"Questions?"
Old Friends
Summary: Two years on, both Nathan and Haley are left in the dark but neither knows it. Please R&R.
Disclaimer: Don't own it.
Rating: PG13. Just to be safe. There is a bit of swearing.
A.N: Hey some people have been a bit confused so I better just sort this out. Haley and Nathan were not married when she left Tree Hill. And Haley got preggers after high school graduation. If you have any questions about the story just ask.
Brooke walked through what seemed hundreds of monotonous corridors. The same drab colors and the same pungent smell of antiseptic followed her around as Brooke tried to find Haley.
Brooke finally caught sight of the brunette in a white nurse's uniform. "So this is where tutor girl works." Brooke said making Haley turn around hearing her old high school nick name.
Haley gave Brooke smile as she curtsied before her. Haley really didn't think she would see Brooke again. But she was glad she had come all this way to see her. When leaving Tree Hill, Haley didn't tell anybody where she was going, bar her parents. She thought she would have been happily forgotten by everybody in her home town. But here was Brooke, standing in front of her.
Brooke laughed at Haley. She wore the obligatory white uniform and held a clipboard; it made her look very important. Brooke didn't want to hold a grudge for what had happened back then. It really wasn't any of her business what had gone on between Haley and Nathan. She didn't know the whole story. She knew Nathan's half of it. And his half of it wasn't pleasant. It was good that Brooke had someone to talk to other than the Scott boys and 'whatsherface'.
"Only for every other twelve weeks, the rest of the time I'm in class." Haley commented. Brooke nodded at her explanation. "So you're going to be a nurse… with all the sick people?"
"A pediatric nurse to be exact." Haley said placing the clip board on the desk top at the nurse's station. "Ah kids. Is it hard?" Brooke asked. "Sometimes. When you know some of the kids won't be getting any better it can be really difficult to get to grips with."
Haley checked her watch and looked back at Brooke hopefully. "I'm off for lunch now if you want to go and get something?" Brooke smiled. She thought that when Haley had looked at her watch it was Haley's way of telling her that she had to get back to work. But Brooke had thought wrong.
"Yeah sure." Brooke answered nodding her head enthusiastically. Haley disappeared for a minute to tell the head nurse that she left all the work on the desk and the two girls left the hospital for a small restaurant a few blocks away.
"It's nice here. Quiet." Brooke said glancing around at the near empty restaurant. "I'm here all the time and I like the quietness of it. I don't get a lot of 'me time' anymore so."
"When do you go back to class?" Brooke asked taking a bite of her sandwich she had gotten as they came in. Haley glanced up from her coffee thinking to herself. "Em… I have just over a week left at the hospital and then I have exams. I can't wait." She deadpanned.
"Oh we all finished our exams and now we're on midterm. We … this sandwich is really good." Brooke bit her bottom lip making sure she didn't put her foot further in her mouth. An awkward silence filtered through the small restaurant as Brooke mentally kicked herself for her own brainlessness.
Haley played with her food before glancing up at Brooke. "I better get back, my lunch is nearly up." Haley spilled out. "Right. Sure." Brooke and Haley stood up from their seats and pulled on their jackets.
The two brunettes stood outside the restaurant for a second in silence. "Well I better be off… so bye." Haley stuttered. "K. Bye." Haley turned around and walked back to the hospital. Haley stopped in her tracks hearing Brooke call out after her.
Brooke caught up with Haley and handed her a piece of paper. "It's the number of the hotel and the extension. Call me if you want to go out sometime." Haley smiled at the Brooke's friendly gesture. She took the number and put it in her purse. "Ok. I'll see you later." "Yeah, see ya." Brooke replied.
000
Brooke sauntered into the lobby, she was happy; she had had the chance to talk to Haley. Even though they didn't speak about her leaving it felt like they had cleared some stuff up.
Brooke turned to find Nathan calling over to her. He sat opposite Susan who was having her usual lunch. Salad. Brooke rolled her eyes at the black haired woman. Brooke didn't like those girls, the ones who hated to let boys see them eat. She used to be one of those girls.
"Where have you been? Lucas was looking for you." Nathan asked taking another bite out of his steak. Brooke stood awkwardly at the table; her arms wrapped around her middle.
"I went to lunch." She replied hesitantly. "By yourself?" Nathan said glancing at Brooke's upright form as well as her shaking head. He stood up, went to a nearby table, lifted the chair and placed it in front of her.
Brooke smiled thanking him. "And they say chivalry's dead." She laughed. Nathan sat down again ignoring Susan's annoyed stare. He knew the two didn't get along but he didn't know why. Nathan was done trying to play peacemaker. If they didn't like each other, they didn't like each other.
"Who'd you go with?" he asked curiously, finishing his food. When not receiving an answer, Nathan looked to his brother's girlfriend. Seeing the guilt smeared across Brooke's features Nathan looked once again to his plate.
"Please tell me you didn't Brooke?" he asked in a cold tone, one which Brooke had gotten used to when listening to the Scott brothers speak of Haley. "Nate you may not want to see her again but I do." Brooke breathed out effortlessly.
"Why? Why would you want to, I mean you weren't all that close back then anyway." Nathan shouted, making Brooke squirm in her seat. She glanced at Susan who seamed delighted at Nathan's rage towards the former cheerleader.
"Brooke, she left. Why are you welcoming her back with open arms?" Nathan asked further, while noticeably trying to control his anger. "Maybe she had reasons for leaving. You don't know that she didn't." Brooke stated calmly.
"Reasons! Reasons? What reasons could she possible have for leaving? Other than being a complete selfish bitch." Nathan roared at Brooke. Susan and Brooke swapped nervous glances at one another before Nathan pushed his chair back.
"I can't believe you're taking her side in this." He mumbled as he sped away. The two women sat staring after Nathan fast retreating figure, gob smacked at his outburst. "Are you happy now?" Susan asked snidely as she left the table, and the check, to Brooke.
000
Maria Kennedy sat playing blocks with the two toddlers when her sister came through the door. "Hey. How was work?" Maria asked as Haley moved towards her and the two boys.
"Fine. Hey baby." She answered while giving her son a kiss on the forehead. Haley sat herself down in the floor beside the three and watched the two boys push the tall wall of blocks down. Haley smiled to herself hearing the giggles of them fill the room.
Haley stood again followed by her older sister. "You know it took us at least twenty minutes to build the blocks that high." She laughed. Haley turned to Maria smiled. "Oh hey, guess who I had lunch with."
Maria shrugged her shoulders. "Um the President of Taiwan?" she asked a smirk playing on her face. Haley looked at her sister annoyed. "Seriously." Haley said. "Ok… um… I give up. Who?" Maria asked following Haley back to the sitting room where the boys were.
"Brooke Davis." Haley let out in a breath. Maria slowly lowered herself on the sofa. "Oh my." She said shocked at her sister's news. "Yeah." Haley replied half heartedly.
"And?" Maria probed. "We talked. School. Work. Nothing major." Haley spoke while watching the boys build the blocks once again. "What's she doing here?" Maria asked, not taking her eyes off her little sister.
"Mid-term." Haley answered her sister again. "Right. Did she ask about Mick?" The older of the two women asked, quieter this time. Haley looked to her sister and sunk into her chair. "Actually, I kind of got the impression she didn't know." Haley answered her voice also low and unstable.
"So, Nathan being the spineless cowered he is, didn't tell anybody. Well that seems about right." Maria spit out. Haley's eyes shot to her sister as she rose form her seat. "Don't Maria. Not in front of Mick." Haley whispered to her sister while walking past to get her son.
Maria watched as Haley stomped in the middle of the two boys knocking down the blocks and once again sending them into a fit of giggles. Maria looked at her sister in complete awe. She never knew how she got through the past two and a half years on her own.
Hey guys. Been a while huh? Sorry but exams are just around the corner and I really have to start studying if I want to get into college so it might be another while till I get another chapter up.
tardychick: Hey now no forgetting about me. The Luke/Nathan conversation was kinda a little hard to do but I'm glad you liked it. Sorry it's taken me sot long to update but I hoped you liked this chapter. Thanks for reviewing. Sarah.
ocobssessed78: Ok I really should have cleared that up at the start but no Nathan and Haley weren't married when she left. I hope you liked this chapter. Sarah.
jenni: Hey no guessing allowed. Lol. Haley got pregnant after high school graduation. I'm glad you like the story and thanks for reviewing. If you have anymore questions (he he he) just ask and I'll try to answer them. Sarah.
sofiya05: Hey no problem. I love having regular reviewers it gives me a clue to how I'm getting on with the story. Thanks for reviewing again and I hope you liked this chapter. Sarah.
Nathan's Manna: Thanks for the review and sorry for the wait. Sarah
ilvjameslafferty: All will be revealed soon enough. The next chapter will have some naley in it and it will also bring us back to the start of the story so from here on in there should be plenty of naley. Thanks. Sarah.
jennifer: You like all my stories. Ah you're making my blush. Thanks for the review and sorry for the wait on this one. Sarah.
Thanks to all the reviewers. Sarah. xoxox
