"Haley! Haley…"

Lucas stood from his chair and walked over to his brother. It had happened. Nathan had finally woken up.

"Nate…hey, it's me. Don't worry. It's okay. It's me."

"Luke…"

Lucas smiled.

"Welcome back, little brother."

Nathan swallowed hard and tried to adjust his eyes to the light.

"Luke…"

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I hit a brick wall", Nathan answered honestly.

Lucas laughed and shook his head.

"Well, the doc says you're going to be fine."

The younger Scott sighed heavily.

"Oh man…"

Lucas watched him groan and squint in pain as he carefully approached asking the question that had been gnawing at him for days.

"Nate…what was this anyway? Some sort of messed up…anything Lucas can do, I can do better?"

"No…but you want to hear something really crazy? I thought I died and went to Heaven."

"No kidding?"

"Only Heaven was a place where Dan chose your mom over mine. And Haley was tone deaf. But I guess it was just a dream", he sighed. "I did kick your ass in one on one."

"Then it really must have been a dream", Lucas joked.

Nathan tried to laugh too but his chest hurt too much.

"Dude, can you get me some water?"

Lucas nodded as he poured the liquid into a plastic cup. He watched Nathan swallow it as he contemplated what to tell him next.

"Look, I know you asked me not to but…"

"Lucas, you want to get something to eat? I'll sit here until you get back…"

Nathan's eyes focused on the door and who was standing at it. It was his wife. His estranged wife. There was Haley.

"Thanks a lot, man", he muttered, angry that his brother had went against his wishes and notified her anyway.

"I had to call her, man. I'm sorry. Haley is your wife and she loves you. She needed to know."

"Nathan…oh my God…you're awake", she said, on the verge of collapse from sheer relief alone.

Lucas stood.

"Um, I'll let you two talk…"

He left without another word, Haley taking his place in the chair by the bed.

"Thank God, you're awake. I was so scared, Nathan."

"I'm gonna be okay."

"Well, I'm glad."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Haley's eyes widened.

"Why would I not be here for you, Nathan? You're still my husband and I do love you. When Lucas called I went out of my mind with worry. I had to be here with you, okay?"

He looked away. He wanted to look anywhere but in her eyes.

"Actually…no. It's not okay. You shouldn't have come, Haley."

"Nathan, I had to come."

"No. No, you didn't."

"Nathan…"

"You didn't have to come home…and I didn't want you here."

There. He'd said it and his words stung like a knife piercing through his heart.

"Nathan…you, you don't mean that."

"Yes, I do."

"But you said you wanted us to be together no matter what just a few days ago when you came to see me. You…"

"And you had nothing to say except that everything between us had happened too fast."

"I know. It did. And I was scared…still am but I do love you. That's the one thing that will never change. I'm supposed to be here by your side."

"Why?" he asked. "Why now? Because you feel guilty? Because you feel sorry for me?"

"No. I…"

Nathan shook his head.

"This isn't working. We can't keep doing this to each other."

A tear slid down her face.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

He closed his eyes.

"I love you too, Haley but maybe love isn't enough."

"Nathan…

"Just go", he turned away. "Please. Just leave."

He didn't want her there. She was reaching out but it was too late. He was pulling further and further away.

"Nathan…"

No answer. If he was trying to hurt her, he had well exceeded his goal. With water pouring from her eyes, she fled the room, running smack dab into Dan Scott. He took one look at her disheveled state and smirked.

"I see my son must be awake", he observed, just as gleeful that Haley was so upset, if not more.

He entered the room and Haley ran into an empty corridor a few feet away. There, alone, she could break down and sob. But she wasn't alone. Not completely.

"Haley…are you okay? What happened?"

She slid to the floor and rested her head on her knees, still sobbing.

"Nathan's awake", she managed to get out.

"Thank God", Deb sighed. "I need to see him."

"Mr. Scott is with him now."

Deb gave her a sympathetic look.

"Why are you in tears? Nathan or Dan?"

Haley wiped her eyes.

"He hates me. He…he doesn't want to see me. He doesn't want me here. And I don't blame him."

"He's just upset. Give him time."

Haley shook her head.

"It's over…"

"You…you hurt my son very much by leaving", Deb began, biting her lip.

"Look, Mrs. Scott, I know that already. And I don't need you here rubbing it in."

"That isn't my intention, Haley. I know we've had our differences and I may not agree with the decisions you have made but I know despite everything, deep down you love my son. That's something we'll always have in common."

Haley looked up as Deb handed her a Kleenex.

"What am I going to do?"

"Stick around…at least for now. Nathan has been through a lot and he's very confused. Maybe things will simmer down in the next few days."

"Maybe…"

It was Haley's turn to be confused. Deb hadn't been that nice to her in a long time.

"I'm going to go and check on Nathan. I don't know if he'll be too happy to see me either. But when I'm done, maybe you and I could go to the cafeteria, if you want. It isn't much food wise, but it could give us the chance to talk."

Haley nodded. The comfort had come from an odd place but she was willing to accept it.

"Okay."

Deb gave her the closest thing to a smile.

"Just order for me. I should be up shortly."

"What would you like?" Haley asked an almost familiar question. "Turkey or ham?"

Deb just winked.

"The decision is yours."