Epilogue

Two Weeks Later

"So are you still not talking to me?"

Nathan looked up at her behind hooded eyes, "You know that I'm still ticked about you putting yourself in danger. Why didn't you come to me with your suspicions?"

Haley sat down next to Nathan on the couch in they're newly renovated apartment which was starting to feel like home again. "Do you want the truth or a lie? When I first heard what Abby was saying about Dan murdering Keith and not Jimmy I went to Whitey. He calmed me down; he told me that I was not at liberty to act without proof. Abby saw it, but she was scared and wasn't going to testify in a court of a law."

Nathan turned to his wife, "You were almost killed by my father, how do you think that would've made me feel? What if something happened to you?"

Haley looked at the love emanating from his heart and felt humbled, "Nathan, when you came into that high school to save my life, I had no doubts if you loved me and would do anything for me. What you did took so much courage, love, and faith in us that I will always be grateful to you. Why would you think that I would even hesitate a breath, a second to do even half of the same for you. My god, I could've been killed but so could you. You came into a school; not knowing the situation of anything but you did without second-guess. When Abby came to me and confessed to me what she had seen, I was so upset. Upset that I had gone to a funeral and not given Jimmy my true respects because I hated him. I hated him for what he did to our family and us. Then to find out that your father was capable of taking a life, any life made me scared for yours. Would you be his next victim? I couldn't let that happen so I went to people I could trust who were impartial and I came up with a plan…"

Nathan cut her off, "A plan? You called the half-assed get Dan a plan? What are you anyway, Nancy Drew? I'm still trying to decide whether I should beat Lucas's ass for even letting you go to Dan's office. My god, you could've been killed Haley. Killed! Don't you get that I don't breathe without you? That even if Dan had murdered Keith, if he took you it would have never been worth it! There is, no me without you. Please, please don't do this to me ever again."

Haley looked at the fear that were shining from her husband's eyes and felt ashamed. She pulled him to her as she rocked him young as if he were a child, "I love you and I'm so sorry that I worried you." She fingered the ring that dangled from his neck as she realized that he still hadn't put his ring back on his finger. She pulled away and wiped her eyes and turned towards the refrigerator, "Can I get you something?"

Nathan looked at her in shock. They had been embracing when she pulled back. "Hales, what's wrong?"

Haley shook her head as she was leaning against the closed refrigerator crying. Nathan walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Haley, what is the matter?"

Haley struggled to remove herself from his arms but he only tightened his grip. He turned her around and started swiping at her tears, "Baby, why are you crying? Everything is okay, I promise you. I'm sorry I was being such a jerk about this, I forgive you okay. It's over."

Haley nodded against his chest refusing to let him see that their earlier fight had nothing to do with the reason she was crying. As her head lead on his chest, she felt the imprint of the ring in her cheek which started her tears anew.

She pulled back and started to break free when Nathan grabbed her by the shoulders, "Tell me, Haley what is it?"

Haley gently fingered the imprint through his shirt of the wedding ring without a word. Nathan pulled her back into his arms, "I bet your wondering when this ring is going back on my finger?"

Haley looked up at him in shock, "I didn't know you could read my mind."

Nathan smiled and pulled the ring out from under his shirt and handed it to her. "Here you go."

Haley beamed at him and reached for his hand when Nathan pulled back. "Nope, not yet."

Haley looked at him confused when Nathan reached for her hand and started tugging her ring off her finger. Palming it quickly he kissed her on the forehead and started towards the door. Haley turned around on him in shock, "Nathan where are you going?"

Nathan looked at her as he leaned against the doorjamb of their apartment, "Don't you know? I have a wedding to plan. We can't just put on these rings for no one, this time I want the whole world to know you belong to me and vice versa."

Haley leaned against the refrigerator his ring clutched tightly in her hand and felt the tears spring anew.

At the Rivercourt

Lucas made the lay-up easily when he heard the sound come from behind him. It was the sound of someone clapping. He spun around in shock at the sound and came face to face with Haley. She was leaning against the goalpost at the other end of the court. Putting the ball down he walked towards her.

She met his eyes warily prepared for another battle when Lucas picked her up in his arms and spun her around. She started to hit him repeatedly on the back as the spinning went out of control.

Putting her down he pulled her into a hug, "I love ya little sis." Slapping her on the back he said, "But don't you ever scare me like that again. Do you know what I thought when I had to tell Nathan that I couldn't catch up to you as you ran to Dan's office on some mission that I knew nothing about? I know you love us but don't ever put your life on the line like that again… Wait a minute where's your wedding ring?"

Haley looked at him in shock, "I didn't think men noticed things like that. It's funny that you say that though, I've been hit on more men since the ring disappeared that I think that Nathan may want me to put it back on until the wedding."

Lucas smiled at her softly, "Wedding? What wedding?"

Haley rolled her eyes at Lucas while giggling, "Wedding, that your brother is organizing. He wants us to renew our vows in front of friends and family. So I came to the Rivercourt to see if you would be there with us on our special day."

Lucas shook his head, "Where else could I possibly be in this world but with my family?"

Haley grinned at him but then her smile fell slightly, "How's your mom?"

Lucas crossed his arms, "Don't you mean our mom? Come on after everything you did for this family, you have as much right as I do to call her mom. She's taking it one step at a time, after Dan's funeral everything sort of became a reality for her and she's back to working days at the café which I'm sure your ecstatic about."

Haley shrugged, "I was just protecting my family."

Lucas shook his head, "Protecting your family is a small word for everything you did for us during this time Haley. You were like the sister, daughter, wife, and friend that everyone in this town needed and I'm not just talking about me. You went to Jimmy's funeral which I didn't understand at the time, you went out of your way to be this emotional stronghold for everyone and you never let down. I don't know how any of us can repay you."

Haley felt the tears prick her eyelids, "None of you could ever repay me the love I received. I'm not happy about a lot of things in my past as you well now but I could never be sorry for trying to protect my family…because you, Karen, and Nathan are just that my family."

At the Café

"Here comes Wonder Woman!"

Haley rolled her eyes as she walked into the café. Ever since news had broken that Dan had been killed while holding her hostage after confessing to the murder of his brother, Keith Scott, Brooke had taken to calling her Wonder Woman.

"Brooke, don't you ever get tired of calling me that silly name?"

Peyton cleared her throat from the chair in the corner as she rested comfortably on her crutches, "Brooke will never get tired because you completely ruined our chance to be One Tree Hill's next set of Charlie's Angels. No, you just had to ruin everything by doing this act solo."

Haley leaned over and patted Peyton on the hand and turned to Brooke, "I'm so glad you two are here…. I need your help for a task that I'm planning."

Unnoticed to the girls, Karen had come out from behind the counter and was wiping down the dishes. "I need dual maid of honors for my renewal of vows with Nathan."

Peyton and Brooke squealed happily as they thought of the upcoming event. Haley smiled, "First order of business, I need my maid of honors to help me find a wedding dress."

Karen cleared her throat from behind the trio, "I have a wedding dress that you can use Haley."

Haley shook her head violently, "No Karen… I couldn't…"

Karen put down the rag that she was using to clean the counter and spoke softly with emotion thickening her voice, "I won't need my dress, and Brooke was already done with it… Were about the same size and I want you to have it. Even if I don't get to use it, at least someone I love will."

Haley walked up to the counter, with Brooke and Peyton and placed her hand over Karen's. "I still won't do this if you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. If you at any time want to back out, let me know."

Karen smiled at her for the first time since Keith died, "Of course I will but that won't happen. Now, let's get planning a wedding."

Two Weeks Later

Nathan and Lucas stood side by side at the graveside in silence. They had agreed to meet her before the wedding. As they looked at the grave of Dan Scott, they both exhaled heavy breaths. Each one for his own reason.

Nathan was exhaling because he had always wanted to be better than this man, better than what he accomplished, to the point that competing with him had almost destroyed him. That was until he found Haley and he learned that true love had more to do with who you were on the inside and not what other people thought of you especially Dan Scott. A man who lived so flawed, internally and externally that he didn't know how to heal himself or those around him. "Dad, this is the last time I will visit your grave. I'm sorry that you made a mess of your life and I hope wherever you are, that you understand that everything you did in your life was wrong. You didn't have to live the path that you choose. I want you to know that I love my brother, I love Lucas and I will never take that for granted again, I won't be petty, I won't hold grudges because life is too short and can be gone in the blink of an eye. I'm sorry you never learned your lesson in life, but I have and I will never forget the one you taught me without knowing it."

After his discourse, he placed a comforting arm on his brother's shoulder, "I'm going to tell Keith the good news so you can have a moment alone with Dan."

Lucas looked at the grave and spoke softly, "Dan, I refuse to call you by any other name. You ruined my life when you took my father from my arms for what, jealousy? You put the life of my family in grief for what? I will never understand what made you pull the trigger that day or what made you turn your back on a chance to do good in your life. You could have had it all but you chose this life, the life that led you to be where you are right now….In this hole underground without your family, with nothing. Its funny really you left the world just as you came in with nothing."

"You ready bro?"

Nathan looked at his brother and saw his swiping away tears as he nodded. They walked towards his car and saw Haley leaning against the car. She walked up to the two men in her life and she locked arms with both of them. "Are you okay?"

Both men nodded and Haley looked back at Dan's grave. As she was locking arms with them she remembered the talks that they had in his office and shook her head to rid herself of those memories. Today was a new day, she was about to marry the man that was her soul mate in a couple of hours, and they were going to start their life together. The past, was just that the past. All thoughts of fighting between brothers, jealousies were out the window as they walked arm in arm to their future knowing that they would never take what they had between them love, trust or forgiveness for granted again.

At the Garden Chapel

Nathan couldn't feel his legs and he was sure he was going to pass out, he had seen all shades of his lovely wife whose eyes he was now staring into, fear, love, passion, anger and disappointment. But now, standing in front of him, he saw her as she truly was, his and that was how it was going to remain for the rest of their natural lives.

As Lucas dropped her off at the aisle he kissed her cheek gently and the turned to him, "I told you when I left One Tree Hill the first time that I was leaving Haley in good hands and that I trusted her heart to you. Today, I can honestly say that there isn't another man in this world who I would trust with her heart and with her more than you."

Nathan nodded at Lucas as he took Haley's hand in his and walked up to where the priest stood waiting for them to renew their vows. As they looked over the church at their friends and family he felt a great sense of peace in his heart.

Haley smiled at him as the priest allowed them to begin speaking their vows.

"Haley, you told me that you would like to go first."

Haley nodded and exhaled a deep breath, "When I was younger my life seemed to revolve around things I considered important school, friendships and work….When I met you I knew that you would change my world. I didn't know at the time that it was for the best, I became a part of a something greater. A part of a relationship that would help forge a family, a family that I feel honored to be a part of. I couldn't love you more if I tried and I know it seems lately that the choices I've made have seemed foolish but one thing that I gained from your love was strength, strength to stand up for what I believe in…I believe in you and me Nathan, always and forever."

Nathan felt the tears threatening to choke him as she stopped speaking and turned to him waiting,

"Haley, if somebody had told me two years ago that I would be standing in front of my family and friends marrying someone, anyone I would've laughed and told them to get real. Yet here I stand, waiting to vow before God and our families once again the depth of my love for you. We've been through hell Hales, and it's only made us stronger and I know that all the events of last year have only made us stronger and I can't wait to begin the rest of my life with you."

As they walked down the aisle, vows renewed they looked up at the sky which was shining brightly and rain started to fall softly. Haley looked over at Nathan and graced him with a smile and said, "Rain has always been a good sign for us right."

Nathan smiled at her, "And it always will be…I'd like to think that's Keith shining down on us now."

Haley smiled and nodded in agreement as the rain hid the tears that were falling down her cheeks. She mouthed a silent prayer of thanks to Keith as they ran off into their future together, with the love and happiness of their families.

Fin

Whew! I feel so much better now; bring on the next couple of weeks of One Tree Hill. As long as I know that Dan got his in this fic I won't mind watching weekly as he doesn't get his in the "real" world.