-1Authors Note: Thank you all so much for the reviews, I am glad to see that people are liking this story. This fic is definitely a departure from anything I have written in the past and this is probably going to be a pretty long fic, but I promise that everything will be sorted out sooner or later. I also promise that this is a NH fic, just stick with me on it. This chapter, especially the Lucas and Haley stuff, did not turn out how I had originally planned it but the characters had a mind of their own and I got tired of fighting with them. LOL. I am so sorry for everyone who is waiting for an AFY update, I promise it's coming. I have had some major writers block and part of the chapter is not turning out the way I want it to, at all.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, if I did Skills would be Jamie's Manny.

Chapter 2 - Hide Nothing

We live and we learn and crash and burn and we're gone

We take what we know and we learn as we go and we run

Run until the day

We can see who we are

Have the final say

We keep being who we are

As love lights the way to the last day

And no one can take it away

Run and hide

Don't hide at all

Change is coming, know it's nothing personal

Live our lives

Now hide it all

Change is coming, know it's nothing personal

Hide Nothing by Further Seems Forever

"Ok, so the colors are set, even though I'm still not sure about them Hales, so now we need to set the guest list and Peyton and I are taking care of everything else, so that would mean that the engagement party is all set." Brooke Davis rambled on as she sat in the lavish living room of Haley and Lucas's new home.

Haley sighed, only half paying attention to what Brooke was saying, it was just easier this way. She had done her part and decided their colors, white, deep green and deep blue, much to Brooke's chagrin. This wasn't how she had imagined planning her wedding day, she had wanted to be involved in every single part and have her fiancée right there with her. Instead, she couldn't fully bring herself to care and Lucas was upstairs hiding out. Haley forced herself to listen to Brooke and realized that she was going through the invite list.

"…Skills, and Nathan, of course, Fergie…." Haley nearly spit out the water that she had just taken a sip of.

"Nathan?" Haley asked as normally as she could, despite the fact that her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt the need to run away as fast as she could.

"Well, yeah, he is Lucas's brother. I couldn't imagine that Lucas wouldn't want his brother there to celebrate his engagement." Brooke said, quirking her eyebrow.

"Well, of course, it's just that we haven't heard much from Nathan since he's been in Charlotte, I mean because he's been so busy with playing and stuff, and who knows maybe he will be too busy to even attend but he should be invited, I mean because it would be completely weird if he wasn't invited. So, Nathan's invited. Ok."

"Hales, are you sure you're alright?" Peyton asked gently, her green eyes clouded over with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just really tired and this stuff is just really stressful," Haley said with a sigh. Peyton simply nodded at friend, not wanting to push, at least not yet.

"Well, the engagement party is all planned so why don't you go climb in bed with your boy and we will work on the rest of the wedding stuff later, ok?" Brooke asked, easily picking up on the change in her friend's mood.

"Thanks girls," Haley replied while getting up and giving each of them a hug. "I really appreciate everything. You both are the best."

Haley led the girls to the door seeing them out. After she had closed the door, Haley collapsed against it allowing the tears she had been holding in to spill over. It was going to be hard enough to through all this, but she wasn't sure that she was strong enough to handle this with him there. Swiping at her cheeks, Haley pushed herself off the door and headed towards their bedroom.

She allowed a ghost of a smile to cross her lips as she saw Lucas buried underneath the covers with the television still blaring. After changing her clothes, she flicked off the t.v. and climbed into bed. Haley laid there is the dark studying Lucas' face. He had been so good to her so many times, there was no way she was ever going to let him down or hurt him the way she had been hurt in the past. She really did love him and she knew he loved her, she just had to hope that one day that would be enough.

Haley ran a hand across his forehead, pushing the hair that hung there back. His blue eyes fluttered open and crinkled slightly as he smiled. He reached up to find the hand that was in his hair and brought it to his lips, giving it a soft kiss before entwining their fingers and placing their now joined hands over his heart.

"What time is it?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

"Late," she said, smiling at his almost child-like innocence. "But the good news is that everything is set for the engagement party." Haley blinked back tears and forced her voice to be light. Lucas' worried eyes swept over her face which was illuminated by the moon light shining through the window. He wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her straight to him. Haley buried her head in his chest and allowed herself to be comforted by the hands rubbing circles on her back. She knew she had to tell him, but it was going to end up hurting him just as much as it had hurt her. They were safe here, in their own bubble, no outside world, no distractions, and most importantly no Nathan to contend with. But that stability, that bubble that they had shielded themselves in was about to burst around them and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Lucas waited patiently, knowing, trusting that she would tell him whatever had her so upset. Maybe this was all his fault, maybe he had pushed her but it had been a while and they had taken it one step at a time, together. He had loved her for as long as he could remember and now that he finally had her and she loved him back, he was determined to do whatever it took to keep her. He felt Haley shift in his arms and ducked his head down to gaze into her soulful brown eyes. He could read them easily, they were telling him everything without words even being spoken. Haley lifted her head a bit more to place a soft kiss on his lips, perhaps it was an effort to soften the blow they both knew was coming.

"The girls invited Nathan."

The words rang out across the room like a gun shot shattering a silent night even though it had been spoken so soft he barely heard her.

Lucas attempted to stay relaxed but failed miserably as he tensed up with his arms still around Haley. He pushed himself upwards to a sitting position. Leaning against the headboard of the bed.

"Tell them to uninvite him," he said as calmly as he possibly could. Haley let out a shocked gasp, that was not the reaction she had expected from him.

"You know I can't do that Lucas. It would lead to too many questions. Questions I don't have answers for."

Lucas let out a sharp laugh. "Questions you don't have answers for? Why don't you try telling them the truth Haley?"
"That isn't an option and you know it. After all this time they would never understand, just like they would have never understood in the first place."

"They might have understood if you had told them, you don't ever give your friends enough credit."

"If you want to say something, Lucas, just say it." Haley said with an exasperated sigh.

"You didn't think I could handle it either, if I remember correctly."
"Yes, because you took that news so well. Don't try to rewrite history Lucas…." Haley opened her mouth to say something else but snapped it shut quickly.

"Come on, Haley, say whatever you want to say."

"Fine, you know what I think? I think you are putting up a front and that you actually want him there so you can rub it in his face that you won."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Don't try to deny it Haley, you want him to come, so you can romanticize everything about him, once again." Haley threw off the covers and climbed out of bed. Grabbing her robe off the chair, she wrapped it around herself as a shield.

"I don't want him there Lucas" she said in a small voice.

"You must Haley. Why else would you keep part of yourself closed off from me?"

"No, Lucas. Stop. You don't get to twist this around on me. You knew when we started this that there was always going to be a piece of my heart that stayed with Nathan. You said you could handle it and that we would get through it. And you what? We did. So, why now, when we are so close to everything, why are you doing this now? You really think I can handle this?" Haley raised her hand up to her cheek for the first time feeing the dampness that had accumulated there.

"Hales.." Lucas said, his voice strained as he climbed out of bed and walked over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, only to have her brush him off.

"Don't, just please don't. I can't fight over Nathan again. I just can't." Haley twisted the gold engagement ring around her finger before pulling it off and handing it to Lucas.

"Maybe you should just keep this for a while because I can't deal with you battling with a ghost Lucas. You know that I love you and you that I only want to get married once. We can't go into a marriage like this Lucas. I really thought this was all behind us, I really did." Haley turned to walk out of the room only to be stopped by his hand on her shoulders. Haley allowed her shoulders to sag in defeat, she hated fighting like this.

"I'm sorry, Hales." Lucas said as he put his chin on the top of her head, pulling her back against his chest.

The couple stood in silence for a few moments. "I still get scared of losing you. I know that Nathan is a big part of your past I can't help worrying that part of you wants him to be part of your future. I love you, Haley. I want everything with you but I don't want you to wake up some morning and realize you chose the wrong brother."

Lucas' words hung in the air. He was giving her an out, she realized that. She could walk out of this room and she could go find Nathan, except she couldn't. There was no Nathan for her anymore, at least not in the sense that there once had been. No, that Nathan was dead and had been for a long time. Besides, she would never crush Lucas like she had been crushed. It had almost killed her and Lucas had been the one to pick her up off the ground. She had an out, one she would never take because they both needed this, maybe it was cowardly, but sometimes safe had to be alright. Haley gave a small sigh and turned around in Lucas' arms. She could read the apprehension, the fear and the vulnerability in his eyes.

"I'm sorry too, Luke. I realize none of this has been easy for you either. Nathan is your brother and it's my fault…"

"I made a choice Haley, don't you dare blame yourself."

"But, I.."

"No. My choice, Hales, understand?" Haley nodded her head.

"I promise you that you have nothing to worry about Lucas. This, right here, is where I want to be. Can you forgive me?"

"Oh, Hales, I should be asking you that. I was such a jerk."

Lucas realized his hand was still clenched around Haley's ring. Looking in Haley's eyes he saw nothing but love shining back at him. He pulled back enough so that he could reach her left hand. They locked eyes again, a silent question passing between them. Haley nodded her head as Lucas slipped the ring back on her finger. As soon as he had finished, Haley threw herself in his arms, burying her head in his chest.

"We were both jerks. I promise I won't take that off again like that. If you really don't want him there I'm sure we could come up with something." Haley said, her words muffled by his chest.

"That's sweet Hales, but even if we could get it past Brooke and Peyton, that would never fly with my parents and you know it. So he'll come, he'll leave and everything will be fine."
"Right, everything will be fine." Haley echoed, the doubt evident in her voice.

"I promise Hales, I won't let him come between us." Lucas said before giving her a soft kiss on the head and pulling them both back into bed.

Haley lay in bed hours later, reliving the fight over and over. She was still mad at him but he was scared and she really couldn't blame him for that. He had never been alright with her and Nathan…

"Nathan what time is it?" Haley asked reached her arm over his body in an attempt to grab her phone which sat on the table next to him.

"It's time to watch another movie, unless you have other ideas." Nathan said grinning and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Nathan, I'm serious. My letter from Duke is supposed to be here any day. The letter that is going to determine our future."

Nathan flipped over on his side and looked in her eyes.

"I want you to listen to me right now, Haley James. No letter is ever going to determine our future. If for some reason the admissions committee is insane and you don't get into Duke, we are going to make it work. I don't care if we have to have a long distance relationship, I will do whatever it takes to keep this going. I love you, Haley."

"I love you too, Nathan. It's just that I want so badly to go to Duke with you and be able to come to all your games and support you.." Haley trailed off as her throat started to constrict. It was hard enough being a few hours away from him now, she didn't think she could handle it if they were forced even further apart.

Nathan watched as Haley choked up. It was amazing that half a year ago she had just been Haley, a good friend who was kind of pretty and now she was Haley, the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. It was funny how life could play those kind of tricks on you. He thought back to the day that he asked her out for the first time, she had just finished her shift at the café and was waiting for Lucas to pick her up but he had been there instead. He had offered her a ride home and it was then that he realized that she was so much more than anyone, including himself, gave her credit for. So, when he had dropped her off he asked her out to dinner. One dinner led to the next and here it was six months later and they were starting to plan their future together. One day he was going to have to remember to thank his brother for being late that day. Although, he was confident that fate would have brought him and Haley together somehow. After all, there is no fighting fate, fate always wins.

Nathan wiped the tear that slid down Haley's cheek. He leaned over her, holding his weight on his forearms so that he wouldn't crush her tiny form. Lowering his face to hers, he kissed her softly, in a comforting manner.

"I'm not going anywhere, Hales. This is it for me." Nathan said as he let his deep blue eyes bore into her soft brown ones, silently conveying his every hope and dream. It was a big realization for him that his every dream now included Haley. Haley nodded her head in affirmation, accepting his words as the truth.

"Now let's go see if that letter from Duke is here." Nathan said scooping her off the bed and placing her on the floor in front of him.

Haley stood in the room, the small white envelope in her hands. She couldn't believe it, she really hadn't gotten in. Nathan was going to be at Duke all alone, surrounded by hundreds upon hundreds of groupies because she was too dumb.

"You going to open that or are you waiting for it to grow some lips and tell you what's on the inside?" Nathan said with a smirk while leaning against the door jam.

"Of course I'm not expecting it to grow lips, besides if it was going to tell me something it would have to grow a brain too!" Dang, that had really sounded better in her head.

Nathan strode over to her, taking her small frame within his arms.

"Why haven't you opened it yet?"
"Because I already know what it's going to say. I didn't get in, it's a small envelope and everyone knows that only losers get small envelopes." Haley exclaimed from her position against his chest.

"That's not necessarily true, Hales. Especially when you apply early." Haley simply sighed, obviously not believing a word he was saying.

"You want me to open it for you?" Instead of answering, she simply handed him the envelope. He ripped it open, quickly scanning the contents. Of course his girl had gotten in.

"Well baby, it looks like you are really stuck with me. Think we can convince your parents to let us share an apartment off campus?" Haley jerked away from him, her mouth open, staring in disbelief.

"Off campus? You mean I got in?!" Nathan laughed at her enthusiasm as he swept her up in his arms. It was so amazing to him that someone so great could love him. He was never going to let her go, ever, he promised to himself.

"Nathan, I think we should tell our parents tonight. About us, about it all. I know it's still new but we should tell them, then maybe they won't be as mad, I mean if we have good news to go along with it all and stuff."

"Anything you want, Hales. Anything you want."

"Ok, you can do this Haley. Just say mom, dad, Mr. and Mrs. Scott, Luke, I love Nathan and we're together and I got into Duke and I'm going." She felt Nathan squeeze her hand. He could act all calm, cool and collected but she knew that he was just as nervous as she was, it was impossible not to be. There really was no telling how their families were going to take this.

Minutes later as they sat at the table, Haley could feel her palms begin to sweat. She reached for her glass, tapping a fork to the side to gather everyone's attention.

"Oh our Haley-Bop is going to give a speech, Jimmy!" Lydia said with an amused smile.

"Well, actually I just have some news. It's good news, not actually it's great news and I just want to tell you all and I hope that you will be happy for me, us, and be supportive…"
"Uh, Hales, can you just tell us what's going on?" Lucas asked from his position across the table. Haley was always a little squirly but nothing like this.

"Ok. I found out I got into Duke today and I decided to go because I'm in love with Nathan and we want to be together. So, yay!"

Lucas began to laugh as the others sat in stunned silence.
"That's…so…great, Hales, you really had me going. You and Nathan." Haley fixed him with a level stare, compelling him to understand. She should have realized that this would be hardest for him.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Haley nodded and tears filled her eyes as she watched his eyes fill with rage. He stormed out of the room as everyone watched in horror.
"I'll go after him." Haley said with a weak smile.

She followed his path out of the restaurant, she could already feel his anger and she hadn't even reached him yet.

"Please Luke, please understand, I love Nathan."

"Well that's just fucking great, Hales. You couldn't even tell me?"

"We were just figuring everything out, Luke. It was just new and neither of us wanted to say anything until we were certain where things were going."
"That's bull, Haley. You are so wrapped up in Nathan and his web of lies that you can't even see straight. I don't even think I know you."
"Why? Because she fell in love with me?" Nathan asked as he emerged from the shadows. He had followed the two of them out there, not wanting to leave Haley alone to bear the brunt of his brother's anger.

"No, because she fell for all the lies I'm sure you've been spewing at her. Because she can't see that you are going to hurt her. Because she's allowing it all to happen, she's just like every other girl who has ever fallen for the great Nathan Scott."

"Wow, Luke, it's nice to know what my own brother thinks of me."

"I love you, Nathan, but she needs someone to take care of her."
"SHE is standing right here. Lucas, I can't believe you don't see how happy we are, or even worse that you aren't willing to try. Nathan is amazing, Luke, and I trust him with my life, even more I trust him with my heart."

"He's going to hurt you, Hales."

"No, Luke, he won't." Haley wrapped her arms around Nathan's waist bringing him as close to her as she possibly could. She knew he would never hurt her, he was her Nathan. Lucas stood watching the couple for a few more seconds before walking back inside, shaking his head the entire way.

As she snuggled her head into Nathan's chest, she knew in the very depths of her soul that he would never intentionally hurt her.