AN: This chapter of the story has a major time change from the last one, so make sure you pay attention to the dates I have posted. I know I left chapter one with a cliff hanger and unfortunately it will not be brought back to that moment until chapter 6. On with the chapter. Hope you like it.

Disclaimer- I do not own One Tree Hill. I also do not own the song this story was based off of.

These Days

Life throws you curves; learn to swerve.

(June 2007)

"Nathan, I just don't believe you. I can't, not anymore." Haley turned slightly, lowered her eyes to his chest, avoiding the heated glare he was sending her way.

"Hales, baby, I love you! You can't do this! I won't let you." The conviction in his voice was so strong, forcing Haley to look back up at him.

"Nate…I don't know how to fix this." Her voice trembled slightly and she had to clench her jaw to stop the tears from falling.

"Let me fix it baby. I love you and you love me and that's all we need. I promise you." Nathan took a step towards Haley and reached forward to take her hands in his, intertwining their fingers. "We can get through this, I know we can."

"But Nate," Haley tightened her fingers in his and stepped the last little bit towards him, "I need you to talk to me, tell me what is going on inside your head. This will not work if we don't communicate."

"I know and I promise you Haley, I will never give up on us. You're my forever."

"I could love you forever Nathan Scott."

"I will love you forever Haley James."

The sun shone brightly through the windows and into the shared bedroom of Nathan and Haley. Despite the harsh glare of the sun, the couple lay still, completely tangled together. Haley's head rested on Nathan's bare chest, her left leg thrown over his. In return, he had her wrapped so tightly in his arms that there was no way she could get free. In the bright morning they slept peacefully.

Haley stirred in Nathans arms and readjusted her head from his chest to snuggle into the crook of his neck. The movement, although slight, was enough to wake Nathan from sleep. He could smell the vanilla scent of her hair and he knew that Haley James was the one for him. It didn't matter that they were only 18, he knew without a doubt that Haley James was his future wife. He couldn't wait until they were married.

Nathan shifted slightly, attempting to situate himself more comfortably without waking Haley up, an almost impossible feat. But maybe his subconscious was trying to tell him something. It was trying to tell him that he wanted Haley awake, but then again he already knew that. He shifted once more before settling back against the pillows and pulling Haley tighter into his chest. He wanted to stay this was forever.

Haley slowly opened her eyes and at first was confused when her stare was met with bare skin, familiar bare skin though. She smiled again Nathan's neck and gently raised her head to look at her boyfriend. Instead of being asleep like she thought he would be, Nathan was wide awake and staring right back at her.

"Good morning." Haley spoke softly, trying not to beak the peaceful mood of the early morning.

"Mornin' baby." Nathan's voice was still gravelly with sleep but neither noticed as he leaned down for a kiss.

Nathan ignored Haley's protests of morning breath and dived right in. The kiss started slowly, gently coaxing the sleep away from their bodies. Nathan bit down gently on her bottom lip, easing them into a deeper kiss. His tongue licked across her bottom lip, then her top before sliding inside her slightly parted lips to tangle wetly with hers. Nathan rolled over, pinning Haley beneath him on the bed. Haley shifted her hips against his and could feel the proof of his arousal. She brought her legs up to wrap around his waist and sighed into his mouth when they were pressed even more closely together. It was just the two of them, the outside world forgotten, until the phone on the bedside table rang, breaking the blissful atmosphere.

"Mmm…don't answer it." Haley pulled back to speak, her lips never completely leaving his.

"I wasn't planning on it." Nathan opened his eyes to look at her and had to bite back the explicative he felt on-coming. Haley looked all kinds of gorgeous. Her skin was flushed a dusty pink and her brown eyes were twinkling with mischief and lust. If it was possible, he fell even more in love with her.

"We should always be like this." Haley said later that morning as they once again lay entangled in bed. They had spent the morning in bed talking, cuddling, making love and reconnecting after their communication fight.

"We will be baby. I know it." Nathan had no doubt in his mind that they would be together forever. "Always and forever, baby."

Haley smiled at Nathan and he felt a smile forming on his face as well. There was no rhyme or reason to it. It just happened. Haley James made Nathan Scott happy.

"I like the sound of that. 'Always and forever.'" Haley giggled and smiled, being with Nathan and being happy with Nathan again felt amazing. And with it all came the smiles and giggles.

"You better like the sound of it. I'll have you know, that's our motto babe." He finished his sentence with an exaggerated kiss to her lips, the silliness seemed to be catching.

"Aww… we have our own motto." Haley mocked, "Is it anything like having our own song?"

"Hush you! You love our motto. Stop denying it. And yes, it is exactly like having our own song."

Haley loved seeing Nathan act goofy. She was one of the only people Nathan let his guard down in front of and the trust he had in her was one of the many reasons why she loved him. Nathan wasn't able to let his guard down in front of many people. Whether it be the hostile household he grew up in or his golden boy status around school, he had never been introduced to the concept of truth. So Haley always felt honored that Nathan chose her as someone he wanted to trust.

"Well, if our motto is 'always and forever', then what is our song? They have to go together." Haley decided to play along with Nathan's game.

"I don't know yet. And if I can't think of something I'm sure I can write something." He threw out offhandedly.

Haley choked back a laugh. "Babe, are you kidding? Please tell me you are kidding? You know you can't write music. You couldn't even write a four line rhyming poem in English class. Dr. Seus you are not."

"Hey my poem was perfect! All you had to do was twang out 'lips' to rhyme with 'kiss this' but of course you didn't see that."

"I'm sorry Nate. But you seriously couldn't find anything to rhyme with lips?"

"Not anything I liked. Besides, all that matters is that I passed that class."

Nathan sat up suddenly but when he made a move to get out of bed, he was stopped by Haley. She had sat up when he had and grabbed his wrist as soon as he moved.

"What are you doing Hales?" he shot an amused glance at her, while scratching the back of is head with the hand she was not gripping.

"Where are you going?" She countered.

"To the kitchen, I'm starving Hales."

"Oh, well what are you going to make?"

"I was thinking waffles. It's only…12:00. Waffles are still appropriate. Now do you want blueberry or plain?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

"Blueberry it is."



From her spot on the bed Haley could hear Nathan out in the kitchen, rooting through drawers and cabinets for what he needed to make waffles with. She had a plan, and that plan did not allow her to get out of bed. Nathan and she needed bonding time and what better way to bond, then to spend it in bed? Plus, she wouldn't want to move anyways. The bed was warm and Nathan's boxers and sweatshirt were more comfortable then her own clothes. She couldn't think of anywhere else she would rather be.