AN: Sorry I took so long to update, I was just stuck with this one. I didn't want to make it too unrealistic, but I kind of did anyway...lol. But, I hope you guys like it. There's like two or three more chapters left, so enjoy! Thanks for all the great reviews too, I've read them all and I just love that you guys like this fic! Keep on reviewing!
The Wrong Kind of Wrong
Haley fell into the window as Brooke made another sharp turn. "Brooke, faster!"
"Haley, I can't go any faster!" She screamed, her urgent words blew disheveled hair out of her face. "Is he still there?!"
"Yeah! Yes! He's right behind us!" Haley was panicking when she saw him coming closer. Then, they jerked forward as he hit the back of the car.
"Oh my…!" Brooke's forehead crashed into the steering wheel. She yelped in pain but kept driving, ignoring the searing pain in her head. Her speed and hair flurried her vision. She could barely see where she was going. "Haley! Haley, I can't-!" She cut another sharp turn, the sound of burnt rubber scraping her ears.
Haley yelled when they barely dodged a light pole. "Brooke, we have to call the police!"
"We can't stop!" Brooke told her desperately.
Haley held on as her friend drove frantically. "Brooke, this is so bad! What are we gonna do?!"
Brooke glanced at her speed meter. Ninety-five on an open road. Oh, this was really bad. She glanced around quickly, spotting nothing but abandoned buildings and houses. If she stopped, he'd surely crash into them. Slightly, she put her foot on the break.
"Brooke!" Haley yelled when Chris bumped into them. The car swerved a little and Brooke pressed her foot on the gas again, deciding that it was better not to stop anyway.
Stubborn tears clouded her eyes. "I don't know what to do!" She yelled in frustration as they came closer to the public place.
"We have to do something!" Haley yelled frenetically.
"What?! What?! I don't know what to do!" Brooke was panicking. She could feel herself beginning to break. A jagged sob left her mouth as she realized that at the moment, they were powerless to do anything.
"Just aim for the house." Haley said after swallowing deeply. "Aim for the cabin."
Brooke nodded vehemently and decided that was their best bet. "He's gonna know where we are!" Brooke screeched her after thought.
"Nathan and Lucas are there! We'll tell them and then we'll leave!" Haley panicked as she watched Chris come up beside them. He smirked through the window and Haley got an idea when she saw a street to turn down. "Quick, turn up here!" She yelled, knowing that with him being beside them, he couldn't turn down the street without crashing into them—which he hopefully wouldn't do.
Brooke turned sharply and Chris kept straight. With that encouragement, Brooke pushed on the gas even more. "He's gone!" She noticed in disbelief when he never appeared behind them.
Haley turned fully in her seat to check it out and surprisingly, he wasn't there. She took a deep breath. "That was close."
"I think I saw him in the grocery store." Brooke blurted regretfully after a while of silence. "I thought my mind was playing tricks on me but—" She glanced over at Haley tearfully.
"He was following us." Haley gulped in fear. "I'm…this is insane, Brooke. How am I ever supposed to be the same with him always…" She dropped her face in her hands and started to sob.
Brooke looked on sympathetically. "Tutor Girl, everything's gonna be fine. I promise." She spoke shakily. "We'll get home and we'll call the police. Everything's gonna be fine."
Haley looked up sniffling, her eyes growing puffy. "I hope so." She muttered to herself as they sped back towards the cabin.
"Hey." Peyton answered her cell phone quickly. "Any luck?"
"Nope." Lucas said tiredly. "I take it they're not back either?"
"No." Peyton sighed. "Jake really wants to get Jenny out of here for now. I was going to stay here in case they got back."
"I don't think that's too safe." Lucas started.
"Hey, I have a fully charged cell phone and a will to live." She chuckled softly. "You and Nathan are on speed dial and Jake's grandparents live like, ten minutes away. It'll be cool." She persuaded.
Lucas sighed reluctantly. "Alright. Tell Jake to hurry back."
"I will." She said a soft goodbye and hung up.
Lucas hung up his phone and looked over to the curious Nathan driving. "Jake's taking Jenny to his grandparents. They live like ten minutes away."
Nathan frowned. "Peyton's gonna stay there alone?"
"Just for a while in case the girls get back." He said cautiously. "She has her cell phone. She'll call when Brooke and Hales get there. At least she can tell them what's going on."
"I hope they're okay, Luke." Nathan said worriedly, promising himself for the fifteen hundredth time to never let Haley out of his sight again.
Brooke pulled into Jake's driveway and sighed. They were finally free. The only thing that didn't help her nerves was that Nathan's car was gone. She glanced at Haley. "I thought they would be here by now?"
"So did I." Haley frowned, climbing out of the SUV. She brushed her hair out of her face and warily walked to the front porch with Brooke. "Why's it so quiet?" She wondered in a whisper.
Brooke shrugged and crept slowly with Haley, who cracked the slightly ajar door open even more. Haley glanced at the brunette before making her way fully in. "Jake?" She called. "Peyton?" When no one answered, she got extremely worried.
"Peyton?!" Brooke called frantically. "Anyone?" She sighed and looked to Haley with confusion. "I say we wait in the car." Just then, Peyton's abandoned cell phone rang on the floor beneath the coffee table. Brooke eyed Haley awkwardly before the married one walked slowly to answer the phone. Brooke kept her eyes intently on Haley and one foot out the door, ready to run at any minute. It was too creepy being here.
When she saw it read 'Nathan', she was relieved. She flipped it open in a hurry and dropped down on the couch. "Hey." She breathed out happily, pushing her crazy hair out of her face.
"Hey." He said in the same relieved tone. "God, Haley. I was so worried about you." He could feel his heart getting better at the sound of her voice. Now all he had to do was get home and everything would be alright.
She felt tears prickling her eyes. "Nate, Chris chased us." She revealed in a hurry. "He was chasing us and we," she dropped her head to rub at her forehead with her fingertips, "he had this little black car and," she raked her hands through her hair.
"Is Peyton there?" He cut her off.
Haley frowned. "No, she isn't. I found her cell phone but… why?"
"She was supposed to be there!" He said urgently. "Haley, you and Brooke get out of there! We're almost there! Get out now, Hales!" He panicked, she could hear Lucas panicking too, but couldn't make out his words. "Get out!"
"Nathan why," but when she lifted her head, her eyes nearly bulged from her head. She almost dropped the phone. "Brooke! Behind you!" She hopped up and helplessly watched as Chris knocked her friend over the head with something, sending her tumbling towards the ground.
She stood there in complete shock, her hands started to shake. "Wha—what are you—?" She stuttered at the intruder.
"Who are you talking to, Haley?" Chris asked casually—but the underlying warning in his voice didn't go unnoticed.
She remembered the phone and her and Chris's eyes held each other's for a moment, both trying to read the next one's move. Then in a hurry, she put the phone back to her ear. "Nathan! Chris is here! Nathan!" He leaped over to her and she jumped over the couch, but he grabbed her by the hair, sending her crashing face first onto the floor, the phone bouncing out of her hand. She groaned at the impact and could vaguely make out Nathan's voice as he screamed for her over the line.
Then, Chris' heavy boot crushed it right as she had lifted her head to glance at it. "We won't be needing him anymore." He said with a soft—almost caring smile. "Let's go." He picked her up by her hair and started for the door.
"Where's Peyton?! What'd you do to her?!" She questioned tearfully.
"Don't worry about it." He told her easily, forcing her down the porch steps. "She's fine."
Haley saw him leading her to where all the trees were and decided she wasn't going to do this without a fight. With no warning, she kicked his shin from behind, sending a groan from the stronger man. He let her go and she took that moment to run towards the road. Within no time, she could practically feel him on her heels, but she kept the speed up until she was out on the road, then she stopped, unsure of which way to keep running. When she'd decided on left, it was too late. He had grabbed her by the arm and practically slapped the life out of her. He held onto her so she wouldn't fall down and began leading her to a field of trees.
Slowly, her mind started coming back to her and she remembered what was happening. Chris was basically dragging her away. In fact, her knees were scraping through the dirt and over tree-roots and her face was being bombarded with stray leaves and branches that were far too overgrown. Weakly, she began kicking her legs until suddenly, he threw her onto the dirt. She grabbed her aching head in pain and was only half aware that he had crawled on top of her.
They were in the middle of nowhere.
"Haley, don't fight this." He murmured when she tried to push him away.
"No, Chris, stop." She mumbled in a feeble whimper.
"Just give it to me sweetheart," he practically begged, "then we won't have to go through this. I just want to make love to you." He whispered in her ear before pulling her shirt up. At the sight of her bra-covered breasts, his eyes lit up.
Haley winced at the pain his body on top of hers was causing before gathering her strength and punching him straight in the nose. He groaned, holding his nose and falling to the side. "Shit!" He yelled in pain.
Haley scrambled to her feet and broke off running towards the road—which was now at somewhat of a great distance. She was sure Nathan and Lucas were on their way home and she wanted them to be able to see her. But, to her dismay, she could hear him behind her again. He wasn't as close as he was before, she could tell as she pushed leaves out of her way. Tears clouded her eyes, but she was determined not to let him have her. She yelled frantically, hoping that anyone could hear her, but got blind-sided by a hand covering her mouth and pulling her by her waist, then pushing her up against a tree.
Brooke groaned and rubbed her aching head. What happened, she thought, but then hurriedly remembered. Someone had hit her, obviously with the brick that was lying beside her. She looked towards the couch for Haley and noticed that she wasn't there. Her eyes filled with tears as she sat up, holding her wounded head. It was pounding, she could almost hear the pounding…or was that pounding real? It was! Maybe it was Haley!
She could hear someone banging on something down the hall and forced herself to stand to her feet. She followed the sound down the hallway, occasionally holding onto the wall for balance as she made it to the farthest room. She saw the closet door handle jiggling before she saw it protruding from the insistent banging. Quickly making her way to the door, she hurriedly unlocked it and a weapon-equipped Peyton emerged, ready to strike.
"Peyton, it's me!" She shrieked at the hysterical blonde, holding her arms in front of her face. She instantly noticed the blood trickling from her friend's hairline. "Peyton…" She started to cry.
Peyton dropped the bat and let out a sob, running to hug Brooke. "Oh, he's here." She was mumbling hysterically. "He's here. He's…" She searched the room and then looked up at Brooke worriedly. "Where's Haley?" Then, she noticed Brooke's wounded head and gasped lightly. "What happened?"
Brooke swallowed and shook her head. "Peyton, I don't know. I think he—I think he took Haley."
Determinedly, Peyton replaced the bat in her grip. "We have to find her, Brooke."
"Okay." She nodded blindly before spotting a golf club behind Peyton in the closet. She ran over to it and gripped it for dear life. Then, she turned to Peyton with a serious look. "Let's go."
Peyton gave a solemn nod before leading her best friend out of the bedroom door and into the hallway. They walked hesitantly with their weapons in batter's position before they heard a bump in the living room. Peyton stopped and Brooke bumped into her before they shared fearful looks. They agreed silently that they were going to run in there and start swinging before taking a deep breath and walking swiftly to the living room. Brooke let out a loud, fearful shriek before putting the golf club up in the air and almost hitting the person they'd come into contact with.
"Wait! Hey!" Lucas screamed, jumping away from them.
Instantly, Brooke darted into his arms, dropping the golf club. "Luke! Oh my god!" She cried on his shoulder as Nathan came into the house hesitantly. He noticed the disheveled place and how Haley was nowhere around, his worries intensified.
"Where's Haley? Did he…?" Nathan's face paled when Brooke and Peyton gave him that remorseful, helpless look.
"She…when I woke up…" Brooke started brokenly, her voice cracking. "She's gone."
Nathan shook his head and backed away. "No." He barely said before dashing back out the door. "Haley!"
Haley screamed with the hand over her mouth until she saw that it was Jake. Relief flooded her face and she pulled him into a happy hug. "Jake." She whispered calmly, gripping onto him for dear life. He was hugging her back quickly.
"Hey," he held onto her shoulders and looked steadily in her eyes, "we have to get out of here."
"Jake, he's," she swallowed back tears, "he's crazy." She hiccupped quietly.
"I know." He breathed, looking around the branch-covered area. "Nathan and Lucas were on their way when I last talked to them."
"Nathan." Haley said evenly, wishing that she could make her way back to him.
Jake nodded. "Yeah, we're going to—" His body jolted and he fell against her, her deafening screech going unheard by his unconscious ears.
Haley's eyes widened as she saw Chris standing behind him, a tree branch in his hands. "That's the last time somebody's gonna interfere." He pushed Jake's lifeless body away from her and grabbed her by her neck. "It's almost as if we're not meant to be, huh?" He asked with a joking smile—as if it wasmeant to be.
"We're not!" Haley croaked, scratching at his face.
Chris chuckled, dropping the branch on the ground and feeling her up. "I love you though, Haley." He admitted, kissing her forehead. "I want you." He breathed on her face.
Haley cried and hopelessly tried to push him away. "Chris, I love Nathan. Please, let me go." The tears fell from her eyes and she could see the crazed look in his eyes. Her body went numb with fear. Nathan had been right—he had nothing to lose now—so he might just do anything. "Chris, if you love me," she started, trying to stop the tears, "then why not let me be happy?" Maybe she could compromise with him, she hoped.
He looked on as if they were having a serious conversation. "Because you'd be happy with me," he said in what sounded like he was on the verge of tears, "I promise. We'd be so happy, Haley. I love you."
Haley refrained from screaming and forced a smile. "But…I'm in love with Nathan." She said hesitantly, hoping not to send him in a crazed fury. "He's my husband."
"He abandoned you!" He yelled, pressing more into her neck. "He didn't follow you behind your dreams!" He reminded fiercely. "I was there for you! I showed you that life, Haley! He left you because you wanted that life! But not me, Haley," he said, running a finger along her cheek and chuckling humorlessly, "I stayed there behind you!"
"Nathan is my life!" She screamed back, unable to help it. "Nathan, is my life." She repeated calmly. "I can't live without him."
"Then you can't live at all." He said with a shrug. "Chris Keller has made his decision, Haley. If Chris Keller can't be with you, Chris Keller won't allow anybody else to." He scoffed, gripping her neck with two hands now. Actual tears flooded his eyes. "I didn't want to do this." He said regretfully as she uselessly fought against him.
Then as if God had sent him, Nathan's fist came crashing into the side of his face. He fell to the ground and Haley fell, gasping for air. Nathan rushed to her, lifting her to stand again. "Haley, god, are you okay?" He said worried, his own tears threatening to fall.
She nodded vehemently. "Yeah. Yeah." She panted, holding her neck.
Nathan glared at Chris as he attempted to crawl on the ground while holding his injured jaw. Nathan walked over to him—his control seemingly gone—and picked him up by the back of his shirt. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to do this." He murmured before turning him to face him and then punching him in the face.
Haley watched in shock. "Nathan, no!" She yelled. She didn't really want him to stop, she wanted Chris to get what he deserved, but Nathan wasn't going to stop until Chris wasn't moving, she knew him.
Nathan punched him mercilessly until he lay motionless on the ground. He crawled on top of the hurt boy and raised him by his shirt so that they were eye-to-eye. A venomous rage seeped through Nathan's eyes as he looked at him, Chris' eyes were barely open. "Don't you ever," he said before punching him, "touch," he punched again, "her," he punched, "again!" He threw him onto the ground and got up, breathing heavily.
"Nathan." Haley called quietly. She'd never seen him so enraged. "Nathan…"
His rage seemed to subside at the unkempt sight of her. "Haley, it's okay now." He pulled her to him in a warm hug, kissing her forehead roughly. He was so relieved to be touching her—to have gotten to Chris finally. "Everything's okay." He murmured, finally noticing Jake on the ground behind her. He grabbed her hand and knelt down beside the boy, checking his pulse. It was steady. "Chris is crazy." He mumbled, surveying Jake's head wound.
Haley glanced back at the said-boy before back at Nathan. "We should call the police."
"I did when we got disconnected." He told her with a sad smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."
"Nathan, you were. You're here now." She rubbed his sweat-wet face with her hand. "I love you so much." She cried, staring intently into his blue eyes.
His gaze met her brown one before he kissed her hand. "I love you too, baby. I love you so much, Hales." His voice wavered before he leaned over to kiss her.
"Nate!" Lucas called from a distance.
Nathan reluctantly pulled away and looked towards the voice. "Luke! Over here!"
This was his chance, Chris thought, hoping to stay as still as possible. He pulled the pocketknife from his pocket with slow ease and then sat up quickly, holding it to Nathan's back. "Don't move." He gritted. Haley gasped. "We're getting out of here, Scott."
Instantaneously, Nathan pushed Haley away from them. "Haley, go." He stood up slowly as Chris led him to his feet by holding the back of his shirt and standing. Nathan put his hands up in surrender.
"Nathan, no." She said seriously, standing slowly and holding her hands up to Chris. "Chris, leave him alone. You want me, right?" Lucas, Brooke and Peyton all ran up behind her, gasping when they saw what was happening. Tears filled her eyes and she briefly noticed Peyton running over to Jake. "Take me, Chris. Please. I'll go with you." She pleaded. "Just let Nathan go."
"Haley, no!" Nathan screamed, knowing that Chris might go for it. "Lucas, get her!"
"No!" She snatched away from her best friend. "Nathan isn't who you want, Chris." She continued to talk to him. "I'll go. I promise, just let him go."
"Haley…" Lucas warned.
"No, Chris. Do whatever you want to me," Nathan continued to disagree with her, "I know you hate me. Take me."
"You don't want to do this, Chris." Lucas started evenly, stepping beside Haley, who wouldn't let him step in front of her, she'd just keep getting closer to her husband. "You haven't killed anyone. You could still get off."
"Yeah right!" Chris scoffed crazily. "Attempted kidnapping, sexual assault! Attempted rape! Assault with a deadly weapon!" He laughed and pressed the knife to Nathan's neck. "It's not happening, Scott." He swallowed hard and looked to Haley. "Besides, I don't want to get off. I just want her."
"Here I am." She said in tears. "Just let Nathan go." It felt like her heart had stopped.
Nathan could feel Chris' grip loosening, as if he was about to make trades. He was about to panic or scream. He couldn't let him take her. "She doesn't love you." He said so only they could hear. "She just wants you to let me go because she loves me." He swallowed roughly, hoping his plan was working. "She'll never love you, Chris. Not like she loves me."
"Shut up!" Chris yelled illogically. "Everybody just shut the fuck up!" He heard the sirens from a distance and began to panic.
Nathan would've made a move if he didn't think that Haley would try to run over and assist him. But by the way she was looking, she would any second now and that was making him more afraid by the second. "I've got the keys in my pocket, man. Let's just go."
Brooke held her hand up to her mouth as she cried and snuggled up to Lucas. Haley then watched Peyton crying on Jake. She wouldn't lose her husband. Not right now. She lunged forward.
"Haley!" Nathan screamed in utter fear, but Chris flung the both of them back, pressing the knife into Nathan's skin more.
"Haley, stay back!" Chris warned. The sirens were getting closer. "Let's go." He growled to Nathan. "You're driving."
Haley covered her mouth and cried as she saw a little blood trickle from Nathan's neck. "I'm coming too!" She blurted, emotionally wrecked. She wished they could all just rush Chris, but Lucas, Brooke, Peyton and the just-now-coming-to Jake were all too far away. If they did try, Chris would slit Nathan's throat before they even made it.
"Haley, stop!" He demanded. He couldn't have her go. "No!"
Chris smirked at her comment. "You and me in the back seat," he wiggled his eyebrows, "like I've always wanted."
"You're sick!" Peyton yelled to Chris as she hugged Jake who was sitting up. "A sick bastard!"
"You won't get away with this." Lucas promised angrily. He wanted to run up and grab Haley, but she was so close to Nathan and Chris, Chris might react and kill Nathan and Haley wouldn't let him take her without a fight.
"I already know that." He jerked his head, signaling Haley to follow. "The question is, what won't I get away with? Killing these two on top of everything else?" He laughed softly. "Will I get away with that?" When the sirens were even closer, his smirk fell.
"Haley, stay here." Nathan pleaded, almost teary-eyed.
"No." She had her eyes trained on him. She held her left hand up. "Always and forever, Nate." She wiggled her fingers.
Chris got angry at their little connection. "Let's go you two!" He led Nathan at weapon point to the car as Haley led the way, like he'd silently ordered. He eyed the group, making sure they didn't pull any stunts.
Lucas gritted his teeth as he heard the car start and turned to Brooke. "Give me your keys. I'm following them." She hysterically handed them over and he started quickly towards her car.
"I'm going with you." Jake got up and ran with Lucas to Brooke's car.
Peyton and Brooke hugged each other as they cried.