AN: A big thank you goes out to mary-023, who very kindly reviewed, glad you liked it!

Pt. 2 – Smokescreen

Haley pulled her knees up to her body, hugging them tightly. "I was devastated. Torn between my marriage and the man I love, and my dream which was right there in front of me."

Peyton looked back at her. "Well, do you think you made the right choice?"

"I don't know, Peyton. What would've you have done? If you had to choose between Jake, or your art?"

"I don't know, either. But something tells me I'm not as strong a person as you are sometimes."

Haley smiled weakly, void of emotion. "If I was strong, I wouldn't be holding on to these things for five years," she murmured, fingering the colourful bracelet as she spoke. "And I would've forgotten about him."

Flashback

Her fingers plucked at the strings on her guitar softly, one after another. But somehow, the melody just didn't want to come out, and her left hand was struggling to find those familiar chords on the guitar fret board. Her bags were packed, they were sitting on the floor beside her dresser, right underneath their wedding wall. All she had to do now, was pick them up, sling her guitar over her back, and walk right out of the apartment. The apartment which had so many memories for Nathan and her. Now, everything was all down to her. She had to fight for what she wanted, not Nathan, not her parents, not Lucas, not anybody.

"Hey Haley, I'm about go, where are- " Taylor walked in, her words hanging in mid air once she took a look at Haley's packed bags. "Whoa, looks like I'm not the only one about to leave."

Haley looked up, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm confused, Tay."

Taylor settled down on the bed in front of Haley, frowning. "What's going on? I ran into Nathan on my way in. He looked kinda unhappy," she paused. "Actually, unhappy is an understatement. He was looking like crap." When Haley didn't answer, Taylor continued. "It's about Chris, isn't it? You want to go away with him for that concert thing?"

"Tour."

"Whatever." Haley glared at her, and Taylor threw her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. Not the time to be myself, I see. Look Haley, I know what it's like to search, to want something more than what you have. Hell, I've spent my whole life doing it. To be better, to be stronger, to be smarter, to be more loved."

Haley bit down on her lower lip, contemplating her sister's words as she continued to strum aimlessly on her guitar. "To be something more than just what you think you could be."

"Exactly," Taylor nodded. "What you can do now, you sing beautifully, you write beautiful melodies and poetic lyrics, you captivate people with your voice and your words. Imagine how much more you can do. By your own strength. By yourself."

Haley frowned as she misplayed yet another familiar chord. "By myself," she echoed.

"Exactly," Taylor said again. "It's your big chance. Make yourself proud. It's you against the world now, kiddo."

"Make myself proud?" Haley looked up. "No, I want to make Nathan proud of me."

Taylor flipped her hair over her shoulder and started examining her fingernail. "Same difference."

Haley's brow creased. Her fingers finally found the chord she was looking for, and like clockwork, her other hand strummed gently, playing the same few chords over and over again, revelling in the strangely comforting melody repeating itself in her head. "It's not me against the world, Taylor, it doesn't have to be that way, and it never has been," she finally looked up, as it dawned upon her. "It's me with the world," she said slowly. And Nathan has always been a big part of that world, she thought to herself. And music comes with Nathan.

Quickly, she stood up, putting her guitar down. "If Nathan comes back, tell him to wait. I'll be back soon. And tell him I'm not going anywhere." She went out of the door, the front door slamming for the second time that night. She knew, exactly what she was going to do. And she felt good about her decision.

Because, she knew she couldn't do this alone.

Taylor stood up, watching her younger sister's retreating back. She folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself tightly, while her gaze slowly travelled downwards until they lingered on Haley's bags. Taylor frowned; and finally, with one nudge of her foot, slid the bags under the bed until they were completely out of view. Then, she left the room.

Nathan walked aimlessly around town, his hands shoved into his front pockets. He had walked past the Rivercourt, past school, past the neighbourhood where Lucas stayed, when suddenly he felt like he'd needed to stop. He looked up; somehow he had stopped right in front of Karen's Café. And as soon as he had stopped, he wished he hadn't, because stopping right in front of it's glass windows and staring at the shiny old piano hurt like hell.

He remembered how he had begged Haley to play for him that night at the café. Once she'd started, he'd fell even more in love with her. She had been shy, her voice barely above a whisper, stealing glances at him as she played. Slowly but surely, her voice rose louder than the old piano, while her fingers played firmly, confidently. That gradual confidence floored him, every single time she played. In a way, it reminded him of how sure he was on the basketball court, how he just knew where the net was, and where the board was. How he'd intuitively know just how far to run, when to pass, how much to dribble, the accuracy and precision of his shot, it was all confidence. She had that in her. And that love for his game, she had the very same one for music. They were so alike in some ways, she reminded him a lot of himself, her intensity, her determination to succeed, her self-assurance, her passion for the things she loved. But as much as she mirrored him, she was also the better person whom he knew he could become. He knew she would let him chase what he wanted, he knew that she would support him no matter what, even if it meant leaving many things behind her. But the question was, could he do the same for her? Could he sacrifice what he'd wanted for her?

And then, slowly he recalled the conversation they'd had in her room, that very same day before she had played for him. They had been talking, and suddenly she told him that there were a lot of things in her life that she'd wanted to try, but never did. He looked away from the piano, inwardly knowing that this opportunity was one of them. He knew she'd wanted to go, but the only thing stopping her was him. And it scared him, the thought of losing her. Loss overcame all jealously in the end and any thoughts that the ugly green-eyed monster in him reared.

He turned around, heading for home, and broke into a run. Suddenly everything seemed so clear. Like crystal. Those questions he had been asking awhile earlier; the answers to them just came easily.

Because, he knew he didn't have to lose her.

"Haley? Hales, I'm home!" Nathan walked into the apartment, the sudden silence overwhelming him. "Haley?" He saw a shadow move from their bedroom, and he smiled, walking towards her. "Haley, I'm sorry. We'll go, I'll go with you. Anything you want," he said as his heart beat faster. He held out both his arms. "Come here, Hales. I understand how much this means to you. But you, you mean so much to me, too. And I won't give in unless you let me go with you."

"Nathan, I'm sorry." Taylor walked out of the shadows, her fingers clenching nervously.

Nathan stared at her, his arms lowering themselves. "What do you mean?" But even as the words left his mouth, a sinking feeling crept in. He understood perfectly well what she had meant.

"She left, Nathan."

His knees gave way, and he fell to the couch. "No," he said, shaking his head unbelievingly.

Taylor settled down beside him. "I'm sorry, Nathan. I tried."

"She couldn't have," he said numbly. "She couldn't have. She couldn't have," he repeated. Then, his eyes fell on the bracelet Haley had left beside the lamp; it was the final blow to him. His voice cracked, as he reached out and fingered the bracelet. "I gave up on her," he buried his head between his hands. "I walked out first. I shouldn't have left like that. She- she wouldn't have given up on me if I hadn't done it first."

Taylor moved closer to him, putting her hand on his back. "You have to understand where she's coming from, Nathan. It hasn't been easy getting married at sixteen."

"I walked all around town tonight, and gathered all my thoughts, and there wasn't one single thought," he said in between sharp intakes of breaths. "Not one single thought that didn't involve her." He kept on shaking his head, sometimes his words unclear. "I wanted to come back, and showed her that I loved her," he finally looked up, tears brimming from his eyes. "And I wanted to hold her in my arms, tell her that everything would work out, that it would be all right. Tell her that I would protect her, and tell her that I needed her, and that I wanted her." A tear fell from his eye, streaking down over his cheek. "And that I loved her." He choked with emotion, breaking down as the tears streamed freely down his face. "Because nothing else mattered."

"I love her, you know that Tilda?" Nathan's voice slurred dangerously. "My wife."

Taylor stared back into his blue eyes, now giddily glazed over with alcohol and took a deep breath. "I'm sure you do."

He reached for another beer can and cracked it open. "More for you?" he leaned in closer to her, his breath on her face.

"You've already finished all the vodka in this house, Nathan. That's the last beer you're holding."

He laughed, obviously inebriated. "Go buy? More?"

She looked into his eyes, and reached out to touch the side of his face before she could even stop herself. He was gorgeous, all hard and tan. Nathan had a presence about him, and he made her feel safe. Protected.

Nathan smiled back at her. "Pretty," he mumbled as he took another swig of his beer.

Taylor stared back at him for a long time. He looked the same as he did his first night. His first night which he gave to her. Drunk, and very willing.

Finally, he opened his mouth. "But not as pretty as my wiiiiiiifeeeeeeee," he slurred.

The corners of Taylor's mouth curled up in disgust. Jealously, this feeling had always been with her for a long time coming. Not now, not yesterday, but always for as long as she could remember. Haley always had it all. Talent, brains, beauty, and love. While she was always the one who had to work hard for it all. She had nothing, nothing that was of value to her, nothing like what Haley had, but she deserved so much more.

But now, that long vented up jealously, combined with a tinge of lust; that, was a dangerous thing. Without a further thought, she reached across the table, where Nathan had left the colourful bracelet sitting. Quickly she put it on her left wrist, sliding it up Nathan's chest, while her other hand crept up his back, under his shirt, her cool palm making contact with his hot sweaty skin. "Nathan," she whispered. "I'm here."

His hand caught hers, as his vision suddenly blurred. He couldn't see her, just a vague impression of her face. His sight was hazed, distorted. He couldn't make out anything, except one thing. He saw it, even in his state of intoxication, the bracelet wrapped around her wrist. He smiled. "Hales," he whispered, as he lowered his lips to hers.

Haley walked back to the apartment, her hair blowing gently in the midnight breeze. The same melody continued playing in her head, since she'd left the apartment. The simple melody she had played while she had been talking to Taylor. The words had even pieced themselves together with the song. "Someday," she sang slowly and softly under her breath. "This beach may wash away, the oceans may dry, the sun could dim." The words sounded oddly familiar, but hearing them out in reality soothed her. "But on that day, I'll still be loving you." Only when she had finished, she realized that they were Nathan's wedding vows. Her lips curved into a smile. Nathan was a big part of her world, and she couldn't have other things which she loved without Nathan, because she couldn't do them if she couldn't share them with him.

She stood in front of the door to their apartment, wondering if she should use her key, or if she should ring the doorbell. She wanted to surprise Nathan. She put one hand to the doorknob, and to her surprise, it wasn't locked. The door swung backward slowly, creaking sadly. Haley saw the trail of empty beer cans, and empty bottles on the floor, the mess on the table, wet tissues soaking up spilled puddles of alcohol. And her heart fell. Her face slowly crumpled, as her words got stuck in her throat. She wanted to cry, wanted to rub her eyes and wake up from this horrible nightmare, but nothing happened. One tear trickled down, and she put her hand to her mouth, stifling her sobs, as though willing herself not to cry.

Nathan lay there on the couch, naked. And wrapped around him was her sister, wearing nothing but Haley's bracelet.

AN: Let me know what you think! I'd really like to hear all your opinions, whether good or bad! (: Hope you liked it, more to come soon!