Authors' Note: I know!! I took forever to update. But hopefully this chapter will make up for it. I've probably lost my readers, but I hope that whoever reads this chapter likes it. And I hope whoever reads this chapter reviews as well. So on with the story I guess… (PS. Further A/N at the end)…….

Part 3

The Heart, defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary; A hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood.

"Scalpel."

The upper thorax of Nathan Scott's body lay open for all to see as a burgundy coloured liquid, also known as blood, oozed in various different directions. His ever weakening heart, lay throbbing meekly amongst several surrounding veins and arteries. The mood was grim and the surgeons around him were quiet for the most part, focusing on the task at hand; saving his life.

"Scott tears down the court with ten seconds on the clock. Will he make it?" Mouth McFadden yelled into his microphone as the audience rose concurrently to witness the ending of a great championship. After successfully dodging two opponents, Nathan made it to the three point line. It was a simple shot; one he had made countless time before.

So why then, did he pause? As the spectators held their breaths, Nathan could feel his heart shake inside of him. The pulse in his neck raced to speeds unheard of and he could feel his chest thumping loudly as he heaved for fresh oxygen. It was as if a noose had been attached to Nathan's neck. His eyes widened in terror and he was desperate for help. But his mouth went dry and his tongue refused to spring into action. Then, glancing to the corner of the room he saw Haley.

'Believing you'll do well is half the battle….'

Taking calming breaths, he closed his eyes and saw his father. He was why he was standing here on the three point line. Dan Scott was the reason Nathan was at the three point line of the final game of the State Championships and Nathan knew he had to win if there was any sliver of hope left that his father would be proud of him.

And with the hope came a flood of oxygen. His lungs filled with the gas and Nathan could feel his heart's vibrations begin to recede. The muscles in his body thawed and his state of panic seeped away.

Taking a deep breath, he flicked his wrists, releasing the ball from his trembling hands. It sailed effortlessly in to the net just before the buzzer sounded. The Tree Hill Ravens had won the State Championships! His sparkling sapphire eyes could see blue and white pompoms thrown in the air as the cheerleading team made their way onto the court. Sweaty men in Ravens jerseys engulfed him in hugs, words of praise endlessly flowing from their mouths. Whistles and cheers could be heard echoing off the walls of the court.

And in that moment he felt like a true hero. In that moment he understood that life was meant for him to live. Life was a gift given to him to cherish forever. For almost seventeen years Nathan had lived his life in the hope that his parents would be proud of him, in the hope of his parents acknowledging his presence. Sometimes he thought he was being naïve, but he couldn't help but feel the loss of a family. He often wondered why Lucas never felt the same. But right then, standing on a basketball court, moments after he had scored the winning shot, it dawned on him that he was given life to live it for himself and no-one else.

Well… maybe one other person. He inhaled the scent of her golden hair as she flung her arms around his neck.

"You did great!" she whispered in his ear, her eyes shining with pride. It was then that Nathan Scott fell completely and hopelessly in love with Haley James. But he couldn't. Not until he knew what was wrong. What happened earlier was not normal. And Nathan wasn't going to forget that anytime soon. So, he put on brave face and pretended to be overjoyed when in truth, he was anything but. He knew that living for himself would only happen if there was a life to live.

Throughout the night Nathan dwelled on the moment before he made the winning shot. He was Tree Hill's hero and he played the part fantastically. His face lit up at the right moments, his smiles were toothy, but not overdone and even Haley didn't suspect a thing.

He was a hit at the after party too, faking his usual spark. The momentary pause before the winning shot was excused as 'nerves'. And as much as wanted to believe that, he couldn't. He had felt that exact same feeling before. Twice before. Most would forget this game, over time their victory would be insignificant but for Nathan Scott, this game would be remembered as the day he gained and lost his life.

"The Pericardium."

The sharp blade sliced through the membranous sac that sheltered Nathan's throbbing heart. As blood gushed through the veins and arteries that were seemingly strewn around the thorax, the heart laid beating amidst the chaos that surrounded it. Tired muscles pumped furiously, begging for a few moments rest but ever resilient in its fight against death.

It had been days since the final game of the State Championships and Nathan was sitting in a stark white room, a cool needle had been thrust into his tanned skin and through the muscle where his warm blood was being taken from.

"Just a moment," the nurse flashed him a kind smile before completing the blood test and sending him to have his ECG.

And as he walked through the corridors of the fast paced hospital in downtown Charlotte, Nathan wondered what his future would bring. Would it lead to the end of his basketball career like that of the many prodigious athletes on the floor above in physiotherapy? Would he live to play in the NBA? Or would he just shrivel up and die at the age of seventeen? The answers to these questions all depended on what a machine and a bunch of doctors said.

And as he lay on a bed, his chest connected to ten sticky electrodes, machines beeping around him, he thought of her. His angel. Haley James. She had won his heart the first day they met, when they were five, over the fence of their neighboring backyards. His love for her had only grown over the years they knew each other. He would laugh at her quirky comments and he would smirk at her inability to stop drooling every time they watched 'Speed'. 'Keanu Reeves my heartthrob!' he would mimic in a high pitched voice while she rolled her eyes at his immaturity. And the thought of never telling her of his feelings was a burden on his shoulders he wasn't prepared to deal with. The thought of not being with her every waking moment of the day was a sin in his mind. But according to Dr. Burke, his heart had other matters to attend to first.

Days later he would reflect on how this was the day his heart had truly been pierced. It was on this day that he learned that the blood in his heart was literally flowing backwards.

"You have what we call aortic regurgitation or aortic insufficiency. The good news is that we can perform surgery on your heart. During the surgery a team of ……." But the doctor's speech was sharply cut by Nathan's icy voice,

"I need to get out of here."

"Mr. Scott, my advice is that it would be best if you stayed here while we assess what the best treatment would be for you."

"I don't want to stay here and you can't force me to. So if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving." And with that said, Nathan pushed past Dr. Burke.

But it was that night that Nathan's heart was pierced once again. Haley James, the love of his life, discovered the letter confirming his illness. It was that night that they stood under stars on the hard ground of the Rivercourt with the rain pouring down from the worlds above and declared their love for one another. And it was the very same night in which the hopes and desires of an epic love had been brutally extinguished.

"A Frozen Heart."

Nathan Scott lay on a surgical table, the medical staff surrounding him were in utter silence. The once weary heart lay frozen amongst the pooling blood. The only sound resonating through the operating room was that of the ominous beep of the bypass machine. The medical interns watching through the glass window above had jumped to their feet and were staring intently, waiting. Everyone was waiting. Waiting for the surgeon's next move.

For years, Nathan had lived without the warmth and love of his parents and for years, he hadn't cared. He still didn't. All he wanted was basketball. And that's what he focused on for the better part of his life, save for when he was with three pesky, irritating people. People who could reach his heart and give it a little squeeze every time they felt him slipping away into the depths of torpidity. And it was the love of these three people that made him turn around and give living a second chance.

When Haley found out about Nathan's refusal of treatment, she went hysterical with grief. However, after much debating with Haley, Lucas and Brooke, he accepted the fact that he should give his life a second chance. In truth, Nathan agreed to the surgery because he felt he owed it to his family, Lucas, Brooke and Haley. He felt he owed them for the love they had given him.

And so Nathan Scott lay on a steel surgical table, a team of specialist surgeons and nurses surrounding him with the burden of his life in their hands. They worked mostly in silence as they systematically cut his body open. And as they did so, Nathan lay, sedated, comfortable, awaiting the future. Outside this operating theatre several patients were being wheeled in from various incidents, loved ones anxiously paced the corridors and waiting room of the hospitals and three eighteen year olds sat. They sat with their heads hung low and their hearts pounding.

"Tragedy."

The operating theatre was in silence. The surgeon's deep voice was quiet. He spoke with simple words; there was no clash of thunder, there was no flash of lightning and his voice didn't echo through the theatre. He simply spoke, his voice void of emotion.

"Time of death, three fifty two am."

Twenty minutes later, a scream could be heard resonating through the corridors of the hospital. Two heartbroken teenagers stood choking on air as the third fell to the floor in agony.

"Last Moments."

Nathan Scott had breathed his last breaths and left the earth as Haley James knew it. Until that night, weeks after his death, a gust of early autumn blew through her window as she lay wide awake, etching every memory of him into her heart so that she forgot. So that she never forgot who he was, what he looked like, what he smelt like……what he loved like.

Dance to the rhythm of your heart,

Sing to the rhythm of your heart,

Love to the rhythm of your heart.

For the rhythm of your heart will forever sing my melody.

And as the flurry of wind faded away, a tear drop fell from Haley's auburn eyes. And at that exact moment, a tear drop fell from Nathan Scott's heart.

The Heart; defined by Nathan Scott;

The heart is a fragile organ, a vulnerable organ, eternally aching for the hold of it's true soul mate. The heart is a fragile organ, a vulnerable organ, an organ that ought to be cared and loved for, for eternity.

Authors' Note:

Well, that's it. The penultimate chapter. I know this chapter focused mainly on Nathan, but that's how I intended. The next and final chapter will be more about the couple than anything else. PLEASE REVIEW!!!