Disclaimer: I do not own OTH or any of it characters places or such. I am simply borrowing them.

AN/ Here is the first chapter of the sequel to "looking back". I have had this ready for a week now, but could not upload it. Next chapter will be up soon. In the meantime, leave some reviews. Thanks guys and have fun reading the first chapter of "Looking Forward"

Thanks to Nrgirl90 who gave me the idea used in this chapter.

Nathan Scott pulled his rental car into a parking spot outside of the small country school. He smiled as he got out of the car and started walking toward the front door. Yes, walking. After almost five months of intense rehab, Nathan Scott was finally walking again without any aide at all. No one had seen him walk outside of his rehab team and the team doctor. Today, Nathan Scott was going to show the one person that mattered the most to him that he had finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel. Today, he was going to show Haley James that he could sweep her off her feet, literally. It was early March, the group would be assembling back in Tree Hill for Peyton and Jake's wedding, well their wedding and Theresa and Skill's wedding also. Yea, Skills had finally popped the question at Christmas time. It took him long enough, is what their friends had all said when they had each received the phone call. The two engaged couples had decided to get married in a double wedding ceremony. The two blushing brides were each about six months pregnant, but neither of them looked it. While, they were in Tree Hill, the girls would be given both a bridal shower and a baby shower. Brooke and Haley had been running around trying to get things together for the last two months, along with help from Anna, Lydia and Karen and even Sam. It took a lot of phone calls and emails, but they had been able to get things in order for the four parties to take place. Even though, Theresa and Peyton had decided to share their special day with each other, they each wanted to have their own parties. Nathan had talked to Haley the night before; he knew she was planning on leaving Saturday, the following day to head to North Carolina. She was going to surprise Lucas at his game before traveling to Tree Hill. What she did not know was that she was in for a surprise herself. Her students also.

Nathan pulled open the front door and looked around; he found what he thought to be the front office and walked in. It was nothing like the front offices at the schools that he had attend, but a small office with one desk and one phone. There was another office behind the desk and an older woman was currently walking through the doorway.

"Can I help you?" she asked with an accent

"I hope so. I am looking for Haley James"

The older woman gave Nathan a look before asking; "May I ask who you are?"

Nathan laughed. Haley had told him that it was a close knit school, well a close knit community for that matter. Nathan stood out like a sore thumb; "I am her boyfriend"

The older woman face's lit up; "You must be Nate. She has talked so much about you"

"Yea, I am Nate and you are?"

"Oh, I am sorry. I am Susan Jackson. I am the secretary, vice principal, receptionist, you name it"

Nathan laughed, "Ah, yes. Haley has mentioned you before. She said you were a great friend"

"Well, she is a great friend too. Are you here to accompany her home to North Carolina?"

"Actually, she doesn't know I am here. I was hoping to surprise her" Nathan replied

"Oh, well" Susan looked at the clock before looking back at Nathan, "I think you picked a great time. Haley should be just getting ready to start her last lesson for the day. I am sure she won't mind the interruption. Come on, I will take you to her classroom."

Nathan followed Susan out of the small office and down a smaller hallway to a doorway. Nathan looked around as they walked.

"I know we are a very small school, but we have just about everything that any other school has. We just have teachers who teach all different grades and different classes"

"I think it is pretty cool to be honest with you" Nathan replied

"Haley told me that I would like you" Susan replied as they stood outside the doorway. Nathan stood in a place that he couldn't be seen, but he could hear Haley's voice. That voice had been what made him get out of bed on the worse days, the voice of encouragement.

Susan knocked on the door causing Haley to stop talking. Susan opened the door and walked in.

"Pardon the interruption, Ms. James, but you have a guest"

"A guest? For who?" Haley asked. They didn't get unannounced guests very often in this small town.

"You Ms. James" Susan said as she turned towards the door. Nathan walked from his hiding spot and smiled toward Haley.

Haley gasped as tears started down her face, "Nathan! You are walking!"

Nathan smiled as he walked towards Haley and pulled her into a hug lifting her off of her feet. "I missed you Hales" Nathan said silently in Haley's ear

"I missed you too" Haley replied through her tears, "I can't believe you are here and you are walking"

"I wanted you to be the first to know" Nathan replied before sitting Haley back on her feet. Haley began to wipe at her tears laughing embarrassingly.

Nathan turned towards the class who before now had no been able to see his face; he was met with silence.

"They still didn't believe you, huh?" Nathan asked Haley

"No" Haley responded before turning to her class, "Guys, I would like you to meet Nathan Scott. Nathan and I grew up together, we have been best friends since diapers and we having dating since last year."

Silence met Haley's statement

A young girl in the front row raised her hand, "Ms. James?"

"Yes, Sara Beth?" Haley asked

"I am sorry we ever doubted you"

Haley laughed. "Guys, it is okay. I knew one day you would believe me."

The whole class began to laugh along with her as did Nathan and Susan.

"How about we say that we are finished with our lessons for now. We have the next week off and I know that you guys all have a lot of questions for Mr. Scott"

"Nathan, please call me Nathan. You make me sound old when you call me Mr. Scott"

Haley laughed, "Okay, Nathan. I am going to go see if Mrs. Albertson is busy. I know the older children would love to meet Nathan also. Guys, be nice"

Haley walked over to Susan as hands went up around her classroom. Every child had a question for Nathan

"He is quite cute," Susan said to her friend

"Yes, he is"

"So you really weren't lying?" Susan said as she laughed

"Nope, there he is NBA star, Nathan Scott in the flesh" Haley laughed as the two women walked out the door and towards the other classroom. "I hope Nora is not too busy"

"I am sure she will stop her lesson for this" Susan said as the two women approached the doorway. Haley knocked and opened the door

"Sorry for the interruption, Mrs. Albertson, but may I please have a word with you?

Nora turned to Haley would a look of concern, "Sure" She said before turning to her class, "I will be right back"

Nora stepped out into the hallway and closed the door before turning to Haley, "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is great. Nathan is here. He came to surprise me"

"Oh Haley!" Nora said as her face grew into a smile and she threw her arms around Haley. Nora had been just about the only person that believed Haley when she said that had grown up with Nathan and Lucas. Haley had told her that she was dating Nathan when she returned to Montana after her visit to Tree Hill last October.

"I was thinking that your class might want to meet him also"

"I think that would be great. We are really not doing much. The kids are restless with spring break only an hour away" Nora said, "Let's go tell them that you have a surprise"

The two teachers walked into the classroom and stood at the front. The class grew quiet as they looked back and forth between the teachers. Most of the students in Mrs. Albertson's class had been in Haley's class also. There were only a few who had not.

"Class, Ms. James has something to say"

"Well, All of you have heard me say that I grew up with Lucas and Nathan Scott and that we have been best friends since diapers"

"Ms. James, you don't have make up stories. We know the truth," A young boy about thirteen said

"Oh, really, Jacob. Well, why don't you walk down and look in my classroom" Haley said. Jacob had been of those students who had never believed Haley no matter what she said. He still didn't believe that she knew Lucas or Nathan. He only believed that she had grown up in the same town as them. He had also been one of those students that would stop by her house to watch the games. He never did understand why she insisted on watching the basketball games when everyone knew Ms. James was not very athletic herself.

"May I Mrs. Albertson?"

"Of course" Nora said as she smiled. Haley followed Jacob out of his classroom and towards hers. He stopped in the doorway and stared at Nathan.

"Hey Ms. James" Nathan replied as he looked towards her, "Let me guess one of our skeptics"

"Oh, yea. Jacob is one of the biggest. We doesn't believe that we grew up together, just that we grew up in the same town"

"Well" Nathan turned to the class, "Should we set him straight?"

The group shouted 'yes' and than started laughing. They had been enjoying their time with Nathan.

"Jacob, my name is Nathan Scott"

"I know who you are" Jacob replied still shocked

"Well, than you know I won't lie to you, right?"

"Sure"

"Well, Ms. James and I grew up together. We have been best friends since diapers along with my brother, Lucas and another friend, Peyton."

"Did she pay you to say that?" Jacob asked. Haley and Nathan both started laughing

"Why would she have to pay me?"

"So that we would believe her."

"No, She didn't pay me. She is telling the truth. Actually, Ms. James here is my girlfriend. We have been dating since last year"

Jacob couldn't say a word

"Are you sure she didn't pay you?"

"Positive. Ms. James has been telling the truth," Nathan said with a smile.

Jacob turned to Haley, "I am sorry I doubted you, Ms. James"

"Oh, Jacob it is okay. I knew you would believe me sooner or later."

"Is it really true? Are you really dating Nathan Scott?"

"Yea, it is true. I am really dating Nathan Scott"

"That is so cool," Jacob said, "Wait till I tell everyone else"

"Well, go tell them"

Jacob took off down the hallway, "Tough kid" Nathan said as he walked toward Haley. Haley smiled. She still couldn't believe he was walking. Nathan was walking.

"Yea, but he is good kid. You might want to brace yourself. You are about to get trapped again," Haley said as she turned to the older class coming down the hallway.

Nathan just smiled.

A few hours later, Nathan and Haley were walking into her home. They had spent an extra hour after school had ended, talking to the kids and than the parents of the kids who had come to find out where why their children were taking so long getting home for school. The students had only begun to leave after Nathan had promised to visit again and see if he could get Lucas to come along. When they finally left the school, they had gone to the local sandwich shop to have dinner with Susan and Nora and their husbands, Nick and Alex. The guys had talked about basketball while the girls had chatted about how cute Susan and Nora thought Nathan was. This was the first time that Nathan and Haley had been able to be alone all day. Nathan dropped his bag by the door and pulled Haley into a kiss. Their first kiss in months. Haley had been to Florida at Christmas time and had stayed through New Years. However, she had not been able to be get there since then. When air became an issue, the two pulled away from each other.

"It is so good to have you in my arms again"

"It is so good to be in your arms again. I am so glad that you're walking again"

"I am too. It has been a long hard couple of months, but I made it."

"Yes, you did! I still can't believe it. How long have you been walking?"

"Without a walker or cane? A few days."

"Try running yet?"

"Just on the treadmill. I am waiting for a rematch of our run on the beach," Nathan said as he smiled

"Well, I guess we might just have to fit that into our busy schedule in Tree Hill"

"Yea, you ready to go home?"

"More than ready. I haven't been home since we were all there last year. I miss it"

"I know. Me too. Lucas owes me a game at the river court"

Haley just laughed, "He might need a game to calm his nerves. Brooke has been driving him crazy with all her talk of weddings and babies"

"Yea, I talked to him last night."

"Are you flying home tomorrow?" Haley asked assuming that he would be going straight to Tree Hill

"Actually, I am flying to Charlotte with my girlfriend"

"Oh really?"

"Yep"

All Haley could do was smile. It was good to be back with Nathan again. It had been a long couple of months. They had made it though. Countless emails, phone calls, cards and letters had kept them together and they were still moving forward.

"Well, I guess you'd better get ready for bed than. We have the early morning flight" Haley responded after a few minutes

"I know. Always got to be the early bird. Lucas's game is not till 7pm"

"I know that, but I wanted to be able to spend a little time with him. Does he know you are coming?"

"Nope. He thinks that I will be in Tree Hill Monday morning" Nathan said as he smiled, "Actually that is what they all think"

"You are just full of surprises this weekend, huh?"

"Yea, well, what can I say. I like to surprise people and the looks are priceless" Nathan replied laughing.

"Oh, than maybe I should tell you that Brooke will be in Charlotte too. And Sam and Chris will be at the game"

"Yea, I talked with Chris the other day. He told me they would be in Tree Hill this week also for the wedding festivities. He said those were Sam's words not his"

"Those two have become pretty close with everyone. I talk to Sam at least once a week if not more"

"Well, considering they stay in Tree Hill one weekend a month, I would think so. Meredith is enjoying having another brother and sister around"

"Oh, I know. That is all I hear about." Haley said as she laughed, "I think I am going to take a shower and than go to bed. It is going to be a long day tomorrow"

"What time do we have to get up?"

"3:30" Haley laughed as she watched Nathan wince, "It won't be that bad"

"I know. Go take your shower" Nathan said as he finally let Haley out of his arms

"I will only be a few minutes" Haley replied before leaning up to kiss Nathan once more

"Okay." Nathan said as he watched her walk towards her bedroom and than towards the bathroom. Once he heard the shower, he took the opportunity to look around her small house. It was two bedrooms with a full bath. Small kitchen, almost not existent dining room and a good sized living room. If you looked out the window of her living room and looked down you were looking at the top of the school. It was quiet and small, but Nathan knew that Haley loved it. Nathan walked towards the long couch sitting by the wall that separates the living room from the kitchen. . He found the remote on the end table and flipped on the TV. He found a basketball game on and settled in to watch it while he waited for Haley. It was good to be with her again. He couldn't help by smile. They would be going back to Tree Hill in the next few days and this time they were going back for happy times and they were going together.