Intro: This is a story about Haley James and Nathan Scott, whose lives become intertwined when her father marries his mother, without even meeting the other children. Almost everything is still the same from the 1st season with a few exceptions. The characters from the first season are all used. I'm not sure if the others will be. Oh yea and couples are not the same as they are in the beginning I'm not sure where I'm going couple wise, so please read and review. I want to know if this story is worth continuing.

Thanks!

"Your what?" Haley said getting angry at the words she heard her father utter. She could not believe that he was doing this to her, not on this day.

"Stop being a drama queen Hales." He said calmly to her. She knew that he had been dating a woman, but this was ridiculous.

"Dad, listen to reason." She stood up and began pacing back and fourth, Mr. James sat there and watched his only daughter, "You have just met this woman, and sure she's probably a great lady, but she just got divorced and you're her rebound."

"Haley!" Her dad said in his warning tone.

"Sorry, but look at where I'm coming from. You are moving her and her son, whom I have never even met, into our house." She stopped pacing and looked directly into his eyes, "Why can't you take this slower?"

"I know you're still upset about your mother, and I know you have gotten comfortable with it being just me and you, but I love her." She could believe that he was being like this, had he forgotten so soon?

"Are you sure? You've only been out like three times." She said beginning to whine.

"Yes, I love her. Can't you please just give this a try for me?" He asked pleading to his only child. Haley thought back to when her mother had been alive, those where the happiest times of her life. She was in a major car wreck that took her life when Haley was only 10 years old; on the first day of 5th grade and this was the first woman that her dad had ever dated. It had been 6 years with just him and her. She ran her fingers threw her long blonde hair and rolled her eyes.

"Fine, whatever." She said picking up her backpack. Not only would she have to put up with this new woman invading her space, but she supposedly had a son, and to make matters worse, he was Haley's age. When she had first heard that her dad was dating Debra Woods, Haley racked her brain trying to figure out who her son was, but there was no one with the last name Woods in her class, or in her school. Her dad never told her much else about the woman, and after their long weekend away together, Haley had woken up to the announcement that she was now someone's step-daughter. She opened the door, trying to get out of the house before the tears came, but her father reached her before she could close the door.

"Thank you. Can you be home early, Debra and her son are coming over for dinner."

"Tonight!?" She spitted out furiously.

"Yes, tonight." She didn't answer her father because her voice was lost inside her throat, and the tears she was trying desperately to hold back began to escape. She walked away.

"Hales, wait up!" Haley turned and noticed her best friend Lucas Scott running to catch up with her, when he reached her he noticed her tears. "What's wrong?" He was always so sweet and caring when it came to her, as was his mother. When her mother had died the two took her in and included her to their family, and she was grateful.

"Nothing," She said wiping her angry tears away.

"Come on Hales, you can tell me."

"Do you know what today is?" She asked looking more upset than before, she crossed her arms over her body and looked up at him. He towered over her by a good 6 inches; he knitted his eyebrows and looked into her eyes searching for the answers.

"It's the first day of school, and I didn't think that you would be coming." He said softly pulling her to the side of the building. School hadn't started yet so they were free to talk, without interruption. She shrugged her shoulders and tried to clear her throat. "What happened?" He asked her.

"It's the anniversary of my mother's death and my father wakes up and decides to tell me that he got married yesterday." She said looking into the distance.

"That's great. Your not happy for him?"

"NO!" She shook her head violently and looked directly into his eyes, "My father and I have spent the last 6 years, on this day mourning the loss of my mom, and he forgets her. He didn't even suggest me staying home. All he was worried about was making sure I'd be at this dinner he and the bride of Satan were making to introduce the kids."

"Did you mention it to him?" She knew her best friend was stating the obvious and not trying to hurt her feelings, but she couldn't help it but ache.

"Why should I?"

"Why should he?"

"Shut-up Lucas!" She said and turned to storm off but before she could he swung her around and looked at her threw his sad blue eyes; he always missed her mother too. When they were little, Lucas and Haley didn't get along too well, but Karen and Haley's mom always made them play together, and after her mother died he showed his true loyalty and they had been inseparable ever since. "Why are you on his side?"

"You know I'm not. I'm on yours, and if you want to we can skip classes today and talk about your mom. We can even skip this dinner your dad is planning and go get pizza." He was beginning to sound like the best friend she knew and loved. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm just on edge, and so much is going on." She said when they pulled away from their hug, "Thanks for the offer but I can't."

"That's the Haley James I know, the one who doesn't skip unless she has her parents permission." He said laughing and pulling her back into the flow of students on the sidewalk. The bell rang and they headed for their first period, English. Haley sat in her seat, in the front row, and Lucas sat behind her. It was their favorite subject and they were excited to have it together.

"Ok, everyone calm down." The teacher called as the second bell rang, "Let's act like eleventh graders instead of first graders." He said sending a condescending smile around the room, this made Haley laugh, but she quickly stopped herself. "They say that people can be described in one word. Their whole existence can be seen by this one word. You have been peers for 11 years and you should be able sum up those 11 years in one word. I want to know what those words are, and that will help me choose. For example, I would look at Jake over here and describe him as a scholar." Jake grinned and the class laughed, "So we are going to try this. Lets see, Brooke describe Haley in one word."

"Loser." She said quickly causing the whole class to laugh, Haley glanced behind her and shot the brunette a look.

"Care to give a rebuttal Miss James?" The teacher asked her.

"Sure, easy." Haley said, and the class laughed again, Haley glanced over her shoulder and saw Brooke's mouth drop and eyes narrow in Haley's direction.

"Alright, that's enough." The teacher said claming the class down, "This exercise is not to make fun of people or to call each other names, and we are merely trying to use our vocabulary. Hmm, let's try it again. Lucas describe Peyton in one word."

He glanced back at the blonde who looked up from her drawing and stared at him, "Misunderstood." He responded, before turning back around to face the instructor.

"Peyton, describe Lucas." He prompted.

"Brooder." She responded with a look of pure confusion from her best friend Brooke, Peyton shrugged her shoulders before looking back down at her paper.

"Good we are finally getting somewhere." The teacher noticed Nathan's hand shoot up, "Yes Nathan?"

"I have a word for Lucas." He told the teacher, who raised his eyebrows.

"I don't think that would be a very good idea. Let's move on." The rest of the exersise was pretty tame and before the bell rang the teacher made another announcement, "So we are going to have partners for the rest of the semester, and they are going to help me determine your grades." The class got excited and began to whisper about who they would be paired with, "Calm down, I will decide who is with whom, and at the end of the semester I want you to be able to find a word that will describe this whole person's existence." The class moaned, "Ok, I want the brooder with hmm, Brooke. I won't use the name that Haley chose for you. I want Haley with the captain, I want miss misunderstood with the scholar…" Haley blocked out the rest and glanced back in Nathan Scott's direction. Her day just went for bad to tragic, she could believe that her grade depended on the biggest screw up in the school.

"So what are we having today?" Lucas asked Haley sitting down across from her on the picnic bench that they always shared.

"I have tuna." She said looking at it disgustingly.

"I have roast beef, wanna trade?" He asked showing her the sandwich his mom made for him. She smiled brightly and traded with him.

"What's up?" Skillz said sitting down next to Haley and Mouth sitting next to Lucas.

"So I've decided that it would be best if someone killed me." Haley said to the guys and they all turned and looked at her oddly, "What? I mean then I wouldn't have to put up with this new family. From what my dad has told me they are like the step ford family," Haley explained.

"You haven't even met them yet." Mouth spoke up.

"So what?" She asked.

"Just give them a try," Mouth told her trying to be comforting.

"I just think that it would be better for someone to off me, rather than get pissed at these people and kill one of them."

"Hales, we aren't going to kill you. What would we do if we needed tutoring?" Skillz said, causing Haley to smile, he put his arm around her and gave her shoulder a squeeze. She looked at the three guys with her thankful that they had accepted her into their group with no questions, they like her for her and didn't care what her family status was.

"Then help me kill the family?" She asked only half jokingly. The guys laughed.

"We've got your back, you know that right? You don't have to worry about a thing. Plus if you do kill them you'll need us to help drag the bodies." He told her.

"Right." She said defeated. Mouth and Skillz stood up and left the two best friends together, "Come on Luke, help me." She whined.

"Oh look, tutor girl and her boyfriend, our partners." Brooke said walking by holding her boyfriend's hand. Haley rolled her eyes at the girl.

"We aren't dating." She said dryly.

"That's right, you're a loser, and he has potential." She continued to taunt her.

"Don't you have somewhere else you could be, like…" Haley looked around the courtyard and pointed towards a random guy, "that guy's bed." She paused for a brief second while Brooke looked angry, then continued, "Oh, you've probably already been there, what about his friend?" Lucas laughed at his friend's humor, she was always able to hold her own when it came to the popular crowd.

"I swear…" Brooke began, but her boyfriend cut her off.

"You wanna hear the word I have that sums up your life now, big brother?" Nathan Scott, Capitan of the basketball team and king of the school (at least he thought he was king of the school) asked her best friend. She couldn't stand the sight of him, but she knew it was worse for Lucas, because of their history, or lack there of. Lucas and Nathan had the same dad, Dan Scott, who chose to abandon Lucas before he was born. Leaving Karen Roe to raise him on her own, and as far as Haley was concerned she was glad, he wouldn't be the same sweet and caring man if he had come from that family. Lucas looked into his brother's eyes and waited, "Bastard." Lucas stood up and picked up his bag of food. He glared at the two, and pushed him as he was walking by, Nathan stood there and laughed. He turned back to Haley and winked at her. "We're gonna have a great semester together."

"You make me sick." She said before leaving the two.

"I can't believe you said that to him," Brooke said shocked as she watched Haley walk away. He grinned at her, obviously happy with himself. She dropped his hand and tried to search his eyes.

"What?" He said defending himself.

"Nathan, that was horrible. He had nothing to do with your scum of a dad ditching his mom."

"So your on his side now?" Nathan now getting angrier said to her

"Of course not, but come on have a little bit of class."

"Oh and you calling her a loser is classy?" He was now crossing his arms over his chest and staring at her.

"Haley and I have history."

"So do Lucas and I."

"No, Lucas' mom and your dad have history, not the two of you. Why can't you just let it go?"

"I wouldn't have to talk to him if he wouldn't have joined my basketball team." Nathan fumed this summer when Whitey had announced that there would be a new starter on the team and that guy happened to be his dad's oldest son. He didn't want to be anywhere near him, but the coach always had it out for both him and his dad.

"Your team?"

"Yea, Brooke, my team." She shook her head and turned to leave him, but he grabbed her arm, "Just leave Lucas to me and I'll leave Haley to you." He told her in a half apology. "Plus I really don't need anything else on my plate right now." He said talking about fighting with her.

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened?" Brooke had seen him frustrated when he first got to school, but he plastered on his fake smile, as always and walked the halls of the school like a king. She hated that he would never really tell her his true feelings, but that was because all they really were was a social couple. They both knew that they weren't in love and they never would be, they could hardly stand to be in the same room half the time, but with him being the captain of the basketball team and her being head cheerleader, the school expected them to date.

"I don't want to talk about it." He said pulling her with him.

"Is it your dad?" He had one weak moment and spilled the secret about how his father Dan Scott continued braiding him about the game so much that his mother divorced him. He also told her about the fights his mother and father got into, but he wasn't ready to spill this secret yet.

"I said I don't want to talk about it." He said threw gritted teeth. She pulled her hand out of his grasp, and walked the other direction. "Brooke!" He called she stopped and then spun around.

"Fine. Don't talk, and we won't date." She said before walking away. He watched her go; not willing to follow her and try to make up he couldn't handle this. His father was breathing down his neck about Lucas being on the team, it was the first day of school and he had already been called into the office to talk about his grades from last year, and to make his life just that much better his mother had dropped a bomb this morning. She had gotten married and they would be moving out of the two-bedroom apartment that they had been living in for the past 4 months to move across town with her new husband and his daughter. Nathan never really cared what his mother did, he never asked questions, and just never really said much, but now that it was beginning to affect his life he was upset. Not only would he have to put up with this girl, who probably knew him and had a crush on him, he would have to move yet again, and this time it was to a middle class neighborhood. He rolled his eyes thinking about it, he had grown up with Brooke, Peyton, Tim and the rest of his friends on the rich side of town and he loved it, but now he was crossing over, and he was not ready to share that information yet. He had to do something to stop this from happening.

"Haley I know you miss her, but your dad deserves to be happy, and he's not trying to replace her." Karen told the girl who had been like her daughter for as long as she knew her. The blonde used her hair to shield her face from being seen, she didn't want to think about it anymore. "Do you remember the story of how your mother and I met, and how you and Lucas met?" Haley silently nodded her head, "The day we met we were both at the hospital and we were put into the same room, because they had so many sick people there and all the private rooms had already been filled. Neither of you kids were ready to come out yet, so we had plenty of time to sit there and wait." Haley glanced up when Karen paused, "She and I hit it off right away, she was in her twenties right out of college, and here I was an 18 year old just out of high school, and yet we bonded over you kids. She had moved to Tree Hill about six months before and hadn't met a sole, and all my friends took off to college. We talked and laughed and shared stories about everything."

"I'm sorry." Haley said reaching out to touch Karen's hand; she knew how hard it was for all of them. Karen, not wanting to show Haley her own tears, just smiled fondly of the woman they both loved.

"Your dad was away a lot on business trips and Keith wasn't able to make it to the hospital right away so, she and I stuck together to fight the pain. You were going to be the first to come, so they transferred her into a private room and she had you right away. But your mom, being the wonderful person she was, didn't stay in her room after she found out you were healthy and sleeping. She demanded that the doctor put her in a wheelchair and wheel her next to my bedside so that I had someone there with me. Your dad was furious when he found out. He had arrived just before you were born and had followed you to the nursery, I wish I could have seen the look on his face when he came back to check on his wife and she was missing." Karen and Haley both shared a laugh. "He marched down to my room and when he saw the two of us together he knew that there was no way he was tearing her out of that room." Karen allowed a tear to fall from her eye. "Lucas was much more stubborn than you, he refused to come, and once he did, your mother demanded that our two children be put side by side in the nursery, because they were going to be best friends and get married someday." Karen smiled over at Haley's look, the parents had always said that they would get married but there was absolutely no attraction between the two best friends, "We were also put into the same room, and ever since that day your mother and I were inseparable. Much like you and Lucas." Karen said fondly.

"I miss her." Haley admitted. Karen wrapped her arms around the young girl, and leaned her head against Haley's.

"I do too, everyday. I look up when I hear that bell and hope that it is your mother coming in to tell me the latest thing that you and Lucas have gotten into." Karen said laughing. "No one, especially your father will ever forget her. Very few people reach the status of unforgettable, but your mother is one of them, and he won't."

"But why…" Haley began but her words were lost in her throat.

"People are allowed to make mistakes, and this might just be one of his."

"I know, but what about how I feel?"

"What about how he feels?"

"So what I feel should be thrown out the window and forgotten?"

"Of course not, but sometimes we have to be able to forgive the ones we love for forgetting to ask how we feel. Have you ever asked your father how he felt when your mother died?"

"No, I never thought about it, I assumed he was upset."

"Did he ask you?"

"All the time, to make sure I was talking about my feelings." Karen nodded her head and looked at Haley smiling.

"It's been 6 years and she is still missed." Karen stood up and walked around the counter.

"I know." Haley said softly.

"Don't be too hard on your dad, he's been threw a lot and he deserves this happiness." Haley nodded and stood up to leave.

"Thanks," Haley told the woman.

"No problem. I'm here any time you want to talk." Haley left the café, she was supposed to work the evening shift, but because of this stupid dinner she had to ask off, and that led to the talk with Karen. Haley didn't mind, talking to the woman always gave her perspective on different situations, and she was thankful for her.

"Nathan, it's about time you got home," His mother scolded with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowing. "First impressions last a lifetime, and I don't want to be late."

"Whatever mom." He said walking into his room and pulling out a polo shirt and some khaki's.

"No, it's not whatever mom. You need to learn that when I say be home at a certain time, it's not for fun, and I'm not just trying to ruin your life."

"Ok mom." He said, "Would you mind if I took a shower, or do you just want me to smell?" He knew he was pushing her buttons, but he couldn't help it, he wanted her to feel the way he felt.

"Nathan Scott, I am not joking with you." She said fuming, "Ten minuets." She walked away from his door, and left him there. He quickly showered and got dressed; walking out of his room he noticed his mother had changed as well. When he got home she was in a suit, one like she would wear to an interview, now she was dressed in a black dress that reminded him of a housewives dress.

"What was wrong with the suit?" He asked as she was pacing back and forth.

"Oh I just thought it was too formal, how does the dress look?" She asked modeling it for him.

"You look good mom." He responded.

"What's wrong honey? You're acting strange, did something happen at school?" She placed her hand on his arm and made him look at her.

"Nope, you know about Dad's son joining the team already."

"Nathan, we talked about this…"

"I know, and I'm dealing with it."

"Then what is it?"

"It's this mom," He said upset, "It's all of it. The divorce happened 4 months ago, I'm not over it, and I know you're not over it."

"Nathan…"

"Mom, seriously, this guy can't be more than a rebound for you."

"Don't say that." She said offended. Nathan rolled his eyes.

"If you want to be married, why can't you last give dad another chance?"

"You know I can't do that."

"Why?"

"Because it's Dan Scott, and he tries to control both of us to the point of suffocation. That's why, and I refuse to sit back and let him ruin your life."

"Yet you're doing the same thing." Nathan didn't want to hear anything else he stepped outside and hopped into his mother's SUV. She quickly followed him and started the car.

"I think that you are over reacting and once you realize just how great this man is, you will see that this is not me ruining your life." Were the only words spoken on the ride to the new family's house.

"Hello!" Mr. James said sticking out his hand to greet his new stepson. Nathan obliged and then stepped in his new house and stood silently. He watched as his mother and her new husband hugged and shared a deep kiss. He couldn't stand it, and was relieved when he heard his phone ring.

"Nathan, please turn that off." His mother told him but he glanced down and answered it anyways. She shook her head and apologized softly for her son, and the two hugged again. Nathan walked back to the SUV and leaned against it talking to Tim, his best friend.

"What's up man?" Time said coming threw the line.

"Nothing, I'm just about to go insane." Nathan replied.

"Well why don't you come over and we can play some Madden."

"Naw, I can't."

"Why? You with the girl?" Time asked referring to Brooke. Nathan thought for a second, determining whether or not to lie.

"No, my mom and I are going to some family friend's house for dinner."

"Oh, then come by afterwards." Tim replied.

"They live out of town, so it'll be a while."

"That's lame. Get out of it."

"I know, but mom says they have a hot daughter my age." He said smiling and then looked up at the house he was about to move into and quickly wiped the smile off his face.

"Aw, well now your talkin'. What about Brooke?"

"She's played out man." He said and he heard Tim's laugh over the line, when he glanced up he saw his mother pull back a blind and look out at him, "Listen I gotta go. See ya in later." He hung up before he heard what else Tim had to say.

"Haley!" She heard her dad call. She heard him and his new wife talking downstairs and immediately hid in her room, she wanted to spend as little time as possible with them. She rolled off of her bed and slowly opened her door. "Haley! I mean it, get down here now!" She heard the irritation in her father's voice and picked up her pace a little. She walked down the hallway and then stood at the top of the steps and hesitated. The front door opened and in walked; whom Haley assumed was her new stepbrother. He turned and closed the door, his face away from her, so she began down the steps and then both teens stopped dead in their tracks. The stared at each other, unable to speak or move. Nathan was the first, he grinned up at her, she waited until she was at the bottom of the steps and then opened the front door.

"Get out." She said to him. He started towards the door, without a problem.

"With pleasure." He said, Haley was about to close the door when she heard her father and his new wife behind her.

"Haley, I see you've met Nathan." Her father spoke up; she left the door and spun around looking her father dead in the eye.

"You married his mother?" She asked emphasizing 'his'. Haley was so focused on Nathan; she didn't even notice the blonde who pulled her into a hug. She let her arms lay limp at her side and glared at her father.

As the woman pulled away, "I've always wanted a daughter." She gushed, Haley rolled her eyes in response.

"I'm not your daughter."

"No, but we are going to be close like mother and daughter." The woman was grinning.

"Look, Mrs. Scott, no disrespect but I don't think that's going to happen." Haley crossed her arms around herself and she heard Nathan's snort from behind her. She felt her father's eyes on her, so she turned and faced Nathan, who was wearing the famous Scott smirk, the one that both he and Lucas could do to perfection.

"Debra, I'm sorry for her…"

"No, Jeff it's ok. I think I came on too strong." She assured her new husband, Nathan watched as Haley rolled her eyes yet again for the third time since he had noticed her.

"But Haley," Debra said stepping up and placing a light hand on her shoulder, "Please call me Deb or Debra. I haven't been Mrs. Scott in a very long time."

"Since when is 4 months a very long time?" Nathan asked her, not expecting an answer.

"Nathan…"

"Let's sit down." Haley's dad told them, and he led his new bride into the dining room, followed by the two children. Everyone sat in silence, eating and staring. "Nathan, your mother tells me you're the captain of the basketball team?" Nathan nodded and shoveled another mouthful in, so he wouldn't have to speak. "How are they gonna do this year?" Everyone looked at Nathan waiting for him to swallow his food.

"We're going to be undefeated." He said and Haley's dad nodded, "Mr. James did you play basketball?"

"Please call me Jeff. I never played myself but I do know a little about it."

"Do you watch it, Jeff?" Haley's father shook his head no.

"This is just great." Nathan said looking at his mother, and Haley knew what was being said by his looks, although her dad seemed to be too entranced by the wicked witch herself.

"Dad, did I tell you that Lucas was offered a starting position on the team?" Haley pointed the question at her father, and looked at Nathan sideways, who glared over at her.

"That's great." Her dad said genuinely excited, "Are you going to be going a watching more games now?" He asked his daughter, she smiled and nodded. "Good you can cheer both Nathan and Lucas on then."

"Oh, is Lucas your boyfriend?" Deb asked causing Haley to choke on her drink, Nathan sat back and laughed openly.

"No, he's my best friend. But he's the reason the team will be undefeated, he's by far the best player." She confidently said, Nathan choked when she finished. They all looked at him strangely, and then Deb smiled.

"My son lacks modesty, he's not use to people telling him that someone is better." Deb told the table.

"Well maybe you and Lucas could be good friends, it might make it easier for you and Haley." Haley grinned and looked directly at her uncomfortable stepbrother, this was so perfect. He looked at Haley, then towards Haley's dad, and then directly at his mother.

"Lucas Scott and I will never be close friends." He said standing up, Deb's eyes widened in horror as she was about to see the train wreck that was going to be their dinner, Haley smiled brightly at the outburst, and then covered it when she noticed her father eyeing her. "Excuse me."

"Nathan, please don't go." He didn't stop for his mother or for the apologies her father sent over to him. She heard the backdoor slam closed and she looked up from her plate of forgotten food into the eyes of her very angry father.

"Haley Elizabeth James," He used her full name to tell her that she was in trouble.

"What?" She said innocently, "I didn't do anything."

"You knew exactly what you were doing bringing Lucas up tonight." She shoved her chair back from the table angrily, and stood up.

"SO now I'm not allowed to talk about my best friend? What are you two doing here?" Haley yelled surprising the two adults, no one noticed that Nathan had come back inside and was standing they're watching, "You are making my life and Nathan's life miserable. We hate each other, I hate his girlfriend, he hates my best friend, and we do not get along. You are so wrapped up in your own self fish needs that you can't see what is in front of you." She began to storm out before the tears escaped, but she stopped when Nathan stepped back threw the door.

"I've never in my life said this, but Haley's right." He placed his hand on her shoulder and then they looked up at each other, silently thanking the other for the support.

Please Review, I really want to know what you think of my story!!