Chapter Fifty-Four: Shine Until Tomorrow

Author's note: This chapter is dedicated to Ange for her help, specifically regarding April Ramirez. Oh, and this story is now posted at writers911.

"What the hell?" yelped Haley, yanking her hand from his and jumping backward.

"Calm down," he said, sounding bored.

"What, are you still in love with me? This is supposed to be obligation sex and leftover lust," she said.

"Aint nothin' wrong with that," said Nathan.

"Pig. Now let's get back to that whole "what the hell" deal," she instructed him.

"Let's get back to the "still" in love thing. When did I ever say I was in love with you?" he demanded.

"Please," she said, rolling her eyes. He led her back to the couch.

"There's no way I can explain this that's not going to make you think I'm a pig again," he warned her.

"Trust me, I never stopped."

"Did you hear that I'm gay? Because everyone from here to LA seems to have," he said.

"I hadn't," she said.

"It's not exactly good for the company image," he explained.

"This might just be the least romantic proposal in the history of proposals," commented Haley.

"And I want kids. Smart kids. And I'm tired of having to find some gold digger to be my dates for the parties I have to host," he explained.

"So you need a trophy wife," she said.

"Pretty much. Know anyone interested?"

"So it's like a business arrangement?" she said.

"I could have my lawyer draw up a pre-nup this afternoon," said Nathan.

"And I'd get…"

"Money for your sister. And a lot more money."

"This is sounding disturbingly Tom Cruisish," said Haley. Nathan laughed.

"Yeah, except for that I'm not actually gay. Anyway, are you going to make me get down on one knee?" he asked. She giggled.

"No. Are we going to have to like live like married people?" asked Haley tentatively.

"You seemed willing to, on that last night," he said.

"Sometimes, Nathan Scott, you disgust me completely. And don't look so excited. Do you really think I'm still that girl? For God's sake, I didn't go out with Matt Camden for two years, I went out with someone real. Someone fulfilling," she said, angrily flouncing out of the office. A moment later, her head appeared around the door again. "Come on, don't I have to sign something?"

Nathan covered his face with his hands once she was gone. Was that really her? Was he dreaming the dream he'd dreamed for two years, or was he living it? Had she been serious, about her boyfriend, and what she'd done with him? Did she feel anything for him any more?

He walked out to the hall. The many employees gathered watched with interest while he placed his hand on her lower back and guided her outside.

Nathan hurriedly grabbed the hand she'd used to attempt to flag down a taxi and took it to pull her toward the company car that was waiting for them.

She sat on the far edge, watching the city zoom past her through a tinted window. As her phone rang she fished it out of her pocket, innocently drawing attention to her legs.

"Hello?" she said curiously into it. Nathan noticed her panicked expression when the caller answered.

"Sorry, I had to leave quickly. I'm in Tree Hill." Haley looked across the car at him and frowned, knowing he was listening to every work she spoke.

"I might have to stay a while." Grinning to himself, Nathan moved over slightly in the car and casually placed a hand on her leg, slowly moving it upward. She shivered and attempted to push him off.

"Seamus, I have to go," she said, hurriedly hanging up the phone and turning to him.

"Looks like a healthy relationship," said Nathan, smirking to himself.

"God, shut up. And quit pressuring me, it isn't going to happen," she said. She gasped as he took both her hands and pulled her toward him, until their legs were touching.

"Hales, you know that isn't true. Maybe you've managed to convince yourself it's true. It has been a while. But you know it's going to happen, and you know you want it as much as you always have. Oh, and we're here," he said, abruptly getting out of the car.

Haley gasped as she followed him out and found herself facing the town house she'd heard so much about. She'd never bothered to picture it. But even if she had bothered, she'd never have been able to do it justice. The house was huge and imposing, and bigger than most she'd ever seen.

"Come on," he said impatiently, doubling back to take her hand.

The hall that the wide front doors opened to a wide hall, opening to several doors. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the wide, sweeping staircase in front of them was marble,

"It's not exactly you," she said hesitantly. He smiled.

"Yeah, but it's home." As the heavy door slammed behind them, Haley heard two sets of footsteps come running. She smiled and braced herself as two blonde girls came running down the stairs, noticeably older than she'd seen them last.

Haley glanced sideways at Nathan, hoping desperately he'd say something to end the interminable silence. But he stayed silent.

Leigh sent her a small, subtle Death Glare. Was there anyone in the world who Leigh Scott didn't hate?

Ryan obliged Haley by shrieking and flinging her arms around her. Trust Ryan to end a silence.

"Oh my God, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you in years! How are you?" she asked eagerly. Haley's eyes widened.

"Good. I'm, I'm… good. How are you? I heard you're living with Jake?" asked Haley. Ryan nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, he's great. How's Brown?" she asked.

"Great. How's it going, Leigh?" asked Haley, her voice weak.

"Just dandy. Nathan, someone dropped this off. You made the front cover again," said Leigh, thrusting a magazine toward them. Nathan winced. Featured prominently on the cover was him leading a tall, gorgeous Latin American girl by the arm. In bold letters, the headlines screamed: NATHAN SCOTT'S NEW LOVE?

Haley scowled covertly at him with her eyes. He leaned toward her and grazed her ear with his lips.

"Jealous?"

"What's her name?" asked Leigh.

"April Ramirez."

"And here I thought you were in to guys," said Haley.

"So does the rest of America. So, will you be in town for long?" asked Ryan pleasantly, leading her down the hall.

"This is one weird agreement," commented Haley, flicking through their prenup.

"Yeah, and the rest of it is just so conventional," he said.

Scowling at him, she signed the dotted line clearly and distinctly. He sighed almost inaudibly in relief. Up until that moment, he hadn't been able to truly believe that she would sign. It all seemed too easy.

Now all he had to do was make her love him again.

"So…. Now we get married?" said Haley hesitantly.

"That's the deal," he said coolly, feeling her eyes as he signed the document.

"Tomorrow maybe?" she suggested.

"Whatever."

"Haley, why are you doing this?" asked Ryan carefully. She ran into the room knowing that even though it was midnight on the eve of her wedding, Haley would not be asleep.

Haley sat up as Ryan jumped onto the bed beside her.

"I don't love Nathan, Ryan. I don't know if I ever have, I don't know if I ever will. But I've always known that he was the man I was going to marry. I don't know if we'll be together forever, or if we'll break up next year, but I know that we have to do at least this much."

Ryan stared at her for a second.

"Who do you love, little girl?" asked Haley eventually. Immediately, Ryan got off the bed and walked out. As if she didn't already know.

After another few moments of silence, Haley left the room herself. She shivered as she walked down the hall. Living in this house seemed completely unimaginable.

Eventually, she found herself in his dining room, alone with the liquor cabinet. She coughed as she down a shot of vodka.

"Alone? That's pretty sad, Hales," said Nathan, walking up beside her.

"I don't know how you can do this to me Nathan. I'm in love with someone else," she said.

"So you did manage to convince yourself. I always wondered," he said cynically.

Haley moved to slap him again, but he caught her wrist in his hand. As she raised her other, he caught it as well, sending the shot glass crashing to the floor. Attempting to free her wrists, she found herself completely immobile.

"Let me go," she said, through clenched teeth.

"I never should have let you go." He leaned down to kiss her, but she jerked away as best as she was able.

"You aren't in love with me," she reminded him.

"Yeah, because that last night was all about love," he said sarcastically.

"No, it's was about you lea…" Nathan took his chance, and pressed his lips on to hers.

This time, she didn't protest.

Nathan was startled when Haley, once so innocent, immediately deepened the kiss. As he lifted her up slightly, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing into his hardness.

Supporting her weight and his, Nathan stumbled do the table and lowered her on to it. She wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her on top of him before they resumed kissing in full force.

How could he have even looked at April? How could he have ever thought of any woman but her?

She jerked in surprise when his phone began to ring.

"Who's calling you at one a.m?" she asked.

"No one… Shit." He answered the phone, and spoke into it for a moment.

"Come on." Nathan hurriedly got off of her and pulled her up while she attempted to redo the buttons of her shirt.

"Why?"

"Brooke's in labour," he explained, calling out for Ryan and Leigh.

"She's been pregnant for two years?" asked Haley, fallowing him out.

"No. She was pregnant again. We're going to LA," he said curtly, pulling her along behind him.