Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill or any of its characters. Hopefully I don't disgrace Mark Schwann's work with my own!
Author's Note: This fic was inspired by the Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow duet "Picture". It's funny because I never really liked that song, but I heard it on the radio one day and this storyline hit me. If you've heard the song, you probably already know that this isn't going to be all fluff. I don't particularly like to see my favorite characters in this kind of light, but I just had to write it. Hopefully you'll give it a chance! Constructive criticism or just plain praise is more than welcome! ;)
Haley had abandoned her husband to pursue a career in music, grimly accepting the ultimatum he had offered if she left. She was to permanently choose between her music and their marriage. If he wasn't going to respect and support her ambition to become a singer, what kind of a husband was he? The way she saw it, maybe he didn't deserve her in the first place. She was finally living the fabulous dream that she had been too terrified to consider ever since she was a little girl dancing and singing in front of her bathroom mirror. So with these thoughts running through her head, she was able to push aside the painful memories of their past and the love that still dominated her heart. It was for the best.
Nathan was left in Tree Hill, rediscovering his bad boy side. The man Haley had inspired him to become simply because she could see the shadow of potential in his eyes, even though she had never tried to push him to change for her benefit, was lost. In his place was the boyish basketball prodigy he had been before his wife had taken a faithful leap into his life. Perhaps he was even ten times worse. Honestly, who did he have to impress? Certainly no one who would have looked at him the way his wife had so long ago. Most girls fell for the image of the sexy bad boy jock, and who was he to disappoint? Besides, they helped him keep his mind off of the one woman who had actually made him feel like he was worth more than just a one night stand. It was for the best.
