Disclaimer: I own Liana and Ella. All other characters are property of Eric Kripke and Mark Schwahn.
Author's Note: I'm glad everyone likes this story. Please keep reviewing so I know what you think.
Ties That Bind: Chapter Two
Sam and Dean stood in the parking lot of Tree Hill High, watching the students. One in particular caught their attention as she walked across campus. Instead of her natural brown hair, she now had blonde hair and she moved with a confidence that neither of her brothers remembered. Suddenly, they both regretted never visiting her before now.
They'd never gone with their father when he'd visited his youngest child and neither of them were sure why. They wouldn't be here now if John hadn't called, telling them that they needed Haley's help. "Come on, Sammy. We'll talk to her later."
"It's Sam." Dean nodded but didn't say anything and after watching Haley for a few more minutes, he got into the car.
Haley smiled as she joined her friends at their usual table in the courtyard. "Sorry I'm late. I was helping someone with their history." Jake smiled and pulled her into his lap.
"It's okay." She laced their hands together and sighed in contentment.
"What did I miss?"
"Nothing much. The guys are going to Charlotte this weekend so we're having a girls only weekend at Peyton's," Brooke said. Peyton looked at her best friend in surprise.
"We are?" Haley laughed and leaned into Jake's chest. That was just like Brooke. In the four years that she'd been here, these people had become her family. Some since the first day she'd arrived in Tree Hill, others more recently.
"Yes, we are," Brooke answered.
"Okay, so what time should we be there?"
"Five," Liana answered. Haley nodded and shivered, getting the feeling that someone was watching her.
"Hales, are you okay?" Lucas asked. Haley nodded and looked up but didn't see anyone.
"Yeah." She snuggled further into Jake's arms and turned her attention back to the conversation.
"So, this is going to be an alcohol free weekend, right? We will have Jenny and Ella with us."
"Totally alcohol free," Brooke assured. Nathan laughed and Brooke threw her pen at him.
"Hey, I don't want to hear anything out of you Mr. I got drunk and stole a school bus." Nathan threw the pen back at her and pretended to be hurt. Haley laughed and shook her head. Sometimes she thought there was more chemistry between Brooke and Nathan than between Liana and Nathan.
Then she would see Brooke and Lucas together or Nathan would do something really sweet for Liana and she could see that Nathan was with the right Davis sister. "Actually, I might be a little late. I promised Karen that I would help her at the café."
"We can all meet there and then go to Peyton's," Brooke said. Haley nodded, still trying to shake the feeling that someone was watching her.
"Hey, Haley," Karen smiled as Haley entered the café that afternoon.
"Hey, Karen. How's it been today?"
"We've had our busy times but for the most part it's been a little slow. Which is nice. I love that I have more business but it's still nice to have a slow day every once and a while." Haley nodded, knowing how Karen felt.
She loved going to school, then working at the café, going home, doing homework and making supper, playing with Jenny, giving her a bath, and then putting her to bed. It was, however, also nice to have a day off with no homework where she could just spend the entire afternoon with Jenny and Jake. "I know how you feel."
"What do you have planned for the weekend?"
"Since the guys are going to Charlotte, Brooke decided to have a girls only weekend at Peyton's."
"That sounds fun." Haley nodded, remembering the last time they'd had a sleepover.
"Yeah, except the last time we had a sleepover, we had this huge fight. It ended well, but still, it wasn't a great experience for a first sleepover."
"It'll be better this time." Haley smiled and grabbed an ordering pad as she walked over to a couple that had just come in.
She had just taken the order back to the counter when Brooke came in with Jenny. "Mommy!" Haley smiled and swung the fourteen-month-old into her arms.
"Hi, pretty girl." Brooke smiled, Haley couldn't love that little girl more if she was her biological mother.
"I know you're working but she really wanted to see her mommy." Haley's smile brightened as she kissed the top of Jenny's head.
"I missed her too." Karen came back with the order and Haley handed Jenny back to Brooke. She had just picked up a tray which contained two very hot cups of coffee and turned around when the door opened and Sam and Dean walked in.
Haley's eyes widened in surprise as the tray slipped from her hands and crashed onto the floor. As a result, coffee splashed onto her uncovered arm and one of the cups broke when it hit the side of the tray. It sliced across Haley's arm and left a large cut before falling to the floor and shattering. She cried out and brought her left hand up to cover her right arm as tears filled her eyes.
Jenny, upset by the loud crash and the fact that her mommy was crying, burst into tears. Brooke handed the little girl to Karen and quickly moved over to her best friend. "Haley, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just need to clean and wrap the wound." Sam stepped toward her and Haley's head jerked up, her brown eyes glittering dangerously.
"Stay. Away. From. Me." Sam stopped, still several feet away from Haley. He'd never heard her that angry. Brooke glared at them before guiding Haley into the kitchen. Jenny whimpered and pointed to the kitchen door as it swung shut.
"Mommy." Karen stroked her hair and swayed gently from side to side.
"Mommy's okay. She'll be okay, baby girl." As she spoke to Jenny, her eyes stayed on Dean and Sam, wondering who they were and why Haley had gotten so upset when she saw them. She was about to go see if they needed help when they came back out.
Haley refused to look at her brothers and focused all of her attention on Jenny as she took the little girl from Karen. "Mommy." Haley smiled and kissed the top of the little girl's head.
"Mommy's okay, pretty girl." Haley looked up at Karen but the older woman seemed to read her mind.
"Take the rest of the day off. Start your party early." Haley smiled and hugged her.
"Thanks, Karen."
"You're welcome, sweetie."
Haley sat on the counter at Peyton's house, staring out the window as she moved the spoon absently around the bowl. She couldn't believe that her brothers had actually shown up in Tree Hill after not bothering to come and see her once over the last four years.
She didn't even know why they were here. They hadn't called and she hadn't heard from John in two weeks. When they entered the café, Haley had felt shock and then anger. She had been shocked that they actually remembered where she lived and angry that they hadn't been to Tree Hill once in four years, not even when their dad had disappeared.
"Haley." Peyton's voice pulled her from her thoughts and she turned her head to look at one of her best friends. "Haley, are you okay?" Haley nodded but Peyton didn't believe her.
"I'm fine, Pey." Haley didn't believe her words and she didn't expect anyone else to but it hurt to talk about her brothers.
"Okay, Haley, you have to tell us who those guys were," Brooke pushed gently. Haley's eyes filled with tears and she once again looked out the window. She saw Liana join Brooke and Peyton in front of her and she knew she had to tell them.
"Haley, we're your best friends. You can tell us anything," Liana said.
"They're my brothers." In the silence that followed the quiet statement, Haley picked several chocolate chips out of the batter. Peyton was the first to speak.
"I didn't know you had your brothers. I mean, we met your dad but you never mentioned having brothers." Haley nodded and looked back at her friends.
"I was angry at them. They never came to visit, not even when Dad disappeared. The only contact we've had over the last four years is phone calls and e-mails and then today they just show up." Brooke placed a comforting hand on Haley's leg.
"I hate to say this, but planes go both ways." Haley shook her head.
"You guys know what they do. There was no way I could have visited. Even when Sam was at Stanford, I didn't have the money to buy a ticket and when he didn't come with Dad the first time, I felt like I didn't have to go to California to see him. It's stupid and selfish I know, but it felt right."
"It's not stupid or selfish. They hurt you," Brooke said. Haley smiled, she should have known that her friends would understand.
"Look, I know you guys are just trying to help but I can't talk about this. It hurts too much."
"How's your arm?" Liana asked. Haley looked at her right arm then back at her friends.
"It's okay, a little sore. I'll be fine."
"So, what do you want to do?" Peyton asked.
"Honestly? I just want to have fun and forget about my brothers for the next three days."
"That's my girl. Where do we start?" Brooke asked.
"Manicures?"
"I'll go get the stuff. You three put the first batch of cookies in the oven," Peyton said. Haley popped the chocolate chips she had stolen earlier into her mouth then slid to the floor and pulled a pan out of one of the cabinets.
Dean slammed the door to the motel room that he and Sam were staying in and sat down on one of the beds. "Dean, calm down." Dean looked up at his little brother and Sam was shocked to see tears in Dean's eyes. "Dean."
"We don't know her anymore, Sammy." Sam nodded and didn't correct Dean's use of the nickname he hated.
"Yes, we do. We haven't seen her but we've kept in touch."
"She didn't tell us anything. We didn't know she had a daughter, we didn't know she was blonde, we don't know anything about her." Dean shook his head, hating himself for not keeping up with his baby sister's life. "Why would she lie to us?"
"She was angry with us. We never visited. She probably thought that we didn't care so she told us she was fine and asked how we were."
"She could have come to see us, Sam." Sam shook his head, sometimes his brother really didn't think.
"There was no way she could have seen you and Dad. You were never in the same place for more than a few days and I'm guessing that after I didn't come with Dad she felt like she didn't have to fly to California."
"Why didn't Dad tell us? Sammy, she has a life, she went on tour, she's working on an album."
"Look, Dean, we just have to give her some time."
"We don't have time. Dad sent us here for a reason."
"Fine, go find her and talk to her but you're just going to push her farther away. You know how Haley is."
"I do know. I just don't want to lose her."
"You will if you push her. Haley's just as stubborn as you are and you'll both say things that you don't really mean." Dean nodded, he wanted to talk to Haley but he knew that Sam was right. He and Haley had always been the closest of the three siblings and when they fought, they always said things they knew would hurt the other one.
Sam used to swear that Haley and Dean had been lovers in a past life. Dean would roll his eyes and Haley would laugh. "Okay, you're right. So, what do we do now?"
"Find a place to eat."
"I'm guessing Karen's Café is out," Dean said. Sam nodded and grabbed his wallet off the dresser.
"I saw a pizza place a few blocks away. We can eat there."
"What was your mom like?" Liana asked. Haley looked up, surprised by the question.
"I don't know. She died when I was in six-months-old. Dad and Dean told me about her and I've seen pictures of her but it's not the same." The three girls nodded and Peyton was the next to speak.
"How did she die?" Haley looked down, dipping her finger into the glass of champagne she held. Although she had made sure that their weekend would be alcohol free earlier in the day, after the run-in with her brothers, she had needed something alcoholic. Peyton and Haley had gone to the store and returned with three bottles of champagne.
"She died in my nursery. A demon pinned her to the ceiling and set her on fire."
"Oh, my God. That's horrible," Brooke said.
"Yeah, after that, my dad was determined to find what had killed her. He dragged the three of us around the country and we would stay in crappy motel rooms while he hunted demons. When Dean got older he would help but Sam and I didn't want that life. Well, Sam didn't until the same thing killed Jess."
"When did your dad disappear?" Liana asked.
"Right before Jess died. Now Sam and Dad are gunning for revenge. Dean and I are the only ones that are thinking clearly. I mean, we both miss Mom but we're not willing to risk everything to kill this damn demon."
"Wow, I don't know which family is worse. The Scott's or the Winchester's." As soon as the words left her mouth, Brooke regretted them. She really had to work on thinking before she spoke. "Oh, God. Haley, I'm really sorry."
"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it." Brooke looked closely at her friend, making sure that she was really okay. When Haley was hurt, she shut down faster than any other person Brooke had ever met.
"Brooke, I'm fine. I promise. Can we talk about something else, please?" She took her finger out of her glass and licked the champagne from it. It hurt to talk about this and while it felt nice to share it with someone, there was only so much she could take and she had reached her limit.
"What do you guys want to do for spring break?" Peyton asked. Haley smiled at her friend in appreciation. It was still several months away but it was a welcome change of topic and Haley couldn't have been more grateful.
"We could go to Savannah," Liana suggested.
"Savannah?" Peyton questioned. Brooke nodded, seeing where her twin was going.
"Yeah, it's not crowded, it has a beach, and it has great shopping places."
"You're deciding where we spend spring break based on how great the shopping is?" Haley asked.
"Shopping is very important, Haley," Brooke said. Haley laughed and for the moment, things were light and easy again. She knew they wouldn't stay that way, but right now she was just a normal girl.
She hadn't spent her whole life moving around the country, staying in crappy motel rooms, being raised by her brothers, completing elementary school and junior high by mail, none of that had happened. Right now, she was Haley Winchester, normal girl, and she was happy with that.
"Haley Winchester, are you laughing at me?"
"Yes." At that point, her laughter became contagious and Peyton joined in. Brooke shared a look with her twin sister and soon the four girls were engaged in an all out pillow fight.
The next morning Haley and Jenny were in the kitchen. Jenny sat in her high chair eating the sliced strawberries that Haley had put on the tray along with a sippy cup of milk and Haley was making breakfast. She smiled as she listened to Jenny talk. She wasn't saying actual words and she wasn't talking to Haley, but Haley loved listening to the little girl.
Peyton smiled as she came into the kitchen with Ella. "Does she do that a lot?"
"Yeah, I don't know what she's saying, but I love listening to her. Sometimes I wish I still had that innocence." Peyton looked at her friend curiously. There was a darker undertone in Haley's voice and she didn't understand it.
"What do you mean?" Haley sighed as she flipped the pancakes that were in the pan.
"I've seen a lot of things, Pey. Most of them are things that no one my age should ever have to see. I know that my dad was just trying to do the right thing and stop the demon that killed my mom but a six-year-old should not have to sleep with .45 under her pillow because she heard a monster under her bed."
"Wow, wasn't that a little dangerous?" Haley smiled and after she poured more batter into the pan, turned to face Peyton.
"Yes and no. It was dangerous because I could have accidently shot Sam or Dean or my dad if they walked in and I didn't know who they were but at the same time, I already knew how to use a gun. All three of us know how to use any weapon we can find, we're all trained to take care of any injuries we get outside of the hospital, and we know how to fight." Peyton's eyes widened in surprise.
"Haley, what kind of childhood did you have?" Haley laughed, the question should have hurt but it didn't.
"I had a good one. Sometimes it was normal, most of the time it wasn't. Dad knew what was out there and he wanted us to be able to take care of ourselves. When I was four I learned how to use a crossbow, when I was five I learned about salt rings, when I was six my dad gave me my first gun. Every year it was something new. By the time I was six and a half and I could assemble and disassemble any kind of gun in seven seconds. When I was ten it was down to five seconds. When I was eleven it was down to three and a half. I've done more research than I can remember, I've been kidnapped by demons more times than I count. It goes on and on."
"Sounds like you had to grow up fast." Haley nodded and looked at Jenny, a sad smile on her face.
"I did. While other kids were playing on playgrounds and learning normal skills I was researching demons and practicing target shots. I don't want Jenny to grow up like that." Peyton covered Haley's hand with her own.
"She won't. You know, I think I just figured out why we're all so close."
"Why's that?"
"Think about it, none of us have normal lives. I mean, you spent yours chasing some demon around the country, I lost my mom and had to grow up way too fast and then I was raped, Jake has a baby, Brooke and Liana basically raised themselves, Nathan and Lucas have great moms but their dad is the supreme heartless jackass, and Cayla escaped from an abusive father and earned the money to put herself through four years of college." Haley smiled at the mention of Cayla Hart-Scott. The last person in their group was currently in California, visiting her grandparents, and would be back in four days.
"We are kind of screwed up, aren't we?"
"Yeah, but we survived and came out stronger."
"Have you heard from Cayla lately?"
"Yeah, she called yesterday. She said she's having a great time and that she can't wait to get back to Tree Hill."
"Sometimes I think Cayla's the strongest out of all of us." Peyton looked at Haley skeptically.
"I've seen what you can do, Haley. I think you're the strongest one in our little circle of friends." Haley laughed.
"I don't mean physically. I mean, we've all had rough lives but Cayla's supported herself most of her life. The rest of us had friends and family to rely on, Cayla had no one until she moved in with Keith and he adopted her." Peyton nodded, agreeing with Haley.
"She should get some kind of award." Jenny let out a high-pitched squeal and the two girls burst into laughter, forgetting about their previous conversation.
"Do you ever wonder what she's saying?" Peyton asked.
"All the time. It's like she's speaking her own language. If I didn't know it was normal I'd think she was possessed by something." Peyton laughed as she placed Ella in the bassinet she had in the kitchen.
"Haley, that's horrible."
"I'm sorry but listen to that and tell me that if you had grown up the way I had that you wouldn't think the same thing." Peyton listened and after a few moments, she had to agree with Haley.
"Okay, I see where you're coming from but I think it's cute."
"It is cute."
"What smells good?" Brooke asked as she and Liana came into the kitchen.
"Pancakes, eggs, toast, and fresh strawberries."
"Maybe we should have you move in," Liana said. Haley laughed as she moved out of the way so they could fill their plates.
"Then Jake and Jenny would miss me." She looked over at Jenny as she poured a cup of coffee and smiled. The little girl was still playing with her strawberries and speaking in a way only she could understand. Jenny looked up and smiled at Haley before looking back down again.
"What were you two talking about?" Brooke asked as the four of them sat down at the kitchen table. Haley and Peyton shared a smile.
"Spring break. Savannah is a great idea," Haley answered. Brooke squealed happily and clapped her hands, causing Haley, Peyton, and Liana to laugh.
"Brooke, how old are you?" Peyton asked, laughter in her voice. Brooke stuck her tongue out.
"You can't tell me you're not shocked that Haley agreed to this so quickly."
"Yes, I am but I'm not going to act like a little kid," Peyton teased.
"Liana, help." Liana shook her head, deserting her twin to side with Peyton and Haley.
"I have to agree with Peyton and Haley."
"You know we love you, Brooke," Haley said.
"I know." Haley laughed as they began eating. Sometimes she couldn't believe how lucky she was to have friends like this.
Sunday morning, Sam and Dean were watching tv when there was a knock on the door. Dean got up to answer it and was surprised to see Haley. "Haley."
She brushed past him without a word and stopped in front of the television. "I've been here four years and I haven't seen either of you once, not even when Dad disappeared. Now, you're here and you're watching me at school and you're showing up at the place where I work. What the hell is going on?"
"Dad called," Sam answered. Haley laughed sharply, she should have known that was the only thing that would bring her brothers to Tree Hill.
"Let me guess. He wants to me to go with you on this never ending road trip. Forget it, I'm not leaving Tree Hill."
"Haley, he told us we need your help," Dean said.
"No, forget it. You're on your own."
"Haley, will you..." She shook her head, cutting Sam off.
"No. I'm not leaving Tree Hill. These people are my family. I've finally got a normal life and I'm not giving it up."
"Haley, you know that Dad wouldn't ask unless it was important," Dean said.
"No, I don't care. I'm not like either one of you. I'm not driven by revenge and I'm not taking orders. Thanks for coming but I'm not interested."
"You're the one who left, this is the least you can do."
"I didn't leave. Dad made me come here. I was happy to stay with you and Sam. Yes, I have a life here but for a long time, I was angry at Dad for making me come here." Sam stepped toward her but she backed away. "Just because I forgave Dad doesn't mean I've forgiven either of you."
"Look, we're sorry we didn't come. There's no excuse, we just didn't," Dean said.
"You expect me to forgive that? Dean, you promised you would always be there for me and you weren't. That hurt, Dean. I needed my big brothers and neither one of them was there."
"Haley, I'm sorry." He moved toward her and placed his hand on her arm but she slapped it away.
"Stop apologizing." Sam could sense the anger radiating off of her in waves and he wondered when his sister had started hating them. When she spoke again, her voice was softer.
"I don't hate you. I just-I needed my brothers and neither one of them was there. I felt like I was abandoned and I hated that feeling." Dean pulled Haley to him and wrapped his arms around her.
"We didn't abandon you, Haley."
"Then why didn't you ever come see me?" She stayed in Dean's arms, feeling completely safe for the first time in four years.
"I got caught up in school and Jess and when you didn't say anything about not seeing me I thought you were fine. I'm sorry," Sam apologized. Haley sighed and reached out, pulling Sam into the hug.
"It's okay. I'm sorry I was such a bitch." Dean smiled, glad that they had gotten everything cleared up.
"You're forgiven. So, tell us more about your Tree Hill family." Haley smiled as she pulled away from her brothers and sat down on one of the beds.
"They're great. They know what we do and they're not freaked out by it. We spend a lot of time together."
"I know we don't know a lot about your life here but Dad would have told us if you were pregnant and it was never mentioned," Sam said. It took Haley several seconds to realize that Jenny had called her Mommy at the café the day Sam and Dean had been there.
"It's a complicated story. Jenny is my adopted daughter. My boyfriend, Jake, is her father. Jenny's mom left when she was three-months-old. When she came back, Jake filed for full custody of Jenny and got it. Three months later, I adopted her. When I came back from my tour, I rented an apartment and Jake and Jenny moved in."
"Dad was okay with that?" Haley smiled, she'd been worried about that too but John had surprised her by welcoming Jake and Jenny into the family.
"Yeah, he was."
"Are you..." Dean trailed off and Sam smacked his brother on the back of the head.
"Ow, what the hell was that for, Sammy?"
"It's Sam and that part of Haley's life is none of our business." Haley laughed, she'd hadn't realized how much she'd missed this until now. It was nice to just sit and talk and tease each other.
"Sam's right, but no, we're not."
"So, when do we get to meet everyone?" Sam asked.
"The guys should be back in a couple of hours. They've been in Charlotte all weekend. We'll probably go to the river court."
"River court?" Sam questioned. Haley rolled her eyes.
"You know, for someone who went to college, you aren't very bright sometimes."
"It's a basketball court by the river," Dean explained.
"Okay, I have to go. I left Jenny with Brooke and she's probably already corrupted her. Can I trust you to not get kicked out of the motel?" Haley asked, looking at Dean.
"Very funny, smart girl." Haley laughed as she stood up.
"Says the guy who got us kicked out of that motel in Colorado because he was too loud." Dean threw his pillow at Haley and she caught it, smiling as she threw it back at him.
"Hey, Haley?" Sam stopped Haley just as she was about to open the door. She turned around to face him.
"Yeah?"
"Earlier I was thinking that you hated us and then you said you didn't hate us. Did you know what I was thinking?"
"I think that was more of a brother-sister connection thing." Dean was the one to notice the shadow enter Haley's brown eyes. Maybe it was because of how connected they were or maybe it was because she was looking straight at him. It didn't matter. All that mattered to Dean was that it was there and he didn't like it.
"Haley?"
"I had these dreams a few months ago. I saw Jess die. I told Dad and he told me not to say anything to Sam because it wasn't real. I didn't say anything and then she died and I felt horrible. I almost went to Stanford but I didn't. I couldn't." By the time she finished, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
Sam pulled her to him, stroking her hair in an effort to calm her down. "Stop torturing yourself. You couldn't have known it would really happen."
"I still should have called you. It's my fault. I saw it and I could have stopped it." Sam stepped back and grabbed her arms roughly.
"Haley Grace Winchester, it is not your fault that Jess died. I don't blame you and I don't hate you. The only thing I hate is seeing you like this." She nodded and wiped away the last of her tears.
"I'm sorry. I just-I should have said something." Sam smiled and pulled her back to him, allowing her to rest against his chest.
"Have you seen anything else?" Dean asked. His voice was gentle and soft, unusual qualitites for him. She shook her head, blinking to stay awake. The last hour had completely drained her and all she wanted was to sleep before she had to go to the river court.
"No, just normal dreams," she answered quietly.
Two hours later, Haley, Sam, and Dean pulled up at the river court. As soon as Haley stepped onto the asphalt, Jenny ran toward her. "Mommy!" Haley smiled and picked the little girl up, kissing the top of her head.
"Hi, baby girl."
"Mommy, see Daddy." Haley smiled as Jake walked over to them.
"Yeah, I do see Daddy." Jake wrapped an arm around her waist and she melted into him. It was crazy that she missed him so much and he'd only been gone two and a half days. It made her wonder how she'd survived five months without him last year.
"I missed you," he said, lowering his lips to hers. Haley responded but pulled away just as quickly remembering that her brothers were about ten feet away.
"Later," she whispered before turning to face their friends. "Guys, come here. I want you to meet two people that are very important to me."
"Hey, what's up, Hales?" Lucas asked. Haley smiled as she motioned for her brothers to come closer.
"Guys, these are my brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester. Sam, Dean, these are my friends. My family. Lucas and Nathan Scott, Brooke and Liana Davis, Jake and Jenny Jagielski and Peyton and Ella Sawyer. There's another girl, Cayla Hart-Scott but she's in California right now." After the greetings were finished, Dean was the first to speak.
"What about the adults you were telling us about?" Haley smiled as she thought about the three people that played the parents to their group.
"Karen and Deb own the café and Tric and Keith owns an auto repair shop. We'll introduce you to them later."
"What happened to you earlier? I thought you were coming back to Peyton's," Brooke said.
"I was but we kind of lost track of time. Was Jenny okay?"
"She was great. Brooke didn't brainwash her into think that shopping is the most important thing in the world but she is on her way to be a cheerleader just like her mom," Peyton said. Haley groaned playfully.
"You're a cheerleader?" Dean questioned.
"Yes, I am. I was tricked and it's only because Brooke hates Rachel. And before you ask, all the girls in our group are cheerleaders."
"Do you guys wanna play?" Nathan asked.
"Yeah, sure," Dean answered. Haley smiled as the guys spread out on the court and the girls took their usual places on the picnic table.
"Pey, can you watch Jenny tomorrow?" When Peyton didn't answer, Haley followed her best friend's gaze and groaned. "That's a first." That caught Peyton's attention.
"What's a first?"
"A girl not being able to take their eyes off of Sam. Dean's usually the girl magnet."
"How old is Sam?" Peyton asked.
"Twenty-two. Dean is twenty-six."
"I think they're both sexy," Brooke said.
"Okay two things. You have a boyfriend named Lucas and those are my brothers. I really don't need to hear how sexy they are," Haley said.
"Sorry, Hales and I'm happy with Lucas but how can you not notice it?"
"I'm their sister," Haley reiterated. She turned her attention back to Peyton. "So, can you watch Jenny after practice? Jake and I both have to work."
"Yeah, sure."
"Thanks, Pey. You're the best." Peyton smiled and put an arm around Haley's shoulder.
"That's what best friends are for. Hoes over bros." Haley laughed and realized that things were good and she liked them that way. Her whole family was here and that was all she needed to be happy. It would be nice to live in Kansas with both of her parents and have the life she'd always dreamed of but then she would be missing out on this family. Now that she had it, she knew she could never give it up. In a way, this was what she'd been craving since she was a little girl and she'd noticed children playing on the playground with a mom and a dad.
"Yeah, hoes over bros."
"So, I think we should try to set Peyton and Sam up." Haley groaned playfully and shoved Brooke.
"Matchmaking later, right now we can talk about all the places we're going to go shopping in Savannah." Right now, things were normal and that was all that Haley needed. It was enough for her to ignore the feeling she had that something bad was coming and that it was after her. She pushed the thought out of her head as she listened to Brooke map out their shopping plan.
