Nathan was propped up on an elbow as he watched Claudia sleep. Claudia slowly began to wake up.

"Hey you." Nathan muttered and Claudia smiled up at him uncontrollably. 

"Hi. I had the strangest dream; I dreamt we actually got married yesterday." Claudia said grinning up at her husband.

"That's weird...I had the same dream." Nathan played along with joke. Claudia faked gasped.

"No." Claudia exclaimed and Nathan nodded his head as he leaned in, the couple kissed.

"Oh, that's right, we actually did get married." Nathan replied smiling as they married couple interlocked their fingers, looking at their wedding rings. 

"We did get married." Claudia laughed, Claudia has never felt so blessed in her life. 

"It's pretty wild huh?" Nathan asked smirked as he raised both eyebrows. Claudia bit her lip.

"Yeah. How do you feel?" Claudia asked resting her chin on Nathan's bare chest.

"I was just watching you sleep, thinking; let's always be like this." Nathan replied and Claudia began to blush.

"Yeah." Claudia whispered as Nathan tucked her hair behind her ears. Nathan phone began to buzz uncontrollably.

"And then I turn my cell phone back on." Nathan groaned and Claudia laid down on her back. 

"No! no no no no no no." She groaned as Nathan leaned over her to get his phone.

"Argh...it's my mom. She's been calling like crazy." Nathan groaned and Claudia looked at him worryingly.

"Do you think she found out about us?" Claudia asked concerned and Nathan shook his head which gave Claudia a sense of relief.

"No. She probably just wants her car back." Nathan replied and Claudia smirked at him.

"Oh. I that case," Claudia said as she grabbed Nathan's phone, "don't worry about it." She laughed as she rolled onto her side. 

"Gimme that." Nathan laughed as he got his phone off of Claudia who was squealing with laughter. Nathan listened to the message. Claudia looked at the bothered Nathan as she walked back into their bedroom.

"Bad news?" Claudia asked concerningly. Nathan looked at her blankly before he responded.

"My dad's in the hospital." Claudia walked up to him really worried. "He had a heart attack." Nathan stated, Claudia looked shocked.

"Is he going to be OK?" Claudia asked, she felt terrible for him and for Dan- as much as she hated him. 

"I-I don't know, my mom just left it on my voicemail." Nathan stuttered as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry Nathan." Claudia said as Nathan stood up and walked over to him.

"Yeah I gotta go see him." Nathan said as he walked over to his wife.

"Yeah, I'll go with you." Claudia said before Nathan hugged her. "Ah Nathan um...maybe we shouldn't tell them about us yet. I mean maybe we should just wait until he recovers." Claudia said rubbing Nathan's arm.

"They're going to find out Claudia." Nathan replied and Claudia nodded her head.

"I know; it's just that I saw your dad before the game and he wasn't happy about us dating...what's he going to say now?" Claudia asked concerned. 

"It's not about him. We're married now Claudia. I'm never going to hide that." Nathan said proudly and Claudia smiled up at him.

"I would have said marry me, but you already did that." Claudia grinned before she kissed him.

"I wanna do something ok?" Claudia asked looking at Nathan before she took her wet top off. 

"Claudia." Nathan said as Claudia grinned at him.

"No, it's ok. It's ok." Claudia reassured before she kissed him and then pushed him back on the bed.

"I could love you forever." Nathan whispered as he held his wife.

"So could I." Claudia replied smiling.

"You're my family now Claudia. The true thing I have. I never wanna lose you. Nathan smiled at Claudia. 

"You won't." Claudia replied reassuringly, Nathan looked at her debating whether to say something and Claudia caught on. "What?" Claudia asked.

"Marry me." Nathan stated sternly and Claudia smiled embarrassed, she thought he was joking.

"Stop it." She laughed embarrassed.

"What, would you?" Nathan asked seriously. 

"Oh you're embarrassing me." Claudia giggled as she sat up. 

"Why not?"  Nathan asked as he sat up as well.

"Because...we're in high school." Claudia stuttered, trying to figure out what to say.

"So what? I'm emancipated." Nathan exclaimed.

"Is this about sex, because I wanna wait? " Claudia asked loudly.

"No, I can see you caving on that one already." Nathan replied and Claudia slapped his shoulder laughing.

"Well maybe so. Nathan, couples don't get married in high school. It's just...it's not normal." Claudia exclaimed.

"So? I'm not normal. What I'm feeling is definitely not normal and to be honest with you Claudia, I don't ever want to be normal. Not with you." Nathan explained and Claudia blushed. "I'm serious." Nathan replied sternly.

"I know you are." Claudia replied sincerely.

"OK, so I'll say it again. I could love you forever." Nathan stated and Claudia groaned.

"Nathan, so could I but-" Claudia said and Nathan stopped her before she rambled on endlessly.

"So then why can't forever start today? " Nathan asked and Claudia looked at him smiling.

___

Claudia and Nathan walk through the front door of Claudia's house.

"Hey, anybody home? Mum? Dad? Jack?" Claudia shouted.

"In the kitchen Claudia!" A voice from the kitchen shouted.

"OK." Claudia whispered before she turned to face Nathan, they kissed. "No matter what happens next, I want you to know...my parents say yes...I will marry you." Claudia said proudly smiling, Nathan looked at his girlfriend with such pride because he knew that she was serious. "OK. OK, yeah I would." Claudia smiled as she pulled Nathan into the kitchen. "Mum?" Claudia shouted.

"Hey baby." Marion smiled as she hugged Claudia.

"Hey." Claudia exclaimed hugging her back.

"You must be Nathan, I'm Marion, I am Claudia's family's agent." Marion said as she pulled back from Claudia.

"Hi." Nathan said shaking Marion's hand. 

"Is my mum here?" Claudia asked uncomfortable.

"She's around here somewhere." Marion stated.

"Here's that article Marion. You know, how someone can actually type with their head up their ass is beyond me." Josie said as she walked in the kitchen. Josie turned to see her daughter and Nathan."Nathan. Did you climb through Claudia's window again or did you actually locate our front door this time? " Josie asked jokingly.

"Mum." Claudia groaned to her mum, they both had the same accent.

"I came in the front door Mrs Stone." Nathan replied and Claudia looked nervous.

"Atta boy. You hungry?" Josie asked.

"Actually ah, can we just talk to you and dad?" Claudia asked nervously.

"Are you pregnant?" Josie asked seriously, Claudia looked at her mother shocked.

"What!?" Claudia exclaimed shocked and Nathan looked at everyone awkwardly.

"Pregnant, with child, bun in the oven." Josie stated.

"Mum!" Claudia shouted at her mum.

"Josie stop. You know that Claudia's a virgin." Marion stated and Claudia stared at her with gritted teeth.

"Marion." Claudia warned.

"And it's a damn shame if you ask me." Marion continued pointing at Nathan- who didn't know whether to be pleased or discomfited. 

"Can we just talk to you and dad." Claudia said to her mum before she mouthed 'alone'.

"I can take a hint." Marion smiled as she gathered up her sheet music. "Claudia, your mum will tell me later." Marion smirked at Claudia before she walked out.

"Is dad here?" Claudia asked mortified.

"Tommy! Kitchen! Claudia's pregnant!" Josie shouted out of the window, Claudia's jaw feel to the ground. Josie turned around to face the teenagers. "Shall we sit?" Josie asked and Claudia took a deep breath.

"I think we better." Claudia said breathing heavily. 

Deb sat at the front of the chapel, hunched over, with her head down. Nathan and Claudia walked in.

"Mom." Nathan said quietly.

"Nathan." Deb said as she stood up and hugged her son. Claudia sat behind them in the stalls. 

"What happened?" Nathan asked confused as hell.

"Um, I found him in the beach house on the floor. I called 911," Deb said before she took a long pause, "but they said I might have called too late." Deb stated and Nathan looked at her sympathetically.

"Mom, it's not your fault." Nathan said holding onto her hand, the one that didn't have the ring on it.

"Remember when you were little and you had to have your tonsils out? I came to this chapel that night and sobbed because I had the worst feeling that something was going to go wrong; that I was going to lose you." Deb explained as Nathan took his hand back.

"You didn't lose me mom." Nathan replied.

"Yeah, we're here for you Mrs Scott. Whatever you need." Claudia said sincerely and sympathetically as she placed her hand on Deb's shoulder.

"Thank you Claudia. I guess I'm not ready to let go." Deb said as she patted her Claudia's hand, she saw there was a wedding band on it. She clutched onto Nathan's to see that he had one as well. 

"We were ah...gonna tell you today." Nathan stuttered awkwardly.

"Tell me what?" Deb asked who at this point was on the edge of a mental break down.

"I love your son very much Mrs Scott." Claudia said but Deb was not listening to her.

"Tell me what, Nathan." Deb said concentrating on her son.

"We got married." Nathan said bluntly and Deb laughed distressed.

"I must be losing my mind." She laughed cynically.

"Listen mom, we'll talk about it later. When dad's well." Nathan stated and Deb scoffed.

"When dad is well? Your father is unconscious Nathan, plus he may or may not be my husband at this point, who the hell knows and now you're telling me that you got married? This has got to be a joke." Deb exclaimed. Nathan shook his head sincerely.

"It's not a joke mom." Nathan replied.

"Mrs Scott, we've thought about-" Claudia began to say before Deb snapped at her.

"Shut up Claudia." Deb shouted at Claudia before she spoke directly at Nathan. "You did this to your father. You're the reason he's here." Deb shouted at her own son.

"Mrs Scott I-" Claudia, yet again, began to say before Deb cut her off.

"I said shut up. Shut your selfish little mouth!" Deb snapped at her daughter in law.

"Mom!" Nathan shouted as Claudia looked upset. 

"You walked away from him." Deb said to Nathan before diverting her eyes towards Claudia."And you helped him do it. You're both to blame." Deb shouted before she left the chapel. Claudia hugged Nathan sympathetically. 

"Well, well, Claudia Stone in my house between the hours of 8am and midnight." Tom said as he walked into the kitchen in his london accent. 

"Hi Mr Stone." Nathan said and Tom smiled at him.

"Hello Nathan. Did you come in through the window?" Tom asked Nathan smirking.

"He found the front door." Josie said going along with the joke.

"Nice work Nate."  Tom replied laughing and Josie smiled at them. "So, to what do we owe this surprise?"  Tom asked smiling as well.

"Well, we wanted to talk to you daddy." Claudia said in a sweet, innocent voice. Josie looked at Tom surprised. 

"Daddy? This is gonna be expensive." Tom groaned and Claudia closed her eyes.

"Ok, look. You guys know that I am an extremely cautious person...and I consider things from every angle and I don't just, like, jump into things." Claudia began to say.

"Like getting to the point of this conversation?" Josie asked.

"Mr and Mrs Stone um..." Nathan stuttered as he stood up, "as you know, I'm emancipated from my parents and...I think you also know that I respect both of you very much- " Nathan then continued to say before Tom spoke over him.

"I-I-I think I know where this is going and-and here's the thing Nathan; you see, if we adopt you, the making out with Claudia is gonna have to stop. A-a-at least in public." Tom replied laughing.

"Could you guys be serious for like one minute of my life please?" Claudia asked frustarted. Both of her parents were silent. 

"I'd like to marry your daughter." Nathan said proudly. Tom and Josie stayed quiet for two seconds then they burst out into laughter. They stopped at the look of seriousness on both Claudia and Nathan's faces.

"I didn't see that coming." Tom muttered to himself in utter shock.

"Dad, mum-" Claudia pleaded in a sad tone.

"I will discuss this with your father." Josie stated and a confused expression washed over Claudia's face.

"You will?" Claudia asked surprised.

"If this is what you want." Josie replied with her eyebrow raised.

"I have never been so sure of anything. I love him with all my heart." Claudia replied, her eyes were locked with Nathan's the whole time.

___

Claudia walked into Karen's Cafe, she saw Karen at the counter.

"Closed during the day?" Claudia asked smiling weakly. Karen turned around to look at her.

"Oh, I guess my heart just wasn't in it today." Karen replied, Claudia stood at the door, she wondered if she would get the same reception she got from Deb. 

"Come on in Mrs Scott." Karen smiled and Claudia walked up to her and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, I really wish you could have been there but it was so sudden." Claudia explained nearly crying.

"Yeah." Karen said as they ended the hug.

"Is Deb here? I figured you must have talked to her." Claudia asked, she wanted to make sure that Deb was okay.

"She had to go back to the hospital." Karen replied.

"She was really upset." Claudia explained looking at the floor.

"Dan's not doing so well." Karen stated.

"I know, but I meant with me." Claudia replied a bit embarrassed.

"Does that surprise you?" Karen asked and Claudia nodded her head.

"Yeah, little. I could understand if it was Dan but Deb's always been really supportive of my relationship with Nathan." Claudia explained.

"Yeah, when you were dating." Karen explained. 

"Is that how you feel?" Claudia asked quickly, Claudia wouldn't know what to do if Karen didn't approve.

"Claudia, it doesn't matter how I feel." Karen stated.

"It matters to me." Claudia smiled a little.

"Claudia...I know that you and Nathan are in love and you know that I was also in love in high school," Karen said before she took a pause, but sometimes, love fades...and, I just hope with all my heart that...it doesn't fade for you." Karen finished sincerely and Claudia looked at her sad. 

___

Nathan walked into the apartment to see Claudia sitting on the floor crying.

"Claudia. What's wrong?" Nathan asked concerned.

"Um...I was just alphabetising our CD's." Claudia said as she stood up and took the CD's ofd the table. "And um...we don't have any doubles. Not one." Claudia cried. Nathan saw that she had taken her wedding ring off and placed it onto a CD case.

"So what?" Nathan asked standing next to her.

"So, 'Natalie Merchant' after 'NOZ' and 'Wilco' before the 'Wu-Tang Clan'?" Claudia exclaimed, like it was a big deal when actually she was just over thinking the whole thing.

"So you listen to crummy music. I can live with that." Nathan shrugged as he held onto her arms.

"We made a mistake Nathan." Claudia said sadly.

"Claudia-" Nathan began to say before Claudia cut him off.

"No. I'm-I'm not ready for this. I just, I just really wanna go home to my room. and blast Carole King." Claudia explained as she started dumping CD's in a box. "You know, I'm not a wife; I'm not even a senior!" She cried and Nathan walked up to her.

"Claudia. Claudia, listen this is not a mistake." Nathan said in a comforting tone.

 "How can you be sure because there is nobody that thinks this thing can work." Claudia groaned looking up at her husband.

"I do." Nathan said as he picked up her wedding ring. " I promise you Claudia. I will always be there for you, I will always protect you. OK?" He asked and Claudia nodded her head slightly. "I will always protect you. Always." Nathan said reassuringly as he placed the ring back on her finger. 

Claudia and Nathan stood on a beach with a priest. Claudia's parent and brother. Nathan slipped a ring onto Claudia's finger.

"Someday, this beach might wash away...the oceans may dry...the sun could dim but on that day, I'll still be loving you. Always and forever. I promise you Claudia." Nathan said romantically as Claudia smiled uncontrollably. 

"And now, Claudia, please repeat after me; I Claudia, take you Nathan." The priest said looking at Claudia who had not moved her eyes away from Nathan.

"I Claudia, take you Nathan." Claudia said as she looked over at her family, who were smiling- even Jack.

"To have and to hold, from this day forward. To have and to hold, from this day forward. In sickness and in health. For richer or poorer. For better or worse." Claudia said after the priest, her dreams were all coming true. Nothing could break them apart- at least that is what she thought.