So this is a super cheesy fic that I had written parts of years ago but never got around to finishing. Then I heard a new song yesterday called "Friends Don't" by Maddie and Tae and got inspired to re-visit this, and well, here it is.

Hope ya like it!

. . . .

They don't cancel other plans

have conversations with nothing but their eyes

they don't hear each other's names and forget to concentrate

hits a nerve and lights you up like dynamite.

"Hey," Haley James swung open the front door to her home and greeted her life-long best friend with surprised smile. She hadn't planned on seeing him tonight, otherwise maybe she wouldn't have opened the door in her black yoga pants and ratty old t-shirt that once belonged to him.

"Hey," Nathan grinned. "Can I come in?" It was then that she noticed he was holding up a bag of her favorite chips in one hand and a bottle of red wine in the other.

She hesitated briefly, getting lost in his blue eyes before swiftly stepping aside to create a big enough space for him to enter. "Not that I don't mind seeing you but didn't you have plans with the guys tonight?"

"Yeah," Nathan put down the wine and chips on the nearest table, then shrugged off his leather jacket before haphazardly tossing it on the living room chair. Haley raised her eyebrow and he grimaced. He knew that look. It was her stern teacher/mother gaze— one that he'd grown to know (and love) over the years. Silently, he picked the coat up from the chair and walked to her coat closet to properly hang it up.

She was waiting patiently for an answer when he started to approach her again. "I'd rather hang out with you, Hales."

She listened to the pounding against her chest, the thump, thump, thumping, like the sound of a ticking time-bomb ready to explode. Like so many times before, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a hug. His fresh, familiar, manly scent enveloped her nostrils, and like a drug, she could get high off of it.

Haley pressed her fingertips into his strong back and breathed contently. He'd been on a business trip the whole week and she hadn't gotten to see him. She missed him more than she knew she should and couldn't explain the happiness bursting inside of her when he showed up at her door unannounced.

"Did Clay cancel again?" She laughed and reluctantly pulled away from his strong arms. She couldn't help but notice how his white t-shirt clung to his body, showcasing the bulging veins carving rivers through his firm muscles. Subconsciously, her tongue snuck through her lips and added drops of moisture to the dry skin.

"Nah," Nathan pulled her by the hand and dragged her to the couch where they plopped down next to each other. "I did."

"What? Why would you do that?"

His calloused hand was still wrapped around hers and she tried not to fidget restlessly against the cushion when he squeezed it softly.

"You said you had a rough week," he shrugged again, "and like I said, I'd rather hang out with you."

Haley's lips sloped upwards at the way the skin around his eyes crinkled into tightly pinched webs. His eyes had always been her favorite view. The iris' were like two glass jars holding water from the clearest and brightest ocean; she swore the color blue never looked better anywhere else.

Nathan couldn't look away; between her soft pink lips and warm brown eyes, he was in a trance. Under a spell. No force on earth could tear his gaze from her face. It had only been a week since he last saw her but he swore, somehow, she was more beautiful than the images displayed in the museum behind his mind.

Friends don't call you in the middle of the night

couldn't even tell you why

they just felt like saying hi

His throat started to dry and he desperately wished they had cracked open the bottle of wine. Haley blinked softly. Nathan smiled. He called her last night and woke her up just to say hi. She pretended to be annoyed but her giggles had implied otherwise. He couldn't help himself. She was the first person he thought about when he woke up and the last person on his mind before falling asleep. He wanted to be with her constantly. Sure, Lucas and Clay gave him a hard time for cancelling their plans tonight but the truth was that he couldn't go another second without seeing Haley.

"Where's Hurricane Gracie?"

Haley laughed. He adored her three-year-old daughter just as much as she adored him. The two were practically inseparable. Nathan had been there for them more than her ex-husband ever was. Ironically, Nathan traveled for his job. Mitchell barely worked— except, apparently only to go into the office to screw his secretary.

"Brooke and Julian have her tonight. They said they need all the practice they can get before the twins come."

"I hope I can see her soon. I miss that little fireball."

"She misses you, too," Haley dropped her head on his shoulder and yawned. Damn, this week was exhausting.

Nathan stared at her and smiled, "I can leave if you're tired."

"No," she protested loudly, "I mean- who else would I drink this wine with?"

He chuckled, "alright, I see how it is. I'm only good for my wine, huh?"

"Yup," she giggled, "you got me. Almost twenty years of friendship and I only keep you around so you bring me things."

"Wow," he feigned betrayal, "I'm so hurt."

"Oh, shush," she giggled when his hands started to tickle her. She fell back onto the couch, rupturing with laugher. She loved the playfulness between them; it hadn't changed since they first met when they were twelve-years-old. Nathan and his mother had moved in the house next to Haley's. He had been playing basketball when she first approached him, asking if she could join because her brothers never let her. He smiled and bounced the ball to her. She fumbled with it and tried to throw it into the hoop but missed completely. Instead of laughing at her, Nathan offered to teach her.

In-between ages twelve and thirty-two, an entire history unfolded. Together they navigated the awkwardness and dramas of high-school; Nathan developed quite a reputation as Tree Hill's playboy and cycled through girls like socks. Haley, on the other hand, was the shy, nerdy tutor who secretly harbored feelings for her best friend. Of course, she never told anyone and decided to date Brad, the class President when he asked her out in eleventh grade. When he tried to slide his hand up her skirt one night at a party— even after telling him to stop— Nathan came up behind him and punched him square in the jaw.

Needless to say, they broke up after that. Graduation soon came, and the best friends reluctantly parted ways; Nathan went to Duke on a basketball scholarship and Haley went across the country to Stanford, majoring in English education. They still remained close friends during the long four-years, only seeing each other on school breaks and talking occasionally through phone and emails. It was at college where Haley met Mitch. Nathan remembered meeting him when they spent the summer together in Tree Hill. He hated him instantly but after seeing how happy Haley was, he decided not to say anything. After graduating, they both returned to Tree Hill. Nathan had gotten injured in a game and had to say goodbye to his dream of playing in the NBA. Luckily, he had a business degree and he and his former roommate, Clay Evans, decided to start a sports agency called Fortitude.

Haley also returned to Tree Hill with Mitch. She got a teaching job and he was an accountant. She, Nathan, and their other high school friends often met-up once a week, rekindling their old friendships. She was proud of the man he became; Haley noticed first-hand how mature Nathan Scott became. He'd finally shed his playboy ways and evolved into a confident, smart, and handsome man.

Secretly, Haley felt guilty for pulling away when she married Mitch. Nathan was always so important to her but she lost sight of her priorities. He, of course, was incredibly understanding and patient, but it wasn't until she started going through trouble with Mitch that she realized just how caring he was.

He was there for her the day Gracie was born. Mitch was out golfing and conveniently his phone was off. So, Nathan was there to hold her hand while she screamed and swore she'd never go through this again.

He was there again to hold her on the kitchen floor the night she found out Mitch was cheating. He dried her tears and held her close, offering to pummel Mitch until he couldn't breathe.

He was there everyday to check on her after work when the divorce was getting finalized. When it was, and Mitch took off to live in Hawaii with his new girlfriend, Haley realized just how much happier and freer she felt. She and Nathan's friendship was stronger now than ever, and she couldn't imagine her life without him.

"Nathan! Don't tickle me!" Haley admonished through her fit of giggles.

He was grinning wide and watched as she thrashed below him. In that moment, she'd never been more beautiful. He'd seen her in dresses, a bathing suit, jeans and a t-shirt— and while every look was sexy as hell— nothing beat a candid, carefree Haley James.

The gentle waves of her honey brown hair fanned across the couch cushion, exposing the creamy white skin of her neck. It took all of his power not to lean down and kiss her.

We're just friends, he chanted. It was something he had to repeat to himself all of the time.

Friends don't stand around playing with their keys

finding reasons not to leave

trying to hind the chemistry

drive a little too slow

take the long way home

get a little too close

'cause we do

but friends don't

They spent the rest of the night like that; in-between getting drunk on wine and getting a little too close, they laughed wildly, reminiscing on old jokes and new banter. When it came time to leave, Nathan reluctantly stood up from the couch, mumbling something about it being one in the morning and needing his beauty sleep.

He fiddled for his car keys in the back pocket of his jeans and sighed. He really didn't want to leave.

Haley didn't want him to leave either, but she didn't know how to ask him to stay.

"I have to go to the bathroom," he lied— anything to get him to stay longer.

"Okay," Haley nodded. "You know where it is."

He returned a few minutes later to find Haley cleaning up their slight mess.

"Here, let me help you."

She smiled and lead him into the kitchen where she rinsed the wine glasses in the sink and he threw away their napkins and paper-plates. Every few seconds, his hand would accidentally brush against her side, sending a row of chills down both of their spines.

Their gazes collided again, causing Haley to blush under Nathan's heated stare. He was moving slowly, almost reluctantly around the kitchen, fiddling with things and asking silly questions like 'where'd you get this salt shaker?'

It was at the tip of her tongue to ask him the question that had been pressing her mind for the past six-weeks. Ever since Brooke put the idea in her head, it was all she'd been able to think about.

"Are you blind? Nathan is completely in love with you!"

"Brooke, stop. We're just friends."

"Yeah? Well friends don't call each other in the middle of the night with no reason why. They don't hug for as long as you two do, and they sure as hell don't talk about the future and put each other in it the way you do! Friends don't call each other drunk and almost say 'I love you!'"

Haley bit her lip. A few weeks ago Nathan was out drinking with the guys and called her late. She was used to it; he was always calling her to tell her something or to just say hi. But this time, he was rambling about how happy he was that she was in his life. He kept stuttering on 'I have to tell you something…' she laughed at the time, noticing how drunk he sounded. But then he kept repeating how serious he was and it made her nervous. What did he have to tell her? She never did find out. Lucas took the phone away from him and apologized, saying they'd all had a bit too much liquor. Haley didn't think too much about it until she told Brooke the next day, and that was when she'd told her that Nathan was in love with her.

Was he? Haley sometimes questioned if his playful teasing was really flirting, and why he always blushed whenever she grabbed his arm. She questioned why her heart palpitated at the mere mention of his name. She didn't act that way around any of her other friends.

Brooke was right though, friends don't act the way they do. Haley knew that, and the truth was, she didn't want to be just friends with Nathan any longer. She wanted more.

"Can I ask you something?" Her stomach did a somersault and she knew it was the wine that gave her the courage to turn and face him. Nathan stilled his movements and stepped in front of her.

"You can ask me anything, Hales."

She nodded slowly and inhaled a deep, encouraging breath, "I keep… I keep telling myself this might be nothing—"

"What?" He whispered.

"—But one look in your eyes, Nathan, and God, there's something. You can lie to me and say you don't, but I know you do…"

He watched her and almost gasped when her palm gently cupped his cheek.

"I love you, too."

He blinked.

She bit her lip.

Thump. Thump. Thumping.

"How… how'd you know?" Nathan leaned closer into her touch. His eyes fell closed when her breath mingled in his ear.

"Because friend's don't act the way we do. I'm so in love with you and I'm sorry it took me this long to realize—,"

His eyes fluttered open again and he mirrored her smile, "I'm sorry I didn't say it first."

"You almost did," she giggled, "that night when you were out drinking. You called to tell me you were in love with me, didn't you?"

"I've just been trying to find the perfect way to tell you. I was so scared—,"

"It's okay," Haley drew his lips just inches from hers, "I love you, Nathan."

He instantly wrapped his arms around her waist and twirled her through the air while their lips met in a fiery kiss. Almost twenty years of sexual tension poured through them, lighting their souls on fire. The heat between them nearly crackled through the humid air— a lightning bolt couldn't generate as much as electricity as much as t

"I love you so much, Haley James," Nathan gently placed her onto the counter as she clung fiercely to him. "I've been in love with you since the day we met. It feels so good to finally tell you."

Haley drew her eyebrow high on her forehead, and laughed, "you didn't tell me. I said it first, so, ha!"

"What am I going to do with you?" He laughed into her neck before biting it softly.

"Well, you can start with ripping my clothes off," she winked.

"Oh, no. I've waited twenty years for you, Hales. We're doing this the right way. I want to take it sweet and slow."
Her hands gripped his shoulders and she wrapped her legs around his bottom half again, "then what the hell are you waiting for? Take me to my room." When she bit softly on the edge of his ear, Nathan didn't need any more convincing.

Gently, he carried her to her bedroom and laid her across her bed. They smiled in the moonlight leaking through the window. When he peeled the t-shirt from his chest, Haley laughed through her beaming smile.

"What?" He asked, nipping at her collarbone.

"Friend's definitely don't do what we're about to do."

"Good thing we're not friends anymore," Nathan grinned when his hands started to map the newfound land of her skin. "You're my future wife."