Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or its characters.

AN: Chapter Eight, up as soon as possible as promised. Please, enjoy x

The Con

Chapter Eight: The Edges of the Universe

By the time she got back to the hotel, Haley was exhausted. The cab had taken a lifetime to get there, and when it finally came she and Nathan had spent the journey in silence. Haley didn't want to say anything in case it led to kissing with her eyes closed again, and Nathan… well, heaven only knew what Nathan was thinking. Probably that she was a weirdo and he was hoping to get rid of her as soon as possible. This inkling of Haley's was furthered when she got out of the cab and no future plans had been made.

All in all, what had started out as an amazing night had turned into a disaster. Not only had it left her feeling confused and doubting her abilities as the primary, it had also left her wondering if the con was over or not. She sighed and kicked off her shoes, leaning down to rub her feet as soon as the door was closed behind her.

"Good morning," Taylor said, her face looking sour and her tone matching it. "How was your date?"

Haley pulled a face and threw herself onto the bed. "What's the matter with you? It was your idea for us to be together in the middle of nowhere, why do you sound like I've done something wrong?"

Haley watched as Taylor's sour expression dropped, and she sat down on the edge of Haley's bed. "I'm sorry it's just… well, I've found something out, and you're not going to like it."

Haley sat up, her eyes narrowed as she waited for what Taylor had to say.

"Okay," Taylor took a deep breath. "We have to call the con off. Nathan and Peyton Sawyer are practically engaged. There's no way Nathan is going to ask you to marry him, because Daddy wouldn't like that."

Haley's eyes narrowed further. "What?"

"I said…"

"No, I heard what you said. What I don't get, is why the hell you're trying to put me off again. For God's sake Taylor, why won't you just trust me? Just a little bit?"

"Haley, I do, but…"

"No! You don't. Just admit it Taylor, you're probably full of glee right now because you don't think I'll be able to do it. And why the hell where you snooping around like that anyway?"

"Haley, that's my job! This is nothing to do with you being the primary, it's to do with the fact that Nathan Scott isn't a free man Hales! He's not going to ask you to marry him because his parents are going to use him and Peyton as some kind of business transaction!"

Haley breathed out through her nose and got up to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Taylor asked.

"To the reception to ask for another room."

"Haley!"

"Shut up Taylor! Look, can you just… can you just let me do this? Can you give me a chance?" Haley paused by the window and waited. She didn't know why she was blowing up like she was. Well, okay, she did know, and it was because she didn't want to give up on Nathan yet. But it's just for the con, she told herself. Just a way to prove myself.

Yeah, and if you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Shut Up.

You Shut up.

Oh my God, I'm arguing with myself.

Haley snapped out of her inner argument when Taylor spoke. "I can't do that Haley. We need to pull out of this thing. It's too complex."

Haley's shoulders sagged in disappointment. She felt tears come to her eyes. "Then I can't work with you anymore…" She put her hands up to silence Taylor's protests. "I'll stay here tonight, but tomorrow we go our separate ways. You can do whatever the hell you want, and I'll do whatever the hell I want for a change. In fact, I'll go back home, maybe start community college. I'm smart enough after all."

Haley knew what she wanted to do, and starting community college wasn't it. She wanted to stay in Tree Hill with Nathan… but, she couldn't. She couldn't live a lie with him.

And besides, I don't even love him.

Oh yeah, there was that too.

"Nathan."

Nathan turned to the source of the voice. The cab had just dropped him off outside and the whole way up the steps to his apartment, he had been muttering obscenities under his breath. God, he was such an idiot. Why hadn't he made arrangements with her? They could have met up for dinner or something - an actual date and not sharing a pack of maltesers on the hood of a rental car.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Nathan asked, shutting the door behind him with one hand and looking at the watch on his other. It was nearly three in the morning.

Dan Scott stood up from the chair he had been sitting on and made his way into the entrance hall of Nathan's too-big apartment. "Well, I figured that, seeing as how I bought this place, you wouldn't object too much to me dropping by."

Nathan inwardly groaned with frustration, but on the outside he shrugged and tried to look like he wasn't bothered by his father. "Well, yeah, but at this time? I was just about to go to bed."

Dan adjusted his tie while still staring his son in the eye. They were exactly the same height, but Dan always managed to look taller just by the sheer power he emitted. "What? You haven't brought some tart back to my apartment?"

Nathan couldn't keep his calm façade for much longer, but he tried anyway. "It's my apartment Dad."

"Maybe on the deeds, but we both know that without my money, you wouldn't have crap."

"I work for my money, Dad."

Dan gave a laugh that was full of contempt. "Yeah, sure you do."

"Is there an actual reason why you're here?"

Dan looked thoughtful for a second. "I heard about the little bitch you left the club with tonight, when Peyton was there, no less."

Nathan bristled at the way Dan described Haley. "She's not a 'little bitch' Dad, and what the hell has that got to do with you?"

Dan closed the space between him and his son in two steps. "You know full well what it has to do with me. Screw whoever the hell you want Nathan, just try and be a little more discreet when you do it. We both know who you're going to marry, and that is not some whore that you pick up in a bar. It's Peyton Sawyer."

"Oh come on, Dad! Everyone in America knows that me and Peyton don't love each other! In fact, it's only you and Larry who even want us together! Why don't you get a clue and give up on this pointless little charade?"

Dan's teeth gritted and Nathan braced himself for a hit. He had gone too far, and Dan Scott didn't like being questioned.

"You know what?" Dan said, his voice eerily calm. "I hear that you've gone anywhere with anymore sluts, and I swear to God, you will be sorry."

"What are you going to do, Dad? Disown me? Cut me off? Take away my job? I've got to tell you Dad, I have friends and a CV that could get me a job anywhere, despite some family squabble."

Dan smirked, that cold sadistic smirk that didn't chip away the ice in his eyes, but Nathan knew that he had won this fight. "Consider yourself celibate Nathan," he said as he shoved past him on the way to the door.

"Forget it Dad. I'm not some kid anymore!"

Dan didn't answer, he simply slammed the door behind himself.

Nathan realised that he was shaking. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins and he needed to do something to release it. He walked over to a side table and picked a glass award off it. It was an employee of the month award. He felt the weight in his hands and threw it for the wall. It smashed satisfyingly and landed in multiple pieces on the floor. He picked up a photo of him and his dad and did the same thing. He continued until the side table was empty, and his shaking had stopped.

Far from putting him off Haley, Dan's words had only convinced him that he would fight tooth and nail to see her again. He had never argued with his dad over some girl before, and that proved something to him.

He was falling for Haley in a way he had never fallen for anyone before.

He loved her.

"Haley, wake up."

Haley groaned at the sound of her sister's voice and turned over, tucking the quilt under her arm.

"Haley!" Taylor yelled. Haley ignored it and felt herself drifting off when…

"Hey!" She shouted as the quilt was unceremoniously pulled out from over her. While the room wasn't exactly cold, there was still a huge gap in temperature between under the cover and without a cover. She wiped her eyes groggily and rolled onto her back. "What do you want?"

Taylor took a deep breath and then exhaled. She sat down on the edge of Haley's bed and stroked her hair. "You know, I like your hair this colour," she said absently.

Haley groaned. "Did you wake me up just to tell me that?"

Taylor shook her head. "No, I didn't just… look, it's about what you said last night."

Haley rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to change my mind Taylor. I told you, you can work out how to get the money back on your own. I'm done."

"Actually, this isn't about you changing your mind, it's about me changing mine."

Haley turned to face Taylor. "What?"

"I… I changed my mind. We can finish this stupid con, I mean, if you'll still do it."

Haley bit her lip. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Taylor shrugged. "I need the money Hales, and you're right. I don't trust you enough, so from now on I won't question you again. Scout's honour."

In all honesty, Taylor had changed her mind for the exact reason she had allowed Haley to be the primary in the first place. She didn't want to lose her baby sister, and she didn't want her going out into the world alone.

Haley opened her mouth to answer when her cell phone started ringing out 'Missing You' by Tyler Hilton. She put her index finger up to Taylor signifying that she would be one minute and picked the phone up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Hales, it's Nathan."

Haley felt her heart speed up at the sound of his voice, but also at the name he had just called her. 'Hales'. It sounded so personal, so familiar. 'It's Nathan' she mouthed to Taylor before walking into the bathroom. "Um, hi," she said, closing the door behind her.

"So, last night was… unique," Nathan said, and Haley could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"Unique good, or unique bad?" Haley asked, leaning against the sink and smiling dopily. Oh get a grip!

Nathan laughed. "Definitely good. At least, it was for me…"

"It was for me too."

"So good, in fact, that I was wondering if you wanted to do it again, only properly this time, without the broken down car."

Haley laughed and tried to ignore the butterflies. "Oh, but the broken down car was the best bit."

"Yeah, but um… do you want to meet for dinner? I can pick you up from your hotel and we can go to a restaurant in Wilmington, where I promise to tell you whether I have a pet, what my favourite colour is, and what I had for breakfast that morning or whatever you wish to ask of me."

Haley smiled and tucked the phone under her chin as she examined her nails. The red polish had chipped and she wondered what colour to put on next. "Sounds perfect," she said, grinning at the memories that word brought up. "When do you want to do it?"

"Well, I fly into LA for an interv… um, a business thing tomorrow morning, and I promised some friends that I'd shoot pool with them tonight. How about Tuesday Night?"

"Two days time?" Haley asked, wondering just when a day without Nathan had become torture. "Yeah, I can't wait."

"Me neither. I'll pick you up Tuesday then?"

"Yeah, bye."

Haley snapped the phone shut and jumped up and down, trying to get rid of the excited energy so Taylor wouldn't suspect anything. Once she had calmed herself down she walked out into the hotel room and threw the phone down on the bed.

"Well?" Taylor asked, still sitting where Haley had left her.

"Well, I think we're back on."

"Morning Sleepy."

Peyton rolled over and purred like a cat. She felt Jake's strong arms surround her as he spoke into her hair. For a second, she almost didn't feel the heavy banging in her head.

But only for a second.

"Oh God, how did that woodpecker get into my head?" she asked, reaching up and stroking her temple. Jake laughed at her and pulled her closer to him.

"You were pretty drunk last night, even said something about 'screwing everyone else, let's get married!'"

Peyton groaned again and buried her head in Jake's chest. "I had a little too much to drink."

"Yeah, I could tell."

Peyton thought back to last night. About her heartfelt conversation with a total stranger. She grimaced at the thought and hoped to God it wouldn't get back to her father. Larry Sawyer was not someone who liked his plans being messed with.

In a way though, Peyton felt a lot better than she had done since she had got with Jake. The heavy feeling in the gut of her stomach had eased somewhat. She had shared her secret with someone and it felt good, she only hoped that the person was trustworthy.

Jake nuzzled into the top of her hair before climbing out of bed. He grabbed a robe and pulled it around himself. Peyton smirked at his perfect physique.

"How about I make you some breakfast? With Aspirin, of course," Jake asked, already making his way into the kitchen.

Peyton stretched out and nodded her head. "Yeah, I'd love that," she said, stifling a yawn. "God, you are so great!"

Jake laughed from the kitchen. "I know, you don't deserve me right?"

"Not even a little." Peyton kicked the covers off herself and picked her cell phone off the bed side table. She raised her eyebrows when she saw she had a message.

Hey Peyton, it's Lisa from last night. Just wanted you to know that your secret is safe with me x

Peyton smiled lazily as Jake came back into the bedroom.

"Anything interesting?" he asked.

Peyton nodded. "Yeah, looks like I've made a new friend."