I realized while writing this chapter that I made a continuity error a few chapters ago. I am only human after all. No one actually caught on to it (or they did and chose to stay silent), but I'm fixing it now. Haley said that she was going to get in contact with her therapist for Nathan to see...which doesn't make sense considering she's not from Tree Hill in this story and moved around a lot. My apologies for my little fumble.

This the calm before the storm, shall we say. And yes, I'm being inconspicuous about the plan Haley had come up with on purpose!

P.S. I got the chance to meet James Lafferty again last weekend and I promise you that he is one of the sweetest, most genuine, and most humble people you'll ever meet. He's also hot as hell. I feel like I might have said that many times before, but pictures do. not. do. him. justice. Okay, I'll stop lusting over James now and get on with the chapter!

P.S.S. I do have an extended version of the last scene of this chapter. I was going to include the entire thing, but I couldn't find a way to end it so it made sense as the end of a chapter. It just kind of felt awkward and out of place. However, if there is enough interest, I have nothing against posting the entire scene as like a "deleted scene one-shot" kind of thing! Let me know in your reviews!

P.S.S.S. Did you miss my long ass author's notes? I was going to skip over Nathan going to see a professional and just include it in a passing conversation, but I felt like including it is essential to his journey. Besides, I have a lot of experience with seeing therapists, so it was relatively easy to write. Okay, I'm done now.

"Nathan?"

"Hm?"

"Quit shaking your leg so much. You're making me nervous."

Nathan's leg, which had been bouncing up and down at a rapid pace, slowed to a stop. Sheepishly, he smiled at Haley. She giggled softly and squeezed his hand that was resting on the top of her thigh.

"You're going to fine, I promise," She spoke soothingly and ran her thumb over the tense tendons in his hand.

Nathan nodded weakly and swallowed roughly. When she returned to reading the magazine, she had picked up when they first arrive, he took it upon himself to glance around the waiting room for what felt like the hundredth time. This therapist's office looked a lot like any regular doctor's office, minus the sterile smell and fluorescent lightening.

The walls were a cool gray, contrasting with the salt and pepper color of the carpet lining the floor. A water jug, that sat in the closest corner to Nathan, was humming loudly in the otherwise quiet space. A little boy was perched on the ground across from Nathan, playing carelessly with a set of colorful blocks. A woman, who he assumed was the little boy's mom, was sitting a few feet away from them, occupied by herself. Other than the two of them, they were alone.

Nathan's nerves jangled more with every passing second. His palms felt clammy and every time he heard voices approaching the entryway door his stomach lurched. He didn't know much about his new therapist, other than that her name was Sheryl Waters and she'd been a therapist for almost twenty-five years.

He promised Haley that he would at least try talking to someone again, but now that he was sitting in that office, he couldn't ignore the strong urge to bolt. It was like he was on the verge of jumping out of his own body, his nerves fizzling and his brain calculating thoughts faster than he could make sense of them. The only clear thought in his head was the image of him losing his mind and flipping over a table, which was what happened the last time he found himself in a therapist's office.

Without realizing it, his leg began to bounce again. Roughly two weeks had gone by since Haley first suggested it, and that time did little to prepare him.

Haley looked up from her magazine when she felt Nathan's leg brush rapidly against her own. Sighing softly, she closed the magazine and reached over, pressing her palm down on the top of his thigh. Holding his leg in place, she cocked an eyebrow.

"You're doing it again."

Letting out a slow breath of air, Nathan leaned back and pressed the heel of his hands to his eyes, rubbing them. "I don't think I can do this, Hales."

Frowning slightly, she placed her magazine down on the table in front of them. "You can. I know that you can."

He dropped his hands back in his lap. "You have way too much faith in me."

"That's my job—to believe in you when you don't believe in yourself," Haley said sincerely as she laced their fingers together. "But if this is really something that you don't want to do, you don't have to."

Nathan felt the sincerity and compassion in her voice cloak him like a warm blanket. He also understood that she was giving him a way out. He could take it without a second thought and take another step back in his recovery. But he could also see the trust in her eyes, trust that was begging him to be strong and to take the plunge. The only thing that scared him more than his past was disappointing her.

"No, I need to do this," He proclaimed. His voice caught slightly in his throat and it suddenly felt as dry as a desert. "I know I need to."

Haley's heart cinched in his chest as she smiled gently at him. "I'm proud of you, you know that?"

"I love you, you know that?"

Haley brushed her lips against his in a sweet and chaste kiss. "I love you, too. You're in good hands. According to my previous therapist, Sheryl is one of the best in New Hanover County. And if it doesn't work with her, she gave me an entire list of other therapists in the area."

Nathan squirmed at the idea of having to go through this type of anxiety more than once. Hopefully, this Sheryl Waters person wasn't anything like the first dickhead he had as a therapist.

The door to the waiting room squeaked open and he tensed. A short woman with coke bottle glasses and obviously dyed red hair emerged from behind the door. Her skin appeared almost leathery, clumps of makeup creased between wrinkled pockets. The floral-patterned skirt and pink pastel colored shirt covering her thin body screamed essence of the eighties.

"Nathan?" Her voice was rough and scratchy like it was in desperate need of being cleared. She must have been a chain-smoker at some point in her life.

Stealing one more nervous glance at Haley, to which she wrinkled her nose and gave him a reassuring smile, he inched himself out of his chair. He forced a wobbly smile as he reached for her hand, which was surprisingly cold, bone-y and fragile. He feared that if he squeezed her hand too hard it would turn to dust.

"I'm Sheryl Waters," She croaked. "Are you ready to do this?"

He wanted to bark out a quick "no" and then bolt out of there, but he swallowed it down. Instead, he gave a weak a nod and followed behind Sheryl like a dog with their tail in-between their legs. There was a whooshing sound in his ears and he couldn't tell if his heart was beating at all.

It was a short walk to hole-in-the-wall-office. He was greeted by warm brown walls, dimmed reading lamps, and the strong smell of pine. A black leather couch with a plethora of decorative pillows sat against the furthest wall, right below a large painting of an ocean. Sheryl's desk was picture perfect, not a single pen or scrap of paper out of place.

Her office was the quintessential therapist's office and the walls felt like they were caving in on him.

Just breathe, Nathan. You can do this.

"Would you like to take a seat?" Sheryl rasped, already sitting in her large computer chair, one leg crossed over the other.

Stiffly, Nathan shuffled over to the large couch and sank into it. The leather felt good against his heated and clammy skin. He rested the palm of his hands on his knees, a futile attempt at keeping them from anxiously bouncing. The next few moments seemed to blur by as she recited the clinic policies and had him sign a couple of consent forms.

"You're not too keen on the idea of seeing a therapist, are you?" Sheryl asked, shuffling all of the signed forms into a manila folder. Her back was to him, but he swore he could see her cheeks lifted into a gentle smile.

Her question caught Nathan off guard and he felt himself sink lower into the couch like he was trying to hide his transparency. He cleared his throat before he answered. "I—uh, no?"

Sheryl swiveled in her chair. Her glasses were now perched on the top of her head and a legal pad was resting on her lap. She was twisting the top of a pen in-between her fingers. "I've spent most of my years studying body language and participating in studies focused on the outward response of human behavior. Basically, I can tell what basic things are going through your mind before you say them."

Nathan paled and his throat felt dryer than the desert. If he wasn't feeling emotionally naked before, he was now.

"See, I can tell that I've freaked you out," Sheryl muttered with a chalky cough. "Don't worry, I'm not going to be constantly analyzing you. I just think it's important to tell my patients up front because it helps them be more honest with me…and themselves. If they know I can tell when they're lying or withholding information…well, let's just say that it prevents awkward moments for the both of us."

Nathan squirmed beneath her intense gaze. Her grey-like eyes seemed to be peering into the deepest depths of his soul. Her words might not have been as intrusive as his previous therapist was, but her eyes sure were. The only difference was that he didn't feel his blood boiling in his veins.

"What brings you to therapy, Nathan?" She asks next. It sounds almost robotic like she's asked that question far too many times. "Is there a specific event that has wreaked havoc on your life or is it a collection of things?"

Here we go…

Did he just blurt it out?

"My parents died and it was all my fault."

Yep, apparently just blurting it all out was the way to go.

Saying that out loud felt like an out-of-body experience for Nathan, like he had drifted away from his body and he was watching from above as someone else fought through his issues for him. The sour taste in his mouth was no surprise, but the lightness in his chest was.

Sheryl jotted down what he said without a flicker of emotion. He expected her eyes to widen or for some kind of fear to cross her face…but it was blank like she'd heard tons of people admit to being the reason someone was dead.

"What makes you say that?"

His jaw locked. He wished he didn't have to say it and judging by the way Sheryl was furiously jotting down notes, she knew it, too.

"You don't trust many people, do you?" She asked next, not giving him a chance to decide whether he was going to spill his past to her or not.

"I don't trust myself," Nathan said lowly. "I'm the one that has the problems, not anyone else."

"And you isolate yourself because…"

"Because it's easier that way," Nathan mumbled. "And safer."

"Have you let anyone in?"

"Only one person that hasn't lived my past."

"I imagine that that was incredibly hard for you," Sheryl mused, finally putting her pen down.

Nathan nodded robotically. "It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but it was still…difficult."

"Who was it?" She asked casually as if she were asking him what time of day it was or how the weather was.

"My girlfriend." That was the only question he was sure he could answer without feeling like he was going to pass out or throw-up.

Sheryl's eyebrows arched in surprise. "I assume she is the one who was in the waiting room with you?"

"Yes."

A small and delicate smile lifted her lips. "She means a lot to you."

It was a heavy statement, lacking any kind of need for clarification.

"This is very romantic novel-y of me, but I saw the way you were looking at her—almost like she was your anchor. That's intense."

Nathan's jaw ticked. The tone of her voice had shifted from monotone to edgy in a matter of seconds. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

She quickly dismissed that thought with a shake of her head. "Not at all. I just don't usually see that kind of intensity in couples, especially at your age."

"Yeah, well, nothing about my life is normal," Nathan grumbled, his defensives kicking into high gear.

Sheryl stifled a laugh as her eyes scanned her legal pad. The seconds ticked by slowly as Nathan waited for her next question or analysis.

"Let's take a few steps back. You mentioned something about it being safer that you don't let people in. Can you expand on that?"

His parched throat refused to seize. "My past…the person I am," He paused to swallow. "The person I was…it had a tendency to haunt me. No matter how hard I try, I couldn't seem to distance myself from it."

"You said couldn't," Sheryl quickly pointed out. "You're speaking in past tense. I take it that you've made some improvement in that?"

Nathan's hand flew to the back of his neck and rubbed the skin raw. He wasn't sure how to accurately answer that, mostly because he hadn't thought about it. Had he really made progress?

"I'm not…sure."

"I think you do. You're just scared."

Nathan pursed his lips and nosily dropped his hand back to his lap. "Of what?"

"Freeing yourself from whatever has this vice grip on you. It has become such an integral part of you, and even though you want it gone, you're scared of what comes next," Sheryl said.

Her words cut like a knife, slicing him right down to his soul.

Sheryl sighed as she sat forward, bone-elbows resting on even bonier knees. "Contrary to what you're thinking, you're not the most complicated case I've come across. You carry around a lot of guilt, and I don't think you need a professional opinion to conclude that. Your guard is cracked and it's going to take a lot more chiseling to get it down completely, but I think it's manageable."

Nathan audibly swallowed.

"But whether or not that actually happens is up to you. Do you want help, Nathan? Is working through this something that you really want to do?"

For the second time that day, he was offered a way out. He was reminded of how easy it would be to just say "no" and walk out of that office without even thinking about turning back. He wasn't sure how much he believed in signs from the universe or the science of temptation, but he knew this was a test.

"I want to do this," He finally answered before that little voice, which had been relatively quiet for quite some time, could talk him out of it.

~x~

"You seem…more chipper than normal," Brooke commented as she continued to stretch. Her legs were splayed out in a V-shape in front of her and her arms were stretched out to grip the tops of her butterfly shoes. A small blue and black "R" was painted on her cheek, just below her eye, and when the light hit her face just right, it glittered.

Haley shrugged her shoulders as she secured her hair in a high ponytail. "It's been a good day."

Brooke cocked an eyebrow as the corner of her mouth curled into a low smirk. "Hm, Nathan had that 'I just got laid' smirk on his face. I think I have a pretty solid idea of what you mean by 'good day.'"

Haley's mouth dropped open as she wailed one of her pom-poms at Brooke. She could feel her cheeks flushing, the heat spreading down the length of her body. "That's so not what I meant."

Brooke laughed as she caught the pom-pom in mid-air. "I don't know what you're so embarrassed about. It's no secret that you guys have sex. I mean…I did hold your hand through your first pregnancy scare not that long ago."

Haley groaned as the heat in her cheeks refused to let up. "I think it's still a little too soon for that to become a laughing matter."

Brooke waved her hand dismissively. "As soon as that test came back negative, it became a laughing matter, Tutor Girl. How did Nathan handle it? I bet he was relieved."

"I don't know if relieved is the right word," Haley said honestly. Her dainty fingers were smoothing over the creases in her blue and black cheer skirt. It still amazed her just how calm and supportive Nathan had been through the whole "possibly pregnant" ordeal. "He's been especially gracious about it all."

A small, but an elated smile crossed Brooke's face. "Nathan's a good guy, so I'm not surprised."

"That statement is a far cry from what you said about him a few months ago."

Brooke wagged a perfectly manicured finger at Haley, her features twisted defensively. "I never said that Nathan was a bad guy. I just said that you need to be careful. But I never told you to be careful of him, just the things that were attached to him."

Haley prepared a response but stopped short when Brooke's expression soured. Following her line of sight, Haley's lips dipped into a slight frown when she saw what caused Brooke's shift in mood. Julian had just walked in, a blonde on his arm. Rumor was that her name was Selena and she was a freshman at Cape Fear Community College. Details on how they met and what their official relationship status was skewed, but Brooke seemed to be handling it a lot better than expected. Haley figured Jake had something to do with that.

"Things have really changed over the last few months, haven't they?" Haley commented offhandedly, tearing her gaze away from Julian.

"You can say that again," Brooke mumbled.

"Do you miss him?"

"Sometimes," Brooke answered after a long stretch of silence. "But I think I miss the routine and the attention more than I miss him."

"Understandable."

"We haven't really had a chance to talk about…well…how are you holding up? Because I know that my paranoia has reached exceptional heights," Brooke quickly spit out, clearly itching for a change in the subject.

"Surprisingly well," Haley said with a short laugh as she plopped down on the gym floor next to Brooke. "Maybe I'm being naïve, but I just want to enjoy the calm while it lasts, you know? Is that bad of me?"

Brooke's expression softened and she quickly shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Have you and Nathan talked any more about your plan?"

Haley's fingers began to toy with the lining of her cheer-skirt. The shakiness in Brooke's voice had her own anxiety being to bubble up inside of her. They'd all been under a lot of stress the last two weeks, something that she knew Nathan felt responsible for, but Haley found it reassuring—strength in numbers.

The topic of Damien had been seemingly off-limits, each one of them trying to maintain as much normalcy as possible. It was hard, but the distractions of school, basketball games, and cheerleading made it somewhat easier. The looming dread danced around in the shadows of all their conversations and there were moments of unspoken anxieties. That elephant was always in the room, no matter how hard they tried to pretend it was invisible.

"Not really," Haley murmured shakily. "I can tell that it still bothers him and is not all that happy with it, but I think he also knows it's our only choice."

Haley paused to take in a cleansing breath of air. A strong whiff of fresh popcorn caught her by surprise and her stomach growled in response. Her appetite had been pretty non-existent, her anxiety covering its ground with physical symptoms and lacking in the mental ones. It was both a blessing and a curse.

"There a lot that can go wrong, and I know that," Haley breathed tiredly. "I'm terrified out of my mind, but…it just feels right. Even if something were to go disastrously wrong but Nathan still frees himself from Damien, I'd be—"

"Nothing is going to happen to you," Brooke quickly cut her off. The direction their conversation was heading left a bad taste in her mouth. "Nothing is going to happen to any of us."

Haley swallowed hard and tried her best to keep the smile on her face level. "You're right. I'm sorry. I won't mention it again."

Their conversation was cut short when the lights in the gym dimmed and the cheers from the crowd intensified. All thoughts of Damien were pushed to the back of their minds as Haley and Brooke jumped up from the floor. A smile was plastered on each of their faces as they took their respective spots on the gym floor. With their pom-poms in the air, they cheered as the Ravens took the floor.

~x~

There were ten seconds left on the clock and the game was tied 24-24. The Ravens have possession of the ball.

Sweat was pouring down Nathan's face and his jersey was sticking uncomfortably to his heated body like a second skin. His lungs were burning and every strand of muscles felt worn and beaten. Despite his fatigue, he felt amazing. He was starting to get back into the swing of things, each play feeling like second nature rather than a chore. The cheers from the crowds were exhilarating, and every time he glanced over at the cheerleaders, his heart grew in size at the pride beaming on Haley's face.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Nathan felt as if everything in his life was falling into place. He could see the silver lining and he just prayed to God he could finally reach it.

The referee blew the whistle, ending the Pirates' time out and Nathan strolled back to his place on the court. Glancing back over that the clock, the ten remaining seconds seemed to glare at him. They could easily run down the time and force the game into overtime. But the team's record during over-time wasn't the greatest. It would be easier to just end it now and they had the manpower to do it.

Nathan darted his gaze over to Lucas and Jake. With a simple nod, Jake took a step forward and the whistle blew. Out of the corner of his eye, Nathan saw Quentin lung forward, blocking the Pirates' strongest player. Things were still quite icy between Nathan and Quentin off the court, but Quentin was surprisingly professional on the court. He wasn't sure why Quentin walked around with such a chip on his shoulder, but he was learning to ignore it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lucas had the ball and two Pirates' players had him guarded. Only one player was blocking Nathan and he smirked slightly…that was a mistake. The Pirates were well aware that he was the Ravens' best shooter, timidly so, but he could still let light the court on fire. They were underestimating him and he hated being underestimated.

He picked up speed as Lucas freed the ball and passed it to Jake. He faked left and broke right to slip free of the player guarding him. Stealing one glance back at the clock, he narrowed his eyes when he saw three seconds remaining. He clapped his hands together and shouted for Lucas to pass him the ball.

As soon as he felt the leather in his hands, his mind went blank. He didn't stop to think about anything, he just followed the natural movements of his body, just like Whitey had told him to do.

Keep it steady, son. Let it happen.

He almost fumbled over the sound of his father's voice. Call it a sixth sense. Call it insanity. But Nathan just knew that Dan Scott was there and that was the last boost of confidence he needed.

Nathan didn't snap back into reality until the ball was through the hoop and the roars of the crowd grabbed him by surprise. There were hands everywhere—patting him on the back, and grabbing him by the shoulders. He felt good at that moment like he was finally apart of something…something that mattered.

His eyes automatically searched for Haley's. A smile broke out on his face when he saw her. She was beaming with pride and he felt his heart swell in his chest. He could do this…he was doing this.

"Nathan!"

He whipped around at the sound of Whitey's gruff voice. The old man, who rarely smiled, had a watery grin on his face. Whitey clamped a heavy hand over his sweaty shoulder.

"That was exactly what I meant when I said you need to just play and not overthink everything. A little rusty and you should have released the ball a little sooner…but overall, I think you're on your way back, Scott."

~x~

"Nathan Scott."

Nathan slowed his pace at the sound of his name and adjusted his duffle bag over his shoulder as he exited the locker room. Approaching him was a man that couldn't have been more than five years his senior. He was dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a steel gray dress shirt, untucked. His boyish grin and sandy tussled hair seemed to complete his ensemble.

"Yeah?" Nathan asked cautiously. He'd never seen this man around before and while he seemed to have a friendly glow, Nathan's guard immediately went up.

"Clay Evans."

Nathan stared at Clay's extended hand for a moment, before slowly reaching forward and giving him a firm handshake.

"I own a sport's agency," Clay quickly dove in, leaving no room for Nathan to ask questions or interject. "It's very independent and small scale because I like to look for real and genuine talent. It's more about the heart and soul to me than it is about the big names and fame."

Nathan shifted his weight from foot to food and slipped his hands into the front pockets of his khakis. He wasn't sure how to appropriately respond to that, but luckily Clay's speech wasn't over yet.

"There was a lot of buzz about you joining the Ravens this season and I knew that I just had to check you out for myself," Clay beamed. "And I have to say, I wasn't disappointed. You're a little rough around the edges, but you've got some real and raw talent. It wouldn't be that much of a challenge to polish you up a little. Tell me, have you ever considered playing pro-ball or even college ball?"

Nathan blinked a couple of times to fully process everything that Clay was saying. The man talked fast and everything he was saying felt more like a sales pitch than a casual conversation. He had that voice that Nathan imagined would be perfect for those late-night infomercials.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Nathan admitted after clearing his throat. "It's been a while though."

"That's alright. You're still young. Sometimes it's good to not have your entire future planned out. But I think if you're interested in pursuing a basketball career, I could make that happen for you. I could secure you a pretty good deal with a small scaled school in order to establish yourself as a player, and then eventually move you on up to the big leagues. Does that sound like something you'd be interested in?"

Nathan was stunned, to say the least. A couple years ago, he would have jumped at this opportunity. Now it seemed like everything was happening so fast and he wasn't sure what he truly wanted. He'd been taking life one step at a time and this felt like twelve steps at once. For someone who didn't think he had a future, it was sure coming at him fast.

"I can see that I've completely over-whelmed you," Clay said with a short chuckle. "I'll give you my card and you can think it over. Sound good?"

Keeping up with the pace of his talking, Clay whipped out a pure white business card and thrusted it into Nathan's hand. He shot Nathan one more endearing smile before he was gone, leaving Nathan with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"What was that all about?" Haley asked as she strolled over to Nathan. She'd been waiting for Nathan when she saw some guy practically pounce on the opportunity to talk to him. At first, she worried that maybe it was one of Damien's minions, but stepped back when she realized the conversation wasn't fear-stricken or of high intensity.

Nathan was startled a little by the sound of her voice, but soon relaxed when she looped her arm through his. "I'm not really sure. He was a sport's agent…or something like that."

Haley's eyes widened and she halted their stroll back to his car. "That's…that's kind of a big deal, isn't it?"

Nathan shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess."

"Nathan?" Haley questioned incredulously, both of her eyebrows raised in confusion. "A sports' agent got in contact with you…I thought you would be bouncing off the walls about something like that."

Nathan rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged his shoulders again. "He talked so fast, I could barely understand everything he was saying. It hasn't sunk in yet, I guess."

Haley wanted to press the issue further but decided that it was a conversation for another time. Nathan seemed to be in quite the daze about it. Although her sports' knowledge was limited, she knew that being on the radar of a scout or an agent was a big deal.

"Hi, Nate. Good game. You looked good, too."

Haley glanced over to see a petite brunette standing off to the side. A shorter blonde was attached to her hip. They were both fluttering their eyelashes, their faces caked with more makeup than necessary. She could practically smell the cheap perfume they were wearing. They could barely pass for sophomore's and she rolled her eyes at the pathetic way their eyes were lingering over Nathan's body.

Girls looking at Nathan like he was a shiny new toy was nothing new, but there was something viler about the thoughts she knew were running through those girls' minds.

Nathan forced a half-smile, wrapped an arm around Haley's waist, and mumbled a quick "thanks."

"Okay, now who are they?" Haley asked, not even bothering to mask the sourness in her voice.

Nathan shrugged. "My new groupies? Maybe I should ask them if they want an autograph."

Haley rolled her eyes at his smirk. "Alright, I think it's time to get you home, Hot Shot."

~x~

"Where's your mom?" Nathan asked as they entered Haley's surprisingly quiet house. He'd gotten used to Lydia being around, her joyous personality translating into 80's music blaring from the stereo or some cooking show playing on the TV at two volumes too loud. Lydia's transformation from the first time he met her in the hospital—pale skin, sunken eyes, lifeless smile and all—was remarkable.

"She's at work," Haley answered, tossing a smile over her shoulder and slipping her cheer bag off her shoulder.

Nathan's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

Haley nodded happily as she pried open the fridge, grabbing two bottles of water. "Her psychologist cleared her for work. She's on restrictive duty, so she can only go on local trips that last no longer than two days and she's limited on the hours she can work a week, but it's a start."

Nathan smiled at the way Haley talked about her mom. She was beaming with pride, something he hadn't see from her regarding Lydia. He slid into one of the stools by the counter and graciously took the water bottle from her. "You sound happy about that."

"Yeah, I am," Haley sighed contently. "I think the sooner that she returns to her normal routine, the better."

"Well, I'm happy for you, Hales."

Haley eyed him suspiciously, mostly out of mockery, but also out of curiosity. "You're being…extra cheesy today."

Nathan shrugged. "I'm in a good mood, I guess."

Haley hoisted herself onto the kitchen counter and re-screwed the cap of her water bottle. "Well, in the effort of possibly maintaining that good mood, are we ever going to talk about this sports' agent thing?"

Nathan tore his gaze from Haley and refocused his eyes on the label around his water bottle. "I don't think there's anything to talk about."

He was downplaying it, he knew. Being approached by a scout of any kind was a big deal. It's what most athletes strived for and once upon a time, he had the same dream. His priorities had shifted over the years, from making it to the NBA to just simply surviving. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought about playing basketball professionally again over the years, but it was never a substantial thought.

It ignited a small fire inside of him, but he felt safer at keeping it subdued.

"This is your future, Nathan!" Haley exclaimed. "Do you remember what you told me on our first date?"

"To be honest…I don't remember much of our first date, another than the fact that I just knew I was falling in love with you."

Her mouth hinged open. She wasn't expecting him to slip that kind of answer into their conversation and he successfully threw her off balance, something he was notorious for doing.

"Not uh, you're not gonna charm your way out of this conversation, babe."

"Is it still called being charming if I'm telling the truth?"

"Nathan!"

He sighed in defeat as he sat back. "Look, Hales, I know that it's a big deal. But I just…it's kind of blurry to me right now. For a kid who didn't think he had a future up until a few weeks ago, it's a lot to take in and I can't just suddenly focus all of my attention on my future."

"I know," Haley murmured. "But I also know that you have some serious talent. I see that look in your eyes every time you get a basketball in your hands. I would hate for you to miss out on being happy because you're too scared or you're too…nonchalant about your future."

She paused a beat to regain her breathe.

"You're destined for great things, Nathan Scott."

"So are you, Haley James," Nathan shot back, his lips lifted in a rugged smirk.

She was so fired up about this. Her eyes were alight and her cheeks were rosy. Her love and belief in him was honestly the biggest aphrodisiac. It also helped that she looked sexy as hell in that cheerleading uniform. The skirt showed off just enough skin to drive him crazy and the spandex hugged her curves in all the right places.

He knew she was going to look hot as hell in that uniform…but damn, that was an understatement.

Nathan slipped off the stool and placed himself in-between Haley's parted legs. He skimmed the palm of his hands over her bare thighs and smirked when she shivered. "You know, it should be illegal how sexy you look in this uniform."

With a fire igniting inside of her, Haley tossed an arm around his broad shoulders as her fingers played with the buttons on his dusty blue dress shirt. Leave it to Nathan to change the subject by attempting to seduce her. And it might just work.

"I could say the same thing about how you look out on that court."

He rested his hands on the curve of her waist and leaned his forehead against hers. "You're always the one telling me that we'll figure things out and that everything is going to be okay. And I've believed you every time. So, believe me when I say that I'll figure it out. I just need some time."

Haley looked up at him through her thick eyelashes and tightened her arms around his neck. "You are seriously so sexy when you talk like that."

He dipped his head down to capture her lips in a soft kiss. He intended it to be soft and gentle, but Haley had other ideas. Her fingers snaked into his hair and she yanked at the strands, pressing her mouth more aggressively to his.

"I want to show you something," She gasped into his mouth, wrenching herself away from him after a couple of intense moments.

Through hooded eyes, Nathan nodded weakly. How she expected him to concentrate on anything else than her lips after she kissed him like that…he'd never understand. He stumbled backwards just the slightest bit when she gave him a light shove.

He watched in rapture as she reached for the edge of her cheer top and slowly began to lift it off her body.

"A girl's gotta rep her man in some way," She purred as she successfully pulled her top and sports bra from her body. Gracefully, she dropped it beside her and bit her lip as she waited for Nathan's reaction.

He didn't think it was possible for Haley to get any sexier…but damn, was he wrong. His body temperature spiked a hundred degrees and the lust coursing through his veins threatened to burn him alive.

Nathan couldn't take his eyes off the small black, white, and blue "23" painted just below her left breast. The dark colors stood out perfectly against her pale skin and he felt his mouth water at the sight. The rough pad of his thumb brushed over it and he watched in satisfaction as her skin prickled from his touch.

"That is by far the hottest thing I have ever seen," Nathan murmured huskily. Without a moment's hesitation, he attached his lips to the soft skin. Haley's back bowed in response as she buried her fingers in his thick hair.

"Nathan." Her moans were breathy, and drawn out. She figured his reaction would be something like that, but it still had her weak in the knees.

"I want you…now," Nathan panted against her slick skin. "I can't…fuck. How long until your mom gets home?"

Haley almost whimpered out-loud at the way Nathan seemed to be fighting for control, his self-control clearing waning thin. The effect she had on him still amazed her and she doubt that it would ever go away.

Glancing over her shoulder, she bit her lip when she saw the time. "About twenty minutes."

A lopsided smile caught Nathan's lips. "That's plenty of time."