A/N: Thanks for the reviews...enjoy and keep them coming. :)

Love Is a Full Time Job

He stood there, his hands shoved deep in his khaki slacks, fighting the urge to rip the tie from his very neck. He knew all too well how much seven years could change people, lives, towns, but it was all too surreal to him for seven years to not even touch the small high school where he reigned as king.

He shook his head at the sight of the blue rock still sporting his jersey number in big bold white letters. He remembered the day he and Lucas had goofed off while watching Haley, Brooke, and Peyton paint. Haley had gotten more blue paint in her hair than on the rock and he had helped her spend three hours getting it out.

In the middle of the courtyard stood the very table that the six friends had sat in their four years of high school. It was an eerie reminder, like a monument frozen in time. He could almost see Brooke stealing his fries as Haley rested her head on his chest, his arms placed firmly around her middle like he would never let go.

But he did. He let her go and now he was back to stay. Several times the night before he had packed and repacked, almost certain that he was catching the next bus out of Tree Hill. He'd make it just to door, fingers barely grazing the door knob before pulling back as if he had been burned.

This was the cruel fate he was destined to live with. He kept telling himself that he had to do it, that he had to stick around, had to suck up the hurt, and be there for her the way he hadn't years before. It made him sad, it hurt like hell, and it pissed him off more than anything; his slight hangover, bandaged hand, and busted bathroom mirror gave proof to that fact.

His mother had been elated; something happy she could latch onto in the wake of everything sad that had graced the past week of her life. Peyton seemed relieved, even though worry was clearly etched on her ivory face. Lucas he assumed would deal with it, struggling in between being elated that his brother was home and being concerned that his wife's ex husband had returned.

Mostly though, it was the way her eyes lit up that convinced him to stay. She needed him, just like she always had, and far be it from him to be selfish yet again and leave her alone. He mentally set boundaries for himself; he knew he could never be alone with her again and there would be no physically contact of any kind. It would simply be too damn hard.

So he had found himself an apartment; 'the ultimate bachelor's pad' is what the realtor had described it as and he couldn't help but feel like it was a jab at his life from God himself. And well, as much as it pained him to do so, he had to settle down and get a real job.

Welcome to Tree Hill High.

"I can't believe you're back."

"That makes two of us Mouth." Nathan smiled walking up to greet and shake his old friend's hand. "Well at least in a five feet radius."

"It's Mr. McFadden in front of the students Nate."

"Well then it's Mr. Scott to you Mr. McFadden." Nathan smiled as Mouth chuckled.

"How does Coach Scott sound to you?"

X-x-X

Nathan stepped inside the rather small principal's office and sat down. Mouth hadn't given him any time to respond to his request to be a coach and Nathan pondered the offer all the way through the halls of Tree Hill High to right then at that very second. He felt confident that he still had not made a decision.

"Yeah I know what you're thinking." Mouth said interrupting Nathan's thoughts, taking a seat behind the desk. "Nothing's really changed much here."

"No, not here it hasn't."

"But out there, well everything changed huh?" Mouth said and shook his head when he realized Nathan wasn't going to respond. "I'm surprised you went to college. I'm even more shocked that you became a teacher."

"I had to do something."

"I figured you would wind up in the NBA."

"I never played college ball. I uh, I found out I have a heart condition called HCM. I couldn't play anymore."

"I'm really sorry Nathan." Mouth nodded sympathetically.

"I'm not." Nathan said causing Mouth to look on in confusion. "The whole basketball thing, while it was great, it wasn't really the thing for me. I think though if I hadn't have found out about my condition I would've played college ball and I might even have gotten signed but it wouldn't have been what I really wanted."

"So what did you do after college?"

"Traveled. You wouldn't believe the things I've seen and done Mouth. Like I was on this Greyhound bus one time, and I literally helped this girl deliver her baby. I've been all over South America; backpacking through Europe taking odd end jobs to support myself. It was quite the experience."

"I'm sure." Mouth agreed.

"What about you? I thought you would be announcing those NBA games somewhere."

"Nah, I realized that while it was fun in high school, it just wasn't the same once you were an adult. Besides that, I found an amazing girl and decided to plant my roots here. No sense in leaving a good thing.

"Yeah, absolutely." Nathan agreed uncomfortably clearing his throat. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"Rachel. Rachel Gatina. She's got about a foot on me, drop dead gorgeous, with a fiery personality to match her hair but she loves me. Actually, we're going to tie the knot in about a month. You should come."

"Definitely. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Now, back to the coaching thing."

"Yeah, I'm not so sure about that."

"Why not?" Mouth frowned. "I mean with Whitey gone…"

"What happened to Whitey?"

"He retired a few years back and ever since then it's been volunteers coaching the team. No one's won state since you took the victory all those years ago."

"We took the victory." Nathan corrected looking up to lock eye contact with Mouth. "Lucas and I took that victory."

"He wanted the position. Lucas, I mean. But he's a sports editor you know and it keeps him on the road a lot and he gets paid more. He couldn't give that up, you know?"

"Yeah I understand that."

"Just give it a try, will you Nathan? The season's about to start in a few weeks and we've got some promising students. They just need the right person to lead them in the right direction. What do you say?

X-x-X

"Hey, I'm glad you called."

"I'm glad you could make it." He smiled kissing her cheek and taking a seat across from her at the table.

"So what are you buying me for lunch?" she asked, looking at her menu as a light breeze blew through the small outdoor café.

"Anything you want."

"Good, then I'll take this side of the menu." She laughed giving him a quick wink.

"You're pregnant and you eat less than you did in high school? Wow." Nathan smirked which caused him to received a light smack from Peyton.

"You're really sticking around this time huh?"

"Well at least for the next year since I signed the lease." He answered as Peyton quickly reached over and hugged him from across the table. "Speaking of which, you have full reign to decorate since I don't want to hear you bitch about how bland and boring white is."

"I do not bitch." She pouted as Nathan quirked up his eyebrow in surprise. "Okay so maybe I do. If you were pregnant six out of seven years you would probably be a bit of bitch too."

"No on told you to be such a whore Peyt." Nathan laughed and tried to guard himself as Peyton slapped him with the menu. "Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Geez, Peyton, I'm sorry!"

"So you got the job? I never would've pictured you a history teacher."

"Did you picture me as a basketball coach? Because that's apparently what I'm also going to be doing."

"Dude, that's amazing. I can totally picture you doing that. You know Jake teaches music and I teach the art class right? You get the privilege of seeing me everyday."

"Great." Nathan rolled his eyes.

"I'm happy you're staying Nate." She said genuinely smiling. "But if you're going to be pissy and moody about it then I don't think you should."

Nathan didn't even wince at her harshness and Peyton placed her hands on her bulging belly and sighed. He didn't even realize the full extent of what he had done; the consequences it had brought on everyone, especially Haley. He didn't even have a clue; she doubted that Haley would even tell him. But Lucas…no, she didn't believe that Lucas would go that low.

"Are you going to Mouth's wedding in a few weeks?" Nathan asked dropping the subject of him staying in Tree Hill.

"Going? Well yeah, considering I'm the photographer. That is if this little one doesn't decide to pop out early. Rachel's wearing my wedding dress. She couldn't stop gushing about beautiful it was. Brooke made it for me."

"She made Haley's too." Nathan replied without ever meaning to. "Well, I mean, at our wedding. I mean, damn."

Nathan rubbed his hand over his buzzed head and blew out his breath. He just dug himself into a hole with that one. But the fact was that he was burdened, with his impending residence in the one place he didn't want to be and the fact that Haley was pregnant and he was the sole protector of her secret.

"You're a really strong person Nathan." Peyton said placing her hand over his. "One of the strongest I know."

"Strong?" he scoffed. "You think being strong is walking away from the love of your life?"

"Well…"

"I call it being a coward." He huffed, removing his hand from her grasp.

"You did it for her though right? I mean you walked away for her benefit even though you loved her?"

"Can we not go down this road again Peyton? I'm tired of talking about it, really I am. I've thought about it enough over the years and over the past few weeks and I'm all thought out on the subject matter. More over, I'm all talked out. I wanted to leave here and try the rest of my life to not think about her ever again. But since I'm staying could that be the taboo subject to talk about?"

"So why are you staying then? I mean if you don't want to." She asked already knowing the answer but needing him to say it for himself.

"She asked me to."

"Why?"

"Damn it, Peyton. Stop. Okay? Just stop it right now. You know why I'm here because it's the same reason I came back. Everything I've ever done since I was sixteen years old has revolved around her. Simply her." Nathan yelled, his anger getting the best of him but quickly calmed down once Peyton gave him her infamous look.

"Alright Nathan. Got it. Stopping now."

"Good."

"I think I'll have the fish and pickles. You?"