TITLE: Back to You

AUTHOR: Dayz Sollers

SUMMARY: Post season 2 finale. As Brooke, Nathan and Jake come back from their summers away from Tree Hill, the group has to face the trials and tribulations of their senior year of high school, and find out what is really important to them. Mostly B/L but it will take a while. Be patient, it will get there. I promise. P/J and N/H also. R&R

Disclaimer: Don't own One Tree Hill, too bad for me.

Rating: PG13-maybe to an R later on
Category: Romance/Drama

Chapter Three: Wherever You Are (is where I'll be)

Haley had been caught off guard when Deb had entered the café. She had done well avoiding her soon to be ex mother in law for the entire summer and just three days before the new school year started, they finally came face to face. It had surprised her, that Deb hadn't screamed at her for breaking her sons heart, or even chided her for the fact that she had told them both their marriage was doomed. It was even more surprising that the conversation had been somewhat pleasant.

Perhaps Karen was right. Perhaps Deb really was a good person. She had always thought so, but in the back of her mind, she always doubted it. Who could be married to Dan for so long without being a little evil herself? And then, after Haley and Nathan had been married, Deb's new friendship with her had ceased. Replaced by something angry and bitter.

About an hour or so later, Haley's thoughts were once again clouding her mind as the doors to the café opened once more.

"Tutorgirl!" Brooke cried, running towards her friend. Haley reached for her friend, and smiled.

"Tigger! I am so sorry I couldn't go to the airport but Karen needed me," Haley's voice trailed off as Brooke pulled herself from the hug. "How was California? Did you have fun?"

Brooke sat down at the counter as did Peyton and began to tell her friends what had happened to her over the summer. Haley listened as Brooke went on and on about shopping in California.

"I went to the beach too, but didn't get in the water. It's much colder than the water here," Brooke said, looking down at her nails.

"Damn, I need to get a manicure before school starts."

Peyton laughed and Haley rolled her eyes. "Girls day tomorrow then?" Haley said as the others nodded in agreement. And in that brief moment, Haley was able to forget her troubles and go back to a better place. Where friends were friends no matter what, and love could make it through anything. She wondered silently, if that was ever true. It seemed like the more love there was, the more pain it caused. That had definitely been the case for her and her friends.

"Hello, earth to Tutorgirl? I was talking for like five minutes? Did you hear anything I just said? Hello?" Brooke snapped her fingers in front of her friends face and stood up. "Whatever. I have to go to the bathroom, and when I get back you better be in full mode to listen." She could hear Brooke's voice retreat as she stared out the window, and her face began to break out into a big grin.

"Haley?" Peyton questioned, as Haley simply continued to stare. "Haley? What, what is it?" And with that Peyton turned around, to come face to face , that same smile appearing on her face as well.

Jake looked through the glass doors, and saw Haley. He waved at her, and went to open the door but stopped when he saw her sitting there. He could only see her back and a head full of blonde curls, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

"You ready man?"

Lucas touched his shoulder as he opened the door for Jake.

"Go get her."

Peyton must have seen the look on Haley's face because she had begun to turn around. As Jake entered the café, he stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. Peyton blinked, as if she didn't believe her eyes, but walked over to him when she realized it was.

"You're back?"

Her eyes filled with tears as she reached out and touched his heart. He nodded and pulled her into his embrace. She lost herself in his arms, something she never got tired of doing and looked up at him.

"For good this time, right? No more leaving." Peyton begged him.

Jake shook his head. "Wherever you are, is where I'll be," Jake said simply, as he reached down to kiss her gently on her lips. "As long as Jenny can be there too," he asked, already knowing the answer.

Lucas leaned against the counter, as Haley and him looked on. "Well at least some of our friends can be happy. Right Hales?" Lucas asked as he looked down at the bar stool next to him. A beige colored purse sat propped up against the counter and he turned to face Haley.

"Lucas?"

Haley didn't have time to say anything. He had already figured it out. He wondered to himself how his best friend could have kept a secret from him. What was he just not supposed to know that the love of his life was back in town? When was someone going to tell him?

Lucas shook his head.

"When was I supposed to find out? When we started school? When I accidentally ran into her in the halls? God Hales, you know how much I've missed her, why would you keep it a secret that she was coming home?"

Lucas cut her off before she had time to reply.

"You know what? Whatever, thanks a lot."

Lucas made his way out past his other friends and exiting the café.

"What was that about?"

Peyton asked, as she approached the counter with Jake in toe. Haley was about to

respond, when Brooke sat back down.

"Sorry about that, my dad just called. Wanted to make sure I landed safely, can you believe it? Yeah whatever dad, too little too late. Hi Jake," Brooke said not paying attention as the words came out of her mouth. When they registered, she turned towards her friends and held her breath.

"Wait, what did I miss?"

Lucas sat on the picnic table by the basketball court, bouncing the ball back and forth in his hands. He had been so busy thinking about Brooke being home, that he didn't notice Mouth approaching.

"Hey Luke."

Lucas mumbled hello, but didn't look away from the ball. He wasn't sure how he was feeling anymore. He hadn't told anyone this, but at night he would wait for the phone to ring, wait for Brooke's voice to be on the other line, wait for her to say anything to him at all. And as the days turned into weeks, and weeks turned to months, he had finally gotten himself to accept that she wasn't going to call, let alone come home.

Apart of him wanted to be angry at her, for keeping her return from him but he knew he deserved it. He had done something unforgivable, and when she finally had forgiven him he had broken that friendship again just so he could get his feelings off of his chest. He wondered silently if she would ever forgive him for any of the things that they have been through over the past year. If the last kiss, several months ago would be there last. As if Mouth had been reading his mind, he asked.

"Thinking about Brooke?"

It wasn't a secret that Mouth had his own crush on Brooke. Hell, half of Tree Hill High had either had a crush on her, or been with her at one point. He was use to that. But none of them, including Mouth had ever gotten to know the real Brooke.

He wondered if he had been the first to take the time to get past her 'diva exterior' as she would have called it. Or if he had just been the only one she let get to know her.

"She's back."

Lucas sighed. Yes, Brooke Davis was back in Tree Hill. How was he ever going to get through the year with her here? Clearly she didn't feel the same way for him that he felt for her.

"I know, so what are you going to do about it?" Mouth asked. Lucas looked up and laughed. If it was that easy. If she had been any other girl, he would talk to her, flirt in between classes, carry her books in the halls, walk her to school…but with Brooke things were always different. There relationship had started so fast that he never had time to appreciate the little things like that.

"Cause you know its going to be weird, the girl does live with you now."

Lucas had been so caught up in the fact that Haley hadn't told him, that he completely forgot that Brooke was staying at his house. Ever since Dan had been involved in the accident, he had moved back. And now, the two of them were going to be living under the same roof? Lucas put his head down on the table and hit it twice.

"What am I gonna do man? Last year was hard enough without her knowing, and now she knows. Living with her is going to be hell," Lucas said as Mouth nodded in agreement a smile on his lips.

Lucas looked at his friend, knowing something was on his mind. "Well as long as you live with her, you think you could put in a few good words about me?" Mouth laughed. Lucas rolled his eyes. What was he going to do?

tbc...