Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry you had to wait a couple days for this update. I knew what I wanted to write but had trouble finding the right words to put it in so it took me a little longer to write it up. It's kind of a crappy chapter, but I couldn't think of any other way to put it. Anyways, I hope you like it! As always, please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. One Tree Hill and its characters are property of the WB.

Rating: K+ to T

Finding Our Way Back

Chapter 24 – Running Scared

Lucas still stood there with the pregnancy test in his hands, staring at it, as a flood of emotions overwhelmed him. Shock, joy, worry, scared, just to name a few. He was worried about why she was crying. She had definitely not been letting loose happy tears when he found her in the bathroom. Lucas wondered what was so wrong that caused her to be so upset. They were having a baby together. What could be happier than that?

Haley drove aimlessly around town for awhile and it was a good thing that it was late at night so hardly anybody was out and about because she wasn't really paying attention to the road, just lost in her thoughts. Well, in a trance really, still in a state of shock from seeing that blue line in the screen of the pregnancy test. She was still sobbing as she drove and it was a wonder she didn't drive herself into a light pole or something because of the massive amount of tears falling from her eyes in quick succession blurring her vision. She sat at a stoplight, waiting for the red to turn green. She couldn't do this right now. She couldn't go home to Lucas and face him. She needed to get away. The light finally changed and she moved forward further down Main Street, passing the large sign that said ' Leaving Tree Hill, North Carolina'.

Lucas woke to the sun's bright rays shining down on his face and he winced in pain at the crick in his neck from sleeping in an awkward position in the armchair. He had tried to wait up for Haley when she came back, but he had been so tired that he must have conked out. He stood from the chair and rubbed his neck for a moment, trying to pop it to get the kinks out, before heading to the bedroom to see if Haley had returned. The bed was still made from the day before. He sighed as he rubbed his forehead, tears welling behind his eyes. Where was she? A thought came to mind. Maybe she'd gone to Kyla's place. He quickly grabbed the phone and dialed her number.

"Somebody better be dead or seriously hurt and if not, you will be," Kyla grumbled as she peeked one eye open to look at the clock, which read 6:21 a.m. "Ky, is she there? Is Haley there? Please let me talk to her," Lucas responded, fright and panic in his voice. Kyla sat up straight in bed, "Lucas, she's not here. What happened? Did you two have a fight?" "N-No. I came home from work yesterday and I found her crying in the bathroom…she said she wanted to be alone for awhile so I came to pick up the kids and when I got back, she was gone. She left a note saying that she'd gone for a drive. I went to take out the trash last night and I-I found a pregnancy test… She's pregnant, Ky. She didn't come home last night and I-I don't know where she is," Lucas wiped his eyes with the back of his hand as tears fell down his cheeks. Kyla heaved a sigh as her shoulders sank and she closed her eyes, "She's running. Like she did last time..." "But why? We're happy together. Why would she run away," Lucas asked confusedly, his heart breaking. "I don't know," Kyla responded then said in a whisper, "maybe she's scared."

Haley drove all night and well into the next morning, no set destination in mind. She was basically on autopilot; wherever her hands steered the wheel, she would go. Her cell phone rang where it lay in the seat beside her, breaking her from her thoughts. She picked it up and looked at the screen. Lucas. She ignored the call and turned her phone off, tossing it back onto the passenger seat.

Lucas sighed as he hung up the phone; she hadn't answered. He wondered where she was, if she was alright. He needed to talk to her. He felt a tug on his pants and looked down then kneeled on the floor to his son's level. "Hey buddy," Lucas responded as he hugged him. "Daddy, where's Mommy," he asked. Lucas sat on the floor and pulled his son onto his lap, trying to find the right words to say to him in the process. "Mommy went on a little vacation. She'll be back soon," he responded, hoping what he said was true. She just had to come back. "Why didn't she take us with her," he inquired as he looked up at his father. "She just needed some time alone, that's all. She needed a little break. Hey D, is your sister up?" "No, she's still sleeping," he replied. "Why don't you go wake her up and you two get dressed for school while I cook breakfast, alright?" Derek nodded then retreated back the bedroom he shared with Katie to wake her up.

Lucas picked up the phone again as he dialed the number for the school so he could call in sick for Haley. He didn't want to tell them that she'd run off somewhere and didn't know when she'd be back; she'd definitely lose her job. " Tree Hill High School, this is Sandy. How may I help you," the receptionist replied. "Hey Sandy, it's Lucas Scott. I just wanted to let you know that Haley won't be coming in today. She's feeling really sick and just doesn't feel too well. She would have called in herself, but she just fell back asleep about an hour or two ago and I didn't want to wake her." "Oh the poor dear. She was just having a horrible time of it yesterday. Told me she had to leave her class to go throw up in the bathroom for nearly twenty minutes and went home early. Tell Haley to get some rest and that I hope she feels better soon," the woman replied sympathetically. "I will. Bye Sandy," Lucas replied. She returned the farewell and he hung up the phone. Now he had to cook breakfast and take the kids to school before going to school himself.

Haley stared up at the tall building in front of her. She had been surprised when she found herself parking her car in the parking lot of the building she'd lived in for five years. Yes, she was back in New York. She didn't know what had compelled her to come here. Maybe it was because she had come here when she found out she was pregnant the first time. Maybe she was scared; scared of how Lucas would react. It hadn't gone well the first time she had told him he had kids. They'd fought, he'd yelled, she'd cried; it had been one big roller coaster ride of emotions.

She slowly ascended the stone steps to the doors of her old apartment building. She rang the buzzer for the landlord and a few minutes later, Haley's old landlord, a sweet old woman named Lilly Cox, appeared at the doors. The old woman smiled when she saw her old tenant, "Why Haley James, what a surprise. It is so good to see you." The two women hugged. "Hey Lilly," Haley responded with a smile of her own. "What brings you back here? How are you doing? Where are the twins," Lilly bombarded her with questions. Back when she'd lived here, Haley and Lilly had been good friends and when Kyla couldn't watch the kids, Lilly would often watch them for her while she worked. "Case of nostalgia, I guess," she supplied with a weak smile, "The kids are great. They're back home with their father. I was just remembering all the years we lived here and I guess I needed to see it. Has anybody else rented it?" Lilly shook her head, "No, it's still available. No one else has occupied it since you left." "Can I see it," Haley asked hopefully, her voice low, almost a whisper. "Of course dear. You're always welcome here," the woman smiled as she led her up the stairs to her old apartment.

Lilly unlocked the door with a set of keys and pushed it open for her as Haley slowly stepped forward into the home she'd spent five years living in. So many memories were held here. Tears fell down her cheeks as she gazed around the empty room and bare walls, imagining the way it used to look; pictures on the wall, Derek and Katie's toys spread all over the floor. The old sofa that was so sunk in that it was like a bucket seat, the tattered leather armchair from when Derek had once tried to use his Wolverine claws on it and ripped the material. She could see the pictures on the mantle; the ones of her and the kids, of Ky and herself, Ky and the kids, Haley holding Katie and Derek the day they were brought home… Fresh tears came to her eyes. She finally turned to Lilly, wiping her eyes before doing so. "C-Can I stay here for a few days? I know it's only a few days, but I can give you some money for staying here…" She was stopped from digging in her purse for her wallet by Lilly placing her hand on her arm. "I don't want your money sweetie. Like I said before, you're welcome here whenever and for as long as you like," she smiled as she handed the key to the apartment over to her, "there isn't a bed or anything, but I can get you one…" "No, it's fine," Haley assured her, "thank you Lilly. You don't know how much this means to me." She hugged the woman and she finally left, leaving Haley staring around the apartment again.

It was dark by the time Haley finally returned to her car. She was thankful that she kept two pillows and a large, thick comforter in her car for when Katie or Derek wanted to nap during a car ride. She pulled them from the trunk and lugged them up the steps and back into the apartment. She formed sort of a sleeping bag with the comforter, laying half of it for padding on the floor and curling the other half around her body. She began to cry again; she was just one big emotional train wreck. She hated feeling so out of control like this. She pulled the comforter tighter around her body and curled her legs as close to her body as she could, forming a ball. "I'm sorry baby. I just can't handle this right now…" she sobbed into her pillow, soaking it with her tears. She cried herself to sleep in the middle of her old living room floor that night.