Nathan woke up and yawned, flopping back down on the bed. He'd had well over eight hours of what could be called a decent sleep. Of course he had tossed and turned but he had become accustomed to it. Restless nights seemed to follow all his debacles…losing Haley, going to college, Meg, the tsunami, divorcing Haley, marrying Meg, almost killing Michael Sanchez, getting kicked out of the NBA, losing Yoanna, gaining Lillian, and now his latest encounter with the paparazzi. He closed his eyes and groaned. Just when things were going so well. Losing his temper with one idiot had caused yet another dent to his reputation and an even bigger one to his bank account.

He sighed heavily. He wanted to go back to bed. He wanted to bury himself in the covers and avoid facing the harsh realities called his life. But that wasn't possible at all. It wasn't even possible for the moment considering the overwhelming urge he felt to go pee. Dragging out of the crumpled sheets, a naked Nathan opened his door and peered out. Silence. He had thought he'd heard Lucas and Brooke go out for breakfast earlier. Ever since the night of the barbecue, his older brother had been in Brooke's proverbial doghouse. Maybe a morning alone would do them some good, he thought as he tiptoed to the bathroom a few feet away.

He opened the door and went to flip open the toilet lid. He didn't notice the light was already on. He didn't notice Brooke wrapping a towel around her wet and equally nude fresh from the shower body. The two took one look at each other and screamed.

"Iiiieeewww, Boytoy!" she screamed.

"Iiiieeewww, back at you! God, I'm blind now!"

"Well quit looking!"

"I'm not", he covered his eyes.

"Get out!"

"You get out! Brooke, I have to pee!"

She rolled her eyes and bitched him out as she secured her towel and made it out the door. He relieved himself and sheepishly crept back into the bedroom for clothing. Minutes later a robe clad Brooke was already in the kitchen.

"You know, Superstar, they can't ever say that you and Broody aren't brothers."

"Huh?"

She rolled her eyes as she spread Splenda on a grapefruit half.

"You know, the size of the package."

Nathan's face turned bright red but he couldn't help but smile at the oh so true compliment. He'd been praised plenty of time from the opposite sex about that particular part of his anatomy.

"You shouldn't have been looking."

"And you shouldn't be walking around naked."

"And you should have used the other bathroom that you and Luke have been using."

"Whatever. Your shower's bigger."

He smirked as he threw some cheese slices on a piece of toast.

"And seeing that my big brother didn't come out here and pummel me, I take it he isn't here."

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"He's out."

"Where?"

"Beats the hell out of me", he shrugged.

"I thought you two were going out for breakfast."

"So did I", she said sadly. "But hey. How did you know that?"

"Paper thin walls."

"You were listening, you little perv. God, how many other things have you heard?"

"Too many actually but you guys are just naturally loud. Now what's the deal with you and my brother?"

"I don't know."

"Brooke…"

"We're fine. Really."

"You don't sound fine."

"Well, we are. And on to more pressing issues, what's the deal with you and Tutor Star?"

Nathan smiled faintly.

"Nice way to dodge the real issue and turn it around on me."

"One of my many gifts", she smiled with a wink. "Now spill."

"What is there to say? Look, it's complicated. Brooke, I don't know if you know but…I, I still love Haley, okay? It's weird but we sort of have these feelings for each other."

"Well, duh", Brooke scoffed.

"What do you mean, 'duh'?"

"Exactly what I said. Look, Nate you know I love you to death but face it sometimes you're not the sharpest tool in…hell, wherever they keep tools…"

"The toolbox?" he teased.

"Yeah, toolbox…whatever. Anyway, you just announced that like it was breaking news. You love Haley. Haley loves you. Not exactly a newsflash. Stevie Wonder could see that you guys are still in love. Everyone sees it except you, two."

"We're that obvious, huh?" he chuckled.

"Painfully. Now what are you going to do about it? The games are getting kind of old."

"I told her how I feel. Brooke, I want to get back together."

"And?"

"She's scared."

Brooke sighed and dramatically threw her arms in the air.

"I give up! What's it going to take, another eight years for you two duds to realize you can't make it without each other?"

"I don't know. Even though I knew we weren't going to get back together like at that very moment, it's the first time I had real hope in a long time. Haley's right…she needs to get herself together and Lord knows I have to put all my ducks in a row. I was lost for a while but I've been working really hard to find my way back. I know I still have a long way to go but I love Haley and I want to be with her and Lillian."

"What else did she say?"

"She wants me to come to terms with everything that happened with Megan and Yoanna."

"That's smart. I mean, we all deal with things in our own way. Eventually you and Haley will find your way back to each other…right?"

"I thought so", he shrugged. "That is until that clown started taking our picture. Haley was so upset and I got so mad, Brooke. I just lost it. I wanted to tear his head off."

"Uh, you almost did. I was there."

"He deserved it."

"Yeah he did but you know you can't do things like that or be that way. Not if you want to be a good dad and not if you want Haley in you life."

"I know", he sighed. "I know, Brooke."

"You also know that you have to fix this, right?"

"How?" he mumbled. "The more I try to make right, the more I end up just making shit worse."

"You need to come clean. Wash your hands. Cleanse your soul. Rinse these problems right out of your hair."

"Are you trying to give me life advice or are you auditioning for an Irish Spring commercial?"

"I'm being serious. Listen, you've gone through a lot. It made things harder doing it in the public eye."

"I know", he rolled his eyes. "I feel like the whole damned world has gone through everything with me."

"Exactly."

"Brooke…"

"Then why not let them finish the journey with you? And do it on your terms. You don't need a script telling people what you think they want to hear and God knows you don't need Dan playing director. Speak the truth from your heart. Tell your story, Nathan."

He thought about Brooke's words. They were certainly starting to make sense.

"Brooke, I…"

"It's okay", she said, reaching for the remote and turning on the TV. "Just think about what I said."

He nodded as she flipped channels. She rested on E! briefly, just long enough for them to hear the entertainment anchors discussing Nathan's latest mishap.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words but in this case with was a worth a couple of hundred thousand dollars. Disgraced NBA star, Nathan Scott's bad boy image has gained yet more substance with his paparazzi altercation last week in his home state of North Carolina. After being hounded and interrupted in an intimate moment with his estranged, seemingly on again, off again, ex wife, songbird, Haley James, the former Charlotte Bobcat became enraged and violently attacked a photographer, first trying to steal his camera and eventually assaulting him several times. It has been reported, to avoid a lawsuit, and like this kid needs anymore controversy, that he had paid up an undisclosed but nevertheless large sum of hush money…"

"Sorry, I'll turn it…"

"It's okay", Nathan sighed. "Leave it. I'm used to it."

"You have to get your side out there, Nathan. See what I mean, now?"

He nodded. He saw what it meant now more than ever.

"…This whole Nathan Scott, Haley James, Romeo and Juliet story becomes more interesting and unbelievable by the day, especially since the reports that surfaced late last night that seemed to indicate James married the rumored father of her infant daughter, Chris Keller, at a Las Vegas wedding chapel", the E! newsbreak continued.

Nathan and Brooke sat dumbfounded and open mouthed on the couch as they just stared at the TV set. Could the days, could life get any more surreal? True neither had seen Haley in the last 36 hours and that was more than enough time to hop a plane to Nevada. They shook their heads and looked at each other and the same question simultaneously popped out of their mouths.

"Did she just say married?"