A/N: Well, I'm sorry for making you wait so long. I hurt my hand so I'm not as fast as I normally am with the typing. But there is two stories updated for you today. It's been weird ever since I got back. So updates for the other stories are on the way. You just need to be patient. About this chapter: it's sad at the beginning. There is a lot of Naley in it though, so you'll be pleased. Also, this is the final chapter of this story. It's been so much fun writing and I hope you like it. I want to thank all of you for reading and reviewing this story. So here's the final chapter. Please leave some feedback for me to read and enojoy )

One Life Ends, Another Begins (Chapter fourteen)

/I can understand what Nathan is going through right now. His father could die at any time. In a way, I'm thankful that my parents died in the plane crash immediately. They didn't suffer and I didn't have to stand around a hospital waiting for the doctor to come out and tell me that they were gone. The waiting alone would be agonizing. Now, I'm praying that Mr. Scott recovers because I don't want Nathan to know what it's like to lose a parent so soon. It's one of the most devastating things in the world in my opinion and I wouldn't wish that on anyone especially Nathan/

"Luke!" Nathan exclaimed as he found his brother in the hallway sitting beside Nathan's mom in one of the chairs in a waiting room. Lucas looked up and sighed heavily as his little brother and Haley approached them. Nathan's mom got up and wrapped her arms around her son. Nathan clung to his mother. "How is he?"

"They're still working on him. The doctor will come and talk to us as soon as they're done," Deb Scott said as she released her son. She turned and saw a girl she did not recognize. She looked at her questioningly. Nathan held out his hand and the girl took it. She noticed that she squeezed Nathan's hand.

"Mom, this is Haley," Nathan said. Deb looked at Haley, the girl Nathan had been yacking about nonstop for the past few months. Haley reached out her hand and Deb took it.

"I'm really sorry about your husband. I hope he recovers," Haley said genuinely. Deb smiled.

"Thank you," she said. Then she turned and looked at Nathan who was watching the two of them nervously. Deb nodded at him in approval. "It's nice to finally meet you, Haley." Haley smiled.

"Mom, you've met her before," Nathan said. Deb frowned. "You don't remember?"

"I'm sorry. I think I would've remembered meeting your girlfriend, Nate," she said.

"I can understand why you don't remember me. I was a lot younger the first time Nathan and I dated," Haley said.

"First time?" Deb repeated and looked at Nathan.

"Deb, you do remember Haley James, don't you?" Lucas asked. Deb gasped. She looked at Haley again and right away she could see remnants of the fourteen-year-old girl she had known so long ago. The first girl who had caught her son's heart and had always possessed it. Nathan came over and wrapped his arms around Haley's waist and pulled her closer. He kissed her forehead and Haley leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. Deb smiled.

"Well, it took you long enough to get her back," Deb commented. Both Nathan and Haley burst out laughing. "Thanks for coming, Haley. I really appreciate it." Haley smiled and nodded. Deb walked away and sat back down beside Lucas' mom, Karen.

"And I'll never let you slip through my fingers again," Nathan said, leaning down and whispering in her ear.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said. Then she walked out of his embrace and turned around to face him. "Except to the washroom." Nathan nodded and walked over to his mom.

A week later…

"Nathan, I'm so proud of you. I hope you know that. Lucas…" Dan Scott whispered weakly. Nathan could feel the tears at his eyes as he shook his head furiously at his father.

"Dad, hold on," Lucas whispered. The Scott family- Lucas, Nathan, Deb, Karen and Keith- were all gathered into Dan's hospital room. The doctors had told them the day before that Dan was not going to live much longer. They were now in the last few minutes of his life.

"It's ok. I love you all. And I'll always be with you," Dan began whispering, almost incoherently. Then he started mumbling things that were hard for Nathan to make out. He tightened his grasp on his father's hand as he shook his head.

"Don't say that," Nathan said. The tears were falling out of his eyes. "Dad, please." He breathed in softly.

"Goodbye," Dan whispered. Then his eyes went blank and his head rolled to the side of the pillow.

"Dad!" Lucas and Nathan both screamed. Then the line went flat and the doctor pronounced the time of death. Haley walked further into the room. She put her hand on Nathan's shoulder. Nathan turned around and pulled her close to him. He wrapped her in a hug so tight, it was almost as if they were connected. He buried his head in her shoulder and sobbed.

"He's gone, Hales," he whispered inbetween sobs. Haley tightened her arms around him. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. He pulled back and Haley's heart broke for him as she saw the crushed expression on his face. "He's not coming back."

"Oh, Nathan," she said and cupped his face inbetween her hands. "I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but you're going to get past this." Nathan shook his head.

"I don't know how I'll ever," he started to say but Haley just wiped some his tears away from his eyes and looked at him seriously.

"You will. I'll help you," she said. He kissed her hand and nodded.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he said.

"Well, I'm here for you. I'll always be here," she promised. He nodded and pulled her closer.

Five days later…

"Have you told him yet?" Peyton asked.

"Told me what?" Nathan interrupted them. Haley looked over at him. She could see anger in his blue eyes.

"Nathan, how long have you been standing there?" Haley asked, ignoring his question.

"I just walked in. What do you need to tell me?" he aksed. Haley froze and looked at Peyton.

"I'm going to go," Peyton said, getting up from the table and walking away, but noticed Brooke, Lucas, Deb, Karen, Jake and Keith all standing in the hal way outside the room.

Nathan walked over and looked at Haley. He held her gaze but she looked away. "What's going on?" he asked.

"We can talk about this later, Nathan," Haley said. Nathan slammed his fists on the table.

"No, we're going to talk about it now, Haley. You've been acting strange for a while now and you're starting to scare me. Now, what is going on?" Nathan asked. Haley took a deep breath. "I don't believe it." Haley wrinkled her nose at him in confusion.

"What?" she asked.

"You're leaving again, aren't you?" Nathan asked. Haley was speechless. Nathan choked back a sob. "I don't believe this. You are, aren't you? Why? After everything that we've been, you're just going to disappear again. Why does everyone always leave? First my dad and now you… again."

Haley got up and walked over to him. He turned away from her, refusing to look at her. Haley walked around to the other side. She grabbed his face in her hands. He finally looked looked up at her. Haley's eyes watered at the pain in his. She shook her head at him.

"I'm not leaving you, Nathan," she said. His face remained unmoved.

"You're not?" he asked. Haley smiled and shook her head. Relief washed over Nathan's face. "Then, what's going on?" Haley bit her lip.

"I wanted to wait to tell you this but since you have such a paranoid, not to mention overactive, imagination, I guess I should tell you now," Haley said.

"Tell me what?" he asked. Haley smiled and kissed him.

"I'm afraid I'm going to be acting strange for the next nine months," Haley said. Nathan's brow furrowed.

"Why on earth would you choose to act strange for nine whole months?" he asked. Then he caught the amusement in her eyes and glared at her in annoyance. "Haley, this is not the time for one of your weird jokes." Her smile widened.

"This isn't a joke, Nate," Haley said.

"Then, what would you call it?" Nathan asked.

"Figure it out," she said. He looked at her in confusion. His face held a thoughtful expression for a few seconds and then it returned to confused. "I'm pregnant, you idiot." Nathan's eyes brightened and his smiled widened as he leaned down, pulled her all the way against him and kissed her hungrily.

/I'm going to be a Dad/

/If I had known Nathan was going to act so paranoid, I would've told him much sooner. I'll never forget the look on his face when he processed the information. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy/

"Yippee!" Brooke exclaimed from outside the hall. Nathan broke the kiss and looked at Haley in confusion. Haley's eyes were narrowed in confusion. Then they turned over to look in the doorway and Brooke came bouncing in. She walked over and hugged Haley.

"How long have you guys beeen standing there?" Nathan demanded as the others walked in and congratulated them.

"Congratulations, tutor girl and tutor boy!" Brooke said. Then she leaned down to Haley's stomach. "Can't wait to meet you tutor baby." They all cracked up.

The End