A/N: Hey guys I've got an update for you. I've actually had the majority of this chapter written for quite some time now, it was just an inspired chapter that I wrote before I even got to this point in the story. If you listen to the song while reading it's pretty powerful...you kinda get where i'm going with the whole thing. I wanted to thank all of you who reviewed and leave sweet things and try to answer some of youre questions. I don't know how it's gonna end up as far as naley/laley goes. I want it to be practical and bittersweet and all that stuff at the same time. So we'll have to see. I probably won't even know until the last few chapters. Anyway, drop me some love and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter. :)...P.S. This is my favorite chapter so far...

Chasing Cars

Nathan wasn't surprised when he got a phone call from his sobbing mother the next day. He sat for the longest time wondering how his dad had held on for so long just to give him those last words of wisdom. He wanted to be the bigger person and accept Lucas and Haley for what they were…a married couple. But his heart just wouldn't allow the concept to stick.

Haley would always be his wife.

Over the next few days he ignored mostly everyone, even his grieving mother, and chose to reminisce on the times when he was growing up with his father. More often than not, his thoughts drifted to his young marriage and the short time when he was happiest in his life.

It rained the morning of his father's funeral and he watched from afar under the comfort of a willow as they placed his father in the ground. Under the cover of umbrella's he saw his mom collapse in the arms of his Uncle Keith. And even he felt his heart break a little when a weeping Haley took the hand of a stoic Lucas.

He didn't wait much longer after that to leave.

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Haley wasn't sure what to say to Lucas to make things okay with him. Somehow she knew that it really wasn't going to be. He hadn't said a word to her since she had told him the news; hadn't shed a single tear. Maybe that was his way of coping, she wasn't sure but it worried her nonetheless.

"You should go." Lucas said quietly from beside her clearly his throat. She looked at him, almost stunned for a moment, and then chose to look straight ahead where she caught the sight of Nathan leaving.

"I'm worried-"

"Haley, I need you to go okay?" Lucas pleaded with her, looking into her eyes. She almost protested again but stopped short when she saw the moisture threatening to spill over.

"If you need anything-"

"I'll call." He reassured giving her a sad smile. She hugged him and kissed his cheek gently and held on to him for a few moments before finally letting go.

"He was a great guy Luke. He was lucky to have you as his son."

"I was lucky enough he was my dad."

Haley nodded and stepped away glad that the rain had stopped and the sun was now shining. She stepped inside her car and sighed, blowing out her breath and the bangs in front of her face. It had been a tiresome couple of days; calling several dozen of people, making arrangements, and keeping things on track. And now sitting in her car, she felt the great urge to release everything.

All the sadness and confusion from the past week made her physically and emotionally exhausted. She felt like she hadn't ever really cried over losing Nathan until right at this point. She was married to Lucas and Nathan was about to leave again. She wiped away her tears, started up the engine, and went on her way. It wasn't until about half way through the journey she changed course heading where her heart was leading her to.

Haley pulled into the parking lot, turned off the ignition and didn't make a move to get out. She stared at the expanse in front of her, sighed, and began to tap her fingers on the steering wheel. She hadn't been here in years and she didn't know why she thought he was here.

Blowing out her breathe, she pushed her sunglasses on top of her hair and got out of the car and headed towards where he was. She saw him in the distance sitting in the middle of the grass staring off into his own little world. He was sitting, his arms placed on his slanted knees; suit jacket off and shirt unbuttoned. She was still in her black dress and heels and kicked them off as she approached him, taking a seat beside him.

"Thought I might find you here." She said taking one of the beers in his six pack, twisting the top and taking swig. He looked at her in surprise as she wiped her mouth and she smirked.

"Guess a lot really has changed." He mused and she set the beer back down.

"I don't need to be drinking that stuff anyway. Might develop a beer gut." She teased and he chuckled.

"Looks like you might already be." He teased poking at her stomach. She laughed and pushed him playfully away. "You didn't have to come."

"He was proud of you ya know?" she told him and he looked at her doubtfully. "After you left, everyone keep saying that you'd come back, that you'd just freak out. Not your dad though; straight up told me you weren't gonna come back anytime soon."

"Why did he say that to you?"

"Because fooling myself into thinking you were gonna come back soon, wasn't going to help me. I think he understood what you were going though. I mean he got married at our age and I'm sure even though he loved you and Lucas and you're mom very much, it had to be stifling. But he had responsibilities to his family and that was more important."

"So my responsibility to you wasn't enough?" he retorted, angry at himself.

"I understood too Nathan." She replied picking at the grass in front of her. "It was just all of a sudden you weren't in my life. I sat there for the longest time trying to remember our last kiss; like the stolen ones that are unexpected. I was hurt but I got it. Your dad told me that while he fully believed that our love was pure and strong, it wasn't strong enough to hold a young marriage together. You weren't ready."

"I think I was afraid at how much I loved you." He confessed. "I feel so guilty."

"About me?"

"Well that would be one of the many choices. What am I guilty about? Well there the obvious answer of abandoning you, annulling our marriage, and allowing you to get married to another guy. There's how I didn't keep in contact with much of anyone and wasn't here when Brooke died. And the most recent guiltiness is how I've known for three years that my father was dying of cancer and didn't return until he's halfway in the ground."

"I think everything happens for a reason. That's the beauty of hindsight." She replied. "Hey do they still have the bumper cars here?" she asked quirking up an eyebrow. He did the same and she grinned grabbing his hand and pulling him up with her.

"Haley." He protested as she continued to drag him across the grass to the small ring containing a few bumper cars. He watched her as she started fiddling with the controls until the lights and music came on. He couldn't help but let his smile grow bigger at the sight of a grin wide on her face.

With slight reluctance, Nathan strapped himself into the nearest car and waited for her to do the same. She counted down from five and yelled 'go' and they were off. Within a matter of moments his father's death was forgotten, his failed marriage long gone, and they were back in time. Back in time when everything was bursting with life.

Flashback

Nathan sat in the driver's seat smiling at Haley nervously fidgeting with her hands, a blindfold covering her chocolate eyes. Today was their first day off in he didn't know how long and after spending the day together shopping, he was taking her someplace else to spend the evening.

"You know I hate surprises." She said for probably the twelfth time since he put the blindfold over her face. "And I don't know how comfortable I am that you got this thing from Brooke." She continued as she tugged at the leopard print.

"Calm down." He told her taking her hand and entwining their fingers. "We're almost there."

She sighed but smiled just the same and relaxed for the rest of the short journey. Once they arrived, Nathan went and opened her door, helped her out, and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder as he led her to their destination. Her smile got bigger when they got closer and she realized where they were.

"Can I take this ridiculous thing off now?" she asked and he let out a groan in mock frustration and took the cloth off. She squealed in delight and leaped into his arms kissing his face. "I haven't been here in years!"

"I know." He told her as he set her down and they looked around to the massive stands, adjusted their eyes to the blinding lights, and tried to hear themselves think over the thunderous noise. They stood in the middle of an expanse of grass; dead center of a racetrack. "I pulled a few strings with Coop and here we are."

"They're practicing?" she asked referring to the cars zooming around the track. He nodded as he led her to the blanket and picnic basket already laid out. They sat down and she rested comfortably in between his legs and rested her head against his chest. "Thank you."

He didn't say anything, just kissed her temple and rested in the quite between them. His mind floated back to when they had last came. Once, years ago, he and Lucas had invited Haley along for a weekend with them and their Uncle Coop at the racetrack. He remembered vividly her reaction.

'Would I be driving the racecars? No? Than why would they interest me?'

"Do you remember when we came here last?" she asked and he mumbled into her hair something along the lines of an agreement. "You know how my parents are so happy now? Well they weren't always that way."

"What do you mean?"

"That weekend when you asked me to go I had to get away from it all. My parents were constantly arguing and with me being the only one there I got caught in the middle. And we came here and I got to run away from it all. It was one of my happiest memories." She explained.

"Well you're not running away from anything now are you?"

"No, not away; just into your arms." She replied and crooked her neck to face him. Hesitantly he reached to touch her face, tucking her hair behind her ears, and leaned in to kiss her gently on the lips. "I love you." She whispered as she rested her forehead on his.

"I…" he started but the words died on his lips. It had been months since that evening in the café and while they had admitted their feelings then, they had yet to repeat the sentiments. He cursed himself once he saw the hurt that crossed over her features and struggled to find something, anything to make it better. She opened her mouth several times as if to say something and finally settled on a frown. She removed herself from his arms and started to get up but was stopped by his hand upon hers. "Would you lay here; would you just lay here with me?"

"Nathan." She protested but did just as she was asked anyway. Slowly he mimicked her actions as she lay down flat on her back. She stared at the stars as he memorized her profile.

"I don't quite know how to say how I feel." He told her and he watched as a lonely tear slide down her cheek; her eyes still focused on the freckles of the sky. "Just saying those three words aren't enough because what I'm feeling for you is so much more than that."

"Whatever I'm feeling for you, and I think you know what that is, I just want you to feel it for me too." She replied softly, emotion thick in her voice. He realized then that every time he saw her he wanted to say those words and didn't and it had been a mistake.

"I do." He promised and sat up on his elbow so he could look down at her. "When I'm around you, I feel like I'm in this completely different world. Even when things are bad with my life just one smile from you makes everything okay for that moment. I need you around to show me the good in everyone so that I can find the good in myself."

"Do you think it's naïve to say that when I look into your eyes I see my future?" she asked looking at him and chewing on her lip. "I could spend forever with you."

"I love you." He said leaning in and capturing his lips with hers. "I am so in love with you." He repeated still kissing her face. Pretty soon they were lost in one another and Nathan fought with the feeling inside of him. Pulling back he searched for the right words. "We could do it. We wouldn't need anyone or anything. Just each other."

"What are you talking about?"

"You make everything in my world good Haley. When I'm not with you I feel like I can't breathe and when I am, I'm trying to catch my breath." He gulped and she watched as his mouth moved in what seemed to be contemplation. "Marry me."

Normally, she would've cracked a smile, laughed out loud, and shrugged that statement off. But looking into his perfect eyes, she knew that he was serious. It was crazy; they were only seventeen, seniors in high school. But somehow it felt…it felt right. And what was more surprising is that she wanted to, more than anything.

He watched as yet another tear slid down her cheek. His very life depended on what that one tear meant. Was it happy because she wanted all the same thing with him? Or was it sad because she didn't want those things and couldn't bear to disappoint him? He nearly lost it when she didn't answer for a few moments. Finally she looked at him thoughtfully with a small smile and sparkling eyes.

"Sure." She shrugged and laughed when he stared at her for a few moments before blinking rapidly as if he suddenly heard what her response was.

"Yes?"

"Yes." She said seriously as he rushed in and kissed her pulling her into his arms. They broke apart and stared at one another as he grazed his finger across her bottom lip. They forgot the world as the noise of the cars faded in their ears and everything around them blurred together.

End Flashback

She recalled vividly how happy and confused she was at the same time. She didn't know how it had happened to get them there but it had. She had no regrets. Now as she listened to his laugh, bumping into her car she felt good for the first time since he had reentered her life.

"See, now wasn't that fun?" she teased once they slipped out of the cars and back onto the grass. He shoved his hands in his pockets, a goofy grin still plastered on his face.

"Yeah, it was." He nodded. Without even thinking, she looped her arm though his and he closed his eyes fascinated by her touch. "I'm sorry I left."

"If someone had told me then that seven years from then you'd be long gone, I'd fight them on it. That had to be wrong. But they would know better than me huh? You said forever and always. I thought you meant it. Who knew?"

"I did mean it." He countered and she shrugged. "I always meant it."

"I promised my heart to Lucas."

"So that's what that was when I felt like my heart was getting ripped out of my chest." Was his response to which she remained quiet. "I'm sorry. That was really out of line. I have no place to make you feel bad for moving on."

"Who said anything about moving on?"