Author's Note: Sorry for the wait in the update! I'll try and update more often from now! Hope you like this chapter, please review – they really encourage me to write more – and faster! I know I left the disclaimer off the last chapter and I'll probably forget again so this one applies to the whole story.

(Letters in bold italics are lyrics to the song Still Holding Out For You by SheDaisy.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or anything to do with it. Neither do I own Still Holding Out For You by SheDaisy.

2. Being Without You

She sat on the edge of her bed and finally let the tears roll down her cheeks. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before re opening them. She took a long look around the room, surveying every piece intently. Getting up from her position, she picked up a framed photograph of them. Her heart felt dull and ached continuously, she knew he would help her. She knew he would rush over to her and be her saviour. He truly was her knight in shining armour and that's what scared her sometimes. What would happen if they were apart? What would she do without him? She knew she left him heart broken, but it was for the best. She couldn't deal with everything in Tree Hill right now, so she had come to her home in Charleston. No-one knew about her other home and she was beyond relieved at that fact. She didn't want anyone to see her in her current state. They were all the same in Tree Hill; they all hid their true feelings – leading to the drama that occurred on a daily basis. But no matter what happened, it was alright, because they were there and that was all she needed – other than the love of her life who was currently tossing and turning in his bed at home in Tree Hill……….

'I need her. She has to be alright – what am I going to do without her?' I need to get out of here.'

Never thought I'd be in this place

Someone else's life I'm living

Wish I were living a lie

Having reached his destination, Nathan began shooting hoops at the Rivercourt – his sanctuary before she had entered his life. He remembered her smile. Her angelic smile that still made him swoon.

The hardest part is when the bough breaks

Falling down and then forgiving

You didn't kiss me goodbye

Dribbling the ball he had brought up the court, he jumped up to dunk it through the hoop, closing his eyes, seeing her own pair staring back at him. Her beautiful, captivating eyes. His smile had faded by the time he reached the ground as he thought of how the last time he had seen her eyes; they were filled with unshed tears. He needed to see her. To wash away her fears. He couldn't leave her – she was alone without anyone to look after her. Without anyone to make Mac 'n' Cheese for her. Without anyone to ramble on about politics with her. He missed her. He worried for her. He was scared for her.

I'm choking on the words I didn't get to say

And pray I get the chance one day

And as much as she hated to admit it – she was too. She needed someone. But she wouldn't let Nathan help her, she wouldn't. So instead, she called the one person she could depend on, the one person who could understand.

I still run, I still swing open the door

I still think, you'll be there like before

Doesn't everybody out there know to never come around?

Some things a heart won't listen to

I'm still holding out for you

Her trembling hands dialled the numbers carefully and slowly.

"Hello?" The person on the receiving end asked.

But nothing came out of her mouth.

"Hello?"

She tried, but still, words wouldn't form.

"Who is this?"

She willed herself to speak. She knew she could.

"Is that you?"

Speak. Speak. Speak. She chanted the words in her head, if only she could say them out loud.

"Please, if it's you, tell me where you are. Please."

It is me. I need you. I need someone. Help. She thought. But instead of speaking, she broke down into an uncontrollable fit of cries. And still, the receiver held on. And after she had controlled her emotions, she whispered into the phone,

"Peyton?"

"I'm here honey."

"Will you meet me somewhere?"

"Sure thing."

And before she knew it, Peyton was with her in Charleston, rocking her as she cried.

"Peyton?" She whispered.

"Yes?"

"Please don't tell anyone where I am. I just need to be alone for a while and do some stuff."

"Sure thing." She knew what it was like, going through that kind of pain and she knew she should let her do whatever she felt necessary. She sometimes wondered if it would have been better if she had stayed away for a while herself. "But remember, I'm your best friend and nothing can change that. So call me whenever you want to and don't go too far from Tree Hill." She replied, before she left.

It was two months since Peyton had seen her. No-one had heard from her. The town was still moving on from the recent tragedy, but Nathan was worse than a train wreck.

I can hear you smile in the dark

I can even feel you breathing

But daylight chases the ghosts

I see your coat and I fall apart

To those hints of you I'm clinging

Now's when I need them most

I should get up, dry my eyes and move ahead

At least that's what you would have said

He barely slept anymore, hardly ate and all he breathed was basketball. He missed them, but he missed her more. So he threw himself into the one thing he knew wouldn't leave him – basketball.

"Hey Nathan, do you want to go shoot some hoops?" Lucas asked as he walked into his brother's room.

"Hmm." He replied. Lucas sighed. His brother had been like this since she left and so far, there was no sign of him getting better. He would mope around the house and grabbed any opportunity to play the game they both shared a love for – basketball. If only she would come back, only then would Nathan be whole again. Only then would the town stop feeling like a ghost town and return to life.

It was later that night and Nathan was still tossing and turning in his bed, restlessly. He couldn't take his mind off her, it was all he breathed and every time he slept, he dreamt of the good times they shared and that would just make waking up in the morning even harder. He tried to go back to trying to living a normal life again, but without the sight of his beautiful girlfriend waking him up every morning, without the comfort of her parents, without the smell of her jasmine and honey perfume intoxicating his every moment, it just didn't seem worth it any longer. All he wanted to do was find her, comfort her and capture the feeling of being with her and never letting it go, for now, all he felt was empty and numb.

I still run, I still swing open the door

I still think, you'll be there like before

Doesn't everybody out there know to never come around

Some things a heart won't listen to

I'm still holding out for you

Faithfully, I trace your name while you sleep

It's the only true comfort I feel

And that's when he heard it.

He could smell it.

He could feel it tingling in his veins.

He could almost breathe the intoxicating scent.

Sparks of his heart's emotion electrocuted his skin.

His heart began to thump louder and louder

faster and faster.

He descended the steps slowly and surely, scared of what he would find.

His feet felt the coldness of the kitchen tiles as he tiptoed across the room towards the back door.

His hand froze on the door knob.

Did he want to know what was on the other side of the door?

Would it simply be another let down?

And more importantly, did he want to risk the heartbreak all over again?

With one deep breath he opened the door only to find nothing there.

Absolutely nothing.

He walked outside to the beach, barefoot, clad in basketball shorts and an oversized t-shirt. He stood by the water, closing his eyes. He breathed in and out a few times, taking in the familiar scent of the salty air – and that's when he caught it.

That smell. He had smelt that scent before. It took him a few seconds to figure it out, but when he did, his heart began to beat faster again and despite his best efforts to suppress the feeling of hope, he found he couldn't. The overwhelming sense of hope, fear and love crashed down on Nathan in that instant and all he could do was whisper,

"Jasmine and Honey," as he felt a pair of small hands find their way around his waist, hugging him from behind.

I still run, I still swing open the door

I still think you'll be there like before

I still run, I still swing open the door

I still think, you'll be there like before

Doesn't everybody out there know to never come around

Some things a heart won't listen to

I'm still holding out for you

Holding out

Holding out for you

Author's Note: Please Review