Back with an update.Thanks for all the love on this story so far so this chapter is the last of the time jumps from here on in it will be present time. :)

Chapter 22

September 2nd - 9 months later

'You can breathe now.' Lucas joked as he patted Keith on the shoulder. Nathan handed him a beer which Keith gratefully swallowed as the two boys chuckled.

'I just can't believe she's finally my wife.' He breathed out. The brothers smiled. 'And you don't know how nice it is having you two here like this on my wedding day.'

A look passed between Nathan and Lucas then, the irony not lost on them. Their relationship may be completely different now but today it was as tense as ever.

Keith's mother approached them then holding a 7-month year old girl in her arms. 'I think Lillie wants to say goodnight to her brothers..'

The boys put their differences aside as they cooed over the little girl before Keith took her in his arms and walked off with Mae.

Nathan's eyes scanned the white tented area then frowning as Jake laughed away with Brooke like he hadn't a care in the world. Lucas' eyes followed Nathans then. 'Nate…'

'I'm not going to do anything alright. I'm not going to spoil their day Luke.' Nathan reiterated for like the fifth time.

Luca rolled his eyes at his hot-headedness. 'Fair enough but every time to you look at him your jaw is about to crack so maybe you should brush up on your acting skills.'

'Dude this is not ok…how the hell could he take her as his date? This is Haley Luke, my Haley.'

'Earth to Nathan she hasn't been your Haley in over a year.' Lucas reminded him as he took a sip of his own drink.

'You know what I mean.'

'No Nate quite frankly I don't because you let her go and I'm doing my best to stand by you both here but I told you there was always a chance of this happening; you took that chance Nathan.'

Nathan slipped his hands into the pocket of his suit pants and sighed heavily.

'Now be the bigger man that I know you are and stop giving her the cold shoulder. In case you haven't noticed she keeps glancing over at you.'

'I need a drink.' Nathan said as he went towards the outdoor bar.

Lucas just rolled his eyes as Brooke came over toward him. 'What's the matter boyfriend?' She mused at the squinted look on his face as she linked her arms with his.

'My little brother is a royal pain in my ass.' Lucas mumbled.

Brooke smiled fondly.

'What?' He said catching her eyes.

'I just don't think I've ever heard you call him that even if he is a royal pain in your ass.' She teased. 'Anything to do a with a certain blonde whose upset because the boy she loves won't even talk to her?'

Lucas didn't catch on and Brooke rolled her eyes playfully. 'You men. Haley is here with Jake as a friend. They're not together.'

'Nathan said they kissed.'

'Yea on the cheek.' Brooke emphasised. 'I'll talk to him.'

'Well it's a little late for that.' Luke said as he eyed the bar.

'Stop acting like a dick towards Haley man.' Jake said as he approached the bar noticing Nathan tense up beside him.

'That's really all you have to say to me.' Nathan gritted out.

'Yea because you're being a jackass…'

'You show up to my Uncle's wedding with the love of my life and I'm a jackass?' Nathan blew out as he turned to face him

'Well I'm glad you finally realised it.' Jake said.

'Don't push me Jake…' Nathan gritted out.

'Nothing has ever happened between us in fact Haley wouldn't' even be at this wedding only for me.'

'Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it the other way around?' Nathan sniped.

Jake clenched his teeth. He paused then as she shook his head. 'You know what this isn't my place.'

'Your right it isn't your place…..when did you do it man what you start gigging together and develop some connection through music or some shit…'

'You need to shut up Nathan…' Jake warned him.

'Or what you just looking to get back at Peyton Jake by hooking up with her friend?'

'Do you even hear yourself right now? You let her go Nate….you.' Jake said pointing the finger at him.

'That doesn't mean I stopped caring about her or that I wanted you to go after her.'

'I haven't gone after her and you would know that if you'd being around.'

Nathan's eyes darkened. 'What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

'When's the last time you seen Haley Nate…aside from today?' Jake pressed. 'Cause maybe as her friend I can fill you in on some of the things you've missed like…extended deadlines, not showing up to seminars….I'm talking a college deferral, black out blinds and hiding under a duvet in broad daylight…she's not Haley Nate, in fact she hasn't being Haley for sometime now.

Nathan's hard face dropped and there was no missing the flash of fear in his eyes. His heart plummeted, those words coated his skin in an icy sweat. 'Wai…what…wh…why didn't you say anything?'

'What would you have done, flown to Boston?' Jake proposed.

'Of course I would have gone over there I love her, I…I..I thought she was happy, she….she's had that summer programme….she was gigging…' Nathan said flustered.

'She didn't go on it.' Jake admitted to his friend painfully as he left his drink down on the bar and took a step back. He sighed closing his eyes momentarily hating how he handled this, it wasn't how he wanted to say it.

Nathan brought his hand to his mouth shakily, his eyes welling up a little at what Jake had said.

'Nate I didn't know until lately…I just..' Jake faltered then obviously regretting how he'd relayed the news. 'Look if anyone can get through to her maybe it will be you.'

XXXXX

Her gaze was zoned out on the dancefloor, the couples now just a mirage of colour and sparkle. The longer she sat here the more distance she felt between herself, the more her sense escaped her. That was until she smelt him. His scent was like her teenage love all over again whispering in the air, a sharp jolt back to reality, a reality that wasn't even hers, not anymore.

His hand demanded her focus then as he held it in front of her, her distortion suddenly becoming clear.

As Haley glanced at him she noticed the softness to his features now and maybe even a slight beseeching, it was that flicker of implorance which had her body stiffening up. He knew. She wasn't sure what. But he knew something.

'Dance with me,' Nathan said softly trying not to tremble as he gazed into her eyes and for the first time in his years of knowing her he couldn't read anything there.

Nathan led her to the floor before twisting around, their bodies practically curled into each other despite the distance in their hearts.

Neither said anything for some time. They danced in slow circles like they used too drowning the world out from around then. Haley rested her head against his chest, feeling the pounding of his heart its rhythm aching to kill the numbness inside of her.

'Why didn't you call me?' Nathan said softly then as the next song started. He seemed to cling onto her tighter.

Haley kept her head on his chest. 'We drifted apart.'

'I didn't want that to happen'

'Its nobody's fault.' Haley said softly as she pulled back and gazed up at him. She had been stunned earlier when she noticed him with the groomsmen. It had been 9 months and he was gradually maturing, his appearance was now even more striking than ever. His raven hair was styled in that purposefully rugged way just like she ran her hands through it numerous times, a very slight graze of stubble dotted his cheek line now, his shoulders were broader than before. He was insanely handsome, her heart yearned for him even more and twisted painfully all the same.

'I thought you were happy Haley …god I thought..' Nathan cut off then swallowing hard, it was painful.' You started gigging so I thought you were enjoying your music degree; you were going on trips with Milly…why couldn't you talk to me or Luke even…'

'I didn't want to…' His eyes beseeched hers.

'I was afraid to...' She admitted softy. 'Afraid of what you'd think of me.'

'None of it would change how I see you …'

'It already has. I'm not that girl anymore Nathan.' He heard the catch of emotion in her throat as her gaze fell away from him.

'Why didn't you to come to me?'

'I told why..'

'It's not enough I told you could always come to me no matter what Haley I love you …'

'Please don't do this…' She whispered brokenly, tears coating her eyes.

'Hales…'

His nickname for her sparked her off. 'No I'm not the person you fell in love with. I never was.' She barely got out as she pulled back from him and scurried out of the tented dancefloor.

Jake made a move from the round table they were sitting at but Nathan halted him. 'I'll get her.'

Haley stood outside the giant white gazeebo holding on to the pole feeling the crippling pain crawl up the back of her throat, her head felt dizzy, her throat tightening up a flurry of emotions running wild in her mind, her senses in overdrive from being close to him again.

'Haley…' His voice broke through the swirl of panic inside of her. He was the only person that could ever break through the chaos. It always came back to him. Always. She wasn't really aware of what was happening but she felt his arms around her like a weighted blanket and her breath escaped as heavy sobs as she fell apart in his arms. She was sure he was holding her she didn't even know anymore as she heaved into his chest.

'It's ok…' Nathan said feeling his eyes well with tears as she cried against him. It had never been like this, even the nights she cried over her father, it had never sounded so painful. He could feel her pain, willed his own tears to stay back but this was too much. He tried to focus on holding her, on feeling her in his arms after so long, anything but the ache having her so close yet emotionally so far away from him.

He wouldn't let her go again.

XXXXX

Nathan rested Haley down on his bed leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead before standing back up , he inhaled a shaky breath as he gazed down at her. She was breath-taking as always. When he spotted her walking up the aisle as part of the bridal party earlier he knew in that moment that someday she would make that walk for him. They were destined to and as much as he didn't think he was good enough for her, that faith he realised now he couldn't outrun it anymore. He wanted to be a man good enough for her, he wanted to be hers.

He came to this wedding with the intention of telling her that even if she had a partner he told himself he would wait. He owed her that much after all she had been so patient with him. These past few months he had matured a lot, worked hard on not letting the same old narrative of the past control him anymore. In ways he had found himself and it felt like Haley had lost her way.

He'd never expected that, her strength was the source of his.

To see her like this, he couldn't come to terms with it.

Seconds later Nathan heard the key card in the door as Lucas walked in.

'Nathan this better be good you know Brooke will kill me for missing the bouquet toss…'

'Shh…' Nathan came up to him motioning to Haley lying fast sleep on top of his comforter.

Lucas frowned as Nathan motioned him into the bathroom.

'What's going on is she ok?'

'No she's not ok Luke, in fact I think she is the furthest thing from ok..' Nathan said solemnly as he leaned back against the bathroom door.

'What do you mean?' Lucas said worriedly.

Nathan shrugged. 'I don't know man….Jake just said she's deferred college this semester and she hasn't being leaving her room.' Nathan started pacing in the small space then. 'I don't know what's going on.'

Lucas frowned. This didn't sound good their Haley at all.

'I'm worried Luke.' Nathan said honestly as he stopped his pacing, his hand coming up trace his jawline.

Luke tried to quell his own worry pretty sure his nervous reaction wouldn't help his brother in the slightest. 'Haley is strong Nate she'll get through this whatever it is, she will.'

'What if we….' Nathan faltered for a moment. 'What If I took advantage of that?

'What?'

'Her strength….I mean I just wanted her to have a shot at the life she deserved, I so badly had my own picture of her happiness in my head, knew she'd be ok without me, us…and she hasn't been Luke…god this is all my fault.' Nathan said as he felt his eyes welling up again.

'It's not your fault you couldn't foresee this, hell I didn't notice this and we've been friends for years….' Lucas sighed softly. 'Did you talk to her?'

'I tried she just broke down Luke. She's barely holding it together. What are we going to do?'

Lucas stepped forward leaning over the sink. Nathan could tell he was trying not to let this visibly affect him but it was. 'Just stay with her. She might open up to you.' Lucas said softly.

Nathan nodded. 'If Karen and Keith ask tell them we went for a walk or something…'

'They're heading away shortly anyway..'

'Yea I just we need to keep this between us until we know…'

'Sure look I'll have to give them the card from us, are you ok waiting here?'

'Yea I just want to be beside her now.'

Lucas smiled at his words.

'It's going to be ok.' He said as he clapped Nathan on the shoulder. 'She has the two of us now.'

XXXXX

Haley came out of her sleep turning in the bed as she collided with the body beside her, rubbing her sleepy eyes she noticed Nathan lying flat on his back in his crisp white shirt, one hand sprawled across his tummy. A grace of a smile on her lips realising he still slept and hogged the bed in the same way. She felt herself wanting to snuggle in and cower away from him simultaneously. She chose the latter as she quietly scrambled off the bed, her feet landed on warm carpet and she glanced around for her shoes. Tip toeing towards the chair she noticed his suit jacket thrown across it, without thinking Haley fingered the rich material and brought it to her nose breathing him in. God how she missed that smell so inherently Nathan with the twinges of his spice cologne, a part of her thrilled he wore the same one and yet a bigger part of her just felt what of it, it didn't matter that he wore the same cologne, that he'd matured into this wonderful man, that he once took up such a huge space in her life - none of it mattered anymore.

She didn't carry the same hope, or predestined crap she once thought they were. It was just life; she was done romanticising the pain of it all and waiting for the turnaround. Some things just didn't come back around.

'Haley…'

Her heart still beated wildly at the sound of his voice.

She dropped his jacket as if she never wanted to pick it up in the first place before turning towards him. His eyes said it all. They always did. They were slightly moistened, red rimmed even. He was worried. Upset. She turned away from him.

Nathan watched as she turned slightly, she held her arms across her chest one hand trailing up and down her arm, standing there in a beautiful emerald green gown that contrasted against her blonde locks so strikingly. Her hair seemed lighter than before as though steaks of sun had latched onto its golden tone belying the truth she'd spent the summer in a dark room. Part of him still had hope it wasn't completely true.

'Hales…' He began again softly.

He watched as her eyes closed as if his words hurt her. 'Please…don't say that.'

He swallowed hard. 'Ok….' Nathan choked out. 'What happened Haley?' He wished for more conviction in his tone but the emotional toll of this conversation denied him that. Truthfully, he felt like falling apart but he had to stay strong.

His questioned was loaded. She wondered if it was about them or her. Maybe even both. She stayed standing showing him her side profile as her fingers grazing the hard course material of the dresser chair, it felt like her heart would explode out of her chest.

'Please talk to me.' He said softly.

'I don't know what you want me to say.'

'I don't want you to say anything…. I just need to know you'll be ok Haley…' Nathan said shakily. He stood up from the bed then as he walked over to her, he didn't miss the way her body tensed. He reached out for the soft skin of her shoulder but she pulled away.

'Just…' She tried to explain herself but failed to do so.

'I can't touch you now?' He questioned softly.

Haley just shrugged squeezing her eyes closed. She wasn't going to cry. She willed herself not to cry. It had been weeks since she'd broken down in tears and now she was about to fall part twice in front of him.

She backed away from him a little more, let her fingers run along the dresser table feeling the cold wooden material. She needed something tangible to focus on while she spoke these words, in ways it still felt like these words, this story didn't belong to her. 'I just threw myself into my music, I ended up duetting with Jake at some gigs….I don't think he even wanted to duet but I think he knew I was missing you terribly sometimes it didn't feel like it was about the music with us at all…' She admitted.

Nathan swallowed painfully.

'The days just began to feel like auto-pilot…..I was tutoring, gigging, completing assignments….but I got nothing back from it, everything started to feel like it was so far away from me and yet I was right there in the middle of it, even the calls to you and Luke….I could hear myself talking on the phone but it wasn't even me…..'

He brought his hand to lean against the dresser, he felt like he could crumble with the pain of her words. He had to focus on breathing slowly in and out for several seconds, he couldn't show his anguish now not when she was opening up to him.

'I didn't know what was happening Nathan.' Her eyes were glistening with tears again.

'I wish you could have told me or someone….just that you weren't feeling ok even if you didn't know what was happening.' Nathan said softly.

'And I didn't know how to tell you or anyone….Millie knew, she wanted to call my parents.' She tried to laugh at that but it was more of a strained cry. 'She didn't know that mum was killed in a car accident and my dad was partially to blame. She didn't know any of it - there was also something so refreshing about that, it's like I didn't have to be that girl, the one I was in Tree Hill but the more I ran away from her the more she seemed to chase me.'

'I'm so sorry….' Nathan mumbled remorsefully.

'It's not your fault.' Her words were dry, it was worse than if she were to be angry at him. It's like she didn't even care anymore. That thought terrified him the most.

'You said it was not healthy to need someone so much and you were right Nathan.' She looked him in the eye then, that look had tears inevitably coating his eyes.

She saw that and glanced away again.

'I wasn't right Haley; I was a coward. I was scared I could never be enough for you and I used that as my excuse….I believed you were destined for greatness and I pushed you away. I'm done running, I came to this wedding for you Haley.'

She seemed to retreat back even more at his words like they were the ones she'd wished not to hear. Funny how last year it was all she wanted. But not now.

'I just want to help you…'

'You can't save me Nathan.' Haley said resolutely as she crossed her arms over her chest deflecting his words.

'Why not you saved me?' His voices trembled with those words, the tears coating his eyes now had silent ones escaping her.

She desperately swallowed back the sobs the pain burning in her throat as she continued. 'I waited for it to pass, waited for life to feel normal again but it just began to blur. There were days I was walking down the corridors to lectures and I just couldn't breathe…I found out my dad is sick, dying actually….that didn't even take the nothingness away.'

He closed his eyes blinking the tears away as she continued. He couldn't handle it anymore; it was just too much. Without even thinking he closed the distance between them and took her in his again. He held onto her tightly willing the tears away he just needed to hold her and everything would be ok, eventually he felt her relax into him. 'I love you Haley.' His voice was shaky, trembling with sorrow.

He felt her fighting his embrace and he reluctantly dropped his arms.

'I'm not the girl you fell in love with Nathan. She's gone.'

'You need to come home Haley, be around family.'

'I can't go back Nathan; my life is in Brown now.'

'If you can't come home I'm going back with you.' He said.

'Why are you doing this?' She couldn't understand why he was fighting so hard, he wanted her in Brown. And surely he didn't want the shell of the person she had become now, she thought it would be easier for him to let go again.

'I'm doing something I should have done a long time ago.'

'Nathan….you can't….we're not…' She fumbled her words coming out in a frenzied mess. 'I can't be with you like that again…ever'

He tried not to let her words affect him visibly, worked hard to stop the pain permeating his features. It's not like he had expected her to welcome him back fully into her life but to say never. That just, it just wasn't Haley.

'You said you came to the wedding for me…I can't give you that.' Her voice was shaky, like she felt afraid.

It was strange for him to see a girl who always wore her heart on her sleeve so ceremoniously have it under lock and key, saddened him to think life had made her this way at the tender age of 21.

'I just…Haley you need to be around people you know and people who care about you. You can stay with me and Lucas I'll even move out if your more comfortable.'

'You don't have to do that.' She mumbled. The way he was being now, it made it difficult to not allow those warm feelings to cloak her, it's like they were within reach and she wanted to clasp them and resist them all the same. This was all so confusing. She hadn't expected this reaction, in ways she was seeing so much more of his maturation tonight beyond the physical.

He was becoming the man she always knew he could be and she had become the girl he'd never thought she could be.

She wasn't sure if she could let him see her this way.

'Hales…' Hey eyes shot up to him. 'Sorry Haley…' He said cautiously. 'Jake said you've deferred this semester why not come home for it?'

'I don't want anyone to see me like this.' She whispered so softly he wasn't sure she even heard herself but he'd heard it.

Nathan moved away from the dresser as he walked towards the bed pulling back the comforter. Haley was looking out the window now, the lights that adorned the church gardens sparkled in a blurry haze. She felt her eyes growing heavy dried up with tears.

'Haley…'

Even the soft way her name fell from his lips had her floundering.

She turned then as he held out one of his t-shirts towards her. 'Let's get some sleep ok.'

'Nathan I…' Her voice trembled.

'I won't touch you.' He said softly. 'But I am going to stay with you.' There was no way he couldn't do that.

She gave him the smallest of smiles but it was something. She stepped forward taking the t-shirt from him.

'It's going to be ok Haley.' He promised her.

XXXXX

Nathan glanced around at all the scattered pieces of paper all over the floor beside the couch. He'd been putting off this job if he was being honest with himself, he didn't want to see what was torn up.

Five days had passed since the wedding now. Haley had slept in his room that night and halfway through the next day, the emotional exhaustion had took its toll on her. Nathan had told her the next day he was going to go back to Brown with Jake to pack up her stuff for her. She hadn't argued. In fact she hadn't said much of anything.

She was with Lucas now. She'd been staying with him at home in Tree Hill since the wedding. He knew maybe being around Lucas, just the two of them was all she needed right now.

Nathan really didn't know how Haley felt around him her guard was up that was for sure.

'You alright?' Jake said as he stepped into the living room. Nathan was crouched down picking up pieces of paper.

'Yea…' Nathan said barely holding himself together as he looked at the torn-up picture. She looked to be about 7 at the time, her family pictures were ripped to shreds.

'You remember this day?' Jake said as he held up a picture of the 4 of them. It was back when they first got together, when it was just the four of them, Nathan, Haley, Peyton, and Jake.

At least she hadn't ripped it. That had to mean something right.

Nathan swallowed hard, he had been working hard to hold it together ever since he took her in his arms at the wedding, he wasn't sure he could stand up straight much longer, the pain of it all was just too much. He swallowed hard expelling a heavy breath. 'You ever talk to Peyton'

Jake crouched down to help him as he picked up the scraps of paper. 'On and off. She's interning at a record company still. She's dating a guy in L.A now.'

Nathan just nodded. 'And you're ok with that?

Jake shrugged. 'I'm giving things a go with Nikki.'

'What?' Nathan said surprised by that.

'Yea I wanted to tell you only you went all kung fu at me during the wedding.'

'I'm sorry.' Nathan said regretfully.

'I said some things I didn't mean to. I know you care about her Nathan and you wanted the best for her despite the way you went about things and well from what I could see she was happy, she even told me maybe this break was maybe what you both needed. And then somewhere along the way she just started to drift from the music entirely and I saw less of her. I didn't think anything of it, I knew she was chatting to you guys….I thought she was just busy. Milly rang me 2 weeks before the wedding.' Jake said then. 'She sounded worried on the phone, said Haley wasn't leaving her room.'

'I let her down.'

'No you didn.t'

'I did I practically took Lucas away from her too.'

'She never seen it like that Nathan trust me her eyes lit up when she spoke about you too getting along.'

'We've all made mistakes Nate.' Jake said sighing. 'But there's a reason for all of this..'

'How can there be a reason for all this hurt?'

'You've changed.' Jake said easily. 'You've outgrown who you once were with Haley, you'll be better for each other…..maybe you needed to go through this individually.'

'I don't think she'll ever want that again.'

'Just be there for her Nate.' Jake said as his phone started vibrating on the mantlepiece. 'That's my dad eh I better go pick up Jenny.'

'How is my second favourite girl?' Nathan commented softly.

'She misses her Uncle.'

Nathan just smirked at that. 'I'll swing by later ok. I'm going to get tidied up here and make sure everything's packed up. I've an early flight tomorrow. Jake I'm glad things are working out for you with Jenny's mom, you deserve to have that, be a family.'

Jake smiled. 'It's early days but it's different this time. Like I said sometimes people need to be apart to figure things out.' He said knowingly. 'I'll see you later man.'

XXXXX

'As far as student accommodation goes this place is really nice Luke.' Haley said glancing around as she dropped her purse on the counter. Since the wedding herself and Luke had stayed at his while Karen and Keith went off on their honeymoon. Today was their first day back in Lucas and Nathan's place. She soon learned that the two of them were staying in apartments off campus. 'You two win the lottery or what?' Haley jibbed him, she smiled taking in her surroundings, there was something homey and comforting about this apartment despite the fact two boys lived here she could already tell Karen put her touch on the indoor space.

Lucas smiled as he propped the shopping bags up on the counter. 'So during the summer Cooper came down to visit us in Tree Hill. He also came down with the news Nathan's mum had an account in his name to be opened on his 21st with a sum of money.'

Haley looked on surprised.

'Yea I know.' Lucas said. 'It came as a surprise. Turns out Deb had preeclampsia and there was always a risk there with the pregnancy, she put that money away for him in secret never told Dan.'

'Wow….' Haley said softly.

'So Nathan wanted to give a little back cause Keith helped him throughout the first year of college he didn't want to be in the dorms anymore so we rented here…'

'It's really nice.' Haley said.

'I thought you'd like it here. I'm really glad we're ok Haley.' Luke said honestly then.

Haley smiled. 'We never weren't ok, I guess I was just figuring things out..'

'With Nathan?' He prodded softly.

'With life…' Haley said. 'As you can that isn't going so well.' She admitted hesitantly.

'No one has it figured out Haley, they just look like they do.'

'You have Lucas.'

'I don't but I've also had a little help because I haven't had to go through things alone, I've had my family…we're your family too Haley always have been.'

'I know that.' She said quietly.

'So we've decided to give you my room because apparently Nathan said it looks like a girls anyway.' Lucas said changing the conversation to something a little lighter.

Haley smiled shaking her head softly. 'You really don't have to do that; I've been living in a box dorm room….even if I stayed on your sofa couch this would feel like a king-sized bedroom.'

'Haley this is home for us now and we kind of want it to be home for you if you give it a chance, and you're a girl and have way more stuff than the two of us combined.'

'Besides, we never shared a room as brothers so this could be fun..' Lucas mused.

Haley giggled softly at that 'Oh I don't know about that Karen told me you two bicker like the evil stepsisters off Cinderella.'

'That's because he…' Lucas began realisation dawning on him as he rolled his eyes, he started laughing alongside her then. Laughing between themselves they failed to hear the door opening.

'Hey…' Nathan said in surprise as he walked in rolling his suitcase behind him, he was dressed casually in green khaki shorts and a white polo with a Nike cap on his head, he looked damn good. Haley felt her tummy flutter at the sight of him. 'Hey…' She said softly.

'I didn't expect to see you guys.' He said as he came in behind them grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge.

'Yea we decided to come back earlier thought I'd get some grub in.'

'Haley your stuff should be here in about 5 days .' She was glad he was busying himself with his bags as he spoke to her, for some reason she could feel herself blushing just from staring at him.

'Ok…thanks for doing that.'

'No problem it was nice to spend a few days with Jake.' He said easily. The two of them quickly caught each other's eyes before they both looked away.

Lucas caught the interaction and cleared his throat. 'So we were just about to make some lunch if you want some.'

'I can't stay I've to meet Whitey in the gym. Looks like I'm still the favourite Scott.' Nathan bugged him.

'Whatever man you know it's never a good thing when he calls you in alone.'

'I'm not the one who showed up to the last game hungover and got sick during it.'

'Luke you didn't.' Haley gasped looking at him.

'He did it was hilarious.' Nathan said chuckling at the memory, within seconds he ducked as Lucas grabbed an orange from the packet and fired it at him.

Haley found herself smiling at the pair of them, this all felt so similar and dissimilar at once, being around them and seeing them together like this. It all left her for feeling incredibly disorientated and like she was dreaming.

'How about you go over with Nathan and I'll get started on lunch. We can have it when yous get back.' Haley said then.

A look passed between the boys.

Nathan just shrugged at Lucas, he knew they couldn't just babysit her forever, if they wanted her to stay here with them she needed her space.

'Sure just no…'

'Peanut butter I got it you know I don't forget these things.' Haley said.

Lucas smiled. 'We won't be long.'

'I'm nervous about leaving her alone man what if she just runs back again?' Nathan said as they made it out of the complex.

'I don't think she's going to run to the airport on a flight Nate and be gone in the thirty minutes we've disappeared. Chill, we probably need to give her a lot more space if anything.'

'I know…it's just hard. How was she? Did she talk to you at all?'

Lucas shrugged. 'A little I mean she was quiet enough but at the same time it still felt normal between us.'

Nathan sighed. 'I feel completely different, god I couldn't even look at her Luke without fumbling did you see what I did with the water bottle…nearly spilled the whole thing.'

Lucas just smiled. 'You'll be fine.'

'No I won't…..I've to be around her now all the time and try and respect what she's going through while trying not to let my feelings show…..I don't know how to do that….'

'You'll find a way for her.'

Nathan blew out a breath nodding his head slowly.

Lucas smirked then. 'I mean I don't know how considering you've been like a lovesick puppy all summer since your big realisation but…..oww…' He whined as Nathan shoved him in the side.

'Stop being an ass.'

'I'm just getting you back for your comment earlier.'

Nathan just shook his head.

'I mean it will be funny watching you try and hold back your feelings for her. I have a feeling this semester is going to be quiet interesting.'

Nathan just shook his head. It meant everything Haley being here but he wasn't sure how he could be friends with her, they were never just friends even when she was tutoring him.

He didn't know how the hell he was going to do this.