My Security update 6-3-07

I'm eternally grateful for the feedback . It motivates me to update often.

People pay for what they do, and still more, for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it simply: by the lives they lead." Edith Wharton

Chapter 8

Thursday afternoon, Haley's room...

After school the kids went straight home, fearing Ms. Scott would find out they didn't have to work again. Nathan tried to talk Haley into going to the beach house but the terror in her eyes was all the answer he needed.

Haley immediately headed for the basement.

Nathan grabbed the snacks Mr. Durham had left them in the kitchen. He froze when his aunt whirled through the door and right past him without a second glance. She was yammering on the phone to Ms. Canon about being prompt to pick her up for some charity gala for domestic violence in Raleigh tonight.

She flicked on the overhead light in the sunlight room. For the first time Nathan notice it, in the fixture. The boy gave her the first genuine smiles since he'd lived there as sauntered past him with a brand new bottle of vodka from the pantry. From past experience, Nathan knew she would be gone well into tomorrow, if not the entire weekend. This was their chance to flee and with his new found discovery, Deb Scott could be returning to more than an empty house.

The striking lad wondered if his love was still mad about his reaction to the kiss. She hadn't said a word to him since their encounter before lunch. Upon entering her room, she was waiting for him with the first aid kit.

"Lie down so I can put some anti-bacterial cream on those cuts before they get infected." She instructed with no emotion. Hell, yeah! She was pissed.

The young man sighed, dropping his school bag in the corner and bringing over the tray of sandwiches, baby carrots, chips and two grape juices.

"Eat first, Haley." He told her as he slowly took a seat beside her on the firm bed.

"I'm not hungry." She folded her arms stubbornly.

"Then, I'll go in my room and eat." He countered coolly, trying to rise.

"But what about your back?" She huff, guiding him back down, always the nurturer.

"If you're not hungry, I'm not hurting." Nathan smirked, daring her to make the next move in their little power struggle.

Her face was red and her jaw tight, but her body was weak. Hearing her stomach rumble, she relented. Giving him a dirty look as she snatched one of the delicious turkey subs.

They ate in uncomfortable silence. Haley could feel Nathan watching her, making sure she finished all her food. Munching on the last carrot, she caught him smile broadly. With a hateful glare, she took the tray and laid it on her dresser.

Nathan had unzipped his jacket and was having difficulty working his way free when she returned. Standing between his legs, she skillfully drew the coat down his arms and cut wrist. He brought his arms across his body so he could take of his shirt, but a darting pain shot through his back. Crippled by it, he slumped down defeated. After what his aunt had done to Haley, she had to be hurting just as bad, but she didn't show it. He wished for her strength. What he got was her drudgingly working the many eyes of his black button-down while he studied her cheerless facial features. Finishing, she slid the loose cloth down his bicep and over each of his hands until it lay behind him on the comforter.

Watching him in the soft light of the room, he appeared to be a sexy, well-built teen god from the front. Her fingers itched to touch his warm flesh, but she was astounded when he carried her tiny palm to his firm chest, placing it over his heart. She was becoming self conscious from his constant gawking and began chewing nervously on her bottom lip.

Nathan's deep throat produced an unexpected moan from her escapades. He was mesmerized by her natural beauty. The organ beneath her hands started pounding furiously. He had to come clean to her.

" I did like kissing you" He unmasked to the flabbergasted brunette. "Actually, I loved it."

"Don't just say that so I won't be mad at you." She apprehensively pressed, withdrawing from him.

He tugged back in position, never loosing eye contact.

"It's just hard for me to express my thoughts sometimes. ... I mean when it comes to you." He said sincerely. "They're kind of overwhelming, and I'm known to say the wrong thing."

"You mean how you pity me, or how you're ashamed and humiliated for anyone to think you're more than a friend to me?" She argued with her guard up." I'm a nobody, Nathan. You don't have to spare me!" She was deathly afraid of his rejection.

"Don't put yourself down like that! I'm sick enough of Aunt Deb saying shit like that about you!" He scolded. Letting go of her hand that covered his heart, he rubbed his thumb over her ear lob and down her jaw line. "You're smart, really brilliant, Haley ... funny and sweet. You're always thinking about others, especially me. Even when I don't deserve it."

"Nath..."She started, but he jumped in.

"I thank God every day for having you in my life. You're the only thing that makes it worthwhile. You're all I think about, all I want." His hand wrapped around the back of her slender neck while the other played in the soft cinnamon tendrils. "You're so beautiful, Hales ... thoroughly gorgeous! I want to kiss you now ... and always ... because I love you."

Salt from her tears mixed in with the crisp taste of carrot when his lips collided with hers. This kiss was very similar their first, powerful, erotic and deep with longing. The embrace became more passionate and Nathan grimaced as his arms encased her diminutive frame.

Stopping, she breathed a bubbly giggle. " I love you too."

He blushed bashfully as they shared a few chaste kisses before she pulled away.

"Hey! Why did you stop?" He whined.

"Oh, we'll do plenty of that later." She flirted, grabbing a tube from the first aid kit, she crawled behind him and started treated his wounds.

Later...

Nathan and Haley never got back to the kissing. After she nursed his back, he tended to some of the abuse her body had endured. Warn out, they both fell into a deep slumber.

Haley awoke around five o'clock to an empty room. curiously, she rose and ambled through the bathroom and into Nathan's room. Her face went white.

"Where are you going? ... Don't runaway again, please Nathan." She rushed to him, hugging his neck tight.

"Hey, hey, I'm not. We're getting the hell out of here." He explained to the hesitant girl, planting a kiss on her weary head.

"We can't. Not until..." She warned, disturbed by his behavior.

"Until what? She kills you?" Emotionally, he tucked a few strands of her silk mane behind her ear. "She went to Raleigh. She'll be back tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. This is our chance, Hales."

"But where will we go that she can't find us? She always found you before!" The frazzled female attested.

"We're going to our place, but before we leave I'm going to make sure she can never hurt us ever again."

" You're not going to kill her?" Haley exclaimed mortified.

"She'll wish she got off that easy." His sea blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "I'm not going to do anything wrong, Haley."

"They're not going to let us stay together at the bungalow." Haley clarified. "Not a teenage boy and girl."

"That's while you'll petition the court for emancipation and I'll get sent to a group or a foster family." He explained carefully. " hat way, I won't have to worry about anyone else hurting you and I can spend all my free time hear with you. We'll still be separated, but you'll be safe and close. ... Go pack, Haley." He smack her bottom, nudging her in the right direction. Reluctantly, she obeyed.

Once they were finishing bagging and boxing up all the items they were taking with them, Nathan suggested they go upstairs for dinner. Haley had no appetite, but knew Mr. Durham came late on Thursdays. She loved the old man and eagerly agreed just to see him. Nathan wanted to talk to him for an entirely different reason.

Trudging through the kitchen door, Nathan smiled into the chandelier's camera before planting a sweet kiss on his sweetheart's cheek. If only he had know that was there all along. Shyly, she shooed him away and greeted Mr. Durham with a butterfly kiss of his own.

In the dinning room, they had a hearty meal. Although, Haley picked over hers. They knew they were going to miss their conversations and laughter with Whitey.

Haley excused herself to do the dishes after much resistance from the old man. Nathan quickly used the opportunity to his advantage.

"Can you believe Ms. Scott has cameras all over this god forsaken place?. Like someone would actually rob her."

The pair chuckled.

"She put them in the oddest places. Go figure." He frowned.

"I wonder what she does with the footage?" Nathan probed, as he poured the old man his second glass of Jack Daniels.

"The maid told me Ms. Scott takes the daily copy from room, labels it and hides it in a box in one of those damn fake rooms she has up there. You know the bedrooms she lets everyone else think are yours." The wise old sage expelled angrily at the injustice. "By the way, the mailman brought some boxes in yesterday, Christmas gifts for you and Haley from friends of both your parents. She never gives you that stuff, did she?"

"Nope." Nathan fumed. "The only thing she gives us is hell."

"You know once, I caught her re-wrapping some of Haley's gifts for one of her friends daughter's birthday." The tipsy old man confessed. "Far as I can see, Ms. Haley could use a few of those things herself."

"Don't worry, Mr. Durham. I don't think my Aunt will be getting over on Haley or me anymore."

"That's good to here. You're a good boy and Haley's just as sweet as pie. You deserve better than living here with this wicked witch!" He droned as he started drifting off for a short nap.

When he awoke to an empty room and upon further inspection of the immaculate kitchen found no life. He assumed the children had called it a night. Maybe he would see them the for dinner the follow evening since he make breakfast for the Scotts on Fridays.

Actually, Nathan had spent much of the chef's rest time setting his plan into motion. First he had been lusting to search for those incriminating tapes, but if for some reason Ms. Scott was to come back early, he knew it would be during the night. He just couldn't take the chance of getting caught up there, not with Haley.

Instead, they loaded the Scott mini van with their belongings. It had taken them a lot longer than they expected, but they weren't backing out now. Nathan climbed up the basement stairs with the last box and went directly to the garage door on the opposite wall. The box was shoved into the trunk space with many others. He shut the door and walked around the vehicle, lifting the keys from their hook on the neighboring wall.

A skittish Haley was already buckled in. She scanned the area for any signs of their abuser when Nathan started the car.

"What if you get caught? You don't have a license, Nathan."

He squeezed her hand before bringing it to his mouth to kiss it. " Relax, nothing's going to go wrong for us. You have to trust me, Haley."

Stroking his cheek, she smile. " I trust you, Nathan. It's Ms. Scott I'm afraid of."

He knew nothing would ease her mind. She would have to see it for herself.

They made the journey to drop off and put away their things at the bungalow. Returning in the wee hours of the morning, Nathan decided the would sleep there. They would finish his plan in the morning before heading off to school and new life.

Friday...

Without the use of their alarm clock, the kids overslept. In their sore and tired mindset, they had less than an twenty minutes to get dressed, find the whistle blowing tapes, and catch the school bus.

Ten minutes later, they were on their way up the front staircase hand in hand. They slipped past Ms. Scott's suite. The door was wide open and the room was definitely vacant reaching one lavish rooms that visitors were convinced belonged to the pair.

They started with "Haley's room first. Meticulously, they searched the pretty room with no luck. Haley was on a tall step ladder found in the corner. She was prying through the top shelf of the closet, when Nathan left to check "his" room at the far end of the hall.

Four minutes later the anxious male was empty handed and starting to panic.

"I've got them! I've got them!" the little lady shouted from the other room.

Nathan rushed out of the artificial living space.

Her hand were filled with five tapes. She twisted on the ladder and in her excitement lost her footing.

"Aaaahhhhhhh" Haley screamed, before landing on the hard wood with a Thud!

Nathan was only halfway down the corridor when he heard the blood curdling sound. He forgot all about his injury and sprinted to the sight where Haley's body lay crumpled and unmoving.

Tree Hill Memorial Hospital...

Nathan Scott could barely dial the number on the pay phone, his hands were shaking so badly. He put the receiver to his ear and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" A lady yawned to the silence on the other end. "Hello?"

"May I speak to Karen Sawyer please?" He choked out.

"Nathan?" She questioned groggily.

"Yes, Ma'am." He sniffed.

"What's wrong, Honey?" She coaxed, tightening her robe.

"My dad use to say you always gave the best hugs." He said absently. "Haley's won't wake up and I need somebody to hug me real bad."

"Oh my god! Where are you?" Memories of her dear friend Dan, tore at her heart strings.

"The emergency room." He replied faintly. "I've got go see if Haley's up now. Bye."

He hung up before she access any other information. Hastily, she put on her clothes and headed for the hospital.

The lady at the information desk refused to tell Mrs. Sawyer the condition of either Nathan or Haley because she wasn't next of kin.

Karen strutted down the corridor, hoping to find Mrs. Scott in the waiting room. That's when she saw him. Nathan was sitting on a gurney down the hall holding Haley's reindeer head purse.

Karen studied the child. He looked so lost and young. He was far from the cocky and sexually mature boy that had taught a few women older than her a thing or two. In hindsight, she wasn't startled by his reaction to Haley being hurt. From day one, she had him wrapped around her finger. Mrs. Sawyer remembered.

Nathan wouldn't talk to a soul as family and friends gathered at the Scott home after his parent's funeral. Deb was busy consoling his grandparents, so Karen offered to keep an eye on her Godson. He sat alone on the sofa in silent tears. Every so often, someone would offer their sympathies on his lost or ask how he was doing? Dumb question, right?

Then came Haley. Haley had watched the boy for at least an hour from her perch in a stand alone corner bench. Gaining confidence, she got up and walked over to the distraught mourner and sat right beside him. It was another half an hour before she took the initiative and spoke her peace.


"My mom's dead too. I've got nobody. ... I miss her a lot." She whispered.

He nodded knowingly.

"You can put your head on my shoulder if you want. It's alright to cry." The much smaller girl gave thoughtfully.

Instantly, he bent his head to hers, drifting off to sleep. That's was the onset of their amazing bond and chemistry.

A detective and doctor where interrogating her uninterested employee, as Karen got into hearing distance of the conversation.

"Look, Son. You need to let me examine your back." The female doctor reached for the adolescent.

"No. Haley can fix it when she wakes up." He brushed her off.

"I promise to be careful." She raised her right hand in oath, but the teen adamantly refused.

"We're here to help you. If you let us." The officer assured, but Nathan wasn't budging.

"I just want Haley." He muttered as Karen made herself known.

"Hi, Nathan." She said cautiously before being smothered in a long big bear hug.

She giggled when he let go, he could be so affectionate sometimes. Unlike her own son. She never understood why Lucas was so cold.

"Thank you for coming. Haley's in there." He pointed to the wooden door to the left of them.

Letting go he winced and offered Karen a seat beside him. She didn't argue and ran her fingers through his hair when he rested his heavy head on her lap.

The doctor and the officer let out a sigh of relief.

"You must be Ms. Scott? I'm Detective Willis." The officer greeted.

"Thank God you're here." The doctor smile. "I'm Dr. Tucker. We've been having a time with him."

"I'm Karen Sawyer. Nathan's godmother. You mean Deb isn't here?" Karen was confused more than ever.

"We couldn't find an emergency number for her with Ms. Myer's identification and Mr. Scott isn't very co-operative." Dr. Tucker sighed.

"They were home alone when the paramedics arrived. The girl was unconscious and we discovered the boy has been severely beaten when one of the EMT's tried to move him aside to get to the victim. She put her hands on his shoulders and he doubled over in pain. Do you think you could get him to tell you what happened?" The officer persuaded to no avail.

"Make them go away, Ms Karen. Please." Nathan was a wreck. "I want Haley. I love Haley."

" I know you do, Honey. Maybe you can tell them something that will help Haley." Karen suggested, looking down his shirt at the obscene marking on his body. "I'm sure she would want you to have your back checked out. She's always looking out for you. ... It will make the time go by until she gets up."

Nathan's forehead wrinkle as he muddled over Mrs. Sawyers proposal. Seconds later, he sat up.

"You can look at cuts, if I can stay right here." He told Dr. Tucker.

The caretaker knew it was futile to fight with the stubborn boy and had a nurse bring her the necessary equipments and medication to treat the severely abused lad.

Karen was growing more and more afraid. Haley has be unconscious for almost two hours from what she could gather from questions Nathan bombarded the Doctor with about Haley's condition. She listened while the officer took Nathan's statement on the accident and the doctor treated his injuries. He asked him several times how he got the abrasions, but he wouldn't say. Out the corner of her eye, she could see more police officer and a twenty something dark skinned woman coming there way.

"She's awake!" Another doctor announced happily as he popped out of the private room. "She's still a little disoriented, but she keeps asking for a Nathan." He told the group, making eye contact with Karen. Apparently, assuming she was the guardian.

The previously impatient boy, sat numbly staring at the open door.

"Go ahead, Nathan." Karen needled, understanding his hesitancy. "Don't be afraid."

Slowly, he got down with the assistance of Ms. Sawyer and heading in just as the other police and who was now shown to be a social worker joined them. The lady from social service started a personal conversation with Detective Willis, Haley's doctor and Nathan's.

One of the police blocked the door. The raven haired boy attempted to get around him to no avail.

"Let me see Haley! Let me see Haley, now!" He barked in the stern man's face.

"Sorry, Son. We want to get a statement from the young lady before she talks to anyone." He informed.

"You're not going to get anything out of that girl right now." Haley's doctor chastised. "She asking for the boy, send him in."

"He's not family." The case worked added. "and we still haven't found the guardian."

"Besides, we still have a lot of questions for you Mr. Scott." Detective Willis told him.

By her godson's continued emotional state and overly anxious stance, she knew he was going about to storm down on this crowd with fury.

"He could be the reason the concussion she got from the fall wasn't the only head injury Ms. Myers has amongst other things." Haley's doctor concurred with the social worker.

Nathan's eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped as his face grew red with anger of the unfounded accusations.

"Nathan wouldn't lay a finger on that child! He's all the family she's got!" Karen snapped at the petty group. "Nathan's a fine boy! Hell, his late parents money made it possible for the new Rivercourt precinct and that cardiac wing that just open here last fall! Do I need to start calling some of my friends on the hospital's Board of Directors or the Chief of Police or are you going to get your ass out of his way?"

Everyone backed off and the officer stepped aside, so Nathan could enter.

"Nathan! Nathan, where were you?" She was weeping and holding her arms out for him. A large bandage cover left eye brow, and she had some fresh stitch around her hairline.

"I was scared."

"Me too, Hales. I though I lost you." Joining her, he gently approached a hug. "I need and love you soo much."

"I love you too." She smiled hazily and aggressively pulled him closer, cupping his face in her hands and kissing him all over the face. "Don't leave me, Nate."

Feeling woozy again, Haley lay back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

The adults were filing into the room and Nathan was getting comfortable on the side of her that wasn't attached to an IV and monitors.

"He isn't going to be able to stay here with her." The doctor observed as the sounds of high heels thundered through the hall drew the room's occupant's attention.

"Haley? Nathan? Please let my babies be alright." Ms. Scott cried ever so lovingly.

She swept through crowd of people there in the best interest of the children. She could have won an Oscar for her efforts.

Fake tears streamed down her face. Her hair and clothing were disheveled as if she had dressed frantically. She seemed so motherly and caring.

"Aunt Deb is here. I'm right here." She reached the bed and flung herself at her usual victim.

Haley screamed in terror.

Instinctively, Nathan centered his body between the two women.

"Don't you ever touch Haley or me again! I swear I'll kill you next time!" Nathan's arm swung across her body, knocking her back a few feet. In a flash, he was standing over her with his fist clench, chest heaving and a glare from his brewing blue eyes that could strike fear in the most wicked of hearts.

"Oh, boy. We've got trouble." The detective assessed...

Pamela