A/N: Here's Chapter 21. I really wanted to have it up yesterday, but I had other things I had to get done as well, and it just never got written. So, anyways. Go on and read
Disclaimer: One Tree Hill is the best show ever, and I only wish it belonged to me.
Haley slowly opened her eyes, sunshine that came flooding through the window, shining right in them. She threw her blanket over her head, not wanting to get up yet. She knew what today was going to be like, and she was dreading it already. She could only imagine how Nathan was feeling right at this moment. She sighed, knowing she was too worried to go back to sleep, so she pushed the blanket away, sitting up. She grabbed her purse off the floor, digging through it until she found what she was looking for. She dialled Peyton's number, hoping Peyton was up already.
"Hello?" She heard someone mutter sleepily.
"Hi Sawyer." Haley smiled.
"James, what time is it?"
"Early." Haley shrugged.
"Jaaaames." Peyton moaned, "It's not even 10:00."
"I know, I'm sorry. I just needed someone to talk to."
Peyton sighed, "Okay, well you've got me up now, so what's up?"
"My mom invited Nathan to come to lunch with her, my dad and me today."
"Sounds like fun to me." Peyton yawned.
"Peyton! You know my parents. I'm their last little girl, and they think this boy is trying to take me away from them."
"It's not like you guys are getting married..."
"That's it!" Haley exclaimed, an idea now in her mind.
"What? You're not thinking about..." Peyton said quickly, wondering if her friend was really that dumb.
"Nothing!" Haley interrupted, "Just forget about it. So how are things with you and Lucas?"
"It's going to be okay. We talked last night, and I really love him. He's coming over for dinner tonight."
"I'm really happy for you guys. You deserve it after all the crap you've been through."
"Thanks, James."
"No problem, Sawyer. Anyways, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to get ready to go."
"Okay, don't do anything I wouldn't do." Peyton warned.
"Oh, I won't." Haley grinned and Peyton immediately felt like an idiot as she heard the phone hang up, because she of all people knew there was nothing Peyton Sawyer wouldn't do.
xxx
"Lucas!"
Lucas sat up in his bed, his mother's high, scared voice having woken him right up.
"Yeah, mom?" He asked as she walked into the room.
"Your father never came home last night. His car's still gone."
Lucas simply shrugged.
"But what if something happened, Lucas?"
"You've gone from wanting a divorce, to being worried about whether he's okay? Wouldn't it just be easier if he died?"
"Well I suppose...but Lucas! Don't say stuff like that. Even if he is an ass..."
Lucas sighed, "Fine. I'll help you look for him, but I've got to be at Peyton's house for dinner by 5:30."
"Peyton? Isn't that the girl whose house you stayed at the other night?"
Lucas nodded, "She just offered me a place to stay, trying to be my friend and help me out. But I think we kind of fell in love."
"So, you asked her out?" Karen raised her eyebrows.
"Kind of, yeah. Anyways, last night her dad came home, and to make a long story short, he wants me to come over for dinner tonight."
"Oh." Karen said, "Well, okay then. I'll drop you off there at 5:30."
"Thanks." Lucas smiled, "Now give me a minute to get dressed, and then we can leave."
xxx
Nathan sat out on his front steps, waiting for Haley and her parents to show up. Surprisingly, he wasn't as nervous as he had been last night, because he already knew today was just a disaster waiting to happen. As if on cue, a car came screeching around the corner, Lydia James at the wheel. Nathan got up, and walked over to the car. He heard Jimmy talking to his wife, "Are you sure you don't want me to drive?" And Nathan laughed, hoping that Lydia would let Jimmy drive, but no such luck.
Nathan smiled at Haley, who opened the door for him. Sliding into the backseat next to Haley, he had barely shut the door, when the car took off again.
"Hello, Nathan." Lydia grinned.
"Hi Lydia, Jimmy." Nathan said quickly, before falling silent once more. He looked over at Haley, who seemed like she was pretending she wasn't here. Nathan grabbed her hand, and squeezed it softly. She looked up at him, a smile on her face.
Thanks to Lydia's insane driving, they were soon at the restaurant.
"Mom, you and Dad go on in, Nathan and I will be there in two minutes."
Lydia and Jimmy nodded reluctantly.
"Okay, at first you might think I'm insane, but just hear me out." Haley said seriously.
"Okay..." Nathan said slowly.
"We need to do something to get out of this, and every other time my parents want to meet you, because there is no way you're going to make it out of there, or anywhere else, alive."
"And what are you suggesting we do then?"
Haley stood on her tiptoes, whispering something in his ear.
"You're right." He said, looking down at her, "I do think you're insane. We can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because, it's just..."
"What? It's just what?"
"I don't know if I'm ready to do that."
"We don't have to do it right away, just tell them we're going to."
Nathan sighed, knowing Haley had her mind set on this, "Okay. Let's go."
xxx
"Hello?"
"Hi Peyton." Lucas sighed.
"Oh hey Luke." Peyton smiled, as she sat down on the end of her bed, cell phone in hand.
"Look, my dad's disappeared, and my mom wants to find him. And she wants me to come with her. So I'm going to be late for dinner. I'm really sorry."
"Well, why don't you and your mom come for dinner, and then my dad and I can help you find him?"
"Hang on I'll ask." He said, before covering the phone and talking to his mom for a moment.
"She says she really wants to find Dan, but I'll convince her. We'll be there at 5:30."
"Okay, bye then Luke!"
"Bye." Lucas said and then he hung up.
xxx
Nathan and Haley walked into the restaurant, and saw Lydia and James waving frantically at them from where they were sitting.
They both took a deep breath, walking towards them.
"Everything okay then?" Lydia asked as they sat down.
Haley nodded quickly, "Actually there's something we want to tell you."
"You aren't pregnant are you, Haley bop?" Jimmy asked seriously.
"NO!" Haley exclaimed, "No, of course not."
"Definitely not," Nathan confirmed.
"What we wanted to tell you..." Haley said slowly.
"Hurry up with it then." Lydia said nervously.
"Nathan and I are getting married." Haley said calmly.
If looks could kill, Nathan and Haley would have been lying on the floor dead by now.
I decided we'd had enough Leyton cliffhangers already, so now we get a Naley one! Let me know what you think!