An: Thank you ALL of the reviews last chapter! They mean so much to me! I'm having such a fun time writing this story! My dear friend Allie made a video for this story and we would love it if you would check it out (go to and then enter "naley-free falling")! I would also like to thank her for editing this chapter for me!

Enjoy!! And don't forget to review!! Thanks xoxo

Chapter Two

Nathan opened the door to his apartment and walked straight to the fridge to grab a beer. Haley stayed still, in the doorway, carefully scanning the confined space of Nathan's living room. She didn't understand why, all of a sudden, she felt so much anger grow inside of her. Maybe it was because Nathan had no pictures, anywhere, of his family or friends or maybe it was how the room excluded any light from coming in. Nathan really did live in a world of darkness and loneliness. She let herself feel everything for this boy.

Nathan watched Haley explore his apartment. No one besides him had been at his home before, only it wasn't a home, it was just a place where he resided, a place for him to bathe and to sleep. He was surprised when he realized how much he liked Haley being there with him. It made his heart ache but in a good way. How he ever survived without her, he'll never know.

"Your place, it's sad here." Haley finally spoke. "I don't like it."

Nathan walked over to Haley, who was now leaning against the side of his couch, and placed his hand over her heart.

"Your heart, it's sad too." Nathan spoke quietly, delicately.

"But you make it better." Haley reached out and wrapped both of her arms around Nathan's neck and gently moved her fingers through his dark hair.

Nathan, still with his right hand placed securely over Haley's heart, slowly leaned down. His eyes were focused on her lips, as Haley licked them in anticipation, and then he captured her mouth with his. Their lips moved together flawlessly. It was a kiss full of longing and passion. Effortlessly, Haley roughly took hold of Nathan's collar when he began to suck onto her bottom lip. He was relentless in his kiss. No one had ever tasted as sweet as Haley and Nathan quickly became obsessed with her taste, her scent, her whole being. Air soon became an issue for them and the two reluctantly pulled away from each other.

"Who is he?" Nathan immediately asked, after he untangled himself from Haley's grasp and moved to sit on the couch.

"Who is who?" Haley was still in a daze from that mind-blowing kiss so she wasn't aware of what Nathan was asking her.

"At school, earlier Haley, who was that guy? He had his arm around you." Haley could almost hear the hiss coming from Nathan's throat when he spoke. The venom in his voice was obvious. Any other person would be afraid of him right now, but not Haley, she saw who he really was. His actions went much deeper than that.

Haley turned around to face Nathan and sat down beside him on the couch. "He's a friend. His name is Clay."

Nathan tightly clenched his fist again at the memory. "I didn't like it. I don't like it."

"Nathan, he's my best friend, that's all."

"He's in love with you Haley."

"What! Clay? That's ridiculous! He's just a friend. You don't have to feel threatened by that." Haley said as she laced her arm through his and positioned her chin to sit on his shoulder.

"Believe me, Haley. Me, being threatened by him is the last thing you need to be worried about."

"Nathan."

"I don't like him. I don't like him touching you, I don't like him even talking to you and I sure as hell don't like the way he looks at you."

Haley released a heavy sigh and saw the goose bumps her breath had caused to appear on Nathan's neck. "Come here." Haley whispered and then took a hold of Nathan's hand and moved them down the couch so she was lying on her back with Nathan's body atop hers.

Nathan rested his head against Haley chest and took in her scent, again. God, he loved the way she smelled. "I'm serious Haley."

"I know baby, but can we just stay like this for a little while longer. I love being in your arms."

"I think I can do that."

Still, at rest, peacefully, for the first time in each of their lives, Nathan and Haley slept. It had been several hours since the two had fallen asleep in each other's arms. The atmosphere in the room was significantly different from when they arrived earlier in the day. It was still dark but the loneliness in the air was gone.

Breathing, quietly, Nathan's hand was forming invisible circles along the opening of Haley's skin between her shirt and pants. Haley, unaware of his actions, embraced the feel of Nathan's body touching hers, for there had been a small smile etched onto her face the moment she had fallen to sleep.

The more the silence surrounded them, the more Nathan and Haley fell into a tranquil sleep. However, they were soon interrupted when the ringing of Haley's cell phone went off, waking the beauty and the beast from their sleep.

"Ignore it." Nathan growled. He kept his eyes closed and tightened the hold he had on Haley.

"I can't do that." Haley responded, although she too was annoyed at whoever was calling her at this time. She had never slept so well and she had a feeling Nathan was the reason why.

Picking up her phone, from the coffee table and flipping it open, Haley answered the call. "Hello."

"Haley, what the hell happened this morning? Where are you?" Clay screamed into the phone.

"Excuse me. Care to rewind and start this conversation over. You can't talk to me like that." Haley reacted with irritation evident in her voice.

"Haley, I'm sorry. Really I am. I'm just worried about you. What are you doing? Who are you with?" Clay replied in a much calmer tone.

"Clay, I'm fine. There's nothing to be worried about. Stop overreacting, it isn't necessary." Haley looked over at Nathan when she said the name Clay and knew that Nathan was anything but happy.

Opening his eyes at the mention of him, Nathan made himself get up from the couch and went to take a shower. He didn't want to hear any of the conversation that was going on between Haley, his girl, and this Clay guy, who he was certain, was after Haley. Nathan made a mental note to find out where this asshole lived so he could pay a visit to him later.

Haley was nervous now. She didn't like the feeling she got when Nathan left the room. She realized that Clay bothered him but what was she supposed to do? Clay was her best friend. She couldn't just stop being his friend, could she?

"No, Clay. I promise everything is fine…and honestly who I choose to spend my time with shouldn't be any of your concern. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Haley and if this was any other person I wouldn't be so upset right now but Nathan Scott? The guy's trouble Haley, you know this."

"You know I expected this from everyone else but not from you Clay. You, of all people, should know what it's like to be characterized as something you're not. I didn't think you would approve of Nathan but I at least thought that you would support me." Haley argued.

"Haley, he isn't good enough for you. He's going to get tired of this town sooner or later and want to leave. What will you be left with then, a broken heart? I'm just trying to watch out for you."

"You don't know a single thing about him!"

"Oh and you do?" Clay countered.

"We have more in common then you think." Haley murmured.

"Haley, listen to me, please."

"No, Clay, you listen. This is what I want. I want Nathan and if you can't be my friend and support that, then don't call me anymore. Same goes for Lucas, Brooke and even Quinn for that matter, too since I'm sure you've already ran to them and told them everything, which is all probably untrue, seeing as you don't know what you're talking about!" Haley shouted into the phone before hanging up. She didn't appreciate the way Clay was talking about Nathan. Something inside of her just snapped and she had no control over what she was saying. She felt the need to defend Nathan, defend herself, to defend them. Nothing meant more to her.

The hot water ran soothingly down Nathan's back. Haley had been on the phone for a while now, and the pressure of the water seemed to help Nathan relax a little. All his life, he'd only had to care for one thing, and that was himself. He had no family, and all the friends he made had turned their backs a long time ago. He was use to being a screw up, being known as the town's criminal, bad boy, whatever you wanted to call him. His attitude had always been the same; forceful, callous and even violent at times but with Haley he was none of those things. He was calm, compassionate and gentle, always gentle. It was as if Haley was this fragile being and at any moment she could break or he could lose her, so each touch, each kiss, had to be gentle, like velvet, for she deserved to feel special, just like Nathan knew she was.

Clay wasn't a threat to Nathan but he was someone who wanted Haley, and Nathan couldn't have that. Too many people had been taken away from him or had walked away and this time he was going to fight back. Haley was his now, and he planned on keeping her for always, and forever.

Haley opened the door to the bathroom and was instantly met with fog and steam. She could see the outline of Nathan's body through the clear curtain and her heart began to beat faster at the sight, as it always did when she was around him. Her breathing became heavier and the need to feel his skin upon hers became intensely more vital. Closing the door behind her, Haley slowly began to take off her clothes piece by piece. Nathan hadn't noticed her yet, so when the curtain to the shower slightly opened he jumped at the disturbance. He turned to see his beauty smiling back at him. His blue eyes meet her brown ones and at the same time they each took a step forward, standing impossibly close to each other. Haley, admirably, looked down at Nathan's hands and interlaced her fingers with his.

Nathan noticed how perfectly they fit together and went to interlace their other hand together. The water was steadily running and steadily getting hotter with the heat that was radiating off of Nathan and Haley. Their heads touched and their eyes closed. Shyly, Haley moved her head slightly to the right and kissed the corner of Nathan's mouth, she blushed at the moan that cried out of him from the very back of his throat. Nathan's cheek rest against Haley's as he moved his mouth to meet hers for the second time that day and if it was at all possible Haley angled herself to be closer to Nathan, wrapping her leg around his.

Nathan had never been so happy. Seeing his girl blush the way she did, made something explode inside of him, for Nathan began to tease Haley, kissing her everywhere except for the one place she wanted to be kissed. Haley smirked up at him, unexpectedly jumped into his arms and wrapped her other leg around him. Nathan quietly chuckled at her eagerness. Then, softly, Nathan started to massage Haley's ass.

Haley nibbled at the skin below Nathan's ear before lightly blowing into it and whispering "You got any sexy talk?"

"You have a serious ass Haley James?"