You are all absolutely amazing! Thank you everyone for your feedback. It may have taken me a few more days to get this out, but after reading everyone's reviews, I felt obligated to continue immediately. I hope you continue to enjoy the story and please let me know what you think about everything. A special thanks to Hanna for giving the story a shot and for reading the Nathan/Peyton story as well.

- Lisa

From The Damage
Chapter 2

"We have to talk, Nathan." Haley said closing the door behind her. If she had learned one thing today, it was that they needed to be honest with one another.

Nathan noted the disheartened expression on his wife's place almost immediately and it left him unsettled. The past few days had been anything but great for the newly married Scott couple and it had him worried. He knew marriage wasn't an easy thing, but he loved Haley and that was enough. At least he thought that it was, now he was having doubts. "Did something happen on your way home?" He questioned, walking across the span of the room.

"Kind of."

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know, Nathan." She bit her bottom lip nervously as she looked into the light blue eyes of her husband. In a few minutes, the sense of worry would be gone and rage would enter. It was in those times she remembered who his father was. She hated comparing Nathan to Dan, because in her eyes they were nothing alike. When he was angry, however, he became a splitting image.

"Well, are you hurt?" He tried to uncover what it was that was causing Haley such worry. He could see it in her face, in her eyes. It was pure panic and fear. Something had definitely happened.

"No. It's not like that."

"What is it then?" She stood silent. As much as she knew she had to tell him, it didn't make it any easier. "Come on, Haley. You're starting to scare me."

"Can we sit down?" She reached for his hand and pulled him in the direction of the couch. A few moments of silence passes as the sat before she spoke again. "You're going to be mad, but you have to promise to listen to everything I have to say before you start yelling."

"I'm not going to yell, Hales."

"Yes, you are. Just promise me."

"Fine. I promise I won't interrupt."

"Okay."

She looked into his eyes once more, memorizing the blue orbes that had so many times been a safe haven for her, and then she began.

Karen closed the door just as Deb uttered five words that Karen had not been expecting.

"I lied to you, Karen." The brunette thought herself to be a good judge of people and their emotions and the lady in front of her was nothing short of terrified.

"What is it Deb?" She asked, urging the woman to continue on and hoping that she could offer some sort of solace to whatever was causing her grief at the moment. Though she had hoped to hate her former lover's wife, it was obvious there was something good in her from the moment they had first met. No one, including herself, could have thought their conversation at the Scott basketball party earlier in the Spring would have led to such a strong friendship.

"I slept with Keith."

And there it was. Karen felt the rage building inside of her. Whether it was the lying or the actual act, she wasn't sure, but it wasn't what she'd been expecting to hear and it certainly wasn't something she was ready to process.

"When?" She questioned softly.

"The night before he left for Charleston." The blonde replied in a matching tone. Coming here tonight had not been an easy decision. She had every intention of keeping her night with Keith a secret. But, a conversation she'd had with Dan, of all people, earlier that week had convinced her otherwise. Deb watched the Karen process the information. The quiet unnerved her a bit. She was used to the yelling and the all-out-drag-out kind of fights. The silence was uncomfortable.

"Why did you lie to me, Deb?"

"Because I didn't want to hurt you."

"I'm not sure that really worked out the way you planned, then."

"Karen, you have to understand…" They were interrupted by the slamming of the kitchen door. It could only be Lucas and that meant that this conversation was over.

"You should go," Karen said opening the door. "We'll talk tomorrow." Deb silently slipped out of the small house and into the dark night.

After several minutes, Lucas slowly turned away. He didn't know why he had stood there so long, watching her with him, but he couldn't force himself to leave any sooner. It was like a horrible car accident, you know you shouldn't look, shouldn't stare, because nothing good will come of it, but you can't help it. There's something deep inside of you that's stronger than your head telling you to look. It just didn't hurt this much to stare at an accident. That was the only difference.

He walked quickly back to his truck, hoping to escape without being noticed.

"Lucas." Felix. He rolled his eyes. Too Late.

"Yeah?" he said turning to face the shorter boy.

"I've seen you with her and the way you look at her, but you're too late."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do, but we don't have to play games, Luke. Fortunately for me, I got to her first and I don't plan on letting her go." "You know that whole friends with benefits thing was a load of crap."

"I know."

"She's better than that."

"Which is why we've taken it to the next level. Don't worry, buddy, I've got it all under control and you should stay away."

"You can't tell me what to do and you can't tell Brooke. She doesn't work like that and if you knew her…"

"I do, but if you care about her, you'll let her be happy."

"With you?"

"Yeah." Felix replied, his face completely serious.

"Treat her right."

"Better than you did, that's for sure. Well, I better get back to my girl. Have a nice night, Luke." Felix smiled another one of his disgusting cocky smiles and started his walk back to Brooke's.

Lucas was reeling when he got in his truck and the whole way home for that matter, but Felix was right. He had to let her be happy, no matter how much it hurt him now.

Peyton reluctantly pulled away from Jake, still afraid that he would disappear just as quickly and suddenly as he had arrived.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"We'll get to the questions, Peyton. Right now, we should probably go. Keys?" His voice wasn't as warm as she remembered, but it wasn't as cold as it had been when talking to Rick. That, at least, was a good sign. She reached into her pocket and placed the keys in his hands. Her finger tips brushed his palms and she felt something. Something that wasn't pain, or hurt, or loneliness. This time, it was something good. She walked to the passenger side of her car and Jake drove them back to her place.

They were silent as they walked inside. Peyton had so many questions, she didn't know where to start. "How did you know where to find me?"

"I didn't really. I was walking to your house and saw your car turn in. You going to tell me what that was about?" Peyton looked away. She just couldn't bring herself to say it. He knew why. It was written all over his face, but saying it was only going to make her more ashamed.

"It was nothing."

"Peyton, please don't lie to me. I know Rick, very well actually, and he doesn't meet people in parking lots for nothing."

"How do you know him?"

"It's a long story and now is not the time. I didn't come here to talk about me."

"Then why did you come, Jake? Why now? It's been months and I haven't heard anything from you. I called everyday until your phone was cut off and nothing. I e-mailed you and sent you letters, but you didn't respond. So, please tell me why it is you finally decided to talk to me again!" She hadn't intended on yelling, but as the memory of his absence came foiling into her mind, she couldn't stop herself. It didn't make sense why he had refused to stay in contact with her.

"Peyton, you've got to calm down."

"Don't tell me what I've got to do, Jake. You don't have any right to tell me to calm down."

"Maybe not, but I can't help you if you don't relax."

"Is that why you're here? To help me." He nodded. "Then help me understand why you couldn't call. Why didn't you write me or send me an e-mail or at least send word to me through a web of people that you were okay?"

"I thought it would be easier."

"Easier? For who? For you? Because it wasn't easy for me, Jake. It's been anything but easy." Peyton took a deep breath as she felt the tears threatening to fall again. She didn't want to cry. She was so tired of crying. But like everything else in her life, she couldn't control them.

Jake watched the girl in front of him sink despairingly into the couch. Lucas was right, she wasn't okay. He barely even recognized the girl in front of him. A couple of months had drained her of everything. She was broken. Jake sat down next to her and rubbed his hand in circles against her back, the way he did with Jenny before he put her to bed. For several minutes they sat and Peyton's tears ceased. When she looked up at him, he said the only thing he could, "I'm sorry, Peyton."