A/N- Wow, I didn't expect so many reviews for that past couple chapters, you guys are amazing, I really appreciate everything. If you can believe it, this story is almost done. I was only planning on writing 15 chapters and we're almost there. Anyway, on to the chapter.

Chapter title is by Brandi Carlile

Chapter 11: Closer To You

Haley rolled over and groaned when her hand hit something solid. She risked opening her eyes and saw her sister lying there next to her, passed out. "Brooke?" She pushed her sister, waiting for the other girl to wake up. "What happened?"

Brooke turned to her side as she woke up slowly. "Why are you hitting me?"

"Why are you here?" Haley asked another question. She soon realized they weren't going to get any answers if all they kept doing was asking questions.

"We stayed up all night watching movies," Brooke explained sleepily. She closed her eyes as she could feel the sleep overcome her. "And now it's…" She checked her watch. "It's 10:30 and we missed school."

Haley eyes fluttered open. "What?"

"Relax Tutor Girl," Brooke let out a soft laugh. "It's Friday, three day weekend!"

"Only you would say something like that," Haley retorted quietly. She realized that they were in her room after glancing around. They must have stayed up pretty late if it disoriented her this much. "Whatever."

"Whatever?" Brooke repeated skeptically. "Did you really just say 'whatever' to missing school?" She smiled widely, showing off her dimples. "I knew there would come a day where I could say I've corrupted you."

Haley glanced over to her, "I skip school."

"Liar," Brooke threw back at her, the smile on her face never faltering. She laid back down so she was facing the ceiling and she could feel Haley do the same as silence took over the room. "Tutor girl skipping school to hang out with Brooke Davis…unbelievable."

Haley had to smile, that was still pretty unbelievable. "Yeah, who would have guessed that a week ago, my father…" She quoted with her fingers. "…was still alive and we disliked each other, and now, I found out my dead father is not my real father and you're my twin sister, weird."

Brooke glanced at her like if she was crazy. "That was a whole lot of incomprehensible rambling right there Hales."

"Incomprehensible?" Haley raised an eyebrow, "You know big words?"

"Ha," Brooke deadpanned. She rolled her eyes before getting up from the bed. "Just because I'm a cheerleader doesn't mean that I'm dumb."

Haley laughed, "I never said you were dumb, I just couldn't believe you knew such big words."

Brooke stared at Haley, who was biting her lip to keep from laughing again, before grabbing her pillow and smacking her over the head with it.

"Hey," Haley protested, "What was that for?"

Brooke shrugged before giving Haley an innocent smile, "Felt like it."

Suddenly a knock from the door silenced the two girls. Brooke glanced at Haley and Haley could have sworn she almost saw fear in her eyes. She smiled warmly at her and took her hand. "It's okay."

The door opened to reveal Taylor, who was still in her pajamas, "Hey Haley-bub, I was jus…" Her voice trailed off when she saw Brooke sitting there next to her sister. She could see Haley breathe out a sigh of relief before waving her in.

"Hey Tay," Haley smiled at the rhyme, "Come and join us."

Taylor shrugged and hopped on the edge of the bed near their feet. "Hey Brooke."

"Hey," Brooke responded, pulling the covers over her as she watch the girl sit down. She glanced at Haley who grinned at their older sister.

"How'd you know we were in here and not at school Tay?" Haley asked, watching her sister gaze right back at her. "I mean, you weren't here last night when Brooke and I came in and I doubt you come into my room when I'm not here so…"

Taylor put her hands up to surrender, "I heard voices, and I was curious. Leave me alone Hay."

Brooke stifled a laugh at the older girl's expense. "Relax Tutor girl."

"You're supposed to be on my side Tigger," Haley tried to frown. Inside, she was jumping up and down for joy that Brooke wasn't afraid to be around Taylor. She knew that Brooke would never forgive Lydia for giving her up just like she probably would never forgive Mark Davis, but it was something else that Brooke felt comfortable around Haley's favorite sibling, other than Brooke of course.

"I don't chose sides," Brooke shrugged playfully. "People come to me."

Taylor laughed, "My kind of girl."

Brooke smiled at that before leaning back against the headboard. "So what's on the list for today Hales? Please tell me it's something good."

Haley raised her eyebrows, "List? I don't do lists."

"Yeah right Haley-bub," Taylor rolled her eyes. "You have nothing planned out for today? Or even the weekend for that matter?"

"I was planning on going to school today but that was kinda shot down considering the fact that we just woke up," Haley thought aloud not realizing that the other two girls in the room were biting their lips to keep from laughing. "And I have a shift later on, but nothing planned."

Finally Brooke couldn't take it anymore as she burst out in giggles, "We're just teasing you Haley."

Haley couldn't help but turn a little red, "I knew that."

"Yeah, okay," Taylor grinned at her little sister before she had a thought. "So wait a minute," She paused, looking at them both and motioning at them, "Who's older?"

Haley and Brooke exchanged a look before Brooke pouted and Haley grinned back at Taylor, "I am."

"Really?" Taylor looked at Haley in surprise. "I thought Brooke would have been older."

"See!" Brooke motioned at Taylor, "Everyone knew I should have been older."

Haley knitted her eyebrows in confusion, "Are you saying that I wouldn't make a good big sister?"

Taylor and Brooke glanced at each other before simultaneously exclaiming, "Yes."

"Thanks a lot you guys," Haley put her hand over her heart, pretending to be upset. "I see how you think of me." Brooke patted her shoulder in fake sympathy. "I'll have you know that I can be the protective big sister for once."

Brooke held back a smile, "If it's any comfort to you, I think you're a pretty cool big sister."

"It is comforting, thank you," Haley looked up at her with her famous pout.

Taylor had to laugh, she had to admit that her two younger sisters were very amusing. She noticed them staring at her. "What!"

"Why are you laughing at us?" Haley asked innocently, her brown eyes amused.

"You guys are so cute together," Taylor explained. "Considering you guys only found out less than a week ago that you were twin sisters, you seem pretty close now."

Brooke glanced over at Haley who seemed to be hiding her emotions. She couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness that not only had she become closer to her sister, but that someone else could see it too. And she also couldn't help the wide grin that came to her face after she heard Taylor's words.

Haley watched as Brooke broke out into a grin at the words, and she felt a feeling of peace as if this was something that she needed in her life, someone that was quickly becoming one of the few people she could run to in this world, and someone who was already in the small circle that consisted of her world. "Thank you."

Taylor raised an eyebrow, "Thank you?"

"It's a compliment," Haley shrugged, "And it's a good one."

Brooke nodded as she linked her arm through Haley's, bringing them closer on the bed. "This past week has been hell for me and Haley's been there to comfort me and just help me get through the day, and I know we've gotten way closer than I ever thought we would be and I'm just glad that it's noticeable."

"Yeah," Haley nodded at Brooke, "What she said."

Taylor rolled her eyes at Haley before biting her lip slowly. She had come into Haley's room for a reason but she really didn't want to tell them why. Haley, however, caught the expression on Taylor's face and she could feel her good mood dissolving. Something had to be up.

"What's going on Taylor?" Haley finally asked, not waiting for the older girl to speak.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Taylor whispered. She glanced at Brooke, who seemed a little disappointed and then back at Haley, who felt her heart drop at the words.

Haley let go of Brooke's hand as Taylor's words washed over her. This wasn't going along with her plan. She had figured that Taylor would be around longer now even though she knew that she had no reason to believe that. Taylor had always been a free spirit, ready to leave Tree Hill as soon as she graduated with no plans of returning. "Tomorrow? That soon?"

Taylor gave her a weak smile before taking both of Haley's hands in hers. "I have school Haley-bub and work now, I have to go back."

Haley nodded unconsciously as she felt Brooke move closer to her. "No, I understand. I was just hoping you were gonna stick around, for me…and for Brooke too."

"I wanted to Hay," Taylor couldn't believe how calm her sister was being. "But my life is in New York and I can't just put that on hold." She glanced at Brooke who clearly had no idea what was going to happen after Taylor left. "Besides, Brooke's going to be there for you now, it's not like you're going to be alone."

"I know," Haley's voice got low. "I guess that means I'm moving out sooner than I thought."

Taylor knitted her eyebrows, she hadn't been expecting that. "What!"

"Yeah," Haley gave a small laugh as she shrugged. "The only reason I wanted to stay around here was because of you. I can't be around Mom right now."

"Where are you gonna go?" Taylor looked at Brooke who shook her head in confusion.

Haley pulled away from Taylor, "Nathan said I could live with him, I think I might do that." She looked down at her hands. "Graduation is in eight months, I can't be here that long especially since she said she was planning on sticking around."

Taylor and Brooke shook their heads before Taylor spoke up. "No way are Mom and Mr. Davis going to let you live with Nathan."

Haley knitted her eyebrows, "Why not?"

"Because he's a guy Haley," Brooke pointed out.

Haley's eyes widened dramatically, "No way!" She rolled her eyes before shrugging. "I don't see what the big deal is."

Brooke shook her head at Haley's use of sarcasm, "You really think they're gonna let you live with Nathan, who's not only just a boy but also your boyfriend?"

Taylor held up her hands before Haley could respond. "Hold up. You and Nathan got back together and you didn't tell me?"

"I was gonna tell you," Haley gave them a small blush, "We just wanted to keep it secret for a little while."

"Still," Taylor continued, "It's not gonna happen Haley-bub."

Haley sighed but she didn't say anything more, not wanting to get into an argument with her sister. She just nodded along as both Brooke and Taylor realized she didn't want to talk anymore.

Suddenly Taylor jumped up from the bed, "I just remembered I had something to do." And with those words she bounded out of the room leaving both little sisters puzzled with her actions.

As the two of them stared at the door, Haley couldn't help but start laughing and soon Brooke joined in, both not realizing that something was about to change.

Taylor bounced down the stairs as soon as she realized she needed to talk to her mother about her plans for leaving the next day. What she didn't realize was that her mother was on the phone with Mark Davis. Taylor stood outside the door waiting for the conversation to end but silently wondering what was going on.

"I already told you Mark! She's here and she's safe," Lydia's voice came out sounding irritated, as if this wasn't the first time she had said those words. "I know it's not fair that she came over here but Haley's here, that could be the reason."

The room was silent as Taylor itched to hear Mark's reply

"What are you saying?" Lydia sounded outraged. "Of course they're your children Mark! Do you really think I would have lied to you about something like this?"

Taylor slunk down the wall as she heard the words. She had never thought of that. What if Mark Davis wasn't Haley and Brooke's father and Lydia James had made a very big mistake? What if they were really James children all along? All Taylor knew was that she wasn't going to sit around playing what if any longer.