A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! Last chapter was my most reviewed so I just wanted to say thank you so much. Please review this chapter and let me know what you think.
I do not own OTH or it's characters. The song in this chapter is "Lonely World," by Bryan Greenberg.
Such a
lonely boy, couldn't find the joy within.
Such a lonely girl,
such a lonely world we're living in.
I watch it all go by.
Can't
find a tear to cry.
A tear to cry.
It's so obvious how they
need each other.
They want and bleed and hurt but they keep it
covered. Until it's one big lie. They can't stay alone cuz they fear
goodbyes, well, they fear goodbyes. They fear goodbyes.
He don't
say much, when there ain't much to say. She waits for his responce,
she waits all day. The world keeps spinning in a silent scream and I
keep waking in these dying dreams.
I asked her for the time, she
said the timing was off. But I got this pain inside she said it's all
you've got. I got this feeling that life is passing me by, I'm a
couple of years late but I, I'm here tonight. I'm here tonight, well,
I'm here tonight.
"Lucas what the hell are you talking about?"
"You two need to be together."
"Lucas as much as I would love to be with her, she's married."
"Nathan just go after her!"
"What did she say to you today?"
"Nothing. You two are just perfect for each other."
"I'm not setting myself up for rejection again."
"Nathan you won't be rejected."
"She has made it very clear that we can't be together. I'm not just going to keep throwing myself at her because eventually she'll just throw me out."
"She won't throw you out."
"Lucas, do we really have to get into this again? I'm not going to lose Haley again, and if I go after her she won't talk to me anymore. Another rejection just might kill me."
"Fine. Don't take my advice but you'll be regretting it later."
"Whatever man."
"Anything good happen at the lawyers?"
"No not really. They just know what agency it's at, but they have locations all across the country so it doesn't help much."
"It does narrow down the search though."
"Yeah I guess. Want to go grab food?"
"Is that all you do? Order out?"
"Do you really want me to cook?"
"Good point. Pizza?"
"Good for me."
Haley got home from work. She picked up Natalie on the way. It was just going to be the two of them until Matt got home from work.
"How was your day baby girl?" Haley asked pulling her daughter into her lap on the couch.
"It was good. I painted a picture for you and daddy."
"Oh really? I bet it's beautiful."
"It's a bubberfly mommy."
"A butterfly? I love those."
"Really?"
"Yes I do."
"Is daddy coming home tonight?" The little girl asked with big hopeful eyes.
"I think so. How about the three of us have dinner together?"
"Yeah! What about Mr. Scott and Aunt Brookie? Can they come too?"
"Well, I don't know if Mr. Scott has plans honey."
"Well what about Aunt Brookie?"
"How about it just be the three of us baby?"
"Okay. Will you cook?"
"Anything you want sweetie."
"Macaroni and cheese!"
"You know daddy doesn't like that sweetie. He thinks it's for little kids." It made Haley kind of sad they could never eat macaroni and cheese. Haley and Natalie ate it together once in a while, but they never ate it all together. She missed the days when she and Nathan would sit down and eat it together.
"Okay, how about that chicken stuff you make?"
"Okay sounds perfect. Want to help me?"
"Yeah!" Natalie screamed. She loved to help Haley in the kitchen.
Natalie and Haley continued to cook dinner together. Haley would let Natalie do little things like feel the measuring cup and sprinkle a spice.
"My two favorite women!" Matt exclaimed when he walked into the house.
"Daddy!" Natalie exclaimed. She ran up to him and hugged his leg.
"Hey Nattie! I miss you honey!"
"I miss you too! I haven't seen you in like three whole days." Natalie picked up her fingers and showed him the number three.
Matt picked up Natalie and put her on his shoulders. Then he walked over to Haley and kissed her.
"I missed you," Matt said.
"I missed you too. I've been missing you a lot lately."
"I know. I'm so sorry work is so crazy baby."
"It's okay. I just wish you were home more."
"Yeah me too!" Natalie chimed in from his shoulders.
"I wish I was home more too. Now what are you two lovely girls cooking?"
"Take it away Natalie."
"Well, we're making that chicken thing momma always makes. Then were having Julianne salad, asparagus, mashed potatoes, and a chocolate mousse pie for desert."
"Wow! That's an awful lot."
"Well little Natalie here got very excited about all the cooking."
"Well I'm excited to eat it all. I'm going to go do some reading until dinners ready."
"Can I come with you daddy?"
"Don't you want to finish cooking?"
"I want to read with you."
"Go on," Haley said.
Natalie and Matt walked into the living room and sat on the couch together.
Haley cried as she tossed the Julianne salad. She wondered how life had become so different in such a short amount of time. Last month she would have found this as a normal day, but now that all of her friends were back she realized that there was a different, better side to happiness.
An hour later dinner was ready and the three of them sat down to eat.
"How was your day baby?" Matt asked Haley. He was smiling at her.
"It was okay. I went out to lunch with Lucas. Work was kind of slow."
"Yeah, Nathan told me that they were in town. How did all of that go?"
"It was nice to have everyone back together."
"Everyone still the same?"
"The same and yet really different. I don't know everyone is so grown up."
"Well, I'm glad you got to see them."
"Yeah, me too."
"Anything fun happen or interesting or dramatic?"
"There was a fight at the end of the night. It's okay though. It'll all be worked out."
"Oh, so nothing too serious?" Matt questioned.
"Well, it all depends on how you look at it. I'm ready to forgive and forget so it's fine."
"Well that's good. I don't want my beautiful wife to be upset about anything."
"I'd like to meet your friends sometime."
"Yeah me too! I want to meet people you hung out with in school," Natalie said. She had heard stories about Haley' friends from high school occasionally. Sometimes Haley would tell Natalie about the things she did in high school. Sometimes she told her about the things that she and Lucas had done when they were very small.
"Okay, I'll let them know. We can have a game night or go to the park or something."
"Game night! Game night!" Natalie chanted.
Haley laughed. "Okay, a game night it is."
"Are they staying in town long?"
"I don't think so. They're both married and have jobs. I think a week or two."
"Oh, that's not too bad. Are they going to come back?"
"Well, actually I've decided that I'll go down there one month and they'll come up here the next month."
"What about work and Natalie?"
"I'll bring you two with me. We can go on the weekends or take some time off. You'll love Tree Hill."
"Well, if I can fit a trip into my work schedule then I would love to go with you."
"I want to go! Road trip!" Natalie said.
"Yes, we'll have a lot of fun! You can go see all the places mommy grew up at."
The three continued to talk about everything. Haley was hurt that Matt wasn't excited to go to Tree Hill. How was it possible that in a matter of a week her whole perspective on life had changed?
Natalie went upstairs to play house in her room. Haley and Matt sat on the couch together.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around much," Matt said.
"I just think you should take some time off you know?"
"I would love to, but I can't. I am so busy."
"It'll only be a few days. I want to go someplace or do something."
"We will, soon. I promise."
"Are you going to leave tonight?" Haley asked with sad eyes.
"No, I'm going to stay right here with you. You want to know why?"
"Why?"
"Because I love you Haley. I love you more than work."
"I just wish you would show me that sometime Matt."
Matt pulled her into a hug.
"Listen to me. I love you more than anyone or anything in the world. I may work a lot, but I just like helping people. I like my job. This summer we'll go on a trip okay?"
"You promise?"
"Yeah, I promise."
"Okay, I'm holding that to you mister."
"I love you Haley."
"I love you too. You better go read to Natalie though, she misses you."
"Okay." Matt kissed the top of Haley's head and headed upstairs to read to Natalie.
Haley heard her cell phone ringing and went to answer it.
"Hey," Haley said meekly.
"I'm so incredibly sorry," Brooke cried into the phone.
"I know. I'm sorry for freaking out at you."
"You had every right to. Best friends don't hide stuff from each other. I didn't mean anything by it. You know I love you right?"
"Yeah, I know."
"Okay, good. You mean so much to me tutor mom and I don't ever want to hurt you. I was just upset and angry."
"It's fine. I forgive you."
"Okay good. Girls day tomorrow?"
"Sounds good. Bring Peyton."
"Okay I will. We're both so sorry. We were so out of line."
"Brooke it's okay."
"You are such a good friend. I do not know how you or Scott are so forgiving."
"I think we learned there's no time to be mad. So girl's day tomorrow okay?"
"Yeah, bye Hales."
"Bye."
Haley sunk into her chair. She couldn't believe she had the opportunity to hang out with these people again. As a matter of fact she couldn't believe where life was taking her.
About an hour passed and Matt was still up in Natalie's room reading to her. Haley was bored. She decided to call Nathan.
"Hey you," Nathan said into the phone.
"Hi," Haley said.
"What are you up to?"
"Matt's upstairs with Natalie and I'm insanely bored. You?"
"I'm headed out to some club with Lucas and Brooke and Peyton. You should come."
"I can't." She remembered that Brooke had texted her earlier to go. She just couldn't get up and leave Matt and Natalie.
"Why not?"
"Matt and Natalie are here. I told Matt he should be home more. I don't want to be a hypocrite."
"How'd that conversation go?"
"He told me he likes work."
"He should like you more than he likes work."
"He said he loves me and that we could take a trip or something at the end of the year. I'm just sick of him being away all the time that's all."
"It's okay to feel that way Hales."
"I'm lonely Nathan and I'm not happy."
"What? I thought you said everything was great."
"It used to be. Now I'm just lonely all the time."
"I understand. I'm usually really lonely too."
"Usually?"
"Well not anymore. I have you now."
"Yeah, you've made me really happy lately."
"I'm glad. Matt will come around. It'll all be okay."
"I hope so."
"Listen, even if Matt isn't there for you all the time I'm here for you."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"I wish this timing wasn't so crappy."
"What do you mean?"
"I just mean that I wish you could have came around when I was happier."
"When you were single?"
"Not exactly, just happy."
"It may be a little late in finding each other but I'm here now."
"You're too perfect you know that?"
"I am pretty great."
"I'm really glad we're friends you know?"
"I'm happy about it too. Are you busy tomorrow?"
"Girl's day with Brooke and Peyton because Brooke will not stop apologizing."
"Peyton is doing the same thing."
"I told Brooke it's okay. She can't get it through her head."
"Well how about tomorrow night?"
"I'm free."
"Okay, let's do something."
"Natalie wants everyone to come over for a game night. Matt wants to meet all of you."
"Perfect. Well I got to go out. Don't be sad though Hales, you're smile is too pretty."
"Thanks. Have fun. Night."
"Bye."
Haley and Nathan both hung up the phone.
"I love you," they both whispered to nobody in particular.
Nathan looked at the clock. He groaned. He glanced at the calendar.Why couldn't he have found her earlier?
NEXT: The next chapter will skip a small amount of time. I'm so excited for you all to read it.