"You warm enough?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were warm enough. I mean, I could turn up the heat or something."

"Oh no. No, I'm fine. Thanks though."

Haley pulled her knitted poncho closer to her body as she continued staring out the window. She knew she'd somehow regret the weekend. She'd know that ever since she had let Brooke talk her into going. But it was supposed to be a giggly, girly road trip. It was supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be her and Brooke.

Where the hell was Brooke? Haley sighed louder than she meant to. So she'd been a few measly minutes late. Deb had mentioned something about Brooke having to take off earlier to get to South Carolina ahead of schedule with the crew. That meant Haley would have to drive alone. As she was contemplating her decision, Nathan had arrived. He had insisted they ride together and like a dumb ass, she had agreed. Now there they were, riding quietly on the peaceful back roads.

"Hope you don't mind", he said. "I hate the Interstate."

"Huh? Oh, it's cool", she tried to smile. "Whatever."

"You hungry?"

"No."

"Thirsty?"

"Nah?"

"Okay but if you need to stop just let me know, okay?"

"Sure."

Nathan tapped his long fingers against the steering wheel. Things were getting weird again. Why were they getting weird? It wasn't supposed to be weird. He and Haley had discussed and cleared that up a long time ago.

"Sorry Brooke had to bail on you like that. She just needed to help out with the crew and stuff."

"It's cool."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Nathan shrugged.

"I don't know. Because you looked pissed."

"No. I'm not mad or anything. Why would I be mad?"

"Because maybe you wanted to ride together with Brooke."

"I did but it's not big deal. I mean, I know she had to work. We're rooming together so I'll see her at the hotel."

"Good", Nathan nodded. "I just don't want things to be weird."

"They're not", she responded a little too quickly. "Why would they be weird?"

"I don't know. I mean, they shouldn't be between us."

"Right."

"I'm just glad you'll have Brooke. And you know Coop and Daytona and me will be there."

"Yeah…"

"It's just…well, I know this can't be easy with you and Lucas."

"I'll be okay", she shrugged.

Nathan bit his lip.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"I hope so. And if he's a dick to you, just ignore him, okay?"

Haley chuckled.

"I can manage."

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It's just that, I'm married to the guy. I know he can be a dick, trust me. And I also know how to handle him."

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess you do. But just the same, I'm here for you and so is everybody else this weekend."

"Thanks. But like I said, I can take care of myself. Besides, Brooke and I are going to have fun."

"Yeah. Brooke is cool."

"Yeah."

"She's really gotten into the racing thing, too. And she's really smart. That girl catches on quick."

"Yeah. She's really excited. And Daytona helped her out a lot."

Haley managed to smile. Ah, the "D" word.

"Yeah. Um, so how is Daytona? I mean, she must really be excited about tomorrow."

Nathan grinned broadly.

"Yeah, she's great. I love having her around on race day. Coop sometimes runs around like a chicken with his head cut off. Daytona is so calm and she just keeps me sane."

"She's a nice girl."

"She is. You should hang out with her more. Maybe you guys could do something this weekend."

Haley shrugged.

"Um, okay. Yeah, sure. If she wants to, I mean. I'm sure she'll be busy with the crew and when she's not, you guys will be spending all your time together."

"It's not like that. Yeah, she'll be running around helping out and stuff but Daytona always has time for her friends. And none of us want to leave you hanging, especially this weekend. Who knows what kind of mood my brother will be in?"

"Yeah. Who knows?" Haley muttered.

Nathan took a nervous breath.

"So how is that coming? You know, with the divorce and all."

"It's almost final. And he's not fighting it, which makes it easier on everyone. And we didn't buy a house and we're not rich so there are no assets to divide. It should be over really soon."

"Good. I'm glad. I mean, I'm not glad as in happy this happened to you guys but just glad there is some kind of resolution and everybody can move on."

"Yeah. I just…I…"

"What?"

Haley shook her head.

"Sorry. I was being stupid. It's nothing."

"Obviously it's something. You can tell me. What's up, Hales?"

She sighed heavily.

"Nothing. I just can't believe it's over. I mean, I'm glad it's over and everything but it still sucks. Divorce is absolutely horrible and I still can't believe it happened to me…to us."

"Sorry."

"I, I just feel like somewhere along the way I failed."

"Haley, you didn't fail. This isn't your fault."

"I know that. But I still get sad about it sometimes. I can't help it. I just wished it had gone another way."

Tears were forming in her brown eyes.

"That's life. Sometimes you just don't get the fairytale ending. Yeah it sucks but you didn't do anything wrong. You're a good person, Hales, and you were a good wife. Luke is the one that screwed this up and don't let anybody tell you different."

"I guess I should have known better. Even after you guys started a relationship and he tried to change, the signs were still there. I knew what the deal was."

"Then why did you go for it?" Nathan asked.

It was a question he had been dying to ask and find the answer to for years.

"I don't know", Haley shrugged. "Maybe a part of me thought I could 'save' him or something. Or maybe…"

"Maybe what?" he asked softly.

Haley took a deep breath.

"Remember the beginning, Nate? Back before Lucas or High Fliers or the racing or anything? Remember when it was just us, two little poor kids running around by the river."

Nathan smiled fondly. Ah, the good old days.

"Yeah. I remember."

"I wasn't very popular then…or very pretty. I mean, I was always 'one of the guys' but I never really had a guy. And that's important to a girl. I guess every girl growing up has a ridiculous crush on the captain of the football or basketball team, you know, the hot, popular jock. That was Lucas. And that was irresistible to me. I mean, he could have had any girl he wanted but he wanted to me. He gave me a lot of attention when I needed it."

"That's what made you fall in love?"

"I don't know if I ever did, Nathan. I thought I did. I mean, I did love him. Despite what he's done, I still do and probably always will love him but looking back, now I'm not sure if I ever was in love with him. There is a huge difference between the two."

"So what are you saying?"

She laughed bitterly.

"I'm saying it could have been anybody."

"You're saying it was more the idea of a guy wanting you than you actually wanting Lucas."

"Well…yeah."

Nathan couldn't believe it. Of all things to hear. He shook his head and tried to concentrate on driving as the Camaro veered off the road.

"Damn!" he muttered.

"Whoa!" Haley grabbed at the dash. "I'd actually like to make it to the event tomorrow alive and in one piece. Are you okay, Nate?"

His heart was racing, he couldn't breathe and he wanted to vomit. No, Nathan Lee was anything but okay.

"I'm good", he lied.

"You sure? You don't look so hot."

He shook his head and began to laugh. It was a muffled chuckle at first but it erupted into a hearty belly hurting roar.

"Sorry, Hales", he apologized.

She seemed rather amused herself.

"Okay. Now you've got my attention. What is it? What all of a sudden is so funny?"

Nathan could barely get himself together. Tears were streaming down his face.

"It's just that I've wanted and waited to know all these years what drove you to hook up with my brother and now, well…now I know", he continued to laugh.

"Okay. And that's hilarious because?"

"You never really wanted him. You had low self esteem and he was the rich, popular, jock and you basically got with him because you thought no one else wanted you, right?"

Haley flipped her hair.

"Yeah. I mean, when you put it bluntly like that…"

"You know what? And this isn't funny, Hales but Lucas didn't want you at first."

"What?"

"Yeah, I've been holding it in all these years. I mean, he does love you. And he loved you when he married you and he was happy being with you but he had an ulterior motive for trying to get with you in the first place."

All the color drained from Haley's face. What the hell was going on and why hadn't Nathan told her anything before?

"Nathan…"

"Sorry, Hales."

"Tell me", she whispered.

Nathan took a deep breath.

"You know how Luke always liked to compete for everything? How he always had to better than everybody else?"

"Yeah, thanks to that jewel of a father and grandfather you two share."

"That's what it was Hales. Another guy liked you at first and Lucas found out. Instead of hooking it up, he moved in for the kill just to prove he could take you away."

Haley laughed out loud. Typical Lucas Scott. She wasn't surprised. In fact, she should have known.

"Yeah, that is pretty darn funny", she began to laugh. "But uh, I guess the real joke is on me."

"What?"

"The smart girl is really stupid. I guess that's how it always goes, huh?"

"Hales, you weren't stupid."

"Obviously I was. I was a fool to think somebody like him could want somebody like me."

"Somebody kind and beautiful and funny?"

"Somebody nerdy, clumsy and awkward", Haley spat.

"Hales, he was the lucky one. You were always too good for him. Lucas knew that and he'll even admit it."

Haley shook her head as she desperately fought back tears.

"You should have told me, Nathan", she said softly.

He felt horrible.

"I couldn't."

Haley wiped her eyes.

"I understand."

"You okay, Hales?"

"I'll be fine. It's over, right? Done with. No use in pouting over spilled milk."

"I'm sorry…

"Don't be. I'm not mad. Just tell me one more thing."

"What?"

"I could use a good laugh. Just tell me who the poor schmuck was that crazy enough to fall in love with Haley James?" she laughed.

Nathan focused intently out the windshield. She was so close but yet so far away. She had ended up with his brother when he had loved her so all those years ago. He had never told her the truth before. He hadn't admitted it to too many people. He couldn't. It was too hard. Too frightening. Too painful.

"Me", he answered in a voice barely above a whisper.