The Devil Takes on a New Form... Freedom (Chapter 3)
Haley opened her door and widened her eyes when she saw Chris on the other side of the door. "Chris!"
"Hey, Haley," he said, coming over and hugging her. Haley tried not to cringe as he kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I heard that you needed me right now so I decided to come down for a day," he replied.
"How did you hear that?" Haley asked, ignoring what passed for a good gesture in her husband's mind.
"A little birdie told me," he replied, smirking at her. He pulled her roughly by the arm and led her further into her hotel room.
"That birdie's name wouldn't happen to be Taylor, would it?" Haley asked. Chris shook his head.
"No. It was one of your old high school buddies," he replied, sitting down and helping himself to a beer out of the mini bar.
"Peyton?" Haley asked. Chris shook his head.
"It was a guy. His name started with an N or something," he said. Haley stiffened.
"Nathan Scott called you?" she asked, barely digesting the words. Chris nodded and then pulled her with him into the bedroom. He slowly began to undress her, took his own clothes off and savagely pushed her down onto the bed while Haley closed her eyes like she always did, wishing for when it would be over. She often let her mind wander and this time; she thought of another time Nathan had done something that had surprised her.
/Flashback/
Haley walked into her boyfriend, Nathan's house and wandered into the kitchen. "Nathan!" she called out to the seemingly empty house. If there was no one home, why had the door been unlocked? And if he wasn't there, why had he called her and asked her to come over? So she had deduced that he was either not answering her on purpose or he simply couldn't hear her. Then all of a sudden arms came around her waist and pulled her close to a warm body.
"You called," he said as he nuzzled her neck. Haley smiled and leaned against him. He pulled her head up to his face gently and kissed her deeply. "Hi." Haley laughed.
"What's going on?" she asked. Nathan turned her around and looked around innocently.
"I believe this is what people call a surprise," he replied thoughtfully. Haley's eyes widened in excitement and she began to look around. "It's upstairs." He took her hand and led her upstairs to his bedroom and opened the door. She walked over to his desk and found a chocolate cake with the words "Happy 6 Ms" on it in white icing.
"6 Ms?" Haley repeated, pointing at the icing.
"It's our six-month anniversary, Hales," he explained. Haley calculated the time in her head and turned around and hugged him. They started kissing and Haley tugged at his shirt. He took it off and kissed her. He then picked her up and walked over to his bed. He laid her down gently and held himself up over her. They undressed each other and then they melted into each other.
The next morning they had woken up in each other's arms and lay there for hours, neither speaking nor moving. They were just enjoying the feel of one another and thinking about the step they had just taken.
/End of Flashback/
The next day Haley met everyone at the club TRIC to help Peyton set up for her grand opening. "Haley, can you go down to storage and grab some more serviettes?" Peyton called.
"Sure thing, Peyt," Haley called back on her way down stairs to the cellar. She opened the door and wrinkled her eyebrows as Nathan came in a few minutes after her. He shut the door behind them and explained that he had come down for some speakers. A few minutes later, they opened the door but it wouldn't open. "Uh oh," Haley said.
Two hours later…
"How's your husband liking Tree Hill?" Nathan asked out of nowhere. Haley dropped a pack of serviettes and looked at him.
"So you did call him?" Haley said. He nodded. "Why?"
"I figured since your sister was about to die, you might need the comfort of your husband to get through it," Nathan said. Haley looked at him.
"I came down here by myself for a reason, Nathan and you knew that. So you want to try again?" Haley asked. She didn't know how she knew but she knew he was lying.
"Because I wanted to see for myself," he said.
"What?" Haley asked.
"I wanted to confirm what Olivia said. That Chris abuses you," Nathan said.
"How do you know what Olivia said?" Haley asked. He explained that he had heard the whole thing.
"Why do you stay with him?" Nathan asked. Haley sighed, as she couldn't bring herself to answer. "Scratch that. Why did you marry him?" Haley looked at him warningly.
"Well, it's generally expected that when you get pregnant, you get married," Haley blurted out. She had always felt at ease with Nathan, like she could tell him anything, so that's why she didn't even think before she spoke.
"You were pregnant?" he asked. Haley nodded. "So you have a kid?"
"No," she replied. There were tears rolling down her face. "I miscarried."
"What happened?" he asked. He knew that something had to happen in order for some women to miscarry.
"Chris happened. Uh, we were at a party one night and he saw me talking to some guy. He thought I was flirting with him so when we got home; he made me pay for it. He attacked me and started kicking me in the stomach, legs, etc. The next morning I woke up surrounded in blood," Haley said, sobbing now. He walked over and made an effort to comfort her. "I'm sorry for telling you all this." He smiled and hugged her.
"Don't apologize, Hales. I'm always here for you and you know it," he said. Haley chuckled.
"Thank you," she mumbled. Then the door opened and Chris appeared on the other side.
"You bitch," he spat as he walked away. Haley ran after him.
"Chris, wait!" she called after him.
"No, Haley. I can't believe this. I come down here to help you and comfort you and what do you do the minute my back is turned? You're making out with jock boy in a closet in basement," Chris said, shaking his head.
"No, that's not what happened," she said.
"Save it! I've heard enough of your excuses. You've always got one. Well, I'm done. We're through," he said, taking his ring off his finger and throwing at her. "My lawyers will call yours." Haley was speechless. Then, Nathan came up behind her and shook his head in shame.
"Haley, I'm sorry," Nathan said. Haley shook her head as she looked at Chris' wedding ring on the floor. She slid her own off her finger and picked them both up. She noticed a garbage bag, walked over and threw them both in the bag.
"Don't be. Did you hear what he said?" she asked.
"He said that the two of you were over, Haley," he said.
"And I know I should be upset but all I heard was him giving me my freedom," Haley said, smiling at the thought.
A/N: Ok, so I hoped you liked it and please, please review. I know this seems a little fast paced, but I planned it this way all along. So don't think that the story is over because it definitely is not. There is more to come because this is only the end of the prologue. Now the real story can begin.
This is not really an abuse story. Chris was never supposed to play a big role and he and Haley were never supposed to stay married. This story is more about how Haley moves on and gets past her hell with Chris and reconnects with Nathan because even after all they've been through their fates have always been intertwined.