Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, I do not own any part of the characters which have been so carefully taken from the show and manipulated to perform different actions by my creative mind and simply only take credit for the storylines they will be pursuing not on the television show, but on my page of fiction only. Hence the word, FICTION, it's not real, I don't know them (although I really wish I did because James Lafferty should be illegal for being that fine) and probably never will so don't be offended... With that in mind, let's proceed shall we?

Chapter 1

Strands of lights twirled around street lamps lined the sidewalks of Tree Hill, North Carolina. Houses decked out in painfully, eye-shielding colors were lit up for all to see, with candy canes leading up to huge wooden doors with enormously, oversized wreaths. The smell of fresh-baked cookies and pine cones was in the air. Children caroling filled the town with music, and the hustle and bustle in Karen's Café, meant only one thing. Christmas time was approaching rapidly.

It was a normal Friday night. School was out for two glorious weekends, and happiness was in the air. The two friends sat rather loudly, at an empty table in the back of the Café. Their laughter caused those who stopped in for a quick cup of coffee, to glance in their direction giving out looks of curiosity, wonder, amazement, and of course annoyance.

The two friends were not affected by these onlookers. In fact, they didn't even notice, they were simply too caught up in each other's gossip and overall company. Playing cards adorned the table, along with cups of coffee and hot chocolate and plates of hamburgers and french fries, or what was left of them. The girl was clad in a ridiculous looking, yet cute pink and white stripped beanie along with matching scarfs and gloves. The boy wore a simple gray-hooded sweatshirt with the words "Keith's Auto Body Shop" on the back. An older woman, one would guess as Karen, watched tentatively from behind the counter. A smile stretched from her forehead to her toes crossed her face. Things were finally starting to look up.

"Go Fish!" Haley James cried while slamming her cards down onto the table. It was true, she sure did have a winning knack at this game. She laughed at the puppy-dog face Luke made at her and stuck out her tongue.

" Do you ever wonder why they call it Go Fish? When I was little I used to think it was Gold Fish, which would actually make more sense if you think about it because when something is golden, it's like winning so..."

" Remind me why I'm friends with you again?" Lucas asked quizzically. He raised an eyebrow at the shocked look on his best friend's face and couldn't tell if it was there because he had cut her off or because of the words he had spoken. Both equally rude.

"Lucas Scott" she recovered with a quick slap on the arm, " do you know how what your life would be like without me" she smiled proudly and framed her face with her hands.

" Well, for one thing instead of spending my Friday night playing Go Fish like a five year-old I might be out on a date, or at a party, you know doing normal high school things." he sarcastically replied.

"Been there done that. Look where it got me." she shot back. A look of sadness quickly scanned her face before she replaced it with a shrug and a sigh.

Life hadn't been too easy on Haley James since she'd been back. After going away on a worldwide tour in hopes of pursuing her dreams as a singer, everything and everyone she knew either gave up on her or fell apart. Now that she was back, she was desperately trying to salvage anything she could, starting with her marriage to Nathan Scott.

" Speaking of which, how is my loving brother?" Lucas asked out of mock curiosity. Ever since his wife had left him, Nathan Scott had turned his back on anything or anyone that reminded him of her, including Lucas.

" Oh more loving than ever." Haley smiled at a recent memory of the other night. After losing his first basketball game, Nathan had allowed Haley to walk him home. It was a start. "Things are starting to turn around. I can't exactly say we'll be making love anytime soon or having moonlit dinners on the beach, but I wouldn't expect those things anyway. Hell I"m lucky he is even throwing me a freaking bone!" Haley took a sip of her hot chocolate and winced when it burnt her tongue. Lucas just laughed.

"Oh wow Hales, thanks for the visual. The whole making love thing, didn't need to hear but needless to say I'm glad to hear that things are better. And for your information Haley Elizabeth James for like the fifteenth millionth time, don't be ashamed of leaving. You deserved a chance to pursue something you loved. I'm just glad your back." Lucas lovingly, but in a brotherly way smoothed her cheek and winked at her. She blushed in return.

" So speaking of better, how are things with you and Tigger?" Haley asked hopefully. After Lucas had just recently caught Brooke in bed with Chris, the town's swore enemy, their non-exclusive dating rule had certainly been diminished. Especially because, Lucas was in love with her and Brooke was with him too, but unfortunately didn't realize it until after she had hurt him.

"I'd rather not talk about it." he had that stern look on his face, which warned Haley to not push.

" For what it's worth Luke, and I'm not taking sides because I used to be part of the Anti- Brooke Davis club, she is hurting. She made a mistake, we all lose our way sometime. I'm walking proof of that." but before she could say another word Lucas cut her off abruptly.

"Hurting. What do you think I'm doing Hales? I'm not exactly a ball of sunshine either you know! Yeah we make mistakes, but don't use yourself as an example. Your at least trying to fix yours, that's the difference." he crossed his arms over his chest and dared her to challenge him back.

"And Brooke's not Luke? She tried to talk to you, but instead you decided to catch a ride with the new whore in town, and when I say ride I'm not just talking about in her Tahoe. Don't act as if your innocent here either Luke, as I recall, you made a similar mistake awhile back with a certain blonde. Ah yes, I believe than you and Ms. Davis were exclusive but apparently that didn't stop you." Haley couldn't help the disgust that laced into her voice.

" Innocent! You want to talk about innocent? Don't sit here and preach to the choir Hales, at least when I cheated on Brooke with Peyton I didn't have a wedding band on my finger. Don't be a hypocrite!"

"He kissed me and you know it!"

"Yeah and you didn't exactly stop him did you? Oh by the way did he force you to leave your husband as well?" Lucas immediately regretted his words when he saw the tears fill her eyes. He had crossed his boundaries.

" Do me a favor Luke, next time you see me don't talk to me!" he remembered these words all too well. It's what Haley said every time they got into an argument and than he always replied with...

"Fine!" He watched as she angrily pushed out her chair and stomped out the door. Her vision was blurred with a mixture of tears and anger. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of something silver that flashed on the table. It was Haley's wedding band. She took it off every time she ate and would only forget it in a hurry. Sighing, he picked it up and ran to the door.

Unfortunately for him it was too late, he watched as his best friend since childhood, was hit by a car that immediately zoomed away. For a second his body stayed frozen to the ground with shock, and than in an instant it dawned on him what had just happened. Without a second thought, his feet carried him to the crime scene and next to his best friend's side.

Onlookers whispered quietly, and many of them began taking out their cell phones in an attempt to dial 911.

Lucas remembered the awful words he had spoken to her, and the tears that filled her beautiful brown eyes. And than he prayed.

She just had to be alright.

What's next you ask?

No Haley is not dead, what would than be the point of my story?

Nathan's reaction

The icky hospital

The news

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