Just a quick note- Any outbursts and/or bitch-slapping (while arguing about a certain brooding Scott brother) by Brooke Davis was an idea originally conceived & written before I saw the OTH season finale. Mark Schwahn hacked into my computer and stole parts of this chapter from me.

Actually, this chapter has practically been written since I started this story lol I've been very excited in writing it, but I had to break it into 2 parts, because otherwise it would be insanely long and boring. And you're all going to hate me for ending it where I did.

Chapter 10

"Haley, I'm so glad you could make it," Deb greeted her as she entered the Scott house. "Can I take your coat?"

"Sure, thanks," she smiled graciously as she slid her warm jacket off and handed it to the older woman. "Wow, this place looks great!" Taking a moment to look around the festive house, she found crystal lights hanging high on the ceiling, and gold confetti that seemed to be everywhere. Elegant people scattered throughout the house were dressed to impress as they rang in the New Year.

"Oh, thank you dear," she said warmly. "I just wanted this to be a night no one would ever forget." Her words would soon come back to bite her, as surely no one would forget tonight. "I think Nathan and Brooke are near the bar if you're looking for them." Haley smiled once more before excusing herself.

Making her way over to the next room, she was still in awe of the beautifully decorated house. She always found the Scott mansion to be a bit scary. It almost always seemed like something was haunting everyone; it was such an unfriendly place. But tonight, it was filled with life, with promise. What she didn't know, was that all of the secrets of this house were out tonight, and soon, others would follow.

Haley finally found the two standing together, not looking the most thrilled. Really, this party was more for Deb and Dan's older friends, and since family was also invited, Brooke was forcing Haley along for the ride.

"Tutorgirl, you look hot," Brooke exclaimed when she noticed her friend. "Spin around!" Haley did what her friend demanded and turned to reveal her entire outfit. A slinky black dress with a very low cut back hung from her shoulders. The front was just low enough to expose the right amount of cleavage, and it fell right above her knees showing off her toned legs. A pair of strappy gold heels and a flashy gold necklace completed her look, along with the long waves flowing loosely in her auburn hair. "Someone's feeling brave tonight!"

"Well they say how you spend your New Year is how you spend the rest of the year, so I figured, what the hell, right," she chuckled.

"Well, that outfit definitely deserves a drink!" Brooke clapped. "I'll be right back. Don't have too much fun without me," she warned before walking away.

Nathan and Haley were both quiet a few moments longer, feeling a bit awkward. "Brooke's right," he broke in. "You look amazing."

Haley shyly blushed. "Thanks, it's really nothing though." Accepting compliments wasn't really her thing; she hardly ever got them, especially from men it seemed like.

He chuckled. "Well as a guy, let me just say it works." She laughed with him as the upbeat song changed into a slower one. Nathan looked over at the dance floor to find that it was empty; most people didn't want to be the first out there. He decided to take that chance though. "Would you like to dance?"

Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms

Unsure, she hesitated. She may have been able to try something new when it came to her outer appearance, but she was still shaky emotionally. Nathan sensed her reluctance and reassured her. "It's only a dance Haley, come on," he smiled, holding out his hand. Wavering for another moment, she took his hand and he led her out to the open floor.

There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life

Onlookers watched as the first couple of the night had the courage to step onto the dance floor solo and began to gracefully move. They were jealous of how perfect they looked together, how perfect they moved together. It was like they had been together for years, but what they didn't know was the nervousness they had.

"I got my advanced copy of the magazine yesterday," Nathan told her. "I can't thank you enough for not using all the dirt I'm sure you have on me."

She laughed at that. "Oh Nathan, you're not as bad as people make you out to be; the article was merely what I considered to be the truth."

"Thank you," he said again. "It's just that the press had already been crazy before the draft, and after, well, you know… things got worse…" His voice trailed off. "I guess it was just surprising to see such a positive article on me."

If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've been so alone

"You deserve it," she said quietly. "You've done a terrific job with Allie and your life; I'm proud of you for being able to hold it together." They both smiled at her comment, still not entirely comfortable with their level of friendliness, but Haley continued on. "I've known you for nearly 5 years, and yeah, we didn't get along for the most part, but I've watched you change into a good person. You became the guy that I saw a tiny glimpse of all those years ago, and had hoped that someone would be able to keep that guy around."

And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you've done

"I'm trying," he admitted. "It's hard; it's really hard. And I appreciate everything you've done for me lately," he assured her. "Basketball… it isn't the most honest business you would think it to be… I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm glad that I have people I can trust."

Brooke came back with a tray of drinks in hand only to find that her friends had disappeared. It wasn't long though before she saw them together, in the midst of three other couples who had proceeded to join them on the floor earlier. Haley's head rested peacefully against his chest as they danced. Brooke smiled to herself at the heartwarming scene in front of her; they had found solace in each other. Maybe Peyton was right; maybe they were the only two to understand each other.

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from

"Do you ever think," Haley began to say. "That things will ever go back to the way they were?"

"No," he replied honestly. "But do I think we'll all find happiness again? Yeah, probably. It'll just be with different people and under different circumstances." She seemed content with that answer for the time being, but Nathan thought it had been out of the blue, given that tonight was about starting anew. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know… I just wish things were normal again, I wish life was good, like it used to be."

"Yeah," he agreed as they swayed back and forth.

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

"I just worry that I'm going to end up alone you know," she admitted. "Like I'll be that mean old lady who is always holed up in her house with nineteen cats; I don't even like cats!"

He chuckled before responding. "Don't say that, you have your friends."

"I know," she said quietly.

"And any guy would be lucky to have you!" And for a second, he could have sworn that her eyes lit up at that comment before returning to the sadness they had held before. She was still quiet, and they continued to move, listening, feeling the music.

A window breaks, down a long, dark street
And a siren wails in the night

Shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts, she looked up into his eyes. "How can you be so strong Nathan? I—I've completely fallen apart and everyone has had to take care of me. And here you are yet again, telling me that everything will be okay."

"I'm lucky," he said. "I have a lot of good things going for me right now, and I try to focus on them instead of dwelling on other things. Life isn't supposed to be so hard," he reminded her. "And things will be good again, we just have to work at it; we're all going to stick together. This family has gotten through a lot of drama in the past, and we'll do it again." He could say all that, and pretended like he meant it, but really, he was breaking inside.

But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me
And I can almost see, through the dark there is light

"Thanks Nathan," she said. "For being there for me lately, I mean. I've been trying to move on, but something is holding me back…"

He wanted to ask her, he felt like he had the right to, but he just couldn't. Something she had said to him earlier had been bugging him ever since. "Daytona wanted a new life," was all he could think about. Haley was vulnerable though, and he couldn't do it to her right now, but the uncertainty was eating him alive. He would wait though; in due time, Nathan and his daughter would have all the answers.

Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I've waited for your touch

"You've been helping me through this too you know," he smiled. "I've tried talking to Luke or someone about everything, and they just can't understand the difficulty of moving on. It doesn't feel right."

"Well, today is New Year's Eve right? And like they say, how you spend your New Years is how you spend the rest of the year… so let's just spend one night with no fears about tomorrow; no matter what the consequences."

And if you knew how happy you are making me
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much

"Deal," he smirked. "Although you might regret saying that later, Haley James, I've been known to get into some trouble on nights like these."

"Oh you have no idea," she murmured, her thoughts reminding her of the actions she had chosen throughout the course of her life.

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from

It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

The song came to a close, the final chords ringing throughout the room, and another upbeat song began to play. "Thank you for the dance miss," Nathan said jokingly.

"Thank you for everything else," she replied with a grin. They made their way off the floor and back to where Brooke was waiting with their drinks. "Look at you guys," she teased. "Always gotta be the center of attention." She handed both of them a different drink.

"Ah I love you," Haley accepted the glass.

"I know," she happily shrugged. "But then again who doesn't?"

"Me," Nathan said bluntly to which Brooke scoffed. "Thank God," he muttered when he saw Lucas enter the room. "I'm surrounded by too many women." Brooke had certainly been known to give him a migraine or two… or three… over the years, and she loved doing it. But he would always appreciate the things she had done for him, no matter how annoying she could get.

"Oh please, you enjoy it," she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, your incessant pining over my pathetic brother is just what I want to hear," he said sarcastically.

"What is she doing here," Brooke sneered a little too loudly as the brunette trailing behind Lucas came into view.

"Speaking of," Nathan commented earning a sharp look from her.

"Well if you must know Brookie," Stephanie shot back as she approached. "Lucas was looking for someone to show him a good time, and I'm just the person for that."

"Right, right. And how much do you charge an hour?"

"Brooke," Haley tried to stop her, but she was on a roll.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask you that. From what I've heard, you sold yourself cheap in high school, and apparently, you get what you pay for. It must have been a no-brainer when Lucas dumped you," she laughed, thinking she was hilarious.

"Well you would know what having no brain is like, wouldn't you," she retorted. "Sure you didn't lose too many brain cells banging against those headboards?"

Stephanie stepped up, invading her space. "You know, Lucas was telling me about you two in high school, and I'm far better in comparison." The pissed off ex-cheerleader rolled her eyes again. "I think it's pretty clear you didn't make him happy and he deserves someone with a little more class, don't you think?"

Brooke's hand made contact with the girl's face. "You know nothing about our relationship, and no matter how much you try, you'll never have one like it," she said lowly before taking off.

"Brooke, wait," Lucas called out, but she had already disappeared. He looked over at his current girlfriend, who innocently shrugged and suggested, "PMS?"

"I'll go after her," Haley volunteered, setting her drink back down. "Be right back." And she turned to follow her friend.

Lucas came up next to his brother, whose eyes were fixed on the petite, beauty of the night that was walking away. "So Haley looks hot tonight," he commented, but got no response from Nathan. "Might want to wipe some of the drool off your face bro," he laughed, patting him on the back.

"What," he exclaimed. "No, I wasn't looking—I mean, yeah she looks—uh, so how's it going Luke?"

"Nice try," he smirked. "You don't have to hide it though; she does look pretty great tonight. It's nice to see her coming out of her shell." And come out of her shy shell she would.

"Whatever," he tried to brush it off, but he spoke the truth; this was a completely different side of Haley, one that intrigued him.

Haley walked in the same direction Brooke had headed, which led her to a dead end with closed doors. Knocking on the one to her right, she opened it to successfully find her friend there, but not alone. Her old friend tequila was accompanying her, but it would not be pleasant.

"Haley! You're just in time! I was about to make a toast," she raised her shot glass into the air. "Here's to life screwing you over." Downing the burning liquor she giggled. "Would you like to join me my dear?"

She wanted to say no, but life had screwed her over many times as well. Besides, this was New Years, right? She accepted the filled glass from her friend and raised it along with Brooke who was ready to toast again.

"That's the spirit," she cheered. "To boys, screwing you over… which can be good, really good," she said thoughtfully. "But very bad." The girls laughed, clinking their glasses together before drinking the contents. Brooke refilled their glasses as they both continued to "celebrate" their lives.

"To us, the hottest girls out there tonight!"

"To kicking Stephanie's ass back to the street corner where she belongs!"

"To bitchy bosses who sleep with Ed from the mail room!"

"To another year with the most screwed up Scott family drama this town will ever see!" And their wish would most certainly be granted.

Merely eight shots later, Haley was not holding her liquor very well; even Brooke was feeling the effects. "Here's to Daytona," Haley said slowly, raising her glass once more. "And all her secrets that she thought she was so good at keeping."

"Okay, I think that's enough for you," Peyton suddenly appeared. She had arrived a couple of hours ago, but didn't have the energy to go looking for her party-going friends, and when she finally did… well, it was easy to get lost in this house, no matter how many times she had been there.

"P. Sawyer," Brooke squealed. "Would you like to join in! We're toasting to our fabulous lives!"

"I think I'll sit this one out," she said taking the glasses from their hands, much to their dismay. "Come on, let's get you some coffee or something." She grabbed Haley's hand trying to lead her to the door.

"No," she gasped in surprise when she felt something sharp against her hand. "Don't tell me…"

Brooke ran over and grabbed the hand Haley had suddenly become so fascinated with. "He proposed!" Peyton nodded. "Oh my God, now I totally can't call you P. Sawyer anymore because you'll be P. Jagel…Jagielski… Yeah, that doesn't work."

"Congrats," Haley shouted flinging her arms around her friend in an overzealous hug. "Now we get to plan your wedding! This is going to be so fun!"

"Just a ball," she said, still trying to drag the two of them out of the room. "Come on you guys, it's almost midnight!" And she pulled them back to where their friends were sitting so they could all ring in the New Year together.

…

"10… 9… 8…"

Haley glanced around, seeing all the couples pair off. The alcohol wasn't taking the edge off anymore; her loneliness was sobering. Her eyes finally fell on Nathan who was obviously having the same thoughts as she was. "Oh what the hell," she muttered before walking over to him, just as the crowd finished the countdown. "3... 2… 1…"

"Happy New Year," she smiled before pressing her lips against his. At first, he didn't realize what was going on, but almost as if it was instinct, he relaxed into it. Her mind, clouded from reality, she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers brushing against the nape. Firmly grasping her hips and pulling her onto his lap, Nathan deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing her lips. Their emotions were everywhere as they got caught up in the heat of the moment. But it wasn't long before their friends noticed as Nathan's tongue made his way into her mouth.

Lucas pulled away from Stephanie only to find his brother and innocent little Haley going at it. He frantically tapped Peyton on the shoulder trying to get her attention. She shot him a nasty glare before he pointed to the couple getting hot and heavy. Her eyes popped open in surprise, as did the rest of them as they all became aware of what was going on.

The two people on display broke apart, panting heavily. "Happy New Year," he replied. "Happy New Year indeed." He had to admit, it felt good, temporarily forgetting it was Haley in front of him. He had been alone so long that he was becoming frustrated. And this tease, this preview, only made things worse. Still not remembering where they were, they both jumped in surprise as they heard a loud whistle from behind them; of course Brooke had seen everything.

"Now that was hot," she declared. "Who knew you had it in you Hales?"

"Oh, Brooke, Brooke, Brooke…. That," she drunkenly stated as she stood up. "Was nothing." Brooke raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what she meant. "Sex with Nathan… now that was hot!" She winked before grabbing her empty glass and raising it in the air. She turned to face her shocked friends and Nathan, whose gaze was focused on the ground. "More drinks anyone?"