Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I own nothing from One Tree Hill and I don't own "The Valley" either that belongs to the people over at the OC! A.N. I know it may seem like I'm revisiting this divorce issue a lot, that they are having lots of conversations about it. But I think the last one in this chapter with Brooke and Haley will be the last explanation that is given for Haley choosing divorce. And I wasn't going to add it but everyone kept asking about the divorce and not the separation so I thought I'd slip it in there! Review please!

: I own nothing from One Tree Hill and I don't own "The Valley" either that belongs to the people over at the OC! I know it may seem like I'm revisiting this divorce issue a lot, that they are having lots of conversations about it. But I think the last one in this chapter with Brooke and Haley will be the last explanation that is given for Haley choosing divorce. And I wasn't going to add it but everyone kept asking about the divorce and not the separation so I thought I'd slip it in there! Review please!
"So that's it?" Lucas stares at Haley, they sit opposite each other at Lucas' kitchen table.

"What do you want me to tell you Lucas?" Haley asks playing with a napkin in her hands, a small pile of already shredded napkin pieces in front of her.

"I don't know Hales, but this is killing him." Lucas responds quietly, he'd spent two hours trying to calm his brother down until he'd fallen into an exhausted sleep at the apartment. When he'd gotten back Haley had been waiting for him in his room and the two had been talking for about 15 minutes now and it was obvious he wasn't making any progress with her either.

"And this is, what, a walk in the park for me, Luke? Of course this is killing me too, but we're both miserable and it's just not working..."

"No one told you that being married would be easy, of course it's hard and this situation is horrible but..."

"Lucas Scott, don't you dare talk to me about what a horrible situation this is. I'm more then well aware of what the situation is and how horrible it is without you acting like you know." Haley snaps, but never takes her eyes off of the napkin in her hands, it was to much to look into Lucas' face and see the mix of pity and disappointment that had been there since they sat down.

"So, what, I'm just supposed to let the two of you end your marriage, walk away like it's nothing?"

"Yes," Haley nods, "that's exactly what you're supposed to do. That's all I can handle, and Nathan needs you now, I expect you to take his side in this."

"Sides aren't important, Hales."

Haley shakes her head, "Nathan needs you Luke, don't worry about me. I'm going to stay with Brooke, you look out for Nathan, he's your brother..."

"Haley you're my best friend..."

"I know, that's not going to change, but take care of Nathan."

"There's no changing your mind about this is there?"

"No, there's not so please stop trying..."

"Okay," Lucas nods, "okay. I don't understand it, but it's none of my business so I will stop pushing."

"Thank you," Haley responds, looking up at Lucas for the first time, "I should go. It's late and there's school tomorrow."

"Do you want to just stay here tonight?" Lucas asks, "we can make up the guest bedroom?"

Haley shakes her head, "thanks but I have Brooke's car and she's waiting for me at her house."

"If you need anything..."

"I know, thanks Luke." Haley stands up and Lucas follows suite.

"I love you Haley," he wants to hug her, Haley can tell but he knows it will make her uncomfortable so he settles for gently squeezing her hand.

"I love you too," Haley responds softly.

"You know, we could just skip today," Brooke sits cross-legged on her bed as Haley pain-stakingly goes through the motions of getting ready for school. "I mean, you know me, always up for a day of lounging around and watching The Valley season two on DVD I can never get enough of April being torn between..."

"Brooke, I'm fine," Haley interrupts quickly before Brooke gets on a roll about The Valley.

"No you're not, Tutor-Girl," Brooke responds pulling her knees to her chest.

Haley catches Brooke's gaze in the mirror while she puts her earrings in, "I have to be. This was my choice, remember?"

"That doesn't mean you have to be okay with it. You've been through a lot, school can wait a few more days."

"Uh-huh," Haley shakes her head, "you can stay home Brooke. But I'm going today. No question about it. I've missed enough school."

"Fine, school it is," Brooke nods standing up. "Besides I've got to talk to Lucas."

Haley sets down her tube of lip gloss, "so are you guys back together, or what?"

"Or what, I guess." Brooke responds running her hand through her dark hair.

"You guess?"

Brooke shrugs, "we kissed, that's it."

Haley frowns, knowing that her life disruption had rippled out to effect everyone around her, and that Lucas would have already talked to Brooke if they both hadn't been focused on picking up her mess. "I think you guys will work it out, I mean if you guys are still into each other."

Brooke arches an eyebrow at Haley, "if we're still into each other?"

"Don't look at me like that Brooke, my and Nathan's relationship is not the same as yours and Lucas'."

"That's right," Brooke nods, "Lucas and I dated for a couple of months. You and Nathan are married."

"I thought we this conversation already?" Haley asks immediately going on defense. "Remember? Where you agreed to stand by me and not try to convince me to get back together with Nathan?"

Brooke nods, "it's just...you and Nathan...if you guys can't make it work, who can?"

Haley's eyes lock on Brooke's again, "I dunno. But we're not the same people who got married months ago. The Haley who married Nathan would never have even considered getting on that bus, and that may not seem like a lot to you, but it's everything to me. SO much has changed and I have to learn to be me again before I can learn how to be part of an us."

"Okay," Brooke nods, "but one thing, don't take this the wrong way, but...I mean...why a divorce? Why not a trial seperation?"

"Because I don't want Nathan to spend the next couple of months or maybe even years waiting for me to get my life put back together. That's not fair to him."

"But Nathan..."

"Understands all of this, we talked about it all, he understands. He's not happy but he understands and I need the rest of you to stop pushing the subject."

"Okay, don't get all worked up before your first day back at school."

"I'm fine, you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready," Brooke bites her lip. "Haley, I've got to tell you that there's a lot of rumors going around school about you.

Haley shrugs, "I guess I'll have to deal with the rumors. But let's go, if I don't do this now I'm not sure I ever will."