Chapter Eleven

"So we've got the elusive basketball star of the Boston Celtics Nathan Scott on the show today," Sarah McDoyle announces over her audiences screams of delight, she was the Diane Sawyer of talk shows and she was the only one who had gotten an interview with basketball star Nathan Scott.

25-year-old Nathan Scott jogs toward her the sound of screaming fans reaching a dull roar, he was a private guy and never did these interviews but his manager thought it would be a good thing to do at least one before the season started. She hugs Sarah, a petite blonde, like he's known her forever instead of the three days since they'd met face to face for the first time.

Sarah takes her seat and motions for Nathan to do the same, smiling as she patiently waits for Nathan's fans to quiet their screams. Once it's fallen silent though she turns and smiles at Nathan, "so I can't believe you're actually sitting in front of me. I must say I feel enormously privileged to you agreeing to come on the show today, I must confess that I never thought you'd actually agree to it. We had a whole back up plan and everything..."

Nathan laughs and makes a motion to get up out of his chair, "well then..." He laughs again as he settles back into his chair, "nah, I'm just playin'."

"But seriously, you're not known to give interviews, we're glad to have you."

"I'm glad to be here Sarah, I've got to say that interviews aren't exactly my thing but you're so gorgeous I couldn't resist."

"Wow did you hear that ladies?" Sarah asks fanning herself, "the People nominated hottest bachelor just called me gorgeous do you want to set the wedding date now or wait til we know each other better?" Sarah teases.

"Last time I checked you were a happily married woman and I was not the marrying type," Nathan responds with a smirk.

"Oh do you hear that ladies?" At Sarah's words a groan goes around the female portion of the audience. "Maybe you just haven't met the right women yet?" Sarah asks.

"You know that's what people tell me," Nathan states, "but I enjoy my life the way it is. Even if I have to constantly battle the media about what trouble I have and have not gotten myself into. They like to take my misdeeds and run with them..."

"Is that so?" Sarah asks, "well I've set up a couple of questions about the gossip that's going around or has at some point gone around with you in the past. Maybe we could play a little game of fact or fiction."

"Sure," Nathan nods, "my life is an open book and I'll tell you anything you'd like to know. So long as it's something I want to tell you." Nathan delivers the last part with a wink.

"Okay, okay," Sarah laughs, "so we'll start off easy you were born and raised in a tiny town on the North Carolina coastline?"

"Fact," Nathan nods, "Tree Hill, North Carolina."

"So rumor has it that Lucas Roe, point guard for the LA Lakers is your half-brother."

"Fact."

"Care to elaborate?" Sarah questions.

"There's not a whole lot to it," Nathan responds. "Same dad, we grew up in the same town but beyond that there's not much to tell."

"The tabloids seem to think that there's a deep rivalry between the two of you, is it true?"

"Maybe a little. When we were younger we definitely had a lot of stuff going on but now it doesn't seem to matter, when we play against each other we each bring out best games we don't hold back but I won't say I hate the guy." Nathan responds simply, it was true so much time had passed that he hardly ever gave another thought to Lucas, sure they'd fought all the time in high school but eventually even Nathan had gotten tired of the fighting and they'd spent their senior year playing basketball."

"Despite the fact that you refuse to commit now," Sarah winks at Nathan, "you were married once upon a time, right?"

Nathan nods, "yes. My high school girlfriend and I got married just out of high school, I was the basketball star she was a cheerleader it was a match made in high school heaven. But out in the real world it didn't cut it."

"Ah, young love," Sarah sighs.

Nathan laughs, "I don't know if either one of us would tell you now that we were in love back in high school. Once we hit college we realized we were totally wrong for each other and Peyton and I separated on good terms, she still calls me up whenever she wants tickets to one of our games."

"So tell me there's really no special girl in your life?" Sarah questions.

"I thought we were playing fact or fiction?" Nathan asks.

Sarah waves her hand brushing the conversation off that easily, "you're the top hottest bachelor according to People so of course everyone in this room is wondering if there's honestly no one special in your life."

Nathan shakes his head, "there really isn't. I'm enjoying my life, the tabloids have called me...what...a playboy? If that means that I'm out there enjoying the life that I've earned then yeah I'm a playboy. Basketball is my life, I worked hard to get my spot on the Celtics and I work hard to stay in shape physically but when I'm not doing either of those things I'm enjoying my life. My managers try telling me that I'm giving myself a bad reputation but I'm not going to apologize for being young, hot and single."

"Wow," Sarah stares stunned at Nathan, "I'm not sure we've ever had a guest on here that honest, but I like it. It works on you."

"That's good to know," Nathan nods, "because Lynia, my manager, is probably having a fit right now."

"Well, good luck with that," Sarah smirks. "But thanks for taking time out of your schedule to be here with us, coming up we have Haley James-Keller she's just coming off her headlining tour and she's going to fill us in on what it's like to be mother, wife and one-half of the act she forms with her husband Chris Keller. That's all coming up, stay with us after this brief commercial break."

"I'm going to kick your ass Nathan," Lynia is waiting just off stage.

"Language!" A young girl who can't be more then three scolds before Nathan can respond.

Nathan glares, "what is this? The Sarah McDoyle Show daycare?" He glances around and his eyes land on two other children, one looking identical to the one standing before him and the other slightly younger.

"It's Haley James-Keller's kids," Lynia states, "they're going on stage with her. They're good for her image, unlike Mr. I'm-not-going-to-apologize-for-being-young-hot-and-single."

"Listen Lynia, I don't have to take this shit..."

"Language!"

Nathan glares at the child before continuing, "I don't give a damn what my image is because when it comes down to it people pay to see me come play basketball."

"Nathan," Lynia has a look in her eye that Nathan recognizes as one that indicates that he won't be getting off the hook that easily.

"Fine, what do you want me to do to correct this?"

"There's a benefit tonight for some charity," Lynia states, "while you're in New York City you might as well take advantage of it."

"Fine, whatever..."

"And I want you to take Morgan Bella..."

"No way, I draw the line there I'm not going to be seen with that pure as snow pop princess," Nathan shakes his head, "it's not happening."

"Listen her people got in touch with me, she's landed a roll in an edgier movie then she's used to, they want her to go out with you to help promote it."

"Oh hell..."

"Language!" Both young girls state it this time.

"Will someone get these damn kids away?" Nathan announces loudly before turning back to Lynia, "whatever Lyn. If you can get these damn kids away from me and keep me in a kid free environment for the rest of the weekend I will take the pretty pictures with Morgan Bella."

"Good," Lynia nods her head as she glances in disdain at the children she's faced with, but before she has to take action their mother swoops in.

Haley James-Keller has a flock of make-up and hair people following her, "I'm so sorry. Their nanny is running an errand for me, they'll be out of your way in now time."

"Whatever," Nathan shrugs, "can we go?"

"Limo is out front," Lynia responds, "change and I'll meet you out there."

With a final groan Nathan rolls off of the chesty blonde under him, "I've got to shower."

"I could join you," the woman trails a well manicured finger down Nathan's.

"We're done here," Nathan states getting off the bed.

"No fun," the blonde pouts, sitting up in bed and not bothering to cover her naked body in the process she saunters over wrapping an arm around Nathan's neck before moving toward her pile of clothes.

Nathan takes a deep breath, he was free of his "date" 18-year-old Morgan Bella was not the type of girl he was used to being around., she'd been acting since she was 14 and the only thing the tabloids had on her was the one time she'd worn an ugly dress to an awards ceremony. Definitely not his kind of girl, and if he was going to have to listen to her go on about the little basketball knowledge she had he was going to need some serious alcohol in his blood stream, and quickly.

"Ow, Chris, come on," Nathan vaguely recognizes the voice of Haley James-Keller as he walks toward the bar. His curiosity gets the better of him and he stops and glances around his gaze finally lands not far away where he recognizes Chris Keller but can't actually see Haley.

"What you don't want your husband to touch you now?" Chris is obviously drunk and his words are low and threatening. "It's okay for you to walk around like a slut in that dress and let any other guy touch you but your husband..."

"That's the director of the charity of event," Haley's voice shakes, "I couldn't not..."

"Whatever, I should have expected this when I married a nothing piece of trash," Chris raises his hand and for a minute to Nathan it looks like he's going to hit Haley but he shoves away from her and walks quickly in the opposite direction.

Haley them emerges from the corner that she's been hidden by and her eyes immediately lock on Nathan's she closes the gap between them, "I'm so sorry baby."

"What?"

"I'm sorry that I put you through everything."

"I don't...none of this is any of my business," Nathan shakes his head attempting to move away from Haley but he seems to be stuck in place.

"I love you," Haley's hand is cool on Nathan's face.

"I don't even know you..." Nathan shakes his head but he can't deny the feeling in his heart.

"I need you to forgive me Nathan, I need you to come back to me..." Tears slip down Haley's cheeks as she says the words.

"Come on," Chris appears and grips Haley's arm tightly.

She immediately grabs onto Nathan's hand but Chris pulls too hard, "I need you to fight for me, to fight for us." Before the words are even out of her mouth Chris has drug Haley away and around the corner.

"Haley," Nathan calls out, "Haley!"

"I've been such an idiot," Haley stands in a corner of Nathan's hospital room, tears stream down her cheeks as she talks in a low hushed tone with Peyton. "Brooke was right, I pushed him away so that I wouldn't have to talk about my problems and he's going to die and I...Peyton I don't know what I'll do without him."

"We don't know if he's going to die," Peyton attempts to soothe, "the doctor says if he wakes up then there's a good chance that he'll come through this just fine."

"It's been two days," Haley sobs, "the doctor says that the longer he goes without waking the worse his chances of waking up are."

"Haley, you've been here for 48 hours straight, why don't you go back to the hotel and get some rest?" Peyton suggests.

"No way," Haley shakes her head, "I can't leave him."

"Just for a couple of hours," Peyton urges, "I'll stay right here with him, he won't be alone and I'll call you if anything changes. You being here sobbing isn't going to help him, just go get some rest."

Haley sighs, "you're right." She walks over to the bedside and taking a seat the chair by his bed she takes his hand, "I'm so sorry baby." Gently she places a kiss to his knuckles, "I'm sorry that I put you through everything." With her free hand Haley gently touches Nathan's face leaning carefully over him, "I love you." Softly she kisses his forehead before whispering, "I need you to forgive me Nathan, I need you to come back to me..." A fresh round of tears are brought on by her own words as she gently lets go of Nathan's hand and walks over toward Peyton who wraps her arms tightly around Haley's shoulder.

"Come on, I'll walk you out to the parking lot and then come right back here."

Haley nods but before she moves away from the foot of her bed she whispers fiercely, "I need you to fight for me, to fight for us."

"Haley," the first time the sound leaves Nathan's mouth Haley freezes she's to afraid to turn around, afraid that her mind is playing cruel tricks on her. But when, "Haley" obviously comes out of Nathan's mouth for a second time she moves quickly out of Peyton's embrace and is once again at Nathan's side.

"Nathan," Haley grabs his hand tightly hovering over him, and her knees almost buckle when his eyes flutter open. "Oh God, Nathan."

"What happened?"

"There was an accident..." Haley trails, "I thought you were going to die. Nathan. I don't know what I would have done. I'm so sorry, so sorry for everything I was dumb...I was an idiot...I'm so sorry..."

"Haley slow down..." Nathan requests softly.

"I'm gonna go get a doctor," Peyton quietly slips out of the hospital room.

"I know you probably never want to forgive me, I've put you through so much lately that it's not fair to even ask you..." Haley's crying openly again and she can hardly even look at Nathan.

"Hey," Nathan gently squeezes her hand, his words are gentle and soothing and Haley finally looks up at him. "I had this dream that you were never a part of my life, that we'd just gone through life not knowing each other and I'm so glad that that's not what happened to us. If you need to take your time then fine. If you still want to get divorced then that's okay too. But I'm not going to regret any time we've spent together because you're a part of my life...you're a part of me. And even if we're over I know I'm a better person for the time we had together."

"I love you," Haley wraps her arms around Nathan and buries her head in his neck still crying and unable to say more.

A.N. So this chapter seemed to come easily to me...but it came out a bit cheesier then I expected but overall I'm pretty happy with it. So I know you're mad that the last chapter was a cliffhanger but I thought I'd make up for it by updating today...and I know that today is sort of a cliff hanger but rest assured everything will be answered in the next chapter because I believe it might very well be the last!