Thank you everyone for your reviews. I know that not everyone loves all of the pairings, but I appreciate you for reading anyway. And Hanna, I love reading your reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It doesn't have all the characters like the previous ones, but they'll be back in the next update. Please let me know what you like, don't like, would like to see, etc. And for everyone who's hoping for Brooke/Lucas, I'll get there, but it may take awhile.

From the Damage
Chapter 4

Nathan lay sleeplessly in bed. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Haley kissing that guy. He knew he shouldn't have just walked out, but he was so mad at her, furious even. He'd learned so much this year and one of those things was that when he was angry, he shouldn't speak, because anything could come out of his mouth. If he stayed, he would have hurt her and said things he would regret the next morning. Just because Haley had lost all sense of reason, didn't mean he had to.

It was almost two a.m. and he still had a long night ahead of him, but sleep was not something he expected to see anytime soon. It was in this moment that he realized just how pain Dan must have felt when his mom left. Haley had kissed a guy and it was ripping at his heart, it must have been ten times worse for Dan. It was the first time in a long time, he felt genuine compassion for his father.

----

Haley turned off the stereo and walked around the room, blowing out all the candles Nathan had lit. Tears streamed silently down her face the entire time. She wondered why she couldn't see it. Why she couldn't have avoided it. How it had even happened in the first place. She loved Nathan with every ounce of who she was and the last thing she had ever wanted to do was hurt him, but she had and she didn't know how to fix it.

She turned the oven off and placed the now burnt dinner on top of the stove. He had worked so hard tonight and she had ruined it all. Last night had been bad. Not knowing where he was or how he was feeling, but tonight she knew both and it wasn't any easier. "When did life become so hard," she thought as she put away the dishes Nathan has placed on the table earlier. She scraped their ruined dinner from the pan into the trash and set it in the warm water she had drawn in the sink. She glanced at the clock. There was still way too much time until sunrise and sleeping in her bed was not an option, not tonight.

Haley turned out the lights and lay down on the couch, pulling the small blanket that rested on the back of it over her body and closed her eyes.

----

"Brooke, you didn't have to come," Peyton told her friend after Jake left.

"How could I not?"

"I just thought…What about Felix?"

"What about him, Peyton? I thought you knew this, but apparently you don't. So I'm just going to tell you. Whatever me and Felix are, it's nothing compared to what me and you are. You're my best friend Peyton and if you need me, then I'm going to be there."

"I don't want to mess up your life, Brooke."

"You're not, sweetie. You're my best friend and the only family I really have these days. I need you just as much as you need me, maybe more sometimes. So come here and hug me now before I become a rambling idiot." Peyton smiled, tears glistening in her eyes, and embraced her best friend.

"I'm glad you're here."

"I'll always be here for you, Goldilocks. Speaking of here, when did Jake get back?" Peyton smiled and told Brooke what had happened. "I'm glad he was there for you. Jake's a smart guy and I know you miss him." Peyton nodded. "And he's right about Rick, even I know that drugs are not the way to go. So, you promise to talk to me?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Now, we have two options," Brooke said with a mysterious smile.

"Brooke, what are you thinking?"

"Well, today has been a hell of a day, so we can either go to sleep now and get up and go to school tomorrow or we can go out to my car and get the pile of movies and junk food that I brought with me for reinforcements."

Peyton laughed and Brooke smiled even more. Her mission was accomplished. "You can't be serious?"

"I am. I stopped by the video store and got everything from sappy romance movies to blood and gut horror and even a few of those indie movies you like. Then, I raided the candy aisle at the Chevron on the corner."

"You're too much."

"I know, but that's why you love me."

"It is."

"So, what do you say?"

"How about a compromise. One movie, some junk food, and we show up at school by third period."

"Sounds like a plan! So what are you up for?"

"Something happy."

"I've got happy."

Brooke retrieved the goodies from the car and the two girls settled in Peyton's bed with bags of candy all around them. Both girls fell asleep before the end of the movie.

-----

Nathan rolled over and looked at the clock again, 6:57. He must have fallen asleep sometime after 4:00 when he had looked at the clock last. Reluctantly, he threw the blankets from his body and walked across the room. Nathan stood at the door for awhile, his hand resting on the knob. The events of the prior night were still very much on his mind and though he was upset, the raging anger had ceased. However, that didn't make the thought of dealing with Haley or the reality of their situation at the moment an easier or more appealing. But Nathan Scott had never been a coward and he wasn't about to start now.

He walked down the hall and into the living room, where he found Haley sound asleep on the couch. She looked so young and peaceful, her body curled up in a tight ball, obviously trying to stay warm. He had spent hours watching her sleep, it was one of many things he had learned to enjoy and appreciate because of her. He knelt down and gently brushed the hair away from her face. She was beautiful, even with all of the anger and disappointment he felt at the moment, that didn't change. When she was sleeping, she was still his Haley, the girl he fell in love with. That girl wasn't the same one he had been living with the past few weeks and that's why he was so hesitant to wake her, but he did.

"Haley," He said, shaking her gently. "Haley, we have school." She stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

"Nathan," she breathed and sat up quickly, her eyes wide with expectancy. She was waiting for him to talk and as much as he knew he should, he couldn't.

"We have school," he said again and retreated into the bathroom to shower.

Haley watched him walk away and felt her lips begin to tremble. It wasn't a nightmare. What she felt, it was real and it didn't look as though it would be getting any easier today.

Forty-five silent minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of Tree Hill High.

"We can't do this, Nathan," Haley said when he opened his door. "We can't pretend like it didn't happen."

"I know, but we can't talk about it now, either. We have school."

"I'm very much aware. That's all you've said to me all morning. And since when are you so adamant about attending classes?"

"Since they became easier than dealing with you. I'll see you after school." Nathan stormed off and Haley just sat in the car, watching everyone pass her by. Her life was completely changing and there was nothing she could do about it because it was all her fault.

-----

Peyton and Brooke were on their way to lunch when they spotted Haley sitting on the bench outside alone.

"Hey tutor girl," Brooke smiled and sat down next to her.

"Hey," Haley said sadly.

"Is something wrong, Hales?" Peyton asked. Haley shook her head no, but tears fell anyway.

"Hey," Brooke said wrapping her arm around Haley, "You can tell us. If there's anything I'm good at these days, it's listening."

"Thanks, but I'm fine." She wiped her tears with the back of her hands and plastered on a smile.

"I can spot a fake smile a mile away, Hales."

"And I can tell you that keeping everything to yourself doesn't make it any easier."

"And telling does?" Haley countered.

"It makes you not feel so alone."

"Nathan and I had a fight."

"What did he do this time? I swear boys can be such a …"

"It wasn't Nathan's fault, Brooke."

"Oh." Silence fell among the three girls.

"I think I'm going to go to the library," Haley said standing up. "I have some Anatomy homework I need to finish."

"Okay. We'll see you later?" Haley nodded and walked back inside the school.

"I guess the honeymoon's over," Peyton said sitting down next to Brooke.

"It seems that way. You think she's okay?"

"No, but I think whatever it is it's something she and Nathan have to deal with."

"I'm so glad I'm not married."

"Maybe not officially."

"What does that mean?"

Peyton nodded to her left where Felix stood watching them.

"So I thought you ended that whole friends-with-benefits thing with him?"

"I did."

"Not very well. He was at your house last night."

"We're kind of dating."

"You're what?"

"I know, but you should have seen him Peyton, he was so sincere. I thought he was going to cry if I said no."

"You like him?"

"He's grown on me, besides I can't spend the rest of my life avoiding relationships just because one guy broke my heart."

"I know, but Felix?"

"He cares about me, Peyton."

"Well, he freaks me out."

"He doesn't make a good first impression, but can't you give him another chance? For me?"

"Fine, but if he hurts you…"

"Thanks, Peyt."

"You better go talk to him, then." Brooke smiled and went to meet Felix.