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Chapter 25

It was the day before his court appearance and Nathan was just returning home from basketball practice. His dad of course had shown up, making practice just that much more unbearable, but hopefully after tomorrow he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore because Dan would be cut out of his life for good.

As he walked up the steps to his front door reading the mail he saw that that there was yet another postcard from Haley, just like there had been the past two days when he received the words "Always" and "and". He flipped the postcard over to read what it said.

Nathan,

FOREVER

- Haley

After reading the latest postcard he went upstairs to yet again put them all together. I WISH ALWAYS AND FOREVER. He'd since caught on after the first couple that these little one-letter postcards would end up spelling out some meaningful sentence. He just had no idea what. And it confused him that Haley would send something like this especially since she could easily spill her feelings out into paper. He had expected long letters from her explaining herself… not cryptic postcards. As much as he loved receiving them because they were his only contact with Haley (he still didn't know where she was), he got frustrated at the same time. Wanting to know what they meant and wanting more of an explanation then just a few words. He hoped however, that soon Haley would come back. His court date was tomorrow and he hoped she would be there for him. Something however in the pit of his stomach told him that might not happen.

The next day Nathan anxiously waited for three o'clock to come. It was only about noon and yet he couldn't get his emancipation hearing off his mind. He figured a postcard from Haley would be something to calm him down so after checking the mail for about the nth time that day he finally saw her postcard had came.

Nathan,

WAS

- Haley

As had become his routine, Nathan ran upstairs and put all the postcards side by side. I WISH ALWAYS AND FOREVER WAS. "Was what?" Nathan yelled into the silence. He needed to see her. He needed her. And he prayed to God that she showed up today…

Later that afternoon Nathan sat in the courtroom waiting for his case to be called to the stand. Throughout the cramped courtroom filled with people there for various cases he could see the familiar faces of Lucas, Karen, and Keith, as well as that of Dan. However, much to his dismay Haley was nowhere in sight.

"Nathan Scott please come to the stand," the judge beckoned, ready to start the case. "I spoke with you three weeks ago is that correct?"

"Yes sir," Nathan replied from behind his podium.

"And I gave you those three weeks in between to find a job and show you can keep yourself a stable lifestyle, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, explain to me what you have done to fulfill my requests," the judge continued.

"I have already secured a home, the one a grew up in. My father no longer lives there, the same for my mother so I live there. And as far as finding a job, I work at Karen's Café in Tree Hill. I received the job the same day as my last appearance and have been working there approximately four days a week."

"Do you have any proof of this?"

"Yes, hold on one second," Nathan said as he sorted though his papers before handing something to the judge. "This is the slip from my most current paycheck indicating how many hours I have worked thus far and what I have earned up till now also."

"I see. Now Mr. Scott. While this is a stable job, I'm not sure your pay will be able to cover all the costs of living you will be forced to pay."

"This is not the only money I have to pay for my expenses. My mom has been putting $100 in an account for me every month since I was born. I've had access to this account since I turned sixteen and there is another trust fund made by my mother's father which I can receive one I turn twenty-one. So, as you can see I am financially stable."

"Interesting Mr. Scott," the judge said looking over Nathan's file and contemplating on what to do.

"After looking over your file and your financial stability it seems to me that you are fit for emancipation. My only concern however is how fit a seventeen-year-old male is at keeping his life together on his own. So while I am granting you emancipation, you are also being put under probation for three months. If after those three months we find you in no trouble legally then your emancipation will be finalized and you will be emancipated officially without probation," the judge stated raising his gavel to officially emancipate Nathan and end the hearing.

"Wait!" A voice yelled from the audience before the judge could hit his gavel. Then from the midst of the crowd a tall dark haired man appeared.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Nathan questioned angrily before being brushed off by his father.

"You honor, my son spoke before about having a house to live in. However, once he is emancipated my wife and I have no legal obligation to provide for him, correct?"

"Well, legally no. Ethically…" the judge began before being cut off.

"Well since the house belongs to my wife and I, it would seem that Nathan would no longer have a right to live there if he became emancipated, correct?"

"This is true Mr. Scott," the judge began before being cut off once again.

"Wait!" Someone else yelled from the very back of the room. They had slipped in before unnoticed, hoping to exit just as invisibly but they could not let Dan Scott mess this up for Nathan. And then just as Dan had appeared, a petite girl with auburn hair came to the front of the courtroom.

"Haley," Nathan said in shock, his mouth open.

"Oh look what the cat dragged in," Dan muttered beneath his breath.

"Nice to see you too Mr. Scott," Haley replied as a shocked look came over Dan's face. "Excuse me Judge…"

"Maguire. Judge Maguire," the judge continued for her.

"Judge Maguire my name is Haley James. And I have been helping Nathan along with his emancipation. In getting ready for this I looked at every possibly angle that could refrain him from receiving emancipation, the regards of where he is living being on of them. While Mr. Scott here keep referring to the house as his own, technically it is not. I did some digging and it seems that this house is not even in Dan Scott name but rather a Mr. Joseph Lee, Nathan's grandfather," Haley stated confidently trying to ignore the questioning and shocked stare of Nathan.

"Your honor, the house my be in Joseph's name but that was only because I needed a little help while starting my new life with my family and my own business. Once I earned enough however I paid him back ten fold."

"This is all nice Mr. Scott, the house however is still in Joseph Lee's name. Not yours. You may have been living there but you don't own it," the judge remarked.

"Deb's father died several years ago so it no longer belongs to him anyway. It belongs to my wife. It was left to her in the will."

"Interesting Mr. Scott. Is your wife here today?"

"No she is not."

"And do you know where she can be reached?"

"No I do not."

"I see. So she can't come here and acknowledge the fact that she does not feel Nathan should continue to live in the home."

"That is correct your honor."

"Well then, until she can speak to me and verbally request Nathan to not live there anymore this emancipation can still go through," the judge said smirking at a frustrated looking Dan Scott. Haley in the meantime had found her way back to the darkened corner of the courtroom, waiting to make her quick exit.

"I have an additional request for you Nathan however. Within your three probation months your must find yourself another place to stay so that if for reason your mother revokes your privilege to stay at your current location it won't affect you."

"Yes sir," Nathan replied happily though only half concentrating while the other half of him tries to find Haley.

"Okay then. Court adjourned," he replied hitting down his gavel.

As soon as Nathan heard the crack of the judge's gavel he immediately got up pushing past his dad in search of Haley. However, as he looked throughout the courtroom and then outside, she was nowhere to be found. It was as if just as suddenly as she had came, she'd gone.

Nathan sat on the courtroom steps pondering what had just happened. He was now emancipated. He had no more ties to Dan Scott; no longer had to listen to him anymore. And Haley, the one who helped him start this all had come to see it finish. Where she was now, he only wished he'd known. It was then that a realization came over him. As much of a relief it was to finally be out of the grasp of Dan Scott, it was also a revelation. Because now, for the first time, Nathan Scott felt lost. He thought at the end of this all he'd have Haley told turn to, but now he was just alone. His security blanket was gone and he was left alone.

Nathan Scott was lost.

So as he continued to sit on those steps Nathan said another little prayer, something he rarely ever did, hoping that maybe, sometime soon, Haley James would come back to him. Because then, and only then, could Nathan Scott be found again.

a/n: There you have it. Nathan's emancipated whoo! And Haley came, but is she staying or going to Jersey to visit Quinn for a bit longer? We shall see... Leave reviews and let me know what ya think! Peace & love, Katie