Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 21!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: I'm glad to see everyone is enjoying this story. I have only begun to tip the dramatic iceberg, there is so much more left to come. I have so many great ideas and I promise I will continue to write with all my heart and all my soul.

Anyway, here's chapter 21. I hope you enjoy it!

Hargrove Home

It is five o'clock in the evening and Karen is standing on the porch, having just rung Andy's bell.

'Oh, please answer,' thinks Karen.

Andy opens the front door and leans against the doorframe when he sees her.

"Hi Karen," says Andy, unemotionally.

"Hi," says Karen. "I've been calling you constantly."

"Yeah, I know but I've been busy packing," says Andy, coldly.

"Where are you going?" asks Karen.

"I'm going to New York to stay with my cousin," says Andy, his face showing no emotion whatsoever. "And I may not come back."

"Andy, please," pleads Karen. "I love you so much and you have to know that I am so very sorry about everything. I overreacted and was completely rude and disgusting. But, I cannot bear the thought of being without you."

"Karen," says Andy, sadly. "I'm sorry but I just don't know if I can be with you anymore."

"Just because of what happened?" asks Karen, upset.

"Just?" asks Andy, his voice rising. "You didn't just say something that can be forgiven so easily, Karen. You were disgusting to me, accused me of being on Dan's side, and made it sound like I didn't even care about you. And to top it all off, you threw my engagement ring back in my face. That's more than just."

"Andy," says Karen, single tears drops dripping from her face. "I don't know what you want me to say. I was completely wrong and I made a monumental mistake. I wish I could take it back but I can't. You have to know that I love you and wanna be with you."

"I do and I felt the same way," says Andy, sadistically. "But, now I'm not so sure."

Karen breaks down in tears. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I don't know," says Andy. "Goodbye Karen."

Andy closes the door and Karen just stands there, tears flowing freely down her face.

How could this be happening?

Roe Home

Lucas is in his room, beginning to pack up some of his stuff.

"Knock, knock," says Haley, walking in.

"Hey Hales," says Lucas, smiling and continuing to pack. "What's up?"

"I spoke to your mom earlier, Luke," says Haley, gently. "She feels so horrible about what happened."

Haley notices that he's packing.

"Woah, what are you doing?" asks Haley, looking around.

Lucas sits on his bed. "I'm moving in with Keith."

"What?" cries Haley. "You can't be serious."

"I am Hales," says Lucas, seriously. "I can't bear living with here with my mom anymore. It's just too hard. With everything that's going on with Brooke and all the other stuff in my life, I can't deal with this."

"Luke," says Haley, sitting next to him. "You are going to break my mom's heart."

"I know, but this is just too much. All the stuff with Brooke and my mom is just too much. I wanna try to distance myself from my problems as much as possible," explains Lucas. "And this is the only way."

Haley takes a deep breath. "I really hope you know what you're doing, Luke."

She notices the teddy bear and the box of chocolates on Lucas' dresser.

"I see you got the stuff from Brooke," observes Haley.

Lucas turns to look at the stuff. "Yeah, I did."

"For what it's worth, Luke, Brooke's torn up about this. She never meant to kiss Jake, she never meant to hurt you," says Haley, trying to make Lucas feel better.

"So, what I should just forgive her?" asks Lucas, a bit annoyed.

"No, I'm not saying that at all," says Haley, reasonably. "I'm just saying that maybe you should just cut her a little slack."

"When you and Nathan were together, if you had him making out with another girl, would you have cut him slack?" challenges Lucas.

Haley nods her head no.

"Didn't think so," says Lucas, as Haley understands his point.

"But, Luke, you should talk to her at least. Try to understand," says Haley.

"There's nothing to understand, Haley. Brooke said she wanted to be exclusive, I believed her, and then I found her kissing Jake," says Lucas, the hurt evident in his voice. "Not very exclusive if you ask me."

Haley just looks at him, understanding. Betrayal isn't easy to get over.

"But, Hales, I want you to know that I appreciate you're always being here for me," says Lucas, smiling at her. "You've always had my back and I cannot tell you what that means to me. I love you Hales and I want you to know that I'm always here for you as well and that I've also always got your back."

"I know, Luke, and I love you too," says Haley, smiling.

They hug.

Haley looks at her watch. "I gotta go meet Bryce for coffee."

"How are things going with you guys, by the way?" asks Lucas, concerned.

"Great," says Haley, standing up. "He's a great guy, I really like him."

"I'm happy for you Hales," says Lucas, smiling. "I hope you find happiness again."

"Thanks," says Haley, smiling. "Well, if I don't leave now, I'm gonna be late, so I'll see you later. Bye."

"Bye," says Lucas, as Haley leaves.

Sawyer Home

Peyton is in her room, at her computer, ridding it of all things related to Brooke and Jake.

"Knock, knock," says Brooke, standing by the door.

Peyton turns around. "Can I help you with something?"

"Can we talk Peyton?" asks Brooke, pleadingly.

"There's nothing to talk about Brooke. I made everything perfectly clear at the hospital," says Peyton, coldly.

"Did you get the box of chocolates I sent you?" asks Brooke, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yeah, I did," says Peyton, sadistically. "And I flushed them down the toilet. The same way you flushed our friendship down the toilet."

"Peyton," says Brooke, entering Peyton's bedroom.

"No," says Peyton, getting up. "Get out of my room. Lying, backstabbing skanky whore ex-best friends cannot enter my room."

Brooke steps back into the hall. "Peyton, please, I am so sorry. I made a mistake, a tremendous mistake. I regret it completely."

"That's great, Brooke," says Peyton, angrily. "You can take your apology and your regret and shove it up your ass."

"I didn't expect you to be forgiving about this but to see you like this," says Brooke, near tears. "I don't know what to say."

"I do," says Peyton, picking up a box of stuff and handing it to Brooke. "Get out."

Brooke looks at the stuff in the box. "This is all the stuff I've ever left here and ever lent you."

"That's right," says Peyton, sadistically. "Now, kindly get the hell out of my house."

Brooke walks off, tears flowing.

Police Station

Nathan enters the Interrogation Room to find his mom already seated, He is finally allowed to see his mom, in person.

"Mom!" cries Nathan, as she gets up and they hug.

"Oh, Nathan," says Deb, tightening the hug. "I'm so glad to see you."

They break the hug and sit.

"How are you holding up?" asks Nathan, concerned. He loves him mom to death.

"I'm doing ok," says Deb, shrugging her shoulders. "Prison isn't exactly the Plaza Hotel."

"So, mom, how did dad know it was you?" asks Nathan, curiously.

"He didn't Nathan, it was a set up," says Deb.

"What do you mean?" asks Nathan, confused.

"I was only arrested because your dad paid off the police chief to get revenge on me for sleeping with Keith," says Deb. "His attempted murder was only a plausible reason for the arrest."

"You mean you ratted yourself out?" asks Nathan, trying to understand.

"Yes," says Deb, sadly.

"Oh My God, mom," says Nathan, grabbing her hands. "I'm so sorry."

"It's all right, I'll deal," says Deb, smiling weakly. "How are things with you and Haley?"

"There isn't a Haley and I anymore, mom," says Nathan. "We're over. I gave her the first stage of the divorce papers today."

"Is that what you want?" asks Deb, concerned. "Do you love her?"

"Of course I love her mom, but…I just can't get past what she did. It's not like she just left for a week or two, she left for months without even so much as a phone call. And then I tried to go see her and it blew up in my face. She chose music over me twice," says Nathan, the hurt evident in her voice. "I just can't get over that."

"I'm sorry, honey," says Deb, squeezing his hands. "I know it's hard but if you feel you and her should be together, then you have to tell her. I'm not defending what she did but I know Haley. She would never intentionally cause you pain. She was just following her dreams, you can't penalize her for that. Did you and her ever seriously sit down and talk about?"

"No," says Nathan, quickly.

"Maybe you should," says Deb, trying to help her son. "I'm not saying it'll change your mind about being with her or that it should but maybe it would help make you feel a little better."

"I don't think that's gonna happen. We had a huge blowout at the café earlier," says Nathan, sadly.

"Try," says Deb. "Don't run from your marriage like I did. Try to make it work."

"But, she's with Bryce," says Nathan, as a matter of fact.

"If she loves you as much as I think, she'll at least be open to talking," says Deb, reassuringly.

"Thanks, mom," says Nathan, smiling. "I love you."

"I love you too Nathan," says Deb, as they get up and hug.

"I'm gonna go and see Haley and try to talk to her," says Nathan.

Deb smiles and Nathan walks towards the door.

"Good Luck!" says Deb, sincerely. "Oh, and, Nathan?"

"Yeah?" asks Nathan, turning around.

"Can you tell Karen to stop by next time she gets a chance?" asks Deb. "I need to talk to her about something."

"Sure, mom," says Nathan. "Bye."

Nathan walks out.

Deb sits down at the table. She really hopes Nathan and Haley can work things out. She never saw Nathan happier than when he was with Haley and she wants him to have that again.

Apartment

There is a knock at the door.

"Coming," calls Haley.

She opens the door and is surprised to find Nathan standing here.

"Nathan," says Haley, the surprise evident in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" asks Nathan.

"I think we said everything earlier," says Haley, beginning to close the door.

Nathan pushes the door open with his hand. "Please, Haley, it's important."

Haley looks at him and sighs. "Come on in."

Nathan enters the apartment and Haley closes the door.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 21. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 22, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!