Author's note - Wow, so I know that I am a horrible updater, but I spent such a long time perfecting this chapter. Just wanted to thank 4everdreaming who sent me an email yesterday and it kind of just nudged me even more to have this posted by tonight. I have a month off of school so I'm hoping to have this updated a little more regularly along with "Honestly". Thanks to everyone who send feedback last time - it really means so much to me that you have enjoyed what I've written so far! I really like this chapter, it is quite possibly my favorite of anything that I've written to this point. I hope you all feel the same!

Warning - This chapter sort of pushes an R rating so just beware of that before you start reading.

Chapter Seven – Though Their Pain Was Apparent

Flashback

It took Haley several minutes to finally find Nathan, but it didn't surprise her much to see him nursing a beer in the corner of the bar on the third floor of the club. There was an empty seat next to him and from the corner of her eye; Haley could see a tall brunette nodding to her friends in Nathan's direction.

"Nice try, beanstalk," she muttered to herself as she cut the brunette off, settling comfortably in the chair next to him.

He didn't look up when she sat down, he didn't need to. He'd know those legs anywhere, the subtle smell of her perfume, the faint smell of that pear shampoo she liked so much.

"So, were you just planning on ignoring me all night?" she asked, trying to keep a sarcastic joking manner.

"Hmm, kind of like how you've been ignoring me this past year? Forget how to use a phone, Hales?" He still didn't bring his eyes up to look at her, afraid to see the look he had probably just caused to appear on her face.

Most of the time Haley loved it when he called her by her nickname. It was something that only he and Lucas ever called her, and it always reminded her of the better times. It didn't at this moment though; it almost stung the way he said it. "So, it's going to be that kind of night, I guess?" She sighed, constantly reminding herself that he had been drinking and didn't truly mean what he was saying.

"Yeah, it is." He took a long sip out of the bottle in front of him, finally turning towards her. "You know, I really don't think I can do this tonight, Haley."

She was silent as the words hit her, but her mind quickly bounced back. "Do what? Talk to me?" The hurt was obvious in her voice and she waited for him to say something, anything. "Fine," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "It was really nice to see you, too," she moved to get out of the seat, but stopped as she felt his hand connect with hers, pulling her back down into the chair. Her skin burning where it was touching his, missing his simple touches after all these years apart.

"I'm sorry, Haley," he apologized as he pulled his hand back from hers, suddenly unbalanced from her touch. "I didn't mean that."

"No, I really think you did," she replied, the hurt still evident in her voice.

"I'm drunk, you can't take me seriously right now."

"Nathan, that is a little hard considering." She raised her hand to the bartender, signaling that she would like another drink. He nodded, showing that he had seen her, but held up a finger to let her know it would be a minute. She turned back to him. "You played a really great game tonight, the other team didn't stand a chance."

"You actually watched?" he asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I caught the end and the highlights after my set. Why, are you surprised?"

"I don't know, I guess." He took a deep breath. "How did your show go tonight?"

"It went alright. I still have one more tomorrow night because tonight's show sold out so fast." She looked up to acknowledge the bartender and ordered a sparkling water.

"Wow, Haley, that's great for you." He told her genuinely. He never had a doubt that she wouldn't do well with her music. He knew she had what it took from the moment she played for him in Karen's Café so long ago. If only he had known then how their lives would be now, how much everything had changed. But would he have acted differently if he would have seen the future? Even though he loved to tell himself that he would have, he knew that he would do anything to relive the time he had spent with Haley. Just to even feel that sort of happiness again, even if it was short lived.

He glanced at her figure sitting ever so poised next to him. She seemed somewhat different, almost hardened by everything life had dealt them, but at the same time so similar. And of course she was still drop dead gorgeous. He would often think back on how his eyes and hands used to roam over her naked body, remembering every twist and turn to it. Every little last detail. He almost wished he hadn't because it only made him compare every woman he met within the past five years to her. And none of them stood a chance against Haley, no one ever had.

She turned to look at him and he peeled his eyes away from her before she caught him blatantly staring. "You look really nice tonight," he told her, honestly sharing his thoughts with her. She was wearing a pair of perfectly fitted dark jeans with a sea green tube top, accessorized flawlessly with a necklace made of wooden beads. The whole ensemble worked well with the dirty blond hair she was sporting at this time in her life. He sometimes found it impossibly hard to remember what color her hair was at certain times due to the fact that she changed it so often. There wasn't a color that didn't look stunning on her.

Nathan couldn't help but feel proud over the small smile that crept over her delicate features. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself," she replied. Haley couldn't help but appreciate the gray dress slacks he was wearing with the black button up shirt. He always looked nice when he dressed up and she couldn't help but blush at the fact that it had always been a turn on to her. There was something about a well kept man that always got to her. Well not any man, but Nathan.

"Don't lie, Hales, I look like shit."

There it was, she thought. When he called her Hales that time, he meant it, the endearing tone in his voice wasn't just a pleasantry. It almost hurt her more than when he had just used it in spite of her. She shook her head. "You don't look like shit, Nathan. Just a little tired, that's all. I really like the hair." Haley reached out her hand, running it lightly over his freshly shaven head. She knew that it was just something the whole team had done; she had seen it earlier that night as she watched their game and again when she had talked to Lucas. But it looked good on him. It made him look tougher, more masculine, and definitely sexier. Not that he had ever had a problem in that department. Haley didn't know how he would react to her touch, but she took it as a good sign that he didn't immediately pull away.

It was amazing how much the mood changed through that simplest of gestures. Haley's breath caught in her throat as Nathan reached up to take her hand from the top of his head and to hold it within his own. "You've never been a very good liar, Hales," he said, his signature smirk slowly spreading across his face.

There were a million ways she could take that simple statement, but from the look on his face it meant only one thing to her. His tone had been flirty and she knew that he was only goading her, but it was working. How had he gone from being angry with her to suddenly making her feel like he wanted to have his way with her right then and there on the bar?

He didn't know either, the only thing evident in his mind right now was his overwhelming need to kiss her. To feel her soft, hot lips against his own. He knew it wouldn't be fair, to either one of them, but the simple fact was that he had missed her. He had missed her touch, her caresses, the feel of her body against his own. And it was easy to see from the look in her eyes that she felt the same way. Then again, they had never been lacking in the passion department. Even when they were fighting, it was so full of raw passion. It always led to the most explosive make-up sex, he thought with a laugh.

"What?" she asked as the smile on his face spread to the corners of his mouth. There was no doubt about it, he had the most adorable smile. It didn't surprise her when her own mouth mirrored his smile. It was downright infectious. It reminded her of all the silly fights they had as newlyweds. She would yell at him for lackadaisically spending money or leaving his shoes in the middle of the hallway so that she would trip on them and no matter how intent she was at staying mad at him, she broke down as soon as he smiled at her. Perhaps it had been a good thing, to be able to get over the stupid fights so quickly. Nevertheless, look where it got them.

"Nothing, just thinking about things." His free hand moved to rest just above her knee and for a brief second she had to remind herself how to breathe.

In.

Out.

Repeat.

"What kind of things?" she asked innocently. She knew that she was taking her turn goading him, but she didn't care. Two could play his game.

"Oh, just things," he replied, inching his hand a little higher up her thigh. He leaned forward slightly and Haley couldn't help but drink in the smell of him. The smell of his cologne had always driven her wild, and Nathan knew it.

Why was he doing this? Haley couldn't stop herself from asking the effortless question. On the phone he always sounded so aloof and now sitting beside her, he seemed so sure of what he wanted. But was it just a trap? She knew that he was still hurt by her actions, yet suddenly it seemed as if their painful past had never even happened. "Nathan…" was all she could get out, her voice barely more audible than a whisper.

"Hales," he returned in that sexy tone of his. Had he moved closer towards her? When did that happen and how had she missed it?

Before Haley knew it she was being pulled in the opposite direction of the bar, doing her best to keep up with Nathan as he moved swiftly through the sea of people. He had her backed into the corner of a narrow, much quieter, hallway before she could even offer up one word of objection. But that would also require her to form a thought, and she didn't think that was really a possibility right now.

Haley suddenly became very conscious of Nathan, his solid body completely surrounding hers and delving into her personal bubble. It wasn't that it made her uncomfortable, oh no, it made her anything but. It ignited a fire within her that had all but seemingly burned out over the past few years. She quelled the voice in her head that was telling her it was wrong, because honestly nothing had ever felt so right.

Nathan moved one hand to rest on the wall right next to Haley's head, the other reaching out for her hip. His thumb caught underneath the fabric of her tube top and gently rubbed light circles over the surface of her bare skin. Haley caught the skin of her bottom lip between her teeth, an involuntary action that always seemed to come around whenever Nathan was near. He shook his head ever so slightly and removed his hand from the wall, lightly running his thumb over her lips to calm them before she bit down too hard.

She couldn't help but smile and reach both arms around him, bringing him closer and at the same time reaching one hand underneath his shirt to connect with the soft skin of his lower back. It felt so amazing to be like this with him again, almost surreal. But it wasn't, he was right in front of her, sharing every dose of passion that she felt within herself.

Nathan took a step forward, one of his legs coming to rest in between hers, and for a moment she thought he was about to take her lips in his own. Instead he used his free hand to take her chin and to tilt her head slightly, hovering dangerously close to her neck. He paused briefly, building up the momentum, before placing an ever so soft kiss right at her pulse point. Haley felt her knees about to buckle, but he placed his strong arm around her back and pulled her closer, as if he had been able to tell. The movement had lifted her a little and his lips connected with her neck again, this time lingering just a little bit longer. He pulled back and blew on the wet spot he had created, causing chills to run throughout her entire body. Leaning back in towards her neck, he kissed it slowly again, this time moving his mouth all the way to the bottom of her ear. Pulling the lobe between his lips, he gently nipped at the skin causing a moan to escape from Haley's mouth without her even noticing.

Nathan pulled back slightly, still keeping his face so close to hers but yet giving him enough room to glance down at her lips and back up to her eyes again. Haley knew exactly what he wanted an invitation for and she slipped one of her legs around his own, causing him to come even closer towards her and giving him just that.

"Hales," he whispered seductively, his lips lingering in front of her own. She smiled, mirroring his seduction exactly and threw her head back slightly with a sexy giggle. That was enough for him and he brought his hands to her cheeks, pulling her lips the final distance and pushing them onto his own. It didn't take Haley a second thought to bring her hands around his neck, one hand playing with the soft hair at the nape of his neck while the other dug into his skull, pulling his lips as close as possible. She followed his lead, but opened her mouth slightly hoping that he would comply. He did not a moment later, his tongue running over her bottom lip before entering her mouth and searching for hers in return. Haley gave it to him, their tongues yearning to touch after so many years away from each other. They slid smoothly against each other, their lips fitting perfectly together as they had so long ago.

When air became an issue they allowed only their lips to separate, but Nathan still had the need to taste her. He let his lips wander to her neck again, kissing her exactly how he remembered her liking it. As her hands kept his lips attached to her neck he let his roam down her arm, lightly sweeping over her breasts as he made his way to her butt, cupping it and bringing the lower parts of their bodies as close together as possible. Haley cried out at the feel of him hard between her legs and he quickly covered her mouth in his to quiet her.

Their passion was raw and intense as they licked and nipped at each other's lips, not separating for more than a breath of air. Neither of them cared that they were in public, the darkness of the hallway was their only shield. There was so much pent up aggression inside and they were doing their best to release it without hurting each other. Their kisses were so much more extreme than ever before, making up for lost time.

Nathan groaned into Haley's mouth as her fingernails raked against his skull, causing chills to run down his spine. He didn't know how much longer he could take it. He knew Haley was about to hit her breaking point the way she was whimpering sexily into his mouth and he was hit with the overwhelming need to bury himself deep inside of her. Their clothes were becoming a distraction and all he wanted was to feel her skin against his own. His hands wandered to the hem of her shirt, his fingers reaching underneath and kneading the skin of her stomach. He was so close to pulling it over her head when he remembered where they were. There was no way he was going to expose Haley in a hallway where anyone could interrupt. He didn't want anyone else seeing her, but him. He never had. Nathan reached for one of Haley's hands, lacing their fingers together. He gently broke his lips away from hers, kissing her softly on the cheek. The need to take her back to his hotel was so overwhelming and he looked to her eyes for confirmation.

It was then that he heard something which changed his mind completely and caused him to remember why he had been so angry with her for the past few years. He pushed away from the wall and shook his head. "I can't believe this," was the only thought his mind could form.

Haley's mind was still reeling and she obviously wasn't paying as much attention to their surroundings as he was. Then again she had never been one for the details, only wanted to give her full attention to him. It used to be such a turn on that she gave him her undivided attention, but right now it just made him sick to his stomach. "Nathan," she spoke quietly, her breath still not able to return to normal. "What's wrong?"

It was such a simple question, but there wasn't just one answer for him. Everything was wrong; his life, their life, this predicament they were currently in at the moment, and the thoughts swirling around in his head. He pushed them all away and allowed a more important voice to break through, the one telling him that all he needed was another drink. "I can't do this," was his only response as he turned away from her and began to walk towards the bar.

Her hand connected with his wrist, pulling him back momentarily. "Nathan," she pleaded, "talk to me. Please."

"You just don't get it." He shook his head.

"Get what, Nathan?" Her mind couldn't comprehend what he was trying to make her understand at the moment. All she could think about was the feel of his lips against hers and the fact that he was trying to run away from them again.

"Just stay away from me."

Just like that he was gone, leaving the coldness of his words to wash over her. Her mind was spinning and she brought her hands to the sides of her face, gently rubbing her temples to bring some sense of normalcy. It didn't come and she felt herself wanting to run after him, but somehow couldn't bring her feet to reciprocate.

It was then that she heard it and everything became clear. Her song was streaming from the speakers. But it wasn't just her song, it was her duet with Chris. She hadn't heard the song in years, hadn't even seen Chris in over a year, but she suddenly understood why Nathan had run. She forced herself to lean against the wall, her legs suddenly not feelings so strong.

Why couldn't Nathan just forgive her for something that had happened so long ago, when she had been foolish and immature? She let her body slide to the floor as she absentmindedly wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. Her life wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be happy and to feel loved. Instead she felt depressed and alone, only finding happiness every so often. Tonight she felt the happiness again that she had yearned for the past five years. It was supreme happiness, quite possibly a kind of happiness that not many people found.

She had only found it in Nathan's arms.

Haley forced herself to stand up, willing herself to be strong and keep it together until she got back to her hotel. Brushing away the last of the tears, she straightened her clothing and forced her feet to move so that she could find Brooke. She couldn't stand to stay here anymore and she didn't care if Brooke didn't want to leave, she would make it back on her own. All she wanted to do was throw herself into her hotel bed and cry herself to sleep in yet another unfamiliar surrounding.

It was the life she led and she forced herself to remember that it was the life that she had chosen.

End Flashback

Haley walked around Nathan and Lucas' hotel room, taking in the expensive furnishings. It was the one thing she loved about moving from hotel room to hotel room, admiring the décor and the fancy decorating styles. She knew that if she had chosen not to go on tour, she would have gone to school and majored in interior design. Everyone always pegged her for a teacher, but her secret was that she couldn't imagine teaching for the rest of her life. It would be too monotonous, she needed change and color. So secretly she had dreamed of designing restaurants and hotels, keeping travelers comfortable as they wandered far from their homes. Maybe someday she would be able to… She stopped herself from finishing the thought, because honestly who did she think she was kidding. That wasn't a possibility anymore.

She walked out onto the balcony, admiring the look of Tree Hill from this height. It looked so serene, so calm and comfortable. She had always felt safe here and couldn't be happier to be back. If only her parents could come home and stay for awhile. She knew that they were trying, but she hadn't wanted to make them cancel the month long cruise they had booked. They had promised they would be there when it was over and she couldn't wait.

"Hey," she heard a voice from behind her and turned to see Peyton joining her outside. "What's up in the head of yours?"

Haley laughed. Peyton always joked that she was such a thinker, drifting for hours on just the thoughts rolling around inside of her head. "I was just thinking about things, memories."

Peyton nodded. She didn't have to ask what Haley was thinking about. She knew that seeing Nathan again had sparked the good memories, along with the bad. "He looks different, huh? Almost more mature?"

Haley smiled. "Peyt, you would hope that at 28 he has finally matured."

"Yeah, I really do. That's why I think that you should…"

Haley cut her off, not wanting to hear it again. "Peyton, just leave it alone." She sighed and turned back towards the town. "It looks so different, yet it still holds all the same feelings."

"I know what you mean. Do you want me to get you something to drink?" Peyton asked, noticing she was still empty handed.

"Yeah that would be great." She watched as Peyton walked back into the building, before turning back.

She heard footsteps minutes later and turned expecting to see Peyton, but inwardly smiled at the sight of Nathan instead. He held out a mug with what she could only guess was tea and handed it to her. "Peyton said you would like this."

Haley nodded and smiled as she took it from his hands, her fingers gently brushing against his. "She knows me so well. I just wanted some fresh air, it's so beautiful out here."

"Yeah, it is," he replied, never taking his eyes off of her. He turned towards the balcony railing and leaned against it. "So I have a question for you."

"Shoot," she said as she joined him against the railing.

"I was wondering if you would want to meet me for breakfast tomorrow, before my plane leaves. It's just right now Brooke is trying to round everyone up for a rousing game of Catch Phrase and I feel like we didn't really get to talk at all tonight. I just figured it would be nice to sit down for awhile and catch up."

Haley couldn't help the smile that came. "I would love that."

"Really?" he asked, his smile mirroring her own.

"Yeah, that would be really nice. We could meet tomorrow at Karen's, I haven't had the chance to stop in and see her yet. And I'm sure that she would love to see you as well."

"That sounds perfect. Is 10:00 okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah that would be great."

He couldn't help but smile again and he was about to say something else, but was interrupted by Brooke. "Let's go kiddies! We're playing guys against girls and Lucas just found Mouth and Tim in the lobby! We're having our own little reunion and you two better get in here!"

Haley laughed. "We should probably get in there before she comes out ready to drag us in herself. Trust me, it wouldn't be pretty."

"Oh, I trust you." He paused before continuing. "After you," he said, motioning his hand towards the door.

Haley didn't know what it was, but something in the tone of his voice left her feeling a little unsettled. Trust had always been an issue of theirs, something they had struggled with throughout the years, and to hear him say that he trusted her with such little effort really affected her. It made her that much more excited to have breakfast with him in the morning, to maybe get inside of that head of his a little more. She could tell that he had changed since New York and she wanted to know what had caused it. He wasn't biting off bitter remark after remark towards her, he was being kind and gentle and like the Nathan she used to know. Maybe Peyton was right, maybe he could handle the truth.

Haley pushed the thought out of her head as she walked back into the hotel room, Nathan just a few steps behind her.

It was possible that he could handle the truth, but that would mean she would have to learn to handle it as well.

That's all for now folks! Let me know what you thought!

Kylie