Hey! So, I fell asleep for awhile, but I'm awake and I decided to update once more tonight. :)

April: Thank you so much for leaving such a thoughtful review. Good reasons too. I can tell you're insightful. :) So, my turn to live up to our deal. When I'm done posting this, I'll send you the first few chapters of my still un-posted story. Oh, and thank you so much for quoting your favoriteparts. It showed me you really liked the chapter. Glad I could write a chapter you could love. You're so sweet for always reviewing.

lovelol: Hey! I'm glad you love my stories. Thanks for giving two good reasons. You really helped. I'm glad you think I'll do the right thing. Someone trusts me. :) lol. I'll email you my story in about ten minutes. I hope you enjoy it and it made me so happy you reviewed. :)

Chapter 3:

It wasn't until 4:30 that afternoon that the call came.

Haley and Nathan had stayed in their hotel room all day long, trying to compensate for all the time together they'd lost in the past few weeks. They were laying in bed, reveling in their after sex glow. Haley smiled and kissed Nathan's bare chest as he lovingly stroked her hair. He gently kissed the top of her head. "Today was great, Hales" he whispered huskily in her ear.

She smirked up at him. "Yeah, it kinda was, wasn't it?"

He nodded and bent his head to kiss her. She shifted to face him better and deepened the kiss, sliding her hands down his chest and stomach. He groaned, trailing kisses down her neck and across her collarbone.

And suddenly, the phone rang. He jerked away from her, breathing heavily. "Damn it! Why are we always being interrupted?"

She smiled inwardly at the look of frustration in his eyes. She pouted, pretending to be more upset then she was. "I'm sorry, baby. This shouldn't take long."

Without losing contact with Nathan, she reached over and grabbed the phone, bringing it to her ear, giggling as he tickled her sides. "Hello?"

Her face lost all its color. His hands stopped their path. He recognized that look. Something had gone horribly wrong with the Jack situation. It was the same look she got in her eye whenever calls came informing her of his condition.

"Thank you," she whispered numbly, hanging up the phone. She sat up and Nathan sat with her. He took her in his arms.

"This isn't real," she spoke softly, almost afraid to speak too loudly. Afraid it would make it true.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked gently, rubbing a soothing hand over her back.

Haley looked at him, tears filling her eyes. "He's dying, Nathan. He won't last for more than an hour."

He sat, stunned. He couldn't believe this was happening. He looked down at Haley, her body shaking with silent sobs, and he knew what he had to do. He took her hand and pulled them both up from the bed. "Come on."

She looked into his eyes. "Where?" she asked simply.

He looked away from her. "I'm taking you to see him... so you can say goodbye."

She faltered. "I... don't know if I can, Nathan."

He looked into her eyes and she saw the struggle there. She knew what it must have taken for him to make this offer and she was so grateful. But she needed more time to prepare. She'd thought she could have a few more days to think of what she would say to him, how she would react. And now, it was time for her to let go. She'd spent years hoping for this day to come. And now that it was here, she wasn't sure how to deal with it.
Was it supposed to feel this bad? Was she supposed to be crying? Was she supposed to be sad?

His voice was gruff as he answered her. His mind was made up. He wouldn't let her back out of this. He knew this was what she needed. Even if she wouldn't admit it. "You have to."

"But..." she tried.

He held up his hand to stop her next words. "You know you do, Haley."

She nodded. He was right. She wished he wasn't.

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It took them 25 minutes to get dressed and get to the hospital via cab. They rushed in through the front entrance and took the elevator to the third floor. Haley sprinted down the hall, Nathan on her heels. She'd memorized his room number.

She slowed as she neared it and finally stopped in front of the closed door, a small 307 painted on it. She hesitated and Nathan enveloped her hand in his, squeezing it for support. Reaching out, she knocked softly. After a few seconds, the door swung open to reveal a nurse in her mid thirties. She appraised Haley with a shrewd, suspicious look. "Who are you?"

Haley swallowed, then cleared her throat. She spoke in a hushed voice. "I'm Haley James."

The nurse's expression softened. "Oh, honey, he's been asking for you. Come on in."

Haley exhaled slowly and started to enter the room. Nathan dropped her hand reluctantly. She looked back at him. "What's wrong?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You go ahead. I don't... I... well, I don't think I can do this."

Haley nodded. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. She gave him a watery smile. "I understand. This won't take long."

And then, she disappeared through the door and the nurse shut it quickly behind her. Nathan let out a quivering breath. It was too much. Him being near Jack. All he wanted was to go in that room and rip him to shreds. Jack had ruined the life he built for him and Haley once. And after that, Nathan swore he would never let it happen again.

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Inside the hospital room, everything was stark white. The lights were extremely dim. Haley had to blink a few times so her eyes would adjust. When they did, the first thing she noticed was the bed on the opposite wall. She took her time getting to it.

Jack lay on it, looking small and frail. Seeing all the tubes leading from him to various machines, she felt the tears threatening to spill again. As she heard the faint beeping of the heart monitor, she allowed a few to fall. Swiping at them with her hand, she sat in the chair pulled up next to him. She assumed it was where the nurse sat when he needed her assistance.

He was barely awake. She tried to muster a smile for him. "You always did go out in style," she tried to joke, but the laughter died before it ever left her.

He gave her a weak smile. "Haley," he breathed.

"I'm here," she sobbed.

He reached out and grasped her hand loosely. It was the best he could manage. "I know I've hurt a lot of people."

She shook her head. "Jack..."

He cut her off. "Let me finish," his voice was getting raspy. "And you're at the top of that list. I wish I hadn't hurt you as much as I did, Haley, but it's something I can't take back. I'm so happy you gave me a second chance though. After everything that's happened to me, you don't know how much that meant." His voice gave out then and he cleared it a few times, waiting until it came back. "I love you, Haley. I've known that for awhile now. I just wanted you to know."

Her voice caught. She took a moment to compose herself. "I wish you had more time, Jack. I know it sounds crazy, but I already feel lost and you're not even gone yet."

"Shh, Haley," he tried to comfort her. She could see the tears streaking down his face. "You're going to do great. I know you will. You were always meant for a better life than I could give you. I always knew you'd make it. You've been the strong one for some time now."

She cried freely. "It's not fair. Why is this happening?"

He stroked her hand with his thumb, his voice fading again. "You were always the best one out of all of us, Haley. You were the only one who overcame it. And I'm so proud of you."

His eyes were starting to close and his thumb ceased its motion on her hand. "Jack!" she cried, alarmed. "Please don't leave me yet. Please." Her sobs increased in volume.

He gave a small smile as his eyes shut completely. "I'll watch over you, Haley. I promise."

"Jack!" she screamed.

His smile vanished slowly. "I'll be seeing you, Hales," he whispered.

His breathing slowed to a stop and the heart monitor suddenly flat-lined. The nurse didn't bother attempting to revive him. She slipped quietly out the door, leaving Haley alone. No doctors rushed in to try and save Jack. They all knew it was hopeless.

Haley collapsed against him on the bed. "Why!" she whispered. "Why did you have to leave?"

She cried for the longest time. She'd thought Jack's death would make her happy, but she was scared of who she was without him. He'd been a big part of her life for so long now. He'd controlled her for so long. She didn't know how to make it on her own.

She calmed herself down and wiped away the tears. Only a few more fell. She could do this. She would have to learn to be strong without him. She'd done it before. What was stopping her now?

This was her second chance. She could do whatever she wanted with her life and he wouldn't be there to stop her. He'd finally set her free. And she knew, somewhere in heaven, he was smiling down on her now. He had faith in her abilities. She needed to make him proud. After all he'd taught her about life and other people, it was the least she could do. He'd made her stronger, taught her she could do almost anything. "Thank you," she whispered, kissing his by now cold cheek.

She cracked open the door, allowing the bright lights outside the room in. She opened the door wider and squared her shoulders, stepping outside and allowing it to close gently behind her with a soft clicking sound. She set off toward the waiting room, toward Nathan and all their new possibilities.

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He wasn't there. Nathan wasn't in the waiting room. Haley got the feeling something wasn't right. She told herself he was probably just in the bathroom, but something told her he wasn't. He was gone.

She walked up to the nurse's station and cleared her throat. The kind, young woman smiled up at her, smacking her gum. "What can I do for ya, hun?"

Haley smiled back at her. "Um, did you see a tall, dark haired guy waiting in here?..." she trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

The woman smiled. "Well, sure. Kind of hard to miss a hot guy like that. He seemed kind of upset about something though. He left about 10 minutes ago."

Haley's breath caught in her throat. "Left? As in going to the bathroom or... leaving?"

The woman smiled sympathetically at her. "He left."

"Thanks," Haley whispered, walking slowly to the elevator. She got an instinctive feeling that Nathan wasn't OK. The doors slid open and she stepped inside, pressing the button for the ground level. She leaned her head against the wall as the elevator began to slide downward.

Of course he wasn't OK. She'd done this to him. She'd put him through too much and she knew that now. Forcing him to bring her here to see Jack was just the final straw. She saw how far she'd pushed him now. She knew it was too far.

She started to panic. What if he never came back? What if he finally decided it was too hard? Anyone else would've admitted defeat long ago. She was surprised he'd stuck around for as long as he had. So, why did it catch her off guard? Why did it hurt so damn much? She'd had her heart broken before, but never by someone she loved as deeply as she loved Nathan. She could hardly breathe through the pain as she stepped outside.

Wrapping her coat tighter around herself, she hailed a taxi. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't want to go back to the hotel just yet.

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From across the street, Nathan hid in the shadows, watching her. He saw her slumping posture, thought he could even make out the tear streaks on her face. He knew he should go comfort her, but he was hurting too badly now.

Haley had put him through so much s hit these past few years. He sat down on a bench and really started thinking about his life.
He'd loved Haley for a long time now. Ever since she moved away. He still thought of that day as their anniversary. It just seemed fitting. It had been almost ten years now and the only thing she'd given up for him was college, which she wasn't entirely interested in to begin with. He'd given up so much for her, done so much for her. He didn't like to think of it as her owing him anything, but in a sense, she did.

It felt like sometimes, he was the only one putting any effort into their relationship. Sure, she loved him, but she was always so scared. And, though it shouldn't have, it made him angry sometimes. She always expected him to fix everything. She wanted him to make everything better. And he would've given the world to her if he could, but he needed her to give something back. He needed to be reassured once in awhile.

Sometimes, he wondered what his life would've been like if he'd never developed feelings for Haley. It would've been a hell of a lot less painful. He might not have gotten his heart broken. He wouldn't have spent so many years pining after her.

He could've settled down and never had to spend years wondering where she was, what she was doing, if she was even still alive. He left the lights on every night those three years she was gone. He'd known it was foolish, but he couldn't stop hoping she'd come back for him. He'd always hoped maybe she was looking for him just as he'd been looking for her. It had been a long shot, he'd known that at the time, but he hadn't been willing to give up on her as easily as everyone else had. The last thing she'd needed was another person giving up on her.

So, maybe his life would've been different if he'd never fallen in love with her, maybe it would've been better. But he doubted it.

To be in love with her and know she was in love with him. To hold her in his arms every day and make love to her every night, for no matter how short a time, made him the happiest he'd ever known he could be. Her love was the only thing that had ever completed him.

And he knew, just as he'd always known, he couldn't lose her. No matter what. But he was. She was slowly drifting away from him. He tried to keep them together, but something always held her back. And he had a good idea of what it was.

She was scared of the future. She wasn't sure where their relationship was going. She didn't know if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He did and he knew he needed to tell her.

He pulled the small, black velvet box from his pocket and opened it. The light from the street lamp glittered off the diamond inside. It was an engagement ring. He'd carried it with him since before she left him almost four years ago. He'd never been able to bring himself to part with it. Now, he was glad he hadn't.

He knew it was the only thing that would keep them together. He had to show her they would stay together for the rest of their lives. He knew it wasn't the best timing, but he was afraid he'd lose his courage if he waited any longer.

He was going to propose. And he was going to do it tonight.

I know most of you were ready to kill me when I interrupted the Naley with news about Jack, but I also know that most of you were crossing your fingers that he would die. So, I hope this chapter makes you somewhat happy. This is probably my last review for the night, but who knows? I might be tempted to once more by a good review or two. ;)

Spoilers:

visit from an old college friend...

...mystery friend and Haley talk...

...Haley's having doubts...

...but will Nathan propose?...