A/N: Sorry for the delay, I'm focusing mainly on my Summerland fic right now, so my other fics may not be updated as frequently until I'm finished with Summerland. Ugh, after watching last week's One Tree Hill, I got very angry at the show- the storylines always twist into a way that makes me want to hurl something at the screen. I'm actually thinking of giving up on OTH, it just continues to agitate me week after week. Anyways, read and review and thankies to those who have done so.

A few days later, things were made much worse when Haley and Chris got the chance to be interviewed on TV. They were told not to deny rumours of the two having a relationship. Haley had severely opposed this but Chris had answered the reporter's question of their dating status before she could.

"What? Chris-!" Haley had protested. The camera cut away from them before Haley could finish. "No! Bring the camera back! We're not together!"

"Sorry, hun," the reported shrugged. "Your spot's done."

Haley cringed and slapped Chris's arm, which he had slung around her. "Don't touch me, ass hole." She stood up and fixed Chris with a deadly glare.

"It's gonna be good for the song," Chris told her, "Look, people who know us will realize it's not true. They'll get that it's just a marketing ploy."

"Nathan won't," Haley snapped brokenly. She pushed the hair out of her face and grabbed her cell. Nathan had turned it off. His voice mail wasn't even working. What was she going to do? Nathan would never understand!

Haley was right. Just the next morning, Lucas called her, giving her an ear load of lectures and angry 'how the hell could you's!' She had told him that she hadn't had a chance to protest…that it was completely false.

"Nathan's a total wreck, Haley," Lucas said gravely, "You don't get it! He was really bad when you left but after last night… He was drunk and stoned at the same time! You've destroyed him."

"Can't you understand that it's just a marketing technique? None of it's true! And I tried to deny it, but Chris answered before I could, okay?" Haley crumbled. "Listen, he's not answering his cell and his voice mail's full…are you on your cell?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied

"Could you go over to Nate's and somehow convince him to talk to me? Please, if I don't talk to him now he's never going to forgive me." Haley muttered.

"Fine, but I can't guarantee anything. He's probably hung over from last night," Lucas warned her.

"I just have to talk to him," Haley said.

"Okay, I'm here, hold on a sec," Lucas told her. Haley heard knocking and the sound of the door being crept open.

"Nate?" Lucas called. A muffled groan was heard. "Oh for the- you look like ASS!"

"You would too if your fucking wife just announced on national TV that she was dating some other guy," Nathan growled.

"Are you going to hear her side of it?" Lucas questioned.

"Her side? What could she possibly say?" Nathan snapped.

"She's dying to talk to you-" Lucas started.

"Good. Let her know what dying feels like for a change." Nathan spat.

"Listen, I'll give 50 to talk to her," Lucas pleaded desperately.

"Got that from ol' daddy, didn't ya?" Nathan hissed.

Lucas was getting impatient, "Dude, just hear her out."

"Piss off," Nathan retorted.

With a huff, Lucas strode over to where Nathan was standing by the couch and in a swift motion, held Nathan's arms behind his back. Lucas forced him down and held the cell by Nate's ear.

"Talk." Lucas ordered.

"What the HELL is your freaking PROBLEM!" Nathan howled.

"Nate?" Haley asked tentatively.

"Oh my God, you're not actually doing this," Nathan slurred. "I swear, if my head didn't feel like someone rammed a car into it, I'd kick your sorry ass until you bled to death!"

"Nathan, I'm so sorry. Chris answered the question before I could; you have to know I was going to deny it. It's not true, you know that it's not true, Chris just wanted to use it to attract more people to our music, it's just business." Haley said in a frantic rush. "There's nothing going on, I am and always will be Haley James Scott, your wife!"

"Haley, he put his arm around you and you didn't react," Nathan sighed.

"I didn't have time! The camera cut off within seconds! Singers and actors do it all the time, okay? You've got to trust me when I say it's just a marketing ploy that Chris used. The moment I can, I'll get the facts straight." Haley explained. "Nathan, I want us to work. I need to make us work! I meant what I said earlier; I'll drop everything and come home if you need me to. Or you can come here."

"Chris was in your hotel room at midnight! Then it appears for the entire world that you guys are in a relationship. How the hell can I believe you?" Nathan snapped.

Haley started crying, "Nate, we aren't together. I love you and I don't know how many times I have to tell you that. I don't know how I can make you believe me, but it's the truth!"

By this time, Lucas had let Nathan go and Nate was holding the phone himself. Nathan's voice instantly softened, "Haley, don't cry…"

"You're the best thing going in my life, Nate, you changed me completely-" Haley's voice cracked, "I'd do anything to make you forgive me. Chris and I aren't anything but singing partners. You and me, I thought we were past the stage of second guessing everything, I thought by now you'd believe me. You're the one I married, Nate, not Chris! And I never forget nor regret it." The tears intensified and Haley's voice grew thicker, "How can I not cry when my only love wants to end things? How can I not cry when the light in my world hates me?"

Nathan's voice was now totally soft, "Hales, don't do that, I don't hate you, I never did. No matter how badly you hurt me, I'll always love you. Please, please, don't cry… I never wanted to end anything…it was a mistake, my saying what I did, it was impulsive and stupid and I regretted saying it instantly. But when I ran home to tell you how sorry I was…you were gone." Nathan's throat went dry. "And the only thing I could see when I got home was that bracelet. The first gift I gave you. You didn't even take it with you."

"You said we were through," Haley sobbed.

"And you left anyways," Nathan replied.

"I love you more than anything… just say the word, I'll come back," Haley's eyes were raw, her voice ragged. "It hurts me so bad thinking that you're not going to take me back…"

"You know, even after all this, you want to know the only thought running through my mind?" Nathan smiled through the phone, "God, I can't believe I caused her pain, I can't believe she's crying because of me."

Haley smiled on her end and took a breath. "It's funny, in my entire life, you alone were able to make me happiest… and you alone were able to make me cry the hardest. Nathan, does this mean you forgive me?"

Before Nathan could answer, the phone went dead. Nathan glared at the cell in his hands and realized the battery was dead. Lucas had left to give him some privacy and Nate made a mental note to curse Lucas for not keeping his cell charged. Nathan looked around for his phone but his house was in ruins and he couldn't find it. His cell, too, was dead. Fuck, Nathan thought.

On Haley's end, she heard an abrupt click and a ring tone. He had hung up on her. She felt severely stung and banged her head against the wall. He would never be able to take her back, would he?