A.N Yes I know my life should turn to shit more often. So much for my hiatus in fact since I can't remember the last time I posted two chapters in a day I guess this would be the anithesis of a hiatus whatever that might be. Anyway the nazi will not be home yet again tonight so am taking advantage of it and posting another chapter. I know the last one was quite drama free but I'm fairly certain that you will find that this one more than makes up of the last one. This one is dedicated to Hilary for the gazillion emails I recieve from her practically every day and for Nats who always leaves such awesome reviews. One last note Cathy where are you? I haven't heard from you for a while.

Chapter Thirty-six

Nathan drove around trying to think of where Haley would go. He had already tried most of the motels in Tree Hill but had realised early in his quest that it wasn't really that likely that she would take the baby to a motel. He had tried driving by the house where she had been staying when she had last been in Tree Hill but had immediately spotted the elderly couple in the drive unloading their groceries. Now he was at a dead end he had gone to all the obvious places and there had been no sign of her he wasn't sure where he should try next.

As he drove slowly down the road that led back to his beach house he had a sudden thought. He was certain he knew where she was. Turning the car around he headed in the direction of the house.

Haley smiled down at the baby cradled in her arms. "Do you know how lucky you are Cory? You have the best mommy and daddy in the whole world. I know they're not here right now but I promise you as soon as they possibly can they're going to be home with you. She looked around at the room she was in. It had been so loving prepared in anticipation of Cory's arrival. The walls were painted a pale shade of blue and all around the borders were motifs of farmyard animals. Brooke and Lucas had done a wonderful job preparing the nursery and she had known instinctively as soon as she had collected Cory from the hospital that this was where Brooke would want her to take him.

It had been no small feat accomplishing the task however as she had had to commandeer the house keys from Deb and somehow convince her that she not only should not call Nathan but that indeed she couldn't call him. Haley had only managed to convince her in the end by promising to call him herself. A promise she had thus far failed to keep. She knew however that if she didn't do it soon then Deb would have no hesitation in ratting her out to her son.

Feeling the baby stir in her arms she looked down at him and began to sing softly, rocking him gently as she did. When he had once again fallen asleep she stood up walking carefully to the crib in the corner of the room and placing him in there gingerly. "Sleep tight Cory. I'm going to go and unpack and then we're going to go visit your mommy and daddy." Placing a light kiss on his forehead she backed out of the room switching on the baby monitor as she did.

Carrying the other part of the monitor with her she walked down the hall to the guestroom where she had put her suitcase earlier. Walking over to it she began to unpack. As soon as she finished unpacking she was going to take a shower providing that Cory had not woken up again. Humming lightly to herself she started pulling out clothes and placing them on hangers in the closet.

Pulling up out the front of the house Nathan looked at it intently looking for any sign of life within. He was certain that this was where Haley would be but he couldn't quite imagine what had led her to this choice. She must have known that he would track her down here eventually. Getting out of the car he strode up to the front door banging impatiently as he waited for her to answer.

When the door finally opened he barged in "Where are they?" he asked his patience bordering on non existent.

"Where's who?" Deb asked feigning ignorance.

"You know damn well who I'm talking about?" Nathan growled "now get them down here right now." As his mother made no move to obey Nathan stormed to the bottom of the stairs yelling up them, "Haley get down here now and bring my nephew with you."

"Nathan," Deb said coming up behind him and tentatively placing a hand on his sleeve.

He shook her off impatiently. "Haley," he bellowed once more.

"Nathan they're not here."

"Well then mom why don't you tell me just where the hell they are so I can go get my nephew away from that lying bitch."

"Nathan there's no need to speak about Haley that way; you know what a hard time she's been through."

"Yeah," Nathan responded "and I also know that she lied at the hospital and told them she was my wife for Christ's sake, that's the only reason they let her take the baby."

"Nathan I'm sure it was nothing like that."

"Oh well then do you mind explaining to me why I've just been told that my wife, a Mrs Haley Scott has taken custody of my nephew."

Deb looked shocked for a moment. "She didn't tell me that." She mumbled under her breath but apparently not quietly enough.

"Hah," Nathan exclaimed whirling around to face her "So she was here."

A stricken Deb nodded remorsefully. "Yes Nathan she was here but she's gone now and I'm not sure where she is." She almost choked on the lie as she did her best to appear to be telling the truth.

"Nice try Mom. Look I know she probably told you not to tell me but this is my nephew we're talking about. This is not about her or what she wants. This is about that baby."

"Cory," Deb said quietly.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"His name is Cory."

"You cannot be serious she did not go ahead and name that baby. Who the hell does she think she is? His mother?"

"No Nathan you don't understand Lucas woke up when she went to see him and he told her that the baby's name is Cory."

"Lucas actually woke up and spoke to her?" Nathan asked with an air of disbelief. "Are you sure?"

Deb nodded mutely in response to her son's question.

Nathan could hardly believe what he was hearing in all the time that he had spent with Lucas in the last few days begging him to wake up and talk to him he had barely even got a flicker of his eyelids. The one occasion he had opened his eyes he had tried to speak but his words were incoherent and nothing he said made and sense to Nathan. Yet when Haley had gone to see him he had been awake enough to talk to her and tell her what the name of his son was. He knew it was slightly immature of him to feel jealous but he couldn't ignore the small pang that he felt knowing that Haley had been the one to succeed where he himself had failed.

Turning his attention back to Deb his anger momentarily abated he asked once more. "Please Mom just tell me where they are. I have to know that the baby, that Cory is ok."

Deb could see the sheen of tears in her son's eyes and her heart almost broke for him. Nodding her head she told him what he wanted to know and watched as he fled the house a renewed purpose fuelling his steps.

Padding down the hallway quietly Haley paused over the sleeping infant listening intently terrified that in the short time that she had been in her room unpacking that his tiny lungs may have ceased to function. She knew deep down that she was being ridiculous but she couldn't help but worry, despite the doctor's assurances that the newest addition to the Scott family was in perfect health.

Having reassured herself that he was indeed fine she quickly went back to her room stepping into the ensuite bathroom and rapidly shedding her clothes. She wanted to be as quick as possible so that she was out as soon as Cory woke which she knew would be soon as he was due for another feed.

Turning on the shower jets she glanced once more at the monitor sitting on the vanity and climbed in allowing the warm water to soothe away her worries.

Nathan leapt out of the car as soon as he pulled to a stop in front of his brother's house he couldn't imagine why it hadn't occurred to him earlier that this was where Haley would bring Cory. It was the most obvious place given that it was already set up for a baby. For this exact baby to be precise.

Rifling through the keys on his key chain he selected the right one and inserted it into the lock. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs he heard the sound of running water coming from above him and quickly took the stairs two at a time to reach the source of the sound. He passed by Lucas and Brooke's room and continued on almost passing the nursery next to their room without a second glance until he realised that the crib was not as empty as he had originally assumed. Walking in he heaved a sigh of relief as he saw his nephew lying quietly wide awake. Reaching in Nathan stroked a finger over his cheek. "Hey little guy, you had me worried."

Haley paused for a moment in the shower and leaned her head out listening intently for any sound coming from the monitor. She was sure she had just heard something but everything was quiet now so she assumed it had simply been her imagination.

She knew she had a difficult time ahead of her after all she knew next to nothing about caring for newborns but that wasn't what was mostly worrying her. The one thought that kept coming back to her was wondering what would happen when Nathan discovered what she had done. If he hadn't already that was. But no matter what the consequences of her actions she was glad she had done it and would not change a single thing given the chance. Brooke had entrusted the care of her child to Haley and there was no way she was going to let her down. This was something that she was going to do and she was going to do it well. She thought of the book she had bought earlier in the day on caring for a newborn. She knew she was not perhaps the best equipped person to be caring for a young baby but she was fairly sure that with the help of Dr Spock she would manage just fine.

Nathan entered the bedroom quietly, the sound of the continually running water leading him to Haley. Walking to the bed he gently placed Cory in the centre of the mattress. He was fairly certain that the little guy couldn't move yet but he didn't want to take any chances. Grabbing the pillows he placed one on either side of the child. Satisfied that his nephew was safe Nathan strode purposefully to the slightly ajar bathroom door.

Looking in his gaze immediately came to rest on Haley. Standing in the shower with her back to him he couldn't help but pause to admire the sight before him. No matter what she might have done there was no doubt that she was an extremely attractive woman. Forcing his gaze away he looked back over his shoulder at Cory reminding himself of just why he was here. Feeling a renewed sense of purpose he once more allowed the anger to build inside of him.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat causing Haley to look over her shoulder in shock.

"Nathan what are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious I've come to collect my nephew but unlike you I at least have the courtesy to tell you that I'm taking him rather than leaving you to discover it on your own the way you did to me."

"Nathan you can't be serious," she said shutting off the jets and grabbing a towel wrapping it loosely around her body. Glancing down at herself she reassured herself that the folds of the towel were at least for now hiding the evidence of her pregnancy from him. She knew she had to tell him but this hardly seemed the time when he was already so angry about her taking Cory from the hospital.

"Nathan, Brooke asked me to care for Cory and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"Oh really," said Nathan "and how exactly did she do that considering that she's been in a coma for the past three days."

"Nathan don't be ridiculous you know precisely what I mean. She and Lucas had papers drawn up naming me as the person who should care for their children if anything should ever happen to them."

"Hmm that's strange," Nathan said scratching his chin thoughtfully "because I'm pretty damn certain that those papers you're talking about actually state that Luke and Brooke's kids are to be cared for by me and Mrs Haley Scott now unless I'm mistaken I'm pretty sure you and I haven't actually gotten married. I mean I guess we did come close one time but that's ancient history and has nothing to do with the present. So if you don't mind as his only actual family member currently present I'll be taking my nephew now."

"Nathan you know damn well that that is just a technicality, that Brooke wanted me to be a part of her children's lives."

"No I don't believe I know anything of the sort," he replied walking to the bed and picking up Cory. "Say goodbye to Haley, Cory because who knows when you'll be seeing her again. If I have my way it won't be while I'm looking after you."

"Nathan please," Haley said desperation creeping into her tone. "Don't do this."

His only response was to take his nephews tiny hand into his own and gently manoeuvre it in a waving fashion. "Bye bye Haley." He said in a slightly high pitched voice.

Haley rushed at him reaching out an arm for the baby. "Nathan don't. You can't do this."

"Oh but I think I can," he responded turning his back on Haley.

Haley grabbed his arm forgetting all about her supposed need to keep hold of the towel all that mattered right now was Cory and making sure Nathan didn't take him away from her. Nathan shook her hand off his arm and continued towards the door. Haley darted around him standing in the doorway blocking it with her body.

"What's this supposed to be Haley? What are you trying to dazzle me with your naked body? Been there done that." He said harshly. "Although I have to say Hales you are looking good at the moment." He ran his eyes appraisingly over her full breasts before pausing his face deathly pale at the sight of her rounded stomach.

"Haley are you…"

Haley could see the confusion evident on his face and knew that for the moment at least he wasn't going anywhere. Dropping her hands from the doorframe she attempted to cover her stomach wrapping her arms around her middle protectively. Protecting her unborn baby from his all seeing gaze.

"I can't believe you. I can't believe you were going to keep me from another one of my children. What the hell is your problem?" he ground out. Any pretence of civility flying out the window in the face of his rage.

Haley felt herself getting defensive and almost before she knew what she was saying the words came spilling out of her mouth. "Who says it's yours?" she bit out angrily. "I was engaged when I was with you last if you care to remember."

"You have got to be kidding me Haley as if I'm going to believe that it's Josh's baby. I knew the first time I met him that he was gay. I saw the way he was looking at me when he thought I wasn't looking. There is no way that that baby is his so unless you were cheating on both of us then I would say that it's fairly obvious that the baby is mine."

"Of course it's yours," she said quietly "I don't know why I said that."

"Wow Hales you are really making a habit of this. Getting pregnant to one guy while you're engaged to another."

Haley flinched at his words.

Nathan saw this and wished that he could stop the torrent of words flowing from his mouth but it was as if he had lost control of his vocal chords. All of the resentment that had built up was all spewing out and there was nothing he could do to control it.

Haley turned away from him determined that he wouldn't see her tears. The doorbell chimed downstairs and she walked to the closet pulling her robe from its hanger and putting it on. "Excuse me," she said "I'm expecting a delivery." Doing her best to appear in control she walked slowly to the stairs before descending to answer the door as the bell chimed again.

Opening it up she stopped horrified at the sight in front of her. "Mr Scott," she choked out.

"Hello Haley, I'm here to see my grandson." Dan smirked at her obvious discomfort as she stood clad in only a robe with her hair dripping from the shower. "I take it my son is here also." He stepped inside pushing the door closed behind him.

Nathan heard the door close from upstairs and yelled down to Haley continuing his tirade right where he had left off. "You know Hales maybe you should see if you can get on Dr Phil. I'm sure he'd have a field day with your story." Nathan walked to the head of the staircase holding Cory and stopped dead at the sight of his father.

"From what I've heard about this situation Son I think she'd be better suited to the Jerry Springer Show. Isn't that where all the white trash go with their stories?"

Spoilers:- I'm not even sure what's going to happen next chapter myself. I have a whole plan I've been working from for this story but this chapter went in an almost completely different direction from what I had originally intended. I'm fairly certain that it's going to involve a whole lot of angst though. Hey may as well write what I know.