CHAPTER 1: HE CAN'T KNOW

"Haley, No! He can not know. I thought we agreed on this when I left Tree Hill in December," Brooke's voice could be heard through the receiver end of Haley's cell phone.

"Brooke, you can't keep this from him forever. I mean would you rather him find out from you or from, I don't know, say... Peyton?," Haley said, almost whispering when she said Peyton's name.

Haley's husband Nathan Scott was sitting in the kitchen with his brother Lucas, trying to listen in on the conversation playing out in the next room. Nathan had become suspicious in the last few weeks, when his wife would take private phone calls every hour of the day. His guess was that it had something to do with Brooke, but it wasn't like Haley was giving away any information. "Lucas, stop making so much noise. You are definitely not a good eavesdropper."

"Nate, are you serious. Why do you think that phone call is so important?" Lucas said, making Nathan stare at him like he had 5 heads.

"Well," said Nathan, "tell me why Haley would lock herself in that room all the time to talk. Come on bro, even you have to wonder what she could be talking about or even who." Nathan began to think. Wait a minute, could Haley be cheating on him? No, no that's ridiculous. She wouldn't.

"Haley is not cheating on you," Lucas said, matter of factly.
"How did you know I was-"

"Because your Nathan. I know what goes through your head."

"No, no, no Haley! Why did you get all whispery when you said that "things" name? Oh my god! She knows doesn't she?! Oh my god, Haley! All this time I have tried to hide this pregnancy from everyone. I mean you're the only one who knows right? Haley answer me!"

The sincere fear in Brooke's voice was obvious to Haley, who was now trying to convince her that no one had a clue as to why Brooke left so suddenly. These conversations with her best friend had become more frequent in the last few weeks, as their due dates were nearing.

"Thank god. Hales. I'm so scared," Brooke was practically in tears on the phone.

"Brooke, it is going to be okay. No matter what I will always be here for you, and for your little girl. Just think, now our kids will be around the same age and can hang out together," Haley said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, that will be fun. I guess...," Brooke said, trailing off. She was thinking about this too much.

Haley took notice and decided to step in. "Brooke, please do not lose sleep over this. Everything is going to be okay. I promise you that," Haley said, reassuringly.

"Thank you Haley- for everything. And Hales?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll think about telling him, okay? I love you Tutor-wife. I really don't know what I would be doing right now without you."

"Same to you, Tigger." They both hung up and Haley preceded to go meet Nathan and Lucas in the kitchen.

Haley opened the door of the den and was met with questioning stares from Nathan and Lucas. 'Oh man, this is great.' She thought to herself.

"So, who was that? I mean, you know, who has it been for the last two weeks straight?" Nathan asked. It was killing him that he wasn't in on whatever this was.

"No one, just a friend. Lighten up honey. It's nothing."

Lucas was Haley's best friend and he could tell she was lying. Maybe she was cheating on Nathan. Hmm. "Erm, Hales. I need to talk to you outside in private." Lucas said.

"Oh come on! What is this? Does no one add me to their gossip of Tree Hill anymore?" Nathan whined. Lucas and Haley laughed at Nathan's pathetic manner.

"Honey, I'll find something extremely juicy and you'll be the first to hear it," Haley said, laughing still.

Lucas and Haley made their way to the front porch and sat on the porch swing. Haley was actually really curious as to why Luke wanted to talk to her out here. Did he know something about Brooke?

"So, Nathan was telling me about how you have been going off to have these kind of secret phone calls," Lucas started, "and I can't help but wonder a little. Are you cheating on him? And be honest Haley. I mean wh-." Lucas was cut off by hysterical laughter coming from his best friend. He just sat there, clueless.

Haley looked at him and realized the actual concern on his face and calmed down. "Luke, I am not cheating on my husband. First of all, who would want to party with this pregnant woman? Come on, you know I'm not like that, okay?" Haley said, not being able to wipe the smile off her face.

Lucas knew she wasn't lying and decided to drop it. I mean, did he really think Haley would do something like that. Now he just had one other question. One that seemed to be plaguing him. "Well then if uh," Lucas began, nervous as to what her response would be, "if your not talking to some secret lover, or uh something, and I could tell you were lying about it to Nate, I just have to ask you one thing. Uhm, have you been talking to Brooke because there have been these pregnancy rumors going around school?" Haley sat there speechless, knowing that she couldn't lie to her best friend because he knew every time.

Brooke put the phone back on the cradle and collapsed on the couch next to her cousin, Nikki. Nikki's parents house was an hour from Tree Hill, but her friends back home were told she was forced to move back to California. Little did they know, she wasn't even over the state border. Even though Nikki was only 15, she understood Brooke better than anyone. Her parents, also being Brookes' aunt and uncle, weren't too keen on the idea of having a pregnant Brooke stay at their house. But they were never home so Nikki convinced her mom that she needed some company during the week. Brooke seemed like that perfect company.

"Bad conversation?"

"You have no idea. Not bad, just stressful. I spend every waking moment worrying about him finding out this whole secret. Ugh Nik what am I going to do?" Brooke was tired of running from the truth. She knew it was time to go back home, to go back to him.

"I think you need to tell him."

"You read my mind little cousin." Brooke got up off the couch. She was going to go take a walk and seriously think this through.