So, thanks for all the feedback. This is another Naley one shot that came to me as I was trying to fall asleep. It's my version of what might have happened after the Season Three finale. I know there's about a million of these out there, but give this one a go please. Read and Review, mostly importantly, enjoy!

Disclaimer – Yep, you guessed it. I don't own anything from One Tree Hill, just this plot.

I Just Thought of You

That not everything is gonna be the way,
You think it ought to be,
It seems like every time I try to make it right,
It all comes down on me,
Please say honestly you won't give up on me,
And I shall believe,
And I shall believe…

- Sheryl Crow, "I Shall Believe"

"Nathan!" She cried, desperation evident in her every syllable. Tears streamed down her face, staining her cheeks and falling delicately onto her pure white dress. No, no. Not now. This can't be happening! Her mind was going crazy; thoughts were rocketing back and forth. She should get down there. No, she should call an ambulance. "Nathan!" she sobbed. As she watched stricken with grief, her plastic purple bracelet sunk slowly below the clear water.

His muscles were burning and they strained for relief. His long-sleeved shirt and black pants were fast weighing him down. He found himself wishing he had kicked off his shoes before jumping in. He pushed such trivial thoughts out of his mind and forced himself to focus on what he had to do. Cooper was in that car, probably on the edge of consciousness. He kicked his legs as hard as he could. The car came into view, nestled on the bottom in thick mud.

Haley kicked off her own shoes, about to jump in herself. She had reached the edge before coming to her senses. What the hell was she doing? Her dress was only going to drag her down, and she was never a good swimmer anyway. Backing away from the edge of the bridge, she turned and ran towards the car. She found her cell phone and dialled 911.

The car door was jammed, the water pressure preventing easy access. Nathan slammed his shoulder against the door; ignoring the pain it sent shooting up his arm. It finally crashed open. Confusion clouded his senses at the sight of green fabric. What was Rachel doing here? But there was no time to think, he inched his arm around her waist and gently tugged her out.

Haley didn't know how much time had passed; it felt like hours, but for all she knew, it could only have been a minute. She was in a different state now. Past the despair, past the desolation. All she felt was numbness and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. She never thought it possible, but it was this feeling that was hurting most. Her heart was in tatters…shattered the moment her husband had disappeared below the surface. She looked around anxiously, where was the ambulance? Shaking her head, she moved hurriedly over to end of the bridge and began the climb down to the bank.

Rachel had slipped effortlessly out of the car, but Cooper was proving to be much harder; he was caught under the steering wheel. Nathan fought the urge to scream out in anger. The fact that he still had to hold on to Rachel wasn't helping things. He silently thanked all his basketball training for making him as fit as he was. But even basketball couldn't save him when he knew he was quickly running out of air. He grabbed Cooper's legs and tried to work them free.

The rocks were tearing at Haley's feet, leaving hundreds of tiny cuts. The vegetation was snagging at her dress. But the only thing that mattered was him. She reached the bottom of the bank and scanned the water before her. The ripples the crash had caused were still moving in to the shore, lapping gently at her feet, stinging the small scratches there. Then, sudden stillness. The water was tranquil, causing the illusion of sleek glass. A gentle wind picked up, blowing her veil in front of her eyes. She impatiently pushed it away, her heart beating faster and faster. "Nathan…" she murmured weakly; his name being the only word she was capable of saying. She sank to her knees on the muddy bank. Then, stark reality set in – she was alone. Again. Her husband was somewhere in that dark abyss and all she could do was wait and pray for help. She could feel a wall of tears forming and she struggled to hold them in. Her breathing was shallow and there was a sharp pain in her chest; the very real possibility that she might never see him again was tugging viciously at her thoughts.

With one last heave, Nathan managed to pull Cooper out from the driver's seat. He kicked out of the car and began the long ascent to the surface, Rachel in one arm and Cooper in the other. But he could feel precious air leaving his lungs; little spots appeared in his pupils, blurring his eyesight. His brain was screaming out for oxygen, the throbbing in his temples was deafening. He could feel himself fading into unconsciousness. No, this is not how it's meant to be. He and Haley were finally ok. They had worked out all the crap between them…they were husband and wife again. And now, when everything was perfect, this had to take place.It was so unfair; he was probably going to die down there.Then, he saw it. A flash of purple plastic. It floated gently and gracefully like a falling leaf. He decided then and there that he wasn't going down without a fight, if anything, he was fighting for Haley; he was fighting to see her beautiful face again. This was just like a basketball game and the water was his opponent. No problem, it's called stepping up.

Haley was almost passed out with grief. At the edge of her consciousness, she heard the steady screech of sirens. It snapped her out of her state. Before she knew it, paramedics were already by her side having been able to scale the bank much faster in their covered shoes. A female paramedic knelt by her side, "are you ok Miss?"

"I'm fine," Haley blurted out, "but my husband's in there!"

Before the paramedic could reply, a splash in the distance caught everyone's attention. Three people appeared above the surface of the dark water. "Nathan!" Haley screamed. She got up and tried to make her way into the water, but the female paramedic grabbed hold of her, "No! Let us take care of it." The remaining two paramedics waded in and pulled Rachel and Cooper from Nathan's grasp. It was only then that Haley realised that only one ambulance had arrived. She looked at the woman next to her questioningly. The paramedic looked frustrated, "we've had a busy day…another crew is on their way." Each paramedic was supporting Rachel and Cooper, leaving Nathan to fend for himself. Haley pulled roughly away from the woman and ran to Nathan. She splashed into the water, ignoring the freezing cold water that was undoubtedly damaging her dress. She was waist deep before she reached Nathan. He looked exhausted, and all but collapsed on her shoulders. Struggling under his weight, she helped him to the shore and laid him on his back with his head in her lap.

There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked deathly pale. He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed in large gasps of air. When he seemed stabilised, he opened his eyes and looked up her. "You're ruining your dress," he whispered softly, fingering the fabric around her thighs. She shook her head sadly. He smiled tiredly and lifted up her hand. As she watched in wonder, he gently slipped a familiar purple bracelet around her wrist. Her mouth fell open, "how did you get that?"

"I just thought of you."

Haley couldn't help but smile. Suddenly, a paramedic interrupted their moment, "Excuse me Miss, we have to take him now and assess his condition." Haley reluctantly released Nathan. But she knew it was going to be ok. They were going to be ok.

The End

Well, once again, thanks for joining me on another whirlwind Naley fic. I'm sorry this one seemed rushed, I mean, there's only so long Nathan can hold his breath right? So this whole fic covers a time span of like, a couple of minutes. But trust me, one person can experience a million emotions in that short amount of time. What do you think? Just wanna say hi? Let me know through a review! Thanks again guys! Love ya! (Also, please check out my other fics and review them).

Shevy