Disclaimer: Don't own One Tree Hill. Never have, never will… unless my plan works. Muahahahahaha. Muahahahahahahahaha. Muahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Ahem.

The Con

Chapter Thirteen: Dinner with Dysfunction.

By the time Nathan picked Haley up from the hotel, his thumb finger had been bitten down almost to the cuticle. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so nervous. Or the last time his stomach had swam with dread.

"Will you relax?" Brooke asked, sitting opposite Nathan in the limousine. She had obviously noticed Nathan's gnawing and got fed up with it. "You're making me uncomfortable."

Haley put her hand on top of Nathan's and smiled at him. Brooke and Pyton exchanged an 'aw' face as the limousine pulled up outside of Dan and Deb's home.

Nathan had already rung that morning . He had told his mom that he was bringing his new girlfriend, not Peyton, and asked her to please, please be sober. Whether or not she had heeded his words was yet to be seen.

Apart from greetings and the usual pleasantries, Haley and Peyton hadn't really talked yet. They hadn't had a chance to. As soon as Haley walked into the limousine Brooke was talking her ear off about how nice her dress was (it was a joke - she'd designed it) and how cool it was that Haley was meeting the 'rents. Haley felt kind of weird being sat in a car with the girl your boyfriend is supposed to marry. It was a surreal kind of feeling.

Lucas got out of the car first, and the rest o the group followed shortly after. Deb was waiting outside the house but Dan was nowhere to be seen. Haley was glad for the moment. Any kind of stay on the execution - so to speak - was very much welcome.

Nathan squeezed Haley's hand as they made their way up to the front door. Nathan stared at his mom, trying to determine whether she was sober or not. She certainly looked it. Her eyes were bright and non-glazed, and her clothes were neat and not remotely ruffled as they normally were when she was on an all day drinking binge.

"You must be Haley," Deb said, stepping forward and shaking Haley's hand. "It's nice to meet you. Anyone who has Nathan's attention must be very special."

Nathan gave a sigh of relief when Deb's words weren't slurred.

"Nice to meet you too," Haley replied politely.

"Well, let's not stand around here all day," Deb said with a somewhat weary smile. Nathan guessed it had something to do with the fact that his father still thought he was bringing Peyton in Haley's place. "Come on in."

Nathan and Haley fell behind as the group walked in, Peyton chatting to Deb and Brooke and Lucas immediately behind them, holding hands.

"I apologise in advance for this," Nathan whispered, leaning down so he was talking into Haley's ear as they walked slower than everyone else. "It's not going to be pretty."

"Nathan," Haley sighed, feeling something pang at her insides at the look on Nathan's face. It gave away so much, and Haley felt closer to him than she had since she met him. She was overcome with something so powerful and intense that it made her eyes sting. She reached up and pulled Nathan into a hug so that they stopped completely. She held on with all her might and hoped never to let go. It just felt so right being here, holding Nathan in his vulnerable state.

"Haley," Nathan said, a shaky laugh in his words. "What's got into you?"

Haley didn't answer, instead she took a deep breath and stepped back. "Nothing just… trying to give you some strength. Did it work?"

"I feel better already," Nathan whispered. Resting his forehead on hers.

Peyton was impressed. Deb had somehow managed to stay sober for the dinner. She was grateful that at least one thing was working in Nathan's favour. As for Dan though… Well, Peyton highly doubted that the millionaire would change his ways just for his own son. The very idea was preposterous.

"Peyton!" Dan greeted in that booming 'I'm-in-charge-of-the-world-so-you-better-have-respect-when-you're-talking-to-me' way. Speak of the devil, Peyton thought, taking notice of the suddenly static atmosphere. She didn't dare turn around just in case Dan hadn't noticed Nathan and Haley yet. She didn't want to be the one to give the game away. No one wanted to be on the brunt of Dan Scott's anger.

"Hey Mr Scott," Peyton said, her head fixed straight ahead at him. She felt like if she even jerked it one inch to the left Dan would notice and the world would stop.

Unfortunately, no amount of keeping her head still stopped Dan from looking for his son. His favourite son, that is. Lucas was perfectly aware that he was a disgrace and didn't deserve the Scott name. Dan had told him so many times before.

"Who are you," Dan asked pointedly upon seeing the brunette on Nathan's arm, hanging on to him like a limpet. Dan felt anger rising in his stomach at the bare-faced cheek of his son. What kind of a trick was he pulling?

The girl visibly flinched but kept her gaze on Dan and her hand on his son. Nathan stared down at it, as if the power of his anger could physically separate them. It wasn't working.

"Dad, this is…" Nathan started, but Dan held his hand up.

"Don't talk to me, son," Dan said. "I asked this… tramp who she is."

Haley gasped at the way Dan was speaking to her. She knew that it was going to be bad, but she hadn't realised what an awful man he truly was. The way he was looking at her now… Haley felt dirty. She hated that a man she didn't even know could make her feel this way. She hated that a man who didn't even know her could judge her.

Nathan didn't say anything after his first attempt. Instead he grasped Haley's hand tightly.

"I'm Haley Gregory," Haley said, still hating that she was lying, even to a man as vile as Dan Scott.

"Okay, Haley," Dan said, his piercing eyes boring down into hers. Haley noticed that they were exactly like Nathan's eyes, only void of the warmth and depth. Dan's eyes were cruel and cold. Devoid of any emotion but anger and contempt. "Now how about you answer me this. What are you doing in my house?"

"Dan," Brooke said, her eyes narrowed at the way her soon to be father-in-law (perish the thought) was talking to her friend. "You're being rude."

She felt Lucas' arm snake around her back in a gesture of warmth and affection and she took strength from it.

"This is my house," Dan said, his voice rising. Brooke was almost glad of it. The cool, murderous tones that had come before were far scarier. "And I will not allow some little slut to parade in here like…"

"STOP IT!"

Everyone turned to Deb who had took a step closer to Dan. Her dark eyes were flashing anger and she didn't look like a woman you would mess with. Nathan looked down at Haley who looked literally petrified by the whole situation.

"This may be your house but it is my house too! The way you talk to that girl - your son's girlfriend, by the way - is pathetic! You're an evil man Dan, but you will hold your tongue and we will have the first family dinner that we have had in a very long time!"

Deb's words reverberated around the room. The only person who didn't look affected by them was Dan.

"So that's why you've stayed off the liquor?" He asked, that nasty little smirk playing on his face. "I thought there had to be a reason."

Deb sighed in frustration and turned to Nathan. "Nathan, I'm sorry but… I can't do this. Not with your father." She turned on her heel and walked towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, that's right!" Dan shouted. "When in doubt, drink!"

The room was left in silence upon Deb's departure. Nathan didn't know what to do. He still felt ashamed that it was his mother who had defended Haley and not him. He couldn't believe how small his father made him feel, even after all these years.

"I hope you're happy," Lucas said, looking at Dan. "You just… you can't help it, can you? If something is good, you have to turn it to crap!"

"And what's good?" Dan asked, actually looking incredulous. "My son bringing some little tramp into my home? Some gold digging whore thinking she can get her foot in the door?"

Nathan felt Haley freeze under his hand and something in him snapped. "Shut up," he said. It wasn't loud, but it was dangerous.

"Excuse me?" Dan asked, narrowing his eyes at Nathan's tone.

"I said shut up," Nathan repeated. "You may not like that me and Peyton will never get married, you may not like that I've met someone else, but hey! I've got news for you Dad, the world doesn't revolve around you."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Dan asked.

"You know, I'm not really sure, but it sure as hell can't be my dad. Not someone who's supposed to love me unconditionally. You're nothing to me, just as I am clearly nothing to you. Haley is not some gold-digging whore, she's not a tramp. She's worth a hundred of you in every possible way. She's sweet, funny, kind, and…" Nathan stopped, looking down at Haley who was staring at him with tears in her eyes. "And I love her."

A gasp resonated around the room and Nathan took in everyone's reaction. Brooke's eyes filled with tears and a huge smile was fixed on her face. Lucas' eyebrows raised in surprise - Nathan had never said the 'L' world about a girl before. Peyton had a small smile on her face, and Dan… well, Dan didn't look happy. He looked like he was about to say something but Nathan got there first.

"Come on Haley. Let's get out of here."

AN: Short, I know, but I really wanted to get this out by today because I have so much revision to do that I won't be able to spend any time on it for a couple of days.

I really didn't like how this turned out, so I'll apologise for that now. The next chapter is going to be very exciting. I know this because it's in the plan SQUEEE!

Anyway, please review. I'll love ya forever!