A.N You guys are the absolute best I know to a lot of you it probably doesn't seem like such a big deal but I am just so excited about breaking the 200 review mark. That is a first for me with one of my stories and I just want to say a huge thankyou to everyone who has reviewed. I know it goes without saying but I'm going to anyway I wouldn't have done it without you. I know this story seems to be going in a whole new direction at the moment but I promise it is all leading somewhere so bear with it. Hope you enjoy the latest chapter.
kaos2405 I'm not totally sure why you do either but if thats the way you feel then I guess its a healthy way to express your anger. LOL. Haley's a touch confused at the moment I guess. Don't worry I've got plenty more planned for her. She's about to get some major wake up calls in the chapters to come.
Cap'n Keira Sparrow A lot of people have said that this chapter was not what they were expecting so I'm not totally sure what it was you were all expecting but I hope my offering sufficed. Keep reading your wishes are due to be granted in the next couple of chapters.
jaeli You like the chapter and I like the fact that you keep reviewing so I guess we're helping each other out. Yes I know poor Nathan but I promise he won't stay sad. There is a lot more to come. I'm not sure if you got my email but I haven't actually seen Season Two yet although hope to rectify that in the near future so until then I'm doing my damnedest to avoid finding out what happens. Don't fret I have no intention of stopping this story any time soon.
cherrymfzb Wow that chapter seems to have released some anger in some of you reviewers the only thing you are not in agreement about is who to be angry with. Ok so your vote is Nathan. He is being a touch unreasonable isn't he. He's sort of letting the plan slip at the moment with everything else thats going on but I promise you haven't seen the last of it. Whether or not Josh is up to something well I guess you will have to wait and see. Haley's about to learn she's a lot tougher than she thinks she is. I'm glad you're still enjoying the story.
HipHopper92What do you mean the twist? I can assure you that there will be more than one. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and I promise if Josh is keeping a secret it won't be kept for too much longer.
Britt Glad you enjoyed it. For once I didn't even make you wait very long for the next one. Hope it lives up to expectations.
MeSpikeAndAngelinA3sum Hey Nats sorry to leave you hanging but I promise it won't be for too much longer. I figured I better post as much as I possibly can this week while I still have internet access and more to the point a roof over my head. To be honest I have sort of got the impression that you do enjoy my writing before don't know what could possibly have given me that idea. For once I didn't make you wait long at all for an update. Hope you're grateful. LOL.
Jenna Yep I'm definitely smiling. I'm so glad that you are still enjoying this story. To be honest having Deb listening in on them was sort of a spur of the moment idea but I'm glad you thought it worked ok. I already havethe next fewchapters wrote so is only a matter of me actually posting them. So far no luck with the job hunting or house hunting looks like its going to end up with me sleeping on a friends sofa at least for a while. Fun times.
unfolddream Yes I was referring to the one and only Tim Smith and you will find out the reason very soon. Yes they are complete nympho's. Now that they've started having sex again they aren't going to want to stop any time soon. Glad you enjoyed the latestchapters. I'm even updating really quickly for once so you hardly have to wait at all.
kate I wouldn't worry too much about Nate. He'll get over this little upset pretty soon. Besides this will seem like nothing compared to what I have planned for future chapters. Hope you enjoy it.
Chapter Twenty-one
Nathan was up at dawn and out of the house running up and down the beach trying to expel the demons that had taken up residence in his psyche.
What little sleep he had managed to get the night before had been plagued with dreams about Haley and their relationship both past and present and nightmares about her leaving.
But despite his punishing regime the images refused to be banished and he eventually gave up falling to his knees on the sandy ground in exhaustion.
After some time passed he stood up and turned reticently towards the beach house knowing full well that Deb would be up and about by now and wanting answers to the questions that no doubt consumed her.
But what answers could he give her when he was so full of confusion himself.
The confrontation with Haley in the early hours of the morning had done little to resolve his feelings apart from relieving some of his pent up frustration in the anger he had turned on her.
Entering quietly through the backdoor he moved quickly towards the stairs hoping to avoid the inevitable talk with his mother for at least a little bit longer.
He was halfway up the stairs and well on his way to freedom when her voice halted him.
"There you are Nathan I was starting to worry."
"I'm a big boy mom I can look after myself."
"I know that honey but I'm your mother I can't help but worry especially when I see you looking so unhappy and no sign of Haley.
What happened Nate?
Please tell me.
If there's something wrong with Haley I would really like to know, you know I think of her like a daughter."
"Look mom I really don't know what's going on with Haley so if you're so concerned about her maybe you should go and have a chat with her yourself.
Who knows maybe she'll tell you what the hell is going on with her because she certainly doesn't seem to have any intention of telling me."
Deb looked at her son and saw beyond all the bluster immediately, no matter what sort of face he tried to put on it, it was obvious to her that he was hurting deeply.
"Nathan honey I'm just going to say this and then I'll leave it up to you what you choose to do with my advice.
If you want to you can ignore it but I hope you will at least think about what I'm about to say rather than simply dismiss it.
I know when you and Haley were younger your father and I were perhaps a little too eager to see the two of you settled together and perhaps we pressured the two of you unnecessarily but I truly believed and I still do that Haley James was and is the best thing that has ever happened to you.
I saw how hurt you were when she left so suddenly and although we tried our best you never felt that you could confide in either your father or I about the circumstances that led to her leaving.
Now I can understand that you're a grown man and you need to live your life how you see fit but I am going to say that you let Haley walk out of your life once before and it nearly destroyed you please don't let that happen again for both your sakes.
Do whatever it takes but fight for her Nate because if you don't you may not get another chance."
Nathan opened his mouth to argue but the words wouldn't come no matter how much he wanted them to.
He would like nothing more than to tell his mother that she was completely wrong and to mind her own business but although he would never admit it out loud he recognized the truth in what she was saying.
He had to speak to Haley and he had to do it as soon as possible.
Looking down at his sweat drenched running shorts with distaste he quickly continued up the stairs headed for the shower.
Haley sat across the breakfast table from Josh responding in monosyllabic answers to the questions he asked in an attempt to start conversation.
Hearing the phone ring Haley had to disguise her sigh of relief at the distraction it would offer.
Picking it up quickly she answered.
"Hello,"
"Tutor Girl what are you doing there?
Why aren't you at Nathan's?"
A ghost of a smile crossed her face as her prayers were answered because there could be no greater distraction than Brooke when she had her mind set to something.
"Haley for goodness sake talk to me what the hell is going on" Brooke's shrill voice rang in her ear and Haley had to hold the phone slightly away from her ear to avoid the possibility of deafness.
"Haley," Brooke screeched again and Haley knew without a doubt just how seriously Brooke was taking this situation between her and Nathan.
She couldn't remember the last time Brooke had actually used her first name and now to hear it twice within one phone conversation well there was no greater clue to Brooke's distress.
"Brooke look I really can't talk right now Josh and I are just finishing up breakfast but how about I come around and see you this morning."
"So it's true," Brooke said "Josh is really there."
"I'll see you shortly Brooke."
"Alright," Brooke agreed begrudgingly.
"I'll be waiting but you better be full of answers." she warned.
"Talk to you soon Brooke," Haley hung up and found Josh watching her quizzically.
"Was that your friend from school that you've been spending so much time with?" he asked.
"Uh yeah," Haley confirmed slightly uncomfortable in her lie.
"I've actually promised that I will go and see her this morning.
I hope you don't mind."
"No, no of course not," Josh agreed without hesitation.
"Well then in that case I think I'll go wash up and get going.
I'll see you a bit later."
"Ok Haley," Josh said apparently distracted with other thoughts.
Haley took advantage of his distraction to slip out of the room thus avoiding anymore of their uncomfortable conversation.
Twenty minutes later she was pulling up in front of Brooke and Lucas' modest house sitting in the car for a moment she took a deep breath in preparation for Hurricane Brooke.
Before she reached the door it flew open and Brooke stood in front of her.
"Come in Tutor Girl we have a lot to talk about."
Haley looked back towards the car longingly she had a feeling that this could be a long talk and she knew Brooke would not rest until she had every last detail out of her.
Standing at her front door Nathan rang the doorbell and waited anxiously for Haley to answer.
When the door opened moments later he found himself face to face with the other man in Haley's life.
"Uh hi my names Nathan I work with Haley.
Is she here?"
Josh stood back from the door.
"No she's not here but come in I think you and I need to talk."
Nathan looked at him debating his options he could always make some excuse about an appointment he had forgotten but the truth was he was curious about the other man who occupied some part of Haley's heart.
Reaching a fast decision he stepped over the threshold that would lead him into Haley's home.
"Sure," he said "that sounds great."
Following Josh into the kitchen he took a moment to study the other man.
Nathan wouldn't exactly consider himself an expert on what made a man attractive but he supposed Josh was good looking enough in his own right.
His hair was light brown and he was almost as tall as Nathan although not as broad across the shoulders.
Looking at him he appeared to be physically fit but Nathan got the impression that his fitness came about more from hours spent in the gym rather than outdoor activities like Nathan's own.
Sitting down at the table Nathan found himself subjected to a similar scrutiny from Josh himself.
"Can I get you a coffee?" Josh asked.
"No thanks I'm fine.
How about you just tell me what it is you want to talk to me about?" Nathan said hardly able to contain his impatience.
"I think that's obvious.
I want to know what is going on with Haley.
Ever since I got here it's been blatantly obvious that something is playing on her mind and I can't help but wonder if it has something to do with you."
Nathan shifted uncomfortably in his seat and attempted to buy some time.
This was not how he had envisioned this conversation going.
The only reason he had agreed to talking to Josh like this was because he had hoped to learn more about the other man and instead he found himself at the centre of an inquisition from him.
"Why do you think it has anything to do with me?"
"I have eyes Nathan I saw the way you looked at us last night and the way you left in such a hurry now do you want to explain that to me or should I just reach my own conclusions."
"To be honest Josh I don't really care what you think.
Now if you don't mind I have a few questions myself?"
Josh looked slightly taken aback at the confidence exuding from the man sitting across from him.
He was used to students being slightly intimidated by his autocratic manner but this man sitting at his fiancées table was another matter.
"Look Josh I'm going to be straight with you Haley and I have known each other for a very long time and I really care about her so basically what I want to know is what the hell the deal with the two of you is?"
"What do you mean?" Josh asked sounding slightly nervous.
"I think you know what I mean man so why don't you just answer the question." Nathan urged edgily.
"What happens between Haley and I is our business and no one else's." Josh told him defensively hoping to bring an end to the inquest he found himself subjected to.
"Nice theory man but that doesn't wash with me."
"Fine you want the truth well here it is.
I love Haley and I'm pretty certain she loves me but there is something from her past that is holding her back from moving forward with her life with me.
She's never told me what it is but I'm fairly certain that it somehow involves this place."
Nathan didn't know whether to feel a sense of relief that Haley had never discussed what it was from her past that had led to her leaving so long ago or whether he should be disappointed that his quest for the truth had once again reached a dead end.
Nathan sat back taking stock of what the other man had said.
While Josh seemed to be a nice enough guy there was something about him that Nathan just couldn't quite put his finger on.
There was something just a little bit off about him or false as if he was somehow used to deceiving the people around him on a regular basis.
Nathan shook his head it was probably just wishful thinking on his part.
Haley had always been a good judge of character and if she trusted Josh then there was probably no reason for him not to.
Standing up from the table he made his apologies.
"Look Josh I really need to get going now.
Maybe I'll see you around."
Josh got to his feet his innate good manners requiring that he shake the other mans hand and see him out.
"Nice to meet you Nathan,
Perhaps I'll see you again in the future."
"I wouldn't count on it." Nathan muttered under his breath.
He got into his car and sat there for a moment before suddenly breaking into a huge grin that covered his face
It had finally hit him what it was that Josh was hiding and he now knew that Josh didn't really present any sort of competition for him in the quest for Haley's heart.
There was no longer a rush for him to see Haley; he could afford to be patient.
He would have Haley again of that he was certain.
Haley meanwhile sat on the sofa next to Brooke finally having finished explaining to her everything that had occurred in the past few weeks.
Brooke had been perhaps for the first time in history completely speechless as Haley had told her tale although naturally as soon as it had come to an end and Brooke had had an opportunity to digest the information she had not hesitated to give Haley her opinion.
Unsurprisingly again she had been vehement in her outlook on the situation.
As far as she was concerned Haley belonged with Nathan and that was all there was to it.
Try as she might Haley had been unable to convince her that the situation was not that simple and there were much more complicated issues involved than who she had been in love with the longest.
But Brooke was having none of that and had told Haley in no uncertain terms that she was talking bullshit and was simply hiding from the truth of the situation.
Brooke could see Haley's distress at the situation she had found herself in but was not quite finished with her yet.
"Tutor Girl I am just going to say one more thing and then I have something else I need to talk to you about.
I want you to understand that I'm only saying this because I care about you and I care about Nathan."
"I know you do Brooke," Haley told her but Brooke held up her hand in front of her face indicating that she had not finished speaking.
"Ever since you've got back I've taken notice of the way you have been behaving and it seems so clear to me and probably to everyone else who knows you that you were unhappy when you came back and despite the way you fought against him the only time you came alive was when Nathan was in the room with you.
Now you can deny it if you like but I'm not seeing the same light inside of you with Josh here in town and to me that tells me more then you could ever hope to with all your words and protestations.
I've said my piece now and whether or not you listen to it is up to you but I hope for your sake and Nathan's sake and even for Josh's sake although I've never met him that you at least think about what I've said and try to do what's best for everyone involved."
"I'll try Tigger.
Thanks you're a good friend."
They both sank into silence for several minutes each lost in their own thoughts.
Haley knew that what Brooke had said to her just now had come from the heart.
Whether or not it was advice that she should take she didn't know but she knew that Brooke had said what she had said with the very best of intentions.
Brooke looked up at Haley and smiled.
"Right," she said clapping her hands together "on to happier topics.
I have something important I want to ask you and I really hope that you say yes."
Haley looked at her curiously wondering what had caused the light in her eyes.
"Well the thing is Tutor Girl Lucas and I were wondering how you would feel about becoming a Tutor God-mother?"
Haley looked at her in shock.
"Brooke are you serious I would love to.
Nothing would make me happier."
"Are you sure Tutor Girl I mean I'll understand if you don't want to?
I guess I could always call Peyton and see if maybe she would be interested even though we haven't really had a lot to do with each other these last few years since she moved away with Jake and Jenny."
"Tigger don't be ridiculous and don't you even consider asking anyone else."
"Oh Tutor Girl this is going to be so wonderful you and Nathan as God-parents to our baby."
"Nathan?" Haley squeaked although she really didn't know why it hadn't occurred to her earlier of course Nathan would be the baby's God-father.
Noticing Brooke's concerned glance she pasted a smile onto her face to mask her discomfort with the idea and hastened to reassure her.
"That sounds perfect Tigger.
I can hardly wait till my future God-child is born."
Haley stayed chatting for a little while longer then said goodbye to Brooke hugging her tightly.
"Thank-you so much for today Tigger.
It meant a lot to me having someone to talk to about all this mess that has been going on with Nathan and Josh."
"No problem Tutor Girl you know you can always talk to me."
"I'll see you soon Brooke."
"You too Tutor Girl."
Haley left via the front door as Lucas entered from the back.
Turning to look at him Brooke smiled brightly.
"Hey Broody, where have you been?"
"Sit down honey I've just been to see Nathan to ask him about being God-father and you would not believe what he told me."
"Ooh," Brooke said happily "Gossip just what I was in the mood for."
Lucas laughed at her eager expression.
"Baby you're always in the mood for gossip."
"Now Broody you know that isn't true sometimes I'm definitely in the mood for other things and junior here is proof of that," she giggled patting her stomach.
When Haley pulled into the driveway soon after she found Josh sitting on the front step apparently waiting for her.
Seeing her car he stood up immediately walking to the side of the car and waiting for her to exit.
"How was your friend?" he asked as soon as she opened her door.
"Uh Brooke was fine.
Why?"
"Just showing an interest Haley that's ok isn't it?" he asked with noticeable sarcasm.
"Of course it is," Haley said defensively.
"So what have you been doing while I've been gone?" she asked brightly.
"I actually had a visitor myself.
Nathan came around looking for you." he told her watching her carefully for any reaction to Nathan's name.
She visibly blanched at the thought of Nathan and Josh actually coming into contact.
Josh had noticed her expression and it confirmed his suspicions.
"Yes we had a nice long chat about things."
"Really?" Haley asked trying to appear nonplussed at the news.
"Yes," he said "aren't you going to ask what we talked about?
Or are you just going to wait for your good friend Nathan to tell you about it when you next see him?
Maybe when you sneak out to see him again tonight?"
Haley's face paled with shock.
"He told you?" she gasped in disbelief.
"No, he didn't." he said cryptically.
She didn't know what to say, Josh was looking at her so calmly and didn't appear to be bothered by anything that was going on.
"Haley it's obvious that you and Nathan have a past but I also know that your future is with me.
Stop looking so worried Haley.
It's all going to be ok."
He slipped an arm around her shoulders.
"Let's go inside."
Haley's mind echoed with his words "It's all going to be ok."
Spoilers:- Help is at hand for Nathan from an unlikely source,Haley and Josh spend some quality time together, Haley decides she's ready to lay her ghosts to rest.