a/n: This is the first fanfic I have published. Please review!

Secrets

Summary: Haley has a secret that she has been keeping from Lucas for years and finally she has the chance to tell him. Will she be able to tell him? How will he take her secret?

Disclaimer: Don't Own Any of the Characters

Secrets

Chapter 1: Mess

7/2

I can't wait for later today, Lucas is going to be in Tree Hill to visit for the week. He's just stopping by for a few days before he is off again on some book tour. Tomorrow, Karen is going to be hosting a big party at Tric in honor of her son. The party is to celebrate Lucas becoming a New York Times Best Selling Author. I'm sure that tomorrow will be crazy, and everyone will want to talk to Lucas, but tonight I am going to get him ALL to myself. We are going out to dinner, just the two of us, to catch up.

I have always cherished my alone time with Lucas, but it means even more to me now because it is few and far between. There is so much that I know I need to tell him that has happened to me and I'm sure the same goes for him. Sometimes it can be hard having your best friend, the person you've always relied on, being so busy and not having the time to talk to you. I mean the last time he was in Tree Hill was Christmas Eve and he was gone by 7pm on Christmas Day. We barely got to have a five minute conversation alone between the opening of presents, all the family members and friends around. When we do get to talk it's usually on the phone and only for a few minutes here or there. It's really hard to have a real conversation in the five minutes we get to talk. Sometimes I feel like I have more of a friendship with his voicemail than him. This is the first time in about 2 years that he is going to be in Tree Hill for 7 whole days. Now, I'm hoping that over the next week we can reconnect and try to return to some form of normalcy. Back to the way it was when it was just the two of us.

There are also some things that I want to tell him rather that I need to tell him. Secrets that I've been keeping for years, and now I have come to realize that it is time that Lucas knows the truth. I just hope that everything goes how I want it to and that he doesn't have a sudden emergency causing him to leave earlier. I just hope that I can tell him now because I'm afraid it may be now or never.

"Momma, I weed you. Momma, hurwee!" The little girl in the next room yelled as she tried to pour herself a glass of apple juice, not very successfully. Haley quickly jumped up leaving her thoughts about Lucas and her secret in her journal and hurried to see what was going on in the next room.

Haley walked into the kitchen to see her four year old daughter sitting in the middle of huge puddle of apple juice. "Lucy," Haley's you're in trouble voice come out as she gave the little girl a stern look.

"But, Momma look I got some in the cup this time!" Lucy exclaimed with a smile from ear to ear. Haley just shook her head and laughed; now how could she possibly get mad at her with that big smile.

"Every good Baby girl, but next time call Mommy, so I can help you. Now, let's clean this mess up, so I can get ready to see Uncle Lucas and you can have your special time with Grandma Karen." Haley said picking up her daughter and beginning to clean the floor.

"Ok Momma, but only if I get to see Uncle Wucas, so he can tell me a storwe." The 4 year old requested as she grabbed a paper towel and began to try to help clean up her mess.

"I'm sure Uncle Lucas would be more than happy to tell you a few stories while he visits."

Haley finished cleaning up the kitchen floor with the help of her baby girl. She then had to bathe Lucy because she had gotten all sticky from her juice fiasco. Haley was trying to hurry because she didn't want to be late for her dinner with Lucas. However, Lucy just didn't seem to want to comply with her mother's wishes. She wanted to play in the bath tub then she wanted to try on about four different outfits before Haley just picked out what Lucy was going to wear. Haley was running around the house desperately trying to get ready in time and of course nothing was going quite as she had planned, her curling iron wouldn't heat up, and the outfit that she planned on wearing was in the dirty clothes. Everything just seemed to be falling apart and Haley was terrified that was a precursor of what the rest of the week was going to bring.

Haley sat at the vanity in her room, she was barely half ready, with about only fifteen minutes before she was supposed to drop Lucy off at Karen's and meet Lucas. And to top it all off the pressure of what she had to tell Lucas was beginning to get to her. She desperately tried to keep her emotions in check, however she failed. Slowly, one by one, tears began to roll down her face as she began to softly sob. Lucy, who was curled up in her mother's bed watching Cinderella, heard her mother soft cries. The four year old climbed out of the bed, walked over to her mother and embraced her legs, trying to comfort her in the only way she knew how.

"Momma, don't cry. I'll get you Teddy to make it all better."

"Aww, thank you, Baby girl," Haley replied scooping up her daughter and placing her on her lap. "I'll be ok. You better keep Teddy with you, so you can fall asleep at Grandma Karen's." Haley squeezed her daughter again before placing her back on the ground. "You go finish your movie Mommy has to finish getting ready to see Uncle Lucas."

"You mean you're not ready yet?" A voice from the door to her room questioned. Haley turned around to see Lucas standing at her door.

"Uncle Wucas," Lucy yelled as she ran to embrace him.

"Luke, what are you doing here?" Haley asked not expecting him to be in her apartment. "I thought I was meeting you at your mom's in 15 minutes, when I was supposed to drop off Lucy." Haley was so stunned to see Lucas that she hadn't moved from her seat at her vanity.

"Yeah, I know," Lucas began to reply putting Lucy down. "But, I was on my way back to my mom's from Nate and Brooke's. Nate asked me to stop by to ask me if I would be his best man. I still can't believe that they're getting married."

"Yeah, I know. Back in high school who would have ever thought they would end up together."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Well anyway, I figured that while I was out I might as well pick you guys up because it was on the way."

"Yeah, I guess that would make sense."

"So, when are you going to come over and say hi?" Lucas questioned.

"Oh, sorry," Haley replied getting up and walking towards Lucas. "I was just so shocked to see you here."

"I missed you, Hales" Lucas said as he embraced her.

"Me too," she whispered back. Lucas just squeezed her tighter, not wanting to let go of his best friend.

After holding their embrace for a few moments Lucas said, "Well, you better hurry up and get ready, so we can catch up," as let go of his grip on Haley. "You get ready and I'll take this little cutie and tell her some stories." He said as he took Lucy's little hand in his.

"I'm sure that Lucy would love that."

"I would, now let's go Uncle Wucas." Lucy said dragging Lucas towards the family room.

Haley watched her daughter tug the man who had been her best friend for most of her life down the hallway. This sight brought great joy to Haley, seeing the two people that she cared the most about having such a good relationship; however this sight also worried her because it only reminded her of the secret that she had been keeping from Lucas. Haley stood in the hallway for one more second before taking a deep breath and headed back into her room to finish getting ready.

About three stories later Haley appeared in the family room all ready to spend the night with Lucas. The moment Haley walked into the room Lucas looked up and couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Haley, dressed in tight fitting skinny jeans, black beaded halter-top and black pumps, couldn't help but notice Lucas staring at her. This caused her to feel self-conscious about what she was wearing.

"What? Is there something that wrong with what I'm wearing? Do I have something on me?" Haley asked as she turned around desperately trying to figure out what the problem was.

"No, there is nothing wrong it at all."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's just…" Lucas began to blush and grab the back of his neck, "It's just that you look great." He smiled then quickly changed the subject. "So, you ready to go see Grandma Karen, Lucy?"

Haley paused taken back by this comment. She couldn't think of a time where Lucas had commented on what she was wearing besides her poncho she would where in high school and there were never positive remarks about it.

"Momma, are you ready to go?" Lucy asked pulling on her jeans to get her attention.

"Yes, sweetie. Let's get your bag from your room and don't forget teddy." Haley answered snapping back to reality.

"I'll get it, Momma," Lucy yelled as she ran down the hallway towards her room.

"Mom's little helper huh?" Lucas said getting up from the sofa and walking towards Haley. Both were very aware that they were now alone, but neither wanted to address this new tension between them.

"Oh yes, ever since she turned 4, she said she's not a baby anymore and she's a big girl. She insists on helping with everything, which doesn't always help sometimes."

"I can only imagine."

"That was part of the reason I wasn't ready before. Someone decided she was thirsty and tried to get a drink by herself but instead gave one to the kitchen floor." Haley said shaking her head remember the huge mess her daughter had made.

"My mom has tons of stories about me doing things like that because I was always trying to help her."

"Yea, she's told me some when I tell her some of the things that Lucy's done. It makes me feel a little better knowing that it isn't just my child."

"No, she's a great kid, Haley. She's just trying to help out her mom. I can remember not wanting to ask my mom for help because she was busy or just trying to help because she was doing the job of both a mom and dad. I could see Lucy trying to help for the same reason because she just loves you so much and wants to help make everything easier for you." Lucas said facing Haley as he places his hand on her arm to reassure her. "You're doing a great job with her, Hales."

"Thanks," Haley smirked. "But let me go find her." Haley began to walk down the hall calling her name. "Lucy, do you need help? Lucy, what are you doing in here?"

"I'm just changing Teddy. He needs to wear his Tree Hill shirt now. Uncle Wucas is home now you know."

Haley smiled at her daughter. "Why you're right sweetie. Did we pack his pj's with your things?"

"Yea, all ready." Lucy said putting the bear's old clothes away.

"Did I hear someone say that we're all ready to go?" Lucas asked stepping into Lucy's room.

"Yep," Lucy answered hopping up with her teddy bear in her arms.

"I remember that bear," Lucas said kneeing down to Lucy's level. "I believe that I gave to a little baby when she was first born. Back then that bear was bigger than you." Lucy smiled at the story. "I can remember you would lay on it an take nap. I have a picture of you sleeping on it that I bring with me on all my trips."

"Really?" The excited 4 year old asked. "Can I see it?" Lucas pulled the picture of the sleeping 18 month old and the teddy bear out of his wallet.

"One of my favorite pictures of you, Kido." Lucy's smile grew larger.

"You want to see one of my favorite pictures?" Lucy ran over to her secret hiding place and pulled out a picture of her, Lucas, Haley and the teddy bear from her 2nd birthday. The bear was wearing a birthday shirt that matched the one Lucy was wearing in the picture.

"That is when Uncle Lucas started buying Teddy his shirts. Then when Uncle Lucas would travel he would send you and Teddy a shirt from all the places her had been. By the way I've been looking for that picture Missy. It used to be in my room."

"But Momma," Lucy looked up at her mother with tears beginning to form in her eyes. Haley knew the reason that Lucy loved that picture because it was the same reason that she did. They looked like a family, which was something they both wanted.

"It's alright, Sweetie, I'll get another one made."

"Ok, let's go!" Lucy exclaimed as she picked up her Teddy and headed towards the door. "I want some of Grandma Karen's Mac and Cheese."

"She's defiantly her mother's daughter." Lucas laughed as picked up Lucy's bag then followed Haley and Lucy to his car.