A/N: Thanks for the reviews:) Finally some LP and NH in the same update!

continuing the flashback from Charleston...

"Oh my god!" Peyton exclaimed as she slammed her door shut against the rain.

Lucas did the same on the other side of her. He was laughing.

"How is this funny!" Peyton asked him. "Look at me!" Her clothes were actually dripping, her makeup smudged, and her hair was almost perfectally straight. Lucas laughed again, earning himself a smack.

Cold, Lucas found a sweatshirt in the back of his truck and threw it on himself. After he saw Peyton shivering, he took it off and gave it to her.

"Thanks," she said as she pulled it over her head. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms.

"It's going to rain," she said, mocking him. "Try it's going to torrential downpour."

"Do I look like a weatherman?" Lucas threw back at her, his teeth cattering.

Peyton went to pull the sweatshirt back off. "Here- it's your sweatshirt-"

Lucas stopped her. "No, I gave it to you. I can deal."

Peyton gave him a smile. She opened up the mirror above her head and groaned. As she was trying to fix her hair, Lucas remembered something. "You never answered my question."

"What question," Peyton asked, knowing what question he was talking about. She thought the rain had saved her from replying.

"Why you can't help opening up with me."

Peyton played with the ties of the hood on his sweatshirt. She bit her lip. "I don't know," she replied truthfully."It just.. happens."

Lucas nodded, smiling slightly. "We should get going," he said as he started up the car.

"Yeah," she replied, nervous suddenly for some reason.

It had been a quiet ride home.

end flashback

XOXXOXOXXOXOXOXXOXOXOXXOXOXOXX

Bringing herself back to the dinner, Peyton cleared her throat, earning a look from Lucas. She shrugged her shoulders at him but he continued to look at her strangely.

"Haley," Peyton spoke into the silence of the table. "I was thinking."

"Okay.." Haley said slowly as she looked at her sideways from her seat. "About what?"

"I have two bedrooms in my apartment, and I was going to find a roommate... but since you're looking for an apartment... I was wondering if you'd like to stay with me? You'd be out of their hair-" she nodded towards Lucas and Brooke "- and I don't mind you coming and going at all hour of the day and-"

"Peyton, I'd love to," Haley cut her off from her rantings.

"Really?" Peyton asked surprised.

"Yeah.. I'm getting real tired of the married people and it would be nice to get to know you again."

Peyton smiled widely. "Very cool."

Later that night, Peyton and Nathan were helping Haley haul her stuff into Peyton's apartment. Nathan kept looking evily at Peyton because she had made him help, but Peyton couldn't help herself. It was too amusing of an opportunity to pass up.

"That's the last trip for tonight, I guess," Haley said coming out of her new room. "Everything I need for tommorrow is here, so we can lug the rest in here later."

Peyton nodded. "Good, cause it is getting late," she said as she glanced at a clock. "I've got work early..."

"Oh and I have to go," Haley muttered, looking at the clock. Peyton noticed a look pass between Haley and Nathan. Peyton raised her eyebrows.

"Where could you possibly be going at 12:30 at night? Work?"

"Yes, actually. Have warm-ups for my show tommorrow," she said as she ran in her room to get her guitar.

"At 12:30?"

Haley nodded vigorously. "I love the hours, really."

"Okay, I'll see ya tommorrow," Peyton told her. This was going to take some getting used to.

Nathan stretched and yawned. "And I really should get going. I have those things called classes early in the morning."

Haley was already at the door. "By the way Peyton, since your house is my house, my car is now your car," she told Peyton with a grin. "Just don't crash it, I've seen you drive."

"Bye, Haley." Peyton told her, grinning back. "And bye Nathan."

Nathan headed towards the door directly following Haley. He waved back at Peyton, shutting the door.

Peyton sunk into her couch tiredly, taking note in the fact that Nathan always seemed to leave somewhere at the same time as Haley. She got ready and headed into bed for the night.

XOXOXXOXOXXOXOXOXXOXOXOXX

The next morning, Peyton found Haley at the table, eating some kind of meal. Peyton wasn't quite sure what it was.

"You don't have any coffee," Haley said as she walked into the room. Peyton saw that she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Good morning to you too," Peyton responded, laughing slightly at Haley's appearance. "Late night?"

"Mmm. Try never went to bed."

"Well then you should be sleeping, not eating."

"I was hungry," Haley managed to mutter.

Peyton laughed again. "I've missed you, Haley."

"Me too."

Peyton had been itching to ask her a question since last night. Maybe since she was half asleep, she might supply Peyton with an answer instead of skirting around the question.

"Haley, I have a question for you. I've been wanting to ask you and I think I need to before I go crazy."

"Okay, shoot," Haley said as she joined Peyton on the couch.

"What happened... between you and Nathan?"

Haley looked a little more awake now. "That's quite a question, Peyton."

"I know. And if you don't want to talk about it-"

"No, I'll talk about it. It's just a big answer."

"Okay," Peyton said eagerly. "Start with the night you came back. What happened at the hospital that night?"

Haley laughed at Peyton's excitement. "Okay.."

start flashback

Nathan, Deb and Haley entered the hospital, Deb rushing to the front desk to ask about Dan. Haley glanced awkwardly at Nathan, biting her lip. Nathan wouldn't look at her. He looked dazed. Haley tentatively reached up her hand to his arm. She layed it there for a second, but then Nathan pulled his arm away from her.

Deb came rushing back to them just then. "He's in the operating room right now," she told the two, her voice breathless. "He might not make it, Nate."

"What's wrong with him?" Nathan asked, speaking for the first time since getting in the car to come to the hospital.

"His office was on fire. No one knows why he didn't leave it or anything. The police said that they're investigating it. He's being treated for severe burns and smoke inhalation. And with his heart, that's not a good thing."

Nathan nodded, looking overwhelmed.

"Let's sit," Deb suggested. "You need anything Nathan? Haley?" Nathan shook his head, while Haley said no thanks.

They settled into their chairs just as Lucas walked into the lobby where the other three were.

"What happened?" Lucas asked as he spotted Deb and Nathan. Nathan glared at him, still angry at him. His eyes continued on to Haley. "Haley?"

Haley smiled sadly in greeting as Deb explained the situation again to Lucas. After she was finished, Lucas let out a breath and sat himself down next to Haley.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Haley under his breath. Haley glanced at Nathan.

"I- uh- I think I am going to get something. Anyone else want anything?" she asked, looking at Lucas.

"Oh- yeah. I'll come with ya to get..it though," he said as the two got up, heading in the direction of the cafeteria. It was weird how well all of them had come to know this hospital.

"So what's going on," Lucas pushed. "I thought you said you weren't coming home."

Haley pushed out a sigh. "I didn't think I was," she said slowly. "But after writing that essay... and talking to you... and to Chris-"

"Wait- to Chris? What did that guy have to say to you?" he asked, his voice colder.

"Lucas, I know that you don't like him, but he came to be my friend through all of this. There's nothing between us but friendship- like you and me."

Lucas paused in the hallway to look at her. He saw her running make-up, the circles under her eyes. "You look awful, Haley."

"Yeah, thanks," she replied with a laugh as they continued walking. "Anyways," she continued. "After all that.. I realized something. And I can't believe it took me that long to do so."

"What did you realize," Lucas asked, knowing that it obviously had something to do with Nathan.

"That I didn't want to sign the annulment papers."

"Then why did you?"

Haley was silent for a second. "I guess I thought that if he signed them, then I should let him go. That I left, and if he didn't want me anymore, it was the right thing to do- to finish it, to set him free. Then I could focus on music and he could move on."

"Then why are you here?"

Haley took a sip from her newly poured coffee. "I'm not ready to let go," she said simply. "But I think he already has."

Lucas shook his head. "No he hasn't, Haley," he said as Haley's eyes lit up with a new hope. "Trust me. I think he's just mad."

Haley nodded. "Thanks, Luke."

Lucas pulled her into a one armed hug. "It's good to see you again, Hales."

"You too," she said into his chest, knowing that she probably wasn't back for good. She never would be.

Haley and Lucas found their way back to where Deb and Nathan were seated. Deb had dissolved into tears while Nathan's face had turned more pale than it was when they left. His eyes were on the floor, his head in his hands. Sensing something had happened, Lucas' own face hardened.

"What happened?" he asked in Deb's direction, his voice quiet.

"He's dead," came the answer, not from Deb. Nathan lifted his head up to look Lucas in the face. "Dan's dead."