AN: See previous disclaimer...
Thank you to all still reading my story and reviewing. I really appreciate all the feedback and just knowing there are people still out there reading OTH FF...like me. I kinda feel like I need to apologize for making Peyton out to be so evil. I actually enjoyed her as a character on the show but unfortunately it just kinda happened this way. Please forgive me for that.
I hope you enjoy the next chapter even though it's a bit shorter than what I've been posting recently. It was just the way the story played out this chapter. I really hope you like it.
~~~ "I'm Never Alone, I'm Alone All the Time" ~~~
* Chapter Thirty- Seven*
Dan pulled into the parking lot at Peyton's studio not long after he'd hung up with Damien. He knew he needed to see for himself if Nathan's car was still there or not. He saw what he assumed to be Peyton's car parked near the front door knowing she'd still be there for their follow up meeting after Peyton had delivered the news about the terms of the contract to Haley. Dan had made a point to try and coach Peyton with how to handle a difficult situation such as this however she wasn't too receptive to the notion. Peyton insisted at the end of the day she knew her client better than anyone else. It had been a tough pill for Dan to swallow but Peyton Sawyer was nearly as ruthless in business as he was. Dan shifted his car into park and noted Nathan's car was nowhere in sight before he moved to get out of the car. He let the car door slam shut and then made his way into the office. He found himself walking down the long hall way covered with platinum records and photographs of various artists to get to Peyton's office. He paused for a moment when a certain toothy smile caught his eye and staring back at him was none other than a recent photograph of Haley James and the rest of The Fire Pistols.
Lucas had fought off Nathan's demands to give him the car keys so he could drive them to Peyton's recording studio/office after they fled Damien West's home. Nathan sat next to Lucas and hadn't spoken more than simply offering directions of which roads they needed to take to get there as quickly as possible. Lucas couldn't help but glance over to the passenger seat every time they stopped at a traffic light. Nathan's eyes remained focused on the road ahead of them. His face hard as stone and his knee bounced up and down no doubt with anger and anticipation.
Nathan swiped his finger across his iPhone and pulled up Haley's contact once more. He tapped his finger on the screen and brought the phone up to his ear again waiting for a ring. He cursed out loud again when his call went straight to her voicemail.
"Damn."
"Still can't reach her?" Lucas questioned softly not wanting to make matters worse for his best friend.
Nathan shook his head but offered nothing more. Lucas turned his blinker on and moved swiftly into the right lane to prepare to turn down the street of their final destination.
"Nate, maybe you should re-think this and give yourself some time to cool off. What are you going to do if he's still here?" Lucas asked. He took a quick glance at Nathan once more before he completed the turn.
Nathan took a deep breath before he answered, "God, I don't know man, I just can't believe this is happening. I'm so damn angry Luke that I can't even think straight right now!"
"Maybe you should talk to Haley first before you confront Dan with all of this." Lucas suggested holding on to a small shred of hope he'd be able to change Nathan's mind. That was one thing he learned early on in their friendship. When Nathan made a decision, that was it. Game Over.
"No way, I don't trust thank punk Damien to keep our little interaction from Dan quiet for long."
Lucas felt the corners of his mouth turn up slightly, "Well, he's going to have a little bit of trouble calling Dan tonight seeing as you destroyed his phone before we left."
Nathan looked over at Lucas and felt some weight leave his chest as he said, "He's lucky that's all I did. Pull in there!"
Lucas eyes followed Nathan's hand and slowly pulled into the parking lot.
"Park right there." Nathan ordered and Lucas parked the car right next to what he figured to be Dan Scott's car.
"She's not here." Nathan commented after he glanced around the parking lot. Lucas took his seat belt off after he turned the engine off.
"What's the plan?" Lucas asked looking at his friend waiting for instruction.
"You're staying put. I'm going in alone." Nathan answered bluntly making sure to catch Lucas' eyes so he understood how serious he was about the situation.
Lucas shook his head in disagreement and countered, "No way! I know how you two are when you're mad, it's like two bombs going off. I still haven't forgotten the when you two got into a physical fight when we were in high school. I'm coming with you."
"Luke, I'm doing this alone, end of discussion. I'm not wasting anymore time arguing about this."
Lucas signed in acceptance as he settled back into his seat. He watched Nathan climb out of the car and quickly yelled before the car door shut, "If you're not out in 20 minutes I'm coming in after you."
Nathan shoved his phone in his back pocket as he walked up the side walk and then pulled open the main door. He carefully eased the door closed again not wanting to alert anyone of his presence. He glanced around the poor lit lobby scanning his eyes for any sign of where Peyton or his Dad might be. The hallway to the right was completely dark and appeared unoccupied. He saw a set of stairs off to the left he assumed would lead to the second floor and started to make his way to them when out of the corner of his eye his saw his father standing at the end of a long hallway. Nathan quickly darted behind the corner and carefully peered around to watch Dan staring at the pictures on the wall.
Dan's nostrils flared slightly as he let out a disgruntled huff while he studied the photograph closely, mostly her face. A face that he would readily admit was drop dead gorgeous according to most standards. Removing Nathan from the equation, Haley James was a knock out and a lucky catch for any able guy she'd give her attention to. He could see why Damien West started a relationship with her in the first place. She was hot as hell however when it came to celebrity status, she was more famous than him. Ultimately it created an elephant in the room which inevitably caused Damien to snap thus dissolving his relationship with Haley. All of which Dan Scott wanted to avoid for his most lucrative client, Nathan Scott. Oh and for his only son as well.
Dan took note of the three other double platinum records of The Fire Pistols handing on either side of the one that initially captured his attention. It was clear on many levels just how successful the band was and how much Haley James truly had to lose. She was The Fire Pistols. To him the choice was simple, choose the career over love. He knew firsthand the consequences of making the wrong choice and if he could do it again, he'd choose differently. He shook himself from the emotional feeling than had started to come over him and made his way down to the far end of the hallway to the slightly open office door.
Dan tapped the backs of his knuckles on the door as it slowly pushed open. Dan walked through the door leaving it slightly a jar behind him.
"Ms. Sawyer.."
Nathan was on the move down the long hallway the second Dan entered the office. He stepped carefully on the freshly waxed floor to ensure his old converse sneakers didn't squeak while he crept down the hall.
Inside the office, Peyton looked up from her iPad and offered a sly grin at Dan's presence.
"Good evening, you sure made it here fast. You should be careful out there driving. You just never know when a little car accident could come out of nowhere only to completely screw up all plans you have for yourself." Peyton remarked with a sadistic sense of humor.
Nathan's head jerked slightly at the sound of a woman's voice only to confirm Dan was involved with Peyton Sawyer. He glanced up once he'd reached the spot in the hallway where his father had lingered moments earlier. He looked to the right and saw the collection of platinum records The Fire Pistols had earned so far. He saw Haley's sexy smile looking back at him and he instantly felt his heart ache. He managed to look away and continued to creep down the hall stopping when he was just close enough to the office
Dan's mouth opened slightly in shock at what had just escaped from her lips. He quickly recovered and simply replied, "Now Blondie I thought we'd already covered this. I'm sorry that happened really I am. The accident was just that an accident. I only arranged for them to cover her exiting with West not to go after her. I thought this was water under the bridge. My intention was to get a shot of something I could arrange for Nathan to see that would end this so called romance once and for all."
She pressed her thin lips together before she replied, "I have to say since we started working actually together instead of against each other on this little problem, the outcomes have been more desirable."
Nathan balled up his fists even tighter if that was even possible. It took everything in him to stop from bursting through the door on the two of them. Something told him, he needed to wait for just the right moment to reveal his presence. He took another step closer to the open door.
Dan settled into the chair across the desk from Peyton and eyed the large stack of papers still sitting on her desk.
"Is that them?" Dan asked gesturing to the stack.
"That's them. I'm surprised she didn't take them with her just to make sure I was telling her the truth. It wouldn't matter anyhow because the contract is 100% legit. Haley was mad as hell when she left her after I explained her options."
"You're confident she'll agree to your terms right? I need this to end now because Nathan needs to focus on his game and the new endorsements I've lined up. He plays better when he doesn't have anything else to cloud his mind. He's better alone."
Peyton nodded her head and answered, "There's too much to lose if she doesn't. Knowing her decision will ultimately affect not only herself but the rest of her band….she won't go through with it. When backed into a corner, she's gonna cave every time. Guaranteed! Haley's weak when it comes to standing her ground in some regards. Artists get so dramatic when it comes to their songwriting credits and owning them. Trust me if she wasn't such an amazing song writer and singer I wouldn't be wasting my time."
"You better hope you're right about this. So once you secure another hit single for them, you'll be promoted to CEO of the record label right?" Dan asked.
Peyton nodded and answered, "Finally! I've been working this deal for over a year now and it's finally within my grasp. Once I'm head of the label, I'll be in control and be able to truly do things my way."
"You really think Haley is on board?" Dan questioned sound rather skeptical.
Outside in the hallway, Nathan stood there in complete shock over what he was overhearing. He knew his father was a forceful business man and could be vindictive when needed. Nathan never imagined the true lengths Dan would really go to before now to get what he wanted. For years his father had pushed him to be a better basketball player. Dan would demand Nathan run faster, jump higher, get more rebounds, and constantly increase his shooting percentage rather than push him to become a better man. Peyton's voice ripped Nathan from his own thoughts and back to reality.
"Yes, she will do it mostly because if she doesn't she's going to screw her entire band over. I have a feeling her sister Quinn won't be sticking around much longer anyhow since she went and got herself knocked up. She is easily replaceable…she plays the keyboards for Christ Sakes." Peyton replied with a devious cackle, Dan joining in as well.
"Replacing Quinn James quickly is important! I certainly don't need Haley catching baby fever right now. I can't change the fact their related but I can control how much day to day contact they have. That would be a complete disaster if she ended up getting pregnant on top of everything else." Peyton added as she eyeballed Dan for his reaction.
His eyes bulged knowing Peyton was right. "Yet another reason this needs to stop now before the unthinkable happens. If Nathan's anything like me, it would only take one time without protection and that'd be it."
"A little sure of yourself Scott don't you think?" Peyton joked.
"You've met my son haven't you? How else do you think he came to be?" Dan fired back at Peyton confirming the circumstances surrounding conceiving Nathan.
Nathan found it completely disturbing his father was discussing his sex life and the likelihood he could father a child. It wasn't a surprise to him how he'd came to be. When Nathan was around 13, he'd overheard his parents arguing after he'd gone to bed one night. Dan had been angry with Deb and knew just what he could say to hurt her the most. It wasn't until the next day when Nathan had asked his mother to explain what he'd overheard the night before. Deb tried her best to explain that even though they weren't expecting to have a baby so young, he was still very much wanted and a blessing to both his parents.
"I see…speaking from experience then?" Peyton toyed.
"Why do you think I'm trying so hard to stop this head on collision before it happens? I'm going to do whatever I have to do to make sure he's never forced to make that kind of decision." Dan explained matter of factly.
Peyton nodded signaling she understood where he was coming from. There was a moment of silence between the two before Dan spoke again.
"So how long until you know what Haley's going to do? Any clue where she'll head to next?" Dan asked.
Nathan's stance in the hallway straightened as he took a small step closer to ensure he didn't miss a word.
"She has until tomorrow morning to get back to me either way. Knowing Haley she's run off and done one of a couple of things. God she can be so predictable sometimes. She might be crying on her sister's shoulder but I'm thinking probably not since she doesn't want to cause Quinn to stress out and hurt the baby. It's not likely at this hour, but she's been known to take off and go for a run outside to clear her head. I remember this one time on tour she took off running late at night and didn't even stop to tell Chris or Quinn. They looked for her for almost two hours before she finally came strolling back to the hotel." Peyton explained which caused Nathan's stomach to churn at the thought of Haley running that late at night. He pulled his iPhone from his back pocket to check the time. He made a mental note he only had a few more minutes before Lucas would no doubt end up bursting in blowing his cover completely.
"Haley might be with Chris but then again she could be avoiding him too. He is after all her writing partner and their success is really due to them together. They're able to create amazing melodies and lyrics together. It would be a shame if Haley broke them apart seeing as she doesn't have the confidence to pen a song solo anyway. She always insisted on the two of them writing together….ever since I've known them." Peyton remarked.
Dan raised an eyebrow and questioned out loud, "They never…you know. Long nights on the tour bus mixed with booze…..being lonely on the road…I'm sure you know the rock star lifestyle all too well. I could always use a compromising photograph to plant a bit of doubt in Nathan's mind too."
Nathan's knuckles were stark white as he squeezed his hands into fists down at his sides. His Dad really was a prick sometimes.
"Chris and Haley are just friends. Period." Peyton answered quickly as Dan's eyes were now on his smartphone. She watched his finger tap on the screen with great intention.
"Is it about Nathan?" Peyton asked in reference to what Dan was doing on his phone.
"Just checking on a few things. Trust me, he is the least of our concern right now. Nathan isn't a factor in this, I've got him completely handled." Dan answered confidently.
Peyton's eyes moved to the office door as it pushed open in shock.
"How exactly do you have me "handled" Dan? Please I'd love for you to explain." Nathan finally said making his presence known. He quickly looked at Peyton who stared back at him in utter shock before he spoke but then his stone cold gaze remained on his father.
Dan looked back at Nathan like he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He immediately jumped to his feet and took a step towards Nathan.
"Stop right there! I really don't think you want to come any closer to me right now with the rage I've got going through my body. You really are a son of a bitch aren't you?" Nathan warned as he stared his father down.
"Nate, what are…..I..uhhh" Dan struggled as he was caught completely dumbfounded.
"Bet you're wondering what the hell I'm doing here? I could say the same thing about you but from the sound of things, this isn't the first time you've met with Peyton over here?" Nathan interjected while gesturing towards Peyton as Dan was fumbling for words.
Peyton sat frozen as she watched the exchange between father and son not knowing exactly what to say or do at that moment.
"I figured it would be a good PR move to make contact with Haley's team to offer condolences after her accident." Dan shot back quickly while he clearly tried to think on his feet to stay one step ahead of Nathan if it was still remotely possible.
"Just shut up and stop lying! Everything that's come out of your mouth since I've met Haley has been a complete lie. Even before then it was all lies. How could you do this to me? I'm your own son!" Nathan fired back.
Dan's eyes widened more and he replied, "That's why I did this! I needed to protect you from making a bad decision. You were at such a crucial point in your recovery and in your career. I couldn't let you risk everything on some hot piece of ass who's not worth it."
Nathan's right fist connected with Dan's face in the blink of an eye and before he knew what was happening. Dan stumbled backwards a few steps to keep from falling to the floor completely.
"Oh my God!" Peyton cried out in shock as Dan tried to recover from the blow.
"Fuck you Dan! The little stunt you pulled with the paparazzi could've killed her! What happened to you? I defended you and trusted you with my life and my career….but not anymore. Dan, you're fired as my agent and as my so called father. I'm just done." Nathan declared fighting off the urge to hit Dan again as he took a step towards Nathan.
"Nate, don't over react about this little thing. Stop being so dramatic and look at this like a real man." Dan fired back.
"A real man huh? What look at it like you do?"
Dan glared at his son and shot a quick warning glance at Peyton who'd still remained silent.
"Let's take this somewhere more private son." Dan said as he reached out to usher Nathan out of the office by his arm.
Nathan ripped his arm away from Dan and shouted, "Get your hands off of me! You're not going to bully me into letting this go. I meant what I said, I'm done with you."
Dan's eyes darkened as he witnessed his son's new found resistance and found himself grabbing Nathan by his shoulders. Nathan felt his fingers dig into his shoulders as Dan squeezed him tighter. Nathan looked back at his father and found himself unable to move. He looked into the eyes of the man who he'd looked up to as a small child. The same man who gave him his first basketball and taught him how to shoot his first free throw. That very man who dragged him out of bed early during his summer vacation each year to go running before the sun came up. He sat along the sidelines at every game Nathan played and without missing a beat had no problem in criticizing every play that didn't go 100% perfectly. Not bothering to hold back when Nathan was in the company of the rest of his team mates, friends, or his actually high school basketball coach. Glaring back at him was a set of eyes filled with regret, resentment and desperation.
"Fuck off Dan! You're pathetic!" Nathan screamed as he tried to pull both of his arms free from Dan's clutches.
Dan's nostrils flared with rage as he tightened his grip on his son's shoulders. He pushed Nathan backwards until he was up against the wall without any escape.
"Shut up!" Dan cried out as he banged Nathan's body up against the wall again.
Peyton finally began to step aside from behind her desk and then warned, "Enough now! Let's take a step back and cool off."
Both men ignored her statement and remained focused on each other. Dan shoved Nathan's shoulder up against the wall once more.
"What you can't take hearing the truth can you? That's you're just a washed up wannabe who couldn't hack it and it kills you that I made it to the NBA when you couldn't do it. I know all about the "break" you took from basketball while you and mom were still in college. I did the math Dan, you quit before she even got pregnant with me so come up with a new excuse for why you didn't make it." Nathan challenged Dan knowing just what to say to hit him where it hurt.
"Watch it Son! I'm warning you!"
"Stop it now or take this outside!" Peyton shouted as she tried to defuse the tense situation.
Nathan shook his head and spat back, "Or what? Are you gonna throw me up against the wall like you did Mom? You're forgetting that I can fight back now."
Dan Scott saw red and within a second he found he'd punched his son square in the face before he knew what had happened. Nathan took advantage of his new found freedom and tried pushed Dan away from him. Dan quickly shoved Nathan towards the wall once more trying his best to corner his opponent. A framed picture hanging on the wall fell to the floor and the glass panel shattered at their feet. Nathan's quick reflexes proved useful as his hands flew up to prevent Dan's hands from wrapping around his neck. Dan struggled to keep on his feet after Nathan punched him in the face once more.
"I'm gonna call 911 if you don't knock this off!" Peyton warned knowing there was nothing else she could do at that point. She was no match for either of the men's strength and wasn't the "dumb girl" who would knowingly try to intervene in a fist fight.
In that moment, Nathan took his eyes off of Dan for a second to see the serious look in Peyton's eyes pleading with both of them. The last thing he wanted was to be arrested on assault charges against his former agent. Dan took the opening and threw another punch at Nathan causing a small cut below his left eye brow. Next thing they knew both parties were being shoved apart from one another as Lucas stood in between them.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Lucas screamed at the top of his lungs. He looked over at Nathan who was breathing heavy while glaring at his father. Lucas followed his stare and then saw the damage Nathan had done to Dan's face.
"This is over!" Lucas declared once and for all. He grabbed Nathan's shirt and pulled him towards the door.
"Let's go Nate." He offered ushering his friend to follow.
Nathan obeyed only pausing for a moment when he passed by his father. He looked him in the eye for a second and said, "You're dead to me." And with that Nathan followed Lucas out of Peyton's office.
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