A/N: Thanks for being so patient guys! Sorry, I have a dance show this weekend at school so I have been swamped with rehearsals and finishing up the spring semester. Thanks for being so awesome and showing continuous love and support! Xoxox – Samantha

Chapter 12: Coldness

Haley couldn't believe she not only graduated at the top of her class, but she was officially a freshman at Duke and was engaged to the love of her life. Looking back at her life, she would not have pictured herself being here right now.

Her and Nathan were at Nathan's beach house for their official graduation celebration. Every time she looked over at him she couldn't help but smile. She was so lucky to be with him and his proposal was more than she could have ever hoped for. She looked forward to the day she would tell her kids, and grandkids about the glorious event.

"Everything okay Hales? You keep looking at me." Nathan said as he squeezed her hand harder as they were walking along the beach. The party was going pretty well. Everyone from their class had come and were celebrating together. There was a bonfire, a keg, some games of beach volleyball, can jam and beer pong. Everyone was feeling the alcohol too, as they were getting louder and rowdier.

"I just keep looking at you to make sure this isn't a dream; that this is real life." Haley smiled, blushing at how stupid she sounded.

"Oh, it's real Haley James.. Scott."

"Ooo do I like the sound of that." She replied as she kissed Nathan lightly on the lips. Just as their lips were pressing together, Haley was attacked from behind by none other than her best friend, Brooke Davis, jumping on her back.

"TUTOR WIFE! I have been looking for you everywhere! I was afraid that creepy guy had kidnapped you again!" Brooke was known for making things overdramatic, all the time.

"Don't joke about that Brooke." Nathan shot at her as he gave her a glare.

"I've been here the whole time Brooke."

"Well, break away from your fiancée and come with me! All the girls are getting together for karaoke in the living room – GIRLS ONLY!" Brooke was more excited about this than Haley was, but she didn't want to let her best friend down so she reluctantly agreed. Truth was, Haley had a secret passion and talent for singing but crowds made her nervous sometimes. But, everyone was drunk, or at least buzzed, so she considered this an exception. Nathan nodded at her to go along and the girls ran off all giddy. Lucas approached Nathan and threw a basketball at him.

"Want to play some ball little brother? That court in the driveway seems pretty lonely."

"I don't know man – aren't you not suppose to play?"

"Ah, a little fun never hurt anyone did it? Besides, I'll be fine! It's just a game!" Nathan didn't want to argue with him anymore so he shrugged and followed Nathan over to the court, grabbing the guys to come tag along.

The game was getting pretty intense. Nathan and Lucas were constantly tying each other trying to prove themselves to the other brother. Haley and Brooke checked on them every now and then, silently admiring their sculpted bodies.

"So Haley James, what's it like to be engaged?" Brooke asked, grabbing a handful of chips and slowly eating one at a time. Brooke never ate chips her entire life but ever since she became pregnant she would crave potato chips constantly. It drove Lucas crazy because it made a mess and he hated hearing the sound of them crunching between Brooke's teeth.

"Brooke, we just got engaged like four hours ago." Haley laughed as she dug into the chips.

"Who would have thought that Haley James and Nathan Scott would be engaged by the time we graduated high school? You've only been dreaming about this for like, ever."

"Brooke! Keep your voice down. I don't need people to know how pathetic I am." Haley joked. It was true, she felt pathetic in the fact that she had been dreaming about Nathan proposing to her since she was 12.

"Fine, fine. Sorry I brought it up. Anyways, you never did tell me about Chris Keller saving you!"

"Brooke, I really don't want to reminisce on that awful night or weekend for that matter, no offense but that was a horrible idea!"

"Yeah, probably not my best original idea but hey, I tried!"

- One Tree Hill -

Dan was pacing back and forth, furious. He couldn't believe that his own son was stupid enough to pull a stunt like that at graduation. There was no way anyone would want to take him onto their team seeing that he was involved with planning some sort of wedding, that Dan was not going to pay a dime for. He couldn't believe how ignorant both Nathan and Deb were being about the whole thing. His idiotic ex-wife seemed to think that it was some sort of blessing and fairytale and supported Nathan. Dan scowled at the thought of that thing marrying his son. Nathan was royalty to him, and she was just a peasant girl.

He was also enraged at Felix for his stupidity. They had almost gotten rid of the girl until that Chris Keller character came along. His first step would be to get rid of that cocky, arrogant, horrible musician. But, he needed to come up with an extravagant plan. One that would knock both Chris and Haley out and knock Nathan back into his senses. But what? He knew he couldn't do this alone, he would have to call for backup. But his only backup was Felix and he wanted absolutely nothing to do with him at the moment. He had to think fast. Nathan and Haley were surely going to jump right into the wedding plan as Haley wanted to get married sooner rather than later.

"AHA! I just thought of the absolute perfect plan. Now to find out a little more about this Chris Keller." Dan said to himself as he walked over to his computer and typed the name into his Google search.

- One Tree Hill -

Haley and Brooke were socializing with everyone, laughing and having a great time. Haley decided to not drink either since Brooke couldn't, and they were having a blast watching all the drunk people stumble all over the place spilling their beer and tripping over their own shoes. They were making up scenarios for each person that they watched for longer than two minutes, trying to figure out what their background was and where they came from. Brooke and Haley had been doing this since they were little and something about it was so comforting to Haley.

"HALEY! BROOKE!" Nathan yelled as he frantically ran into the kitchen, bursting in with such a force that it startled the both of them.

"Nathan, what's the matter? You gave me a heart attack." Haley said as she covered her heart, taking a deep breath, thankful that it was just Nathan who decided to make such a dramatic entrance.

"Geez Nate. You're lucky I wasn't 9 months pregnant because you would have literally scared this child out of me."

"Yeah well, your child is about to not have a father if you don't come out here quick." Brooke took a second to process this before she realized that something was wrong with Lucas. She quickly ran out of the house to find Lucas lying on the basketball court. Her heart dropped.

"LUKE! WHAT HAPPENED?!" Brooke screamed as she ran over to see Lucas lying there, looking extremely pale.

"I .. I don't know. We were finishing the game and he just kind of fell over." Nathan said as he came over with Haley towing behind him.

"WHY DID YOU LET HIM PLAY?!"

"HE INSISTED!"

"I DON'T CARE! YOU SCOTT BOYS ARE SO STUBBORN!"

"Did anyone happen to think of calling 911?" Haley asked, pulling out her cell phone looking at everyone as they stared blankly at her.

"Of course we did. Just because we weren't valedictorian doesn't mean we stupid." Skills said, slightly offended by Haley's question. Haley stared at him blankly, unsure of whether he was being sarcastic or an asshole.

"I can't believe you idiots let him play basketball when he has a heart condition!" Brooke looked at Lucas and felt his pulse, which was very slow.

"He insisted and wouldn't take no for an answer Brooke." Mouth pitched in, obviously not making the situation any better. Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Did someone call Karen?"

"Just did. She said she would meet us there." Haley chipped in.

"Actually guys, but I rather just it be me, Lucas and Karen at the hospital." Brooke said as the ambulance pulled in. Everyone stared at her like she had six heads. Nathan was pissed. He threw Haley's cup down and walked away. This was all his fault. Once again, he had fucked up. First, he let Haley out of his site and she gets beat up and then he lets his brother play him in basketball, knowing that he has a medical condition. He just couldn't win. So he walked over to the keg, and poured himself a cup drowning it before Haley could catch up to him. He poured himself a second cup, and was halfway done chugging it in when Haley finally caught up to him.

"Nathan, what's going on? Why did you leave like that?" Haley walked over, wrapping her arms around Nathan's torso. He didn't move. He didn't even flinch when she wrapped herself around him. He finished his second cup and began pouring himself a third. "Babe, how much have you had to drink?"

"That's really none of your business Hales." He responded cooly, as he continued drinking.

"Actually Nathan it is. Now, how much have you had to drink?"

"I don't know Hales. It's a party – loosen up would you?" Nathan was almost done with the third cup. He truly had lost count of how many beers he had. He knew he had some before they played basketball, and during their "water breaks" but he wasn't deliberately counting them. Why did it even matter anyways?

"Nathan, would you stop drinking for one second and talk to me?"

"Haley, you're being annoying can you quit it?" He said, slamming his red solo cup down and rolling his eyes. She was right, but he didn't want to admit it. It didn't matter anyways. He was always fucking things up so why stop here?

"Nathan, you're being an asshole stop. We had a good day. What's going on with you?"

"A good day? Ha, yeah right." Nathan began to walk away, looking for something else to drink. The beer in the keg was flat and he wanted something that actually tasted good, and cold.

"I hope you're not being serious. Nathan, we got engaged today and graduated high school, how is that not a good day?"

"Haley! Seriously stop asking questions you're being so obnoxious and it's killing my vibe."

"Your vibe? Who even are you right now Nathan?"

"Nathan Scott. The Nathan Scott. Been this way the entire time Hales so I don't know why you're getting so huffy." Ah, he spotted Tim pulling a beer out of the fridge from a 12 pack that he must have bought. He nodded at Tim and grabbed one from the fridge, sighing as he cracked it open.

"Wow."

"You got your ring Hales, can you leave me alone now?" Nathan was extremely annoyed with Haley following him around and asking him so many questions. He knew he was being irrational right now and that the alcohol was talking, but he was so disappointed in himself that he had no motivation to even attempt to be nice.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"Exactly what I said. You got your ring Haley."

"Nathan, last time I checked you told me you wanted to spend your life with me so don't act like I'm the only one who wanted this ring." Haley was seething inside. Why did Nathan have to be such an ass right now? Not even fifteen minutes ago he was being a sweetheart and then suddenly he's acting like his father all over again. It had to be the alcohol because Haley had never seen Nathan like this and it wasn't like she had been to many parties. Nathan said nothing.

"Are you seriously going to just sit there and say nothing?" Nathan continued to drink. "You know what Nathan? Fine. Drink your beer and be an asshole for all I care but do NOT come crying to me in the morning when your head is pounding and your sleeping alone."

"I never sleep alone Haley." Haley slapped him. She didn't know what came over her but this was NOT the Nathan that was her fiancée. The fact that he would even make such a sly comment like that was enough to make her blood broil. "WHAT THE HELL?"

"WE ARE LEAVING RIGHT NOW NATHAN. You can have all the beer you want but it doesn't change that I am still your fiancée and I will NOT tolerate you cheating on me."

"Haley – the ladies come to me okay?"

"You are so disgusting right now, you are acting just like your father." Nathan cringed when she finished her sentence. Before he knew it, Haley took the beer right out of his hand and threw it all over his shirt. He stood there, speechless. He knew he had fucked up but the alcohol was messing with his mind so much that he didn't know whether to be mad or sad.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"For being an asshole! Have fun sleeping alone on the couch Nathan Scott because you are not getting anywhere near me tonight! And to think that I was SO excited to be engaged to you less than half an hour ago. Not anymore. Now, maybe I should seriously rethink this decision and this ring." Haley flashed the ring in Nathan's face as she began to slide it off for dramatic effect.

"Haley please don't take that off. Please." He begged. Good, I have him right where I want him. Haley thought to herself as she slid it back on.

"Nathan, go to bed. Maybe you should sober up and then come try and talk to me but right now I want absolutely nothing to do with you. If you'll excuse me but I have better things to do like checking on my best friend in the hospital then sit here and have my FIANCEE be a drunken asshole to me at his own party." Haley turned on her heel and walked away, ignoring Nathan's cries for her to come back and let him explain.

- One Tree Hill -

"Hello?" Brooke answered. She was absolutely exhausted. She was throwing up in the hospital and she felt like crap. Lucas was still out and hooked up to all these machines and she was laying on the bathroom floor of the handicapped restroom. The floor felt so cold and it made her feel so much better. This sickness part of the pregnancy was horrible.

"Hey Brookie its me. Up for some visitors or is it still Scott only?"

"Tutor girl I am not a Scott just yet and neither is Karen, but yes, I could use a visitor right about now. I am currently laying on the bathroom floor because I can't stop throwing up. This baby is purposely making my life hell, I swear."

"Brooke, I doubt that. It'll be over before you know it. You're almost to your second trimester where all the fun begins."

"Very true Tutorgirl. Is everything okay? You sound kind of sad."

"Yeah, everything's fine. Nathan and I just got into a stupid fight because he's as drunk as a skunk but I rather not talk about it. I rather focus on you and Lucas. How's he doing by the way?" Haley got into her car, putting the key into the ignition as it roared to life. She felt a cold breeze as she closed the door. The temperature had definitely decreased.

"He's still unresponsive. They said he will be okay though. Turns out he hasn't been taking his medication and stress mixed with physical activity caused him to have a mini heart attack."

"Oh my gosh that's horrible. At least he's going to be okay." It's like nothing could go right for any of them, ever. Haley was distracted when she saw a shadow walk slowly by her window. She felt goose bumps and turned her headlights on, hoping they would be some sort of guide.

"Hopefully."

"Well I'll be there soon tigger. Hang in there, love you." Haley hung up as she buckled in and prepared to shift the car into drive. Just as she was about to shift she was startled by the sound of her passenger window breaking and glass shattering as a hand reached in to unlock the door. Fuck.