shut up!" Connor snapped at Haley.
"Don't tell her to shut up! Who the hell are you?" Nathan shouted.
"I'm her fiancée, not that it's any of your damn business. This is between me and Haley now get the hell out of here" Connor said as he pushed Nathan.
Nathan felt himself begin to fall from the push but quickly gained the strength to charge at Connor at full force. Connor fell to the floor with Nathan on top of him and Nathan began to punch him. Haley screamed at the sight of Nathan hitting Connor. Jake moved forward and tried to pull Nathan off of Connor when Connor punched Jake. After stumbling from the punch Jake went after Connor and so did Nathan. Both Jake and Nathan were attacking Connor.
"Guys, stop it! Stop! Jake! Nate! Please stop it! Leave him alone!" Haley cried.
"Don't defend him Haley! He hurt you! Go to Emily's room and let us deal with him" Jake said as he stopped hitting Connor for a minute.
Haley listened to Jake and ran to Emily's room. There she found Emily crying on her bed. She could tell Emily was terrified by the events going on.
"Come here baby" Haley said as she walked over to the bed and held out her arms to Emily.
Haley sat down and Emily crawled into her lap. She cradled her daughter and rocked her back and forth.
"It's ok Em. Everything is fine" she cooed into her ear.
As she tried to calm her daughter down as well as herself, Haley could still hear the guys fighting in the living room. After a few minutes of hearing things break and the guys slamming against the walls, Haley had enough.
"Baby, you stay right here, ok?" Haley said to Emily.
Haley sat Emily down on the bed and walked out of the room.
"Nathan! Jake! Stop it! That's enough!" Haley shouted as she walked into the living room.
Nathan and Jake stopped what they were doing and faced Haley. Connor slumped to the ground, bloody and beaten.
"Haley, do you want to call the cops and press charges against this bastard?" Jake questioned.
"No. I just want him out of here" Haley replied.
"What? After everything he's done you're not gonna press charges?" Jake asked bewildered.
"Jake, no. I just want him gone, ok?"
"You heard her. Get your ass up and get out of here" Nathan said looking at Connor.
Connor pushed himself off of the ground and stumbled toward the door. Nathan and Jake followed him to make sure he was leaving.
"Wait!" Haley said.
"Haley, what" Jake started.
Haley walked over to Connor and slapped him across the face with all of her might.
"You bastard! Don't you EVER, EVER come after me and my daughter again or so help me God you will regret it! I will go public in a heart beat and everyone will know exactly what a son of a b itch you are! And, I won't hesitate to throw your sorry ass in jail!" Haley grit out.
Haley turned and walked away from Connor. Nathan and Jake each grabbed Connor by the arm and threw him out of the apartment. Jake walked over to Haley and enveloped her in a hug.
"Baby girl, are you ok? Did he hurt you?"
"Yeah, he did but, I'm ok" Haley said then broke down in tears.
"It's ok Hales. He's gone, he won't hurt you anymore. I won't let him" Jake promised.
"Mommy" Emily called out as she wandered into the living room.
Nathan walked over and scooped Emily up.
"Hey gorgeous."
"Hi Natey" Emily sniffled.
Emily wiggled out of Nathan's arms and walked over to Haley.
"Is daddy gone?"
Haley bent down to Emily's level.
"Yeah baby, he is. And he'll never hurt us again. I promise."
Emily rubbed her eyes.
"Aw sweetie are you tired? Guys, what time is it?"
"It's around six" Jake replied.
"I need to feed and bathe her. I know she'll go to bed early after today's events," Haley looked around, noticing so much stuff thrown around. "This place is a mess."
"Why don't you two come and stay with me" Jake offered.
"No, Jake, you have Jenny and Brooke. I don't want to impose" Haley refused.
"You can stay with me. I don't mind and it's right next door. You'll have easy access to all your stuff" Nathan threw out.
"Are you sure Nathan? I don't want to impose" Haley questioned.
"Haley, I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure. You wouldn't be imposing, I promise" Nathan replied.
"Ok, I'm going to go throw some things for me and Emily in a bag" Haley said as she walked to her room.
Nathan walked over to where Emily was sitting quietly on the couch.
"Hey Em, you are going to sleep over at my house tonight. Is that ok?" he questioned.
"Ok" Emily said quietly.
Nathan picked Emily up.
"Can we watch Nemo?"
"We can do anything you want gorgeous" Nathan replied.
"Look Nate, I know you know this but, I have to say it anyway – don't push her. She'll tell you when she's ready" Jake said.
"Yeah, I know, I know. So, that was Connor McKenzie? Connor McKenzie is Emily's dad? Haley's ex-boyfriend?"
"Yeah" Jake said.
"He was hitting her. That's why she came here, isn't it? She ran from him cause he beat her" Nathan said realizing the situation.
Before Jake could answer Nathan Haley walked in the room.
"Ok, let's go" she said.
"Gabe, I'm fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I just really want to get some sleep ok?" Haley said.
"Are you sure you're fine? I can drive up there" Gabe questioned.
"It's ten o'clock Gabe. I'm fine. I'm at Nathan's, nothing's gonna happen. I love you and I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Haley hung up the phone and put it back on the charger.
"Ok, Jake's gone. I'm pretty tired so I'm going to go to bed now. I'll be in the living room on the couch if you need anything" Nathan said as he walked into his bedroom.
Haley walked around the bed and reached to pick Emily up to place her under the blankets.
"Let me get her" Nathan said walking up to the bed.
Haley stepped back and let Nathan pick Emily up. Nathan pulled the covers back, placed Emily back in the bed then covered her.
"Thanks" Haley said.
"No problem. Ok, well, good night" Nathan replied as he turned to walk out of the room.
"Nate" Haley called out.
Nathan stopped in his tracks and turned around.
"Yeah?"
"Could you sleep in here? I'm scared to be alone" Haley questioned.
"Of course" Nathan replied.
Nathan walked out of his bedroom and came back in a few minutes later with a blanket and a pillow. He situated himself on the floor. Haley climbed into the bed after turning the lights off.
"Thank you Nathan" Haley said after a few minutes of silence.
"You're welcome" Nathan replied.
Just as Nathan was about to fall asleep he heard sniffling. He quickly realized Haley was crying. He wanted her to stop crying but, he didn't know what to do. Finally, after a few minutes of debating on what to do, Nathan reached his hand up to the bed and found Haley's. He laced his fingers through Haley's and she didn't pull away. Eventually they both fell asleep holding hands.