"Hey, shouldn't Claudia be on by now?" Nathan asked Lucas in Karen's Cafe. It's the earlier nineteen forties. 

"Let's give her a minute." Lucas replied as Nathan poured a drink- he was just the bartender. Meanwhile, Claudia was in her dressing room pining up her blonde curly hair, her hair is blonde in the dream not black like it is in real life, bits were falling out at the front. 

"that we will not only defend ourselves to the stttermo, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. Hostilities exist..." The Television said and Claudia listened as she applied bright red lipstick.

"Yes, they do." Dan smirked as he walked in, Claudia turned around to face him on her chair.

"What are you doing here?" Claudia asked Dan, she was trying not to be scared but she was. Dan was a dangerous man.

"Oh, I'm just checking up on my singer." Dan added as he walked closer to her, Claudia stood up and walked back a little. Further away from Dan. 

"I'm not your anything." Claudia spat angrily.

"Is that any way to speak to the man who gave you everything? set you up in his club? Saved you from being in a traveling sideshow? and yet you leave the comet club for Karen's café. I want you back." Dan protested before he kissed Claudia. Claudia pushed him away angrily. "Oh, still feisty. I like that." Dan teased and Claudia's blood was boiling.

"Listen, mister, if you think I'm going back to that hellhole, you've got another thing coming." Claudia stated angrily and Dan raised his eyebrow.

"Hellhole, is it?" He asked and Claudia nodded her head, she was sure of it.

"Yes, hellhole." Claudia answered honestly.

"The classiest joint within 100 miles, and you know it." Dan replied getting more and more angry. Claudia was not cowering, she was going to stand up for herself. She was an independent women who cowered to no man. Hell hath no fury like a women who was told to follow the men because she was inferior. 

"Classy? Classy, my foot." Claudia exclaimed angrily.

"Who do you think you are? Dorothy Dandridge?" Dan asked rhetorically and Claudia scoffed.

"Those good old boys never cared about my voice long as they could see my legs and my chest hiked up to my ears. I'll never go back, and that's final." Claudia stated sternly, she wasn't an object she was a singer. She wanted to recognised as a singer and not for her legs or chest.

"You know what? I decide what's final!" Dan shouted and Claudia scoffed as she turned away from him. "Oh, so that's what it's like?" Dan asked and Claudia rolled her eyes.

"You are ... ugh!" Claudia shouted frustrated, she couldn't the right word to describe him. "One of these days, someone's gonna stand up to you, Dan Scott, and I, for one, can't wait." Claudia explained before she applied so more lipstick.

"Sing me something sweet tonight, doll. I'll be watching. Break a leg." Dan teased as he belittled Claudia. Claudia walked out of the room and to the wings of the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my greatest pleasure to bring to this stage for your entertainment ... only at Karen's café ... Miss Claudia Stone." The man announced and Claudia walked onto the stage with glee. Music filled the void temporally, she was looking for a men to fill it forever.

"Good evening." Claudia exclaimed as she stood beside the microphone, she could feel the bartenders eyes on her, she has never spoke to him but she did find him very attractive. Men wolfwhistled and Claudia playfully winked at them. "I know a little place in Carolina it's open year-round but only after dark so bring your gal and bring your wine unwind from your day gee, don't you know that you're in for a show when you go down to Karen's café? I've been up, down, all around lookin' for a place to spend my nights. I don't wanna give it away. I, I don't want everybody crowdin' up my space but I believe in sharin' when you find...* Claudia sang as she danced a little around the stage.

"What a dame." Nathan smiled in awe as he watched Claudia dance around the stage like she owned it.

"She gets 'em every time." Lucas replied before he drank his drink.

"You ever think a girl like that and ..." Nathan began to say and then he just shook his head, "never mind." He muttered.

"A bartender like you?" Lucas asked and Nathan's facial expression said it all. "Yeah, why not? Claudia see's past people's station. She looks at the heart and soul of a person." Lucas explained as they watched Claudia dance.

"Well, 'cause I'm a nobody and she's definitely a somebody." Nathan answered as Claudia winked over at them.

"Never say never, Nate. Look, if you want something, go get it. It's that simple." Lucas encouraged and that got Nathan thinking.

"What do you want, Luke?" Nathan asked curious.

"Nothing. Got everything I want right here." Lucas answered and Nathan nodded his head as he looked at Claudia.

"Sing it again, boys." Claudia exclaimed and the boys did what they were told. Dan walked into Karen's Cafe with Julian, Peyton and Owen. Claudia continued to sing as she watched Dan harass Brooke.

"Move it or lose it, folks." Julian stated sternly to a group of people sitting at the table Dan wanted. The people scrambled and Dan sat down smugly.

"All around, lookin' for a place to spend my nights i don't want to give it away I, I don't want everybody crowdin' up my space but I believe in sharing when you find a good thing it's only common sense nobody likes to do it alone. I've been up, down, all around lookin' for a place to spend my nights, I don't want to give it away. I, I don't want everybody crowdin' up my space." Claudia sang with all her heart but for some reason she couldn't keep her eyes away from the bartender. Her eyes kept on trailing back to him. 

"Can I help you?" Lucas asked sternly to Dan and his possé, his eyes focusing on Dan. 

"Wow, Lucas Scott. What a pleasure. You know, I actually thought this was my club for a while, considering that's my singer up there." Dan smirked and Lucas laughed a little.

"Oh, I'm sorry to inform you, but your club's down the road. It's the one lacking customers." Lucas replied wittingly. Claudia continued to sing but her stomach dropped when she saw Dan speaking to Lucas. She was worried.

"Funny. Give me my girl back, I consider, then you live." Dan stated as he warned Lucas.

"Claudia's free to do whatever she wants, and she wants to stay here. Now, you, on the other hand, are free to go." Lucas explained smirking.

"You know, this club had such an elegance when your mom ran it. I remember being treated with such respect and sometimes I was treated to a few other things." Dan teased just to get under Lucas's skin and Lucas shuddered a little. That was his mom they were speaking about. "It's too bad your mom ran off after that horrible accident with Keith. I mean, she was always so ... hospitable." Dan smirked and Lucas had had enough. 

"I think it's time for you to get out of my club ... or I will throw you out." Lucas warned sternly.

"Julian?" Dan hissed and Julian broke a bottle which grabbed everyone's attention, even the band stopped playing. Claudia watched worried.

"Dan! That's enough for tonight" Owen shouted and Dan stood up, Julian put Dan's jacket on him.

"Thanks for a lovely evening." Dan smiled sickly before he walked out with his possé.  Lucas was sad that Peyton went with him.

"Sorry, ladies and gentlemen a round on the house." Lucas exclaimed and everyone cheered happily. "Claudia Stone." Lucas added and Claudia nodded her head before she finished of her song.

"Gee, don't you know that you're in for a show when you go, go, go-o-o-o-o ohh gee, don't you know that you're in for a show when you go down to kare-e-e-e-n's café." Claudia sang and once she was finished everyone cheered. Claudia bowed before she walked off down the stage and over to the bar.

"Oh, hey, good to see you." Claudia smiled at a friend as she walked down the bar.

"Check out those gams." A drunk man teased as he pulled up Claudia's dress. This was the only thing she hated about her job, men harassing her like she was an object. 

"Hey, not tonight, all right?" Claudia replied as she pulled down her dress.

"Oh, let's have us a dance." The man said as he tried to get close to Claudia. Nathan saw something was wrong.

"Listen, get off." Claudia warned as she shoved him a little.

"Oh, come on, give me some English sugar." The drunk man smirked and Claudia just wasn't in the mood.

"Get off!" Claudia groaned as she pushed the drunk off of her. Nathan grabbed his neck and banged his head off of the bar. Claudia gasped. 

"Sugary enough for you?" Nathan asked angrily before he looked up at a shocked Claudia. She couldn't believe he came to her rescue. "You okay?" Nathan asked and Claudia nodded her head.

"Thank you, but maybe you should cut that guy off." Claudia smiled before she continued to  walk off.

"Maybe I should buy him another drink on the house." Nathan replied and Claudia turned to face him.

"And why would you do that?" Claudia asked confused as she looked at the bartender.

"Cause he gave the bartender an excuse to talk to the gorgeous singer." Nathan smiled and that gave Claudia butterflies, butterflies she had never felt before..

"You know, in that case, maybe you should give him two. The second one's from me." Claudia smirked and then she walked away from him. She then had an idea. "Hey!" She shouted as she walked over to the bar and took off her gloves. "What are you doing after your shift?" Claudia asked smirking as she sat down on the stool. Nathan leaned forward a little.

"Isn't the guy not meant to ask the girl out?" Nathan asked and Claudia raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think I would ask you out?" Claudia asked even though Nathan was right.

"Call it optimism." Nathan replied and Claudia grinned a little.

"I am different to most girls, I am not afraid to ask out the gentlemen." Claudia answered Nathan's previous question as he placed a drink in front of Claudia.

"After my shift I will be sitting at that table with you." Nathan smirked as he pointed to the table near the dance floor. Claudia turned her head to see the table.

"Well I shall see you there, sailor." Claudia winked before she grabbed her drink and gloves. She smiled at him one last time before she left him at the bar.

___

"So you're from here, aren't you?" Claudia asked as she sat with Nathan at a table in the middle of Karen's Café.

"Tree hill city, born and raised." Nathan answered and Claudia nodded her head. She loved the idea of that, for her that wasn't the case. "What brought you here?" Nathan asked and Claudia sighed as she leaned back on the chair. 

"War." Claudia laughed awkwardly. Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Right now my brother is stationed in France with his wife and daughter. She was my best friend and I miss her dearly. My dad died on the front line and I haven't seen my mum since I lost my dad. I walked outside one day and I felt the rain." Claudia explained and Nathan listened, he was interested. "I got on the first boat, sang for the sailors so I could afford it. I ended up here Tree Hill and my god can I call this place home." Claudia added grinning. "Well I couldn't when I was at Dan's place for a while, but then Lucas found me, brought me here, and it was a perfect fit. great club, rainy city. home. I think I'll stay a while, if Lucas will have me." Claudia finished and then she took a deep breath.

"Well, I know Karen would approve. we all kind of miss her around here. After she lost Keith, she left the club to Lucas, and ... she would be proud to have a woman of your heart and talent working here at the café." Nathan explained and that meant a lot to Claudia. She had always wanted to meet Karen, she felt that Karen would be a second mom to her. 

"Well, I sure can class up a joint, now, can't I?" Claudia asked teasingly and Nathan nodded his head.

"Yes, you sure can." Nathan answered and Claudia smiled at him. Nathan found her smile enchanting. "I was ... I was wondering if maybe you might want to step out with me sometime?" Nathan asked nervously and Claudia smirked. 

"Well, why don't you stop wondering and ask me sometime?" Claudia asked teasingly and Nathan sighed a little with relief. 

"Nathan?" Lucas called as he looked over at the table, Claudia could sense wasn't  right. She was used to this atmosphere after her family left her. 

"Excuse me." Nathan smiled before he walked up to Lucas.

"Before you get in too deep." Lucas sighed as he handed Nathan a letter  from the army. He looked at it saddened- he had been called to duty.

"Everything all right?" Claudia asked as he sat back down on the chair, she knew something was wrong.

"How would you like to step out with me tonight?" Nathan asked and Claudia nodded her head.

"Of course I would sailor." Claudia smiled as Nathan took her hand and walked her over to the dance floor. Skills began to play the piano as Claudia and Nathan danced to the music.

"When you asked me to step out with you tonight, I didn't imagine it would be at Karen's café." Claudia admitted as Nathan twirled her. 

"Why not? We've got the best piano player in town and the best drinks." Nathan began to list and Claudia finished it off.

"And the best bartender." She added as she looked up in Nathan's pretty brown eyes.

"Claudia, I have to tell you something." Nathan admitted and Claudia listened. "That letter that Luke gave me earlier ... my unit's been called up for active military duty, and I have to report tomorrow night ... which means that this is my last night here," Nathan confessed and that news broke Claudia's heart, "but... I want you to know that I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone but you." Nathan added and that gave Claudia butterflies.

"Is that the truth?" Claudia asked and Nathan nodded his head honestly. "Because ..." Claudia sighed, she was thinking if Nathan was really the one, but who was she kidding, Nathan was her and one and only, "because I wouldn't want it any other way." Claudia grinned and Nathan grinned with glee too. 

"Yes. This is perfect to me." Nathan replied before he twirled Claudia as they danced. 

"I have learned that war has taken everything away from me, but I will make damn sure it doesn't touch you." Claudia smiled honestly as she continued to dance with Nathan, he smiled back at her. Claudia knew that he was the one. 

___

"Well this might just be the most amazing date I have been on and this food is to die for." Claudia grinned as she sat on a bench with Nathan holding a box of crackerjacks. 

"I love you." Nathan admitted and Claudia turned to face him. "I always have ... ever since the first time I saw you. I know this might sound crazy, but I just had to tell you, because..." Nathan confessed and then he stayed silent.

"What?" Claudia asked, interrupting Nathan because his silence was worrying. Nathan sighed deeply and it wasn't helping Claudia feel better.

"I'm not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying without you knowing how I feel about you." Nathan admitted and Claudia shook her head.

"You're not going to die, Nathan Scott. you're going to come home... to me." Claudia replied honestly as she held onto his hand comfortingly.

"I just think it's ..." Nathan began to say but Claudia cut him off. She had an idea, an idea she loved. 

"Why don't you let me do the thinking for the both of us? I've got a crazy idea. Do you trust me?" Claudia asked hopeful.

"Yes." Nathan smiled and Claudia nodded her head, she was so happy.

"We're going to the chapel and we're gonna get married!" Claudia sang happily as she grabbed Nathan's hand and they ran off filled with glee and love. Young love. 
___

"What are you thinking about?" Nathan asked as he lay in bed next to Claudia, she looked at the wedding ring on her finger. 

"The house we're going to live in right here in tree hill city. I am not going back to Devon. I want to stay here with you." Claudia explained smiling. 

"Anything else?" Nathan asked.

"Well, since the house is going to be so big, I suppose we'll need children." Claudia smiled down at her ring. The idea of having children with Nathan was just perfect to her. More than perfect.

"A little girl, just like you." Nathan replied and Claudia shook her head.

"Mnh-mnh, a son with your smile." Claudia replied as she just pictured her dream children.

"We could name them Grace and James, after your friend Haley and how you are my saving graces, get me through war." Nathan explained and Claudia nodded her head.

"Gracie-May and Jamie." Claudia grinned happily.

"I love you, wife." Nathan smirked and Claudia looked up at Nathan as she placed her hand on his cheek.

"I will love you forever, Nathan Royal Scott." Claudia smiled before they kissed. 

___

"I'm coming back to you, Claudia. I am." Nathan stated as he stood in the aircraft shelter with Claudia by his side. 

"Is that a promise?" Claudia asked as she held onto his hand.

"As long as you wait for me, it is." Nathan answered and Claudia nodded her head with passion.

"Oh, I'll wait for you. I'll wait forever." Claudia confessed before she kissed Nathan metres away from the rain. Claudia slowly bent her leg with delight, kissing Nathan gave her butterflies.. 

"Best day of my life." Nathan whispered to Claudia grinning before he ran off through the rain. Claudia watched him with such pride as a tear cascaded down her cheek.

"I love you, always and forever." Claudia shouted after him as he got into the plane. Claudia was just praying that it wasn't the last time she was ever going to see Nathan. She knew that if he died nothing could fill the void.

___

"I had such a weird dream last night." Claudia stated as she walked onto the Rivercourt, Nathan turned to face her. "It was set in the nineteen forties." Claudia said shocked and Nathan smiled at her.

"I have told you to stop watching The Wizard of Oz before you go to bed because you get weird dreams." Nathan replied and Claudia nodded her head as she sat down on the bench.

"I can't help myself, I love that movie." Claudia sighed and Nathan smiled as he sat down beside her. "The dream scared me, I thought I was going to lose you." Claudia admitted and Nathan looked down at her.

"You will never lose me." Nathan replied and Claudia nodded her head as she looked up at him. 

"Always and forever." Claudia smiled and Nathan held onto her hands.

"Always and forever." He replied before he kissed Claudia on the forehead. Claudia rested her head on Nathan's shoulder smiling. 

"Oh!" Claudia exclaimed as she turned to face Nathan, he furrowed his brow. He was confused with his wife's erratic behaviour. "The dream gave me a new nickname for you." Claudia grinned and Nathan didn't know how to think about it considering that Claudia's nicknames for him ranged from 'Nate' to 'Porn Freak'. "Sailor." Claudia said and Nathan nodded his head.

"Prefer Captain but I can live with it." Nathan joked and Claudia laughed as she rested her head on Nathan's shoulder. 

+++

Hey everyone! This has to be one of my favourite episodes and one of my favourite chapters to write. It was so much fun. I would like to apologise for not posting quick enough but exams have just been so hectic but after I promise I will be updating way more. If you are patient with me that would be amazing. I would like to thank you all for reading my book series, it means the world to me.

Please continue to vote and comment! If you add this to your reading list then you will see when I update. 

Question: If you had the chance to spend the rest of you live with one Scott Brother who would it be and why?

Answer: For me, it's difficult because Lucas is honestly like my twin but Nathan is just so amazing. I would probably have to go with Nathan because I wrote a fan fiction about him, ahah, and he is just the perfect guy. He went from jerk to amazing so quickly. 

What do you think?

Mrs N O'Brien X