AN: Thanks for the awesome reviews to: gubercootichunks, chelle2911, AngelLuva, Nathanlvr, OTH.daddy'sgurl.06, pam211, mistydm, Naleylovin'Princess, and Hera Agathon! Here we go for the final chapter of Our Little Corner of the Universe!

Chapter 30

Friends. Family. Love. The three things people say they can't live without. The three essentials in life. But when you think about it, aren't they the same thing? Friends and Family are those that you Love, right? Those that are dear to you, close to you, that you surround yourself with. Some people may even be lucky enough to find these three things in only one person. One human being whom they are best friends with, who has become their family, and whom they love. Someone who is lucky to find that, is bound to never let it go.

The next day, Nathan and Haley acted particularly normal. As if that last week or so had not passed. Haley didn't feel like talking about her parents, and she didn't feel like she needed to. She had reached a new level of forgetting about them. Of course she could never forget about them completely, and they would probably reappear in her life sooner or later. But she was over it. She knew where she belonged and that she had made the right decision.

"You two are acting sickeningly sweet," Peyton remarked as soon as they entered hand in hand in the school. She wasn't surprised, no one really was. They knew it wasn't going to take long for them to find each other once again.

Nathan looked down adoringly at Haley and shrugged, "Yeah, I guess," He said casually, offering no additional information. He bent down and kissed Haley on the lips. "I got to go to class, see you later." Haley nodded and whispered a good-bye.

"Tutorgirl, could you be blushing any more? Wow, was the make-up sex that good?" Brooke asked jokingly. She couldn't contain her happiness that Nathan and Haley were finally back together. In fact, the whole gang was pretty much down the whole time they were apart, they just didn't really function correctly without Nathan and Haley happily together.

"Shut up," Haley said blushing even more and turning her attention to her locker. The girls got on either side of her and waited. "And... yes, it was," Haley admitted still keeping her focus on her books.

Brooke squealed and Peyton laughed. Haley couldn't help but smile. There would probably never be a moment in the near future, when she would not be smiling. It just didn't seem like an option. When she was so lucky and so happy and so in love, why waste any time not smiling?

---

Haley, standing outside of the school building, waiting for Nathan in the parking lot, felt her eyes being covered by someone's hand and being turned around and kissed right there.

"Hey you," Haley said when Nathan pulled away.

"Hey you," Nathan repeated and dipped in to kiss her once more, loving the feeling. It had been to long... OK, so only since lunch, which they had spent pretty much the whole time making out in the hall way. His heart felt full when he was with Haley. And when he was kissing her even more so. But when they were apart, a piece of his heart, maybe even the whole thing, was missing. But to have gained it back, was the best feeling there was.

"I'm tired, let's go home," Haley exclaimed when they had pulled apart.

"Well, I can drop you off, but I've got work," Nathan said, sad that he couldn't spend the rest of the day with her. That's right, Haley told herself. She had forgotten about work. She should probably start working again too. And the funny thing was, she was kind of excited about it.

Haley pouted, "Okay, I'll wait up till you get back, then we can have dinner or something," She suggested.

"Sounds great," Nathan said as they got into the car and drove off.

---

The second Haley heard footsteps outside, she shot up and ran to the door. It was about nine o'clock and she was missing Nathan like crazy. She tried watching TV, doing homework, listening to music, but nothing could distract her.

Right when Nathan was about to put his key in the lock the door swung open at full speed, surprising Nathan so that he jumped back in shock. Haley had to stop herself from laughing.

"Sorry," She mumbled. Nathan smirked. She was just so cute.

"It's OK, babe, I was eager to see you too," He admitted, coming inside, "In fact, I couldn't keep my mind off you the whole time I was working," He added.

Haley blushed and smiled. The things he said... How did she deserve him? "So, do you want to go out to dinner?" She suggested.

"Yeah, let's go."

---

"Nate, where are we going, this is not the way to Karen's," Haley noticed. They were going in the exact opposite direction.

"I know. We're not going to Karen's." He said.

"Why not?" Haley asked, a little disappointed. They always went to Karen's. Plus it would be an opportunity to ask Karen about getting her job back.

"Just.. because..." He said vaguely, keeping his gaze straight ahead. Hm, something was going on here, Haley told herself.

"Well, where are we going?" Haley asked suspiciously.

"Don't you trust me?" Nathan asked, smirking and looking over at her. Haley didn't answer him. Of course she trusted him. She was just hungry.

---

Haley was beginning to recognize where they were going. A smile crept on her face and she suddenly got really excited. But none of that compared to the emotions that overpowered her once Nathan parked the car and led them to their destination. Of course, he had driven them to the one, the only, Echo Park.

Although on any average day it did not look the same. Tonight it was special. Tonight it was illuminated by candle light. Tonight there was a small table, just big enough for two, wrapped in a beautiful white tablecloth, in the middle of the park. Tonight it was breathtaking.

"Oh," Haley gasped when everything sank in. "Wow," was all she could say. Nathan walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Do you-"

"I love it," Haley said before Nathan could finish his sentence. Nathan looked satisfied with his work.

"You know, we're supposed to go over there. You don't need to just stand here and stare at it all night," Nathan said mockingly. Haley blushed, and let out an embarrassed laugh and then ran off to the table.

---

Mid-way through their meal, Haley realized that she hadn't even properly thanked Nathan for all of this.

"Nathan, this is incredible," She said, still getting over the shock of it all, "Thank you so much." She said as she walked over to his side of the table and kissing him deeply.

"I don't deserve this," She said as they pulled away.

"What? Hales, of course you do. Hold on a second," He said reaching for something in his pocket, "I was going to wait until later tonight for this, but what the hell, right? Here," He said handing her a small, white envelope.

"What is this?" Haley asked taking it and opening it.

"Read it and find out," Nathan said, his insides jumping around like crazy. But on the outside he remained calm. But he didn't know how much longer he could stay like that. His palms were getting sweaty and his breaths were getting shorter.

Haley opened up the folded piece of paper found in the envelope. Curiously, she read the note:

Hales,

I have not had the time to rehearse

But I feel it in your kiss

Here at our little corner of the universe

I would like to ask you this...

Haley looked up from the note to find Nathan kneeling in front of her on one knee. Wow, she thought, it almost looks like he's going to-

She gasped, and her hand automatically came up to her mouth. Her eyes were wide, and her heart racing.

"Nathan-"

"Hales, listen to me," Nathan said, his hands were shaking but his voice was steady. He was ready.

"But, Nathan-"

"I could love you forever," He said, "You make me the happiest man alive, and the sooner I can be the closest to you ever, the better. I don't want to ever lose you-"

"You won't-"

"Marry me," He said simply, holding out his hand for her to take. He didn't have a ring. As sorry as he was, he couldn't afford one. But he knew that superficial things like that didn't interest Haley. It was all really the same. He was just giving himself to her. But would she take him?

He was. He said it. He proposed. What now? What was there to do now? An answer might be a good idea... But what answer? Haley mind was spinning and she didn't know how much longer she would even be able to stand on her own two feet.

"Nathan, we're... we're in high school," Haley said.

"So?" Nathan said, throwing the idea over is shoulder as if it didn't make a difference if they were seventeen or if they were thirty. "We're also in love. We're also perfect for each other. And I want to make a commitment. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I want the rest of my life to start now."

"Married," Haley whispered. This was crazy. Insane. Some may say it was even impossible... But then again, isn't that what people said when her and Nathan started going out? Wasn't it them who said that it could never work? And here it was, working. And deep down, Haley knew for a fact that Nathan was the one she was going to spend the rest of her life with. Nathan was right, why couldn't the rest of her life start now?

"I know it sounds like a big step, Hales, because it is. It's not normal for high schoolers to get married, I get that. But I'm not normal. Our relationship isn't normal. What I'm feeling is definitely not normal. Hales, I love you more than anything," He said his voice cracking a little, but he was keeping it together. He had to.

"I know, Nathan, I love you too. So much," Haley said her eyes tearing up a little. Was this really happening?

"So, I'll ask you again," He paused, and swallowed, "Haley James, will you marry me?" He said holding his hand out again, and this time, Haley took all her strength to extend hers out to meet his.

She blinked away the tears, threatening to fall, and smiled, "Yes," She whispered, "Yes," She repeated a little louder this time.

The expression on Nathan's face was worth a thousand dollars, a thousand words. Pure bliss, and happiness and love. The most raw and beautiful emotions written clearly across both their faces and in their smiles. And it was those same emotions that were expressed and the kiss that they shared, passion running through them.

Maybe they would get married the next day. Maybe in the next couple of years. Maybe later they would have kids. Maybe they wouldn't. All that wasn't really of their concern right then. All that mattered was the fact that they were both lucky enough to find their significant other. Their one true person who was their best friend, their family, and their love, all at once.

---

The End

AN: OK, I really hope that you guys liked it! I was really debating with myself whether or not that ending was believable or not, but then I decided 'hey, it happened in the show!' But all the bad stuff won't happen in this story. Just imagine a happily ever after type of thing, lol. I'm a sucker for a happy ending! Anyway, I'm dying to hear what you guys think of this, so please review! Thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed! It has made me unbelievably happy to share this story with you and to hear what you guys think about it, so thank you again! Much Love!

Oh! and please look out two more stories that I'm going to post! One Naley one called Inevitable and one Jeyton one called Simply Because. I'll probably post them next week!