A/N: Okay I'm well aware of the fact that a number of you are a little upset that Haley didn't recognize Nibs, but I promise there's reasoning and it adds to the plot. This chapter is for HJS-NS-23, thanks for the help and welcome to the club…you know what I'm talking about ;) !

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"Is Brooke or Lucas home?"

Mommy hadn't recognized her daughter. Natalie stood there trying to remain as calm as possible. She felt a mixture of anger, hurt, and relief even at one point. But then again, Peyton, who hadn't seen her for a year didn't recognize her, but this was her mother. You think that she would recognize her. Her face gave away the fact that she was Nathan Scott's daughter. But, then again, her appearance had changed drastically in the past two years. When Haley left, Natalie was a short girl standing at a mere 5 feet and was a scrawny little thing. She wore her glasses constantly and she had dark blonde hair at the time. Now, she stood in front of Haley much taller than the last time she stood in front of her mother and weighed a lot more on account of her athletic physique, her glasses were still on the coffee table where she last lay them. A little voice broke the silence of her thoughts.

"Nid?"

Without ripping her stare from the bigger Haley, Natalie directed her cousin.

"Mini B, why don't you go finish watching the movie, just press play, you can do that right?"

"Duh."

The youngster began to return to her place on the couch before turning back to the two standing by the door. She addressed Haley.

"You're pwetty."

With a giggle, she returned to her film. Natalie turned her attention back to the woman standing in the doorway. She shook her head. She addressed Haley without expression.

"I'm sorry what did you ask me?"

"Is Brooke or Lucas home?"

"I'm sorry they're not. They're out for the evening."

"Oh…uh…okay.

Haley turned to leave, but a power came over Natalie to stop her.

"I could call them if you'd like or tell them someone stopped by for them?"

"Oh, no that's okay. I think I know where they may be. Thanks anyways."

With that Haley turned again to leave. Natalie watched her until she was finally out of sight. She took a deep breath and returned into the house. She closed the door behind her and returned to her spot on the couch to return to studying, but the event that took place moments before was all the filled her mind. Breathing a deep breath, she placed her glassed back on her nose and cleaned up her notes. She could no longer study, and she knew the material anyway so it did not matter. She watched Beauty & the Beast with little Haley, but her mind was still elsewhere.

"Did you hug your mommy?"

Natalie looked Haley with a questioning face.

"I know who was at the door silly. Haha, it looks like your eyebrows are glued together."

"She didn't know it was me."

"Ouch. It's okay tutor-nids."

Natalie gave her signature smirk and casually walked out of the living room. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed an all too familiar number. She waited for someone to pick up.

"Hey it's me. Guess who's back?"

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Nathan stood behind the bar at Tric giving out drink after drink. Peyton and Brooke sat at a table not too far from the bar as Lucas sat parallel to where Nathan stood. The two of them were in conversation about Jamie.

"I still can't believe your son man. He's exactly like you, but so much like Haley."

"I know what you mean. He looks a lot like her and when it comes to music, his tastes are like mine, but the way he plays, it's all Haley."

Not too far away form where Nathan and Lucas were in conversation, a familiar face entered the club. No one noticed her. "Thank God" she thought. Her jacket still wrapped her body and she wore sunglasses and a hat to disguise her. She took off her sunglasses and laced them in her pocket. She looked at her surroundings and noticed Lucas at the bar laughing at the bartender's back. When the bartender turned around, she gasped. There he was, the love of her life. He was laughing with Lucas. She felt a pang in her heart, there is a hole there now where he used to be, along with her kids. She looked around the club for a sign of Jamie or Natalie. Her search was interrupted by a voice coming out of the microphone.

"Hey what's up Tree Hill? You guys ready for some good music?"

The crowd whaled with cheers and whistles.

"Well, please welcome back to the stage, he's home again for the first time since August., Please welcome back JAMIE SCOTT."

Jamie trotted onto the stage giving Peyton a hug as the rest of his band got into their positions. He sat behind his keyboard. He took a deep breath searching the crowd for the one person he was warned about. About 15 feet in front of the bar stood the warning. He tensed up as he remembered his brief conversation just minutes before.

"Hey it's me. Guess who's back?"

"Nibs?"

"Can we cut the nickname please?"

"Sorry…who are you talking about?"

"Mamma's home."

There was such sarcasm and disappointment in her voice. Jamie could hear the anger and hurt in his sister's voice.

"What?"

"She came here looking for uncle Lucas and aunt Brooke. And you wanna know the funniest part of it all? She didn't even recognize me."

"Seriously?"

"Would I make this up?"

Jamie contemplated his sister's words. Natalie was not one to lie, especially to him.

"Oh my God."

"Yeah…I asked her if she wanted me to contact them, but she said she'd know where they'd be. If she's there keep it on the low okay?"

"What do you mean 'keep it on the low?' Nats this is insane. I gotta tell dad or uncle Lucas…someone."

"If you have to, then do it…otherwise just leave it okay? This family has enough drama for the end of time to see."

"Okay. Look, I gotta go, they're waiting for me. If someone asks I'm not gonna lie."

"Okay bud. Good luck, dedicate a song to me."

"Always lil sis. Bye."

Jamie shook his and focused on the crowd standing in front of him.

"Hey guys, what's up? It's good to be back home. Uh, this first one goes out to my little sister who could not be here tonight. It's one of her favourites and I know that if she were here, she'd probably be standing in front of me ready to kill me for embarrassing her. The two of us discovered this song and it reminds us of a hard time that we both went through and this song is kind of our way of letting it all go."

Haley turned her attention to the stage where she saw her son standing there behind a keyboard. The last time she saw him, he didn't even know where the A note was, and now he was playing a song for hundreds of people. He didn't look nervous at all. He had the same confident look his father got when he used to play basketball. He placed his fingers on the keys of the keyboard and began to play. Haley was mesmerized by how well he played. The song sounded familiar to her. She sighed and listened to his soft voice fill the place.

You think your days are uneventful 


And no one ever thinks about you 


She goes her own way 


She goes her own way 



You think your days are ordinary 


And no one ever thinks about you 


But we're all the same 


And she can hardly breathe without you 



She says she has no time for you now 


She says she has no time 



Think about the lonely people 


And think about the day she found you 


Or lie to yourself 


And see it all dissolve around you 



She says she has no time for you now 


She says she has no time 



Lonely people tumble downwards 


My heart opens up to you 


When she says she has no time for you now 


She says she has no time

As the song came to an end Haley felt the tears well in her eyes. She immediately applauded with the rest of the people in the club. She sighed as the applause quieted. She kept her eyes on Jamie as he began to sing another song.

I'm looking at you through the glass...

Don't know how much time has passed

Oh, god it feels like forever

But no one ever tells you that forever

Feels like home sitting all alone inside your head

Little to Haley's knowledge, someone had been staring at her the entire time James sang.

How do you feel? That is the question

But I forget you don't expect an easy answer

When something like a soul becomes

Initialized and folded up like paper dolls and little notes

You can't expect a bit of hope

So while you're outside looking in

Describing what you see

Remember what you're staring at is me

Lucas paid attention to his nephew until his wife waved him over to her table. He casually walked over to her and took a seat in the vacated spot where Peyton once sat.

Cause I'm looking at you through the glass...

Don't know how much time has passed

All I know is that it feels like forever

But no one ever tells you that forever

Feels like home, sitting all alone inside your head

Brooke leaned into him speaking in his ear before noticing what she had seen. His jaw dropped and he wore a surprised look.

How much is real? So much to question

An epidemic of the mannequins

Contaminating everything

When thought came from the heart

It never did right from the start

Just listen to the noises

(No more sad voices)

Before you tell yourself

It's just a different scene

Remember it's just different from what you've seen

After giving his wife a quick kiss on the cheek, Lucas left the table and made his way over to where he saw her standing. He kept it stealth.

I'm looking at you through the glass...

Don't know how much time has passed

And all I know is that it feels like forever

But no one ever tells you that forever

Feels like home, sitting all alone inside your head

And it's the starrrssss

The sttarrrsss

That shine for you

And it's the starrrssss

The sttarrrsss

That lie to you.. yeah-ah

I'm looking at you through the glass...

Don't know how much time has passed

Oh, god it feels like forever

But no one ever tells you that forever

Feels like home, sitting all alone inside your head

He watched her from behind, making sure that if she turned around, she would walk into him. He stared at the back of her head, only hearing Jamie's voice.

'Cause I'm looking at you through the glass...

Don't know how much time has passed

All I know is that it feels like forever

But no one ever tells you that forever

Feels like home, sitting all alone inside your heaaaaddd

And it's the starrrssss

The sttarrrsss

That shine for you.. yeah-ah

And it's the starrrssss

The sttarrrsss

That lie to you.. yeah-ah

And it's the starrrssss

The sttarrrsss

That shine for you.. yeah-ah

And it's the starrrssss

The sttarrrsss

That lie to you.. yeah-ah yeah

Ohhhoh when the starrs

Ohhh oh when the starrrrs that liieee

Again the crowd erupted into applause. Lucas kept his position and glanced at Brooke. He nodded to her confirming that the person in front of him was, in fact, his best friend Haley who he had not spoken to in a while. He try to calm himself as Jamie walked off of the stage. He prepared for her 180 turn.

Haley slowed her applause and realized her sudden thirst. As she turned to make her way to the bar, she collided with a tall, muscular human being.

"Oh, I'm sor-"

She looked up at the one she collided with. She stood in surprise. Her best friend looked down at her with a bitter look.

"Hales."

"Oh my God, Lucas."

He examined his surroundings. Nathan was still behind the bar. He poured people their drinks and kept his gaze on the stage. Sighing, Lucas grabbed Haley's hand dragged her behind a curtain giving them access to get backstage. After Lucas looked around to make sure no one would see them, he let go of Haley.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm home Lucas."

"What about the second album? Peyton said you might do another tour."

"I turned it down, Lucas. None of it matters. Nathan no longer calls or e-mails me."

"You blame him?"

"What do you mean?"

"L.A Hales."

"What about L.A?"

"The last show you did on your last night in L.A."

"I really have no idea what you're talking about Lucas."

"Seriously? You don't remember?"

Haley became very nervous.

"I would if I knew what you were talking about."

Lucas was about to respond when he saw Nathan walking towards the two of them. Haley turned her head away from Nathan so he wouldn't see her, but Nathan didn't stop he simply walked past Lucas and Haley.

"Luke? How awesome was my son?"

"Oh yeah. Real great Nate."

Nathan jogged past Lucas and went through the door where he knew Jamie would be. Lucas turned his attention back to Haley.

"You really don't remember?"

"I don't."

"Okay. Talk to me when you do, until then, I have nothing to say to you."

Lucas began to walk away before being stopped by Haley.

"Lucas. I came to you because I thought you could help me. I went your house and – "

"Wait what? You went to my house?"

"Yeah."

"So…you saw…"

"Yeah. She's beautiful. She looks like her father."

"And acts like her mother."

"And the pig-tails are adorable."

"Pig tails?"

"Yeah."

"Are we talking about the same person?"

"Your daughter Luke."

"Yeah…right."

Lucas had sincerely thought that Haley was talking about her own daughter who happened to be at his house that night as well, apparently not.

"Look, Lucas. I know that, for some strange reason, I'm not your favourite person right now. And if I knew what you were talking about that made me have such an impression on you, believe me, I wouldn't deny it unless it wasn't true. I'm asking you to help me, that's all. You can hate me if you want…"

"…I don't hate you Hales. Just disappointed. Okay look, I've gotta get going, got a kid at home and I'm sure Brooke is going through daughter withdrawal, even though she's 3. So I'll see you later."

"Thanks Luke."

Lucas hugged Haley and she left him there. He looked after her and waited until she disappeared. Lucas turned and headed towards Jamie's dressing room where Nathan stood there dumbfounded.

"What's up Nathan?"

"Luke? How awesome was my son?"

"Oh yeah. Real great Nate."

Nathan jogged past Lucas and went through the door where he knew Jamie would be. He closed the door behind him and looked at his son. Jamie sat in his chair facing the mirror. His leaned his head back, eyes closed and was taking deep breaths. Nathan instantly became worried.

"Jamie? You okay buddy?"

Jamie suddenly became aware of his father's presence in the room with him. He was no longer alone.

"Yeah dad…just…thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing important."

Jamie lied to his father, not wanting to reveal that he had seen his mother as he performed or that Natalie had tipped him off about it.

"James, I can tell when something's bothering you. C'mon dude, you can tell me."

"Can I?"

"Of course you can. What's on your mind?"

"Do you think about mom much? Like wonder what you would do if you saw her again?"

"Sometimes, but…"

"…what would you do? Would you be angry? Relieved?"

"What, I don't…where's all this coming from?"

"Just wanted to know because you may have to express it."

Nathan gave his son a confused look.

"Mom's back, dad."

"Did you know Lucas?"

"I just saw her now. She was speaking to me."

"The one you were with just now?"

"Yeah. You okay?"

"I don't know. I have to get back to work. Jamie you going home?"

"Actually, I was gonna go out to clear my head or get it off of the light shed on current event, but if you want…"

" – no it's okay bud. You go. I'll just ask Peyton to check on your sister."

"Dad? She's 17, I highly doubt she needs watching."

"Believe me Jamie she needs it. Just to make sure she's still standing on her two feet."

At that, Nathan turned and headed back to work, or so Jamie and Lucas thought.

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Peyton entered the house. It was pitch black and silent. She walked further into the large house and turned on the light in the kitchen. Then, suddenly, she heard something coming from the second floor. It started low, then the sound began to rise. She heard, strings? She also heard a soft voice singing. Peyton followed the sound and it led her to the door at the end of the hallway. There was a small crack of light where Peyton could see Natalie sitting on her bed with an acoustic guitar. Peyton kept as quiet and she possibly could. She positioned herself just outside the door listening to the guitar being played by her Godchild.

I've been sitting watching life pass from the sidelines

Been waiting for a dream to seep in through my blinds

I wondered what might happen if I left this all behind

Would the wind be at my back? Could I get you off my mind,

This time

The neon lights in bars

And headlights from the cars

Have started a symphony

Surrounding me

The things I left behind

Have melted in my mind

And now there's a purity

Inside of me

I've been sitting watching life pass from the sidelines

Been waiting for a dream to seep in through my blinds

I wondered what might happen if I left this all behind

Would the wind be at my back? Could I get you off my mind

This time

I've been sitting watching life pass from the sidelines

Been waiting for a dream to seep in through my blinds

I wondered what might happen if I left this all behind

Would the wind be at my back? Could I get you off my mind

This time

Peyton stood and went to walk away, but stepped on a crack which made a loud creaking noise. The door to Natalie's room opened and found a horrified Natalie standing in the doorway staring at Peyton.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough…"

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A/N Okay, I think that's good for today. Thanks for all of you who've been reading. I owe this to you guys. And is anyone hoping the thing that Haley walks in on in 5x06 a dream? You know like Lucas had about Brooke in season 2 where he told her he loved her? I am praying that it's something like that, otherwise, I may throw up. OH BTW, the songs used in this chapter are:

Through Glass – Stone Sour

This Time – Jonathan Rhys Meyers (song Natalie sings)

She Has No Time - Keane

Also, next chapter, 1st Naley interaction…

Mommy sees daughter again