He arose from the wreckage with nothing left to give. He looked at the mess behind and couldn't believe it. This hadn't happened. It couldn't have. A small pool of blood reached his feet. It was over. Forty-eight hours ago, he would've laughed at a story like this. Now he sat down a few feet away from a crash that represented all his mistakes and he wept.

48 hours ago Tuesday Night

"I knew you'd come." Chris said as she walked towards him.

"I was on my way home to Nathan…" Haley paused for a second as if she had to remind herself what she meant to say. "…but I ended up here." She finished with tears in her eyes. Am I really doing this? She thought as she looked at the train station and the people around her. Yes, this is real.

On one side there was Nathan and her responsibilities. On the other there was Chris and her far-fetched dreams. Her heart wouldn't let her settle when she wanted so much more. Haley hated herself for being so selfish. Yet, no matter how rational she tried to be, she would always be a dreamer. That was why she married Nathan, why she gave him a chance in the first place, and that was why she was on a train at 10 o' clock at night to New York City. Her once easily controlled, predictable future was now completely unknown. It was a bird disappearing into the horizon. Where it was headed, no one knew.

Chris held her hand as the train rode on. What do you do when the things you want most directly contradict each other? Haley looked down at the ticket in her hands, her entry into a new unfamiliar world. The train began to shake as she examined it closely, "One way ticket: Tree Hill to New York City Non-stop." It began to rain lightly outside the train. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. For the first time in the night, she thought about the consequences of her decision and how Nathan would take the news. In fact, he wouldn't even where she was.

Nathan

Nathan blew out the last candle on the table. He threw away the now cold dinner he had ordered from the expensive restaurant which he had driven half an hour each way to get to. He hadn't touched his plate…come to think of it, he wasn't hungry at all anymore. Haley had said she would be home late but this was ridiculous. The café closed two hours ago. "What could she possibly be doing?" He didn't realize he said aloud. He knew what she was doing though. He knew exactly where she was…well not locationwise…but he knew exactly who she was with. He tried to cast out these suspicions in his mind but they were too strong for him. He picked up the vase he had filled with flowers just a few hours ago and threw it across the room. It shattered into a thousand tiny pieces, never to be whole again.

Afterwards he didn't even attempt to clean up the mess. He left the hollow apartment as if it wasn't there at all. Nathan walked the dark, empty streets for many hours thinking over the last few days. He knew it wasn't a good idea to try to push Haley away from Chris but he didn't know what else to do. For someone so seemingly confident on the outside, he was very insecure deep inside. He roamed aimlessly until about 3 o' clock in the morning when he came to a conclusion. "I trust Haley. She would never cheat on me. I've got to be insane. I'll probably get home to find her worried sick about me." He spoke to himself and then headed to his apartment, but no such miracle awaited him there.

Peyton

"You know this guy?" The drug dealer asked her as Jake walked towards her. She looked into Jake's eyes, terrified of what he thought of her at this moment but more relieved that he was finally back. "Jake, I've missed you so much."

"I know." He said and nodded. Then he hugged her tight, as if he'd never leave her again. The drug dealer and all their surroundings disappeared so that just the two of them were left embracing. And then she woke up.

Peyton scanned her brain, trying to remember if it had happened or not. She looked at the broken picture frame of Jake by her bed. No. It was just a dream. Jake was still many miles away. She looked forward to her desk. A small bag of white powder sat there, judging her and condemning her. She got up and looked at the sheet of paper beside it: "Wednesday night band performing: Straylight Run, First song: The Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" Sometimes you have to sacrifice for the things you want. Peyton rationalized her actions. But sometimes the things you want won't actually make you happy. A voice inside said quietly but she blocked it out of her mind.

Outside, Peyton's front door opened and someone came inside. He walked through her house, entered her room, and sat down on her bed like he was at home. He had a nervous smile on his face at first until he saw the shape Peyton was in.

"Peyton?" Lucas found her passed out and next to the now open bag of white powder. He picked her up, took her to his truck, and then to the hospital. As he drove, Lucas half watched the road and half watched Peyton's unconscious form. He prayed to God that she would be ok.

Nathan

When Nathan returned to his apartment, it was still empty but the phone was ringing. He answered it quickly, with hopes that it was Haley with some kind of explanation. "Hello?" He could hear heavy breathing. "Haley, is that you?" It was silent for a few seconds. Then the phone hung up in a rush but not before Nathan heard Chris say, "Come on Hales" on the other side. Nathan dialed star 67 and someone answered, "New York City Train Stati-" Nathan was out the door before the end of the message.

He drove full of fear, regret, and rage. He was afraid Haley wouldn't come back to him. He regretted pushing her away. But by the time he got to New York the anger would be the only thing anyone could notice.

At that exact moment, Haley and Chris arrived at their hotel room. Haley looked out the 15 story high window. A storm was brewing.