Hi guys. New story!! Woot woot!!! I have no idea how I'm gonna cope with three stories in the works but the ideas just came and I had to put it into words. This chapter is a bit short, sort of an introduction to the whole story. But it's a Naley so I hope you guys will like it. Let me know in the the reviews! Cheers!


Chapter 1

Haley James stared at the invitation card for the longest time. A part of her was thrilled that her best friend Lucas Scott was getting married to Brooke Davis, another of her best friend. Another part of her dreaded the trip back to Tree Hill, the town where she grew up. The town where she went to school. The town where she met and fell in love with Lucas's half brother, Nathan Scott. The town where they got married. They had gotten married right after high school, promising each other that they would stay together forever. Empty promises, she thought bitterly.

All that seemed just like yesterday. In fact it had been four years since they got divorced. A day that she wanted to erase from her mind but she knew she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. She saw Nathan occasionally but they avoided each other whenever they could. The only times when they knew that they had to come face to face was when Nathan picked up Jamie, or when she sent him to Nathan's house for their monthly long visits. James Lucas Scott. Their son of four years. She had signed the divorce papers right after he was born. It was what Nathan wanted and she didn't have the strength to fight him. After their divorce, she threw herself into her music. It was ironic, she thought, that her music was what came between them. And music had made her successful beyond her expectation. But she knew that even with her success, a part of her seemed hollow without him.

"What's that Mama?" a tiny voice greeted her from behind, making her smile. Jamie looked so much like Nathan that sometimes it hurt her just to look at him.

"Hey buddy," she said and lifted her up on the kitchen counter. "It's a wedding invitation from Uncle Lucas," she explained, giving him the card.

"Neat," he said examining the card with interest. "I'm glad he's marrying Aunt Brooke. I like her," he said.

"I'm glad too buddy," she said.

"We are going right?" he asked. When she kept quiet he bounced on the kitchen counter. "Mama, we have to go! I want to see Aunt Brooke. And Uncle Lucas. And Aunt Peyton. And most of all Daddy! Please Mama!" he begged.

Her heart broke. She knew that he missed Nathan when they were apart. Nathan had chosen to stay in Tree Hill while she pursued her music in Los Angeles where she stayed with Jamie. Although he had become a big basketball star himself with the Lakers, he never wanted to stay in LA. Probably because it was too near to her.

"Okay little man, we're going. Now stop bouncing on the counter before you make a dent," she said playfully and started tickling him, much to his delight. Times like she managed to forget Nathan but now the thought of seeing him again filled her with dread.


Nathan hobbled around Lucas's house as he headed towards the sofa. He was exhausted after the morning he spent with Lucas preparing for the wedding. "You have no sympathy, Luke," he complained as he rested his right leg which was covered in a cast on the coffee table. He had broken his ankle while playing against the Sixers a few weeks ago. the doctor said that he would be out for the whole season much to the consternation of his coach. Nathan was their best player, and to lose him at this stage was a big blow to the team. At times Nathan welcomed the injury. He was finally getting the much needed time off.

"Hey, you need the exercise little brother," Lucas said with a chuckle. He sank himself next to Nathan and sat quietly. After a while he said, "I invited her." He waited for a response but there was none. "She called me yesterday saying that she was coming with Jamie."

Nathan pretended not to care although the mention of his son's name made him smile. "I miss that little boy," he declared. I miss her too, he thought although he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

Lucas watched him carefully. He knew his brother well enough to see that the mention of Haley pained him. He never knew what really happened between them, and when he asked they refused to talk about it. He knew better than to pursue it, knowing that Nathan had a temper when provoked and Haley was just too stubborn. Even Brooke was clueless as to the reason. He had a strong suspicion that Peyton knew about it although she told him that she didn't.

"What about Haley?" Lucas asked.

Nathan continued to stare at the images flickering on the telly. "What about her?" he asked blankly.

"Come on man, don't do that."

"Do what?" Nathan asked testily.

"Pretend as if you don't care, because I know you do," Lucas retorted.

"You don't know shit," Nathan said and started to get up.

Lucas followed suit. "Then let me know damn it! What the hell happened between you two? One minute you were in love and the next you were divorced?! It doesn't make sense!"

"Luke," Nathan said tiredly. "Why are you bringing this up? We both made our decisions. That's all that matters."

"Bull. You still love her Nate," Lucas said. Nathan closed his eyes. Lucas was right. He still loved her. After four years he had never stopped loving her.

"Leave it be Luke," he said quietly. Lucas looked at him and shook his head. He hoped more than anything that Haley's return to Tree Hill would be good for them both, although at this point it didn't seem very likely.


"Hey Hales, you're flying in with Jamie tonight, right?" Peyton asked.

Haley cradled the phone on her shoulder as she stuffed Jamie's clothing in his bag. "Yeah, we're arriving at eight. Please tell me that you're picking us up."

"Of course I am girly. I haven't seen in you in such a long time. Are you all packed?"

"Trying too. Jamie insisted on bringing all of his books," she complained.

Peyton laughed on the other line. "Yeah, he got his genius from his mom obviously. He's gonna be so excited to see Nathan," she said.

"I know," Haley said.

"What about you?" Peyton asked her carefully. She knew that this was dangerous territory, one that she was willing to cross.

Haley sighed. "I don't know Peyton. I'm excited coz Jamie will get to spend time with his dad. But at the same time I'm dreading it. After the divorce, the longest that we've been in each other's company is ten minutes. And now we're gonna be in Tree Hill for a whole month? It's gonna be totally weird."

"Well, if you need me you know you can always call me," Peyton offered.

"Thanks Peyton," Haley said grateful. "I'd better go before Jamie comes home from school and sees that I've left half of his book collection behind." With a laugh Peyton said goodbye, leaving Haley with her thoughts.

She groaned with frustration at the prospect of seeing her ex-husband again. "Why does it have to be so hard?" she exclaimed aloud. "Okay, you know what? How hard can it be? It's not like I'm gonna see him everyday," she muttered to herself.

"Mama, who are you talking to?" Jamie asked.

Haley rolled her eyes to heaven before turning around with a smile on her face. Trust Jamie to be so perceptive. "Nobody honey. I was just talking to myself. Come here you," she said and enveloped him in a hug. "How was school?"

"School's great. Ms. Davis said that we get a long holiday after today," he said referring to the long summer holiday. "It kinda suck that I won't be able to go to school but I get to see Daddy!" he said excitedly.

"I know you are excited buddy," she said with a smile.

"What about you Mama? Are you excited to see Daddy?" he asked innocently.

Oh my God not him too! "Yeah, sure," she said evasively. "Now come on. Let's get you ready. We're leaving for the airport in an hour so you get yourself in the bath now, you hear me? I"ll be there in a minute." She watched him make the short walk to the bathroom and quickly finished packing.

"Hey you!" Peyton said as she rushed over to Haley as soon as she spotted her at the airport. The two friends hugged before Peyton bent down to take a look at Jamie. "Wow, you sure have grown Jamie Lucas Scott. Come here you," she said and lifted him up while showering him with kisses.

"Hi Aunt Peyton," Jamie said laughing. "Where's Daddy?" he immediately asked. Peyton and Haley exchanged looks before Haley came to the rescue.

"Daddy's gonna meet you at Uncle Lucas's place and Aunt Peyton's gonna take us there, okay buddy?" Jamie nodded satisfactorily before letting her settle him down in the car seat in Peyton's car.

"Are you ready?" Peyton asked her.

"As ready as I ever will be," she answered and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. A short half an hour later, they finally arrived at Lucas's. Haley struggled to contain Jamie's excitement although she didn't blame him. Finally she knocked on the door while holding Jamie's hand. The door creaked open and the face that she so dreaded to see appeared.

"Hi," he said quietly.

"Hi," she answered. They stood staring at each other, both at a loss for words.

"Daddy!" Jamie jumped at Nathan, sparing him from making a conversation with Haley.

"Hey buddy!" he said and lifted him up. "Wow, I've missed you. Did you grow any taller?"

Jamie nodded excitedly. "Uh huh. I'm now taller than Jackson," he said referring to the shortest boy in his class. It was true that Jamie was small for his age but sometimes he acted way beyond his years.

"You are? Wow, looks like you can start making those jump shots already," Nathan said with a twinkle in his eyes. "How about we go to the Rivercourt tomorrow?"

Jamie turned to Haley. "Can I Mama?" he pleaded.

She ruffled his head and laughed. "Yeah, sure you can," she said and let her gaze return to the man who had stolen her heart years ago. That was when she noticed the cast. "What happened to your leg?" she asked.

Nathan followed her gaze. The question was a blow to him. She had obviously stopped watching his games, or else she would have known what happened. She probably didn't care anymore, he thought. "Nothing, I broke my ankle. That's all."

She thought she saw the pain in his eyes but she quickly dismissed it. It was true that she had stopped watching his games. She used to watch them religiously but as time went by, it became harder for her to see the man that she loved right in front of her, yet beyond her reach.

"What the hell are you two doing there? Come on in," Lucas yelled from the living room. Nathan stepped to the side to let her in. He caught her scent as she walked by him and he closed his eyes briefly, taking it all in. Even after all these years, he could still recognize the smell. Gardenia. Her favourite scent. He opened them and saw Peyton watching him with a knowing smile on her face.

"What?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she answered ambigously. Oh this is gonna be an interesting month, she thought.


So what do you guys think?