Author note: Hey Guys, Here is Nathan… I know you all expected it. LOL Thanks for the great reviews. You've put a big smile on my face. Don't forget to review this one. Thanks for your kind words and support. Take care, Steffy

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3 Days later.

Tree Hill, North Carolina

Nathan was flying to Dallas from Tree Hill because he decided to spend a day where he grew up before starting fresh in the NBA. There is only One Tree Hill his Aunt Karen said on the phone to him about a month ago. He finally decided to give up on Haley. He was heartbroken to do that but he knew that the chances of finding her were slimmer than ever. He felt his heart break. He was still a husband and he was a dad too. How could Haley cut him out of his child's life?

Even the private investigator his mother paid 6 months for didn't succeed in finding Haley. You know Mr. Scott it's almost impossible to find someone who doesn't want to be found. He told Nathan when the private investigator decided to give up.

Nathan parked his car in front of the building he had lived in with Haley. He sighed it was only 5 years ago but it seems like another lifetime. He thought sadly. How could I let her walk away, let her leave without trace?! He added angrily.

For the last four years at Duke, Nathan never stopped believing that Haley would finally come back home. He used all the pain and anger he was feeling to play basketball and he played better than ever. Actually anger is the best fuel for a sport!! He thought sarcastically.

Nathan hadn't talked to his father since the day he learned about Haley's pregnancy. He knew that it really wasn't his father's fault that Haley left but he also knew that his father's influence did play an important role in the man he had become.

Nathan drove his car to the beach where he married Haley the first time. He took a big cardboard box from the truck, lit a fire and sat. He opened the box, which contained 567 letters all addressed to Haley and his child. He wrote the first letter the day after Haley ran away and he wrote the last one 3 days ago when the Dallas Mavericks drafted him.

Nathan opened the first letter and read it.

Haley,

My first and only love,

I never thought I would have to write this letter once in my life.

I can't breath since you left me.

Please come back to me.

Honey I never thought I would lose you because you loved me enough for the both of us.

But I treated you wrong I admit it. I shouldn't have put my dreams before yours.

Now I only have one dream and it's being with you, whether it's Stanford, Duke or even the factory I don't care as long as you are by my side. There is nothing I wouldn't sacrifice to kiss your lips again.

You're all I want… you're all I need; you're everything to me.

There is nothing I wouldn't do for you if you accept me back in your life and in your heart.

We're meant to be together, you and me it's « Always and forever ». It can't die.

I just have one more thing to add Haley I LOVE YOU please Love me too.

Tears started to fall down Nathan's cheeks. "How stupid was I?" He said out loud. "She's better off with Lucas."

Nathan wanted to throw the letter in the fire and watch it burn but he couldn't. He put it back in the box and took out the last letter he wrote.

Haley,

This is the last letter I'll ever write to you. I'm convinced now, maybe since day one that you would never come back to me.

You're still the love of my life, I understand now the meaning of true and everlasting love but I guess you didn't love me as much as I loved you and still am.

I finally stopped believing in us and this breaks my heart.

You know we say that hope is all that remains when you lose everything and it's true.

I finally made it Haley! I'm finally going to play in the NBA but it doesn't mean as much as I thought it would…not without you by my side.

Not without the proud and joy I used to see in your eyes when I was accomplishing something.

What hurts the most is imaging what could have been if I had said all the things I had to say before you walked away.

I hope our child grows up to be a good person…I'm sure he / she will.

Just so you know I love our child more than you can even imagine. I see him/her grow up through Lily.

I sadly realized not long ago that I was not the one for you and that you could live without me.

I can't understand how you could cut me out of my child's life without leaving me the choice but I'm trying to convince myself that you did it because you thought I didn't want a child and not because you stopped loving me.

You left me almost five years ago…do you ever think about me? Do you still love me?

Always and forever, at least for me.

Your husband

Nathan

Nathan stopped reading for a while and laughed sarcastically. "I'm sure Lucas is a terrific father." He added angrily not really knowing who he was angry at.

Nathan looked back and forth from the fire to the letters. He couldn't burn them. There was still a small part of him that thought he would see Haley again. We're destined to be, fate has to bring us back together.

Nathan screamed. "Stop you pathetic moron! You want a clear cut!! You need a clear cut!" He shouted kicking the box full of letters.

A young couple of teenagers were laughing walking his way. When they heard the shouting they stopped laughing and stared passing him.

"What?" Nathan shouted furious. The young couple continued walking ignoring him.

"Don't fall in love with her man! And if you do god help you. She is going to rip your heart out of your chest and then she will leave you!!" Said Nathan yelling at them. "She will make you believe that love exists before taking it away from you! Women are evil!!!" He added sitting back on the beach sobbing. I hate you Hales!! He thought. And I hate myself for loving you!!

Nathan took the box and finally threw it into the fire. He watched all the letters burn, all his pleads for Haley to come back to him. His illusions, dreams and hope were disappearing at the same rate as the letters were burning.

Once the letters finally burned out, Nathan decided to go visit his uncle Keith and his Aunt Karen for the last time. In fact, Nathan decided not to set a foot in Tree Hill again.

It might have been his home but it was also the place where he spent his time waiting for a second chance that never came. I just want to find peace again thought Nathan parking his old Honda in front of Keith and Karen 's house.

Lily recognized Nathan's car and ran out to jump into his arms.

"Uncle Nate!!" She said kissing his cheek loudly. "Mommy told me you're going far away to Texas," She added pouting. "I won't see you almost every week anymore." She added with sad voice.

"No you won't sweetie." Said Nathan with emotion walking in the house. He was coming home almost every weekend when he didn't have a match. He wanted to be a part of Lily's life to compensate in some way of not being a part of his own child life. "But I love you princess, you know that right?"

Lily nodded. "I love you too."

"I know you do." Said Nathan with a big smile kissing her forehead. "I might be far away but you'll still be with me all the time in here." He said putting a hand on his heart. "And I'll always be in Tree Hill with you in here." He added putting his hand on her small chest.

"I guess…" Said Lily pouting.

Her face made Nathan, Karen and Keith laugh.

"You're too smart you know that?" Nathan asked putting her on the floor. "You can still come visit me in Dallas. I'm sure Daddy would be thrilled to be able to have great seats in a NBA game for free" added Nathan winking at Keith.

"You bet I would!!" Said Keith laughing.

"I came to say goodbye." Said Nathan somber now. "I want to start my new life now. "

Karen came and hugged him. "I'm sorry Nate. I'm sorry for everything." She said sadly. She thought that Haley would come back to Nathan too and was surprised that she never did.

"I'm fine now." Said Nathan lying.

Karen nodded even if she knew that he was lying.

"I'm taking the plane tonight. I'm really excited to be a part of the Mavericks you know." He added sincerely.

Keith hugged Nathan. "You're a good kid Nate. You've made some mistake but we all do." He said looking into Nathan's eyes. "You just didn't have a chance to get things right but you deserve the best." Added Keith sincerely with a nice voice. "Go to Dallas and conquer the place."

"Thanks Uncle Keith" said Nathan with emotion.Life would have been so different if Keith would have been my dad! He thought shaking his head.

Nathan kneeled and opened his arms widely. "Come on Lily... Give me a big kiss". Said Nathan emotionally. I'm going to miss her so much!! He thought realizing the big place the little girl had taken in his life.

Lily ran into his arms. "I'm going to miss you Uncle Nate." She said tightening her arms around his.

"I'm going to miss you too princess…. more than you'll ever now." He added trying to fight back the tears.

Nathan left his car at the house since Keith was driving him to the airport.

"Texas here I come!!" Said Nathan sitting in the plane.

-------------------------------------------Dallas, Texas------------------------

"Please Theresa tell me you are joking?" Shouted a young frazzled woman. "I…. I think I'm going to have a stroke." She added sitting down at her desk.

"Calm down Ms. Frederickson. It's not that bad." Said Theresa trying to calm down her boss.

"Yeah… That's just fine!!" Said Ms. Frederickson sarcastically. "The new star player of the Mavericks is in Houston without any correspondence for Dallas. I'm so going to be fired!!" She added with tears in her eyes.

"No you won't Steph. Don't worry..." Said Greg coming into her office.

"How do you know huh? You're just a player!" She added aggressively.

Greg looked hurt and Stephanie could see that in his eyes.

"I…I'm sorry for placing my anger on you." She said sincerely. "It's just that I should have double checked the availabilities when Mr. Scott wanted to change his plane to arrive 2 days early and…. and I didn't do it! I'm the lawyer and the manager of a major basketball team at only 26!!" She added having trouble breathing. "The boss gave me the job because you're my brother Greg. I don't want to screw it up."

Greg walked up to her and pulled her into a bear hug.

Theresa decided to go back to her desk as Stephanie Frederickson assistant in order to leave the siblings some intimacy.

"I'll go to Houston and pick him up." Said Greg nicely still keeping his sister tightly in his arms. "The Boss doesn't even need to know about it. Reserve a room for him in a hotel there and I'll pick him up in the morning."

Stephanie looked at her brother her eyes full of hope. "You would do that for me?" She asked in a baby voice.

Greg started to laugh. "I would do anything for my big sister!" He said even if he was only 18 months younger than her. "Plus just so you know I'm a good player but I'm not THAT great!! The boss gave you the job based on your merits!!" Greg loosened his embrace and sat down. "Maybe it helped that I knew you so I could put your resume on top but believe me he was impressed by you."

He saw that Stephanie was not convinced.

"Come on girl!! You're fluent in 4 languages! You graduated from University at 19!! You had a PHD by the time you reached 23!!" Said Greg stating the evidence. "He didn't do me a favor! I made him one by introducing him to my lovely sister!"

Stephanie started to laugh. Her brother always knew the best ways to cheer her up.

"Huh… Excuse me to bother you but…" Said Theresa really uncomfortable.

"Yeah?" Said Stephanie still smiling.

"Ummmm…Mr. Scott just called and…"

Stephanie ran behind her desk. "Well…put him through!!" She said impatiently.

"I can't do that," said Theresa with a small voice. "He…He just called for a minute. He said not to worry that he is happy to drive to Dallas and that he just rented a car. He said he got your cell phone number and that he'll call you tonight about his hotel room."

"I…. Thank you" Said Stephanie falling back on her chair. I'm so screwed. She thought

"Don't worry I'll talk to him at the meeting tomorrow night. Nobody needs to know." Said Greg on a confident tone. "You're the best lawyer ever and the whole team says that!" Said Greg honestly. "They call you « God » did you know that?"

Stephanie frowned surprised. "Huh?"

"Yeah!!" Said Greg laughing. "They say you're the lawyer, their best friend, their confident, their dude…everything they need."

"Well...I try my best." She said blushing at the compliment. "Kelly is going to be so pissed when I tell her that." Said Stephanie joking. She was really pleased that her brother was about to marry her because she really liked Kelly and already considered her as a sister.

"I bet she will be!! Hell I'm even jealous myself! You used to be that just for me and now you're like that for about 12 guys!!" He added laughing but he was only half joking.

"Awww... But you're my all time favorite and you know that!" She said kissing his cheek. "You better go now cuz I've still got some work to do. We can't all be professional basketball players." She added with a wink.

"You hurt me!!" Said Greg in mock hurt leaving her office.

Stephanie shook her head. What a doofus! She thought laughing.