Title: Where do you go when you're lonely?

Author: alienangel19852003

Rating: T, language and partying

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters from OTH otherwise I wouldn't have to be looking for a job this week now would I?

Summary: Every since they were kids Haley had always run to Lucas whenever she had a problem and he always seemed to say or do the right thing. Haley and Nathan are having serious problems in their relationship, and Lucas can't seem to get Haley off his mind. What happens when she shows up at his house upset and he just can't hold back his feelings for her?

Chapter 1

13 years later…

Things had changed over the years and Haley grew from a precocious kindergartener into a stunning woman, she never expected things to turn out this way. She didn't think she'd be married at seventeen and on the straddling a potential divorce and a potential chance to make it in the music industry. Because she had married a stubborn Scott man there was no way for her to have both.

Haley had always dreamed in her heart of hearts of become a Michelle Branch, or a Kelly Clarkson, or she'd even settle for being a Avirl Lavigne. She was a good singer she wouldn't call herself a great singer, she lacked the confidence for all that. She hadn't given it much thought outside of her fantasies of actually making as a singer, until Nathan signed her up for a performance at TRIC the other act bombed out and out of loyalty to Peyton Haley had come through and sung a few songs.

Which lead to an upcoming singer, Chris Keller to offering his help to make her into a better singer. Chris' involvement led to this particular argument.

"You're the one who wanted me to do this in the first place. Why are you upset that I'm pursuing my dream?" Haley demanded of her husband.

"Upset, Haley make no mistake. I'm a bit more than upset I'm pissed off. You keep spending all this time with a guy who is obviously into you even though you're MARRIED!" Nathan said.

"Chris does not have a thing for me. He is interested in me because I have talent." Haley told him.

"He's just chasing something pretty." Nathan said.

"You're being an ass Nathan." Haley told him getting her purse.

"You're going to see him aren't you?" Nathan asked taking sip of the beer he had on the table.

"We have a recording session. And I'm tired of listening to you scream at me." Haley said nonchalantly pretending that Nathan's lack of trust in her didn't hurt her.

"If you walk out that door, be prepared for what will happen to us and this relationship if you do." Nathan said.

"Is that a threat?" Haley asked.

"No Haley it's a promise, and I don't break my promises." Nathan said heading into the kitchen no doubt to retrieve another beer.

Haley sighed, she hated when he acted this way. He'd been drinking again, with some of the guys from the shop.

"You promised me that you wouldn't drink anymore!" Haley shouted after him.

"You promised me a lot of things lately and you haven't been coming through at all. It takes everything in me to trudge out and do these crap jobs that I hate just to keep a roof over our heads. And then I have to put up with these… recording sessions… I know you're sleeping with him. I'm not stupid, and I'm sure as hell not blind." Nathan said walking back out.

Haley couldn't breathe it hurt so much, and in that moment she realized that she had made a mistake. She couldn't keep back the choked sob that came out seconds later.

"Nathan…" she whispered taking a step back and just staring at him with tears rolling down her cheeks her hand over her heart.

"I have never been with anyone else. I can't believe you're accusing me…" Haley said, her heart felt like it was literally breaking.

"I would NEVER cheat on you Nathan. My God! You are my world. I gave up so much to be here to do this, everyone said that it wouldn't work but I loved you…" She said knowing she was using past tense for their love, she didn't love him anymore, and she couldn't love someone who didn't trust her.

"Who said it wouldn't work?"

"Everyone! They don't really have to say it I can see it in their eyes when they look at us! They know we don't belong together! I tried to convince myself that if we loved each other it would be enough, but it isn't." Haley said wiping tears away and walking out the door leaving her husband drunk and slack jawed.

She walked and walked and somehow she ended up at the River Court. She didn't exactly go looking for Lucas, she didn't decided to go out there either it just happened. She found him there sitting on the picnic table, and she could help feeling instantly better just from looking at him. He'd always been there, he'd always been her rock and she needed him now.

Lucas was instantly on his feet rushing toward Haley. He enveloped her in a hug and she melted into him sobbing, and babbling out the whole story. When she was done he wiped her tears away, he had been afraid of this. He had been afraid to get close to her like that and even more afraid that his asshat little brother would hurt her.

"I was hoping this wouldn't happen," Lucas said, although he knew a part of him did hope for it just so he could have a second chance with Haley.

He had always been in love with her his whole life every since he'd saw her in kindergarten the thing was he'd only realized it when he knew he couldn't have her. He'd tried to be happy for them and be supportive but he knew, he knew it wasn't going to work out. Not because Nathan was a good guy, it was because Nathan didn't trust anyone, having to grow up with Dan for a father Lucas couldn't really blame him.

They hadn't been together and really known each other long enough for Nathan to know Haley as well as Lucas did and he couldn't really blame Nathan, he was just as insecure, but he would never accuse Haley of cheating no matter how insecure he felt, because he knew her and he knew she'd never do anything like that.

"But you knew too… that things wouldn't work between Nathan and I?" she asked in barely a whisper her beautiful honey colored eyes filled with new tears.

"Haley–" he started.

"–Your just like Brooke and Peyton and even Karen. You all looked at us and you knew and none of you told me before–before he broke my heart." Haley said angrily.

"I'm sorry Hales, I really am."

"You don't get to call me Hales when I'm mad at you." She stated firmly.

It hurt him when she was mad at him, it made him want to confess everything he had been feeling and let her know the real reason he'd left for Charleston.

"I couldn't tell you Haley,"

"Why? You didn't want me to get hurt? It's too damn late for that Lucas." Haley said.

"I couldn't tell you because I didn't want to be the one ruin things between you and Nathan."

"Why couldn't you tell me Lucas?" She asked.

"It's not the right time. I shouldn't." Lucas said but the way she was looking up at him he didn't know how long he could go without spilling the secret.

"Forget the right time and just tell me or I'll leave I've got to go meet Chris." She said acting like she was going to get off the table.

"Haley, I didn't want to be the guy to ruin things between you and Nathan even though I knew there was a big chance it wouldn't work. Because I'm in love with you. I realized this way too late, and I didn't want to mess up another relationship like I did mine and Brooke's."

"What?" she asked, he could tell that was the last thing she expected to hear from him.

"I'm in love with you Haley, I've been in love with you my whole life. I just didn't realize it until you were gone." Lucas said.

"I haven't gone anywhere Lucas, I'm right here." Haley said.

"I know that, but you're married to my brother. This isn't Kentucky you know and Nathan and I are working on our relationship as brothers. I couldn't do that to him. And I'm so sick of all the love triangle crap in Tree Hill." Lucas said.

"I've been in love with you too Lucas, you hurt me when you chased after every girl but me, I was so tired of it. And when Nathan came along I fell for him he was interested in me and he's a lot like you, strong, sweet at times and stubborn to a fault. But it's always been you Lucas." Haley said leaning dangerously close.

"I can't kiss you tonight, not until you figure out what you want. And not until you talk to Nathan and Chris, he's got a thing for you too." Lucas told her.

"Ugh! Why does everyone think Chris has a thing for me?"

Lucas shot her a look, "Do you need a place to crash tonight?" he asked.

"Sleepover?" she asked.

"Strictly platonic. You can take my bed and I'll get the couch." Lucas said.

"Alright… I'm just not ready to go back to the apartment." Haley said.

Lucas noticed she wasn't calling it home anymore, when something happened to Haley, she took it hard dealt with it right then and didn't regret it later. Once someone hurt heras badly as Nathan had it wasn't muchcoming back from that, he thought Brooke was pissed off at him before it was nothing like the hell Nathan was about go through.

Haley wasn't about to make sarcastic comments and wallow in self pity, she was going to leave. Which would hurt more than any revenge scenarios any women scorned could come up with Haley was one of the amazing people he knew, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose her after having her like the way Nathan had. Lucas made himself the solemn vow that he wouldn't and he was going to stick to it.