Disclaimer: Anything you don't recognize from the show is mine… everything else… I wish!

Note: The titles for the chapters are lines from the song, Lifehouse. It's a good song, and coming from me, the same person that listens to heavy music… it means something.


Why would I chase your shadow all my life

She felt instantly that she had been gone from home for too long, Now that she was back, what could she do? Her father had only sent her enough money for a bus ride, a few nights in a cheap hotel, and a little money left to be able to buy food. The only things that she could take with her was the clothes on her back, a small bag of other clothes, her toothbrush and the small notebook she kept hidden from everyone; she wasn't supposed to have anything that wasn't a necessity, but to her, she couldn't live without that notebook. It contained all the letters she had started to write to Jake but could never send off in the mail.

As she walked down the familiar main street of town, she thought of whether they would be out looking for her; maybe walking out along the only road through Tree Hill wasn't a good idea. When they realize she was gone, wouldn't they look here first? Her father had helped her to get away because he knew that even though he never had any real part of her life, this would be the best thing he could do for her. He knew always being away didn't make for much of a dad, but if he knew anything about his daughter, he knew that the only place she would be happy would be in Tree Hill.

But what did she have to offer him? What did she have to offer her daughter? Even if he didn't want her in his life anymore, she needed to try. Anything was better than the life she was leading without them.

He must be so angry, she thought. I'm angry myself. But maybe if somehow I can explain to him that it was not my choice to leave him...

It had taken a whole day for her to work up the courage to walk up that familiar path to his front door and knock, praying (though her mother made her a non-believer in God) that he would open the door and take her up into his arms and tell her that after all this time, he still loved her.

Nobody answered.

In a way, she would sort of glad of it, too. She liked being able to think that there was a chance that he still loved her and that he wasn't as mad and angry as she unconsciously believed him to be, and as long as she didn't see him, she could still believe.

She remembered a time when she never worried whether or not he really did love her; she always knew he did, just as he knew that she would love him forever. But people told them that they were too young to be in that type of love. Their age, they were convinced, didn't matter. But it caught up with them when the pregnancy test read positive.

The hunger pains in her stomach were more than she could bear any longer, so the sight of the cafe right down the street was a welcomed one. She looked in through the window at the sight of the people sitting, eating, laughing. She hadn't had that in a long time. She could see everyone, not dressed up, but definitely not looking disheveled like she was appearing. As she reached for the door, she ran her hand over her hair to smooth it out, placing the same hand on the back of her neck, taking in a long, deep breath.

She had the feeling of everyone staring at her as she walked in, though she knew that hardly anyone was actually looking. A seat at the counter directly in the line from the door was the seat she took because it took the least amount of walking distance. She looked around to see if anyone had noticed that she walked in. Only one person noticed, and it was someone from her past.

"Here, take a look at the menu. Can I get you any coffee?" Haley questioned her, holding a pot of coffee in her right hand and a plate full of muffins in the other.

"I'll just take a muffin if that's okay." She had only so much money. He father promised to send more but he never said when that would be.

Haley was looking at her very intently as she reached under the counter to get a plate and placed the muffin in front of her. They had gone to elementary school together; could she recognize her? Just then she saw Nathan Scott enter into the Cafe and sit down two seats away from her. What would Nathan be doing in Lucas's mom's cafe? And why was Haley kissing him like that?

Jake told her everything that happened at Tree Hill High but she realized that she must have been gone longer than she thought.

She picked at the muffin and from Nathan's seat, she could feel their eyes on her. Nathan thought she looked familiar, too. Haley tried to remember where she knew her from, but she seemed like she was from another time. She had her long brown hair freely hanging over her shoulders and on her back, her clothes were simple and looked awkward on her, like they didn't fit. Her skirt was full length and brown; her shirt was the same color, made out of the same material, and out of her pocket, hung a rosary that caught Haley's eye. Who was this mystery girl?

Haley walked over to look at her progress with the muffin. She wanted to blurt out "who are you?", but opted for a better start to a conversation.

"This sounds weird but you see familiar, do you go to Tree.."

"No, I'm just here visiting."

"Oh, visiting who?"

"Jake.." She had stopped herself in time, Thank God, she decided. She couldn't believe she just blurted it out, not thinking. Did she know, Jake? She had to, he had mentioned her from one of his classes, if she remembered correctly. That and obviously something was going on between her and Nathan, and Nathan and Jake were both on the basketball team.

"Jake Jagielski? Did you know that he works here? You must be here for a surprise, let me go get him, he's in the back." She put her coffee pot back on the burner and was wiping her hands off on her apron when she started to walk off.

"No, that's okay, I didn't want to bump into him here."

"No, I'll get him. Hey Jake."

Nathan watched her bolt out of the Cafe, but not before she left enough money to cover the half-eaten muffin. After only a minute, Haley, dragging Jake, came around from the back.

"You just missed her." Nathan piped in.

"My parents didn't tell me anyone was coming to visit. Did you catch a name?"

"No, but.. I feel like I've met her somewhere. I don't know, maybe I'm loosing it. Sorry to bother you, Jake."

"Its okay, I had to come and bus some of these tables anyways. Looks like today is a really busy day."