A/N: I thank all of you TONS (yes, TONS) for once again submitting all the lovely reviews, I love them, and they really do make a writer's job all the more easier (: Hope you like this chapter as much. There's a lot going on in here, hopefully it's all up to all of your standards!

Chris laughed. "Well, well. If it isn't just like the good old days. Haley James pining after a piece of Chris Keller? You missed me, huh Haley?"

Haley glared at him. "Excuse me while I just swing my right hand back here to take a punch at you," she shot back, sarcastically, irony in the situation overpowering her shock.

"Whoa, hotshot. No need for violence or pain," he smirked. "Though, I could get into it," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "If that's the kind of thing you're into, you know?"

"What? You mean, castration?" she replied, not missing a beat. "What are you really doing here, Chris?"

He laughed appreciatively at her comeback. "Are you going to invite me in or what, Haley?" he said, not answering her question.

"No, there wouldn't be enough space for your ego."

Smirking, he clapped his hands. "You're really good, James. Been practicing lately?"

"You mean the move where I kick you in the nuts? Yeah." Her retort was quick; she was obviously getting aggravated.

"Feisty. I like," he licked his lips.

Haley's eyes narrowed into little slits. "Don't say I didn't warn you. This time, her right arm really did swing out, landing a punch to the side of Chris' body.

He caught her arm in time, just before she connected with his ribcage. "Okay, okay. I'll play nice, I promise." He held up his free arm, pretending to surrender.

She yanked her arm from his grip, feeling disgusted. "No, you're going to leave."

"Come on, Haley, I drove half an hour to get here for some blind date some lawyer chick set me up onto. If she wasn't so fucking insistent, or so fucking cute," he added as an afterthought. "I wouldn't be here. Now that it's obvious that we're not going on a date, nor am I going to get into your pants, the least you could do is bring me inside and make a cup of coffee. It's freezing out here," his tone turned serious. "And besides, I want to hear your music."

She stared up at him, not knowing what she should do. He always caught her with her guard down, especially when he mentioned music. Probably because all cockiness aside, Chris understood where she was coming from with her music. He'd seen her grow with music.

Finally, she stood aside, leaving him enough space to walk into her apartment. Chris nodded, as though to say thank you, and brushed past her into her home. He took a look around, and smirked smugly. Access granted. Haley always had been easy.

"Hey there, stranger," Peyton smiled, leaning in to give Lucas a tight hug. "How've you been?"

Lucas smiled in return, hugging her back. "Been all right. Better now that I've seen you," he joked.

Jake punched him playfully on the arm. "Hey, back off."

"Jake, my man," Lucas grinned, clapping Jake on the back. "How's Jenny?"

"Doing good," the other man nodded. "Been piling on the pounds, Luke?"

"Bitch," Lucas retorted, laughing. It felt good to see them again. He'd missed them all too much.

Jake reached for Lucas' bag, and slung it over his shoulder easily. "We're going to be late, Peyton," he said, looking down at his watch.

Peyton upped her pace. "Yeah, Luke's flight came in a little later than I expected. We've got to hurry to the other terminal. You know how cranky she gets when we're late."

Jake rolled his eyes, walking faster to keep up with his girlfriend's steps. "You kidding me? Brooke's always cranky," he joked, dodging a quick slap on the arm from Peyton. "Relax, I'm just teasing you."

"Wait, Brooke's here too?" Lucas stopped in his tracks, feeling his heart skip a beat.

Peyton and Jake both stopped, and turned around to face Lucas, both silent. The bustle in the airport continued on around them; the three of them not moving. Finally Peyton spoke, "Yeah."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Nathan looked into his rear view mirror, right at his son who was strapped in the back, in his car seat. "I didn't mean to yell, okay?"

Mike looked solemn, as he fought a bout of hiccups. "I'm sorry too, Daddy," he said. "And Daddy?" he called, waiting until Nathan met his eyes again in the rear view mirror. "I love you, Daddy," Mike whispered, his solemn face finally curving into that toothless smile Nathan knew so well and loved.

"Love you too, son," Nathan smiled, feeling his heart melt. He knew he had lost his temper back then, and it was important that his son understood that he hadn't meant to. It was just that, he couldn't stand the thought of losing the CD. It may have sounded silly to the outsider's ear, him blowing his top at the loss of a single CD, but what that CD contained, was special to him. He was scared, scared that he would never hear her voice again. And that was why he had clung on so tightly to it.

"He doesn't look at me the way he looks at you," the woman next to him spoke softly, trying to keep Mike from hearing her words. "He doesn't look at me with pride and love."

"Well, maybe he would if you actually were around more. I'm surprised he even remembers you exist," Nathan answered, keeping his voice low as well. "It takes more than child birth to be a mother."

Her eyes softened as she turned her head to look at him. He drove on ahead, his face expressionless as he kept his eyes on the road. "Where did we go wrong, Nathan?" she spoke, this time her voice barely above a whisper.

He looked straight on, not answering her question. She turned back, thinking that he hadn't heard her in the first place. But finally he answered, his voice even softer than hers. "What makes you think we were ever right? Maybe we were wrong from the very beginning."

She swallowed hard, and turned away from him, merely looking out of the window. She hadn't had an answer to that.

"So, how's the music going?" Chris took a sip of the coffee Haley had prepared. He swallowed, and then quickly stuck out his tongue. "Damn, lady, this coffee's burning."

"Oops," Haley looked at him, without much conviction. "My bad," she said half-heartedly.

He glared at her. "I know you don't like me all that much, but there's no need to burn my tongue, is there?"

She widened her eyes mockingly. "Did I just hear you right? You left your ego at the doorstep, or something? I thought Chris Keller thought everyone was in love with him."

He squinted at her. "Haley, all I did was ask you a question. How's the music going?"

Haley ran a hand through her hair, and exhaled noisily. "It's not going, okay, Chris?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know! It's just not coming, all right? Quit asking." She glared at him, folding her arms across her chest defensively.

"Why isn't it coming?"

"I don't know, dammit!"

Chris smirked. "Well, I do. You're carrying excess baggage with you, Haley. And more baggage that your pretty little sexy body can take," he grinned as she threw a cushion at him. "And until you get rid of that baggage, everything you write is basically going to suck."

"No kidding," she retorted. "What are you now, a shrink?"

"No," he said slowly, dragging out the syllable, like a pre-school teacher. "I'm a musician, like you, Haley. The only difference is, I'm better."

"Go to hell, Keller." She looked straight ahead, suddenly feeling very tired. Her bones ached and her muscles felt strained. She wondered why, she had been feeling this way for a few days. "Of all people. Of the millions of people in the world, and you, of all people turn up on my doorstep? God must be playing some kind of cruel joke on me."

He looked at her for a long time, studying her closely, disregarding her outburst. "How come you're not with Nathan, Haley? You gave your dream up for him."

She stared at him incredulously, breathing hard, trying to compose her thoughts. It had been a long story, one she didn't necessarily felt like sharing with Chris, so she simply shrugged. "Things changed."

"Yeah, but people don't, Haley. And music doesn't. Look at me, Haley, I haven't changed, I still write the same honest music- " he started.

"And you're still the same arrogant jerk," she said, finishing his sentence.

"Well, yeah, that too. Look, that's not the point, Haley. You haven't changed, and neither has your talent. Look inside of you, it's in there somewhere, along with all that crap you're still carrying around of Nathan. As corny as it sounds, you have to come to peace with yourself, first and foremost. Clear your system, and then it will come."

She stared at him, surprised. "You know, that's the most brilliant thing I've ever heard come out from your mouth?"

"Thank you," he said, suavely lowering his voice. "I accept all sorts of payments. Cash, credit cards, kisses?" he raised an eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes at him again, shoving her palm into his puckered-up lips. "I take back what I just said," she muttered dryly, under her breath.

Peyton took a sideway glance at Jake, who turned to look at her the exact moment she did. He shook his head slightly, and turned his sight back to the road, his foot coming down lightly on the brakes. Shifting the car into neutral, and pulling the handbrake up, he turned around to face Brooke and Lucas in the backseat. "Hey, we're just going to go get Jenny's from my aunt's, all right? Be right back."

Peyton turned around to face the both of them too. "I'll go with Jake. You both just," she waved her hands in the air. "Catch up or something."

Brooke glared at her best friend, her eyes shooting daggers her way. Peyton just smiled at her, and slipped out of the car, taking Jake's hand as they made their way up the driveway of the apartment building they had just stopped in front of. Folding her arms across her chest, she shifted in the seat, angling her body away from Lucas, her gaze settling on the tree outside. It had been years, and she had been strong, but now, so close to him, she felt her guard crumbling. And she wouldn't let that happen, she had worked too hard, and spent too many nights waiting by the phone for it to happen.

"Hey," he said, simply, looking at her.

She didn't reply. Instead, she just pulled her coat tighter around her body, and continued staring out the window. He stared at her rigid movements; his heart aching. Those very same beautiful eyes which had once stared up at him in passion, now only stared at him in contempt.

"What's so interesting about that damn tree?" he asked, keeping his voice in a teasing tone, in an attempt to keep the tension surrounding them at bay.

Still no answer.

"What happened to us, Brooke?" he asked, more seriously. He scooted a little closer, not having been this nervous in years.

Slowly, finally, she turned to face him, her lips pursed tightly together. She blinked in disbelief, shaking her head. "There is no us, Lucas."

"There is no us," he repeated slowly after her, his heart aching. "Then where are we at now?"

"We're here," Brooke said softly. "We're here, but we're in no way together. We're here to help Haley. Just remember that."

"Is there no way around that?" he asked, his eyes looking straight into hers, pleadingly.

She laughed, a quick short outburst of sarcastic laughter. "Do you know how many nights I've stayed up waiting to have this conversation? Many, Lucas. Too much for me to remember. But it never happened. You never called, you never came, you never wrote, you never fought for me," her steely voice cracked a little at the final few words. "So why until now, Lucas? Because it's convenient for you? Because I'm here right now?"

He only stared at her, not having an answer in hand.

She shook her head, this time sadly. "I thought so," she said, her voice tinged with regret. And with that, she turned away from him again, looking out of the window.

"Deb?" Dan walked into the room, his eyes studying his wife as she bustled around the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner. "Where's Nathan? He was supposed to go for a jog with me."

Deb shrugged, wiping her hands on the pink apron she wore tied at her waist. "He left awhile ago with Mike. Something about going to the music school."

Dan stopped short at her words, his blood running cold. No. It couldn't be. "To the music school, you said?" he asked again, making sure.

"Yeah, something about meeting Mike's piano teacher."

Goddammit. I have worked too hard for this to happen. I will not let that bitch ruin Nathan's life. His thoughts raged as he grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter, heading for the door.

Mel sighed to herself, stretching as she yawned out aloud. She had went through the accounts of the music school for this month, checked through the progress report of the students, and completed an inventory check on the equipment the school carried. Business was good, thanks to Haley. She had thrown her whole heart and soul into teaching these kids, and her passion reflected on the children, and on the school's good name. Standing up, she grabbed her bag, about to close up, when she heard a knock on the door. Curious to see who would drop by this late at night, she walked quickly to the door, opening it.

A small boy with blonde hair stood outside, a young couple standing behind him. The man looked weary, and the woman looked unconcerned. The boy looked familiar to her, though. Mel crinkled up her nose, trying to think where she had seen him before.

"Hello, welcome to the Jennings School of Music. I'm Melissa Jennings. How may I help you?" she smiled brightly, her voice professional, shaking his hand firmly.

The man smiled tightly back at her. "Hi, I'm Mike Scott's father. We need to talk to his piano teacher, if that's possible? He just started class a week ago."

"I'm sorry, but all teachers are off for the night. Can I help you, perhaps?"

He let out a sigh. "Well, it's funny, actually. Mike here gave his piano teacher a present, a CD actually, without my permission."

Mel nodded. So that's where she remembered the boy from. "And you'd like to have it back?"

Mike looked up at his father as Nathan spoke. "Yeah, actually I do. It's terrible of me to take a gift back, I know, but it's of sentimental value. I hope you understand."

She nodded again. The customer was always right. Blind date or no blind date, she would just have to call Haley. "Well, if you'd wait just a little while, I'll call Mike's teacher, and if she's okay with it, she can drop by and unlock her office to get the CD for you. And that way she can talk to you about Mike's progress as well," she smiled, reaching for her cell phone. "I hear he's very talented with the piano."

"Thank you very much, Ms. Jennings," he let out a sigh of relief as he sank down on the couch in the waiting area, Mike beside him, pulling his mother down as well. "I hate to trouble the both of you like this."

Haley flipped her cell phone shut. "Hey, I've got to go back to the school for a little while," she said. Noticing his confused expression, she quickly explained. "I teach at a music school. And I'm needed back there now." She rose, quickly getting her coat. "It's just two blocks away from here. Won't be long."

Chris stood up along with her. "Why, what's wrong?"

Haley shrugged, pulling on her coat, deciding to bring along a pair of gloves. "Mel didn't really say, I think she was keeping her call short because she was low on prepaid credit. Probably some picky parents who want to see me."

"Well, I'll walk you there," he said indifferently. "I'd like to see this music school."

She turned around, halfway out of the door, an eyebrow raised. "What's with the nice Chris, all of a sudden? I'm not quite sure I can take it."

He rolled his eyes and shoved her out of the door. "Shut up and move that cute butt of yours."

The door closed behind them, just as Haley glared at him and retorted to his remark, and just as the phone rang.

Brooke and Lucas followed Peyton and Jake up a flight of stairs, Jenny in his arms. "I called the apartment and there was no answer, so she's probably putting in a late night at the school," Peyton explained as they walked up.

"That's our Haley for you," Jake said. "Working late even on Friday nights."

"So, this is where she spends all her time?" Brooke finally spoke, breaking the silence between her and Lucas. "Seems like a nice place."

"It is," Peyton said. "I think you'd like her boss even better. Mel," she said. "She's like a taller version of you," she continued, laughing as they slowed to a stop in front of the music school doors. Pausing awhile, she joked. "But there's probably no one in there except for our little workaholic friend, though," she said, before pushing the doors open.

She was wrong.

"Peyton?" Nathan's voice sounded disbelieving. His eyes widened even further as Jake with Jenny, Brooke and Lucas all trudged in from the cold through the doors, behind Peyton. "What are you guys doing here?"

Peyton stared at him incredulously, her mouth agape. "I was about to ask you the same thing myself."

The doors pushed opened again. "Nathan, your mother made dinner, let's go home." Dan Scott stood there, a menacing figure. He would try anything to get his son out of there. Maybe it had been a bad idea to continue to let Mike learn piano from Haley. He had planned and calculated it all so carefully, so intricately, that he had dismissed the possibility that Nathan would meet her by accident. But even the confident tone of Dan faltered, as he looked around the room, confused. He caught Lucas' eye as he looked around; Lucas stared right back at him, his eyes intense.

"Dad?" Nathan said, this time sounding even more confused than the first. "What are you doing here?" he asked again, his time looking at Dan.

Mel stood there, her brow creased. "Okay, I really don't mean to be rude, but what is going on here?"

As though on cue, the doors pushed open a third time. And Nathan felt as though his heart stopped.

Haley stood there, Chris right behind her. Her mouth fell opened as she took in the sight before her. Mel stood behind the reception table, looking more bewildered than she had ever seen her. Peyton shook her head slowly, disbelievingly at the sight of Chris and Haley, while Jake stood beside her, a sleeping Jenny oblivious in his arms; his face straight, his expression neutral. Brooke was perched on the edge of the small square coffee table next to Jake, her arms folded defiantly across her chest. Lucas stood all the way across the room from her, his arms stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, his signature deep gaze drilling into her even though he was so far away. Dan was nearest to her, looming over her petite frame, his stance intimidating as he stared angrily at her. But what caught her eye, most of all, was little Mike, looking sleepy, sitting in Nathan's lap. They both stared at her, Mike's gaze with delight at the sight of his teacher, Nathan's gaze clouded over with an emotion that Haley couldn't read. They stayed that way for a while, him looking at her, and her back at him. Finally, she tore her glance away, and it fell on the woman sitting next to him.

Then, the four walls of her world came crashing down. Because sitting next to Nathan, a hand casually resting on his knee, was Taylor.

A/N: Leave me some reviews and let me know what you think! I love feedback :)