Author's Note: Thanks for the replies. I'm glad that you haven't all forgiven Nathan yet. I'm planning on making him go through hell and high water to make everything right again. Anyway, please tell me what you think. Thanks.

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"So, what do you think I should do?"

Brooke had to spend another ten minutes trying to calm Haley down again. After Brooke had admitted that something might be up with Nathan, Haley had lost it again. She didn't know what she was going to do, Haley just wouldn't stop crying. The sobs where starting to make her sick to her stomach. The only thing that was keeping her from crying herself was the anger that was in the pit of her stomach over what Peyton was doing to Haley.

"If I was you," Brooke began, brushing some of the tears off Haley's face. "I wouldn't confront him until you have some kind of proof. Cause if you just go up to him and start accusing him of stuff, he's just going to lose it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Haley answered. Before Brooke could respond there was a sudden bang at the front door.

"Haley!" they heard him scream while he banged on the door. "Haley, Haley, please open up!" At the sound of his voice, Haley crawled further into Brooke's lap. She started to cry again and shook her head.

"I don't wanna see him," Haley cried. She looked up at Brooke with pleading eyes and it broke Brooke's heart all over again. "Please, make him go away."

"You got it, sweetie," Brooke assured her, wanting her to know that she wasn't going to let Nathan hurt her anymore. "I'm gonna yell to Peyton, okay?"

"Okay," Haley whispered, burying her head into Brooke's leg so she couldn't hear her as well.

"Peyton, get the door, will ya!" Brooke screamed, not knowing that Peyton was just sitting outside the door.

"Ah, yeah," Peyton mumbled, pulling herself off the floor and wiping her eyes, not wanting Nathan to see the tears on her face. She had heard everything that they said and it killed her to hear Haley talk like that. "I'll go get it."

"Tell him that Haley doesn't want to see him," Brooke added, trying to keep her new hatred for the girl out of her voice. She didn't want Haley to pick up on because she wasn't going to tell Haley until she had the chance to bitch out Peyton.

"Okay," Peyton mumbled, wandering down the hall. She had a major headache and the last thing she needed right now, was to hear Nathan banging incessantly on the door.

"Haley, please open the door!" Nathan yelled again. He knew that he was probably waking up all the neighbors, but he didn't care one bit. All he wanted was to talk to Haley before Peyton told her everything.

"Hold on!" Peyton screamed, trying to be heard over the loud banging. When Nathan heard her voice, he stopped banging. After a moment the door wiped open to reveal a very upset and pissed off Peyton.

"Hey."

"Do not 'hey' me," she snapped, holding the door only half way open. She didn't want him to come in and she knew that he was going to try. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to Haley," he answered. Peyton was surprised by the desperation she could hear in his voice. She took a good look at his face and noticed that he looked scared to death.

"She doesn't want to talk to you," Peyton told him. She stared at him for a moment longer before moving to close the door. Before she could get it closed all that way, Nathan shoved a foot in the way.

"I need to talk to her," he repeated, trying to plead with the blonde girl. He didn't blame her for acting this way; she had every right to hate him. Hell, he hated himself right now. "Please, it's really important."

"No, Nathan," Peyton said without giving it a second thought. "She doesn't want to talk to you." She watched his face fall. "Can you really blame her? After what you said to her back there. What is your problem?"

"I know what I said was wrong," he explained, jumping at the chance to make things right with at least her. If he couldn't explain to Haley, Peyton was the next best thing.

"You think?" Peyton snapped. She shook her head and tried to close the door, but Nathan wouldn't move out of the way. "Nathan, move."

"No," he stated. "Not until you listen to me."

"I am not interested in anything you have to say," Peyton replied. "Cause it seems that every time you open your mouth lately, it's to hurt Haley and I'm done standing around and watching you hurt my best friend."

"I don't want to hurt her anymore," Nathan agreed. He had to think of something and fast because patience was not one of Peyton's strongest virtues. Peyton looked at him, clearly not impressed.

"And I'm supposed to what?" Peyton asked. "Jump up and down and tell you what an amazing guy you are because you're going to stop verbally abusing your girlfriend?"

"That's not what I'm..."

"Cause you know what," Peyton cut him off. "I'm thinking it's too little, too late time." Nathan's stomach topped to his feet. She said the words that he was most dreading.

"No, I just have to..."

"I really think you broke her this time," Peyton said, her voice getting quieter as she thought about the vision of Haley laying on her bed, crying. "You should see her, Nate. I mean really, you've never seen her like this. You've never seen what you do to her."

"I know," he whispered, afraid his voice would crack if he spoke any louder. "I've been a horrible person to her. It was like it was when we were together."

"It's so much worse than that," Peyton told him. "With us, we were never in love so when you said those kinds of things to me, they didn't really pack the same kind of punch."

"Oh," was all Nathan could say. He bowed his head, not being able to look her in the eyes. Peyton had the kind of eyes that could tell you everything she was feeling. Even an idiot could read them, plus Tim. And right now, she was pissed.

"You always hurt the one you love," Peyton sighed. She had always hated that saying because it hit too close to home for her. "But what you're doing to Haley, it brings new meaning to the phrase."

"I know." Nathan took a deep breath and raised his head. He was surprised at the amount of anger in Peyton's eyes; it wasn't as much as he thought there would be. It was being overshadowed by the guilt. "And I want to stop doing that."

"It's really about time."

"She speaks the truth," Nathan said, trying to lighten the mood. Peyton's face didn't change. "I want to stop hurting her."

"Good."

"But I need your help." Peyton eyes widened. She couldn't believe that he had the balls to ask her that. He saw that she was about to lunge at him so he quickly continued. "Please, you're the only one."

"Are you actually saying these words?"

"Look," Nathan began, taking a step forward. "I know that you don't want to tell Haley about what I've been doing behind her back. You don't want to hurt her anymore than I do."

"Is there a point that you're going to be getting to?"

"Don't tell her," he begged. He knew that he was asking for a lot more than he deserved, but he had to ask. It was all he could do. He knew that if Peyton did tell Haley, it was his fault. He was the big slut.

"What?"

"Please, I'm begging you here," Nathan pleaded. Peyton looked at his face, trying to tell what his intension where. "Don't tell Haley about those other girls." Peyton quickly looked behind her, making sure that Brooke and Haley were still upstairs.

"I'm not going to talk about this right now," she told him, quickly starting to close the door. Once again he pushed his way through. "Nathan, she doesn't want to see you."

"Just don't tell her tonight," he said, backing out of the doorway. He didn't want Peyton to think that he was going to break into the house.

"Fine," she said, willing to say anything to get him lost. The last thing she needed right now was for Brooke or Haley to come down the stairs and overhear their conversation.

"So, you wouldn't tell her tonight?" he asked hopefully.

"No, I am," she hissed, sarcastically. "Yeah, after she's done crying herself into exhaustion because her bitch of a mother doesn't want her, I'm going to tell her that the man she loves and trust more than anyone is a cheating bastard. How do you think that will go down?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Unlike you, I actually have a heart," she told him. "And unlike you, I love that girl up there."

"I love her too...."

"But I show it," she stated. Deciding that she was done with this conversation, she moved away from the door.

"Wait," he called out. Just then, Brooke came to the top of the stairs to see what was going on. Neither of them noticed or heard her.

"What?"

"Come to my apartment tomorrow morning?" he asked her. Peyton's eyes glazed over in confusion. That was the last thing she expected him to say. "I want to explain everything to you. Hopefully, I can convince you to not tell Haley." Peyton looked at him uneasy for a minute before letting out a breath.

"What time?" She knew she should be doing this; there was this little voice at the back of her head telling her that she shouldn't listen to him, that she needed to tell Haley everything. But if there was a way that they could get through this without hurting Haley, that she was all for it.

"Whenever you can," he told her. He started to turn around, but stopped. "You wont tell her?"

"It's our little secret," Peyton sighed. Nathan smiled at her, more grateful than he had ever been in his entire life. He leaned forward without even thinking and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Pey." Without waiting for a response, he quickly ran off into the night, no doubt back to his place. Peyton let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding and closed the door. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the cold wood.

"Isn't that nice," came a voice from behind her. She jumped up and turned around to find Brooke sitting at the top of the stairs. Her stomach suddenly felt like lead.

"Brooke," she squeaked out. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Long enough to hear you make your next date with Nathan," Brooke answered coldly, glaring daggers at the blonde. "How could you, Peyton? You know what he means to Haley."

"Brooke, what are you talking about?"

"I don't know who you're trying to fool, but it's not going to be me." Brooke grabbed into the railing and stood up. "I really thought you were better than that."

"Brooke." Peyton took a step forward, but stopped when she saw the look in Brooke's eyes.

"Stay away from Haley," Brooke warned her. "I think you've already done enough." Without another word, Brooke turned on her heels and went back to join Haley. Peyton stood stalk still, trying to process what Brooke had just said to her. She ran a hand through her hair, realizing that Brooke was accusing her of sleeping with Nathan. God, when did her life get so messed up?

OTH

That's all for now. I know it's nothing great, but that's what I've got for you right now. Please tell me what you think. Replies make me move faster. Thanks for reading.