Here's a new one. Oh and the university I keep referring to is Duke. Oh by the way Karen owns the café along with working for the company. Hope you like it.

" Dr. Bradford said it was just dehydration." Haley said into the phone two days after she had felt sick.

" Good. So your feeling better now?" Lydia asked her daughter over the phone.

" Yes. I am feeling much better. There was really no need to be worried." Haley told her mother. " Not that you really care anyway." Haley mumbled.

" What was that dear?" She asked the girl not quite catching what she had said.

" Nothing mom. I have to go." Haley told her and was about to hang up when she heard a loud yell come from the phone. "What?" Haley snapped.

" Haley. It's Karen." Karen said quickly.

" Oh. Hi Karen. Is everything ok?" She asked concerned for her mother in law.

" No. Well yes. But not really. You see. I forgot that I had scheduled for the café to be open today for a few hours. And well I didn't schedule anyone to work. And well I know its your vacation and all but I was hoping that maybe you could…" Karen rambled on.

" When do you want me to be there?" Haley asked as she headed up stairs to change for a day of work now.

" Noon to four. Oh Haley you're a life saver. I just don't know what I would do with out you." Karen said gratefully to the young woman.

" I'm sure you would survive. Which by the way thanks for telling my parents that I was sick." Haley scolded her.

" Oh. Dan did. You can take that up with him. But I have to go. Our mud baths are ready. Thanks again." Karen thanked before she hung up.

Haley entered her room and through her phone on her bed. It was the fourth of July and she had planned on spending the day with her friends rather than working. She sighed and pulled a pair of Capri's out of a drawer. For the workers at the café weren't allowed to wear shorts. She grabbed a simple blue t-shirt out of another. She was in the middle of putting her bra on when the door opened.

" Oh I'm sorry." Nathan said and quickly turned around.

" It's not like you haven't seen this before." She chuckled and slipped on her shirt. " You can turn around now."

" Where are you going?" He asked as she was searching her closet for a pair of sandals.

" Your mom called. And she needs me to open the café for a few hours . So I'll have to skip out on today's festivities until four." She yelled to him from inside her closet as she slipped on her sandals.

" You have got to be joking with me. Now I'm going to be stuck alone with two coupley couples." Nathan whined from his spot sprawled out on Haley's bed.

" Well you could just stay here." She said leaning across him to grab her cell phone. " Or you could go to the gym. Your abs aren't as toned as they used to be." She told him and patted his stomach before she skipped out the door.

" What?" Nathan yelled as he sat up looking down at his body.

At the café

Haley had been sitting at the counter for the past hour and a half doing nothing. No one had come in once considering the towns festivities. Every year the mayor held a party for the town on the Fourth of July. There was dancing and music on the common and food and other activities all throughout places in the town. No one was open on the Fourth but for some reason Karen wanted to be. Haley was about the close the shop when she heard the bell ring above the door.

" You can just sit anywh…" Haley stopped when she saw who it was. " What do you want?"

" Is that any way to treat a paying customer." He said sitting down at the counter next to her. As soon as he sat down she stood up and walked around the counter.

" I have the right to refuse service. So you can leave now Jason." She snapped and turned towards the kitchen..

" Congratulations on the marriage by the way. When is the baby due?" He said to her with a chuckle. Haley immediately turned around. And walked back to the counter.

" How dare you. I'm not pregnant you asshole." She yelled.

" Really because that seems that that would be the only reason the two of you would get married. I mean at first I couldn't put my finger on it. But then it just came to me. The real Haley James. What I should say the real Haley Scott is a slut." He said with a smile.

Haley gasped. Never in her life had someone called her a slut. So she did the only thing that came across her mind. She reached her hand across the counter and slapped Jason across the face. His eyes widened and he stood quickly. Haley wasn't sure what was going to happen.

" You little bi.." He yelled but was cut off.

" Watch your mouth." Nathan yelled as he ran into the café. He stepped between Jason and the counter.

" Well look who it is. What ever I'm out of here." He said shaking his head and turning to leave.

" You better stay the hell away from my wife." Nathan said through gritted teeth.

" Ha ha. Right. I'll stay away from your wife and the baby." Jason said laughing. Nathan lunged forward and grabbed Jason's shoulder and turned him around. Before Jason could comprehend what was happening Nathan punched him in the face. Haley gasped as Jason hit the floor hard.

" Oh get up." Nathan yelled as he held his fists up. Jason stood and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Jason swung his fist and it connected with Nathan's left cheek. Haley's eyes widened and she ran from her spot behind the counter. She placed herself between the boys and closed her eyes frightened that she might be hit.

" STOP IT!" Haley screamed and surprisingly both boys stopped. " Jason I suggest you leave right now." Jason paused for a moment before walking out the door mumbling to himself. " And you go sit so I can clean you up." She ordered. She went behind the counter and pulled out the first aid kit. She moved in front of Nathan and examined the wound. " This is going to hurt later." She said as she started to clean the cut and Nathan hissed with pain.

" More like it hurts now." He said through gritted teeth. Haley chuckled. He knew what she was thinking. She was that thinking 'well maybe if you didn't hit him.' " I was defending your honor so don't even think I shouldn't have hit him. You should be thanking your man."

" Really? Thanking you? Yea right. Though I do have to admit. You hitting Jason was pretty sexy." She said with a smile.

" Not as hot as you slapping him. I didn't know you had it in you." He told her pulling her closer to him. " I'm thinking that I might be cashing in on my benefits." He said as he started to kiss her neck. She leaned her head back to give him better action. Nathan sucked on her neck and then went over the spot with his tongue. Haley let out a little moan. And she pushed him away.

" We can't be doing this here. People will see." She said as he pulled her back in for a kiss.

" It's ok. We're married let them watch." He mumbled against her lips.

" No no. you need to go. We can finish this later." She said taking a few steps back this time.

" You're going to be the death of me." He sighed still holding her by the waist.

" I know I know. But I'll tell you what. Tonight after we go to the concert or whatever with Brooke then we can go to the beach house and watch the fireworks and finish what we started. Now go." She shooed him away from her. " Oh and a hickey? Really? What are we in the eighth grade." She heard Nathan laugh before he left the café.

After her shift

Haley left the café at six. Two hours after her shift was supposed to end. She did end up getting one customer at four o'clock on the dot. She would have told them it was closed but it was Whitey and she could never say no to the old man. She had finally explained the whole situation that was going on and it had taken a lot longer than she had expected. She ran into her house and changed into a white and yellow sundress and headed back to the center of town to be with her friends.

" Hey Fodilocks what's with the smile?" Haley asked as she walked over to her group of friends.

" Hales what on earth took so long? I have been waiting to dance with my boyfriend for the past hour but some one wouldn't let him go." Brooke said glaring at Nathan.

" Listen Brooke. Why should I have been left alone while you guys had fun. You know me I just like to ruin a party. " He said rolling his eyes.

" What ever it's time to dance." Brooke exclaimed as she dragged her boyfriend to the dance floor. The other two couples followed suit.

" So why is Peyton so happy?" Haley asked as she and Nathan swayed to the music.

" Jake told her he loved her." He said before spinning his wife.

" That's great they deserve to be happy." She smiled as she leaned closer into Nathan. She wished that someday she would be able to be in love.

The couple dance for a few moments in silence. Both enjoying each other's company. Then the song Honey Bee came on and Nathan groaned.

" What?" Haley laughed as she looked up at Nathan.

" Why is it that we only listen to country music in this state? We aren't even in the country." Nathan exclaimed as he twirled Haley again.

" What you don't like it?" She chuckled. " You'll be my sunny day and I'll be your shade tree. You'd be my honeysuckle I'll be your honey bee" Haley sung along to the words just to be mean to Nathan. " Come on you know its cute. However I do feel like we should be wearing cowboy hats and boots." She laughed along with Nathan.

" I agree with you completely darling." He said in his best southern accent that made Haley laugh even harder. The two continued to have nice conversation.

" I told you that they are going to end up together." Brooke said to her boyfriend. As she looked over at the couple from the other side of the dance floor.

" Brooke didn't I say to stay out of it?" Lucas asked even though he knew that she was going to blow off the question.

" All I'm saying is that I think things are going to work out. It may be just sex between them now but it will move on to something I like to call love." She sing songed.

" And did you see that hickey?" Peyton asked as she swirled by the couple.

" What!" Lucas and Jake exclaimed at the same time.

" Yup. Hickey's are a sign!" Brooke squealed.

Nathan and Haley were completely oblivious to the other couples watching them. A Taylor swift song came on and both Nathan and Haley groaned.

" This is the reason why I hate country music." Nathan stated.

" Taylor Swift is the sole reason you hate country music?" Haley asked with a chuckle. " I doubt that. But I can't stand her either. You want to head to the beach house for the fireworks?" She asked as she stopped dancing.

" It's a bit early but I would rather be there than here." Nathan agreed and he pulled Haley off the dance floor.

At the Beach House

" What? You got rid of the hammock? I loved the hammock." Haley exclaimed as she walked out onto the porch. Where the hammock used to be was a cushioned chaise bed.

" Yea I know. It was Peyton's fault. She likes using it for tanning or whatever. Here." He said handing her a blanket.

" Thank you good sir." She said before jumping on the bed.

" Gosh you are such a dork. Now scoot over." He said as he pushed her over so he could get comfortable on the bed with her.

" Calling people names isn't nice." Haley scolded shaking her finger at Nathan.

" Oh haha your so funny. So tell me miss James are we going to be spending the fourth the same way we did last time?" He asked referring to the first time they had slept together.

" That depends Mr. Scott what happens in the morning?" She asked before remembering what had happened before.

Two years ago

Haley woke in her room. It was dark gray and raining out which was exactly how she felt on the inside. She didn't know how to feel. Her and Nathan had slept together. She gave herself up to her best friend and she had just run off not wanting to talk. She sat up in her bed and sighed. She didn't even want to be awake. She decided to take a shower and go down stairs for breakfast. When she got down to the kitchen the Scott children were in the kitchen with her brother.

" Hey Hales. I thought you didn't like to sleep in?" Luke said as he handed her a cup of coffee.

" What time is it?" Haley asked then took a sip.

" Eleven. And by the way where were you last night? I mean we know Nate was off sleeping with some one I presume. But you?" Jake asked.

" I was down at the beach." She spoke quietly. She stole a glance at Nathan who wasn't looking at her.

" Hot date?" Brooke asked wiggling her eyebrows.

" Something like that." She relied looking down at the counter.

" That right there ladies and gentlemen is the look of shame." Nathan exclaimed. " What's wrong sweetheart? Cat got your tongue?" He asked when she didn't reply. He didn't know what had come over him. The whole group stared at the two in shock. They had never seen the two act this way.

Haley looked over at Nathan. They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments. Haley was the first to look away. She got up and walked away from the counter. If that is the way he wanted it to be then fine.

" You know we never talked about it. We just stopped being friends like that." Haley said as she snuggled into Nathan's side.

" God. I was such an ass to you. You know Lucas and I fought that night. And I just sat there and let him hit me. I knew I was wrong." He said looking deep into his wife's eyes. " I'm so sorry for how I acted."

" It's okay." Haley sighed. She reached up and gave Nathan a kiss.

Nathan looked down at his new friend. " Happy Independence Day Haley."

"Happy Friendship-pendence Day Nathan." Haley exclaimed with a giggle. Nathan looked confused so she explained. " This was the day our old friendship ended and now it's the day our new one begins." She explained and Nathan started laughing. " I am such a dork." Haley said looking down.

" Yes." Nathan said and placed two fingers under her chin to make her look at him. He gave her a chaste kiss. " But you're my dork."

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