Haley took the long way home from her parents place. It was weird to call somewhere else besides her parents place home, but this was her new reality, her new life. She wanted some time before she saw Nathan – enough time to let the red recede from her eyes. She didn't want him to know she'd been crying. She felt bad enough thinking back to the night before and the look on his face when he came home and saw her crying. She also didn't want their first memories together as a married couple to be littered with her crying. She kept telling people she was happy and for the most part she felt happy too. It was just a really emotional time and apparently her emotions kept coming from her eyeballs. A new development, and one that she hoped wasn't permanent. It was bad enough that people assumed she was pregnant. If they caught her crying all the time it would confirm it in their minds. "Oh, look, there goes Haley....crying again. Must be pregnancy hormones." She could hear them already.

The walk did her good. It gave her time to plan her course of action. Haley didn't want to come between Nathan and his mom. She didn't want to put him in a position of having to chose between them. It wasn't that she was afraid who he would choose, she just loved him too much to ever ask him to make that choice. Haley knew he would never ask that of her, and she wouldn't of him either. She resolved to keep the latest Deb episode to herself. Haley was a big girl, she would handle the situation herself. As the saying went, sticks and stones....unfortunately, it wasn't altogether true. Deb's words really did hurt. And that line about, "I know...", that really pissed her off. Ya, Deb and Dan got married young but it wasn't an actual choice for them. Deb was pregnant – they had to get married. Her and Nathan weren't standing at the altar with a shotgun to their heads. It was a conscious choice, based on love, not a lack of options or social stigma. Why do people feel the need to judge other people's decisions based on their own bad choices? Haley wasn't anything like Deb so why should she assume that Haley would have the same regrets as her later on in life. It was inconceivable to Haley that Nathan would ever be a regret. He was her heart. You can't ever regret loving someone. She felt her shoulders square as the thought passed through her head. She was done with crying. It was time to start standing up for herself.

"Hey Mrs. Scott.." Nathan said with a smile as she walked through the door. Haley pulled her keys out of the door and found him standing directly in front of her. She looked up. Sometimes it still surprised her how tall he really was. "What's wrong?" He asked, the smile disappearing from his face.

"Nothing, why?" Haley couldn't figure out how he could know. She had checked her face in her compact mirror before she walked in and all traces of tears were gone. Haley tried to go around Nathan, wanting to put some space between them, feeling uncomfortable with him standing so close.

"Something happened Hales, I can see it in your face." Nathan said blocking her movement.

"I don't know what you are talking about Nathan. Have you seen Lucas? I hear he's in town." Haley replied changing the subject. She then set about busying herself by rummaging through her purse. She wasn't looking for anything except an excuse to not look at him. Despite her lame attempt to avoid his gaze, she could still feel it.

"Come here a second." Nathan led her by the hand to the couch. He turned his body slightly so that he was facing her. "Do you remember my dad's birthday? When my grandparents were over and the whole story about my dad and his injury came out?"

"Fun times with the Scott family, how could I forget." She replied with a wry smile.

"I told you that night you have this look when you want to tell me something but you don't really want to tell me." He said. "And you told me I shouldn't know that look." He half smiled at her.

"What about it?" Haley asked, still trying to play dumb.

"You have the same look on your face right now."

Haley thought about it for a moment. Should she tell him about Deb? What would his reaction be? She took the cowards way out. "I stopped by my parent place this afternoon, and just sat in my old room. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to worry."

"Why would I worry?" he asked.

"I didn't want you to think that I went there because I regret what we did, I just needed some place " She rambled.

"Why?" He prompted.

"I just told you why."

"What I mean is, why did you need comforting?" Nathan asked.

Haley was wishing with every fibre of her being that he would just let it go. "I guess I was feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm fine now. All better," she said, plastering a smile on her face.

Nathan was unconsciously playing with his ring. It still felt strange on his hand. He was quiet for a moment, seeming to gather his thoughts. "Hales..." he started and then paused, searching for the right words. "Haley, I meant what I said last night. I love you and I will protect you, but I can't do that if you won't tell me what happened. Whatever it is, you have to tell me. If we are going to do this, then we can't keep secrets. Now, if your parents said something to you about me...well, you can tell me. I can take it. Because in the end it doesn't really matter. I mean, I get that they are your family, but I am your family too. You and me – we're our family." He explained.

His words went straight to her heart. He was right. Nathan was her family now, more so than her mom and dad, and it occurred to her that it wasn't right that she had gone to her parents about Deb. Nathan was the first person she should have turned to. "It wasn't my parents Nathan." She took a deep breath. "I went to your mom's place to drop off a plant for your dad and...well let's just say we had words." Haley admitted. She could actually feel the relief settle over her.

"What did she say?" he asked through clenched teeth. Haley knew immediately how angry he was. Nathan only did that when he was doing his very best not to put his fist through the nearest wall.

"She said that we were ruining our lives, that I was ruining your life and mine." Haley said. Nathan nodded slowly in reply. "She's having a hard time right now Nathan, with your dad in the hospital and everything. Maybe we just need to give her a little space and time. I'm sure she'll come around eventually." Haley offered. Nathan wordlessly got up off the couch and was heading to the door when Haley grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"

"Over to my mom's," he said as if it was only natural.

"Nathan, didn't you hear what I just said? We need to give her some space. You barging over there right now is not going to make the situation any better."

"Haley, nothing is going to make the situation any better, but she needs to know that it is not OK for her to go off on you. I don't care what a hard time she's having right now. That does not give her the right to take it out on you. I should have said something yesterday in the hospital, but it kinda freaked me out. I figured she wouldn't take it well and I was even ready to forgive her for what she said, but now that she's done it twice in two days....it's just not cool Hales."

"Nathan..." Haley didn't exactly know what to say.

Nathan simply smiled at her, which was Haley's undoing. "Don't worry. I'm just going to explain to her that I will not stand for her treating my wife like that."

"I don't need you to fight my battles Nate." Haley explained.

"It's not about you, it's about us. We are a team now. And if someone wants to hurt you..." he paused and looked at her intently, "well, they are going to have to get through me first. I don't care if it's my mom, or my dad, or Lucas, or anyone. It stops here." Nathan stated. "I'll be back soon. We have a party to go to." He grinned, gave her a quick kiss, and left.

All Haley could think was that for a guy who said all the wrong things in the beginning, he sure had a knack for saying all the right things now.

Haley and Nathan were lying in bed, after what could only be described as a fabulous party, just talking. It was kind of surreal for both of them as they realized that all those people had come because of them.

"Hey, how much do you think it would cost to put my mom in the RV and convince your parents to stay?" Nathan asked with a grin.

"More money than either one of us will ever have." Haley laughed.

"So how do you feel about them leaving?" Nathan asked seriously.

"Kinda freaked out. I mean, it's not like they've been around a lot the last few years, but at least I knew they had to come home sometime. I guess it's kind of good though too."

"Good?"

"Well, I can't leave you now, can I? Got nowhere else to go," she teased. "It's official, you are stuck with me."

"Thanks Hales. Thanks a lot. Just what every guy wants to hear. That his girl is with him because she had no other choice," he joked back.

"I am sorry about your mom. It can't be easy for you, especially with me ripping her face off tonight." Haley said softly.

"Hey, I told you – you are my family now. And let's face it, they weren't much of a family to begin with. You've already done more for me than they ever did, and you did it before you were legally obligated to." He smiled. "It's gonna be fine Hales. In twenty years, we'll laugh about the last couple of days."

"Promise?" She smiled up at him.

"I promise."

"I don't think anyone in history has had such a bad time with in-laws as me. First I throw up in your dad's lap, and then I nearly scream at your mom. Why ever do you stay with me?" Haley asked.

"Honestly?" Nathan replied. Haley nodded. "Because you are the first person who ever stood up for me. You did it with your best friend when you had no reason to and then with my screwed up family. It takes guts to do that."

"It was easy."

"Well, you changed me Haley. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have a brother." Nathan said quietly.

"Nate, you always had a brother. I just forced you to talk to him."

"That wasn't all you did Hales. You made me want to be a better person."

"Nathan, you always were that person. It's why I fell in love with you."

"And I thought it was my charm and good looks." He grinned.

Of all the things that had happened in the past few days, it was moments like this that brought peace to Haley's heart. After what could only be described as a roller coaster day, the best part was lying with Nathan at the end of it and laughing together about the insanity that was currently their lives. She knew that there would be tough times ahead of them, especially if everyone kept asking her if she was pregnant, but if she could laugh with Nathan at the end of the day – well, that was enough. The voices in her head were quiet, and she was pretty sure they would stay that way.

A/N This weeks episode was so good that my muse just took over and out it came. Please let me know your thoughts. Reviews make my heart smile! Carys