The sun slowly started it's descent back to the earth as Haley James watched from the window of her room on the tour bus. Tonight was the fourth show in her two-month long tour she shared with various artists who were promoting their latest work. Haley had been a musician ever since she was old enough to speak. She had always been told fondly by Lydia James that she came straight from the womb singing and Haley had used that statement as her compass to center her career around. After all, there was nothing better to the young woman than making her mother proud; than doing right by her mother. She had lost count of the hours she had spent in recording studios that started at the age of seventeen. Had lost count of the amount of times over the last five years she had traveled by a tour bus with her band mates. This, Haley thought to herself, was what she lived for.

The constant buzz of pleasure she received every time her lips were graced by the presence of a microphone and she got to tell her story of her life through intricately woven lyrics she wrote herself. Every artist had a story to tell, no matter how happy or sad. Music was the one thing that brought people together in Haley's opinion and she loved nothing more than sitting down to share that experience with crowds ranging anywhere from fifty to fifty thousand. An intimate performance in a coffee shop was just as nice as a sold-out arena, if not better, in her opinion. The sacred space of collectivity between humans coming together to share stories and hear stories never got old. Nor did she think it ever would.

Just then, there was a knock on her door and Haley went and opened it, head peeking out to see who was on the other side before a smile lit up her face and she laughed in delight. "Hey!"

"Hey there, stranger!" Lucas Scott, her best friend since childhood was peering back at her with a grin on his face. "Hope you don't mind me swinging by unannounced but Keller let me on the bus."

Haley shook her head quickly as she stepped into her friends' warm and familiar embrace, hugging him back tightly for a moment before stepping back once more. "Not at all. Chris knows to let you on the bus whenever you drop by, unannounced or otherwise. You here to see the show?"

"Yeah, of course," Lucas assured her. "I brought Peyton and Brooke, hope that's okay?"

Haley nodded. "Of course. They're always welcome as well. I just wish you would have said something sooner – I could have made sure you guys had the best seats in the house. You all okay with watching from backstage?"

Lucas chuckled. "Yeah, Hales, we're all right with that. Think we won't complain too much."

Haley nodded as she laughed herself before leading Lucas towards the kitchenette of the tour bus and pouring them both a cup of coffee. Handing him his, she spoke again. "How are Peyton and Brooke?"

Peyton Swayer and Brooke Davis were two women Lucas had met after Haley moved from Tree Hill, North Carolina by the time middle school had started. Haley and Lucas had stayed in touch but she hadn't met either one of the other two until at least a decade later. Over a decade really. There had been some type of love triangle that Haley had tried to help Lucas navigate while the three were in high school and Haley was completing her studies on top of touring and somehow, Peyton and Lucas were officially dating and Brooke was dating casually once more. She had felt for Brooke, more than she'd ever admit to her best friend, but she also knew Lucas had been in love with Peyton from the start. She had heard it in his voice when speaking of the blonde woman while dating her best friend. Honestly, it had seemed like something straight out of a soap opera in Haley's opinion. Which, she definitely kept that one to herself.

Lucas grinned a soft, shy smile. Almost as if it were for him and him alone. "They're good. Both excited to see you tonight. Peyton is doing well with art school and Brooke is currently working on her designs, trying to get them to take off."

Haley smiled, voice kind as she replied. "That's good to hear. I'm happy for them and of course, excited to see them as well." There was a momentary pause as Haley debated how to ask her next question. Which, naturally, Lucas already knew she was going to ask.

"Ask it, Hales, I know your curiosity is killing the cat," he teased, eyes twinkling, and Haley laughed.

"How's it going with Nathan?" Haley asked, voice tinged in the tiniest hint of concern.

Nathan Scott was Lucas's half-brother, something Haley was well aware of before she moved from Tree Hill. She was also aware that the two of them couldn't stand one another growing up because Nathan had the rich upbringing thanks to their father, Dan Scott, and Lucas and Karen Roe, his mother, were left to make ends meet as a single-living parent family. Lucas had held resentment towards Dan for getting his mother pregnant and then leaving her high and dry and Haley knew that resentment, on some level even as a young kid, had extended to Nathan.

Lucas expelled a sigh. "They're not awful right now. We're at least older and more mature to recognize the fact that we were both two kids that faced destruction by Dan. Nathan definitely didn't have the easiest of upbringings either, with Dan as a father, and I often find myself wondering how much that contributed to his "jackass" demeanor."

Haley nodded thoughtfully. "I think it definitely played a part. I mean, if what you're saying is true, I can't imagine Nathan had it any easier than you. Especially since, even as a kid who lived in Tree Hill at one point, I noticed that Dan Scott was a formidable tornado of destruction. No one wanted to be in his path and he had bought off the PTA starting as soon as kindergarten. I can't imagine that having changed over the years."

Lucas shook his head. "Definitely not. But as far as Nathan goes, guy isn't half bad. We've developed a friendship of sorts at the least. Wouldn't call it a brotherhood or anything. At least, not right now, but it could get there one day. I, uh, actually invited him to come tonight."

Haley stared at her best friend in surprise. "Really? He's here?"

Lucas nodded, somewhat sheepishly. "Yeah. He said he liked your music and couldn't believe myself and the girls were friends with you. Had to "see it with my own eyes, Lucas" to believe it. So, I said he could come. Made him pay for a ticket, however."

At this, Haley couldn't help but snort. "You're such a jackass when you want to be, you know that?" She was teasing him, naturally, as was par for their friendship. She found it funny that the other three got in for free – as they always did with her shows – and Lucas had neglected to mention that to Nathan.

"Slipped my mind that you give us the friends and family discount each time," Lucas shrugged a shoulder casually.

"Well," Haley mused with a sigh. "As Nathan is neither my friend nor family, I guess the discount shouldn't apply."

XXX

Haley's heart was thundering rapidly in her ears, matching the thunderous applause pouring from every side of the stadium. "Thank you, New York City! You guys have been amazing and cannot wait to see all of you on the second leg of tour! Good night!"

Walking off stage, she paused next to Chris Keller, a good friend of hers' in the industry who had taken her under his wing and helped her learn the ropes of the show business. "You're up, Keller."

"Killed it as always, Haley," Chris grinned, hugging her briefly before jogging out onto the stage himself as the crowd roared even louder. He was the main attraction and Haley was pleased to call him a friend. Walking further backstage, Haley spotted three people and someone she hadn't seen in years and detoured towards them. "Brooke and Peyton, hey girls."

"You killed it, rockstar," Brooke complimented her, pulling her in for a hug despite the fact that a thin layer of sweat coated Haley's skin. Peyton claimed her for the next hug.

"Such a bad ass performance, Hales. Always is with your shows," she said, and Haley smiled.

"Thanks, guys," she said, still a bit uncomfortable with compliments. That's never what it had been about for her. She just liked bringing joy to people through music anytime she could. She looked at Lucas, who was tilting his head inconspicuously towards the tall brunette guy next to him and she held out her hand. "Haley James. You must be Nathan?"

Nathan Scott hadn't tore his eyes from her and she started to feel just slightly uncomfortable until he blinked and nodded, accepting her hand after a moment. "Yeah, I'm Nathan, Lucas's half-brother. You sounded amazing."

Haley felt a small flush creep up the back of her neck as she dipped her head. "Thanks, Nathan. And, yeah, I remember you from when I lived in Tree Hill. We didn't know each other but I lived there for the first ten years of my life before moving."

He looked at her in thought. "Interesting. Well, again, great performance. You're a natural."

"And, I think we've all praised my best friend enough," Lucas interrupted with a laugh, before pulling Haley in for a hug as well. "When's your next break and how long is it?"

"Uh, starts day after tomorrow and two weeks," she replied. "Why? You guys hanging around in the city?"

"Thought we would, yeah," Brooke replied. "I have a friend's who father has a cabin upstate. He's letting us use it."

"And, I'm invited?" Haley asked, double-checking to make sure she understood correctly.

"Yeah, Julian is open to any friend of mine being there," Brooke said.

Nodding, Haley shrugged her shoulders. "All right, I'm in. I'll pack tomorrow before the show. In the meantime, you guys try not to get into too much trouble in the city tonight."

Eyes twinkling with laughter, Haley headed back to the tour bus to shower, feeling a set of eyes trailing after her that weren't familiar in the slightest.

Why was Nathan Scott of all people watching her?