This is a companion piece to "Then & Now" and "The Storm After the Calm". No summary for the story at this point. Just read, review and enjoy.
After the Storm
Summary:
This story takes place exactly two years after the events that occurred in "The Storm After the Calm".
PEYTON & JAKE JAGIELSKI are still married. Now, in the previous story, they had three children. A son named Chris, a daughter named Elizabeth and of course, Jenny's daughter that Peyton adopted as her own when they got married. Peyton is now pregnant with their fourth child. Jake is still an assistant coach of the Ravens basketball team and Peyton still works full-time for THUD Magazine. Not much has changed on that front.
LUCAS & BROOKE SCOTT are also still married. In the previous story, Brooke had just given birth to their son, Felix. Well, she is now pregnant with their second child (a girl, by the way). Lucas is still the assistant coach of the Ravens basketball team and Brooke is still a fashion designer with her own store in the mall. Again, not much has changed with them.
HALEY & NATHAN SCOTT are not together anymore. They were married but events that will be revealed throughout the stories led to their current state: getting a divorce.
Oh, I know you're all just heartbroken now, huh? Well, I'm afraid things are about to get much worse. Other characters include Dan & Deb Scott, Karen & Keith Scott and Rachel Moore. Yep, she's BACK! The "train wreck from New Jersey" is not just going to make an appearance in this fic, she is actually a crucial character.
If you have not read, "Then & Now" or "The Storm After the Calm", I strongly suggest you read them while/before you read this fic. You might get lost. While I will provide some flashbacks from the previous stories, it might be prudent to get up to speed by reading the other stories. If you don't want to, that's fine. I know those stories (especially "The Storm After the Calm") are long so it's a lot to read. If you have a question, just ask it in a review and I'll do my best to answer it. I have no problem with that since I tend to ramble on in responding to reviews anyway (LOL). This story will move around quite a bit as I will throw in a bunch of flashbacks to explain all of the changes along the way (much like season one's season finale and season two's season premiere of the show). So I think that's enough out of me. Here's the first chapter:
Chapter 1
Nathan Scott woke up and reached out beside him. He was not surprised to find that there was no one beside him. He had just been hoping beyond hope that somehow she might still be there. He mentally shrugged and got out of bed, walking to the kitchen. He grabbed a granola bar and headed out. He waited for his brother, Lucas to pull up out front. A few seconds later, he was there, yelling at him to move his ass. "Hey, Nathan," Lucas said as he got into the truck and fastened his seatbelt. Nathan merely nodded in acknowledgment. He was not in the mood for polite chitchat today.
They drove the rest of the way in silence and Lucas pulled into a parking spot. Nathan unfastened his seatbelt and was about to open the door and groaned when he found it was locked. He pulled the lock up but it locked again. He sighed. Unlocked it, but it locked again. He turned to Lucas who had his hand on the power lock button. "What the hell?" he demanded.
"You're not going anywhere until you tell me why you've been so charming this morning," Lucas said. Nathan glared at him but Lucas only smirked in response.
"We got into a fight," Nathan replied. Lucas nodded.
"I'm assuming that by 'we' you're referring to Rachel and yourself," Lucas said. Nathan nodded. "What happened?" He sighed.
"Take a guess," Nathan said.
"She went postal and tried to throw you out a window?" Lucas joked. Nathan glared at him. "Sorry."
"It was really the stupidest thing," Nathan said in retrospect.
"Will you just tell me what happened?" Lucas asked.
"Well, I didn't want her to bring in some ugly sofa now that she's staying with me," Nathan said. Lucas looked at him in disbelief. Nathan explained that since Rachel had nowhere else to go and Nathan lived in the beach house all alone now, he agreed to let her move in with him.
"You do realize that you are still married, right? What happens when she finds out about this?" Lucas asked. Nathan shrugged.
"The divorce will be final in a matter of months," Nathan reminded him in misery. Lucas nodded.
"Well, I'll see you later," Lucas said, unlocking the doors and heading into the school to his first period class of that year. Lucas was teaching a leisure phys ed class and Nathan had two spare periods in a row. The second period, he usually had an on-call, which was in fact the case that day. He was filling in for an English teacher that had called in sick. The third period he had lunch.
Third period…
Nathan walked out of the English class and met up with Lucas and headed to the staff room. They both went to check their mailboxes when the door swung open and in walked the last person Nathan had expected to see. Nathan turned to Lucas who was smirking at him. "By the way, Haley's back," he said.
/Flashback/
"Haley!" Brooke Scott exclaimed when she opened the door. Haley smirked at Brooke and motioned towards the door. "Oh, God. Where are my manners? Come on in, of course." Haley walked in and followed Brooke into the kitchen and sat down at the table.
"So, I'm making some herbal tea. Do you want some?" Brooke asked. She turned around just in time to catch the look of disgust on Haley's face.
"No thanks," Haley replied. Brooke nodded and poured one cup of herbal tea for herself. She brought it over to the table. She put it down and then carefully sat down.
"So, you're back," Brooke said, smirking.
"And you're knocked up," Haley said. Brooke widened her eyes in surprise as she burst out laughing.
"That I am," Brooke said, still chuckling. She started to fill Haley in on how long she had been pregnant and the fact that she was going to have a girl.
"Oh, that's great, Brooke. Congratulations," Haley said. Brooke nodded.
"So, where have you been?" Brooke asked. After the aftermath of Haley and Nathan's break up, Haley had left town to clear her head and attempt to piece her life back together.
"I've been in Atlanta," she replied, explaining that she had lived with her brother and helped tutor students in English while providing private vocal lessons.
"And you're back?" Brooke asked.
"Yes and I'm staying," Haley said. Brooke looked at her in concern. Haley just shook her head. "I'm fine now."
"If you say so. I know that I sure wouldn't be if I had been through all that you have," Brooke said.
"Well, what doesn't kill us will only make us stronger, right?" Haley asked. Brooke shrugged.
"Hell if I know. Haley, you were married to a guy you loved with all of your heart. You were pregnant with your son and then you weren't. Some would argue that your life was perfect and then everything fell apart," Brooke said. Haley fought back tears.
"And I've picked up the pieces," Haley said.
/End of Flashback/
Haley knew that she was going to run into Nathan again and she thought she was strong enough to handle it. But after everything that he had put her through, she wasn't sure she could handle it. "Haley," he said softly. He made a move closer to her but she stepped away.
"Stay away from me," she said. Her voice shook with emotion and she was trembling. He hesitated and took a step closer but Haley glared at him and held up her hands in a fruitless attempt to stop him. "Just stay away."
