Chapter Six

A.N. I thought I'd use your own reactions for Peyton and Brooke's reaction to the news so thanks to maggymoo21, Lindsay23, Karahbella for their aid in the reaction department.

"Whoa, Tutor-Wife, mind telling us what's going on?" Brooke grabs Haley's arm when she walks back into the beach house half an hour later, her arms wrapped protectively around her body. "Nathan came storming in here and nearly threatened Jake's life if we didn't leave now, instead of after dinner like we planned and the three of them have been locked in your bedroom since."

"Hales," Peyton steps forward, her tone is mothering and gentle, "what happened?"

Haley avoids her friend's concerned looks as she focuses on a picture of the ocean just over Peyton's shoulder, "Nathan and I are getting a divorce."

It's silent in the apartment for a minute, but the heated discussion in the bedroom closest to them breaks the silence eventually, and the noise seems to bring Peyton and Brooke out of their stunned stupors.

"Oh my God, a divorce?" Peyton stares at Haley unable to form more of a reaction then that.

"Holy shit, you can't get a divorce. Stupid move," Brooke shakes her head but then shrugs at Peyton's glare. "What? It is."

"What Brooke means to say," Peyton responds slowly, "is that Nathan wants to help you get through this. You can't just push him away, maybe take some time apart, but a divorce?"

"Yes," Haley nods, "a divorce."

Brooke opens her mouth to speak but Nathan comes bursting out of the bedroom, "we're leaving."

Jake is just behind Nathan and he kisses Peyton, "I'll wait for you at your house." With his words he hurries after Nathan.

Lucas comes out of the room slower, he glances at the three girls in front of him, "I've got to go after him," his eyes lock on Haley, "we're talking later." His attention then moves to Peyton, "drop her off at my house okay?" He stops briefly in front of Brooke, "we'll talk later to, okay?"

Despite her stunned reaction to Haley's news she can't help but give Lucas a small smile, "okay."

The instant Lucas and Jake disappear out of the house the brief smiles disappear from Peyton and Brooke's faces, "Haley maybe just some time apart would help you and Nathan out, but a divorce? That's just so...final..." Peyton speaks slowly carefully, picking and choosing as she goes for fear of upsetting Haley.

Haley shakes her head her voice calm and even, "it's not going to work Peyton, I've tried."

"No, you haven't, Haley, try harder!" Brooke's voice is raised almost in a panic and Haley's name, instead of Tutor-Wife, sounds strange and almost painful on Brooke's lips.

"It can't work Brooke," Haley hugs her arms more tightly around herself. "I flinch every time my husband touches me. That's not right and it's not going away and every time it happens Nathan gets this look in his eyes and I know he sees me with Chris." Haley's voice stays the same level of calm that it was before and the first tears that are spilt are Brooke's, follow closely by Peyton.

"But you love him, and he loves you, the two of you can work through this."

"We can't," Haley shakes her head, "love isn't always enough. I loved Nathan but I still went to New York with Chris..."

"Haley, Nathan doesn't blame you for that," Peyton states wiping at her cheeks, she can feel the pain coming off of Haley in waves.

"I blame me," Haley responds and for the first time her voice betrays her emotions. "I had no business getting on that bus, none."

Brooke takes a step closer to Haley, "Chris is the one to blame, Tutor-Girl. He did what he did, he made his choice and he took the power."

"I got on the bus, it was thrilling and kind of dangerous, hell, maybe I wanted it on some level I did want to be with Chris."

"No," Peyton and Brooke both state quickly, shaking their heads.

"I don't know, that's not even the point. The point is I stopped being a good wife the instant I let Chris kiss me and then I only made it worse by getting on that bus. Nathan deserves so much better then that."

"The only reason Nathan deserves anything good is because of the type of person you helped him to become. You gave him every benefit of the doubt, let him give you the same chance." Peyton urges gently, "let him help you."

Haley shakes her head as a tear rolls down her cheek, "you guys are my best friends beside Lucas, I need you guys to support me in this. That's what I need from you guys, please respect my decisions and be my friend. You guys have both been asking me if I need anything, this is what I need. I need to move on with my life and this is the only way I can do it."

Brooke is the first to respond, "sure, Tutor-Girl, if that's what you need."

"It is," Haley nods.

Finally Peyton agrees as well, "okay, we can do that."

"You can stay with me," Brooke offers, "my parents are gone so much that it'd be nice to have someone around."

"I was going to ask Lucas..."

"Nathan's going to need Lucas," Peyton cuts in, "staying with Brooke is probably the best idea."

"You're right," Haley nods.

"We should get going," Brooke states, "there's no point in staying here anymore, we can just grab something to eat on the road."

"School tomorrow," Haley adds.

"You know, Hales, no one would blame you if you didn't go to school tomorrow. A lot just happened, I'm sure you can get some more time off of school."

"I need to go back to my life Peyton," Haley shakes her head, "I have to go back to school."