And here's the second chapter. Hope this will hold you till next Thursday! Leave me awesome reviews to come back to!


Chapter 16

Nathan walked up the steps to Haley's that night eager to hear what she had found that could get him out of the wrath of Dan Scott. Things had gone from bad to worse with him lately and he wanted was an out. It didn't matter how many time he and his mom changed the keys to the house, or how hard he tried to avoid him, his dad was always around; there was no way to get around him… until now. Maybe just maybe Haley had found something that would finally set him free. He rang the doorbell, hoping Haley would enter the door but instead Taylor greeted him.

"Why hello."

"Um, hi," he said trying to avoid the fact that she was looking him up and down.

"Nathan right?"

"Yeah," he said coldly. "Is Haley home?"

"She's upstairs. Need me to show you in?" She stated seductively placing a hand on his forearm.

"Um, no," He said, attempting to pull his arm away, happy to see Haley walk down the stairs.

"Nathan I thought I heard you!" She said smiling brightly before turning to scowl at her sister. "Tay, step back from the teenage boy."

"Retract the claws little sis."

"Retract your hand from his arm and maybe I will."

"Someone's protective," Taylor mumbled as she walked away into the kitchen.

"Sorry about her," Haley said as she led Nathan upstairs. "She needs to be put on a leash… have you ever seen the movie 'Click'?"

"Yeah, I just saw it."

"Well you know the dog and how it always humps the big fluffy duck?"

"Haha, yeah that was pretty funny."

"Yeah well in my life Taylor's the dog and whatever guy is in my life is the duck," she said jokingly, though there was slight edge of pain to her tone.

"Haley…" Nathan began sounding concerned.

"Nathan lighten up it was a joke."

"Well, it wasn't that funny."

"Look, I'm trying to move on here Nathan. And if cracking jokes about my sister's habits that ultimately led to me being screwed over and unable to trust makes me feel better, then that's what I'm going to do. It helps me cope with the pain."

"Alright… but I want you to know something."

"Yeah?"

"I would never do that to you. You know, cheat on you or screw you ever. Not that we're dating or anything but-"

"I know what you mean Nathan. And thanks," she said putting her hand on his shoulder and giving it a little squeeze. The room fell silent for a minute, until Haley decided to break it. "Okay so anyway, the reason I called you over… I've been doing some research, you know using my inner 'tutor girl' as your kind friend Peyton deemed me and I think I've found a way for you to get away from you dad."

"Yeah, yeah. What is it? And sorry about Peyton."

"Well, I looked into a restraining order, but nothing that viable would support that so then I went and found something else…" she said pausing for a moment.

"Hales will just get to what it is! You're dramatic pauses are driving me crazy. It's not like we're on some teen melodrama or anything!"

"Geez, someone's antsy. So anyway… I found something called emancipation."

"Um, Hales. I'm not like, chained up as a slave in my own home."

"Nathan," Haley said looking confused. "What the hell are you taking about?"

"You said emancipation. You know, Emancipation Proclamation with Abe Lincoln and the slaves."

"Wow. I'm speechless," she stated giving him a shocked look as she began to laugh. "Nathan, being emancipation has the same concept as your beloved Emancipation Proclamation but it's totally different. Emancipation just means that you separate yourself way from your parents and are no longer bound by their authority legally."

"Oh. Wow, I feel like an idiot."

"Eh, it's okay, I've gotten used to it by now," she said jokingly.

"Thanks Hales. You really know how to help a man's pride."

"I try my best. So anyway, back to the emancipation. You'd have to go before a judge and explain to them your situation. The lack of a mother figure since she's always away and your dad's bad habits will most likely be sufficient enough to prove an emancipation is appropriate, the other part is showing the judge you can handle yourself on your own."

"Wait you mean if I get emancipated then I would basically be living on my own?"

"Well yeah. You'd have to get a job to show the judge you can provide money for yourself and that you're responsible first, but after that you'd be on your own."

"Oh," he stated solemnly.

"You know Nathan it's only an idea. You don't actually have to do this. I was just you know giving you some options," Haley said sensing his distress.

"I know, I know. And I lo- thank you for doing that, but I don't know. I guess I was caught off guard. I've always wanted to live on my own you know since I basically already do. But I guess I never thought I'd ever actually have the chance to. And now well, I do. And I'm not going to lie, it scares me."

"Nathan, you don't have to be scared. And you won't be alone. You have Lucas, the guys and well, me. Believe it or not I can actually be quite the person to lean on too, contrary to my breakdowns whenever I have a problem," Haley stated, looking into his eyes as Nathan chuckled at her. "And besides, you don't have to do this. It's just an option."

"But I want to. I want to get away from my dad. I'm sick of feeling like shit over a stupid game, being forced to do things to live up to the Dan Scott pedigree instead of because it's what I want to do. I'm over it, and now I've just got to step up. And I will. I'm Nathan Scott. I'm stepping up. And I'm becoming emancipated!" He said jumping up in enthusiasm.

"Hells yes!" Haley exclaimed cheering her friend on.

"But uh, Hales?" He said, his expression getting a little confused.

"Yeah?"

"How do I get the ball rolling on this?" Nathan said laughing at himself.

"You fill out these papers, and lucky for you I've got a pen and a desk graciously waiting for your use," she said smiling, pointing at the desk.

"You really are a tutor girl aren't you?" Nathan asked smirking as he walked over to the desk

"Well if the shoe fits!" She said taking a seat on her bed watching him fill the papers out. All was well until he reached the last page.

"Uh, Hales?"

"Yeah Nathan."

"This says that I need to get at least one of my parents signature."

"Oh."

"And well, I can probably guilt my mom into is, but she's away on business till who knows when. And well, you know my dad. He is all about control and will definitely not go for this."

"Snap. That's a Debbie Downer! I'm sure we can find a way around this," she said, racking her brain for a solution. And that's when she found one; the devious side of the James family seeping through her brain. "Nathan I have an idea. It's totally messed up, but it could get your dad to sign the papers if all else fails."

"Haley James, what have you schemed up in your mind?"

"Lucas."

"What?"

"Well, you know what you told me about Lucas. You could use that against Dan. Threaten to tell Lucas if he doesn't sign the papers."

"I don't know Haley. Something like that could hurt Lucas and his parents just as much as Dan. Not to mention me."

"You're right, but just think. Would Dan Scott really want something like that seeping out to ruin his reputation?"

"You do have a point there."

"And I'm not saying using this to your advantage is right, but I'm saying it'll get the job done. And it's not like you're actually going to tell Lucas or anything."

"You're right. And besides, to beat Dan Scott you got to level with him. I'm going to have to stoop to his level as much as it makes me cringe."

"As sad as it is to say it, you're right. But let's hope he'll just sign it without a problem."

"Who knew Haley James was such the con-artist?"

"I'm no con-artist! I'm just helping a lo-friend in need."

"That you are, and from the way my life goes. I'm going to need all the help I can get," he said getting up from his chair and wrapping an arm around her.

"Me too, buddy. Me too. You and me we're like, Joey and Dawson. Always leaning on each other."

"Wow, you watch way too much TV. And didn't those two end up being lovers?"

"Well yeah," Haley said blushing, ignoring the fact that that'd already crossed through her mind, "but that besides the point."

"Well, I guess I should get going. You know, try and figure out a way to approach my dad about all this," he sighed, getting up from his seated position on the bed and placing his hands on either shoulder.

"Thank you Hales," he muttered, looking down at her heart shaped face. There were wisps of hair outlining it after having fallen from her messy bun. She was looking up at him, a smile on her face.

"You're welcome Nathan. I'm just helping you," Haley stated, looking deep into his blue eyes.

"And I'm just protecting you. Always and forever right?"

"Always and forever," she said, a smirk forming across her face.

"Bye Hales," he stated emphasizing the newfound nickname and coming down to envelope her in a hug. He could just have easily given her a kiss on the forehead, like he wanted too, but it was too soon. They had yet to declare their feelings for each other, even though to all it was obvious, and their last kiss was still unspoken of. So, instead he settled for a hug before exiting her room and walking out to his car.

After a couple of minutes of laying on her bed reveling in the feeling of Nathan holding her and taken in the smell of his cologne still fresh in the air Haley decided to go down to the kitchen and get something to eat. She searched the cabinets, which contained basically nothing, and finally chose to have some macaroni and cheese.

"Macaroni and cheese again?" she heard a voice say as it entered the kitchen.

"The food of the gods never gets old Tay," Haley stated coldly as she pushed herself up to take a seat on the counter.

"I thought you said before that you were retracting the claws."

"I said I might if you got your hands off Nathan."

"And I'm guessing you decided not to?" Taylor inquired as she moved to lean against the counter next to Haley.

"Thank you captain obvious. I see my sister touching my boy- friend who is a boy, and who means a lot to me. The same sister who last time I saw touching someone I love was in a way that made me want to burn my eyes out, and you expect me not to be mad?"

"Haley I meant no harm by it, I was just trying to open your eyes."

"Open my eyes? To what? The fact you can't be trusted."

"I was going to say to the fact that you like Nathan."

"Of course I do, as a friend."

"I don't know about you, but I don't get jealous and in a huff if other girls interact and flirtatiously touch boys I'm just friends with."

"Whatever Taylor. Play your mind games, do whatever. Me and Nathan are just friends," she said grabbing the EasyMac out of the microwave and walking out of the kitchen, but not before Taylor could get her last word in.

"You said love Haley. 'The same sister who last time I saw touching someone I love…' You should listen to what the back of the mind is telling you little sis. Before it's too late." Haley just looked at Taylor, knowing she was right, and continued upstairs to her room where she became drenched in her thoughts.

a/n: Sooo, how'd you guys like this chapter? No cliffhangers, I know. hehe. And yes, there was some definate Naley chemistry going on. This was basically a chapter of "insight" on both Nathan dealing with his dad, and both of them dealing with those feelings (if you didn't catch it the first time, there were several almost slips of "love" and stuff like that), but still a lot of stuff went down. Let me know what you think, especially about the using Lucas to get Dan to sign the papers. Like, if I did that would you look at Nathan badly? That's my only fear that if I choose to have Nathan use Lucas to get Dan to sign that you'll think of Nathan as shall we say.. "lesser." Because I don't want that to happen, he's not the bad guy... so let me know what you guys think. Leave reviews because they're awesome to read and I love your input!