FBI Special Agent Haley James took a deep breath as she sat down. Her hair had been neatly styled and she had taken the time to apply make up but it still was not a convincing enough cover up. She was pretty and it was obvious she was a professional but it was still plain to see that she was a woman with the weight of the world on her young shoulders. She wore a stylish business suit and heels. Attached to her waist were the two items she had practically surrendered in the months of her undercover investigation living with the Scott's…her badge and her gun. It was the moment she had been waiting for, ever since she had initially joined the force.

She had gone to bed at night imagining her first big case. It would be a tough one but she would work diligently at it day and night if she had to. She'd get to the bottom of it and bust the bad guy. Then she would put on her suit and proudly sit down in front of a computer and type out her very first affidavit. Afterwards, she would proudly hand deliver it to the court so the federal judge would authorize the arrest warrant. Then she would be the main one front and center at the raid, personally slapping the handcuffs on the perp. It would be perfect.

What a profound difference a year made. Now everything had changed. Her first case had gone nothing like she had planned. She had definitely never envisioned falling in love with the alleged bad guy. And now she was sitting in front of that computer ready to type but she didn't feel a hint of goodness or excitement. All she felt was dread and doom.

It was the second time she had attempted it that day. The first one had ended with her bundled nerves causing her to vomit in a nearby trashcan. She had gone to the restroom and washed her face and tried to regain her composure. Nearly a half hour later she found herself at it again. She was representing the government in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Massachusetts versus Defendant, Nathan Scott…

AFFIDAVIT FOR ARREST WARRANT

The undersigned, being duly sworn, on her oath, states that she has reason to believe that on or about the 14th day of July, 2006 in the County of Barnstable, State of Massachusetts, the above-named defendant did commit the crimes of: U.S. Code: Title 18, 1111. Murder (in the first degree perpetrated by aggravating circumstances of willful, deliberate, malicious, premeditation)

The undersigned, being duly sworn, on her oath, states that she has reason to believe that on or about the 8th day of January, 2008 in the County of Providence, State of Rhode Island, the above-named defendant did commit the crimes of: U.S. Code: Title 18, 1111. Murder (in the first degree perpetrated by aggravating circumstances of crossing state lines to commit murder)

The undersigned, being duly sworn, on her oath, states that she has reason to believe that since 2001, the above-named defendant did commit the crimes of: U.S. Code: Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 95. Illegal Gambling

The undersigned, being duly sworn, on her oath, states that she has reason to believe that in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, the above-named defendant did commit the crimes of: U.S. Code: Title 26, Subtitle F, Chapter 75, Subchapter A, Part I. Attempt to Evade or Defeat Tax

The undersigned, being duly sworn, on her oath, states that she has reason to believe that on or about the 2nd day of May, 2004, in the county of New Brunswick, State of North Carolina, the above-named defendant did commit the crimes of: U.S. Code: Title 18, Section 1001. Lying to a Government Agent

Signed,

Haley James, Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Subscribed and sworn to before me in the county of Suffolk, of the State of Massachusetts this day 20th day of May, 2008.

Signed,

The Honorable Lawrence Mayes

District Judge

She finished typing and printed the document. The affidavits implicating Royal and Daniel Scott for tax evasion, illegal gambling and obstruction of justice had already been prepared. Soon all the papers were in her hands, just waiting for her signature, waiting to be delivered promptly to the Judge's chambers. Now there was no going back. Nathan Scott's fate had been sealed.

"They're waiting on you, kid."

She looked up to see that she wasn't alone. Standing in the doorway, dressed in a suit and tie was Arnold Edmondson.

"I know," she finally answered after a few moments of silence.

Edmondson sighed. She looked bad. She looked worried, sick even. He knew it was hard for her. He knew she had held out to the end. A part of him admired her tenacity but now it was time to let go. There was nothing more she could do, her job was done.

"You need to sign that," he tossed her a pen.

Haley accepted it but she couldn't sign it, not just yet.

"Who all is here?" she inquired.

"The Calvary. Bailey, Alston and Barbara Farmer are here."

Haley shook her head.

"That's so typical," she muttered.

"What did you expect, rook? This is the moment they've been waiting for, the FBI's crowning achievement. They wanted the Scott's bad but could never get them. You did what no one else could. You handed them over on a silver platter."

"And I'm supposed to feel good about that?"

"You still think Nathan is innocent?"

She closed her eyes.

"I don't know. God, I feel like I don't know anything anymore. Everything is so crazy, so mixed up. I mean, I want to believe in him but it's like I can't. I don't know if he's completely innocent but at the same time I do know he isn't completely guilty. He can't be. There is reasonable doubt there."

Edmondson shrugged.

"You did your job. You followed official orders and infiltrated the family. You investigated and documented every lead and piece of evidence. Your investigation determined enough probable cause to get an arrest. Now it's up to the courts. The Sixth Amendment guarantees him the right to a speedy and impartial trial by jury. The prosecution will present its case and I'm sure the defense will be made up of the best dream team money can buy. In the end, his fate lies with 12 people. It's out of your hands now."

"I don't feel right about this. I feel like I failed. I mean, what if he is innocent? What if there was some clue, some detail and I missed it?"

"Don't go beating yourself up, James. You did everything. You fought for him until the very end but it just wasn't enough."

"I can't," her voice broke. "I can't go through with this, I can't do this to him."

"You don't have a choice," he quietly told her.

She exhaled. She knew he was right. All she could do was pick up the pen with a trembling hand and reluctantly sign her name. She felt light headed and had to grab on to the desk for support when she stood. Without further conversation, she followed her colleague into the hallway. They were greeted with laughter and slaps of praise on the back. All that was missing were glasses of Scotch and cigars. It looked more like a party than the end to an official investigation.

"I have to admit, James, I didn't think you had it in you," Bailey smirked. "But you did alright on this one."

Haley said nothing during the short walk to the judge's chambers. He was expecting them and had already been briefed on the case. He read the affidavits and then Haley was sworn under oath and asked to confirm if her written statements were indeed true. As she raised her right hand and repeated the word "yes" over and over again, it felt like she was watching a movie and it was someone else standing there instead of her. But it wasn't. It was real and within minutes, it was over. She had secretly hoped the judge would find a technicality, something wrong, some mistake that would render insufficient evidence. But it was not to be. Judge Mayes signed the affidavits and issued three federal arrest warrants seeking the detainment of Royal, Dan and Nathan Scott. Bailey gleefully accepted the paperwork and Haley thought she might throw up again right then and there.

"Now what?" she flatly asked, when the five agents were back in the hallway outside of chambers.

"Tomorrow morning Haley Webb will officially resign from the Scott's. You're off the case," Farmer explained.

She breathed a sigh of relief. At least it would be over. She could try to go back to Phoenix and resume some sort of a normal life, whatever that was.

"Relieved of all duties and responsibilities, huh?" she mumbled under her breath.

Bailey was only too happy to correct her.

"Au contraire. Here you go," he handed her the warrants.

Haley frowned.

"What do I do with these?"

"You see the word Return at the bottom of each warrant? There is a space there for the arresting officer to sign once the suspects have been apprehended. That's you, James."

"What?"

"It's your case from beginning to end. You are the arresting officer."

Haley felt faint. She couldn't. It was one thing to be undercover and have to lie to him, then charge him in an official affidavit. She felt bad enough. But it was quite another ballgame to have to personally slap the cuffs on him. There was no way. How could she even face him?

"I…I can't."

"You can and you will."

"What about my identity? It'll blow my cover."

"What cover? Who gives a rat's ass? We've got him. Case closed."

"But…"

"Come on, let's get some lunch," he rubbed his potbelly, ignoring her pleas. "I'm starving."

Haley gave Alston, the one man who had always been on her side, a beseeching look but it was of no use. He could not help her and the way he looked away only confirmed that fact. She then turned to Edmondson.

"I'm sorry," he simply mouthed.

And just like that it was over and they were ready to eat lunch while she stood there feeling like her whole world had just collapsed around her. It only seemed to get worse and worse. It was just one more chapter in The Persecution of Nathan Scott by the Coward Haley James.