"What do you mean you can't feel him anymore?" Asked Brooke, who was now to awake and concerned.
"I mean, he isn't there!" Cried Haley desperately, not knowing how to truly phrase what she felt.
"Haley, just saying he isn't there isn't telling us anything…like do you feel like he is…dead? Or hurt, or sleeping…like sweetie you have to help us." Brooke replied, remaining as calm as possible.
Haley closed her eyes and concentrated, holding onto her locket from Nathan as closely as possible.
"I feel like he is…"
"Oh my God." Said officer Jackson, lowering he weapon and surveying the area.
"Look at him! He is a bloody mess! How did he even survive this long?" Cried someone.
"I don't know, but we have to move quickly. He is in pretty bad shape." Jackson replied.
"Dan Scott, you are under the arresst of kidnapping and 3rd degree murder of Ms. Abigail Burke, Mr. Kelly Thomas, and Mr. Jimmy Edwards." Spoke up the chief, handcuffing Dan and pulling him to his feet.
"You fucking shot me in the leg!" Cried Dan, aggressively jerking around trying to free himself.
"And you almost killed your son, but you don't seem sorry…so I'm not sorry I shot you. Seems fair to me!" The chief answered back.
"It looks like he was knocked on from the gun hitting him on the head." Jackson said aloud, checking Nathan's pulse happy to feel a pretty strong one.
"Get the paramedics down here!" Shouted someone.
Quickly two stretchers were brought down the stairs. Dan was quickly loaded and taken out, they eventually had to sedate him because of how much trouble he was giving the police and paramedics.
With Nathan it took a bit more time. First, they had to unhook the chains from his wrists, and then survey all of his injuries.
"Does anything look life threatening?" Asked the chief.
"…It doesn't look like it, but there could be some internal bleeding that the hospital will have to check for…and he is dehydrated, most likely hasn't had a lot to eat either. Do they know we are bringing him in?" Asked the paramedic.
"Yes, I called Tree Hill Memorial a few minutes ago, they have a team waiting to start working on him." Replied Jackson.
"Jackson, I want you to stay with him. I am going to call the family and then head over to Raleigh Memorial to make sure Dan doesn't get away." Said the chief, walking over to the young officer.
"Yes sir." Jackson replied quickly.
"We have to get going, he is going to need a lot of X-Rays, MRI's, stitches…poor kid." Called one of the paramedics.
"I feel like…he is…giving up hope. Like he doesn't think he will live." Haley replied after a few minutes.
"You can feel that?" Asked Lucas, slightly thinking that was pretty outrageous.
"I can feel him giving up hope, I don't know how…but I can." Haley replied.
"It is called True Love." Karen said from the doorway.
"Mom! When did you get up?" Asked Lucas shocked.
"I never fell asleep last night…I just couldn't I was worrying to much." Karen explained.
"True Love?" Asked Brooke. "Is that like different from…regular love or something?"
"It is something a rare amount of people experience. It is where you love someone so much you are more then just physically attracted, you are emotionally attached. What one feels, the other feels. It takes a strong bond to experience it." Karen replied.
"Did you feel it with Dad…er Dan?" Asked Lucas, not liking the sound of Dad.
"No. I did love Dan at one point, but it faded, true love never fades. I feel it with Keith though." Karen mused, thinking of her boyfriend and Lucas's uncle.
"…forever?" Asked Haley.
"Forever." Confirmed Karen. "Why does that scare you?"
"Sometimes. I mean I am only 18...it feels so…weird that already I have found my soul mate." Haley explained. "But I know Nathan is the one, that is something I have never questioned."
"Good. And, everyone is scared when they find the one they are truly meant to be with, that is natural." Karen soothed.
"I want true love." Brooke said aloud.
"What are we then?" Lucas asked.
"To early to tell." Replied Brooke, not saying it to hurt Lucas, but speaking honestly.
"You two will be fine, for some people it takes years to see that they have been with "the one"…for others it is just a natural thing." Karen said.
"I though you said true love was rare?" Brooke questioned.
"Yes. It is, but not love. I can see you love Lucas more then anything Brooke…you are meant to be together…but it takes a lot of work to become emotionally connected with someone like Nathan and Haley are. Like you and Nathan are…and I don't mean you are in love, but you do love him." Karen replied.
"So you don't think true love relates only to like relationships?" Asked Lucas.
"No, like I am emotionally connected with you Lucas, I can tell when you are upset or hurting, or amazingly happy…now am I in love with you? Heavens no…but I do love you." Karen explained.
Suddenly the phone ringing cut off the group's discussion. Karen answered, listened and then broke out into a huge smile.
"They have him! He is at Tree Hill Memorial!" Karen screamed, tears of joy rushing down her face.
"Lets go!" Cried out Haley.
Everyone rushed to throw clothes on, before running out the door to see Nathan. Praying the entire time that he was okay.
"Shit.." Nathan groaned out, feeling pain throughout his body.
"Nathan?" Asked Jackson, hearing the young man stir.
"I didn't do anything!" Cried out Nathan, thinking it was his Dad.
"No, you didn't. Nathan, my name is Jackson I am apart of the Tree Hill Police Department…we got you out of your father's house this morning." Explained Jackson, walking in the room so that Nathan could see him clearly all while talking in a small, soft voice.
"What?" Asked Nathan confused. "No..no this is just another trick!" Nathan screamed.
"No Nate, this is real. You are wide awake and it is morning, the sun in shinning and your family is on their way to see you." Jackson replied.
"…what about Dan?" Nathan asked softly.
"We got downstairs right as he raised a gun to your head, one of my men shot him in the leg…the impact of the gun falling out of his hand smacked you in head and knocked you out." Jackson replied.
"So..?" Nathan prodded.
"He is at Raleigh Memorial and under custody. He can't hurt you anymore, he is up for the death penalty for killing three kids when he came into your school…and after the evidence we found in his house…there is no way he will not be guilty." Jackson answered.
Nathan went wide eyed, everything he had just learned finally sinking in. He was free. Not like last time though…he was completely free. His Dad was under custody, he was never going to be able to hurt him again. Wow.
"…I…" Nathan said, before falling silent.
"I know this a lot to take in, and I know this probably only the start of the recovery for you…but you are safe now Nathan. I promise you. I will go get the doctor so he can explain all your injuries." Jackson said.
A half hour later Nathan was just about to close his eyes when…
"Nathan?" Haley cried, rushing into his room.
"Hales?" Nathan strangled out. He looked over at the girl of his dreams, tears slowly making their way down her face. "Oh baby, come here."
Haley quickly ran over and slipped into bed next to her man. Snuggling into his side, careful not to hurt him, Haley cried into him. Crying for the two weeks worth of pain that her heart had been feeling.
"I thought you were gone." Haley cried.
"I did too." Nathan replied.
"I couldn't feel you Nate, I couldn't feel you in my heart…it was like you had given up all hope." Haley continued.
"I pretty much did when Dan raised a gun to my head." Nathan replied.
"Oh Nate." Haley cried out, kissing him deeply for the first time in what felt like years. "I missed you so much, I was so worried."
"But you never gave up hope?" Nathan asked.
"I promised I would love you, always and forever. That was a promise I intended, and continue to, keep." Haley explained.
"I thought about you everyday Hales, I just clung to the fact that I knew you were going to be home when I got there." Nathan said.
"I love you so much." Haley said, kissing him again.
"I love you too." Nathan answered in between kisses.
"Um, we are glad that you guys are happy and all…but if you could stop sucking face for like two seconds we would like to welcome Nathan home as well." Called a voice from the door.
"Brooke!" Nathan called out, a huge smile covering his face with in seconds.
"Hey sweetie!" She cried, rushing over to hug him.
"I missed you, I thought I would never be able to tell you how much help you have been! I thought I would never be able to return the favor!" Nathan cried, tears finally releasing down his face.
"Oh buddy, I missed you so much." Brooke cried, hugging him tightly.
"Did you miss me to Nate?" Called Karen, Lucas also poking his head in.
"I missed you so much Mom, you would never believe how much I just wanted you to give me one of your special hugs. And Luke, man…I just wanted to play some ball or something!" Laughed out Nathan.
"All in good time little brother." Lucas responded, laughing as well.
"…Nate? Are you okay…like injuries? Major?" Asked Brooke. "I don't mean to be like…rude, I just…I need to hear my adopted little brother is okay here."
"I get it. Well obviously my arm is broken." Nathan commented, pointing towards the cast. "Besides that the doctor told me that I have a couple broken ribs, no internal bleeding. I have, a lot of deep scrapes and bad bruises. He said the lashes on my back…from Dad whipping me a belt, all needed stitches as well."
"Is that all?" Kidded Karen.
"Uhh, nope I think that covers it." Nathan smirked.
"Mrs. Scott?" Asked Doctor Ross, poking his head in the room. "Wow, this sure did get crowded fast."
"Well we love our guy here." Karen replied, messing up her sons hair softly. "Did you need me?"
"If I could just talk to you out in the hallway about Nathan's care? He needs to stay over night, but quite frankly there is no reason why he needs to stay here and cannot rest up at home." Dr. Ross replied.
"Oh okay, I will be right out." Karen answered, leaning down she lightly kissed Nathan on the forehead. "Please be here when I come back."
"I don't think these three would let me out of their sight, even if I begged." Nathan said, smiling more then he had in months, something that concerned Haley a little bit. He was…to happy.
"Damn straight." Brooke replied seriously.
As soon as Karen left the room the teens moved the chairs around and the tables to make it seem more teen loungey, then hospital like.
"So, did you miss me?" Nathan joked.
"Of course." Lucas replied.
"I missed you the most!" Cried Brooke, shooting her hand up in the air.
"Seriously?" Asked Haley. "Did you miss him enough to do this?" Haley leaned down and once again captured Nathan's lips into a hot and heavy kiss. He had been away far to long for her liking.
"Oh ew, I will never miss him that much." Brooke joked.
That night Haley was the only one who stayed overnight in the hospital. Karen and Lucas went home to set up the downstairs rec room for Nathan, because the doctor didn't want him moving around as much as he would have to if he was upstairs in his room. Brooke of course tagged along to decorate.
"How are you?" Asked Haley, softly stroking Nathan's hair as his head laid on her shoulder.
"Honestly?" Nathan asked. Haley of course nodded her head. "…I don't know. I mean apart of me thinks I should be…traumatized and I mean I am, I guess. Every time I close my eyes I see the blood dripping down my wrists from the chains, or I see Dan dragging a knife across my chest…but at the same time all I can feel is happiness…I don't get it." Nathan explained.
"So when you are awake you are good…and when you are sleep, Dan attacks?" Asked Haley.
"Basically." Nathan replied.
"…Maybe you should tell the doctor." Haley suggested, knowing it was a long shot seeing as Nathan was deathly afraid of them.
"No. I am sure it will all fade with time." Nathan assured.
"I am so happy to have you back, and so happy to hear Dan is in jail, and so happy to know that you are going to be okay. I am so proud of you Nathan. You went through so much, but didn't let him win. You hung in there." Haley said.
"I did it for you." Nathan replied.
"I don't know what I would have done if that phone call Karen got was saying you had died, or were seriously injured." Haley cried.
"I don't see how I am not seriously injured. I mean…he did so much, and yet maybe separately each thing he did wasn't horrible…but together it sure does cause a lot of pain." Nathan said, trying to calm down Haley by snuggling closer.
"I don't either, but I am defiantly not complaining. Did they do anything for those nasty looking burns?" Haley asked, gently rubbing her finger across one.
"The ones from the cigarettes? They gave me a cream but I mean they are so little there is nothing they can really do." Nathan replied.
"Do they hurt?" Asked Haley.
"Yes." Nathan answered truthfully.
Slowly Haley leaned down and kissed the burns on his arm, all the way up to his neck.
"Do they hurt now?" Haley questioned in a deep husky voice.
"…Hales?" Nathan choked out, watching as Haley kissed down his chest, kissing each wound or mark slowly.
Haley couldn't contain herself. Ever since everyone had left all she had wanted to do was touch him and kiss him. When you come so close to losing someone, you never want to let them ago, and Haley now fully understood that. If she had lost Nathan, it would have killed her.
"I love you so much." Haley said, sucking on her boyfriends neck, enough to leave her own mark.
"God Hales, I love you too." Nathan groaned out.
"Say you will never leave me." Haley begged.
"Never." Nathan answered, capturing her lips with his own.
The next afternoon Nathan was cleared to go home on strict orders from his doctor to stay in bed for two weeks.
When he got home Karen quickly ushered him to his new room.
"Thanks Mom." Nathan said, looking at how much work everyone had put in to move his bedroom downstairs.
"Anytime sweetie, no lay down, get comfy, I am guessing Haley will be bouncing in at any moment. I am taking Lucas and Brooke over to Brooke and Haley's apartment to pack it up. We should be gone all day, but that does not mean you are to be moving around!" Karen warned.
"Yes Mom." Nathan smiled out.
With kiss on the cheek, Karen left to meet Brooke and Lucas in the car. As
Nathan laid around he started to get bored.
"Haley!" Nathan called.
"Yes baby?" Haley asked, walking into the room.
"Hang out with me." Nathan replied.
"Ugh the things I do for you." Haley said, laughing at the pout that formed on Nathan's face. Sighing she climbed into bed next him.
"Are you okay?" Haley asked, lightly tracing the frown lines that were forming.
"You wanted to have sex in the hospital." Nathan replied.
"…Uhhh…I…but….and you…what?" Haley stumbled out.
"You did. You wanted to have sex!" Nathan accused, turning to Haley with a smile.
"Nathan…I didn't want to have sex…I was just so worried about you those two weeks, and when I saw you I…I don't know, I got all mind cloudy." Haley whispered.
"I am fine Haley." Nathan snapped.
"…okay. I think I am…I think I am just going to go." Haley said, a little hurt at Nathan's reaction.
"Haley, come on don't be like that." Nathan groaned out.
"Don't be like what? Hurt when you randomly yell at me?" Haley yelled.
"Maybe you should leave! Come back when you aren't so PMS!" Nathan yelled back.
Haley's eyes snapped to Nathan's shocked. He had never been mean to her, ever.
"…I think I am going to go out, call Brooke's cell if you need anything." Haley said softly.
"Haley…I.." Nathan trailed off, Haley lifted her hand to stop him.
"Don't. Not right now, not when we are both upset. I will be back later." Haley replied.
Nathan just nodded and watched Haley turn and walk out the door. A few minutes later after the front door was slammed closed Nathan let the tears fall. He never had wanted to hurt Haley, he wanted to protect her. He wanted to be the man his father wasn't, and instead it seemed like he was becoming the one man he hated most.
"Hales? Nate?" Brooke called, entering the house. Karen and Lucas had to go to the café to work.
"Yea?" Nathan called back, wiping his face quickly.
"Hey Nate, where is Haley?" Brooke asked confused.
"She uh, she went out." Nathan answered, adverting Brooke's eyes.
"What happened?" Brooke asked, her voice losing her happy playful tone.
"Nothing." Nathan replied stubbornly.
"You are lying, tell me what happened." Brooke demanded.
Nathan let out a frustrated sigh before turning his back to face Brooke.
"Oh no no no, you don't get to turn away and pretend that I am not here." Brooke admonished.
"Leave me the hell alone." Nathan yelled.
"What happened to the boy from the hospital? The boy from yesterday?" Brooke asked confused, at why he was suddenly filled with so much rage.
"He realized his Dad was right." Nathan replied cryptically.