It has been forever! I am super sorry but life has gotten crazy once again. I'm going to try my best to update this every chance I get as long as I know that people are still interested. So let me know if you guys still like the direction I'm heading in and want to continue reading! Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 10

Haley groggily opened her eyes when she heard the door to her room open. She turned to her side slowly and saw Brooke trying to tip toe around the bed; Haley lifted her head to look at the alarm clock on her nightstand and chuckled when she saw that it was three in the morning.

"Are you seriously getting in just now?" She laughed.

"I warned you, Baker." Travis' grumbling interrupted Brooke before she could form a sentence.

"You are insane!" Haley exclaimed surprised by his sudden entrance into her room.

Travis surveyed the room and when he saw that Julian was nowhere to be seen he shook his head. "I head someone coming up the stairs." He turned to see Brooke who gave him a sheepish smile in return.

"Where have you been?" He questioned expectedly.

"Sleepwalking?" She smiled.

"Nice try." He muttered. "Sit." He pointed to the bed.

Brooke reluctantly moved to towards the bed and sat next to Haley who was now sitting up.

"Look, let's get a few things straight." He sighed. "No boyfriends up here – ex, potential or current – 1am curfew, no drinking, no drugs."

Brooke turned to Haley slowly. "When did he become all parental?"

"When I became responsible for my teenage sister." He answered. "And because I care about you Brooke for as long as you're staying with us these rules apply to you."

Brooke and Haley nodded slowly. "I know Lucas is a nice guy, I know Nathan is a nice guy, I know Julian is a nice guy, but I don't care. I'm your older brother and I want you two to be safe okay?"

"Yeah Trav." Haley nodded.

"Good, now I'm going back to bed." He moved toward the door. "And one more thing," He said turning to the pair. "Brooke now that I have a girlfriend, I suggest you stop calling me your hot older brother fantasy."

Haley tried to contain her laughter at the mortified look on Brooke's face. "But-"

"Goodnight." He called out without letting Brooke explain herself.

"Oh my god." She mumbled to which Haley's laughter only increased.

"That was mortifying!" Brooke exclaimed.

"That Travis has become such a hard ass or that he knows you fantasize about him?" Haley laughed.

Brooke glared at her. "Whatever, it was worth it." She smiled sighing contently and lying down next to Haley on the bed.

"I take it dinner with Lucas went well?" Haley mused.

"James, you have seriously been holding out on me." Brooke whined.

"What do you mean?"

"You have had this amazing, sexy, nice, funny best friend for all these years and I am just now meeting him?!" Brooke cried out.

"Well to be fair Brookie, I've never thought of Lucas like that." Haley laughed.

"I forgive you." Brooke waved off. "Haley, he gives me butterflies."

Haley stared at her best friend wondering if this was just a fling or if Brooke and Lucas were the real thing.

"I'm happy you're happy Brooke." Haley nodded.

"What did you do tonight?" Brooke questioned.

Haley groaned at the memory of her encounter with Nathan earlier. "I went to dinner with Julian."

"He's not that bad Haley." Brooke laughed. "You dated him for God's sake."

"No." Haley shook her head. "It's not that."

"What happened?"

"I ran into Nathan while me and Julian were having dinner." Haley admitted.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Haley rolled her eyes. "He just looked…I don't know."

"What is your deal?" Brooke questioned bluntly.

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you afraid to be with Nathan?" Brooke asked.

"I just-"

"The truth." Brooke interrupted.

Haley glared at her before turning her head to stare up at the ceiling. "I just think it's because things would be different with him."

"Why is that a bad thing?" Brooke shrugged.

"Brooke." Haley sighed.

"It's me, Hales." Brooke replied knowingly.

Haley turned on her side to face her friend. "I need to tell you a secret."

"Lay it on me Tutor Girl." Brooke nodded.

"I'm a virgin." Haley confessed.

"No you're not." Brooke shook her head.

"Um, pretty sure I am." Haley nodded.

"But…Julian…" Brooke pointed out.

"We never had sex."

"Why?" Brooke questioned.

Haley sighed before closing her eyes. "Remember when we were fifteen and we snuck out to that college party because my parents were out of town and Trav wasn't home."

"Yeah." Brooke nodded knowing where the conversation was headed.

"I guess after that night I was just never comfortable enough to be with a guy like that." Haley shrugged.

"Why have you never told me this?" Brooke whispered to which Haley provided a slight shurg. "I thought you got help?"

"I did." Haley nodded. "The therapist did help but I just never got over that fear of being hurt."

"Is Nathan pressuring you to have sex?" Brooke questioned. "Because if he is I swear-"

"It's nothing like that Brooke." Haley stopped her friend. "Nathan's sweet but boys expect sex. I know that Nathan is…experienced. With Julian it was different because I just let him flirt with other girls and I didn't care about what happened to us as a couple…with Nathan, I'm already too invested."

Brooke sighed. "You need to stop over thinking this."

"I just don't want to get hurt." Haley admitted. "I've had enough hurt to last me a lifetime."

Brooke smiled sadly at her friend. "I love you Hales."

"I love you too Brookie, I'm glad you're here."

"Julian go away." Brooke whispered ruffling through Haley's closet.

"I will when you come downstairs with me!" Julian answered in a hushed voice. "Haley's brother is intimidating."

Brooke laughed. "Just talk to him about football, turn on a game."

"I hate football." Julian pointed out.

"Not my problem Baker." Brooke chuckled.

"What are you two arguing about?" Haley asked groggily from her spot on the bed.

Brooke turned to her friend. "Julian's afraid of Travis."

"Uh, do you blame me?!" Travis questioned incredulously.

Haley laughed. "We'll be down soon Julian."

"No we won't." Brooke disagreed. "So you're just gonna have to turn on that Baker charm I've seen oh so many times in the past."

"Well, what are you two going to do?" Julian questioned.

"Yes, what are we going to do Brooke?" Haley chimed in.

"We are going to be getting ready."

"We're not leaving for like another four hours!" Julian exclaimed.

"Right." Brooke nodded. "We're already behind schedule."

"Chicks." Julian mumbled while shaking his head.

Brooke smiled contently when Julian left the room. "Now that he's gone." Brooke started turning towards Haley. "Get up from bed missy we have some work to do."

"What are you talking about Davis?" Haley asked exasperatedly.

"You have to look hot for Nathan." She explained.

Haley blatantly rolled her eyes before getting out of bed and walking over to where Brooke was standing at her closet.

"I'm not playing games Brooke."

"It's not a game." Brooke denied. "But boy toy is probably deflated from chasing you and getting absolutely nowhere so looking hot will help your case."

"My case?" Haley questioned amused. "Brooke, I have no case."

"Well you're gonna make one because whether you like it or not you're convincing Nathan to give the two of you another shot tonight." Brooke ordered.

Haley started at her friend before chuckling. "You are delusional!"

"I am not!" Brooke exclaimed. "You said that Nathan saw you and Julian having dinner together last night, knowing boys he's probably already cooked up some ridiculous theory about the two of you so you need to tell him that he is wrong and ask him out."

"You're here for two days and you're already telling me who I should be with?" Haley questioned somewhat annoyed.

"I'm calling it like I see it Hales!" Brooke stated exasperatedly. "You told me about this guy when you first moved here, knowing you something would have already fizzled out by now…but it hasn't! That means something Haley, you obviously want to be with him, just let yourself go there." She shook her head at her friend's stubbornness before throwing her the mint green spring dress she had picked out from the closet.

"It's a little cold out, I would go with a denim jacket on the top." Brooke tossed her the jacket before walking towards the door. "I'm gonna rescue Baker, you decide if your happiness is worth the risk."

"Bro you are freaking out." Lucas laughed as he watched Nathan pace the room.

"No I'm not." Nathan denied.

"You totally are." He argued. "Calm down."

"Yeah, calm down…there's nothing to be tweaked about. It's just that the girl I've been totally crushing on since school started is coming over for thanksgiving with her ex-boyfriend who I'm pretty sure is her now current boyfriend."

"I've never seen you like this." Lucas chuckled.

"Yeah, well I've never felt like this." Nathan noted. "I don't like it, make it stop." He groaned.

"Sorry dude but having feelings for a girl doesn't just go away like that." Lucas got up and patted his cousin on the back before heading for the door. "We should go help out my mom, they're gonna be here soon."

"Great." Nathan replied deadpanned. He stared at himself in the mirror when Lucas had left the room and took in a sharp breath. "You can do this Scott. Just act like you don't care."

"Nathan!" Keith yelled. "I need your help!"

Nathan groaned and made his way out of Lucas' bedroom and entered the kitchen where his Aunt was giving his cousin a lecture.

"Seriously Lucas, 3am?" Karen shook her head while moving around the stove. "You know better than that, and you hardly even know this girl!"

"She's Haley's best friend!" Lucas defended. "You'll like her, I promise."

"Cut the kid some slack Karen." Keith shrugged handing a stack of plates over to Nathan. "We were young and stupid too."

"Oh, God." Lucas groaned. "Please refrain from telling any stories from your teenage years."

Keith scoffed at his son. "Last time I ever try to save your ass."

Nathan laughed at his family while setting the table in the dining room. "Oh, Nathan can you get the door sweetie!" Karen called out when the sound of the doorbell rang throughout the Scott household.

"Seriously?" Nathan mumbled to himself before abandoning the plates and walking towards the front door of the house. He took a deep breath before turning the knob and was immediately face to face with Haley.

"Hi." She breathed out.

"Hi." He greeted quietly, internally appreciating the fact that she looked gorgeous in the light green dress she was wearing. "You look nice." He complemented.

So much for acting like you don't care dumbass. Nathan had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at his blatant disregard for his personal pep talk in the mirror just a few moments prior.

"You too." Haley smiled internally thanking Brooke for making her wear the dress that she was currently sporting instead of the pair of jeans and t-shirt that Haley was fighting so hard to wear.

"Hello friend." Brooke smiled walking up to the couple in the doorway.

It was only then that Nathan noticed the group of people piling out of their cars and walking up to his Aunt and Uncle's house.

"You must be Nathan." Brooke greeted gaining his attention. "Haley over here practically leapt out of the car when we parked, I couldn't catch up with her."

Haley stared wide eyes at her friend before shoving her somewhat hardly in the shoulder.

"Ow." Brooke mumbled.

Nathan chuckled slightly at the two girls in front of him. "Come in." He nodded.

"Thanks." Brooke smiled cheekily moving past Nathan and Haley. It was then that the rest of the clan walked up to the Scott house.

"Skinny dipping boy, you've met Lindsey." Travis nodded over to the blonde standing beside him.

"Hey Nate." Clay laughed.

"Hey." Nathan greeted.

"This is Quinn." Clay introduced.

"Thanks for having me over on such short notice."

"My Aunt Karen always cooks for an army." Nathan waved off.

"Hey man." Julian greeted from his spot behind Haley.

Nathan noticeably tensed for a second before nodding and moving his body out of the doorway. "Come inside."

Haley stared at the ground walking past Nathan to follow everyone into the kitchen to greet Karen, Keith and Lucas.

"Haley." Nathan called out pulling her away from the group.

"Hi." She smiled shyly.

"It's okay." Nathan laughed.

"What's okay?" She questioned confused.

"You don't need to be weird around me. I get it. You and Julian."

"Nathan it's not-"

"It's really better if you don't explain it." Nathan interrupted in a low tone. "Come on everyone is waiting for us."

"…What you think." Haley mumbled to herself as she watched Nathan walk away from her and into the kitchen.

"So Quinn are you and Clay an item?" Karen asked coyly as Quinn looked up from her plate of food with a surprised look on her face. The large dinner party had made their way into the dining room and had settled upon a comfortable chatter.

"Way to be discrete honey." Keith joked.

"Uh," Quinn started out with a small laugh.

"I'm working on it." Clay nodded.

Quinn blushed and looked down at her plate of food while Karen and Keith shared a hearty laugh. "The turkey is amazing Karen." She complimented in an effort to turn the attention off of her.

"Oh nonsense." Karen waved off. "I'm just happy you all could join us."

"So Julian, you've known Haley for a while?" Keith asked turning his attention to the brown haired boy.

Haley shifted in her seat uncomfortably. It also didn't help that she was seated in between Julian and Nathan at the moment.

"Since freshman year of high school." Julian nodded.

"Julian was always following her around, begging for a date." Brooke added.

Julian scoffed. "Thanks Brooke."

"How'd that turn out for you?" Keith laughed.

"She eventually accepted." Julian laughed while nudging Haley in the shoulder. She awkwardly laughed hoping to pass onto another topic of conversation.

"Oh so you two went out?" Karen prodded.

Haley internally groaned. At this point she felt like they were beating a dead horse.

"Yeah." Julian nodded. "It didn't work out though. Hales is too good for me."

"Amen." Travis nodded.

"Seriously, Jackass?" Haley questioned incredulously.

"What?" Travis retorted innocently.

"Besides, I'm taken. James had her chance but I guess I'll always be the one that got away." Julian added playfully.

"Sure." Haley nodded relieved that Julian had made it a point to reveal that they weren't together. She was fighting the urge to look to her right and see Nathan's reaction but she refrained from doing so.

"Brooke how are you holding up without Haley?" Karen questioned.

"Ugh, miserable." Brooke sighed. "California isn't as fun without my partner in crime."

"At least your chances of going to jail have significantly lowered." Travis commented.

"Please." Brooke scoffed. "If anything they've risen, Hales was always the voice telling me to quit being stupid."

"Lucas, watch out for that one." Keith joked.

Brooke blushed slightly realizing that she was talking about her indiscretions with the parents of the boy that she was interested in.

"Trav, how's the garage working out for you buddy?" Keith questioned.

"Oh, just great, swarming in the business." Travis replied with a small smile on his face.

"No need to get smart." Keith pointed out. "I'm sure you'll get business soon."

"You haven't gotten anyone yet?" Lindsey questioned from her spot beside him. "I feel like we've posted advertisements all over Tree Hill for the past two weeks."

"I mean, it's not horrible." Travis shrugged. "I could use a pair of hands to help me out every once in a while."

"Nathan, you're looking for an after school job right?" Karen questioned.

Nathan looked up sharply at his aunt. "What?"

"Well, Lucas said that you wanted to start picking up hours at the café."

"He did?" Nathan questioned glaring at his cousin from across the table who was finding he table cloth particularly interesting.

"Yeah," Karen nodded. "And I was going to have to cut down on someone else's hours for you to do that but now that Travis is looking for help I won't have to do that."

Nathan looked at Travis awkwardly who only shrugged in response. "Come by on Monday." He offered. "We'll see how you are with cars."

Nathan nodded in appreciation.

"Thanks for having us all over Karen." Lindsey spoke up leaning back in her seat slightly. "I'm stuffed."

"Oh it was no problem." Karen waved off.

"Yeah," Keith agreed. "Haley and Travis are family to us, so that means you guys are too."

Haley smiled lovingly at Karen and Keith. The holidays had become something she dreaded in recent years. The loss of her parents made them lonelier but this year Lucas' parents filled that hole in her heart as best they could.

"Why don't you kids leave the cleaning up to me and Keith." Karen suggested. "I know you boys must be dying to watch some football."

"Hey, I'm dying to watch some football." Keith protested.

"Yeah, but we're married so you have to listen to me." Karen laughed. "Go on." She motioned to the other people at the table.

One by one they got up from the table and made their way to the living room. Haley watched as Nathan passed her without a word and hastily follow Lucas into the living room.

"This so beats Thanksgiving with my Mom and Dad." Brooke commented and she stood by Haley. "Earth to Haley James." Brooke waved a hand in front of her best friend.

"Sorry." Haley apologized.

"Just talk to him." Brooke said simply looping her arm through her best friends.

"I wish it were that easy." Haley sighed following Brooke to the living room. "He told me it was okay that me and Julian were together."

"But you're not together, I'm pretty sure Julian established that at dinner." Brooke stated.

"Yeah but he didn't know that before. He said it was okay that me and Julian were together, he's obviously over it." Haley responded.

"My God woman, just fucking talk to him." Brooke exclaimed exasperatedly from their spot in the doorway of the living room.

"Sheesh." Haley mumbled.

"Well, can you blame me?" Brooke questioned. "I love you and I just want you to do something that makes you happy for once."

"He won't even talk to me." Haley shook her head while looking at Nathan and Lucas who seemed were crouched over in a couch talking.

"I cannot believe you, asshole." Nathan whispered angrily at his cousin.

"What?" Lucas questioned defensively.

"What was that at dinner? You told your Mom that I wanted to pick up hours?"

"Well you do!" Lucas exclaimed.

"I told you I'd talk to her." Nathan shook his head.

"I just thought I'd put in a good word for you." Lucas shrugged.

"I'm her nephew." Nathan replied incredulously. "I don't need a good word."

"I was just trying to help." Lucas apologized.

"I know that Luke, but now she doesn't know the real reason I want a job and it might get back to my Dad who will completely blow a gasket and force me to quit which defeats the sole purpose of why I'm looking for a job in the first place. On top of that I now have to work with Travis who hates me."

"He doesn't hate you." Lucas shook his head.

Nathan shook his head and turned to look at Haley's older brother who was busy arguing with Clay about the game. "He hates me." Nathan sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry man."

"It's okay." Nathan shook his head. "Just do me a favor, tell your parents not to mention it to my Dad."

"Yeah, of course." Lucas nodded.

"I'm going out back for some air for a little bit." Nathan stood up from his seat next to Lucas and passed Brooke and Haley to make his way out of the backdoor.

"Looks like now is your chance." Brooke commented.

"Go." She pushed her best friend toward the back to the house when she saw Haley's hesitation. "You can't runaway forever."

"Hey stranger." Haley greeted once she entered the back porch and saw Nathan perched on the top step.

"Hey." Nathan nodded.

"Why are you out here?" Haley questioned awkwardly walking towards him.

"Just needed some air." Nathan answered simply. He laughed slightly and looked up at her. "You can sit next to me, I'm not gonna push you down the steps."

Haley rolled her eyes good-naturally and sat down next to him on the top step. "Good to know."

"So." Haley sighed. "Working with Travis at the garage."

"Now he's someone who might try to push me down some steps." Nathan joked.

"He's not that bad once you get to know him." Haley laughed.

Nathan nodded appreciatively.

"Why are you looking for a job, I've seen your beach house." She questioned.

"Just some things are going on." He replied.

Haley nodded slowly. "You know not too long ago you would've told me those things."

Nathan shrugged. "It's just been weird."

Haley chuckled. "Tell me about it. You know me and Julian aren't together."

Nathan closed his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah, I got that at dinner. You could've told me before my embarrassing speech to you."

"You didn't give me a chance to." Haley pointed out. "I don't want it to be weird with us anymore, Nate."

"I can't just be a friend to you Haley." Nathan stated. "As much as it would make things easier I can't just shut off my feelings like that."

"I wanna be with you too." Haley admitted.

"What?" Nathan questioned hesitantly.

"I wanna be with you." Haley shrugged. "It scares me, and the way you make me feel terrifies me but I'm miserable without you." Haley leaned in close to Nathan and slowly pulled his face towards her softly touching her lips to his.

Nathan opened his eyes after a few moments to look at Haley. "So where does this leave us?"

"Hopefully together." Haley shrugged. "And I'll let you in, I promise I'll do my best to let you in. This is just all really new to me."

"What is?" Nathan questioned.

"Giving someone my heart." Haley stated.

"Me too." Nathan nodded. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not that experienced when it comes to expressing my feelings."

"So we'll be idiots together?" Haley questioned with a laugh.

"Idiots together." Nathan nodded.

"Come on." He stood up and grabbed her hand in his pulling her towards the house. "We better head instead before your brother realizes we're both gone and kills me."

"Did you have a good Thanksgiving?" Haley questioned wrapping her arms around his torso.

"Best Thanksgiving ever." Nathan laughed.