A/N: Thanks for the reviews...more are always welcome, so just take a quick second and drop a comment every now and then. Thanks :)

As Haley came to this part of the story, Peyton heard a knock at her door. Annoyed with the interruption, Peyton got up from the couch and went to answer.

"Is this what you're wearing to work?" Brooke asked as she entered the room, eyeing her pajamas.

"Why are you here so early?" Peyton asked as she shut the door behind her.

"Peyton, it's not early. Look at the time." Brooke pointed towards the clock.

"How did it get to be that time?" Peyton asked as she ran into her bedroom to find something to wear.

Haley laughed from the couch, while Brooke rolled her eyes. "I'm giving you five minutes, P. Sawyer.

And five minutes later, Peyton was running out of the bathroom, shoes in her hand. "I can do everything in the car," she said mostly to herself. "Haley, do you need my keys or anything, I have to stop and get you a copy today.." Peyton asked her.

"Nah, I'm just gonna hang here. Get some sleep. I don't have to leave until later to get ready for the show."

Peyton nodded distractedly as she gathered her things to go. "Okay, let's go Brooke. Haley- you're finishing thestorylater," she demanded, pointing a finger at her.

The two headed out the door as Haley made her way to her bed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Much later that night, Peyton, Brooke and Lucas found their seats in the club that Haley was playing at. She was due out soon, so Lucas ordered drinks for the three. Not expecting Nathan to show, Peyton figured she'd have to deal with being with Lucas and Brooke for the night. She was ready to move over to their table from her bar stool when Nathan appeared from out of no where and approached her.

"Hey," he said after he ordered a drink with his fake I.D..

"Didn't expect you to show," she told him as she took a swig from her own drink. He sat heavily in the seat next to her. Peyton noticed that his cheeks were flushed slightly. "Are you okay? You're all flushed."

Nathan rubbed a hand over his face. "Yeah... I'm uh- just a little warm that's all."

"Okay.." Peyton replied slowly. "Whatever you say, Nate."

Focused on their conversation, neither of them noticed Haley on the stage until she introduced herself into the microphone. Remaining in their seats at the bar, Peyton glanced at Nathan who was watching Haley intently. Peyton smiled slightly.

"What?" Nathan asked her, realizing her gaze.

"Nothing," Peyton supplied innocently.

Nathan's gaze went back to Haley. He sighed deeply. "I'm gonna need another drink. Maybe ten."

Peyton laughed.

About three more songs into Haley's set, Nathan had downed more shots than Peyton could count. He was swaying precariously on his chair as he ordered another.

Haley's song ended with a strum of the guitar and she grabbed the microphone excitedly. "Okay, now I will bring out my special guest to sing this next one with me. Everyone welcome Chris Keller!"

Peyton's mouth dropped slightly. "She's still working with him?"

Nathan nodded. Lucas and Brooke's heads had turned towards him, looks of concern on their faces. Nathan looked away from them, running a hand through his hair.

"Do you wanna go?" she asked him quietly. "I'll go with you."

Nathan shook his head. "No," he said stubbornly. "I'm going to be able to deal with this." Peyton got the feeling that this wasn't the first time that Chris had shown up at one of Haley's shows. Chris and Haley had started up their new duet on the stage as Peyton and Nathan were silent for a moment.

"Why do you come?" she asked him.

Nathan shrugged his shoulders. "Must be insane, I think," he answered with a drunken smile.

Peyton smiled as she took a drink from her glass. "Do you still love her?"

Nathan sighed heavily with the question. Hopefully he was drunk enough to supply the answer for her, even though Peyton knew that that was taking advantage of him.

"Yes."

Peyton nodded her head slowly. It was the answer she had expected. She could see it in his eyes every time she came into the room. "Then why aren't you together? I mean if you both care about the other, then why aren't you with each other? I don't get it."

"Ya know I could ask you the same thing, Peyton," he said with a nod of his head. She followed his gaze and saw Lucas staring at her. His arm was around Brooke, but his gaze was on her. As soon as she looked at him, he turned away quickly.

Peyton shook it off. "That's different, Nathan. It's more complicated than you and Haley."

Nathan shook his head. "It's a different complicated," he replied. "But it still is." He put his drink down on the table. "I've gotta get going," he said as he stood from the chair. With a wave at Lucas and Brooke, he was out the door.

OOOOOOOXXXOOOOOOOXXXOOOOOOO

Hours later that night, Nathan was in the living room area of his dorm suite.

"You are soo drunk," the girl sitting on the couch next to him said. "Maybe you need my coffee more than I do," she said as she held it out to him.

Nathan took a swig and handed it back over. "Happy?"

"Yes, actually," she quipped back.

Nathan claimed her lips in a slow, passionate kiss. They broke apart with smiles on their faces. She put down her drink onto the floor, giving her both hands to snuggle up to Nathan. She laid her head down on his chest, listening to his heart beat. Nathan had his arms around her, their hands clinging to each other.

"Are you ever going to tell anybody about me?" she asked him into the peaceful silence.

"Do you think it's time to tell?"

The girl was silent for a second. "I don't know."

"Then not yet," he told her. He kissed the top of her head through her hair. "I kinda like this sneaking around thing anyway."

The girl moved her head to look him in the eyes. "But that's not all this is, right?"

Nathan looked confused. "What?"

"This- us- isn't just about hiding and sneaking around, is it?", she asked him.

Nathan reached up a hand to her face. "You know the answer to that," he told her as he caressed her cheek with his hand.

The girl smiled. "Well I have to get back before my roommate gets suspicious."

The two got up and made their way to the door. The girl put her arms up around Nathan's neck. Nathan's hands went to her waist. They kissed goodnight and the two parted for the time being.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

A little while later that night, Haley let herself into the apartment, finding Peyton still awake watching the t.v..

"Hey, what are you still doing up," Haley asked her curiously.

"I'm not tired. Too many drinks," Peyton said with a laugh. "Where have you been?"

"Music stuff," Haley said shortly, earning herself a look from Peyton who raised her eyebrows. "Had to clean up, some magazine wanted an interview..." Haley continued without making eye contact with Peyton.

Peyton nodded. "So... you and Chris are still playing together, huh?"

Haley nodded and sat on the couch next to Peyton, taking a sip of the coffee in her hand. "Do I have to do the 'me and Chris are just friends' talk again? Because we are just friends. He's got a girl of his own anyway that he's always bragging about."

"Ya know Nathan seemed upset that he was there.."

Haley shrugged. "I can't help that," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I think it's storytelling time again, Haley."

"Peyton!"

"Come on- the suspense is killing me!" Peyton whined. "Please?"

"Fine," Haley said as she shook her head. "Nothing else important happened that night though. I kinda left Nathan alone and then I went home with Lucas to stay."

"Start at the funeral, then!" Peyton told her.

"You're a little too excited about this, Peyton. Plus you were there!" Haley said with a laugh.

"Well come on! It's been years since I've got to hear all this Tree Hill drama. I miss it," she said with a laugh herself. "Just humor me."

"Okay.."

start flashback

The rain poured on like at any typical funeral in a movie. Haley watched as they lowered Dan Scott into the ground. To both of her sides were the sons of the man. Haley glanced at Lucas, whose face was stiff and eyes a darker color than usual. Haley looked to his other side where Peyton stood. He was squeezing her hand in his. Now, Haley looked at Nathan. His face was pale, but expressionless. Refusing an umbrella, his suit and hair were now soaked, and he was shivering slightly. She moved over a foot or so, so that her own umbrella now covered his head. He tore his eyes off of the scene in front of him to look at Haley. She saw the hurt on his face and her own eyes watered with unshed tears. To her surprise, Nathan took her free hand in his, giving it a tight squeeze. Haley squeezed in back, a tear released down her face. Maybe they still had a chance.

That night, Haley found Nathan alone in his room. His door was open, but she knocked anyways, not sure that she was welcome.

Nathan looked up from his bed. "Hey," he said, his voice soft.

"Can I come in," Haley asked just as quietly.

Nathan nodded. "Yeah.. yeah of course."

Haley took a few, slow steps into his room. She lingered in the middle of it, twisting her hands. "How are you?" she asked him tentatively.

Nathan's eyes focused themselves onto the floor. "Truthfully... I don't know, Haley."

Haley bit her lip. "For what it's worth, I am sorry, Nathan. I know that you weren't always pleased with your father.. but he was still your dad. I know that he meant a lot to you."

Nathan's eyes locked with hers as he rose off the bed. Their gazes held until Nathan reached her. Haley was shocked as he put her arms around her, taking her into a tight hug. Moments later, she had her own arms around him, burying her head in his chest. She felt his body shudder as she felt the tears fall onto her head. Haley only hugged him tighter in response. He pulled himself away from her suddenly, wiping at his face to clear the tears. Backing away from her quickly, he sat back onto his bed.

The hurt from his quick release must have shown on her face, because Nathan sighed heavily. "We should talk- about us."

"Not now, Nathan. You can have a couple of days to figure things out. I'll stay out of your way," Haley said in a choked voice.

"I want to now," Nathan insisted. "I'm leaving tomorrow, Haley. For High-Flyers."

"You're going to High-Flyers?"

Nathan nodded and sniffed. "Yeah, I am. I think I need to go."

"I do too."

They lapsed into silence for a moment, neither Nathan nor Haley quite sure how to proceed.

"I'm glad you're here," Nathan started earnestly, earning a slight smile from Haley. "Come sit," he told her, motioning to the bed.

Haley came over to him slowly, lowering herself onto the bed softly. "I'm sorry."

Nathan shook his head. "No, Haley, I understand why you did it. I get it. You had to follow your dreams. We both do. Me with basketball and you with your music."

Haley nodded. "So where does that leave us?"

"Before you left, I told you we were done if you went. I didn't mean it though and at that point I couldn't understand why you left," Nathan said as he ran his fingers over the now empty stop on the finger where the wedding ring used to be. Haley noticed for the first time that he wasn't wearing it.

"It wasn't because of you, Nathan. And it wasn't because of Chris."

Nathan sighed. "And I think on some level I knew that... I was just looking for some excuse... some reason why you would leave me."

Haley swallowed. "I still really don't understand why I did it myself, Nathan. Part of me knew that the tour was a once in a lifetime chance, the opportunity to start fulfilling my dream... and another part of me was scared."

"Scared of what?" Nathan asked her, catching contact with her eyes.

"Us."

"I don't get it," Nathan told her as he shook his head.

"Nathan, we got married in our junior year of high school. My feelings overwhelmed me so much that I allowed us to do something like that-"

"Something like what," Nathan asked her, his voice rising. Haley bit her lip and Nathan realized he knew what she was going for. "You think our marriage was a mistake. The tour was a way for you to get out of it," he said slowly, his voice cold. He got off of the bed and stood in the middle of the room.

Haley couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face. "I don't think that you and I are a mistake though. Just the marriage."

"Haley, you and I had the same relationship whether we were married or not!"

"I know," she admitted. "I made a mistake, Nathan. A huge one, I know."

Nathan was silent for a second. "Then why did you sign the annulment papers?"

"Because you had. And... I wanted you to be free from me. To live your own life."

Nathan scoffed. "Then why are you here, Haley? Just tell me, if there's nothing here for you, then why are you back?"

Haley sniffed, searching for the words. "For you, Nathan. I realized I didn't want to let you go.. not yet. I still love you.. so much that it's overwhelming sometimes."

Nathan's mouth formed a thin line. "I can't go back to the way that things were before, Haley." He ran a hand through his dark, messy hair. "I mean you being here- you're still going to be giving up your dream. The tour is still going on."

"But I'm here now, even with the tour. I chose you, Nathan. Not the music." She rose to her feet herself, going to stand in front of him.

"You're too late," Nathan told her, his voice barely above a whisper.

More tears fell from Haley's eyes. She knew that she had lost him now.

"I- uh- I think we need to focus on ourselves for now," Nathan spoke as he tried to ignore Haley's tears. He hated seeing her cry. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, for everything to go back to how it was before. "On our wedding day," Nathan began, "I told you that I would love you forever, Haley. I still stand with that. I think I will... but I also think you're right about the marriage."

Haley's eyes showed their shock at that statement as Nathan continued. "We need to find out who we are separately. I don't want to grow apart from you like my- like my parents did. I think we need to follow our dreams, accomplish our goals... and if we have to do that separately, than so be it."

Haley nodded. "So then what are we doing? Are we still married, or what?"

Nathan's eyes met hers. "I think that should be up to you."

"Nathan-"

"I'm not asking for a decision now," he said while he shook his head once. "Let's do this- go back to the tour. I come back from camp one week before school starts. If you want to have your marriage with me, then come back here. Come back home."

Haley considered it for a moment. "Okay."

"And if you don't come home... then I'll hand in the annulment papers myself. I'll sign them for real and do it myself. Then you won't have anything to hold you back from the rest of your life."

Haley took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine," she told him, not sure if she was happy or mad about what he was telling her.

"And you know this isn't another ultimatum right?" he asked her quickly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I understand, Nathan."

Haley was now incredibly uncomfortable in his presence. "I guess I'll go then," she said as she moved towards the door. "Have fun at camp. I'm glad you get to go."

Nathan gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

Haley got to the doorway and turned around to face him. "I love you, Nathan," she whispered.

Nathan tried to read her face. Would she come back or not? At least he got a good-bye this time, he thought. "Good-bye, Haley."

Haley nodded once and walked out of his room. Maybe out of his life forever. Nathan waited a few moments. "I love you too," he said to the empty room. Little did he know that Haley had heard him as she paused outside his door. More tears fell as she left his house, possibly for the last time.

end flashback