The sun set over the beach casting a beautiful orange and pink glow on the sky. Haley, wrapped in a thin blanket, admired it as she sipped from a glass of homemade lemonade. An ocean breeze blew through her long, curly locks as she adjusted in her seat.

"Beautiful night, huh?"

"Magical", she answered.

Lucas smiled.

"Are you being sarcastic or serious?"

"Serious", Haley replied. "You don't see too many sunsets and sunrises like this in the city. Sometimes I forget how much I miss it or how beautiful it actually is."

He nodded. She was right.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?" he tried again. "I mean, after this morning…"

"I don't want to talk about this morning, Lucas."

"Hales…"

"Can we just drop it? Please."

"If that's what you really want, then fine but I know how much all this has affected you. And I'm not just talking about today. You know I'm here for you, Haley."

"I know that", she sighed, trying not to cry. "I know. You're here for me and for everybody. I appreciate that. Thanks, Buddy."

"You're welcome."

"So", she breathed. "How…how is Nathan? Where is he?"

"Laying low. He's with Jake and Peyton and Jenny now."

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah. I bailed him out. Unfortunately that prick is still gonna publish the photos and Nathan had to pay him off to avoid a lawsuit."

"Nathan shouldn't have gone after him like that."

"You're right. He shouldn't have."

"Then why did he?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question."

Haley looked away.

"That's no excuse, Luke."

"I'm not trying to make excuses for him."

"Good. Because I deal with it everyday. You've had your fair share of it, too. Yes, it sucks and it's horrible and I feel like scratching those bastards eyes out but I don't. I can't. I don't have the right to and neither does Nathan."

"None of us have that right but try to see it from Nathan's point of view. He was just trying to protect you."

"Luke…"

"He's sorry, Haley. You have to believe that."

"I do but that's the problem. He's always sorry. Maybe he should think about his actions ahead of time so he won't have anything to be sorry for."

"Look, he didn't get into specifics but whatever you guys were talking about on the beach, well, it was pretty important to him."

"We were talking about us…and our love and getting back together", she blurted out.

"Wow", Lucas sucked in a breath. "So how do you feel about it?"

"How should I feel?" she shrugged. "It doesn't matter anyway. It could never be again."

"How do you know that?"

"I just know."

"Nathan loves you."

"And I love him."

"So?"

"Sometimes love isn't enough. You know that, Luke. We keep hurting each other. I don't want Lillian in the middle of that."

"Maybe that was apart of your past but does it have to be apart of your future? I get where you're coming from Haley but are you sure you aren't using the baby as an excuse to protect your own feelings?"

"I don't know. I don't know, okay? Gosh, Lucas, what do you want me to say? What does everyone want from me? You know things have always been complicated with Nathan and me. Look how we first got together. He was just using me to get under your skin."

"That was a long time ago and he changed. Nathan isn't that guy anymore."

"And I'm not that girl. I gave my heart to him once before."

"And he gave you his in return. He married you, didn't he?"

"Yes but…"

"And you guys were happy, right? He was a good husband."

"Yeah but he stopped believing in me. I couldn't handle that. Maybe we were too young and maybe I should have pursued my dreams before I got married but Nathan was so wonderfully supportive at first and the minute it didn't go down the way he wanted it, he gave me an ultimatum."

"He did and that was probably the wrong way to go about it but his heart was in the right place. He did out of love for you…and the fear of losing you."

A tear slid down her face.

"What am I supposed to do, Luke?" she cried.

"I can't tell you that, sweetie. Only you know that answer. It's in your heart."

"I'm so confused right now…and scared."

"Do you love him?"

"You know I do?"

"And you agree he's a good father?"

"The best."

"Can you imagine life without him? Can you envision what it would be like if he found someone else?"

"No", she responded meekly.

"And what about you, Hales? All those years alone. You had your freedom in New York to date and do whatever you wanted. How come you never did? Why wasn't there anyone special?"

"Because none of them were Nathan", she sighed. "My heart was with him, Lucas. Always."

"Then there's all the answers you need."

"I can't", she protested. "I can't do it again, Luke. I don't want to go through it. What happens if I decide to tour and record again? Chris is a huge part of my career. He's my friend and I can't just cut ties because of Nathan's unfounded jealousy and insecurity. And Nathan, as good a person as he is and tries to be, he still has a long way to go to get himself together. Lillian and I can't be with the ticking time bomb like I saw this morning. I won't deal with that."

"Then that's your decision, Haley. No one can fault you for that. But you have to be honest with him. And remember, once you've made your choice, that's it. This back and forth stuff can't go on. You don't get to have it both ways."

Haley shuddered as the moon began to replace the last remnants of daylight .

"I just want to be happy, Lucas. I just want all of us to be okay. That's the only thing I've ever wanted."

"Then you need to figure out what you're going to do. Then you need to do it. For eight years you guys have been in limbo. Don't keep prolonging the pain, Hales. And don't make your daughter suffer either. It's time for you to grow up. And I'm following my own advice. It's time for all of us to grow up. The moves me make today, every decision is going to affect the rest of our lives. It's always been this way. We all make mistakes but I'll tell you like I've told Nathan so many times before. It's not so much about what we regret…it's what we do to rectify it and make the future better."

"Lucas…"

"I know, I know. I'll shut up now with the 'big brother' lecture. Sorry to get all in your business."

"You're just looking out for the people you love the most."

"Always."

She smiled as he wrapped an arm around her and they watched the waves come and go together.

"I know", she sighed. "That's who you are, Lucas. That's what you do best. And that's why I love you. That's why you're my Buddy."