Disclaimer - I do not own OTH or any of it's characters.

A/N - I am so so so very sorry it has taken me so long to update on this story. I just started a new job and it's just been very hectic around here. Anyways, this is the 7th chapter to always love and I'm already working on the 8th. If I can, I will try to find time to work on it this week. If not, this weekend. Either way, I should be updating again next week sometime. I hope you enjoy this chapter as it throws an exciting twist...in my opinion...into the story. Leave some words and let me know what you think. -Tigger


Empty Apartment

Haley woke up from a restless night the next morning. She had dreamt about Nathan and times from their past all night long. She sat up in bed and looked around. Her insides were screaming to go to Nathan, but she knew that she couldn't allow herself to go there. Especially since she didn't really know where that would lead.

The fact still remained…she was scared. Just as she was ten years ago. Scared of loving him so much that her heart would break without him. Haley knew that with the lives that they both led, it would be really difficult to have a relationship with him. He was traveling around the world playing ball…and she was traveling around the world playing her music. No matter what they did, short of them both just giving up their dreams, they would still end up with the same result. Nether one of them being able to spend that much time with the other, and when they did, the thought of their time together being short lived always on their minds.

Haley was shook out of her thoughts at the sound of her cell phone going off. She slowly reached over and pulled the phone off the charger, not even taking the time to see who it was before flipping it open.

"Hello?"

"Sorry, did I wake you?" The voice on the other end answered.

Haley ran her free hand over her face and sighed. "No, I was already awake, but just barely. What's up, Peyton?"

Peyton laughed. "The Rockstar life finally catching up with you?"

Haley smiled softly. "No, more like the nightmares of years past, present, and future."

Peyton again laughed. "Well, Rockstar, what do you say to getting out of bed, getting ready, and letting me and Jake take you apartment hunting?"

Haley thought for a minute. "Sounds good. But why an apartment. I was thinking more along the lines of a small house."

Peyton sighed. "I figured you'd say that, but if you think about it, people will be expecting you to do something like that. And as soon as they find out where you are, you know that there will be some weirdoes coming around, trying to get in your business. So I thought that by getting an apartment, you could find something with enough room for you, yet it would be unexpected enough so no one would try to find you there."

Haley nodded as Peyton talked. After a few minutes, she answered. "You're right. I'm going to get in the shower. How about I meet you and Jake at the café in about an hour?"

"It's a date. See ya."

Haley hung up and laid her phone back on the dresser. A few moments later, she finally got up and made her way to the bathroom.

Haley had taken a quick shower and voted for casual jeans and a shirt. She blow dried her hair and put on some light make up before heading downstairs.

Her parents were already awake, sitting in the kitchen, eating breakfast and talking. As Haley walked in, Lydia James looked up and smiled. "Morning, Haleybub, how'd the reunion go? Has the gang got back together again?" Lydia said through a laugh.

Haley sighed as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "I'm not sure yet. But some of us are talking." Haley sipped at her coffee silently before taking a larger drink. A little while later she placed her mug in the sink and turned back to her parents, who were carrying on a quiet conversation.

"I'm going with Peyton and Jake today to look for apartments. We'll probably end up spending the whole day together."

Lydia looked up and nodded. "Okay, good luck."

Haley nodded slowly. "Thanks." She said softly before turning and walking out of the kitchen. She stopped just short of the door and grabbed her light jacket and purse before walking out of her house and towards Karen's Café.


Peyton hung up the phone and turned to a waiting Jake. "Phase one has begun." She said in an official tone.

Jake couldn't help but smile at that as he pulled Peyton to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Do you really think this is going to work? Or do you think that maybe we should all butt out and let them figure it out on their own."

Peyton leaned into Jake and sighed. "Well, what I think is, if we let them work it out on their own, they would probably end up spending most of their lives working it out. You saw how Haley was last night. And the way Nathan was as well. If we just let it be, they may never be able to find each other again." She thought for a moment before continuing. "And anyway, we're not really butting in. Just giving them a little push in the right direction."

"Yeah, a push right over the cliff." Jake said with a laugh.

"At least they will fall together." Peyton countered. "What's up, Jake? You were all for this last night."

Jake walked over and sat back at the table, where they had been eating breakfast minutes before. "I don't know. I guess you're right. But it begs the question of how we would all be if we had kept in touch."

Peyton nodded. "I know. Who knows, maybe Nathan and Haley wouldn't have waited so long to reconnect. Or at least we wouldn't have let them wait so long."

"Or.."

"Or what, Jake?" Peyton snapped.

Jake put his head in his hands and took a deep breath. "…Or maybe they would be even farther apart than they are now."

Peyton glared at Jake. "Why do I get the feeling that you really don't want this to work out?"

Jake looked up at Peyton with a hurt expression. "Don't put thoughts into my head, Peyton. All I'm saying is that we have all been so busy blaming ourselves and each other for what has happened with the group, that I wonder if the four of us are doing this whole 'Operation Naley' as a way of putting it all back together."

"And what's so wrong with that?" Peyton asked defensively.

Jake groaned. "Nothing's wrong with that. It just doesn't seem like the right way to go about it."

Peyton stood up, obviously getting angry. She had to take a few deep breaths to stay calm before speaking. "Look, you may be right. But I don't see what is so wrong with what we are doing. If we all bond again through it, I don't see the problem."

Jake got up and walked over to Peyton, wrapping his arms around her securely. "Does it have to be this hard?"

Peyton looked up into her husband's eyes. "No, but it's not going to be easy either."

Peyton and Jake walked into the café a few minutes after 9. Haley was sitting at the bar, talking softly to Karen, with a small smile on her face. Karen looked up and smiled at the couple and waved them over. "Morning, can I get you two some coffee or anything before you head out apartment hunting?"

Peyton hugged Haley before sitting on the stool next to her. She smiled at Karen and nodded. "Please."

Jake nodded in agreement before giving Haley a light kiss on the top of her head and sitting on the other side of his wife.

Haley turned and looked at the couple. "I want to stay in Tree Hill, so this should be a short day, considering there is only like what…two apartment complexes in the whole of Tree Hill?"

They all laughed. "Yep, unless they added on since we left."

"Oh, they haven't." Karen said as she set the two to go cups of coffee in front of Peyton and Jake.

"How much?" Jake asked as he reached for his wallet.

Karen waved her hand in the air. "Don't be ridiculous. You guys are family. It's on the house."

Jake smiled softly. "Thanks."

The three friends got up and headed out to start the hunt.


Nathan had woken up the next day, his head throbbing. He sat up slowly in bed and looked around as the memories of last night came flooding back to him. He groaned as he put his face in his hands, wondering, after his little scene last night, if Haley would even look at him the same, much less talk to him again.

He got up, took a few asprins, and took a quick shower. He figured the best way to clear his head and rid himself of the hang over, at least a little, was to go running. He quickly changed into a pair of basketball shorts, a sleeveless shirt, and running shoes, before heading downstairs and outside.

Lucas was sitting in the kitchen with Brooke, talking quietly, when Nathan walked in from his run. The couple immediately fell silent and focused on their food.

Nathan groaned as he walked over to the refrigerator. "What?" He asked, slightly annoyed and still a little hung over.

Brooke looked over at Nathan and smiled. "Nothing, we were just talking about how today would be the perfect time to help you look for your new place."

Nathan's face softened as he walked over and leaned onto the counter. "I was thinking about that this morning. I saw a few for sale signs as I was running through town. Some of them might be worth checking out."

Lucas turned to his brother. "Are you wanting to get a big house?"

"Yeah, why?"

Lucas shrugged and Brooke cut in. "Well, honestly, isn't that what everyone will expect you to do?"

Nathan nodded slowly. "I guess. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Nathan, don't you want your privacy while you take your break?"

Nathan moaned as he realized what they were talking about. "Yeah. Damn, okay so what apartments are free?"

Brooke smiled widely at the two brothers. "Let me go check." She quickly got up and walked out of the kitchen. As soon as she was sure she was out of earshot, she pulled out her phone and called Peyton. "P. Sawyer, how's things going on your end?"

Peyton smiled. "Good, what about you? And that's Jagielski now."

"Brilliant. So have you figured out which one?" Brooke smiled but didn't say anything about the name.

"We are looking at Southport Apartments. We called the other place and they had none available."

"Perfect. I'll see you later." Brooke hung up and walked back into the kitchen. "Okay, so I called the apartments here in Tree Hill and they only have some available at Southport."

Nathan sighed. "Alright. Let me go get changed and we'll head over there." Nathan stood up and headed towards his room.

Brooke waited a few minutes before turning to Lucas and giggling. "I talked to Peyton. And the only place that has any available are at Southport. They're there right now. I figured if we head over there, we might be able to really pull this part off."

Lucas just laughed and shook his head.

A little while later, Lucas was pulling the car up to the apartments. Peyton turned around and smiled, waving them over. The three got out of the car and headed over to the blonde.

"Don't tell me that you're helping me also."

Peyton shook her head. "Nope, but we were just about to look at this one apartment though. Why don't you join us." She said, turning and leading them to where Jake and Haley were.

Nathan glanced at Brooke before following her and Lucas. "We?"

As they walked through the open door, they saw Jake and Haley walking around with the manager. "Unfortunately…" She started but turned around at the arrival of the newcomers. "May I help you?"

Peyton smiled. "Sorry, this is another friend of ours, he's also looking for an apartment."

The manager nodded. "Well, as I was telling Miss. James. This is, unfortunately a two bedroom, and also the only free apartment we have at the moment."

Haley sighed. "I don't need this much space. Really."

Brooke smiled to herself. This was just too good to be true. "I have a crazy idea." She turned to the manager. "Can you give us a few minutes?"

The manager nodded. "Sure, I'll be right outside." She said before walking out.

Everyone turned to Brooke, who glanced around at each one. "Okay, so no one is to say anything until I get done…understood." The others nodded slowly but said nothing.

"Okay. Now, I was thinking. Since this is a two bedroom. Why don't you two rent it together. It's big enough to where you each have your own space. Plus, that also makes it a little cheaper for each of you as well."

Peyton, Lucas, and Jake smiled at Brooke. "That actually sounds like a wonderful idea Brooke Davis." Peyton said.

Nathan rolled his eyes. "I really don't think either of us needs to worry about how much we spend on a place to live."

Haley nodded in agreement. "And at the very least, this is a decision that Nathan and I need to make together…and by ourselves."

Nathan looked up, surprised that she was even considering living with him. "Do you mind giving us a moment."

"Of course" Lucas said softly as he took Brooke's hand and led her outside, followed closely by Jake and Peyton, who shut the door behind them. Nathan looked over at Haley but said nothing for a long moment. "Do you really think we could do that?"

"What?" Haley said, more defensively than she wanted to.

Nathan walked a little closer. "Live together."

Haley sighed and looked around. "Well, it's not like we would have to share a room or anything. And this place is big enough for both of us. It's not as if we would be cuddling up on the couch watching old movies or anything. I'm not just here to relax. I'm here to work on my music."

Nathan looked around and nodded. "So…you're okay with this."

Haley looked into Nathan's eyes. "Nathan, we are both adults. I don't see a reason why we couldn't live as roommates for the next year. And, if they have anything open between now and then, we can always move."

"You're right…we are adults now." He said softly before continuing. "So we get it?"

"Yeah." Haley said as she walked past Nathan and outside to the others. She looked at the manager. "We'll take it."

Nathan walked up behind Haley. He was standing so close to her that they had both felt that electric shock go through them, but they both ignored it and walked with the others to the front office to sign the papers and put down the money they need to.

Brooke was standing in the next room with Peyton. They were both sitting on a couch in the office. "That was easy."

Peyton laughed stiffly. "A little too easy."

Jake walked up and sat beside Peyton, putting his arm around her. "No, it wasn't."

Brooke looked over at Jake. "What did you do?"

Jake smirked at the two woman. "I talked to the manager. I explained who these people were, and what we were doing. I asked her if she had any two bedrooms available and if she could say it was the only one left…without telling Nathan or Haley. She agreed with a little incentive."

Brooke laughed while Peyton just looked up at her husband, shocked. "And I thought I was a genius." Brooke exclaimed.


OKay, that's the end of chapter 7. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know, good or bad, what you think so far.