Hey guys! I'm back... hehehe! I'm in a good mood today... I don't know why but... whatevers.

General POV

Deb turned to see Nathan jog up the stairs and turned back around to put something in the sink. Her marriage was getting worse and worse by the moment and she didn't want Nathan to have to see her pain, she didn't want anyone to. Her head sunk and a tear fell down her cheek. She pulled herself together and wiped the tear away quickly. She pulled a cup from the cupboard and also pulled out a jar of pills. She poured some water into the cup and opened the jar. She looked at the pill in her hand for a moment before swallowing it...

Nathan ran into the hallway hoping to catch Mercedes before the bell rang but he had no luck. He was too late. He did see Brooke though, she was walking sluggishly down the hall and surprisingly she was alone. He ran up to her and stood walking alongside her.

"Hey." He said looking down on her.

"Hey." She answered looking up at him surprised.

"How are you felling?"

He and Brooke had never been close. Even when he was dating Peyton. But it wasn't like they never talked either. He felt closer to her somehow, like they were actually friends now.

"Fine. Thanks." She said in a hushed voice.

He nodded his head and put his hands in his pockets.

"Listen... Nathan..." She said after a moment of silence. "I'm sorry about how I treated you yesterday. I guess I was just being stupid or something."

"Don't worry about it Brooke. And... if you ever need anyone to talk to or anything..."

"Thanks." She said as she stopped. "Well... this is my stop." She said laughing lightly.

"Alright. I'll see you later."

"Ok. Bye." She said before she headed into her class.

Nathan continued walking down the hall and headed to the Library.

When lunch rolled around Lucas and Haley walked out onto the patio and to the table that Nathan, Mercedes, Brooke and Peyton sat enjoying lunch. Lucas sat down next to Brooke and Haley sat next to him.

"Hey guys." Mercedes said as they sat down.

"Hey." Lucas and Haley answered in unison.

"Hey Lucas..." Nathan said looking away from Mercedes but making his hold on her stronger. "Mercedes, Jake and I are going to the river court after school today. You wanna come with us?"

"Sure." Lucas answered surprised that Nathan had been the one to ask.

"You ready Peyton?" Brooke said getting up.

"Yeah." Peyton said getting up with her.

"Where are you two going?" Mercedes asked

"We have to go get some things for the squad. We'll see you guys later."

"Alright. You still coming home with me after school?"

"Yep."

"Ok."

"Ok, bye guys." Brooke said waving to the rest of the group.

They all waved and said their goodbyes. Once they were gone Mercedes loosened Nathan's hold on her and turned to face him.

"Babe... I need to ask you something." She said putting her hand on his chest.

"Oh, oh. This can't be good." He said looking at her. "What is it?"

"Umm... ok, so... I know that you and your dad aren't getting along to well, but I was kinda hoping you would convince him to come to Tric on Friday."

"Are you serious?" Lucas asked looking up at her in atonishment.

Nathan and Mercedes both turned to look at him.

"Lucas..." Haley said nudging him in the ribs lightly. "It's none of our business."

"Thank you Haley." Nathan said looking at her with a small smile before turning his attention back to Mercedes. "Babe... why would you want him there?"

"I'd really like to meet him, and your mom." She said seriously.

"Alright." Nathan answered. "I'll talk to him about it."

"Thanks babe." She said kissing him lightly. "You're the best."

They talked for a while before the bell rang. Lucas and Nathan both left together and Mercedes and Haley walked into the hallway together. Once at Haley's locker Mercedes leaned against the ones next to hers and waited for her to get her things out. She noticed a group of girls down the hall laughing and snickering at Haley.

"What's up with them?" Mercedes asked curiously looking at Haley.

Haley turned to see what she was talking about and saw the girls down the hall.

"Oh. I don't know who they are. They've been doing that ever since I came back. You know how high school is."

"But you don't know them?"

"No. That's just the way they are." Haley said sadly. "But whatever. I just ignore them."

"You shouldn't hales, you should confront them head on. Silence only makes them stronger."

Haley looked at Mercedes and smiled. "That's something that Peyton would say."

Mercedes smiled back and Haley closed her locker.

"Come on, I'll take you to class." Mercedes said looping her arm through Haley's.

They walked down the hall together and were passing the group of girls whom they were talking about. They were staring at Haley and laughing and Haley justignored them.

"You got a problem?" A short brunette said getting up from her leaning position against the lockers. Haley didn't answer and kept walking. "Bitch." The brunette continued laughing and leaning on the lockers again.

Haley felt a tug on her arm and felt Mercedes pull away. Next thing she knew Mercedes had the brunette against the lockers with her hand over her neck. She knew that she had pissed Mercedes off and if Haley wasn't gonna do anything about it then she would.

"Listen bitch." Mercedes said pinning her against the lockers. "If you ever, ever say anything to her, or even look at her funny again... I swear to God that your gonna deal with me. You got it?" The brunette nodded and Mercedes let go and backed away from her and the rest of the girls. "This is your one and only warning. Next time... your gonna have to call whoever you got to do your breasts to get your next nose job." She said before loping her arm through Haley's and walking away from them.

Haley was speechless. She honestly didn't know what to say to her right now. She looked at Mercedes and noticed how calm she was about it. Why couldn't she have that kind of confidence?

"I don't think you'll be dealing with them anymore." Mercedes said as they walked.

"Yeah... I guess not." Haley answered hesitantly trying to get the words out of her mouth.

They stopped in front of Haley's classroom and Mercedes un-looped her arm from her's.

"You ok Hales?" Mercedes asked.

"I'm fine." Haley said still a little flustered by what had just happened.

"You sure?"

"Yeah..."

"Ok. I'll talk to you later." Mercedes said walking away.

"Hey Mercedes..." Haley said getting her attention back.

"What's up?" Mercedes said walking back to her.

"Thanks... for that. I mean... I know that-"

"Don't even worry about that Hales."Mercedes said rubbing her arm "That's what friends are for." She said with a smile as she walked away.

Haley nodded her head and smiled at her before she headed into her class.

Nathan, Jake and Lucas pulled up to the Rivercourt and began warming up. Not long after Mercedes pulled up with Brooke, Peyton, Haley and Bevin. They walked onto the court and Mercedes walked over to Nathan and he hugged her. The rest of the girls said their hellos and proceeded to sit on the picnic table to watch.

"Let's shoot for teams." Lucas said shooting the ball and making it.

"How about we make things interesting..." Mercedes said pulling away from Nathan. "Jake and I on one team and you and Nathan on the other." She said walking over and looping her arm through Jake's.

"Sure..."Lucas said dribbling the ball. "If your ready to get beat."

The girls scoffed and Mercedes turned to them and smiled. She tuned back to Lucas and looked at Nathan.

"We'll see about that." She said with a wink in Nathan's direction.

Lucas turned to Nathan and Nathan just shrugged. Lucas passed the ball to Mercedes and she held it in her hand for a moment before throwing it back.

"I'll let you take it. You'll need it."

The guys laughed and the game began. At first the Scott boys had the game but when it was all said and done Mercedes and Jake won the game by two points. The girls cheered when the game was over. Nathan ran over to Mercedes and wrapped her in his arms.

"Good game." She said kissing him lightly.

"I'm trying to be a good loser." He said pulling her up to him.

"That's the spirit." She said playfully.

He let her go and held her hand as they walked over to the rest of the group.

Nathan POV

I walked into the kitchen and found my mom doing paperwork.

"Hey mom." I said walking to the fridge and getting out a water bottle.

"Hey." She said with a smile.

"Mom... there's something that I wanted to talk to you about." I said sitting down across from her.

"Ok... what is it?" She said putting her pen down.

"I know that you'll be at Trick on Friday and Mercedes said that she'd really like to meet you."

"I'd love to meet her Nathan." She said genuinely excited about it. Plus there was also a smile on her face that I hadn't seen in a while. "I'd like to meet the girl that's been putting that smile on your face Nate."

I couldn't help but smile. She was right, I had been a lot happier since Mercedes and I had been together and what was the point of trying to hide it?

"The thing is... she also want's to meet Dad." I said as the smile on my face dropped.

I don't know why Mercedes want's to meet him and I don't understand it either but what was I gonna do? Say no?

"That'll be..."

"Yeah, I know. But she said that it would mean a lot to her. I wanna be able to give her what she want's, you know? And if this is what she want's then... I was hoping you could talk to him. Convince him to come and-"

"Make him be nice?" She said reading my mind. I shook my head and she smiled. "I'll talk to him, ok?"

"Thanks mom." I said as I got up and placed my hand on top of hers.

She smiled and I left the room and headed up to my room.

Did you like it? I hope so.. .leave me a review and let me know.Thanks alot to...OTH-Mrs. Broody...I'm glad you think that Z and Nathan are so darn cute. LOL.Also...jeytonlover...I'm glad that you liked that Nathan and Brooke moment. They'll have alot of them in the story.I'm also glad that you like Nathan and Z together. And...Newyorkchicka... I think that Nathan and Z were destined for one another after all theshit that there ex's did to them. It just made sence. And to answere that last question... yes I do watch One Tree Hill. Why? And last but most def not least...brathanfan... I thought it was awsome too. LOL. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Ok everyone... I'll update as soon as I get some more reviews... Laters!