They stared at each other not knowing what to say, stuck in a bizarre time warp, words not articulating after so many years of being apart. He was like a mirage, an optical illusion. Finally her brain gave her legs the signal to move and she walked slowly towards him. Their eyes met and she touched him. He was real. He was really there.

"Lucas", she said, hugging him.

His heart dropped as his arms finally wrapped around her. The two friends just stood for a while embracing.

"You look great", he said. "You sounded great, too. I saw the show."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it", she smiled. "Thank you. Um, what are you doing here? How long are you here for? Why didn't you call first so we could have hung out? God, I have a million questions…"

"Sorry. Um, I'm only in town for the night. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing."

Haley's face fell.

"That sucks. I wish we had more time. Listen, can we go out and grab something to eat or…"

"Sure", he nodded. "There's some stuff we need to talk about anyway."

"Okay."

Haley traded her limo for a chauffer driven tinted window Cadillac Escalade. The driver whisked them to downtown to a low key Japanese restaurant. The pair was ushered to a private table in the back. It was a bit awkward as they browsed over the menus and ordered Grilled Duck, Salmon Teriyaki and a Sushi platter.

"Sake?" Lucas offered as the waiter brought out Japan's most potent alcoholic beverage.

"I'm fine", she shook her head. "I have this awful cold that I cannot get rid of and I'm loaded up on all kinds of meds and crazy cough syrups."

Lucas nodded as he took a sip.

"So…"

"So…"

"It's been a long time, Hales. How have you been?"

"Good", she answered honestly. "I'm still doing the music thing and it's going pretty good. I just finished a huge international tour and right now I'm just playing concerts here and there. I hope to get back in the studio and record some new stuff I've been writing and working on and then after that, the whole tour cycle starts all over again. It's exhausting but I love it. For now, at least, I spend most of my days in my apartment…it's a little loft down in Chelsea and I hang out with my cat. What about you?"

Years summed up in a few sentences.

"I got drafted. Philly picked me up so I spent last year busting my ass for the rookie season. It went pretty well and although I am thrilled to have the summer off, I can't wait to do it all over again."

That was pretty much it. Nothing much hadn't happened to him that she couldn't read about in any newspaper or magazine.

"Good, Luke. I mean, I'm glad for you that the basketball thing worked out."

"Yeah. Yeah…it's pretty cool."

More tense moments followed by awful silences. They were relieved when the food finally arrived. It was a welcome distraction.

"So…um, how is Tree Hill?" she finally asked.

"The same."

"How is everyone?"

It was rough water to tread on and they both knew it. Haley approached it carefully.

"Good. The café is doing well. Mom is happy. She and Andy are still hanging on and he's still teaching at the local University. Keith has his shop of course and Jules went into business with Peyton. They own and promote this new club, Tric. They bought the space in the back of the café. Pey and Jake are fine. He got some new job as an architect and man you should see little Jenny now. She's getting big! She's eight now and she's absolutely beautiful. Mouth is actually deejaying for the club and Tim, believe it or not, is in law school."

"Law school?" Haley laughed, spitting out her water. "Tim Smith? The Tim?"

"Yeah", Lucas chuckled as well. "Imagine that, huh? I guess stranger things have happened. Anyway, Skills is doing the white collar thing. He got this really good job as a software engineer at a big computer company and Fergie just started grad school."

"Awesome! Good for those guys."

"And Brooke got this job as an interior decorator at a firm in Tree Hill. She loves it. She's really good at it, too."

"And…"

"And what?"

"So she's still in Tree Hill. You're in Philadelphia. Where does that leave you two?"

Lucas shrugged.

"I don't know. You know it's complicated with Brooke and me. It always has been. I care about her but we went to different colleges and this past year has been crazy with us trying to get settled into our jobs. Now the distance thing…it sucks but who knows? For now we're friends and that is enough for me. I'm just glad we've had the chance to hang out the past week or so."

"You've been in Tree Hill?"

"Yeah. Um, I…I don't know if you heard or not but uh, Nathan is…"

"Getting married. I know", she said softly.

"How'd you hear?"

"TV."

"Oh."

"How is he?"

"Okay."

"I saw the picture of his fiancée. She's really beautiful."

"Yeah. Meg is a nice girl. They're really happy."

"I'm glad. He deserves to be happy."

"He is."

"I'm sure Dan and Deb are, too", Haley rolled her eyes.

"Yeah…"

Lucas took a deep breath. How was he supposed to bring up the real reason behind his visit? He couldn't just blurt out the fact she was still married to his brother.

"Well it sounds like everybody is well…"

"They are but Hales, that's not the real reason for me being here. It's something else."

"Okay…"

"I have to tell you…but I don't know how."

Haley felt a weird pang of anxiety building.

"Luke, whatever it is, just come out and say it."

He sighed.

"You know a guy by the name of Rout?"

Haley thought for a second.

"Oliver. He's my attorney."

"Is or was?"

"Is. Why? Are you suing me?" she joked.

"No. He handled your annulment with Nathan."

"Yes", Haley said softly.

"Hales, look, I don't know how to say this but uh, Rout, well, he didn't get the papers back to North Carolina on time. Did you know that?"

"No."

"Did you ever receive a letter after the annulment saying, I don't know…maybe that there was no annulment?"

"No. Lucas, what are you trying to say?"

"Have another glass of water first", he warned her.

"I don't want any more water."

"Haley, you and Nathan are still legally married."

"Pass the Sake", she demanded.

Lucas complied and she poured herself a shot, quickly gulping it down.

"Hales…"

"Luke, I don't understand…"

"Nathan and Megan went for their marriage license and it was denied. The stat rejected the application because Nathan is still married. No one knew. It sort of slipped through the cracks. Apparently Rout failed to turn in the papers by the deadline and North Carolina misfiled it and never notified either one of you that the annulment didn't go through."

Haley laughed in spite of the situation.

"Wait. Let me get this straight. I want to make sure I'm really hearing you or if it's the Sudafed playing tricks on my mind. Six and a half years ago, Nathan serves me with annulment papers. He signs, I sign, I turn them over to my lawyer, he forwards them back to North Carolina but not in time yet the state still files it as if we're annulled but the computer catches the mistake when Nathan tries to get married again."

"Yeah, that's pretty much in."

Haley took in a breath.

"Oh my God. I…I don't know what to say. I mean, damn! How could this have happened? Why did it take so long for everyone to find out?"

"I don't know."

"Oh my God! This…this so cannot be happening right now. I feel like I'm in the damned Twilight Zone."

"Join the club, Hales."

"What…what did Nathan say?"

"He…he's not a happy camper right now, I'll say."

"Of course not. He hates me."

"Hales, he doesn't hate you."

She shot Lucas a knowing look.

"Lucas…"

"Okay. Maybe he hates you a little", he half joked.

"That's why he dispatched his big brother to break the news? I guess I should be lucky it's you and not the in laws from hell. I don't think I could take Dan or Deb right now. Whatever. Just hand over the stupid papers and I'll sign them right now and fax them immediately over to Oliver and I will literally stand over his shoulder and make sure he gets them right back to Tree Hill or wherever they have to go. I don't care if he has to walk them down Interstate 95 himself. Then this will finally be over and everybody can go on."

Lucas made a face. How he hated to be the bearer of bad news.

"Hales, it's not that simple…"

"What now?"

"The marriage can't be annulled."

"What do you mean? What are we supposed to do?"

"Divorce."

"Okay", she sighed. "Fine. I'm sure Nathan has already filed if Dan hasn't done it for him…"

"Nathan is going to file but there's one minor setback. You guys have to be legally separated for 365 days."

"Newsflash, Luke, we've been separated almost…"

"7 years. I know, I know. Doesn't matter, Hales. The year begins the day you guys file."

Haley's mouth hung open. She couldn't even wrap her brain around the situation. It was too much. She was still Nathan Scott's wife. The marriage thought to be annulled was very much existent.

"Luke…"

"I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you before some lawyer did."

"Thank…thank you. Oh God. I'm so sorry. I'm stunned. I don't know what to say or do…or even how to feel right now."

"Yeah, it's uh, quite the pickle."

"What do I do?"

"I don't know. Nate's attorneys are trying but honestly I don't see an easy fix and it's not looking good considering his own wedding is in six weeks."

"Oh my God!"

"Look, I know you're busy and I know this is a lot to ask but maybe you could come down and…"

"Come where, Lucas?"

"To North Carolina. To Tree Hill. Bring Rout and whoever. Maybe you guys can work together and figure a way out."

"Lucas, I can't, okay? No way. I'll gladly send Oliver but I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because. Because I just can't, alright? Dammitt, Lucas."

He laughed and shook his head.

"I'm not surprised. You know what? It was a mistake on my part for even coming here. I was trying to reason with you but that's kind of pointless now. You don't give a damn."

"That's not fair."

"No, it's not. You changed, Haley. That fun, sweet, original, awesome girl you used to be is long gone. I don't even know you anymore and I don't think I want to."

"No! Don't you come up here and drop this bomb and turn my life upside down, then ask me to drop everything and go there, then you get pissed when I can't."

"Or won't."

"What the hell do you want from me?"

"You left him once. You started all this, Hales. Now I'm just asking you to finish it. Let him go."

She fought back tears.

"Don't dump this on me and try to make me feel guilty, Lucas Scott. I don't have all the answers. How am I supposed to fix this?"

Lucas looked at her as he stood up tossing down a hundred dollar bill to cover the meal and tip before he left.

"Fixing it is up to you to figure out, Hales. The guilt, well…that's what you have to live with."

And just like that. He was gone.