Megan frowned as she reached into her Louis Vuitton handbag searching for her cell phone. It was nowhere to be found and she was expecting an important call from her office. The secretary didn't have the Scott's number in Tree Hill.

"Damn, I hope I didn't leave it in Charlotte", Megan groaned. "I've been so scatterbrained lately."

"You sure you didn't leave it in your suitcase or upstairs, honey?" Deb asked as she looked around the living room area.

"No, Nathan and I already checked."

"What about the car?"

Megan raised her eyebrows. Ah, the one place that hadn't been searched. She dashed out the front door to Nathan's black prized Lincoln Navigator. Sure enough on the passenger seat was her Nextel flip phone.

"Thank God", she mouthed, retrieving it.

She shut and locked the truck, noticing as a familiar Ford Explorer drove up. Instinctively she smiled and waved, expecting to see a mass of blonde curls behind the wheel and a smiley eight year old in the front seat. The vehicle stopped and the driver stepped out slowly. Meg's heart caught in her throat. She knew the petite auburn haired woman though only from photos. She had wondered about her for a while. Wondered what she was like. Now they were face to face. The fiancée and the soon to be ex wife.

Haley's heart pounded. A sharp pain seared through her temples. Her flushed skin was clammy, just adding moisture to already sweaty palms. Her nerves were jangled and the butterflies in her stomach were doing flip flops. She was afraid she was making a mistake. She had started to turn Peyton's SUV around several times but somehow she continued forward in her journey headed straight into the lion's den.

She could see her from the beginning of the driveway. She wore a light green tank top and designer jeans that clung to the lower half of her small frame. Sandals were the shoes of choice and she wore no make up except for a little mascara and lip gloss, sunglasses perched atop her head. The blonde locks had been haphazardly pulled up in messy ponytail, stray pieces blowing in the summer breeze.

A pair of baby blues eyes locked with set of doe brown ones.

Meg's breathing intensified. She looked tinier than she did in pictures. Also her naturally curly hair was closer to a light reddish blonde as opposed to the dark straight look on the cover of her album. On paper her skin appeared tanner as well. Her singing voice was that of a beautiful, confident woman. The image before her was that of a little girl. She wore a simple summer outfit. Just a dark purple tank top and jean miniskirt with flip flops.

"Hi. I'm…"

"Haley. I know who you are", Megan said softly.

"You must be Megan."

"Meg", the blonde extended her hand and Haley shook it.

Then there was awkward silence as the two loves of Nathan Scott's life studied each other.

"I'm really sorry to just show up but I'm in town with my lawyer to get everything settled. I…I don't want to cause trouble."

"It's okay. Um, thank you for coming."

Haley nodded.

"Maybe I should just go…"

"No. It's okay. Come in. Please."

Haley swallowed and reluctantly followed the lead of the pretty blonde who had taken her place. Just being in the house again gave her chills. Nothing had changed.

"Megan, have we solved the mystery of the missing cell phone?" Dan Scott bellowed cheerfully from around the corner.

"Yes, I…"

"I know. I love you dearly but no need to explain. I married a blonde, too. I swear if your head wasn't attached you'd lose that too", he joked.

"Dan…"

The older Scott's smile faded as he looked up and saw that Megan wasn't alone.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in", he smirked.

"Hello, Mr. Scott."

"Mr. Scott? What about Dad? What, are you looking for your husband? I'd say you're oh…six and a half years too late."

"Dan…"

"It's okay. Mr. Scott, I just wanted to let you all know I'm back in town. My lawyer is here as well. I was hoping to schedule a meeting with Nathan and his attorney as soon as possible so we can take care of…"

"The divorce?"

"Yes", she sighed ruefully. "The divorce."

"Well in that case come on in. Hallelujah! Best news I've heard all day. Makes me want to do my happy dance."

"Megan, I…"

Deb stopped dead in her tracks, mouth agape.

"Haley…"

"Mrs. Scott."

"What a…surprise. What are you doing here?"

"I…"

"Mom, is Meg outside?" Nathan came downstairs.

Dan's trademark smirk broadened.

"Come on in, son. We're having ourselves a little family reunion here. You're just in time."

Nathan stood stone faced. Shock. Apprehension. Anger. Sadness. Confusion. All rolled in to one. There she was. She was standing just a few feet away. She was standing next to his fiancée. She had come back.

Nathan had dreamt of that moment ever since that night he had run raggedly for miles trying to get back to their apartment in time to stop her. But when he arrived, she was already gone. Simply vanished. Nothing left but a few clothes, a hint of her flowery perfume and the bracelet from the Cracker Jack box she had left behind.

He had yearned for her. Cried for her. Cursed her. Physically ached for her. He had missed her. He used to love her. In his mind he had imagined her return. He'd be happy. He'd run to her, take her in his arms, hold her, tell her he loved her, never let her go again.

That had all been a fantasy. A dream. It was ages ago. He'd been a boy then. Now he was a man. There would be no happy reunion. No smiles or hugs or tears of joy. No sweet kisses. Once the surprise wore off, he could feel madness that had fueled his insanity for years. She had ruined his life. She left him. She betrayed him. And he hated her for it.

"Nathan…"

"Dad, I thought you took out the garbage already", he said coolly.

"Nathan", Megan closed her eyes. "Don't…"

"What? Meg, I told you about picking up strays."

"Nathan, stop."

"You're right, babe. Where are my manners? I should bow at the foot of the rock star who has graced our presence."

Haley fought back tears. She knew it would be hard. She knew he would be angry. She knew her feelings would probably get hurt. Mentally she had tried to prepare herself for the impending wrath but no amount of preparation in the world for those humiliating, horrifying moments facing the past.

"Nathan, I just wanted to let you know I was back in town. My attorney is here at the hotel. If we could, can we schedule a meeting with your lawyers?"

"You mean to start this divorce thing and get you the hell out of my life for good? I'd say fuck yeah."

She couldn't take it anymore. It was more horrible and frightening than she could ever have imagined. She wanted to cry. To run away again. She could look in his eyes and see pure hatred.

"Fine. If you can just give me a number where to reach him or her…"

"Here", Dan tossed a couple of business cards at her.

"Well, I guess I'll be on my way then."

"Good. Getting back to the hotel to discuss strategy with your little lawyer? Just make sure that jackhole makes it to the meeting on time considering his disregard for deadlines it was got us all into this stupid mess in the first place."

"Actually son, it was your desperation, poor judgment and overall lack of taste."

"Thanks Dad. Rub it in, why don't you? We all make mistakes. I plead temporary insanity."

"It's okay. We all go slumming every now and then."

"I guess so. Well we don't want to be rude and keep you any longer. I'm sure your attorney and your little boyfriend, Chris Keller, are back at the hotel waiting for you."

"Dan! Nathan! That's enough", Deb shifted uncomfortably.

Haley shook her head as she turned to walk away.

"I guess we'll all continue this little love fest later, then. As always, Scotts, it has been a real pleasure", she said quietly.

"Hey Haley", Dan called out. "Don't even think about taking my boy's assests. You gave that up a long time ago, sweetheart."

"I don't want anything from you or Nathan. I just want this to be over."

With that, she let herself out. Quickening her pace to Peyton's truck she vowed not to let the tears fall until after she was well onto the road. It was a battle she was on the verge of losing.

"Haley! Haley, wait! Please!"

Who was following her out? Meg!

"Please. I just want to leave. I refuse to stand here and be insulted any longer."

"And you shouldn't have to. I don't blame you. Those guys are assholes for what they did and said in there. I don't know what got into them, Nathan and Dan. I'm really, really sorry."

"Whatever. It's not your fault."

"I feel bad. Look, I don't know you but…"

"I'm sure you've heard the horror stories", Haley laughed bitterly.

"I have. Listen, I don't know what all happened back then but it's done now, right? It's time to get over the past and move on. I appreciate you coming down here and trying to help resolve this. I just hope we can get everything taken care of without anymore of what just happened."

"Yeah…me, too."

"I'm sorry, Haley. Really I am."

She just nodded as she climbed in the truck and the tears began to flow freely.