Well, here's another chapter! I'm going to be ending this pretty soon, but I'm not sure how many more chapters. I'm thinking no more than 5. I'll probably stop at 30.

Thanks to all reviewers: mistydm, naleyluv, RedJewel2662, Natanlvr23, aznchicfosho4, Lorilozz, AngelLuva, iftheyonlyknewthetruth, JPNeverlosetheButterflies, and lilmonkeygirl31! You guys have been awesome all throughout the writing of this story!

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Class went by quickly. I was lucky that I didn't have any homework from the week before. I would've completely forgotten about it this weekend. I put my bag on my shoulder and walked out of the classroom.

"Hey, Hales."

I turned to see Lucas walking towards me. I smiled. "Hey, Lucas! How are you?"

He shrugged. "Good. How was your night last night?" he asked with a knowing grin.

I groaned. "First off, you've been spending too much time with Brooke because you've mastered her grin. Second off, isn't it bad enough that Brooke's gonna bug me about it?" He just gave me a look. I sighed. "Okay, okay. It was amazing, are you happy?"

He laughed and gave me a side hug. "I just like teasing you, Hales. You're like the little sister I never had," he replied.

I smiled. "Well, thank you, Luke. You've become one of my best friends. I can't say I think of you as a brother because you're Nathan's brother and that would be creepy."

He cringed. "Yeah, now the whole 'you're the sister I never had' thing is really disturbing. Well, unless you two get married. Then you'd be my little sis… in law…"

I laughed. "Let's not think too far ahead of ourselves, Luke. I love Nathan, but I'm not planning on getting married for a while."

He shrugged. "Sometimes life rushes up on you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to tell me something? Nathan isn't going to propose, is he? Oh my god! I-"

"Hales! Relax! I promise, I don't know anything about that! He's never said anything to me so there's nothing to freak out about. Just breathe, okay?" he calmed me down. I took a deep breath and then let it out. "Good. Man, you are one crazy girl."

I glared at him. "Don't call me crazy, Lucas," I said, angrily.

"I'm sorry, Haley. I meant like wild crazy, not insane crazy. I swear, Hales," he replied and I dropped my glare.

"I'm sorry, Luke. I just don't like when people call me crazy. Listen, I've gotta run home real quick and then I have class. I'll catch up with you later?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll see you later, Haley."

I waved and walked off. It still got to me when people called me crazy. It didn't matter if they were joking or not. Crazy was just not something you called me.

I walked quickly, seeing as my class started in 20 minutes. I don't know how I forgot my book. I mean, I saw it sitting on the table! Why didn't I grab it? I laughed at myself. You were a little busy last night, Haley. Oh, Nathan. How am I supposed to hold out on that boy when he always looks so yummy?

10 minutes later I reached my apartment. I had to run in, grab the book, and rush to class. I opened the door and instantly Millie started yipping. I left the door open as I rushed into my bedroom. I grabbed the book off my bedside table and started back to the door.

I was about to leave when I realized the door was now closed. I looked around. Nothing else looked different. I grabbed the bat by the door and held it up. "Nathan? Is that you?" I yelled, hoping whoever it was would unveil themselves. "Brooke? Lucas?"

"Sorry, Hun, but I'm not any of those people."

I turned to see Chris Keller staring back at me. "What are you doing here? Why are you hiding in my apartment?"

He smiled. "Well, you wouldn't listen to Chris Keller with everyone around so Chris Keller followed you here to talk," he explained.

I mentally rolled my eyes at his third person. "Why can't you use the words 'I or me'? They're very simple and easier to say then Chris Keller."

He frowned. "Sit down, Haley. We have to talk." I shook my head. "I said, sit down, Haley! We're going to talk whether you like it or not!"

I shook my head again and he started towards me. I threw the bat at him and quickly opened the door, running outside. I turned to see if he was following me when I ran into something hard. I fell to the ground with a thud. I looked up. "Nate!"

"Hales, are you okay? I saw Keller coming this way and I wanted to make sure he didn't get to you!" He pulled me up to my feet and hugged me close.

"Nathan, he followed me inside! He's in there right now!" I exclaimed, scared for what he could've done to me.

He pulled back and looked me in the eye. "Stay here." I nodded and he went inside.

NATHAN'S POV

I walked in the already opened door. "Where are you, Keller?" I yelled. He was nowhere to be seen. I looked back at Haley to make sure he hadn't just snuck out a different way to her. She just looked at me, emotionless.

I walked in further, shutting the door so I could hear if he left. "I know you're in here, Keller! We have some unfinished business!" I walked into the kitchen where he was waiting.

"I don't believe you've ever done business with Chris Keller, so how could you have unfinished business with Ch-"

"Don't you ever shut the hell up?" I screamed. I stepped closer, prepared to kick his ass and he held up his hands. "What? You think I'm just gonna stop after I heard what you did to the girl I love?"

He grinned. "So you love her, huh? Like hell you do!" he spat out.

I punched him across the face. As he cradled his cheek, I spoke, "Don't you dare say that I don't love Haley! I think I should be the one saying you never loved Haley! You raped her, you ass! How could you tell someone you loved them and then raped them?"

He stood back up, blood dripping down his face. "She told you I raped her, huh? What a crock of crap! She begged me to fu-"

"Don't you even think about finishing that sentence!" I screamed. "You raped her, you asshole, and now you're gonna pay for it!"

I jumped him, beating him senseless. I just lost it. Every thought I had flew from my mind as I punched his face, arms, chest, and anywhere else I could reach. I don't know what stopped me. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't moving anymore or the screaming I heard.

I turned around to see Luke holding Haley as she cried and Brooke yelling at me. "What are you thinking! You could go to jail for assault, you dumbass!" she said and pulled me off of him.

"It would be worth it! He raped Haley, Brooke. You heard he say that!" I exclaimed.

She threw up her hands. "We all want to hurt him, Nate, but this isn't how you go about it! We have to land him in jail for raping Haley, and I plan on keeping you out of jail in the process!" she fought back and I sighed.

I walked over to Haley, taking her from Luke's arms. She immediately clung to me and I rubbed her back. "I'm sorry, baby. I was doing it for you. I'm sorry you had to see that," I whispered to her.

She pulled back and looked at me with teary eyes. My heart broke at the sight. "You have nothing to apologize for, Nathan. You were only protecting me, and I love you for it," she replied and then held me close again.

HALEY POV

I held Nathan as close to me as possible. Apparently, Nathan had called Lucas when he saw Chris. He was with Brooke and so they rushed over as soon as they could. When we walked in, Nathan was beating Chris to the bloody pulp he is now. I looked down at him and cringed. He was moving now. I pulled back from Nathan and pointed.

"He's moving," I said.

Luke and Nate moved over to him. "Nathan," Brooke warned.

He waved her off. "Don't worry, Brooke," was his reply.

Chris looked around. "What am I doing here? Why does everything hurt so badly?" he groaned and laid down again.

Luke and Nate looked at me and then back to Chris. "You don't remember?" Lucas asked.

"No. What happened?"

"Can you remember who you are?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, Chris Keller ain't stupid!" he replied and we all rolled our eyes. "I just don't remember how I got here and why I'm bleeding."

"Well, you were stalking my girlfriend and I had to kick your sorry ass," Nathan answered his questions through gritted teeth.

Chris sat up, looking at me. "I just wanted to talk to her, man. That's all."

Nate laughed bitterly. "Yeah, right!"

"Seriously Nathan, I just wanted to talk with her," he said. Lucas helped him to stand.

I walked over to him. He looked me in the eyes, pleading with me. I looked at Nathan whose was trying to kill Chris with his burning gaze. "Nate, let me just hear him out, okay?" I said softly.

He looked at me with concern then sighed. "Fine, but Lucas, Brooke and I will just be in the living room. Don't think about touching her, Keller! And if he does, scream for me Hales," he said and left the room, Lucas and Brooke behind him.

I crossed my arms across my chest. "What do you want, Chris? Haven't you ruined my life enough?" I asked, desperately trying to remain calm.

"Haley, stop. Stop blaming me for ruining your life! I think I saved it by leaving you!" he said, holding himself up by leaning against the sink. "You never loved me and I wasn't good for you anymore. Besides, you moved on and even went to talk to Peyton and Larry. I think that I saved you."

I sighed. "Maybe you're right, Chris. Our relationship was going nowhere fast. You were mentally abusive and forced me into having sex with you. You know what, I'm glad you posed your death, cause if you didn't, we'd probably still be together and I'd be miserable. You did save me, Chris Keller. The only thing that could be better is if you really did die," I said and then walked out of the room.

REVIEW PLEASE!