NOTE: Don't hate me for this chapter! That's all I'm saying and already spoiling..

No, I don't have the patience to wait. I'm posting another chapter that was ready. In fact, I have written the 9th yesterday and I already have the 10th in my mind, but I have a gradute course, a job and I'm probably writing this week AND should leave this one to post later, but patience is the virtue I don't have! Lol...

Court, my dear not mute reader, I finally did what I should have done a long time ago! You've probably noticed. Anyway, thanks again for everything, including your opinion on the confession and your decisive answer regarding the conversation. Without you, I'd probably have removed somethings because I think most readers will, against my wish, HATE ME after this chapter!

mistydm, please tell me if Brooke didn't get better after you read the chapter??? Thanks for reading and leaving me feedback!

JJC, there is cleaning!!! Yayyyy... lol...

Naley, once again thanks! I love your feedback, a LOT. I can't say much about the word mistake yet, but you'll see it being frequently said by a certain person the next 2 or 3 chapters and you'll get sick of it.. hehe.. The fact that they were late for dinner, I won't spoil the chapter, but the mystery's going to unfold and be solved as we speak! And Whitey, who doesn't love him??? He rocksss!!!

naleytonforever323, the question's answered now! (and here I go spoiling it again...)  Thanks for the review!!

HJS-NS-23, if you love brave Haley, you'll love this more (or I hope you do!)

TutorGal23, he does, doesn't he? But all in time, girly. Thanks for reading!!

Krizue, like I told Naley, the questions ARE answered soon enough. I'm not killing anyone with the anticipation lol... Thanks for all of your feedback and enjoy this!

Chapter 8

Cleaning does not remove stubborn stains! Unfortunately, the chatty group those teenagers had once been was filled with those. They could mop or sweep for hours, but if no one took the dominating position to lead them to a peaceful environment, it would NEVER happen. There was no such thing as a miracle.

After Haley had articulated her destructive words, the little crowd decided to focus on the task they were there to perform. They needed to put that place back in motion. It was physically exhausting, distressful and required silence, or there would be blood spread all over the place in a matter of an hour, or less.

They were still amazing fighters, but from that comment on, they all had restrained themselves and kept their weapons merely for self-defense, if needed. The muteness was a constant reminder of how out of place things were for them, and yet it was deafening.

"Thank you" and "excuse me" were the only words being often used. Any other sound was produced by the brooms or hammers, or by the bar owner who had shown up twice to check if her remaining booze was still intact and not being consumed by the under-aged inexperienced cleaning patrol.

Around 2 am, after hours of stillness and undergoing the process of recovering the disaster generated by hurricane Dan Scott, Peyton turned the radio on to try to take hers and Brooke's minds off the fact that they were sweating their asses off and doing physical labor, which they detested with all of their forces.

Changing stations she found some music she and Brooke had danced with guys in the remote past, when they had first started going to teenagers parties by the time they were twelve.

Still on her heels not to get her feet cut, holding a broom and a dustpan, she began to sway with her eyes closed.

"Come on, Brooke you HAVE to join me on the dance floor." She joyfully made an offer, and although Brooke laughed at the silliness and horrible attempt to have fun, she still followed Peyton's lead and started to move with her broom as her dance partner.

Leaning the chair he was fixing against the wall and resting his screwdriver on his lap, Nathan was an amused spectator of those girls; he watched them and remembered the million times he'd danced that song at those same parties; Sometimes with one of the two, sometimes with random girls he could barely recognize these days.

As the song went on, Lucas and Haley continued to neglect the current action, maintaining themselves concentrated on what they were doing, but still dreaming about going home to their soft and clean beds. As soon as they finished, they'd be able to make their momentary humble dream come true.

When the song came to an end, Brooke and Peyton ceased moving, but still in the middle of their so called dance floor, they made eye contact, nodded at one another and walked towards the stocked liquor shelves, choosing one of the tequila bottles, grabbing some of the glasses that hadn't been broken and placing it all on the counter.

In the process, they were met by Nathan's angrily piercing stare. Disapproving their idea, he dropped watching them and went back to interact with his oh, so interesting chair.

"Tutor Girl, Broody time for a break!" Brooke commanded as only a mother could do or bossy Ms. Davis herself.

"No breaks are allowed, Brooke." Haley retorted. "Let's get this over with and leave this hell hole. This night's been so long I cling to your promise there will be a dawn."

"Very funny, Tutor Girl." Brooke crinkled her nose at Haley's pessimism.

"No, really! This night's been absurd enough and I have no wish of spending extra minutes that I don't have to in here. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the air is just lacking! I can't really tell why, but I think it's someone's massive ego using most of it. I feel like..." Haley put her hand to her neck as she pretended to be having difficulty the breath "I think--I--I'm going to suffocate any moment." She continued, nastily referring to Nathan, who was obviously upset with her new offensive comment, and still disappointed at her previous one.

"I couldn't have said it better myself, buddy." Lucas agreed, hammering the broken chair in front of him.

"I'm not politely asking you two to take a break." Brooke complained, tapping her feet to the floor.

"Piss off, Brookie!" Haley ordered, anger welling up inside her.

"Tutor Girl please stop, you're frustrating me!" Brooke sniveled. "I have invited you and my cute Broody for my break instead of the dumba$$ over there. You should be happy and say "yes, Tigger, let's PARTY!" Brooke whined, but also made room to make a reference to the excluded one among the group.

"But you better invite him, honey. You DON'T want him to approach you and RIP YOUR HEART OUT SCREAMING YOU'VE MADE A MISTAKE by not including him." Haley sarcastically alerted her friend. She was aware Nathan could be an $$ whenever he was provoked, but the scene at his mother's house wouldn't stop flashing before her eyes and her rage was now out of control.

Lucas laughed hard, tossing his head back. Did his old buddy Haley decide to make another appearance? The last one had taken months to happen, but it had surely happened at her house the day the acceptance letter had arrived.

Was little miss potty-mouth, go to the end of the world to win a battle really back? God, Brooke and Lucas prayed for a positive answer.

"Maybe I don't want him to be a guest of my party, Tutor Girl."

"Party...? Wasn't it just a break?"

"BREAK TO PARTY, Hales. You're so dull sometimes that it makes me wonder how you got..." Brooke blabbed.

"I'll participate of your party, Brooke." Lucas interrupted, anticipating Brooke's possible comment about Haley's confidence regarding Stanford.

"I'm glad." Brooke winked at him before bending down and removing her heels in order to make it easier for her to climb the counter.

"What are you doing?" Peyton watched curiously as Brooke easily positioned herself up there. "This is not the Coyote Ugly bar, Brooke."

"Of course it's not. DUH... There's only one SOB in here and that bar was always full of thoroughly stupid man. Mr. Big Clown covers the basics, but there are still some guys missing." A mild chuckle graced Brooke's lips. "Who knew his dumbness would turn out not to be enough?"

Peyton looked down shaking her head, ashamed of her friend's little speech; Meanwhile, Lucas rooted for Brooke, and for Haley to keep following her example and saying stingy little things to the ones who disturbed her, or in other words, to Nathan.

"So if this is not Coyote Ugly, why are you up there, pretty girl? Are you dancing for me?" Lucas raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Maybe later" She answered seductively. "Right now I'm doing this because I'm going to jump on Haley from up here if she doesn't stop sweeping and give me a minute of her disputed attention. Which one's more attractive, P. Sawyer? The broom, the floor, or Brooke Penelope Davis: Haley's best girlfriend in the world?"

Some of Brooke's words had not yet gotten Haley's attention, but Nathan's. He was staring at Brooke and hoping she was only joking about jumping. They didn't need another person to be taken to the emergency-room that night, and he most certainly didn't need Haley to ever be taken to the hospital.

Unable to suppress her wrath, Haley turned to Brooke's direction with the maddest expression. Dropping her broom to the floor she gave Brooke a priceless challenging look.

"I dare you to jump." Haley defied.

"No, you don't." Brooke replied without being intimidated. "Stop it before you regret it, Haley." Brooke told her strictly.

"She's heavy, Hales." Lucas admonished.

"Thanks, Broody." Brooke mentioned as she used her right feet to kick Lucas in the head.

"Ouch..." He complained, immediately rubbing his hand on the particular place she had kicked.

"Brooke, if I join your abnormal party of four, will you go back to cleaning?"

"I promise." Brooke nodded, grinning as a five year-old does when getting a favorite candy.

"Fine." Haley surrendered, ignoring the grin. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You're drinking a shot or two of tequila, that's all." Brooke solemnly informed her.

"LIKE HELL I WILL. The whole drinking is what got us here tonight." Haley barked.

"But we're going to drink to our happiness and success, Tutor Girl." Brooke corrected her in a patient manner. "We're not drinking a huge amount of liquor because once upon a time we had hearts of stones and gave away the best thing that's ever happened to us."

Haley smirked, but couldn't hold the urge to laugh. Brooke's pinches seemed to be hurting Nathan; He had flaming cheeks and dilated eyes.

"Do you have a problem with me, Brooke?" He sneered.

"If the hat fits you properly, it's your problem and not mine, SWEETHEART." Brooke's reply had the perfect dosage of irony. "It's a free country and I can say whatever I feel like it."

"Let's just drink our shots and go back to work, Brooke." Peyton intervened on Nathan's behalf.

"Took you long enough to jump in his defense. I was wondering when the knight shinning armor would show up, P. Sawyer."

"Don't go there, Brooke."

"Making use of Royal's previous words, I'll go where I damn well please, Peyton. Speaking of which, what the hell took the two Princesses an hour to get to the party? If you could enlighten us we'd be amazingly satisfied."

"Isn't it obvious? I had to change."

"I didn't know you were going to sew a new dress, Peyton. If you had told me, I'd find something else for Haley to wear". Brooke blurted out. "Or did you go to the mall to buy this one?" She ranted. "A little tacky, don't you think?"

"Thanks, Brooke." An offended Peyton replied.

"She's got a point, Peyton. What took you so long? I hate asking, but were the two of you having an indiscretion?" Lucas added, glaring at Nathan and staring at Haley's blank expression.

"Un-fucking believable!" Peyton shouted "I should make you two eat your words. You want to know where we were... I can't tell you that, but I can assure you I was home, waiting for the MIA guy and talking to my dad. Enough with your god damn accusations!" Peyton's angriest version refuted.

All gazes directed to Nathan; He was cursing Peyton with silent words and they wanted to know his reasons for doing it.

"Where the hell were you? Finding you know who to do you know what?" Brooke questioned.

"You know what to do...? What does that mean, Brooke?"

"It's about a little chat we had the other day on the school hallways, Luke. He knows what I'm talking about, let's hear his answer. And so help me God if he gives the improper one."

"It'll be the funniest to watch her getting everything she ever wanted and you screwing random bitches to try and fill her void in your heart. God... I can't stand being in the same room with you".

"I would never do that, Brooke." Nathan defended himself as he reminisced Brooke's words.

"Because you're a saint, aren't you?" She mocked.

"It's enough, Brooke." Peyton pleaded, intervening once again.

"Shut up, Peyton. If he's done it, I want him to say it. I'll help Haley destroy him so that he'll feel familiar with what he's repeatedly done to her."

Haley cleared her throat, wishing Brooke would look at her and drop it, but instead she ignored.

"What the hell are you talking about, Brooke?" Lucas begged her for an answer.

"I'm not talking about specifics, Lucas. I'm just trying to find out who's this piece of shit been with lately. Word on the street is that he's been hanging out at some weird places at strange hours. Who knows? Maybe he's screwing some slut as he tries to fill Haley's void. Like he'd ever be able to do it."

"Drop it, Brooke. It's not worth it. Whatever he's doing, I don't want to know." Haley warned as a single tear escaped her left eye and she raised the hand in which she still wore her wedding ring to clean it up.

"I'm doing you a favor, Haley. I'm putting an end to your misery. I'm making you realize you're too good for this creep once and for all. You're special, smart, beautiful, funny and you don't deserve anything the egocentric selfish one put you through."

"I SAID I'D NEVER DO IT, BROOKE." Nathan yelled, felling the distinct need to let Haley know the truth and for her not to doubt it.

"He could do whoever he wants whenever he wants, Brooke. It's none of my business."

"It is your business until you sign the divorce papers. He still has to respect you." Peyton pondered staring at an almost broken Nathan.

"Potato, potato, Peyton. He's no longer my husband in his eyes, and he doesn't seem to be emotionally connected to me anymore which means he's free. He can go back to being the careless egoistical jerk he was before he met me. Coming to think of it, he's almost back to being that guy. God, I hated that guy." Haley cried out.

If her earlier words or the ones she had spoken at the docks had been punches to his stomach and if he was almost broken, the ones she had just pronounced felt like a lobotomy, or worst. The verdict was not final, but his brain was being fried and he'd never feel the same.

"He's already there, Hales."

"Can we stop offending each other?" Peyton implored.

"As soon as the bastard tells us where he was hiding during the infamous dinner."

"It doesn't concern you and it has nothing to do with your far-fetched stories, Brooke. You just came up with those to make yourself feel better about hating me." Nathan responded to Brooke's rude comment.

"Brooke: One thousand. Nathan: Zero. You're defeated, jacka$$. I do hate you as I told you numerous times, I don't feel an ounce of guilt about it and it does concern me if you'll call me at my house to harass me and bug the hell out of me." Brooke provoked.

"I WAS TALKING TO A DUKE RECRUITER, BROOKE. Are you happy now? I'm trying to put my life back together AND YOU'RE NOT HELPING IT. I'm trying to regain the control I lost to make some of my dreams come true before I become Dan. Do you think I want to be like him? Do you honestly believe I want to trash bars in the middle of the night because I'm nothing but miserable? I won't be the shell of a person he is. I'm fixing my life and I'm doing it now."

Brooke had once again won a battle, but not entirely this time.

When hanging out with Theresa and Bevin the previous week, she had spotted Nathan talking to a handsome guy she had never seen in town; the kind she couldn't ignore.

A few days later, her friends had told her they'd seen them again, and after some digging, Brooke had managed to find out his identity. She knew he was from Duke and knew that Nathan going there was almost a done deal, but driving him over the edge had two different purposes:

1 - Having him pay for having the guts of saying his marriage had been a mistake in front of his entire family.

Although Brooke hadn't planned Haley's bitter words, she was surprised at her friend's reaction and she was glad Nathan had endured more pain than she had bargained for.

2 - Making sure Haley was really postponing her decision to go to Stanford because she was waiting for one of her best friends to decide where to go.

Brooke wanted Haley to learn that her sweet husband was making his own choice disregarding hers.

"Now I really need that shot of tequila." Haley declared dumbfounded, opening the bottle and pouring herself some liquid.

"Make it two, Hales." Lucas agreed with his friend, gulping down all the content of his glass at once.

At five thirty am, after a bottle of tequila shared between Lucas, Haley, Brooke and Peyton, the bar was finally impeccable. It looked like Dan had never step foot in there and the owner would be satisfied after receiving a check for the broken glasses and bottles. Thanks to his sons and former or current lovers, there would be no newspaper scandal related to Tree Hill's Mayor.

Gathering the brooms, dustpans and garbage cans, the four dauntless ones watched as Nathan closed the place and became absent, leaving to hide the keys where the owner had told him to do so.

"My ribs hurt big time" Brooke cried out, stretching herself. "I think I'll skip cheer practice for the next couple of days."

"If the captain's skipping, I'm also entitled." Peyton joked.

"I wish I could skip basketball practice. Unfortunately, the one giving orders is not as charming and generous as you are, pretty girl." Lucas sweet talked her.

"Way too early for the cheap pickup lines, Luke."

"Word" Peyton assented. Somehow between drinking and cleaning Haley had started to ever so slowly let her in, but she was not going to push it.

Meeting them out front, Nathan studied the tired faces of the ones who had helped him without having the obligation to do it.

"I know you came here for Lucas, but I still owe you a thank you, despite whatever happened in there or before."

"Whatever! I shouldn't say it, but I will: Admitting your problem is the first step to recovery." Brooke told him with a smirk. "Even if you're willing to take only the first step! I'd do it differently, but that's just me."

"Doesn't that apply to addictions, Brooke?"

"I think it's a general rule to all problems, Peyton."

"Can we move along? I want to go home." Haley whined as she ignored Nathan's presence.

"But I'm not driving you, Tutor Girl." Brooke laughed at her.

"I could..." Nathan contemplated.

Haley was not even responding, but Brooke still interrupted.

"I'm not driving her home because she's not going home, intruder. I'm in charge of taking her to OUR house and I will, but not yet."

"I was just trying to help." Nathan walked backwards.

"You've helped her enough." Brooke declared.

"Fine, I take my offer back, bitch Brooke."

"Watch it." She warned him with her finger raised.

"Well, I'm going to go then. I have to stop by the beach house and check on the old man."

"So you're not going home either?" Brooke asked.

"Not yet."

"In that case, just to make it clear, you're a worthless bastard and will always be one in my eyes, but today of all days you could use the benefit of hanging out with us as a prize for your stellar confession. Don't get used to it though. I don't want you as part of our crowd and I'm sure they also don't." Brooke laughed, with the normal witty Haley that was back in motion and Lucas joining her.

"I feel honored." Nathan snapped.

"Well you should." She advised him.

"But I think I'll leave it to the next time."

"There won't be one. It's a one time offer that you take it or leave it."

"What do you have in mind, Brooke?" Peyton asked her mastermind friend.

"Broody, Tutor Girl and I were having a blast at the same beach Mr. Congeniality is going to before his lovely phone call. I was thinking we could go back there and relax, enjoy the sunrise hearing those wonderful and soothing waves while drinking the other bottle of tequila I accidentally stole and which is now in my car. What do you say?"

"I'm in." Lucas and Haley said in unison.

"Yeah, count me in too. It's not everyday that I get to watch these two getting wasted." Peyton informed them.

"What about you, Mr. I'm too good to hang out with the ones I once thought of as my best friends?"

"If it'll put an end to the ugly nicknames I'll go. I'll take it." He answered much to Haley's hidden dismay. She was too busy pretending he didn't exist to demonstrate anything.

"You got yourself a deal, Nathan." Brooke offered him her hand and he shook it, hoping she really meant she'd stop.

Maybe she had meant it, but she wasn't sure yet. The truth was Brooke was now considering a third purpose.

She was still angry about Nathan's attitudes towards his brother and regarding the fact that he loved his wife, but wanted to set her free, and to build a life for himself without her in it. But since she had already made Nathan pay, she was all of the sudden cogitating the chances of showing him how much easier it would be not to become Dan with Haley in his life.

Even if he was willing to take only the first step to his recovery, she'd do it differently and because of that, she'd guide him to take the road she would; The one more traveled by ones who wanted their happiness.

It was the second time she was sitting on the beach sand in less than twelve hours, but watching the waves break on the rocks was a special treat for Haley since she had came back to town.

After the disgraceful night of her return and Nathan's departure to basketball camp, Deb had given her the key to the storage room where the estranged husband had placed her belongings.

When unpacking she did not find her valuable wedding wall and asked her mother-in-law if she had any idea where it could be. The answer, as expected by Deb, caused her nothing but more sorrow.

Learning Nathan had burned it where they had gotten married was as terrible as having him reject her in the compromising position she had put herself into the night of her arrival. Therefore, Haley had banned Tree Hill's beach from her itineraries until this day, when she decided she would no longer deprive herself from the things she loved the most because of the memories of someone who hadn't the decency to show her some respect in front of his own family despite his bad temper.

With Peyton sleeping next to her, Nathan checking on his father and Brooke and Lucas taking a "make out" walk, Haley was taking advantage of her solitude, watching the wonderful sunrise, surrounded by a magnificent orange colored sky. She had lost track of time and thought she wouldn't bother spending the entire day without moving.

It was the perfect way to begin a new day, if not a new life. That was the thought taking over her mind until someone approached her slowly and disturbed her piece of heaven. People she wasn't fond of and their inappropriate actions whenever she was experiencing her most peaceful moments.

She didn't have to turn to the one sitting next to her to know who it was. Lucas and Brooke she could recognize from a long distance by the sound of their steps; Peyton she recognized by the voice; Nathan she just recognized anyways. She could sense him by the scent that was still there, by his steps, voice, anger... It didn't matter. Despite Peyton's unconscious presence, they were alone again.

If the third encounter was fatal, as Brooke had told Haley when talking about her dates, one of them would end the morning in a grave. A wicked and malicious Haley allowed her mind to play tricks on her, but decided it was better to believe Brooke was wrong.

"You know the last two times I came to the beach?" Nathan softly interrogated.

"No, but I assume one of them was to burn the wedding wall." She retorted sharply.

"You knew about that?" He asked, shock in his voice.

"Your mother told me when I went to unpack my stuff after you left town for the summer."

"I see..."

"No you don't. You don't see a thing of what you should see. You just choose to close your eyes to things that bother you and let time pass you by. Or at least that was what you were doing." She made an effort to emphasize the word were.

"You got me lost." He admitted confused.

"The new Nathan who's all about revamping his life does not seem to be letting the time pass him by. He's going after some of his dreams, isn't he?" She explained briefly and emotionless.

"He's following someone's advice; someone who's told him to go to Duke to conquer his dreams without looking back." He told her thoughtfully.

"Smart person, but who's forgotten to say something else."

"Like what?"

"Like something that should have been said at that moment and probably was, but that's not worth a thing now."

"Are you sure?" He pushed her.

"I don't know. Ask that person, if you can find her."

"I..."

"That Haley's gone. This phrase seems familiar, but that mournful Haley who didn't see a thing other than a husband who's spit on her face repeatedly is long gone and will never return."

"A husband who's spit on her face?" He doubted his ears.

"Are you a broken record? Oh, yeah! You are." She replied sarcastically. "The word mistake was the one playing when the thing broke down."

"Haley..."

"Save it, Nathan. I'm done. I told you I was, but I still needed MORE closure and I don't know why, but last night was it for me. I never thought you'd be capable of looking straight at my face and humiliating me in front of Dan of all people. Public humiliation at school had been difficult, but nothing compares to what you've done yesterday."

"Haley..." He tried one more time.

"You made another mistake?" And she interrupted him yet again.

"Will you let me speak?"

"Not really. I have no desire of hearing your voice." She snapped.

"For now or for good?"

"Would it make a difference? Every time we talk can be the last time, and right now I'm so mad at you that I'm wishing for this one to be it."

"You can't be serious." He added, believing she was mocking him out of spite.

"I'm not making any MISTAKES, Nathan. I'm telling you the truth. I suppose I learned it from you. Speak the truth no matter who you're destroying in the process."

"Haley, please stop." He pleaded with her.

"Stop fighting? I can't stop fighting for me, Nathan. Brooke and Lucas are doing an awesome job, but I'm the one with the mandatory task since you decided to jump the boat."

"You're being unreasonable." He altered the tone of his voice.

"I learned from the best. And don't you dare yelling at me." She threatened him.

They sighed and stayed silent for a couple of minutes, trying to get a grip on their tired nerves.

"Can I ask you two questions before you're done speaking to me?" He asked, but he was more than afraid of her response.

"Like I told you the other day, I can't promise you answers." She told him in a calmer voice.

"How come? If you don't mind hurting me you can say whatever you want."

"I don't have all the answers, Nathan. That's what I was thinking about. Your welfare never crossed my mind."

"You've changed." He murmured.

"I guess I have you to thank for that." Haley blurted out hurtfully.

"Now ask your questions and leave me alone."

"You're kicking me away?"

"Just returning the gesture. Now ask those damn questions before you lose the opportunity. I'm thinking about bolting. This conversation is nothing but a bunch of nonsense."

"During dinner, when you were leaving, you came back and told Peyton she had her answer. I tried not to think about it, but I just couldn't. It's been haunting me because I know it has something to do with us and..."

"Us? There's no us." She cut him off. "There's Nathan Scott, future basketball legend of Duke University and potential NBA player, and there's Haley James, former singer and college student who's not yet found out her undergraduate course at somewhere far away from Duke."

"Haley James. So you're back to using the stage name?"

""You don't give a girl your last name and then take it back." Those were your grandfather's words. Are you following his orders? You're telling me to keep the name for him to be pleased? Because to make him happy would require us to stay married, in case you haven't fully understood."

"You did not answer my question. I want Haley James' answer, not Royal's."

"I answered lots of question so far in case you haven't noticed, but to this one my answer is pretty simple: I divorce you, I divorce your name. I have too many reminders already. The things I told you about at the docks, my tattoo, my wedding ring..."

"That you haven't taken off of your finger yet."

"I broke my vows of respecting you when I took it off and let people believe I was with Chris Keller. I won't do it again until the divorce is final. I made a promise there and I failed to keep it, but I'm fixing that."

Nathan looked down at his bare finger, regretting the day he had removed his from where it belonged. Maybe if he'd kept his faith that day, they would still be a unit.

"But to answer your question, Peyton asked me if I wanted my name in her album imprinted as Haley James or Haley James Scott. I told her about keeping your name while we're still legally married, but I said it'd be better to ask you what you wanted. Now I don't think it's necessary. You've answered the question last night without her having to ask. THE WORDS "I MADE A MISTAKE" made the whole thing pretty clear for me and for her. The question became pointless."

"Haley..."

"PISS OFF, NATHAN." Haley yelled at him before standing up and heading for a walk, preventing him for asking his second important question and thinking the third time was really fatal, for her and for Nathan.