Chapter 11

The next week had gone by smoothly for Nathan and Haley. They hadn't seen each other all that much because of their practices for Midnight Madness, but they knew that things were headed on the right track. The day of the big game Haley and Lucas were hanging out at the café.

" So Lukey how are you are your sort of girlfriend doing?" Haley teased.

"Haley," Lucas whined, "Don't call me Lukey, and Brooke, now my real girlfriend, is doing swimmingly, thank you very much,"

"WHAT?! You guys are non-exclusive and you're just telling me now?" Haley yelled

"I'm sorry! It just didn't come up," Lucas defended.

"Luke, when you have news like that you MAKE it come up," Haley said

"Sorry Hales," Lucas apologized.

"It's alright. However, to make you learn from your mistakes, you shall be called Pucas for the rest of the day." Haley said solemnly.

Lucas' eyes widened, "Please Haley I swear I will buy you a car, anything you want, just don't call me that in front of people,"

"Sorry Pucas, don't do the crime if you can't do the time" Haley laughed, "Now leave me to work in peace, I'll see you later,"

"Bye Hales," Lucas said walking out of the café

"Bye Pucas!!" Haley yelled after him

Just before the game, Haley was a bundle of nerves. She knew that she was going to mess up and be the laughing stock of Tree Hill.

" Brooke, you should not have made me a cheerleader. I'm a klutz. I will fall on my ass and bad things will happen," Haley said wringing her hands

"At least you've got a big ass to fall on," A redheaded girl said walking by

"Okay, who are you?" Haley asked angrily

"Rachel Gatina, Damn glad to meet you," Rachel said smirking

Haley got right in her face and put on a fake smile, "Don't you ever insult me again or I swear I'll break your fake little nose,"

Rachel's mouth hung open. She underestimated this girl.

"Oh and by the way, you might want to check in with your colorist, your roots are growing in," Haley said walking away

"My hair is natural," Rachel yelled after her

"Yea and I'm Paris Hilton," Haley said laughing.

"Tutorgirl! Who knew you had it in you?" Brooke said joining in the laughter, "By the way, you are going to do just fine in our routine, Nathan isn't going to know what hit him,"

"I hope so," Haley said quietly

After the victorious game, Nathan had two people waiting for him outside. One person he could see every waking minute and never get tired of and one who he could care less if they dropped off the face of the planet. Unfortunately for him, the latter found him first.

"You could have played better, Nathan. 30 points is nothing in college," Dan said

"What do you want Dad?" Nathan sighed

" I see you and Hades are back on good terms," Dan said smirking

" Just go crawl back into your hole Dad, no one wants you here," Nathan replied

" Before you go, Nate, Just a word of advice," Dan said

"Oh this should be good," Nathan shot back

"Just watch out for that little wife of yours. Now that you are back, she'll do everything to keep you here, like, oh, I don't know getting pregnant?" Dan smiled creepily

"She wouldn't do that, Dad, Haley is a good person." Nathan said. However, he could feel his confidence slipping.

"Just be careful Nate, you want to be bouncing a basketball, not a baby on your knee," Dan said about to walk away when Haley sidled up to Nathan.

"Hey Mr. Scott," Haley said nervously. Dan Scott was never a good sign

"Why hello, Haley, you look positively glowing," Dan said

"Um thank you," Haley replied. Dan nodded and walked away.

Haley turned towards Nathan, "What was that all about?"

"Don't worry about it, it's just Dan being Dan," Nathan assured her.

"Well, I thought you played great. To congratulate you on your win, I thought you could come over and I'd make you dinner ... and maybe breakfast," Haley said blushing at her forwardness.

Nathan smiled, "I'd like that,"

Later that night, Haley was making them macaroni and cheese and Nathan was looking through a photo album.

"Here try this," Haley said offering him the spoon.

Nathan tasted it, "Hmm. Too much mac not enough cheese,"

"Alright," Haley began to grate more cheese, when she saw Nathan looking at a picture of Jenny, Jake's daughter, "Isn't she cute?"

"Yea," Nathan faltered, thinking about the conversation he had earlier with Dan, "You know the other night, Hales, we are okay with, birth control and everything right?"

Haley stopped grating the cheese, "Well, I wasn't on the pill that night, but I am now. I'm sorry, I know it was stupid, but..."

Nathan stood up, "I can't believe my dad was right, I've got basketball to think about Haley!"

"Wait, you've been talking to Dan about this?" Haley asked.

"Are you trying to get pregnant so we would stay together? " Nathan countered

"Nathan, we are 17 years old, we aren't even fully back together again, no I'm not trying to make you stay by getting knocked up. I thought you might want to stay together because, oh I don't know, you love me!," Haley yelled.

"Let me see the pills, Haley," Nathan said quietly

"I can't believe you still don't believe me," Haley said furiously searching for her pills. Once she found them, she slammed them into his chest.

"Take 'em. I don't need them anymore," Haley said tearfully, while opening the door.

She spun around before she left, "Your future as a basketball player is totally secure, your future as my husband? Not so much." Haley slammed the door and ran as fast as she could to Brooke and Peyton's apartment. (A/N: I know that this doesn't happen until season 4, but I wanted to find a way to make Peyton a bigger part of the story.)

"HALEY!" Nathan yelled after her, "Damn it!"

He was so close to getting her back, and he just had to screw it up again. Nathan was pissed at his dad for planting the idea in his head, but more upset with himself for believing in it. He knew Haley would never do that, he was just brainwashed by his bastard father. This would be difficult to recover from. Trust was a big issue between them, and he might have just shattered everything they had worked at.

"And then I just ran out," Haley finished the retelling of that night's events tearfully.

" God, it's like history is repeating itself," Brooke said

"Hales, you know he loves you," Peyton said rubbing her friend's arm, "I think he was just blind sided by Dan's petty attempt to ruin you guys. No matter, what he does, Nathan will always look up to Dan and always has. He is Nathan's father, it's just the way it works, even if Dan is an ass."

Haley chuckled lightly, "I forgot you were such an expert on Scott knowledge,"

Peyton laughed too, " Well, being the broody quiet type, you learn to read people well,"

Brooke laughed, "Just so you know HJS, P and I will always be here, no matter what happens with Nathan,"

"Thanks guys, that means everything." Haley said starting to cry.

The three of them shared a group hug. They spent the rest of the night eating and watching movies, stopping occasionally to further dissect the actions of Nathan Scott. Haley knew that facing him again would be hard, but right now she just wanted to have fun with her friends.