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~~~ "I'm Never Alone, I'm Alone All the Time" ~~~

* Chapter Fifty-Two*

Her body was nearly 12 inches off the ground and was shoved against a wall. Her bare feet dangled below her like a rag doll. Tears streamed down her face and it was undeniable the look of terror spread across her face. His large hands clutched tightly around her shoulders while he violently shook her tiny frame.

"I hate you! And I'm gonna get rid of you finally!" Dan screamed in her face.

"Please…..no…." Haley cried meekly in fear.

The sound of her voice only fueled Dan's rage for her. He shoved her again with incredible force causing her head to bang against the wall again.

The front door opened as her head crashed into the wall and Nathan took in the sight before him. He watched in horror as the man who raised him and whom he called Dad cause bodily harm to his lovely, sweet, and beautiful wife. Nathan wasn't aware of how his body crossed through the door frame, entry way and across the room only to come in immediate contact with his father's face. Before he knew what had happened, his fists pounded into flesh with fury.

It took Haley a few seconds to get her bearings after she was abruptly dropped to the ground. Everything had happened so fast at first but in the midst of flying fists Haley was able to see her husband's face. She watched the two Scott men continue to punch one another and roll around on the ground as she desperately looked around trying to find a way to make it stop.

"I'm going to kill you for touching her!" Nathan sneered before Dan snuck in a right hook to Nathan's face silencing him.

Haley scrambled to her feet as she called out, "Nathan stop! PLEASE!"

The men continued to exchange punches as they destroyed the furniture and breakables they ran into while they wrestled.

"You've always been weak son! Something's never change no matter how hard you try!" Dan taunted him.

Nathan flipped Dan's body over and he was now in a position of power as he held Dan to the ground below him. His forearm lowered and held firm against Dan's throat.

"SHUT UP!" Nathan screamed into Dan's face. He could hear choking noises come from Dan's mouth but he didn't let up. He only pushed harder into his neck.

Haley was terrified Nathan just might kill Dan Scott if she couldn't get him to stop.

"Nathan! Stop! Please!" She pleaded again but this time she grabbed her husband's shoulder in a small attempt to get through to him.

The second their bodies connected he was released from the violent storm he'd been sucked into and was able to register the desperate calling of his name and pleas to stop had actually been coming from Haley. His wife. He turned his head and saw the face of an angel with tears running down her face. Pain and fear. Two emotions he wanted his wife never to feel and especially not from his doing. He locked eyes with his wife and instantly released his arm from Dan's neck. He climbed off of his father's body only to literally scoop Haley's body into his arms.

"Baby I'm so sorry…it's ok….shhhhh" He spoke into her neck as he clung to her. Haley's body shook as she collapsed into him and the tears began to flow freely. He rubbed her back as he felt her legs give out underneath her when he took on her entire body weight in his arms.

Nathan didn't flinch when the police entered the home with guns drawn on alert. The moment the first officer looked past the couple standing he took in the sight of a man sprawled on the ground.

"Nathan Scott!" yelled one officer.

Nathan looked up and saw the officers holster their weapons.

"Yeah that's me." Nathan said as he cradled Haley close to his body.

One officer approached the couple while the other tended to Dan Scott. Nathan shielded Haley's eyes and body from the sight of Dan Scott being arrested and hauled out of the house. He didn't want Dan to see any part of his wife ever again.

Nathan sat next to his wife in horror as she recalled the details of the altercation she'd had with his father before he arrived home. His heart shattered while she answered the questions the officer had while she gave her official statement. The truth she disclosed was far worse than what he had pictured in his head while he heard her cries over the phone and while he drove to save her from the monster he had once called his father. The terrifying ordeal and night finally came to an end after they received confirmation an official restraining order would be issued against Dan Scott.

Later that evening Nathan looked around at the boxes that had tipped over hours earlier and the broken glass on the ground. It was then he registered Haley's feet had been bare. He looked over at her and saw she was picking up a chair that had been knocked over.

"Did you cut your feet?" He asked.

Haley looked down at her own feet as she honestly didn't even know for herself if she had.

"Umm no they're fine." She replied quietly.

Nathan nodded as he continued to look around at the mess that was their home. Moving into their new home couldn't come fast enough for him.

"Why don't you go upstairs and uhhh take a shower? I'll clean the rest of this stuff up." He suggested as he went to retrieve the broom.

"No no it's ok. I…I can help clean."

"Hales, it's fine really. Please let me finish here. I got this." Nathan pushed again.

Haley sighed and looked over at her husband and couldn't miss the pleading look he was giving her.

She took a breath in and then finally surrendered, "Ok."

"I'll be right up baby." Nathan called after her. He watched for a moment as Haley slowly climbed the stairs holding onto the railing after each step she took. The manner in which she carried her body with each step couldn't be missed. She was in great physical pain. He looked towards the front door and saw Brutus was still sitting by the door on watch.

"Brutus!" Nathan called to him. Immediately the dog responded and was at his side.

"Good boy! Go upstairs and watch her bud." Nathan instructed and pointed towards the stairs.

Brutus quickly followed his master's signal and raced up the stairs after Haley. Nathan looked back at the work to be done and began to sweep up the visible glass on the floor. He glanced around the floor once more before moving to dump the dust pan of glass shards into the trash. The large dent in the wall was impossible to miss as he walked past it. He stopped and reached out to touch the imperfection that now remained in the wall. Imperfection caused by his wife's skull.

Nathan dropped the dustpan and broom and immediately headed upstairs. When he entered their bedroom he was pleased to see Brutus lying on the floor outside the closed bathroom door.

"Good boy." Nathan praised the chocolate lab as he patted his head.

Nathan stepped over the dog and opened the bathroom door. He was greeted by the sound of the shower running and felt the steam on his face. He quickly pulled the shirt off his back and shed the remainder of his clothing. He pulled the shower door open to reveal his wife's naked body behind the glass door. Her darkened hair was wet and plastered against her back as the water cascaded on down her body. He stepped in quietly and quickly slide the door closed behind him.

"I'm glad you're here." She spoke once she felt his presence behind her never once having opened her eyes. She'd learned to trust her body with it came to Nathan.

A smile crept on his lips as he reached out to touch her backside softly. The moment he saw the mark in the wall downstairs, he knew he needed to be with his wife. He needed to see her. To touch her and know she was alright. She turned around slowly and felt a stillness once their eyes met. He held her gaze for a moment and then let his eyes explore the rest of her body. The hand prints on her arms and shoulders were visible as the bruising had started to set in. He reached out and touched them lightly as if he was trying to wash them away only to find they didn't go anywhere. His good for nothing worthless piece of shit father had left marks on his wife's perfect body. He glanced down further and saw a darker purple shade on her wrists no doubt from when Dan had tried to get her cell phone from her hands. The remaining marks on his wife's body staring back at him almost mocking him. Nathan had removed Dan from his life and thought they were in the clear finally. Finally clear to have a life without his evil presence but here he was proven wrong yet again. Dan Scott had still hurt him.

"Nathan?" Haley called out softly after she had watched him study her body. She would be lying if she too wasn't shocked by the bruising that had already started to show. She could feel the areas that were tender to the touch already as she had rubbed her body with body wash moments before her husband had joined her shower. A few moments passed before Nathan was shaken from his trance and then looked up at his wife once more.

"Hales I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am for what he did to you. He got to you again…If I hadn't gotten home when I did…I….don't think…" Nathan said but couldn't finish he thought as his emotions suddenly came over him.

Haley reached out and touched his bare shoulder to try and offer some source of comfort. She knew the guilt he'd no doubt put on himself for what had happened hours earlier. She looked up at him through the water caught on her eye lashes before she stepped into his embrace.

"Shhh please don't blame yourself for this. This is not your fault. Please don't put this on your shoulders." Haley said in an attempt to reassure her husband.

Nathan quickly responded and let his hands touch the marks on both her shoulders. Slowly he slide them down and stopped on her wrists. The water continued to cascade down their bodies from the shower head protruding from the tiled wall.

"To see this on your body after what I saw when I came through the door….Hales I was ready to kill him. I couldn't see straight…all I knew was you were in pain." Nathan spoke again.

He brought his eyes up and met hers and there was no doubt he was speaking the truth. The love he had for his wife was true and pure.

"But you came in time and I'm ok now." Haley answered quickly her best to try and reassure her husband.

He didn't miss how fast she responded and spoke again, "I've been caught up in what I'm thinking and feeling about Dan. Are you sure you're ok baby? I know the EMT checked you out but still…" He pulled her naked body against his chest. Instantly the second their naked bodies touched they responded quickly. She turned her head and rested it against his chest while he held her back in a hug.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Just still in shock I guess of all that happened." She admitted in a small voice.

After a few moments she pulled away from his chest and moved her face to look up at his. She hated that Dan Scott had hurt him yet again and she couldn't stop him.

"Nathan, I'm sorry that Dan won't leave you alone and that he is fixated on hurting you still. I couldn't protect you from this or him. I shouldn't have opened the door without looking to see who it was. If only I had done that, he never would have got in the house." Haley said but was cut off by Nathan.

"You have nothing to be sorry about and you did nothing wrong! Don't you dare think for one second you had any part in this. If anyone is to blame its…"

She put her hand on his bare chest in an effort to stop his words and she interrupted, "Dan Scott did this not you. Please do not try and blame yourself for anything that vial man did tonight. You have carried what he's done for far too long."

Nathan shook his head in response and said, "I can't believe Dan paid off the security team at the gate to let him through. If that isn't enough to keep you safe…we need to make changes to the new house to make sure you are safe."

"It's amazing what people will do for some money!" She added.

Nathan brought his hand up to her face and cupped her cheek.

"If anything had happened to you Hales…I don't know what I would have done." Nathan stated before he brought her lips to his. Haley accepted his kiss and felt her legs give out again only this time it stemmed from happiness and not terror.

"Baby, I'm just so sorry this happened." He whispered into her neck.

Haley pulled back and looked up at him again. She couldn't tell if the water in his eyes was from the shower or if he had indeed been crying. Doing the only thing she felt would make them both feel better. She reached up and pressed her lips against his again. He returned her kiss initial with some hesitation not sure if they were doing the correct thing after a traumatic event. However the moment their lips touched again he couldn't control himself and hold back. The moment her lips parted he pushed his tongue into mouth and was turned on even more when her moves with his. Soon his hands found the back of her neck and he pulled her mouth to his with more force as if his life depended on that kiss. Haley moaned into his mouth when she felt him against her bare thigh.

Both of them knew they wouldn't be doing the state of California any good that night with consuming their water usage. The steam and heat from the shower only intensified what was exchanged by the couple as they made love in the shower.

Nathan had laid in bed holding Haley while she drifted off to sleep and wasn't surprised he'd have trouble falling asleep himself. He had tried to keep Brutus off the bed when they first crawled into bed together but knew it was a hopeless cause. Brutus was more attentive towards Haley and didn't allow much space between him and her. As much as Nathan tried to play off the annoyance, he was proud of how protective their dog was over her. He knew Brutus would have done serious damage had he gotten into the house and sunk his teeth into Dan Scott's flesh.

Nathan bolted awake to the feeling of Haley's body jerking around next to his under the sheets.

"Nooo…..stop…please!" She muttered in her sleep. Nathan rose to his elbows and gently touched her shoulder to wake her.

"Hales…it's ok…shhhh…baby…"

She continued to struggle in her dream and it wasn't until she screamed out loud which startled herself awake. It was then she finally realized what had happened and her breath was rapid. She felt like her heart was about to beat right out of her chest.

"You're ok baby. I'm right here." Nathan said as he kissed the side of her head.

Brutus lifted his head off the foot of the bed and studied the couple a few moments before he felt content enough to go back to sleep. Haley snuggled into Nathan's chest as she tried to shake the visions of her nightmare from her mind. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed in an extra effort to try and calm herself even faster. Unbeknownst to Haley, Nathan was doing the same exact thing. The couple held each other close knowing neither would get much sleep.

The next morning Nathan slipped out of bed and headed downstairs to start some hot water for tea. It took coaxing but he was able to get Brutus off the bed and downstairs without too much trouble. He fed the dog and started some coffee for himself as well. He glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was just past six. He quickly fixed a cup of tea for Haley and headed back upstairs. Haley's body rolled over just as he walked back into the room and he knew she was already awake. Like him, she had barely slept as well.

"Nathan.." Haley spoke with a slightly scratchy voice.

"Hi baby..I brought you some tea and something for the pain." He answered as he set the cup on the bedside table. Haley sat up in bed and held her hand out to accept the Tylenol he held out.

Haley took the pills and quickly swallowed them.

"How's the pain…honestly?" He asked.

She looked at him and took a second before she answered, "I'm definitely sore and have a splitting headache."

The second she mentioned her headache she brought her hand to the back of her head to feel for a bump.

"Is there a bump?" He questioned quietly as he watched her fingers sift through her bed head hair.

She saw the pain and anguish on his face and knew her answer would only cause him more pain but she couldn't bring herself to lie to him. She simply nodded and hoped it would be enough to satisfy him. She moved to take a sip of the tea hoping to move the focus of the conversation again.

"Thanks for the tea." She added after she took a sip.

"How bad it is?"

Haley looked at him surprised and answered, "Bad..it's not bad. The tea is perfect."

He sat on the side of the bed and pressed, "I wasn't talking about the tea. Your head..how bad is the bump?"

"Oh" she said and paused for another sip before she added, "It's not bad."

He looked at her with skepticism and then decided to check himself. He reached over and gently rubbed his fingers over her head. His eyes widened when his fingers met the raised area on her head.

"Shit Hales…you poor thing. Should I get an ice pack or something?"

Haley thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

"OK I'll be right back baby."

She watched as Nathan headed out of the room and back downstairs to the kitchen. She took another sip of the tea and then leaned back against the headboard as she waited for him to return.

Meanwhile Nathan was greeted with the remainder of the burnt dinner Haley had fixed that night before for his homecoming. He grinned slightly to himself as he finally took in the contents of the meal. Of course she'd fixed his favorite food after a long stretch of away games. He made a mental note to quickly clean it up after he delivered her ice pack.

The next few weeks the couple spent navigating them together. Haley continued to have trouble sleeping and dealing with the discomfort from the altercation. Nathan took care of having the wall repaired as it had become a constant state of reminder for them of what happened. They continued to pack up the remainder of their belongings and were soon ready to go.

Nathan couldn't have been happier when he turned over the keys to the home and pulled out of the driveway for the last time. Haley reached over and squeezed his hand from where she sat in the passenger seat of his car. She offered him a wink and a smile as they shared the emotion between the two of them.

A little while later, they pulled up to their new home feeling a sense of excitement and ease. Nathan met Haley on the other side of the car as she climbed out and before she knew it he'd scooped her up in his arms.

"Ahh Nathan what are you doing?" She squealed.

Nathan readjusted her in his arms as he answered, "What do you think I'm doing? It's tradition and I intend to do this right."

The events clicked as he walked up to their front door and paused for a moment while he looked down at her.

"Well, Mrs. Scott we are about to go through the doors of our very own home. How do you feel?" Nathan asked.

She grinned back at him and answered, "Perfect. Absolutely perfect. I love you Nathan Scott."

"I love you too!"

He leaned down and kissed her lips lingering only a moment before he reached to open the front door. Haley held onto his neck as they walked through the doors into their home. A home free from memories of tragedy and sorrow from their lives before they met one another. They were greeted with boxes about and furniture still wrapped in plastic wrap spread through the room.

"We certainly do have our work cut out for us don't we? Where do we begin?" Haley asked her husband.

He slowly brought her down and set her on her feet. They looked around the room and into the joining living room. They certainly did have plenty to do.

"Most definitely the bedroom should be first! I think we should make sure our bed is set up." He replied while offering his trademark Scott smirk.

She laughed out loud and nodded in agreement.

"Let's get to work then."

Over the course of three hours, they managed to set their bed up and found the boxes containing their bedding. They made the bed together which seemed pointless as they both knew they'd be rolling around together in the sheets minutes later. They intended to do everything right and make sure to christen their home properly. An hour or so later, the happy couple was dressed and back to work unpacking. Nathan had been put on kitchen duty and in charge of finding them something to eat for dinner. Haley continued to work in their bedroom and unpack their bathroom things. She fished out some toilet paper and soap from one of the boxes and knew she was only scratching the surface of the work load. She reached into the box again and looked down trying to find their tooth brushes. She was instantly distracted by a persistent feeling in her gut that came on suddenly and just wouldn't go away.

Nathan had unloaded the last of the items from the coolers that'd brought from their home and it felt good to have stuff in the refrigerator. He wanted to fast forward the next few weeks to when their home was finished and everything had a place. They'd had a hellish last few weeks after the incident with Dan and he only wanted to move forward. He placed a call for a pizza and was now on the hunt for plates or paper towels of some kind hopefully before their dinner arrive. He was so focused he didn't notice Haley walk into the room.

"Well, you've been busy." She said. Her voice startled him and he looked up from the box his hands where currently digging in.

"I'm trying. I got the coolers empty and am currently on the hunt for plates or paper towels or something to put our pizza on. I hope you're hungry because I ordered us a large supreme pizze and some of the cheesy breadsticks you like ohhhh and also a side of buffalo wings." He rattled off as he shifted his focus from her back to the boxes he had been digging in.

Haley giggled and couldn't help but smile as she watched him move about in their home. For years they both had lived lives of opportunity and a life style in which people were constantly wanting and needing from them. But now everything had changed. It was just about them and what they needed from one another.

She thought for a moment before she spoke again, "It certainly sounds like you've ordered more than enough food for the three of us."

She waited and studied her husband as her words sunk in. His body froze and he turned to look at her.

"Wait…what?"

"You heard me."

"Are we…did you say three of us?" Nathan asked trying his best to control the smile on his face.

Haley's eyes filled with tears as she nodded and pulled the pregnancy test from behind her back. She'd found the pregnancy test box when she was looking for their toothpaste earlier and instantly felt the need to take it. It was as if she already knew what the results would be. Nathan looked at the test she was hold and then back at her face. He raced over and instantly kissed his wife with excitement. He pulled away and looked into her eyes once more.

"We're pregnant?" He asked her as he rested his forehead against hers.

She smiled and answered, "We sure are Daddy. I love you!"

Nathan twirled her around in his arms and said, "I love you too!"

He set her down and instantly his hands moved to her stomach. Her heart swelled as she felt the loving hands of her husband cradle her stomach.

"This is amazing Hales. I can't believe we're going to have a baby."

Haley placed her hands over his and looked back at him, "It is amazing. I love my life with you."

"It's only going to get better from here."

The End.

Thanks again for sticking with this story and coming along on this journey. I appreciate all of your kind words and thoughts along the way.

GRemy