A/N: I'm soooooo sorry for the long wait guys. I got kinda ahead of myself when I wrote the first chapter, I didn't really know where I wanted this story to go and I rushed to write the first chapter. But maybe my muse will stay with me and you won't have to wait so long in between updates but I'm not promising anything lol. And I promise that all the chapter titles won't be songs by the Fray, they just seemed appropriate.

Some of you seemed a little confused when it came to their relationship, but they are JUST friends. Haley does have a slight crush on Nathan, but who wouldn't, come on, it's Nathan lmao.

Chapter Two: How to Save a Life

Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up
With you all night
Had I known
How to save a life

-The Fray

God, I love this place, Nathan thought looking around Haley's room. He had spent more time in this room than he had his own. Memories of his childhood were scattered all around him. Hanging on the wall was a corkboard, filled with tickets from all the concerts and professional basketball games they have attended together. Also pinned to the board were several photobooth pictures of the two of them over the years, they were smiling, making funny faces, they were kissing each others cheeks. They were happy.

He looked over at her desk and saw his blue Ravens hoodie that had his name and number stitched across the left chest was slung over the chair. Haley had borrowed it one night when they had one of their movie nights, that was over a year ago.

He looked down at her sleeping form lying next to him and realized, no matter what they were bound to go through in the next months, it was the small things he had to remember. The way she laughed when she got caught of guard or the way she twirled her hair around her finger when she concentrated, that's what he had to remember.

xxxxxx

Pausing the movie, Nathan sighed. "I just don't get it."

Laughing, Haley turned to her best friend, "What don't you get, Nate? This isn't exactly a movie that requires much brain power." She had picked the movie 'She's Out of My League' because she figured that considering it was a raunchy romantic comedy her and Nathan would both enjoy it. He went to speak before she interupted him, "Hold that thought."

Haley hopped off the couch and crossed the Scott's living room. Rummaging through a laundry basket that was sitting on the stairs, she found what she was looking for. The blue Ravens hoodie practically dwarfed her when she pulled it over her head. Nathan laughed as he watched Haley skip back to the couch and plop down next to him.

"Cold?" He smiled down at her.

"Hell yeah, feel." she said, bringing her bare feet into his lap and shoving her toes under the pantleg of his basketball shorts.

He jumped at the cold feeling against his skin. "I'm gonna get you for that." he threatened, grabbing her by the ankles and pulling her closer to him. His hands sought out her stomach, attacking her with tickles.

Squirming under his relentless finger as she squealed between each batch of giggles, "Nathan...please..."

"Nope, not until you say it." he refused, continuing his assault.

She grabbed his hands in hers, trying to catch her breath. "You... are the hottest... most talented... basketball player ever."

"That's what I like to hear." He said cockily, with his signature smirk on his face.

Sitting up against the back of the couch, Haley straightened her clothes. "Okay, you cocky son of a bitch, why is this movie perplexing you so?" She said in a baby voice.

"She's hot and he's not." he said scratching his head.

"Well, yeah. That's kinda the point of the movie, guy." she laughed, ruffling his hair.

"Don't you think that's a little unrealistic? A 10 going for a 5?"

Thinking about it for a minute, she responded, "I hope not. I mean, are you saying that someone like you couldn't end up with someone like me?"

He let what she said sink in before turning to her. "Come on, Hales, give me a little credit. I think I deserve more than a 5, at least like an 8? Maybe?"

Hitting him lightly in the arm, Haley rolled her eyes, "Nathan, I'm saying you're the 10, you dumbie, and I'm the 5."

Nathan scoffed, "You are being ridiculous! You think you're a 5? You're way hotter than that."

"Stop it", she said, slapping his thigh. "You're just saying that because you have to."

"I don't have to say anything." When he saw she was looking down in her lap, he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "You are beautiful, smart and funny and one of the sweetest, kindest person I've ever met." She looked up at him with a small smile gracing her face. "You're my best friend and I love you."

Haley couldn't help the colossal butterflys that invaded her stomach when he leaned forward and kissed her on her temple. She snuggled closer into his side, wrapping her arm around hiw waist as he pressed play.

They sat in a comfortable silence for the rest of the movie, laughing and enjoying their Wednesday night ritual.

xxxxxx

Running his hand over his face, Nathan took a deep breath to compose himself as his emotions threatened to get the better of him. He layed his head down on the pillow and looked over at his best friend, sleeping next to him. He brought his hand up to move a strand of hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear.

"Will you stop?" Haley mumbled, her groggy voice breaking the silence.

Startled, he propped his head up on his hand. "Stop what?" he asked, the emotion evident in his gruff voice.

"Looking at me like you'll never see me again." She said, opening her eyes and turning on her side to look at him. He averted his eyes south and pursed his lips, obviously what she said had struck a chord with him. She put her hand on his cheek and made him look at her, "Hey, I'm not going anywhere."

Nathan let out a bitter laugh, looking down again. "That's not entirely true." he whispered, picking at imaginary lint on his pillow.

"Nathan, don't be like that..."

"Like what?" he shouted quietly. Startled by his outburst, she looked up at his blue eyes and saw the sadness, anger and confusion brewing within them.

"It's gonna be alright, guy." she soothed, rubbing his upper arm gently.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "No, it's not Haley! God damn it! You say you have cancer and my whole world changes. Every memory I have is wrapped up in you and if you think I'm gonna left you give up with out a fight, you're horribly wrong."

"Nate, the whole treatment thing, it's complicated..."

"Would you do it?" His voice was small and when she looked at him she saw the boy she knew when she was little, not the man he had grown into. "For me?"

There was absolutely no way that she could deny him especially not after seeing how he was reacting. She brought her hand up to his cheek again and he exhaled as if something as simple as her touch calmed him. As he closed his eyes, she felt several tears cascade over her fingertips. "Okay", she breathed.

Looking up at her, some semblance of a smile crossed Nathan's face. "Good", he whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around her small frame and crushing her to his chest.

Rolling onto his back, he made sure to keep Haley securely tucked into his side. She laid her head on the right side of his chest, letting her hand rest over his heart. When he brought his hand up to cover hers, he encountered a familiar surprise. Underneath his fingers was the colorful, cheap bracelet from a Cracker Jack box.

"This really means alot to you, huh?" he inquired, slipping his thumb under the elastic and giving it a few small pulls.

She smiled against the cotton of his shirt, "Of course", she replied softly, "you gave it to me."

They sat in what seemed like a comfortable silence but Nathan's mind was reeling and Haley knew it. "What's on your mind, guy?"

Taking a deep breath, he was about to address something he terribly wanted to avoid. "Did you really mean it when you said that you wanted me to have sex with you?"

"Yeah", she said, lifting her head off his chest and looked at him. His eyebrows were knitted together, a sure fire sign that he was either confused or concerned. She tried to lighten the mood. "Why? Are you worried about seeing me naked? Because if you don't remember, we used to take bathes together."

He laughed, the sound was beautiful. "Uh, Hales, I think you have changed a bit since we were three." he said, motioning to her now womanly body. "And don't you want it to be special?"

"It will be special, you're my best friend."

"That's not what I mean." He paused, trying to find the right words. "You should want your first time to be with someone that makes your heart ache by just looking at you. Someone that will make you feel it from the tips of your fingers", he explained, toying with her fingertips, "all the way down to your toes. This is one thing you shouldn't have to settle for."

She sat up and looked down at him, the concern on his face was enough to make her heart break. How could she tell him that she did feel that way about him? Taking his hand, she held it between both of hers in her lap. "Nathan, I know this is morbid, but it might quite possibly be true. I might not have time to find someone like that. The treatment might not even work and if it does I don't think alot of teenage boys are jumping at the chance to date a bald girl."

He twirled a piece of her dark blonde hair around his index finger. "Hales, your hair is nice, but it's not what makes you, you. You're a catch." Despite the tears brimming in her eyes, she laughed at his cheesy line. The impending hair loss was a touchy subject, she had always been told that she had beautiful hair. It was definitely going to fall out and when it grows back it might not be the same. He rested his forehead against hers. "Get some sleep, peach. Tonight you have nothing to worry about, I'm here."

Smiling at his comforting words, she cuddled back into his side and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to overtake her.

xxxxxx

Sensing a heavenly enter her nostrils, Haley opened her eyes. She looked down and saw a familiar, masculine arm wrapped around her waist, that perfect hand resting against her flat stomach. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Nathan sleeping soundly. His eyelashes fluttered slightly against that adorable freckle on his right cheekbone as his chest rode and fell steadily.

"Nathan, wake up." she whispered loudly, patting his hand with hers. His eyes blinked open slowly, getting used the bright light streaming through the window. "You smell that?" she asked, a smile creeping onto her face.

He straightened up, lifting his head to sniff the ear. The smile that spread across her face matched hers to a tee. "Peanut butter pancakes!" they said in unison. Scurrying off the bed, they raced to the door, down the stairs.

They skidded to a stop right as they entered the kitchen. Haley's mother, Lydia, looked up from the stove and laughed when she saw the childish smiles on their faces. Nathan spoke first, "Are you making..."

"Peanut butter pancakes?" Haley said, finishing his sentence

"Yes, I am", she laughed, "have a seat." she said, motioning to the breakfast bar.

They both moved towards the breakfast bar when Lydia grabbed Haley's hand. "Haley, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for last night. I know I didn't say much, but that's just because I was in shock." Haley could see tears shining in her mothers eyes which made tears form in her own. "I love you so much and I will be here for you, no matter what."

"Thanks mom." she said, her voice cracking. Lydia pulled her into a long, warm hug. They pulled apart and she wiped her daughter's tears away before kissing her gently on the cheek. Nathan smiled sweetly at the exchange from his seat at the breakfast bar.

Haley made her way over and sat next to Nathan who rubbed her back soothingly. She turned to him and gave him a watery smile as Lydia placed a shortstack of her famous peanut butter pancakes in front of him. "So, Haley Bob, I was doing research and I found that it's very important for someone who is about to undergo chemo to eat extremely healthy and drink alot of vitamin c to keep from getting sick. So I made you this." She said, turning around and placing a plate in front of her and the plate did not have pancakes on it.

She looked down at the plate in disappointment. "What is that?"

"It's an eggwhite omelet with spinach and goat cheese." She said. "And as for the vitamin c." She placed a towering glass of orange juice in front of her.

Haley looked over at Nathan who happened to find this hysterical with a mouthful of pancakes. "Ma, I don't even like orange juice." Haley laughed.

When Lydia's back was turned he took a pancake from his plate and plopped it onto hers. "I like orange juice, Mama J." he said, leaning over Haley and grabbing the glass, taking several large gulps.

"I know you do, baby, you have ever since you were little. And I know that Haley perfers white grape juice." she said, placing a cup of said juice in front of Haley.

"You're the best, mom", she smiled, her cheeks full of pancake deliciousness as she drank the light liquid.

Looking at the time on his cell phone, Nathan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Okay, I gotta go. The game starts in an hour. Thanks for the awesome breakfast, Mama J." he said, giving Lydia a kiss on the cheek. He walked back over to Haley and gave her a kiss on the cheek as well. "I'll see you there, right?"

"I might be a little late, but I wouldn't miss it." She smiled.

"Alright, catch you later."

xxxxxx

Hey guys, I hoped you liked this chapter. I put a couple of my own spins on this story. For example, the way that Haley calls Nathan "guy". My sister-in-law call my brother that and I always liked it. Let me know what you think!