Disclaimer: I don't own Tree Hill and its characters. The show belongs to Mark and CW.

Thanks to Biddy429 for beta and helping me out. I'm really great full.

Note: Story is rewritten and re posted.


Chapter 01

Nathan entered the house. He could feel nothing other than emptiness inside. It was hard to believe that just two years ago the same house had been so lively, but since Haley left, the house has never been the same.

"Dad, you're home early." His little girl said in surprise.

"Yeah Lydia, how was your first day at school?" asked Nathan, he could see Haley in his little girl, even she looks lot like him. At sixteen, Lydia was tall and had straight reddish brown hair and her eyes were blue just like him. When Haley left, she had wanted to take her with her but Lydia had refused, she knew her father needed her then.

"So how about I order some lunch?" said Nathan as he picked up his cell.

"Already taken care off" said a voice from the doorway. It was Brooke, who was heavily laden with boxes as she made her way into the house.

Nathan smiled ruefully as he looked at her. She was something else, Brooke Davis, and a good friend, and ever since Haley left, she had been taking care of Lydia, she had almost become like another mother to Lydia, and Nathan was very grateful to her for that.

"Thanks Brooke, you're always so good to us, and you're saving me from cooking and saving Lydia from having to eat my cooking so it's really appreciated" said Nathan with a laugh.

"Hey friend, enough of that, I brought the food from Karen's Café and you know she doesn't charge us"

"Yeah that is good of her and it's really good that she taken up the Café from you again" said Nathan nodding.

Brooke smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Listen Nathan, I hate to ask, but has Haley ever called you all this time. I mean she talks to Lydia, but what about you?"

Nathan sighed, "Brooke you know she doesn't talk to me or Lucas anymore. She also changed her name back to Haley James instead of Haley James Scott"

"Well, I can understand that, she is hurt after all she went through, but you suffered too you know, she should remember that" replied Brooke.

"Yeah, I know and I am still suffering, she was suspicious and she tried to warn me, but as usual, I didn't listen to her. She was right, so I suppose it was my fault".

"Please Nathan" Brooke walked over to him, "It wasn't your fault, and you need to stop blaming yourself for this"

Whilst they were talking Jamie Scott came into the house, he was twenty three now and he could see how sad his father was, the state he was in and it killed him to see him like this.

"Listen, I'm going to put these into the kitchen and sort out lunch, will you be okay?" Brooke asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine." Nathan said and took a seat on the couch.

Jamie walked over to his father and sat down beside him.

"Dad, please don't blame yourself"

Nathan didn't respond to his son's statement, however Jamie continued.

"Dad, it was all my fault that mom left, not yours, I was the one who screwed things up. I just wanted things to be better, and I'm so sorry that I put Lydia and Matt in this mess"

Nathan shook his head and looked to where Jamie sat but said nothing; instead he stood up and walked out of the room.

Jamie sighed; he knew no matter how much he tried, his father wasn't going to listen to him. He knew that the one decision he had made had ruined his entire family and he could not forgive himself for that.

Lydia was upstairs in her room and about to go downstairs when her cell began ringing. She picked it up and answered it

"Hi Matt is that you? This is a surprise" said Lydia.

"Yes sis, it's me" it was Haley and Nathan's youngest thirteen years old son.

"Is there anything wrong?"

"Well….mom and I are coming to Tree Hill."

"What?" Lydia was totally shocked. "I thought you and mom left Tree Hill for good."

"Don't get your hopes up, she isn't coming back for dad, she still hates both dad and Uncle Lucas"

"Oh I hate all of this; I wish things could go back to normal"

"I know Lydia but it can't, too much have happened. Well, I had better go now; I just thought I should let you know we are coming. It will be good to see dad and I'm sure you will be looking forward to seeing mom"

"Yeah, I miss her; it will be good to see her"

"Okay sis, see you soon, bye"

"Bye Matt"

With that Lydia put down her cell and made her way downstairs. As she reached the bottom of the stairs she heard Brooke calling on her.

"Lydia, lunch is ready" called Brooke.

Lydia entered the kitchen and as she did so Brooke smiled at her and said "Who was that on the phone?"

"Oh hi Aunt Brooke, um, that was Matt. He and mom are coming to town" Lydia could see no reason for not telling the truth about their visit, they would find out anyway.

"Really, when are they arriving" asked Brooke in a shocked tone.

"Today but I honestly don't know how dad will feel when he see's mom, it's all so messed up" said Lydia, nearly in tears.

Brooke turned to Lydia seeing how upset she was becoming and put her hands on her shoulders as she said" Listen I'm here, nothing bad will happen, they are your parents and they used to love one another, so try not to let it worry you, okay?"

"Yeah I know, I'm just being silly"

"No you are not being silly, you are just a worrier. Okay, come eat now"

"Sawyer watch out there" Peyton almost shouted to her daughter. Sawyer was seventeen years old now, tall blonde and perfect blend of her parents. She was helping her mother carry some bags out to the car.

"Mom, you don't have to shout you know I can hear you" said Sawyer with a scowl.

"Okay sweetie, can you put them in the car for me then, I don't know where your father and brother have gotten to"

"I'm here mom" squealed a red haired young boy jumping out in front of his mother.

"Keith you gave me a fright, go tell your dad that we need to get a move on, it's getting late"

"Okay mom, but first I need to tell you something, and you are gonna be so excited about this" said Keith cheerfully. Keith was a boy with such a sunny disposition and there were not many who could put him in a bad mood.

Peyton eyed her son suspiciously and asked "What is it Keith?"

"We…ll, dad went to see Aunt Haley and Matt"

"What did you say?" replied Peyton in a shocked voice as the bags dropped from her hands.

Sawyer ran to grab the bags that her mother dropped and said "Great mom, you were telling me to be careful" as she lifted the bags and put them in the car.

"Um, er, sorry honey" replied Peyton blankly to her daughter. She shook her head as though to clear her thoughts and then directed another question at her son.

"Where did your dad go to meet your Aunt Haley and Matt?"

"He went to the block on the left side of the market" replied Keith.

Peyton did not reply immediately but stood there thinking. After a few seconds she moved and said "Okay kids, I need to go find your dad, I won't be long"

Peyton could not understand why Lucas would go to see Haley and Matt now, not after all of this time but she needed to find out why. She also knew that this meeting would not be a pleasant one.

Haley pulled the car to a stop, opened the door and got out of the car. It been five years but it felt like a lifetime.

It was Lucas who spoke first.

"Haley, is that really you"

As soon as Lucas spoke she could feel a rage fill up inside her, how he dare think he can meet up with her after all of this time and pretend nothing had happened.

"How dare you Lucas Scott?" Haley almost screamed at him and it was then that Lucas knew she had never forgiven him and she may never do so.

"Look Hales, I know you are angry with me, but I just need a minute to speak to you and explain. Nathan is a mess, please can you stop punishing him?"

"Lucas, I tried to warn him, I knew something was wrong but he wouldn't listen to me, you wouldn't listen to me. What did you expect me to do; all you were both interested in was that damned State Championship and winning it. You never seen the signs or maybe neither of you wanted to see them, you just plodded along doing what you both wanted to do and never mind the consequences. That bitch knew everything and didn't tell a soul but you two couldn't see the truth, I guess you got what you both wanted"

"Hey Haley, my sister is not a bitch and it's not all down to her" said Lucas defensively.

"Lilly could have come to any one of us and told us, she could have explained it all, but no, she wanted to keep it all to herself regardless of who it would hurt, she kept her mouth shut and I'm supposed to forgive her, I don't think so Lucas"

"It's not easy on any of us."

"No it's not is it; at least you have that part right. What does it feel like to have a sister who has ruined so many people's lives Lucas; I hope she is proud of herself. Now, I don't want any more to do you with you or any of your family so please go now, leave us alone"

"Okay but before I do I want you to know that no matter what has happened in the past, we are all here for you, we are all your family and we care, and none of us will ever give up on you" Lucas said in a final note as he turned to walk away.

Jamie saw his uncle and mother arguing, he wanted to go to them to stop them but he knew it would not do any good, even if he could stop them. Things would never be the same between them all, now or ever.

It was a dark night, the sky was clear and it glittered with small tiny stars.

Jamie had been walking along the empty road for a while now, his legs were hurting, he was hurting and he knew no matter what he did or said, nothing would make things right again.

He came as far as the bridge and he remembered stories from when he was younger that his father had jumped off the bridge to save his Uncle Cooper and Rachel from drowning. That was one of the stories that his dad had told him about the vision of his Uncle Keith who had managed to save them. It was an amazing story and he was sure that at some point in his younger days that there many amazing times between his family. Those times were gone now.

"Hey there" Jamie heard a voice approach him and noticed that it came from an old black gentleman with a beard standing nearby.

"Hi" said Jamie in greeting as his hands gripped the railing of the bridge in front of him.

"So son, you're still here" said the old man.

"Yeah I guess so" said Jamie with a shrug.

"Wanna share?"

"Share? What do you mean?" replied Jamie

"Well, you look like you need someone to talk to and as I am the only one here then I guess it's me" said the old man.

Jamie looked at the old man for a moment and then thought to himself "what the hell" and decided to bear his soul.

"My mom and dad split up" said Jamie despondently.

"Well son, I'm sure you never wanted that, maybe they never wanted it either"

"Well, I'm not so sure about them but I know I never wanted it for them. I honestly never thought it would come to this. I had everything planned inside my head"

"Listen son, God always has plan, why don't you try and talk to your parents, it's worth a try"

"What do you think I've been doing for the past two years?"

"Try harder son"

"Don't you get it?" Jamie snapped, "I'm dead. I'm just a spirit and no one can hear me"

"I know son. You died two years ago. However, there's a reason why you didn't pass."

"I wish I knew." Jamie sighed, he wanted so bad for his parents to hear him again.


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