Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill. It belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW.

Summary: Haley James has never been the girl to make rash decisions. Love, at first sight, doesn't exist, even though she's a hopeless romantic. After four years she re-crosses paths with Nathan. The two restart a friendship, with both parties feeling more than they're letting on. But what happens when a cheating fiancée get in the middle of their relationship? NH & BL

Author's Note: Hey guys, just a little back story, this story is basically a remake/re-written version of "What Hurts The Most" by me on my old account that I don't remember the login to (Sidney4522). I am remaking this story as I want to execute the idea better. I have changed the title of this story to "You Found Me." The identity of Jamie's father will be released in further chapters. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the remade version. Let me know what you think by reviewing this story! The pairings are: Naley, Brucas and minor Jeyton.

You ever heard the expression 'The best things in life are free.' Well, that expression is true.' Every once in a while, people step up they rise above themselves sometimes they surprise you and sometimes they fall short. Life is funny sometimes. It can push pretty hard but if you look close enough, you can find hope in the words of children, in the bars of the song and in the eyes of someone you love. And if you're lucky, if you're the luckiest person on this entire planet, the person you love decides to love you back.

-Nathan Scott

Chapter 1

July 10, 2011

"Please come again," Haley said as flipped the sign on the door and she began cleaning up the café, as the door swung open and the bell sounded.

"Sorry, we're closed," she said dully, not looking up from the tables she was wiping off.

"Wow Hales, I thought we were friends," Lucas smiled, clutching his heart.

"Haha very funny, Luke," Haley said, tossing him a rag, "If you're gonna be here, you've gotta at least pull your own weight."

Lucas began wiping down some of the tables, as he said, "So, Hales, when are you gonna tell Nathan?"

"I don't know Luke," Haley sighed, carrying a tray of dishes to the back with Lucas following her, rag now slung over his shoulder, "I've never had this much on my plate before. I just…."

"Hales," Lucas cut her off, "You have raised an amazing son by yourself. If anyone can handle this, it's you."

"Thanks, Luke," Haley half smiled, now finished with the nightly clean-up, "I made extra chocolate chip cookies today. Payment for your slave labour?"

"You know me too well Haley James," Lucas replied, taking a cookie from the plate that Haley was holding out, "So, I was thinking, there's going to be this basketball camp at the high school for kids Jamie's age. I said I'd help out, and I know he would love it."

"Yeah, I guess…" Haley began, before pausing for a moment, and then pulling the plate away from Lucas just as he was reaching for another cookie, "Lucas Eugene Scott, this doesn't have anything to do with Nathan and his suspension does it?"

"Serves me right for trying to pull one over on the valedictorian," Lucas mumbled, "Look, Hales, I know how you feel about the guy, and I know you're my best friend, but he's my brother. And yeah, he's made mistakes, but haven't we all?"

"Lucas, I don't want my five-year-old son idolizing some lunkhead basketball man who goes around starting fights and getting wasted in his downtime," Haley sighed, "You've already got him loving basketball and the Bobcats, and I think it's great that you guys have that to bond over, but I don't want Jamie around someone who's so unpredictable.."

"Unpredictable, huh? Says the girl who dated him in college."

"Well people can change Luke," Haley said sternly, "Anyway, hows the wedding planning going?"

"I don't know honestly, but what I do know is that it will nothing short of perfect," Lucas said, as he bit into the cookie.

After the Ravens match and the simultaneous library debacle, Brooke sat on her side of the bed in Lucas' house, brooding, and twirling her engagement ring around and around her finger.

Actually, she wasn't really sure if it was her side of the bed or not. Now that she thought about it, she didn't seem to have a permanent side. She and Lucas would throw themselves, (or each other, she remembered nostalgically), onto whichever side of the bed was there at the time. She wondered if Lucas had a side when he slept alone, or whether he stretched out, snow angel-style, his lanky form sprawled across the whole mattress. For a moment, she wondered sickeningly whether Lucas had slept with Peyton in this bed. Of course, he would have. Had Peyton had a side? She shuddered.

Brooke heard Lucas' car pull up in the driveway. They never seemed to go anywhere together, Brooke mused. Sure, they were together once they got to the destination, but one of them always had something before or after which required them to take separate cars. Lucas, usually. And as much as Brooke tried, she couldn't get the little voice of doubt in her head. Does Lucas want to keep his independence, it asked, and how often does he sneak off to see Peyton in that car?

Lucas walked in through the bedroom entrance. He looked windswept, spinning a basketball and wearing a small smile. Brooke knew if she approached him she would smell sweat and scruffiness mixed with a little jewel of pride at the Ravens' win. But instead, she stayed where she was, twirling and twirling and twirling the ring.

"I'm only going to ask you this once," she began, not looking at him, looking at the floor instead.

"Seems to be a common occurrence these days," Lucas tried to joke, but immediately became sombre when he saw how high his fiancée's eyebrows rose. He dropped his ball and sat beside Brooke on the bed.

"Did you propose to Peyton?" Brooke asked, and her eyes met Lucas' for the first time.

Lucas was caught off-guard. His eyes widened, and he drew in a sharp breath. Brooke knew the answer to her question before he spoke.

"Brooke you already know the answer to this, and where did this come from?" Lucas asked slowly.

"Peyton said it," Brooke said. "Well, sung it to me, actually," – she shook her head impatiently at Lucas' confused expression - "and she denied it later, so I don't really know what to believe, and I'm certainly not going to trust anything that she says, but if it's true, then that means you didn't tell me that this ring was Peyton's before it was mine, and I'm really not going to have yet another one of Peyton's second-hand throwaways."

She finished breathlessly. She was close to tears for the second time that evening. It suddenly struck her how many things, previously possessed by Peyton, were now in her life. Peyton's friends. Peyton's home town. Peyton's old school. Lucas's book about Peyton. Lucas, in actual fact. And now, apparently, the ring Peyton rejected.

She felt like everything in Lucas' room, from the various photographs of the blonde still dotted on the bookshelves to the deep, comfortable, secret recess of Lucas' bed, were screaming out Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, and it was getting harder and harder to drown out that incessant chant.

"Brooke. Please," Lucas began, but Brooke was too overcome with tears to listen and collapsed into Lucas' arms.

"I did propose," Lucas said, more to justify his actions to himself than to explain to the now-sobbing Brooke. "More than two years ago, you know this Brooke. But she said no. She didn't say yes like you did. The ring was never hers. It was my mom's, and now it's yours. Please. I did propose, but it didn't mean anything to Peyton. And it didn't mean anything to me."

Brooke didn't respond but continued to shake with tears.

"It didn't mean anything," he repeated fruitlessly.

And immediately, unintentionally, irrationally, an image of the sixteen-year-old Peyton, wide-eyed, and idealistic, and achingly beautiful, sprang uninvited into Lucas' mind.

"Of course it did," the teenage Peyton whispered, self-conscious of her confession, yet defiant in her conviction, her green eyes blazing into his own.

And transcending the time that had elapsed, and ignoring the history that had passed, and disregarding the assurances that he had said and repeated to all those around him, Lucas knew that what she spoke was as true six years previously as it was at that precise moment. Of course, it did.

"It is always gonna be there isn't it, Peyton and you?" Brooke stated, as she got up and walked towards the door.

"Brooke—"

Brooke walked over to Lucas's dresser and pulled the manuscript, and began reading.

"It was more than just a comet because of what it brought to his life: direction, beauty, meaning. There are many who couldn't understand, and sometimes he walked among them. But even in his darkest hours, he knew in his heart that someday it would return to him, and his world would be whole again... And his belief in God and love and art would be re-awakened in his heart." Brooke drops the manuscript on her lap.

"Brooke... It's just a story... So what, Peyton's car is a comet you know... This is crazy! I love you." Lucas said softly.

"I love you too, Lucas, I do and I always will. But your heart's conflicted and... I think I've always known it. I guess I was hoping someday... I could be your comet. It's an epic love story, Luke. But it's just not ours, and neither is this. It's pretty clear who you love Lucas. I just wish you told me sooner. I'm sorry Lucas but I can't marry you," Brooke concluded, teary-eyed. She proceeded to take her engagement ring off and set it on top of the manuscript.

Haley is woken up by the sound of faint knocking on her door.

"Clay if that's you, just go away. I already told you I'm not interested," She tiredly spoke.

Haley opened the door, she wasn't able to process it at first. She takes a step, before realizing the significance of what she was seeing, and suddenly stops in her tracks.

"Hi Hales," He spoke, the sound of his voice still sent shivers down her spine even after all these years.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned.

"I take it Lucas did not tell you I was coming," He replied.

"Lucas no longer tells me things, Nathan," Haley laughed softly, still in disbelief that Nathan was at her front door, "But from the look on your face I can tell that's not why you're here so what was so important that you rush over and tell me at three in the morning."

"Hales, I'm not the most eloquent speaker, but I thought I would speak from my heart. I made a mistake by letting you go four years ago. That night I let the most important thing in my life walk out that door. It killed me to see you leave Hales. I was young and stupid, I did not know what I wanted, but if one thing is certain its that I never stopped loving you. I think I have ever since we locked eyes the first moment we met. I didn't come here to rehash the past. I was reminded today in a roundabout way that the most perfect act of love is sacrifice. I came here to tell you that I left the NBA Haley. I looked at my life and realized that without you in it, I don't want any part of it. If I can't experience these great triumphs with you by my side, then it's not worth it, because you mean more to me than basketball ever has. I think I always have known it. I was scared of letting my father down, you know how he can be Hales. I don't think I ever realize how much I loved you until I had to give it up. You can't tell me you don't still love me, Hales, cause deep down I know you do, you're just afraid to let me in because of how badly things ended between us last time, but I told myself if I ever got a second chance with you, I would never let you go again,"

"So what you're telling me is because of Dan actions, you choose basketball over me? When are you going stop letting your father dictate your happiness? Nathan, when are you gonna take accountability for your actions instead of hiding behind Dan all the time," Haley said.

"Haley, I have and that's why I'm here,"

"Stop Nathan. I'm sorry I can't do this. You should have not come back here," Haley continued, as she closed the front door Nathan could tell she was on the verge of tears, that in some way his words had impacted her. Haley ran back into her room and cried. Nathan was right Haley still loved him, she always has and she always will. Always and forever that what sucks.

Review. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. If you guys liked it, I will be happy to continue this journey with all of you! Clarification on the whole Brooke/Lucas drama will be in the majority of the next chapter as I want to make their intentions clear in the next chapter. So, if Brucas is not your thing, then I'm sorry feel free to come back in chapter three.

-Sidney