Fandom: One Tree Hill

Title: In The Rain

Author: crimsonredmgic

Theme: #18 Dishevelled; In The Rain; Thunder

Pairing: Jake Jagielski/Haley James - Scott

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I'm not Mark Schwann, I don't own OTH or any of the characters featured in OTH. I f I did do you really believe they'd be a Naley!

Word Count: 975

She was burying her husband. The man she was supposed to love but never really had and the guilt was eating her up inside.

He'd known she hadn't loved him, he'd known from their very first night spent as man and wife when she had called out another's name while they were making love.

Nathan had thought that the fact that he loved her would be enough but he was wrong and in the end it had killed him.

Rain was falling heavily and the mourners made their way to their cars but Haley stayed.

She owed him that much, after everything she had put him through the least she could do was with stand a little water on his behalf.

She wouldn't cry. Crying was a luxury she wouldn't afford herself even though Nathan deserved her tears and so much more.

Kneeling down beside his grave she sat for what seemed like hours apologizing over and over for her selfishness, for her lack of love toward him.

She heard footsteps behind her, knew who was heading towards her. Felt him so keenly it shook her to her core.

It had been almost a year since she'd seen him.

He'd come to her and told her that he'd have to leave Tree Hill, she'd begged for him not to go, begged for him to take her with him but he had said no.

The next day as he boarded a boat for who knows where Nathan had proposed to her and she'd hastily accepted.

'What are you doing here?" she asked the silence becoming too much for her to take.

Her voice was hoarse, harsh sounding to her own ears.

"Same thing as you I'd imagine" he answered as he came to a stop mere inches from where she was kneeling

The laugh she let out was bitter, humorless "I really doubt that" she stated finally looking up at him "Why'd you come back?"

"Peyton called. Said you needed me" he spoke to her like he was speaking to some sort of wounded bird, softly gently "I'm sorry Haley. I'm sorry for your loss"

Her eyes were guarded as she stared into his brown orbs "Are you really?"

"What kind of question is that?" he exclaimed "Of course I am"

She nodded, seemed to accept his answer as she dragged her eyes away from his and back down to her hands "I killed him you know" she stated her voice emotionless.

"You know that's not true"

"Maybe I didn't do it alone" she continued "Lots of people helped, his dad, his mom, Lucas, even you" she looked back up at him "But in the end I'm the one most guilty."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Couldn't understand why she was so unbelievably harsh on herself "Nathan killed himself" he said it without sugar coating it, simple and to the point.

"No he was the one that pulled the trigger. I was the bullet in the gun" she sighed tiredly suddenly feeling older then her 18 years "You need to leave now Jake"

She noticed the rain wasn't getting any lighter and wondered idly if Tree Hill might flood. If her fate was to drown beside her dead husbands grave, the love of her life beside her.

"I'm not leaving you alone Hales"

The way he said her name comforted her, the caress of his voice threatening to be her undoing and she had to push aside her urge to fall into his arms and forget the reality of her situation.

"It's what I deserve" her voice wavering slightly "To be alone, to feel unloved" she swallowed heavily "The way I made him feel"

Jake knelt beside her gently lifting he face up so that their eyes met "You're scaring me"

"I'm scaring myself" she allowed herself to revel in the feel of his hand against the skin off her cheek "Please leave now"

"I told you before I'm not going anywhere" he was unyielding, immovable.

She felt a burst of anger shoot through her and with strength she hadn't known she possessed she pushed away from him and jumped to her feet "Don't you understand" she screamed "You cant be here! I don't want you here!"

Jake was also on his feet "I'm not leaving you Haley!" he said forcefully, a finality in his tone.

She looked at him, his fear for her plainly written on his face. His eyes searching hers for answers to questions he dare not ask for fear of what he would be told.

"You think I'm going to do something stupid once you go? Join Nathan maybe?" she uttered almost making fun of him, wanting to hurt him "Don't worry Jake I'm not planning on killing myself if that's what you're afraid of"

He sighed in frustration before softening "The way you're talking makes me wonder"

The pure love and worry in his face directed at her almost caused her to stop breathing, all the fight suddenly left her as quickly as it had come "Please Jake" she begged close to tears "Please just go. I can't take anymore of this"

The rain was now a dull drizzle falling softly on her face.

He closed the distance between them and cautiously gripped her shoulder firm but gently "I love you Haley" he said his voice quiet yet strong.

Those four little words were her undoing and tears began to coarse down her cheeks mingling with the droplets of rain.

Jake pulled her to him and wrapped her firmly in his arms sheltering her as sobs wracked through her body and she finally let go of everything she was trying so hard to hold inside.

As they both sunk heavily to the ground below she whispered back quietly that she loved him too and felt the storm finally pass.