It was early morning when Lucas returned to North Carolina. Just like that, without explanation or without talking to Brooke, he had changed the date on his return flight and immediately flew back. He couldn't face her. Not after what Felix had said. In all actuality, he wasn't ready to face anyone. There were still a few days before finals so he opted to spend some time in Tree Hill. It was a chance to put life in perspective and try to get things somehow back to normal…whatever normal was anymore.

Happy that his mother was already at work, Lucas let himself in the house and slipped unnoticed in his room. It was there he could lie in bed in his underwear, feeling totally sorry for himself as he took turns throwing his Nerf ball in a hoop that had been attached to the door. The last thing he wanted was to think about Brooke or what had happened but it was the only thing he could think about. So grabbing his cane, he made his way into the kitchen to raid the fridge and cupboards for snacks. Thinking he was alone in the house, he jumped and stumbled backwards when he saw Haley.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Ditto", she replied, still catching her breath. "And I could ask you the same thing. Aren't you supposed to be at school? Karen didn't mention anything about you coming."

"She didn't know…still doesn't. It's no big deal. Finals aren't for a week or so. I just came back here for a few days to take a load off."

"Well, it's good to see you", she smiled hugging him. "I've missed you, Buddy."

"Yeah…me too."

"Luke, you okay? You look sad…"

"I'm fine."

"Nice try but you can't lie to me. We've been doing this way too long. Now I have a few minutes to spare. Talk to me."

"Hales…"

"Lucas, you know I won't let this go until I find out what is bugging you so you may as well just spill."

"Fine", he finally conceded. "Look, Hales, I'll be okay. It's just this girl…"

"What girl?"

"This girl I've been hanging out with."

"Like a girlfriend?" Haley smiled.

"Something like that…yeah."

"Cool. How come you never told me?"

"I didn't tell anyone really. Not that I was ashamed or anything but she's pretty special and I kind of wanted to keep it for us before I went telling everyone or introducing her to people."

"Fair enough. Now tell me about her. Is she a good girl?"

"The best."

"Smart?"

"I think so."

"Funny?"

"Hysterical."

"Pretty?"

"Quite possibly the most beautiful woman in the whole world."

"Wow. She sounds great. You must be pretty happy. I take it you guys have a lot in common."

"Not really", Lucas answered truthfully. "I mean, we do but in a lot of ways, we're totally different. That's what makes it the best part. But I really like her, Hales. I know it might sound weird or corny or even cliché but since day one, we've had this amazing connection. It's like chemistry…fate."

"I believe in that. Obviously you have strong feelings for her. What's the problem? Do you think you feel more for her than she might for you?"

"No…I don't know. I mean, I don't think it's like that or anything. I think she really does care for me but…"

"But what?"

"But I've been kidding myself, that's what."

"How so, Luke?"

"We're different, Haley. Very different. I'm just a regular kid from a small North Carolina town and she's a rich girl from the city. I'm in college and she…works. My life is plain and routine and it is what it is. She's full of excitement and everything is day to day with her schedule. I just…I don't know if we're compatible."

"Sounds like it could work to me."

"I used to think so. Now I don't know."

"Lucas, what happened?"

"There was this…this thing for her work, sort of like a party…"

"Okay."

"And I went…as her date. Anyway, it went pretty good and we were about to do our own thing with her friends and someone needed to talk to her so she excused herself for the moment. I waited and this guy came up to me. Turned out to be her ex along with his new girlfriend."

"Uh oh."

"No shit. The guy was a dick, to say the least. He started mouthing off. Basically talking about my leg and my cane and that I wasn't good enough for her and that she needed a real man and…"

"That prick!"

"I know but it really bothered me."

"Why? Just don't pay attention, Luke. If you're gonna let the comments of one ignorant, classless jerk get to you…I mean, obviously she isn't with him for a reason. He was probably just jealous."

"I know but it bothered me. I know it shouldn't. I know I should be tougher and stronger than that. Like you said, sticks and stones, right? But it really bothered me. It made me think. It made me question a lot of things. I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship. And I don't know if my legs will ever be back at 100 percent. I guess…I just question whether or not I'm good enough for her."

"What did she have to say about all this?"

"I…don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I sort of bailed before she had the chance to find out what happened."

"Lucas Eugene Scott!"

"Hales…"

"Don't 'Hales' me, okay? I should punch you. Buddy, what are you doing? Obviously you're crazy about this girl and she feels the same way. I assume she has known all about your legs and your condition and your accident. She knew what she was getting herself into and if it doesn't bother her, why are you letting it bother you?"

"Because…"

"That's not good enough, Lucas. Because what?"

"Because…I don't know, Hales. Because I'm scared, alright?"

She looked in his eyes and saw painstaking, brutal honesty.

"That makes sense", she said softly.

"Does it?"

"Yeah it does. We all have fears but we have to face them at sometime or another. You should know that better than anyone. You taught me that, Luke. I won't pretend to know what you're going through but don't let your fears and your pride and insecurities destroy something really special before it even starts. Yeah you might get your heart broken…that's just life, but what if you don't? You owe it to yourself and to her to find out. Just be true to yourself. If she's what you want, if this girl is worth it, then don't make the mistake of giving up. And don't make the mistake of making decisions for her either. Lucas, love is a really beautiful but fragile thing. Most people spend their whole lives searching for 'the one'. Lucky for me, I've already found my Mr. Right and I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything. If you've found her, or think you're even close to finding something like that, then I think it's worth a discussion at least before you give up so easily."

Lucas sighed. As stubborn as he was, Haley was right. He did miss Brooke. He could even admit he was falling in love. That's what made it all the more scary and serious. He was losing an ongoing battle with his personal demons.

"When did you get so smart, Buddy?" he smiled at the best friend he had loved and thought of as a little sister for many years.

"I don't know. Let's just say I had a pretty rad teacher", she winked.

He hugged her, then turned for his room.

"Thanks, Hales. For the advice, I mean. It really helped. I guess I have a lot of thinking to do."

"I guess you do."

"And Hales…later on, could you and Nate possibly bring Brittany by? I haven't seen her in a while and I miss her."

Haley smiled.

"Of course. I'm sure she'd like that."

Lucas nodded.

"Oh Hales…one more thing."

"Yeah Luke?"

"You didn't uh, happen to catch the soap awards that were on TV last night, did you?"

"The Soap Opera Digest Awards? No, and don't remind me! I am still contemplating stabbing your brother in his sleep for that one. I was a good wife and let him watch his dumb game with the provision that he TiVo it for me. Guess who forgot?"

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

Lucas shrugged and gave a half smile.

"No reason. I was just wondering. Anyway, I'll be in my room napping if you need me."

"Okay", she shrugged.

Haley smiled as she watched her friend disappear. She hoped he would be alright. He had already been through so much but then again, Lucas always did the right thing. That was the factor they most had in common.

Deciding to stick around for a while, Haley lingered on in the house, straightening up and watching television as she waited for Nathan to get off work. There were things to be done and errands to be ran but before Haley knew it, 3:00 had caught up with her. Guiding Light time and the whole world could have been on fire and she wouldn't have left that TV set. Watching the show, one of the Spauldings made a brief reference to Savannah.

"What the heck is up with her?" Haley asked aloud to herself. "Gosh, why can't she just wake up already? That chick has been in a coma forever."

No sooner than she finished her thought, the doorbell rang. Damn, she thought. Who the hell could it be? Who had the nerve to interrupt anyone during the most crucial soap hour of the day? Apparently someone as the bell rang again. Cursing once more, Haley got up to answer it.

"This better be good", she murmured.

She had no idea how "good" it was about to be. Haley opened the door. Her eyes bulged and she felt her palms began to sweat. All of a sudden her knees were weak and she couldn't breathe. She must have been hallucinating.

"Hi. Sorry to bother you but does Lucas Scott live here?" the visitor asked sweetly.

Haley could barely speak or think. All she could do was try her best not to faint as she uttered one sentence.

"Oh my God…Savannah…"