Title: Over

Name: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG 13

3.
    Lucas shut the door and sat on the steps for a minute and ran over different parts of his latest interaction with his 'little brother'. He had said 'in love.' That pressed upon his mind. He thought about the break and how he had been feeling. He thought about how much time he and Haley had spent together and how right it felt.

    Lucas found Haley with a sour face in the kitchen nuking her cold hot chocolate. He knew that if they were kids she would have been pouting and sucking her thumb. "Hales... he's gone."
    Haley was angry, "I know...stupid...boy...person..."

Lucas chuckled and pulled her too himself, "You're going to be okay. Nathan will get it together."
    "We are broken up…and after last night I don't care."
    "What happened?" Luke asked grabbing her coco and settling them in front of the fire again.
    "He's just an idiot...He tried to convince me that if I just didn't spend time with you anymore than he would be less stressed. He said that if I wouldn't pick fights with him then he wouldn't yell at me in public. Suddenly it was like it all clicked into place."
    "What clicked Haley?" Lucas asked.
    "I didn't tell you this okay?"
    He nodded, "Okay."
    Haley blew her hair out of her face and said, "Deb and I would talk at the café a lot and she would let little things slip. Interactions she and Dan had, fights, arguments. It's not like she was looking for my opinion just a safe place to sound off. One of her biggest complaints was how Dan insisted if she would only change or if she wouldn't provoked him then they wouldn't fight." Haley ran her hand through her hair, "I was the same crap...Nathan does the same thing... I don't want to end up married to Satan."

    Lucas chuckled, drew Haley to himself and soon laid them both down on the couch so that Haley's head fit on his chest. She wrapped one arm around him and hugged him before looking up at him. "My Lucas...I not share...My Lucas," Haley said in her best three year old voice as she squeezed him all the tighter.
    Now Lucas did laugh out, "That's right. Your Lucas." He traced his fingers up her cheek to get her to look at him. "And you don't have to share…and by the way it was me having to share you." Lucas let his fingers continue to trace Haley's cheek as they stared at one another.

    Haley was getting warm. Her cheeks were burning she was sure. Lucas didn't seem to notice. He just repetitively stroked her back and brushed his fingertips along her skin. Haley swallowed looking down briefly before looking back up with a new vulnerability. Lucas appeared un-phased by the situation. It was as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to cuddle her in such a manor.
    The thought struck Haley hard. Natural. It did feel natural. With Nathan it was all butterflies in the stomach and short breath. This felt different but still nice...real. It felt real. Nathan always felt 'out of her league' with him, not cause he was better than her but everyone would always be looking at her like he was. Lucas it was like she belonged with her head on his chest while he comforted her. They may not always agree but he never...ever treated her badly.
    Haley shifted a little closer to Lucas, which was pretty hard since she was practically lying on top of him. She decided to stop thinking. Nathan knew they were broken up. She could have a minor emotional breakdown...or even... she didn't know. All that mattered was she was with Lucas and he loved her. She knew it in her soul. Lucas Scott loved her and would do anything, even put up with Nathan, so he wouldn't lose her. The only thing Nathan was willing to risk was reputation and that was just pitiful. Haley breathed deep the smell of Lucas and knew she was where she was supposed to be.

    Lucas gazed down at Haley as she snuggled into his chest with a happy smile and closed eyes. He stroked her back and cheek. He rhythmically ran his fingers through her hair and enjoyed being this close. Lucas couldn't imagine doing this with either Brooke or Peyton. Only Haley belonged in his arms like this... The thought stuck and his hands faltered. Haley grunted,
    "Hey...don't stop. I liked that."
    "Sure," he murmured and mechanically began to play with her hair again. What was going on in his brain? Haley was a friend. She was with Nathan... Actually she wasn't. But she liked Nathan...only she had just called him Satan. Maybe she didn't really like him anymore. "Hales?"
    "Hmmm?"
    "Do...do you think..."
    "What, Luke?"
    Lucas looked at Haley sweetly and ran his fingers through her hair with her gazing at him. "Do you think...you and Nathan will be getting back together?" He tried not to show the nervousness in his face and just kept playing with her hair.

    Haley didn't know what to make of the look in Lucas's eyes or the warmth she felt in her own body. She put that aside and answered her best friend. "I don't actually. I don't think I trust him. I don't trust him with you and I don't trust him to do the right thing...so even if on occasion he shows potential...I don't want to be with someone I don't trust."
    Lucas pulled her back down and settled her on his chest again before kissing the top of her head. "Thank you," he whispered.
    "For what?" she asked pretending to pick lint off his shirt.
    "Loving me," he said and this time kissed her cheek.

Tbc