Thanks for all the great reviews, sorry I took so long but my Thanksgiving vacation was crazy! Anyway, hope you enjoy it! It's the last chapter! Thanks for reading!!
The Wrong Kind of Wrong
He glanced at the clock, it was five twenty-one. He realized he'd only gotten a total of fifty-six minutes to sleep before deciding that he wouldn't try it anymore. He placed a soft kiss on Haley's neck and watched her moonlit face for a while. It was all he could do all night, he just couldn't come up with any reasonable explanation for not re-proposing to the beautiful girl lying next to him. It'd been three days since they'd come home from the hospital and he still hadn't re-proposed. Haley was getting even more on edge about her missing ring, even in her sleep. At the moment, she had her left hand practically glued under the pillow.
He smiled softly and kissed her neck one more time before slipping out of bed with her. He went to the bathroom and sat on the toilet before rubbing at his temples and sighing. He didn't know what was holding him back. But there was a little voice in the back of his head telling him why he couldn't…because he was more afraid than anything.
His fears were undiscovered, but they were there. He could feel them stopping him just when he thought he'd found the right moment to do it. Like yesterday, when she was backing a cake and had a dab of flour on her nose—it was beautiful and he wanted to ask her then, but those underlying fears got the best of him and he fled, leaving a confused Haley in his wake.
He came out of the bathroom quietly and got his cell phone from the nightstand before quietly making his way out to the patio. He watched the bright moon in the sky for a moment before flipping over his cell phone and dialing his brother's number.
"H'lo?" Lucas answered groggily.
Nathan sighed worriedly. "I'm scared, Luke."
"You should be, because I'm not a morning person and it's like five thirty in the morning." Lucas growled.
"No, I'm scared to ask her to marry me again." He breathed out the words, it was the first time he'd ever audibly admitted it.
Lucas' attention was his. "Why?"
"Maybe I'm bad luck for her, Lucas. She's been hurt a lot and it all leads back to me." He started rambling, rubbing at his forehead. "I love her so much, but what if something else happens?"
"Nathan, dude." Lucas chuckled quietly. "How many times do we have to go through this? You and Haley are perfect for each other," he paused, "and you know that has to mean a lot coming from me." He half joked with a soft laugh.
Nathan laughed softly, but not wholeheartedly. "Why do you say that?"
"Something really unfortunate happened, yes. But, you've got to stop blaming yourself, Nate. None of this was any of your fault. The only one to blame is Chris, and I'm sure he's already paid the ultimate price." Lucas encouraged, feeling more like a big brother than he ever had in his life.
"I just," he sighed again, "I just don't want to keep screwing things up. I mean, I know she left me but, shouldn't I have supported her in her decision to go?" He asked confused, obviously unsure about his life choices. "I shouldn't have made her chose between the two. What the hell? I should've supported her like she always supports me." He went on, voicing his fears.
"Nathan, you did." Lucas informed pointedly. "Just because you were hurt doesn't mean you didn't support her. But that's the past and that's irrelevant. I mean, look where the two of you are now. Together again. Like I knew you would be."
Nathan heard Lucas shuffling something and furrowed his brows. "What are you doing?"
Lucas flipped through the pages of the book and stopped on the quote that had reminded him of Nathan and Haley's relationship so much. "Listen," he muttered quickly, "One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life'." He paused and smiled softly before finishing the quote. "'That word is love.'" It was silent and he knew that his brother was soaking in the words. "Nate, do you love her?"
"Of course, man." He said like it was the most ridiculous question.
"Then what are you waiting for?" Lucas laughed lightly. "Re-propose to the girl already."
Nathan smiled, relieved that this conversation had made him feel better. Because Lucas was right. No matter what he and Haley had been through, when they stopped to think about just how much they loved each other and wanted to be together, things seemed to work out for them. It wouldn't stop going that way, so he had nothing to worry about. They were in love. It was all they needed. "Thanks, Luke. For everything."
"No problem, little brother." He said softly. "But if you ever wake me up this early ever again, then you won't be thanking me."
Nathan laughed. "Sorry. See ya."
"Later." Lucas mumbled before hanging up.
Haley laid back on her bed with her cell phone pressed to her ear and her free hand covering her forehead. "Brooke, I don't know what I'm gonna do." She whined.
"Just tell him, Tutor Girl." Brooke pushed. "He won't flip out on you. You were going through a really hard time when you lost it."
"I had it after we got in the accident." She mumbled, hating to even bring it up. It was a subject in her life that would take a while to come to full terms with.
"Then you lost it at the hospital." Brooke guessed brightly. "I'll go to the lost and found there and you…tell Nathan."
"How about I don't and you just…get me a look alike or something?" Haley whined even more, sitting up slowly, as if not to hurt her cut.
"Now how not-honest is that?" Brooke said irritatedly. "Tell. Him. Tutor. Girl." She pronounced each word before muttering, "bye," and hanging up.
Haley hung up her phone and threw it to the floor, just as she heard Nathan coming in. Maybe Brooke was right, Nathan probably would understand, he'd probably even help her look for it. If they couldn't find it, they'd save enough money to replace it, wouldn't they?
"Hey baby." Nathan smiled at her, putting his book bag on the floor.
She smiled back, he seemed to be glowing today. The other days, he seemed in his own confused and gloomy place and she'd tried to help him through it, but he wouldn't tell her what was bothering him, but now, it seemed like that gloom had left him.
"Hey." She said softly.
"Hey. I picked up our homework." He informed, walking in the bathroom. "I didn't really think you wanted to go to school today. Besides, the principle said it was cool if you just came back when you were ready."
"Are you ready?" She asked him curiously.
"Any day you are." He smiled as he came out, holding the suave for her wound along with the gauze and the cleaning wipes. He kissed her forehead softly and then nodded his head for her to lay down so he could clean her wound for her like he did every morning, afternoon and night.
She laid back carefully and then sighed, pulling up her shirt and then tucking her hands beneath her head. "I want to go back. I'm running away and missing school, exactly what I didn't want to do."
"Not like it matters if you do miss school." He got on his knees between her legs and began his work. His wounds seemed to be only a little pain, but Haley, he could see the discomfort in her everyday and wanted nothing more than do anything he could to ease it. He liked taking care of her and he'd do it happily until the day he died. "You're like the smartest girl in the world."
She laughed. "Yeah, right. I still have a few things to learn."She promised, meeting his blue eyes as she tilted her head to the side. "Trust me."
He concentrated as he carefully cleaned her injury. "So how are you doing? Are you okay?" He asked seriously, briefly meeting her unwavering gaze.
"I'm perfect." She smiled when he looked at her again, her eyes were set in a thoughtful tone. "Nathan, I don't know if I tell you enough, but I love you." She said sincerely.
He gave her a puzzled look before smiling back. "I love you, too Hales." He spread the suave carefully over her sore.
"I'm so glad you're my husband." She said quietly.
Nathan felt his heart quicken as he added the gauze and taped it in place. "Are you okay?" She was flattering him and making him feel all mushy inside. Oh yeah, he was so going to marry her again.
"Yeah, I am, and I'm not sucking up," she sighed and looked over at the wall to where he wasn't, "I lost my wedding ring. And you don't deserve that." She blurted, throwing up her left hand in shame. "I don't even know when, I was sure I had it. I mean, you remember, don't you?" She didn't give him time to answer. "I've been looking for it, I even looked at the hospital. I mean, Brooke's on her way to the hospital to look some more. That's where it has to be, Nathan. I know it." She covered her face with her hands and let out a deep breath. "Do you hate me?" When he didn't answer, she looked over at him and he was smirking. "Nathan?"
"You ramble when you're nervous." He noted softly, getting up to sit beside her. "And I love that about you. I love everything about you, Haley. I love your smile, the way you talk. The way you smell, how smart you are and how funny you can be." He laid on his side beside her, his face was hovering over hers as he spoke his gentle words. "How beautiful you are." He whispered attentively.
His voice sent shockwaves through her body. "Nathan…"
Shaking his head to silence her, he continued. "We've had our ups and downs and throughout all that, I knew I wanted to be with you every second of it." He dug his hand in his pocket and pulled out the gold ring, slowly bringing it to her view.
Haley's brown eyes widened and she rose up to rest on her elbows. "You found it." She eyed the ring before looking into his crystal blue eyes happily.
He smiled at her and met her eyes seriously. "Marry me." He whispered in soft demand.
Haley stared at him, completely in shock. "We're already married, Nathan." She chuckled nervously, self consciously hook a piece of her hair behind her ear.
He shrugged one shoulder. "Marry me again, Hales. This time, I want to stand in front of everyone and tell them that I can't be without you and that I'm never going to stop loving you. That nothing can tear us apart."
Haley's eyes watered as she watched him speak, she couldn't believe how lucky she'd gotten.
"And I want you to have that dream wedding." He smirked sheepishly. "The one you used to tell me about." He wiped a stray tear from her cheek and rested his forehead against hers, never taking his eyes from hers. "I still could love you forever, Haley. In fact, I will." He paused and they stared at each other, forgetting that there was an earth that they were on and it was only them in the universe. "Marry me."
Haley smiled, letting out a breath of disbelief before she nodded. "Of course, Nathan. I'll marry you whenever you want. I love you." He slipped the ring on her finger and she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close to her. "God, I love you so much." Her voice shook.
Nathan kissed her head happily, his grin wouldn't leave his face. He wrapped his arms around her, careful not to hurt her and inhaled the scent of her. "Haley, you don't know how happy you just made me." He proclaimed, pulling back so that he could kiss her. "Again."
She wiped her tears away quickly. "I think I do." She shook her head at him in disbelief while he smiled at her. "You're amazing." She whispered with a grin. "You are, Nathan. You surprise me all the time."
"Love can do that sometimes." He justified with a shrug, kissing her again.
She got into it, laying him back on the bed as she smothered him with the most passionate kiss. She ran her fingernails down his chest and then groaned, pulling away and putting her forehead on his chest.
"Hales?" He questioned softly, looking at the top of her head.
"Nothing." She said, looking up at him with a fake smile. "It's just that, you know, we haven't been, well," she scratched her head nervously, "doing certain stuff lately, due to our current conditions and…" She rose her brows suggestively.
Nathan smiled, running his hands up her arms. "I'm sure we could work something out." He said sexily before pulling her on top of him.
Haley laughed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We always do."
"I can't believe you're getting remarried." Brooke sat on top of Peyton's car at the river court between the two other girls. "I mean, it was weird enough with you getting married the first time."
"It wasn't weird for us." She sighed dreamily, looking out towards the court at Nathan as he dunked the ball.
"Yeah, because you were the freaks who got married." Brooke laughed, dodging Haley's playful swat. "Well at least I get to be the maid of honor this time."
"And I get to be a measly bridesmaid." Peyton glared playfully at Brooke.
"Hey, I won. Rock, paper, scissors is so fair." She countered, pointing a finger at Peyton before smiling. "And I'm making all hot dresses so you'll still look cute."
Haley smiled and looked over at Peyton. "Is Jake coming?"
"It all depends on tomorrow." Peyton took a deep breath and shook her head. "His custody hearing is in the morning."
"Tell him we said good luck." Haley told her, grabbing her hand.
It had been almost a whole month since Chris had died and the group had all started fresh, or so it seemed. Everyone seemed to be getting along well, even the mention of Chris' name didn't make everyone stare at her all weird anymore. School had been crazy, the newscasters and reporters had hassled her about what happened, but Nathan would always come through, making an easy escape for her. Honestly, he was still saving her from Chris. When she woke up from occasional nightmares and wanted to talk about why she was still a little afraid and what she was feeling, he always listened and reassured her that she'd get past all of it and that she'd make it through. She smiled as she watched him dunk the ball in the basket, he was her dream man. She'd never love another.
"Hello! Tutor Girl!" Brooke waved her hand in front of Haley's face. "I know your soon-to-be-husband-again looks all hot over there but we have to focus here. What's gonna be your song?"
Haley smiled softly, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know, Nathan's picking it. He said he had some perfect song to dedicate to me."
"Aw, that's so sweet!" Brooke clapped with a smile. "Did he tell you what it was?"
"No, he just said it was country." Haley admitted halfheartedly.
Peyton laughed. "Nathan listens to country? Since when?"
"You know, country singers make really sweet songs sometimes." Brooke added, pointing a finger at them.
"They do. The Rascal Flatts are like, masterminds." Haley quipped with a nod.
"Okay, I don't know their names, dork." Brooke joked, slapping Haley's thigh playfully.
"They're good!" Haley justified just as the ball flew near them. She hopped up to get it as Nathan came towards her. "Hey, hot stuff." She joked to her sweaty husband, handing him the ball.
"Hey baby." He kissed her quickly. Then, he jerked his head to the court and grabbed her hand. "Come play with us." He suggested with a sexy half-smirk.
"Me?" She asked surprised. Surely, he was joking. He was about the only one who had actually seen her attempt to play and it wasn't at all pretty.
"All of you." He said louder, the boys behind him agreed.
Haley laughed embarrassedly as Brooke and Peyton jumped up, pushing her towards the court. "We're so going to kick your asses!" Brooke yelped happily. "Girls against boys!" She announced enthusiastically. "Except for we get a few boys who have to pretend to be girls because there's a lot of you." She added, pulling Junk by his shirt to join their team.
"Nathan, I thought public humiliation was not something you inflict upon your spouse?" She whispered, scooting closer to him.
"Hales, you're not that bad." He defended with a smile.
"This coming from the guy who told me to just give it up and shoot granny style?" She joked, pushing at his chest playfully as she smiled up at him. Their eyes locked and the world around them moved in slow motion.
The forgotten ball rolled from his fingertips as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her as the game began when Lucas came up and took hold of the abandon ball—mumbling something to them about getting a room. He pulled away slowly and closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of holding her. "We made it, Hales." He whispered, pushing hair out of her eyes gently and meeting her eyes again.
"I never had any doubt." She smiled softly before leaning up to kiss him and then pushing him back playfully. "Now get out there so I can kick your ass in some B-Ball."
Nathan chuckled and shook his head as Lucas made a shot. "I'd let you kick my ass any day."
Haley winked before turning to face Brooke, obviously devising some kind of strategy to beat the boys and all he could do was stare at her. She was strong and beautiful and she was his…all his. He'd never felt more content in that moment.
"…so it turns out Chris Keller was really Chris Killer and he tried to rape Haley James. Then, Nathan killed him." One boy said.
"That's so romantic." The blonde said next to him.
"I heard she had a thing with him and he just got really obsessed." Another girl added.
"Didn't she leave Nathan for him or something?" Another boy scoffed. "She was probably a tease."
Haley shook her head and decided to take the long way to the tutor center. It still hadn't died completely down yet—after all, it was Tree Hill. It was the most exciting thing to happen to the citizens of the small town in years and it'd probably be a hot topic until something else happened.
"Hey Tutor Girl." Lucas chimed, mimicking his girlfriend's voice. Somewhere along the way, Brooke had decided to be his exclusive girlfriend.
"Hey Broody." Haley mimicked her also, smiling sheepishly at her best friend. "How've ya been?"
He narrowed his eyes in thought. "I've been…great actually. You?"
"Annoyed. I mean, when are people going to stop talking about the incident? It was like a month ago." She rolled her eyes.
"Just ignore it. I've learned to." Lucas advised softly.
"Yeah, because you're not being cast as some hoochie-fied tease in the latest Tree Hill gossip column." She mumbled, warily watching a student who was sneaking glances as he passed them by.
Lucas chuckled softly. "Hales, they're just rumors."
"I know." Deciding against that topic, she looked at him. "How's your heart?"
"It's still beating, last I checked." He shrugged nonchalantly.
"You should really tell your mom, Luke." Haley started lowly. "You know how much it would kill her if anything happened to you."
He nodded in understanding. "I've already decided to tell her."
Haley couldn't say she wasn't surprised. "What? Why?"
"When she heard about the whole Chris Keller thing," he said hesitantly, briefly glancing at her, "the first thing she did was hug me and cry about how scared she was that I was hurt. Even Dan cared." He sighed softly. "I at least owe it to my mom to care about what happens to me, even if it means no basketball."
Haley smiled at him, stopping in her tracks. "I'm proud of you, Lucas."
He gave her a quick hug. "Thanks for not telling anyone, Haley."
"What are best friends for, right?" She smiled up at him.
"I have to meet Brooke for lunch, but I'll see you later."
"I'll see you later, then." She waved softly. "Bye."
"Bye." He waved.
She watched him run off before looking around the hall. A feeling of nauseated familiarity washed over her as she watched him go through the doors of the hall and she remembered what this place was. When Chris had approached her in the hall. It was like she could see him then, see herself against the lockers, afraid and unsure of what to expect. She watched wide-eyed as the memory played over again.
"Hales?"
A hand covered her shoulder and she gasped and jumped, turning around to face him.
"What's wrong?" Nathan was instantly concerned, his hands moving to her arms.
Haley sighed in relief and put a hand over her forehead, closing her eyes. "Nothing. Nothing. I was just…um…thinking." She glanced at his eyes briefly, not really wanting to look at him. She felt so stupid for overreacting.
"About what?" He wanted to know, he wanted her to let him in. She'd seemed to be doing alright, but he knew that when she zoned out, she was only thinking of one thing.
"Just…stuff." She said dismissively, putting a hand to his chest.
"Chris Keller?" He asked softly.
"Nathan," she rolled her eyes, "I don't…" She hated always dumping her stupid fears on him.
"Haley, it's okay to be traumatized. It doesn't make you any less human or any less you." He put a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face to meet his eyes. "You've been through a lot in the past few months."
Resignedly, she sighed. "I just…" She looked back at the spot where Chris had stopped her that time. "Remember when I was acting all weird that day I told you I didn't want to work with him anymore? And I practically ran from you?" He nodded. "Chris stopped me right here that day and reminded me not to say anything about what happened." She admitted shyly, eyeing the spot. "And I just had an unfortunate flashback."
"He'll never hurt you again." Nathan said softly, barely above a whisper. "He's gone."
"I know." She said in the same tone, her eyes never leaving the place. "It's just scary that it happened." She finally looked toward him. "It seems like it was yesterday."
He stroked her hair caringly, feeling sympathy for his wife. "Do you want to talk about it?" He'd be her ears, he had been whenever she woke him up in the middle of the night to talk and rarely cry about what happened to her. He understood her strife and her fears, he'd watch her be wary around strangers and he wish he could take it all away, but since he couldn't, he'd do the best he could to help her get through it.
Smiling softly, she shook her head. "No." She grabbed his hand and finally met his eyes. For the first time in what seemed like a long time, she didn't want to talk about it. She just wanted to ignore it. Move on. Besides, she was marrying Nathan Scott—again, who wouldn't want to think about that instead?
Nathan smiled back softly, seeing a new glint of determination in her eyes. "Well, how about we leave school for lunch?"
"Yeah, I just have to turn these prep tests back in to the tutor center and then we can go." She announced happily.
"I'll come with you." He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"You better." She playfully said, wrapping an arm around his waist as they walked down the hall—past one of the spots she'd been wary of—past her fears.
And into her future with Nathan.
THE END
Thanks for everyone who read this story in and to the end, the epilogue is coming soon, but I have a new fic idea so read the summary and see if you like it…
The Other Brother
Haley James was just like any other girl at her high school, even when it came to love—she was hopelessly in love with the co-captain of the basketball team and one of the most popular people at Tree Hill High just like almost every other girl— Lucas Scott. Only, he was about the only one who didn't know how she felt. So when his annoyingly cocky twin brother needs Haley's help to graduate and will do about anything to get it—even promise that he'll get Lucas to ask her to prom—will she still feel the same way when she gets to know the real Nathan Scott?