Chapter 6: The Father and the Sister

"Nathan get up. We're going for a run." His father's loud voice boom through his room the next morning. Sitting up and running a hand through his hair he sighed. Back to the madness of Dan Scott. He quickly threw on a t-shirt and basketball shorts, then laced up his Jordans before finding his dad stretching in the driveway. "What took you so long, putting on your makeup? Let's go."

A twelve mile run while being degraded the whole time about how he played terrible at the last game in the classic series two days prior. Because Nathan would sure call eighteen points and four assists terrible.

Once Nathan got back to his house he showered and left as soon as he could, before Dan could tell at him some more. He snuck through Haley's window and moved to lay in bed next to her.

"Hey." She whispered groggily.

"Hi."

"What are you doing here so early?"

"Dan woke me up two hours ago to go for a run. I left as soon as I could so that way he couldn't yell at me and tell me I was terrible anymore." He admitted. Haley realized just how quick he left when she ran her fingers through his very wet hair. His hair usually dried quickly which meant he must have high tailed it out of his house.

"I'm sorry baby."

"I just hate being their anymore."

"Only a few more months and then we will be away at college."

"I'm just looking forward to the season ending this month, after that at least I will only have Dan's "training" and not actual practice on top of that. But anyway, good morning." He said leaning down to kiss her.

"Good morning." She said before her door swung open.

"Mom, Haley has a boy in her bed." Taylor shouted loudly as Nathan quickly got up.

"Well is it Nathan? Because if it is not then we have a bigger problem." Haley could hear her mother say as she walked up the stairs. Running her hands through her hair she got up and picked out her clothes for the day as her mother walked in.

"Hey Nathan." She said leaning against the door.

"Hi, sorry I just got here. Dan was...it wasn't a good morning. I got out of there as soon as I could." He explained, not wanting to really go over all the gritty details.

"That's fine." Lydia said as both of them looked up confused. "Just use the front door next time." She smirked.

"Will do." He smiled over at her. Lydia left the room and Nathan and Haley began to talk, ignoring the fact that Taylor was still there. "I'm exhausted all ready. Today is going to be great." Nathan groaned lying back down.

"You know, one time I had an exhausted Nathan in my bed." Taylor said as Haley froze at the words. "Or was it yours Nate?"

"Hales." Nathan whispered standing back up to move to her but she only pushed him away.

"Nathan." She said confused, yet heartbroken.

"Let me explain." He pleaded, seeing her walls were already going up.

"Leave. Get out right now, both of you." Haley, held herself together to say that. She didn't care what the story was. It was probably before he met her, just like very other time someone said they slept with Nathan. But this, this was different. He never said anything and just acted like it never happened. She was sick of girls showing up from his past, but she could never be mad at him for it because it was before her. This, this was different. He should have told her years ago. Before Nathan could protest she held up her hand to stop him. "Just leave." He did as she said, all while Taylor smirked as she left.

Nathan did what Haley wanted and gave her space that day at school. He figured he would give her a full day to cool off and then go over her house tomorrow to explain. He was mad at himself, upset, annoyed at it all, and then he saw Dan. He threw his book bag on the front table. "Get dressed we are going to lift weights out back."

"You can, I'm not." He replied kicking off his shoes.

"What was that? Are you talking back to me?"

"No, I'm standing up for myself."

"Don't mess with me son." Dan said moving to stop him from walking up the stairs.

"Don't mess with me, I'm not in the mood Dan."

"Do not speak to me that way." Dan said raising his voice.

"Or what? What are you going to do?" Nathan challenged, he could care less what his father said to him at this point. His life couldn't get any worse. That was until Dan Scott punched him. He stumbled backwards before he froze and stared at his father, not able to believe what his father had done.

"You going to fight back, or are you going to keep acting like a little girl." And that was when Dan Scott struck again.

With one more look at his monster of a father Nathan put on his shoes and walked out.

He didn't know where to go. Normally he would go to Haley's when things got bad, but now he couldn't. This was the lowest point of his life, he had lost Haley and his father had hit him. So he walked to the one place he knew he could be alone. Their spot. He needed to feel close to her because he couldn't talk to her right now. He took a seat and just sat thinking as he watched the waves crash in front of him. Lazily running his hands through the sand he drew a heart with a N + H in it. That's what his life was about, but now who knows. He screwed up big time and he knew it.

Damn, his face hurt. He didn't hit back, he was too in shock. His father hit him once and he froze in shock. While he stood there Dan took another swing, but before he could take a third Nathan left. He sure as hell wasn't Dan Scott's punching bag.

He heard the shuffling of sand behind him. He turned to see her walking in the sand toward him. Normally, he would offer to go if she wanted him to, so she could be alone, but he wouldn't this time. He had no where else to go. Nathan turned around and ran his hand over the heart he drew, messing it up. Something Haley saw. He didn't say anything, he would follow her lead because he didn't want to pressure her into anything.

"Maybe I should go." She whispered.

"You can stay if you want, it won't bother me." He said back before looking up at her.

"Oh my God, Nathan what happened to your face?" She asked in shock, well he now knew it had bruised.

He turned around and bit his lip. He didn't want to tell her, he didn't know how. It was a mess. He also didn't want her to feel bad for him because of it.

"Nathan." She said softly, taking a seat next to him. "You can tell me."

"I don't know how." He said breaking down, how could he admit that his father had beaten him.

"Please, let me in." She said placing her hand on his arm.

They sat in silence before he finally said. "Dan hit me. He hit me twice."

"Nathan, did you go to the police?" She asked, her heart was racing. Dan was terrible but she never realized he could be this bad.

Nathan nodded no. "My own father hit me because I wasn't good enough. I did everything for him. I trained when he wanted me to, I made me life about basketball, I did it for him and it will never be enough for him. I've only done one thing in my life for me, and that was you. Now it's just all broken and nothing is okay." He said, Haley could see the tears lightly running down his face.

"What's broken Nathan?"

"My life...and my heart. I just, God why wasn't I good enough for him? Why couldn't he just love me?"

"C'mon, get up." Haley said standing up and reaching for his hand.

"Why?"

"Because we are going to the police." She said finally pulling him up.

"I can't, he's my dad."

"And you see this is why. Because you think it is your fault. He hit you, that could never be your fault. You are good enough and you deserve better."

Nathan bit his lip, knowing she was right. Sighing he began to walk with her. Some point along the way he reached for her hand, not to try and fix things, not to make her feel loved, but because he needed her support. He needed to hold onto her or else he was afraid he would run the other way. He needed her to ground him.

They walked in and Nathan reported his father. After over an hour of sitting their telling the same story to many different officers they finally had called child protective services to step in. Finally, when they were done questioning him they issued an officer to go pick up Dan Scott.

"Now we understand that your parents live separate, you live at the Scott Estate with your father but would you be able to stay with your mother tonight?" The woman from CPS asked him.

"No, she's out-of-town for the week."

"Do you have any other relatives on your mother's side? We know you have Keith Scott but we ask that you don't stay with anyone related to your father at this time."

"Their is my Uncle Cooper I guess. Want me to call him."

"Yes please"

Nathan pulled out his phone and dialed the number. "Jeez Nate, do you know what damn time it is" Cooper said groggily after a few rings. It was then Nathan saw that it was almost three a.m.

"I didn't realize, sorry man it's just...Can you come get me from the police station? Dan...Dan hit me tonight and I need to stay with a relative on my mom's side until she gets home."

"I'll be right there." Cooper said quickly before hanging up.

"He's on his way." Nathan said quietly as Haley ran her hand along Nathan's arm gently. She hadn't left his side. They had often asked to speak with Nathan in private but once they saw the look in his eye they knew he needed her for support. "Do your parents know where you are?" He asked her quietly.

"Yeah I called when you went to the bathroom. They both wanted to rush up here right away but I told them not to, it would just make a commotion. But they told me to tell you they loved and supported you." Nathan smiled slightly. The James' were the best people he knew. Jimmy and Lydia loved and supported him and he couldn't ask for me. Except for the fact that he hurt their daughter, when they found out they wouldn't love him anymore.

"Where is he?" Cooper said quickly rushing in twenty minutes later.

"I'm right here." Nathan replied quietly.

"No, not you, the son of a bitch. Where is Dan fucking Scott I have a few words to say to him before I pound his face in." The man seethed looking around.

"Cooper, c'mon man, it's okay. Let's just get out of here." Nathan said standing up and that was when Cooper took in his face.

He stared at the bruises before pulling Nathan in for a hug. "I'm so sorry he put you through this."

"Thanks for coming." Nathan whispered.

"Of course." Cooper said.

"Alright, I need to talk a few things over with your uncle but you can get ready to go." The social worker said before pulling Cooper away.

"What about you?"

"I can walk." Haley said understanding what he meant to ask.

"You can't walk home alone at this time. I won't let you."

"I could escort her home Mr. Scott." The officer who was standing by said.

"Thank you." Nathan replied as the cop only nodded. "Text me when you get home okay?" Nathan questioned Haley.

"Only if you text when you get settled in at Coop's."

"I will, I promise." Nathan saw Copper heading over to them again. "Call me tomorrow...if you want to or something." He stuttered out stumbling over his words.

"Okay" She said taking in his face once more pulling him in for a hug. It felt good for both of them, comforting.

"Thank you for being here. I couldn't have done it without you." He whispered into her hair.

"Always and forever." She said quietly back. He barely even heard her. He kissed the side of her head before walking out.

"What happened with you two man?" Cooper asked as they got situated in his car.

"I fucked it all up." He commented before resting his head back. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow. I'm too tired to even think right now."

Nathan looked down at his phone the next morning. He was grateful it was Saturday because he had just woken up and it was almost noon already. He saw it was from Haley and that it read "I miss you..."

He didn't know if he could do this. Could he deal with hurting her while the whole Dan thing was going on? He texted her back to come over and they could talk. This would be interesting.

Cooper had let her in and she walked slowly back to the guest room. She saw him gathering the spare outfits he kept at Cooper's for when he slept over in a small bag. "What are you doing? Why are you packing?" She asked quickly.

"I'm going to go up to Virginia, that's where my mom's parents are, and stay with them for some time. I need to get out of here." He didn't look up at her and only kept packing.

"So what you're just going to walk out on us?"

"I hurt you too bad Haley. I can't change the fact that I slept with Taylor. That she took my virginity, no matter how much I want to, I can't take it back. I can never make it up to you and I'm sorry. It would be better if I was out of your life."

"You don't need to make it up to me!" She shouted at him. "I know you can't take it back it was the past, before we were together. Fine you fucked my sister, whatever. My question is why didn't you tell me, it's been two years."

"I was afraid, afraid of losing the girl I loved. Afraid of her becoming guarded and changing her ways because I knew how insecure she made you. All the guys wanted her but never you. I thought if I told you we had slept together before it would have made you even more insecure and you would have doubted us. I also didn't remember when we first started dating. I had drank a lot so I didn't exactly remember until you introduced us at Thanksgiving, six months into our relationship. She hinted at it and it all came back to me. I felt terrible about it. You have to believe me."

"Of course I believe you. This sucks Nathan to be brutally honest, but I know you can't change it. I'm ready to move on."

"Really? Just like that." He questioned, confused by how loving and forgiving she was.

"Just like that. You know why?" She questioned moving closer to him.

"Why?" He asked resting his hands lightly on her hips.

"Because I want you here and I love you." She smiled before kissing him.