A/N: Due to the fact I felt bad for the last chapter, maybe this one will put a smile on your face for all you Naley fans!
Two years have passed since Haley has seen or heard from Nathan. She found his letter the next morning as she was checking the mail. She cried as she read the truth behind his words.
Jake had tried to call him, but he never picked up. So Jake and Peyton headed off to Duke, leaving Haley at home.
She graduated from high school two days ago and would be headed off to Duke in about a month. She had been dating Josh for almost a year now, but her love still remained with Nathan.
Jake and Peyton were home for the summer, so they had been hanging out quite a bit only now it was just the three of them. They were all in Jake's room when the phone rang.
"Hello," Jake answered, "Yes this is he," he replied before his face paled and hung up.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Peyton asked.
He looked at her and then he looked over at Haley before he quietly said, "Nate's dad passed away this morning."
Haley didn't know what to do. She knew how close he had been to his dad and the fact that he was now gone was just too hard to bare.
"Does he know?" Haley spoke.
"Yea, that was his mom on the phone. She said he's really tore up about it. I think I'm going to head over there. You don't have to come if you don't want to," Jake said knowing even the mention of his name was still hard on her.
"No, I want to go," she quickly responded.
The three friends quickly got in Jake's truck and headed over to the Scott's house. Jake knocked on the door before Mrs. Scott came to the door.
"He is upstairs in his room. He has been up there ever since he got here. Maybe he'll talk to you guys," she said motioning towards the stairs.
Peyton quietly taped on the door before slowly opening it. Nathan was facing the opposite direction and didn't even turn when he heard the door open. In a matter of four hours, he had lost his father, the man who had helped him become the man he was today.
"Hey man, your mom let us in if that's ok," Jake said walking further into the room.
"Yea that's fine, but I'm not really in the mood to talk," he said softly.
"It's ok. You don't have to say a word, but we are here for ya," Jake reassured.
He slowly turned to face his old friend when he saw her. She looked even more beautiful than the last time he had seen her. When she noticed him looking at her, she simply smiled before walking over to him and giving him a hug.
"I've missed you," she whispered into his ear.
"I've missed you too. I'm…" he began.
"Shh… it's fine, don't worry about it," she said stopping him from apologizing.
The three just began filling each other on what all had happened within the two years that they had been apart. Nobody mentioned Josh and Nathan never asked whether she had dated anyone.
As time went on, it was getting rather late. "Well man, I think we are going to head out. We'll be back over here to check on you tomorrow," Jake offered.
"Alright man, good night," he replied.
Haley was about to leave when she noticed his face become distant again. "If you don't mind, I think I'm going to stay for a little bit," she said looking at Nathan before turning to her brother.
"Alright just call when you get ready and I'll come get you," Jake said before leaving.
She made it back over to the bed where he was sitting. "So now how are you really?" she asked knowing he had been putting on a front all night.
"I feel like a part of me is dead too," he said looking at her honestly.
"Nate, your dad had a good life and you know he's looking down on you right now and smiling. He loved you so much! But you know what, he may be gone physically, but he is always with you," she said before placing her hand on his heart, "right here."
"Thanks Hales," he replied, "by the way, thanks for staying. You always understood me better than anyone else."
"What can I say, I know you all too well!" she said with a smile.
"I'm sorry it took something like this to bring me back. I hate how I left but…" he tried.
Coming:
Haley must decide on Nathan or Josh