It was supposed to be a day off but being at home alone with just overpowering silence and a moody cat was overwhelming for Haley. Her visit with Lucas 72 hours before had unnerved her and how could it not? The news was unbelievable. Haley couldn't believe it. After all the years spent apart they really weren't apart…at least not legally. They had been married and still were. It was shocking. It was confusing. A tiny piece of her was almost glad. Despite everything that had gone down between them she still had a part of him. Also, if there was no annulment at least a divorce would prove the union existed at one time. It would no longer be a distant memory that lived on in a buried section of her weary heart.

So Haley went to the one place that always had been home for her. She went to the studio. She arrived with a torn and battered notebook that cost less than a dollar but it contained pages and pages of her innermost thoughts and feelings. It was therapy. Some of the words would somehow morph themselves into songs. Writing diligently and strumming random chords, she began composing the song, "Crazy Girls". It was a reflection of her life at the time.

After hours and hours, exhausted she decided to return home. The sky had darkened into night but the heavy clouds that had loomed all afternoon finally gave way sprinkling the city with a summer shower. She dashed from the car to her building but the droplets still managed to soak through her clothes. Fumbling with the key, she entered the loft. Her cat, a stray she had found lurking outside the studio, CAT (pronounced Seeaytee) purred appreciatively as the owner smiled and gave her tummy a light scratch.

"Hi baby. You miss me?" Haley cooed.

"Little sis!"

Haley screamed out loud. To her surprise and dismay was one of her older (and least favorite) sisters, Taylor. The pretty strawberry blonde had made herself comfortable in Haley's terrycloth robe and a towel was wrapped around her freshly shampooed and conditioned locks.

"Tay, what are you doing here?" Haley frowned.

"I was just hanging out and I felt like seeing my baby sister. Gosh, look at you!" Taylor hugged her.

"How did you get in here?"

"Alvin, your doorman is a sweetheart. He totally loves me."

"Remind me to kill, Alvin", Haley muttered.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that one, Haley-bub."

Ignoring her childhood family nickname, Haley brushed past Taylor into the kitchen where she reached for the remnants of her Tofu salad.

"Tofu, huh?" Taylor smirked. "Wow, are we into the whole vegan lifestyle now?"

"No. Shut up, Tay. Damn! It's just Tofu. Chris brought it over and…"

"Ah, Chris Keller, the brooding, hottie musician. How could I forget?"

"No, Taylor, how could you forget when you slept with him?"

Taylor smiled sheepishly.

"Oh yeah. That. It wasn't that memorable, trust me. You definitely didn't miss much, if you know what I mean. That is, unless you have, shall I say, new personal knowledge."

"No. I did not sleep with Chris. It isn't like that. We're just friends."

"Okay, okay."

"At least one of us can keep our legs closed."

"Low blow, little sis", Taylor scoffed. "I'm hurt but I'll let that one go considering you haven't gotten laid since the Mesozoic era."

"Try spelling Mesozoic."

"Damn! I see the bitch switch is at an all time high. Dude, what is wrong with you? What's your problem?"

"You're my problem, Tay!"

"I just got here."

"And I'm sure you're ready to start trouble if you haven't already."

"Gee, thanks for the love."

"Don't give me that. Where are you coming from now?"

Haley was furious. The marital situation was weighing in heavily and now the unexpected and dreaded visit was pushing her over the edge. She did love Taylor but the older girl was a known trouble maker. She lied at random, slept with anybody she pleased, and drank like a fish. Haley had even tried to help her out once by hiring her as a personal assistant but what good was an assistant who refused to assist? Taylor had no sense of time and no respect for rules. It hadn't worked out and out of sheer exasperation mixed with a little bit of tough love, Haley had kicked her out. Still Hurricane Taylor would breeze in ever so often looking for a place to crash and some cash to spend.

"St. Louis."

"St. Louis? What the hell is in St. Louis?"

"I had some friends there. We were partying. It was cool for a while but you know me…"

"Yeah, I do", Haley rolled her eyes. "I thought you were down in Houston."

"I was."

"And before that Chicago."

"Yeah."

"What now, Tay? What's next?"

"Miami", Taylor smiled broadly.

"What's in Miami?"

"South Beach! Come on. It's the place to be. It's gonna be a blast. Hey, you should come with me."

"No thanks."

"Why not? We'd have so much fun."

"I said no!"

"Okay. Geez! Bite my head off, why don't you? Damn! You are really being a big meanie. Even more evil than usual. What's up? If this is about Chris, I'm sorry, okay? It was one time and we were drunk and…"

"Seems to be the story of your life."

"Ouch! I take it this newfound hostility stems from a certain unforgettable incident with someone's ex husband…"

Haley cringed. Before she had ever met Nathan, it seemed he had lost his virginity to Taylor James at a drunken high school party held at the Scott beach house.

"Don't go there."

"Haley bub, let it go! I slept with him, you slept with him, big deal, right? It's over. You haven't seen him in like forever and I heard he's getting married to the governor's daughter anyway."

"Congressman."

"Whatever. And since when do you keep up on current events in Nathan Scott's life?" Taylor teased.

"Since I found out I am still his wife", Haley blurted out.

Taylor's smile quickly faded.

"Oh God. You're not joking, are you?"

"I wish I were" Haley sighed, plopping down.

Taylor waltzed into the kitchen and returned seconds later with a half gallon of Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream and two spoons.

"Big sis and Haagen Daaz are here to the rescue. Now tell me everything."

"The annulment didn't go through. My attorney didn't meet North Carolina's deadline and paperwork was misfiled and blah, blah, blah. The computer caught it when he applied for a license with his new fiancée. And apparently the grounds for annulment have expired or whatever. The only option is divorce but we must legally separate for one whole year, not counting the almost 7 we have spent avoiding each other like the plague."

"Haley, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Lucas came up a few days ago. He is the one that explained everything to me. Nathan's attorneys are searching for a way to end this thing as quickly and painlessly as possible but so far it's a no go."

"Wow."

"Then he had the nerve to actually suggest I go to Tree Hill! Can you believe that?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. Try to brainstorm on a solution."

"What did you tell him?"

"No, of course! And he was so mad. He lays this horrendous guilt trip on me before he stormed out. He hates me, Nathan hates me…hell, everybody in Tree Hill hates me. After all these years I'm supposed to go back?"

"They don't hate you, Haley. They're just hurt. They didn't understand your decision."

"Did you?" Haley asked softly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did. It was your dream. It was an amazing opportunity. I know I'm the wrong one to ask for life and live advice but you did what you had to do. I respect that. You didn't do anything wrong, Hay."

"Then why does it feel like I did? Why does everyone continue to make me feel that way?"

"The problem was Chris. It was always Chris. People thought you ran off with him. Hell, baby girl, even I had my doubts at first. But I've spent time with you since then here in New York and even on tour. I see you and him and I know nothing is going on. For you it was just about the music. Others don't see that. You just made a choice, that's all."

"Exactly but I shouldn't have had to. Why couldn't I have Nathan and the music?"

"I don't know, kid", Taylor sighed. "Look, I know what it's like to constantly search for something more. That's why I've been running my whole life but Haley I never had a guy like Nathan to come home to. We all make choices. But look at your life. Your life is great. Maybe this is what was meant for you. Maybe being Nathan's wife wasn't."

"Are you going to go?"

"I don't know", she shook her head.

"Pretty scary stuff, huh? Facing all that stuff again."

"Terrifying", Haley sighed.

"Phantoms from the past?"

Haley closed her tired eyes and tried to figure out the next move

"You have no idea", she whispered. "The ghosts are all around me."