AN: I know, I KNOW! I suck so bad. But the truth is that I had written three chapters of this around the time I submitted the last chapter, and then something terrible happened. My PC broke. And then something even worse happened. My laptop broke.

So basically, I had lost the three chapters and also my entire plan, which seriously sucked.

Luckily I was able to fix my laptop which means I got my plan back, but the loss of three chapters just completely disheartened me. However, I got inspired again and decided to plow on. So, here's two chapters, and I'll try and get the third one up tonight (I'm about half finished, but it's a longish chapter.

So here we go, Update 1/2

Chapter 19

Telling the False

"Wow Brooke," Lucas said, eyeing the grand ballroom with eyes that couldn't hide his pride and respect in his girlfriend. "You're quite the overachiever aren't you?"

Brooke laughed at her fiancé, grabbing his arm and resting her head on it. "Well, some people – like you – are academic, some – like Nathan – are athletic, and some – like Peyton – are creative. I guess I'm just fashionable."

"Or D," Lucas said dryly, resting his chin on the top of Brooke's head and breathing in the fruity and exotic smell of her hair. "All of the above."

"Lucas, stop. I'll get a huge ego." Brooke laughed, wrapping both of her arms around his midriff. Suddenly her expression turned serious as she rocked back on her heels to look up at Lucas's face. "But you are right. Except for the academic bit. Although my math has improved." She laughed again and Lucas joined in.

He took another look around the ballroom and whistled. Brooke had used the official company colours – blue and yellow – but in a way that made them look fresh and exciting. They weren't just colours, they were an atmosphere, and that atmosphere was elegant yet fun. Classic yet contemporary.

Dark blue silk hung in drapes from ceiling to floor, trimmed with a yellow that looked more like gold. The stage at the north of the hall had been edged with the same blue silk with gold trim, and the usually red velvet curtains had been replaced with white silk and fairy lights, making it look altogether more inviting and magical. A single banner hung above the stage screaming in gold letters on a white background that today was 'The Annual Scott Corp. Ball'.

Round tables were arranged around the dance floor in a way that appeared to be sporadic, but Lucas knew Brooke better than to assume that it was. Each table was covered with an alternately blue or gold table cloth, and a huge floral arrangement sat in the centre of them consisting of white freesias, long stemmed white calla lilies, peach-tinted white roses, yellow tulips and small blue flowers that Lucas couldn't identify.

Also on the table were place cards – each made of thick textured card in smoky yellow and held in place by gold card holders. Lucas had spotted his earlier on an 'inspection' around the ball room. He was seated in between Brooke and Peyton on a table close to the stage.

Brooke had claimed it was crucially important that the seating was boy-girl-boy-girl etc. Lucas couldn't for the life of him figure out why, but then the female mind was pretty much a mystery to him anyway. He was just grateful that Brooke had had the good sense to place them with Nathan and Haley and away from Dan Scott, who would be sat at the head of the executives table at the back of the room – the only table that wasn't round, but rather long and rectangular. "Like the boardroom," Brooke has whispered earlier. "Dan should feel right at home in his position of power." This was accompanied with a rather aggressive eye roll as one of the catering staff Brooke had hired had smashed a plate on the other side of the room. Luckily Brooke was prepared for such a disaster and had ordered more of the gold-trimmed plates and cutlery than she actually needed.

"Well, I must say…" Lucas started, shifting his pale blue eyes from his surroundings to the beautiful woman in front of him.

"You're impressed?" Brooke asked in a way that was an effort at confidence, but Lucas saw the slight furrow of her brow, the way her smile didn't reach the corners of her mouth and the worry behind her eyes. He knew that she was scared as hell and he put his hand on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"Of course," Lucas said assuredly. "But also, that I'm amazed. I mean, not only is this place incredible, but you seem so relaxed too."

Brooke grinned – properly this time – and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ears. "I can't really afford to get stressed," Brooke said. Lucas looked at her confused.

"Baby, I love you… but you're a big old stress-head usually."

Brooke tried to look mock-offended, but a bubble of laughter escaped. "I know, but I still have the shop and stuff to run, so getting stressed out – though unavoidable – has been put on the back burner until this whole thing is over. And then I can stress for you all you want, okay?"

Lucas nodded stiffly and tucked his hand into his jean pockets. "So, what are you wearing tonight?" Lucas asked, already dreading the prospect of getting dressed up in his penguin suit.

Brooke gave him a reproachful look. "Lucas, I thought you knew me better than that. A woman never tells."

xxx

Nathan had been staring at the wall for a good few minutes now, and he had absolutely no intention of looking away from it any time soon. Not while his dad was still in the room at any rate.

"Nathan, did you hear me," Dan asked, obviously getting irate at having to wait for his son's response. He was accustomed to waiting, after all. Nathan gave a bitter smile that was by no means a happy one. It was just one act of defiance after the other he thought with a tiny hint of amusement. Who would have thought that the good Scott son would be the one to disappoint his father the most? Oddly enough, the thought didn't bother Nathan as much as probably should have done.

"Nathan, what do you find so effortlessly fascinating about the wall," Dan went on, finally noticing where his son's attention was focused. "I admit that the finish is surprisingly good, but I think that what I just told you should be of more importance."

And what had he just told him? Nathan thought back on his father's first words to him as soon as he barged into Nathan's office, and he felt bile rise up in his stomach. He couldn't figure out whether he was angry or disgusted.

"Nathan…"

"I heard you Dad," Nathan said, finally speaking though still not taking his eyes from the wall. "And if that's all then you can go now."

Nathan didn't have to look at his father to note the confused look on his face. After all, he had just shared something major with his son; he expected the sufficient amount of outrage. And boy, was he going to get it. Unfortunately it wasn't focused on the subject of Dan's earlier outburst, but on Dan instead.

"What are you going to do about it?" Dan asked, and his voice was so calmly assured that Nathan snapped. He finally looked away from the wall and turned his cobalt eyes to his father, who seemed to notice the anger flashing behind them if his smile was anything to go by. "Surely this is enough to make you call off the wedding."

"God, you just won't give up, will you?" Nathan erupted. "I am marrying Haley Gregory and you need to come to grips with that!"

"But son," Dan said, his voice still calm and evenly infuriating. "That's the point. Her name isn't Haley Gregory…"

"Fine, Haley James. It's just a name Dad. She's still the woman I'm in love with."

"So you're trying to tell me that you're not even a little curious?"

Nathan looked down at his desk before his dad could spot the uncertainty in his eyes. The curiosity that was raging. Why had Haley gave him a fake name?

"I knew it!" Dan snapped, obviously grasping on Nathan's discomfort and putting two and two together. "If she's lied about her name, who knows what else she'll be lying about?"

Nathan shook his head. "Haley's been completely honest with me," he said softly. Unfortunaletly he couldn't muster up enough conviction to put behind his words and Dan's triumphant grin was like a kick to his stomach.

"Just how sure of that are you?" Dan asked, throwing his son one last self-assured grin before turning on his heel and heading out of the office, closing the oak panelled door heavily behind him.

Nathan leaned back on his leather chair and ran his hand through his hair. He had just had it cut that morning for the ball.

Oh yeah, because that's what's important here, Nathan inwardly chided himself.

Taking a deep breath, Nathan turned to his computer, hating himself for what he was about to do, but feeling that the curiosity was too much for him. He had to do this if he wanted to keep his sanity… and his trust in Haley.

He typed in the address of a search engine and stared at the page for a good ten minutes, wondering if he was actually going to do this – check up on the woman he loved.

He had never once been suspicious of Haley or doubted her intentions, not even when she had been really weird in the beginning. After all, if you were after someone's money, they why would you be blowing them off?

Still, if Haley had nothing to hide, then why was she giving him a false name? Nathan took a deep breath and held his fingers over the computer keyboard.

'Haley Grego…'

He frowned to himself before pressing his finger on the 'backspace' key and tried again.

'Haley James'

The first thing that popped up was a newspaper website. 'The Richmond Express'. Nathan clicked on the link and was taken to the staff page of what appeared to be a small local newspaper. He made a confused face before scrolling down. The confusion dropped from his face as he saw a small picture. The picture was pretty bad quality, and the grainy pigments meant that detail was hard to pick out, but the picture was unmistakably Haley. She was smiling broadly and had her blonde hair – blonde? – loose around her face. Despite the bad quality of the picture, Nathan could tell that Haley was younger in this picture. He finally turned his attention to the text that accompanied the picture.

'Despite being only 18 years old, Haley James is a promising young writer with a lot of potential to do great things. Her writing style is both witty and informative without becoming preachy. She is a features writer and has been responsible for gems such as the basketball interviews – each one focusing on a member of the Richmond Bullets – despite her claiming to know nothing of basketball. Haley lives here in Richmond with her puppy dog Winston and, occasionally, her older sister Taylor James. She likes…

Nathan stopped reading the clearly outdated passage and felt something weird wash over him. It was… it was relief.

He remembered talking to Haley in the car that fateful day when they had first kissed. She talked about her sister and her not being close. She talked about growing up in Richmond and moving back to New England when she was nineteen. This correlated with what she had told him. This proved she had lived in Richmond, and to a lesser extent, that she wasn't close to her sister – 'and, occasionally, her older sister Taylor James.' Nathan interpreted that as a strained relationship. Haley was such a kind person, that she occasionally let her sister crash with her. It meant that she had been honest with him in the car.

Nathan went back to the search engine and typed something else in the address bar.

'Haley James – New England'

This time the top result was another newspaper website, but this time Nathan was taken to a story.

'Local Reporter in Mysterious Dispute

The town of Kensington was left in outrage last night as a loud disturbance took place at the house of one of our own reporters, Haley James, 21. Witnesses said that a group of unfamiliar men forced themselves into the house and many yells were hard before a concerned neighbour called the police.

Our boys showed up at the scene only to find that the intruders were armed and apparently threatening Haley's sister, Taylor James, 24. The dispute has not been identified, but as the local police charged the men, they jumped in a car and escaped, shouting that they would be back to 'get' Taylor.

Unfortunately, the police were not able to stop the perpetrators and they got away.

Haley was clearly shaken up, and though she would not give any comment to her place of work, she promised to release an official statement to the police. Taylor also promised this, but unfortunately she went missing this morning and the police have been unable to locate her. Haley claims that she knows nothing of her sister's whereabouts…

The feeling of relief shrouding Nathan grew and grew. He wasn't sure why just yet, but he went back to the search page and clicked another link. Another news story for the same paper.

'Local Reporter Leaves Kensington

The town of Kensington suffered the loss of one of our reporters last night. Haley James, 21, decided to leave the town after another dispute with the mysterious men who showed up at her house for the first time last month, threatening her older sister Taylor James.

The men showed up again last week demanding to know Taylor's whereabouts, and despite Haley's claims to know nothing of it, the men continually harassed her. They disappeared once more when the police arrived, but showed up again the next night, and the one after.

Haley was said to be 'distressed' about the continual interrogations of her night visitors and talked to one of our own reporters about leaving. When the men showed up again two nights ago, Haley decided that she had had enough.

The town put together a hamper for her and she left yesterday afternoon. This paper wishes her all the best and hopes that she does well in the future.'

Nathan leaned back on his chair. A great whoosh escaped from his mouth in a surprised gasp and he bit his lip. That was why she had given him a false name. Because she didn't want those men – whoever they were – to find out where she was living. Nathan felt equal mixes of relief, anger and guilt. It was a potent cocktail, but at least he knew that Haley had only been lying to protect herself.

Nathan couldn't believe that he had allowed Dan to shake his trust in the woman he loved, and that he had actually read up on her. She wasn't the untrustworthy one here. He was.