Part Four: The Climb

Flashback

"Let's get married" I said waiting for a response from Haley. She stood there shocked as hell I assume. I had no idea what she was thinking. After the long pause between the two of us I couldn't bear it anymore. I turned my back and walked out the door to her apartment. I was fighting the tears back and walked down the stairs quietly.

"Nathan wait please…let me explain" she said running after me and grabbing my arm. I pulled away from her and my heart was breaking even more.

"No need to explain…No words will heal the broken heart that was just broken" I said taking a deep breath trying not to cry again.

"It is just too soon for this. We just met two weeks ago, Nathan. I cannot marry you…just not yet. I'm sorry. Please forgive me" she said looking into my eyes. I turned away and continued to walk out. I couldn't believe she said no.

End of Flashback.

It's been two months since I had last talked to her. My heart was still broken. Lucas and Peyton tried cheering me up but it failed every time. Joe and Vicki would take me to all these events since she was a model but I mainly buried myself into my work. Case after case. Court hearings after court hearings. The four of them were probably staging some weird intervention for all I knew.

I was lying on the sofa when I heard a knock at my door. "Come in" I yelled.

"Dude, I need you to come with me" Joe said hitting the back of my head.

"What the fuck Joe? Exactly where do you want me to go?"

"Vicki's in a fashion show. I don't want to be alone. I figured it would get you out of this god forsaken apartment."

"I have no interest in going to that show. I support Vicki a hundred percent and send her my best but I am just not in the mood to go" I said not budging from the sofa.

"Look Nate, you have to stop feeling sorry for yourself. She said she couldn't marry you right now and you took that as a break up. I have been there for you since day one and the least you could do is get your ass to that fashion show. Have I lost my best friend because of this girl?" He said angrily.

"You haven't lost me. I'm just hurt Joe. Don't you remember what it is like to be hurt?"

"Yes I do. That is why I am doing what you did to me. Just get your ass up and dressed please."

"Fine. You win. Give me 10 minutes."

"Okay good because my car is outside waiting" he said leaning against my bar. The fashion show was only a few blocks away so it didn't take long to get there. We sat down in our seats and waited for the fashion show to start. We had front row obviously because of Vicki and Joe. I was looking around to see who was here and immediately saw Haley on the other side of the runway. I shook my head and sighed.

"Who is the designer, Joe?"

"Brooke Davis…why?"

"That is Haley's best friend and there is Haley."

"Oh god, Nate, I had no idea. I'm sorry. Do you want to leave?"

"No, it is fine. She hasn't seen me yet so that is good I guess. I am just going to run out in the lobby, I need some air."

"Okay. The show is starting in about forty five minutes" he said and I nodded in response. I walked out into the lobby and there she was. She saw me and smiled at me. She started walking over towards me…great.

"Hello Nathan" she said smiling at me.

"Hi Haley" I said awkwardly. I felt my heart break all over again.

"I've tried calling you but you either didn't answer or your secretary said you were no longer accepting calls from anyone that is not a client or potential client…meaning me."

"I didn't want to talk to the girl that said she didn't want to marry me when I could have sworn she was in love with me just like I was in love with her."

"Nate…I never said I wanted to stop seeing you! I just said I was not ready for marriage. It was you who decided that you would not return any of my calls or even see me when I came by the office. It was you who decided to let these two months go by without a single word."

"Don't put this all on me. I put my heart on the line and I thought you felt the same way as I did obviously I was wrong. It was nice Haley James but now it's done. Can't you see that you standing here in front of me is killing me? Can you not see in my eyes that I am in so much pain?" I was going to continue but Joe had stepped between us.

"I swear you both are going to ruin the show for both my fiancé and your best friends. Nathan go home! I should have known not to let you leave. I cannot believe either of you would do that to your friends" he said yelling at the two of us. I immediately stormed out of the fashion show and walked back home.

Three Months Later

Joe was still kind of mad at me for what happened at the fashion show. We were talking but he seemed mad. Today felt like a good day though. I was up early, went to the gym, had breakfast, and managed to get to work a little bit early. The sun was out too so that was a big plus and it wasn't too hot out. I walked into my office and my secretary said I had a visitor in my office. It must be Luke or Peyton. I walked into my office to see Sydney standing there. "Hi Nathan, long time no see" she said smiling at me.

"Wow, you were not who I thought was going to be in my office."

"I know you probably thought it was an actual client or your brother or best friend. I'm sorry."

"No, no. It is okay. Have you eaten breakfast today?"

"Not really. I mean I did but not enough."

"Would you like something to eat? I can send my secretary out to get us breakfast if you would like."

"Oh okay. If you don't mind."

"Not at all Sid" I said calling Brenda my secretary to get us breakfast from the Denny's down the street. "So what do I owe this visit for?"

"Well I actually have a question to ask you."

"Sure sweetie shoot."

"Well you know how Haley wants to adopt me" she said and I feel that I shuttered at her name.

"Yes."

"Well she has been really angry and bitter lately and she just seems too frustrated to deal with trying to find me a family. So I was wondering if you could help me get emancipated? That way Haley can just give up on trying to find someone adopt me."

"Emancipation is not easy, Sydney. The god's honest truth is that adoption is a hell of a lot easier than emancipation" I said to her as I saw sadness come upon her. "However…I do have ways of pushing your adoption through. I know the judge that handles the adoption of orphans and I can hopefully get it pushed through. If that is what you want than I will call him and set up a lunch to ask him what he thinks of the whole situation."

"Oh my god Nathan, really?"

"Yes. I am serious" I said as she ran over and hugged me. "Now you cannot tell Haley, at least not until I talk to the judge and find out what I can do."

"Okay…Thank you Nathan. You are really an angel."

"Thanks. I will have Brenda drive you back."

"Thank you Nathan" she said hugging me goodbye. She left and I walked back over to my chair and sat down and put my feet up on the desk. I knew exactly who to call.

I picked up the phone and dialed the number quickly. "Hello" a soft voice answered.

"Hey Vicki, its Nathan."

"Hi Nate I am shocked to hear from you. What's up?"

"Uncle Matt still is the judge for adoption cases right?"

"Yes…why? Who are you adopting?"

"I'm not adopting anyone. I was just curious. Could you by chance give me his number?"

"Sure thing Nate. It's 917-282-6783. He is at work now so he should be able to talk to you."

"Thanks Vicki, so I'll talk to you later. Tell Aunt Karen and Joe I said Hi."

"I will. Bye Nate" she said as she hung up the phone. I dialed Uncle Matt's number and he answered.

"Hey Uncle Matt, it's Nate. I was wondering if you were able to grab lunch with me today. Okay thanks. I will see you at Sardi's at noon. Can't wait. Thanks. Bye." I looked down at my watch and it was already 11:35. I might as well head over. I told Brenda I would be back later. Sardi's was across town so I grabbed a taxi and made it there in half the time. By the time I was there Uncle Matt was standing outside.

"Hello Nathan" he said hugging me. I hugged him back and we walked inside.

"Uncle Matt I have a favor to ask" I said after we chatted for a little bit and caught up.

"Sure Nate, what is it?"

"I have this friend Haley and she has been trying to adopt this 16 year old girl that she works with. She is a social worker and loves this girl more than her own life. The last judge she went up against said she would never be able to adopt this girl without being married. She has no intentions of getting married and since we are family I was curious if you could push that through for me?"

"The girl is 16?"

"Yes."

"And she wants to be adopted by Haley?"

"Yes she is actually the one who came to me asking to be emancipated and I know adoption is easier to shoot for so I figured it would be a fantastic birthday present for Haley."

"Not a problem, Nathan. I can push it through."

"Really?"

"Yes. I am in charge of that so if you wish you can come back to my office with me and I'll get all the information and sign them you just need to have her sign them."

"Uncle Matt, thank you so much!"

"No problem Nate. Plus I owe you for being my lawyer in Vicki's adoption case against her asshole father."

"Any time Uncle Matt."

We rode back to his office and he gathered all the papers together. He gave me the envelopes with all the papers in it and I hugged him one last time and made my way back to my office.

Haley's POV

Sydney was definitely hiding something from me. I was too exhausted to figure out what on earth it was. I left the orphanage and started to head back home. I grabbed the key to the building and unlocked the front door. I decided to check my mail while I was down there. Maybe our mailman came early…for once. There were a bunch of manila envelopes in there. I walked up the stairs to my apartment and opened the door. I sat down at the kitchen table and tried to think what on earth they could be. I opened the first one and there was a letter in there.

Dear Haley,

I know what it is like to be so close to something and be knocked down. There will always be that voice inside me saying I'll never make it. Life is a climb, Haley, but the view is great. Things between us did not work the way we had hoped. I want you to know that I care about you deeply.

I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason bringing something we must learn. We are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return. Well I don't know if I believe that's true but I know I'm who I am today because I knew you.

So much of me is made of what I learned from you; like a handprint on my heart. And whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend. And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness for the things I have done that you have blamed me for.

That is why I did this for you Hales. We all dream that one dream that we hope comes true…well here is your dream come true Haley. There is more to live for now.

Always,

Nathan.

I read the letter over again and felt tears fall from my eyes. I opened the next manila envelope and there they were. The dream come true. "Life's a climb…but the view is great" I said crying tears of joy.