AN: The beginning of this chapter is a little more upbeat than the last, but I do have to admit, there is more sadness. Enough already! I know. But we are getting there soon, I promise, so enjoy this chapter with that preface.

Jamie was intrigued with all of the people walking around New York. Haley held on to her son. They had gotten so far, it wasn't the place to let go. However, seeing an ice skating rink in the middle of Central Park had the boy running. "Jamie!" Haley called out chasing after Jamie, leaving Millicent and Brooke to watch the scene with an amusing smile.

"You have one amazing godson there, Brooke," Millicent informed her. They hadn't spent that much time together, but the boy sure wowed her. He was an impressive child, and his perspective on the world was so different than anyone she had every interacted with. Let alone a child. Millicent wasn't even sure Jamie was a child as she conversed with him. She even asked him if he was sure that he was not just a really short adult. Negativo, Millicent, just a really intelligent five year old.

"I am finding this out each day. And I am only on day three. I do not know how I got so lucky," as she looked up to see Jamie tackling Haley. "But it really isn't about me. It is about the one getting tackled by her son."

"Jamie told me that she is sad, and that his dad is angry. He also told me that if he had to he would give up all of his toys – even Rockband – if his daddy would just tell them he loved them. It broke my heart."

"Join the club. If anybody in this entire world deserved to be loved unconditional it is that one. Look at him, in the face of everything that has happened in his short life he is still able to laugh. Sometimes I feel selfish for not being able to do the same."

"You are not selfish, Brooke. His pain has been short, and it appears as if yours was a lifetime long. I am really sorry for that, Brooke. I wish there was something that I could have done," not really knowing, but still offering.

"Millie, you have been wonderful. I am on the other hand awful to an extent. You are finally free to do what you want though. So what are your plans? What's next on the road for Millicent Huxtable?"

Millicent looked at Brooke completely confused. She knew that Brooke no longer had a company to run, but she was sure that it would not cease her dreams. "Brooke, I never felt stuck or tied down. It is not an escape of any sort. I actually was kind of hoping to follow you in your next endeavor."

"My next endeavor? I don't know, Millie. There is nothing up my sleeves to pursue. Having my own company was my goal, and I had it, I don't really know where to go from there."

"I am willing to wait, Brooke."

"Millicent, you are an intelligent, beautiful, talented, and hard working girl, there is so much that you can offer this world rather than waiting around for me to find a new dream."

"You are worth the wait, Brooke. But if you don't want me tagging along, I understand."

"No, no, Millie, that is not what I meant," grabbing her hand to reassure her. "I just don't want you to lose sight of what you want in my pursuit for something I don't even know exists."

"It is my choice entirely. And in all honesty, the last four years have been pretty nice – minus Victoria making me want to wet myself everyday. I don't have a boyfriend; I no longer have a job. My family is all over the world. You are all I know; I would be lost without you."

"And me the same, Millie. Thank you for what you said. Compliments aren't cheap around me, so your words mean a lot to me. How about you resolve things in New York, I let Haley resolve things back home, and if you decide you still want to, you come on down and you can be my roommate." Brooke knew that Millicent could not leave with them today; her last four years have been here. She deserved the time for transition. It would also give Brooke time to find a place of her own. If she was making a home out of Tree Hill then she needed a place to call home. Lucas' was getting a little crowded, though the company was worth the while.

"Thank you, Brooke. And don't worry whatever your dream should be will emerge when you are ready. Don't give up on those wishing stars."

"You either there Millie, if you come to Tree Hill you let me know when you see your dreams. You are not destined to be my assistant."

"You aren't destined to be unhappy either. Look at that smiling boy calling your name. Go skate with him."

"You aren't skating, Millie?"

"Brooke, I am a klutz, I will need the entire rink of ice to coat my body afterwards. I will watch and imagine what it would be like not to fall."

Brooke left Millicent and walked closer to where Haley was helping Jamie with his skates. "Why is Millie sitting over there?" Jamie asked looking up.

"She is afraid she is going to fall down. She is a little bit clumsy. I remember the time she broke her nose. She is going to kill me for telling this story, but it was just too funny. My first office had two see through doors. Well one was open and the other was not. Someone came in to bring me something and closed the door in which Millicent had entered through. She didn't know this, poor Millie ran right into it. And Millie being Millie was trying to schedule me a meeting while the ambulance was coming to get her."

"Millie is silly. Maybe it is a good thing that she isn't skating. What about you?"

"I have to tell you that I haven't done it in a long time, so don't laugh."

"I haven't done it in a while either so don't laugh at me either."

"He means that he has never skated before," looking at him, "you are the silly one, boy."

"Come on, lets get on the ice," grabbing the girls' hands.

They had no choice; they were on the ice in seconds laughing all the way. Time stood still as the trio skating around the rink. It was as if there were no worries, no pain, or no time lost. In reality it had been, but please don't tell them. They were grateful for their worlds ceasing for their laughter. At the current time it was not necessary to dwell on something they could not fix hundred of miles away. So they laughed because they could, and no one or no thing was stopping them. Not this time at least.

Nearly two hours later they all tired out. Truth be told, Jamie was the least exhausted of the three. The little boy had the fortunate ideal of sleeping, unlike Haley and Brooke who only slept in intervals. After the skates were removed they went over to Millicent. She had imagined herself on the ice; anything else would have caused bruising. And they were off, off to explore a city that Jamie had only heard about. Haley had stopped in New York on her tour which seemed like a lifetime ago. But it was through new lenses that she could take it all in. Last time she was in the city, it was a surreal and naïve experience; she couldn't believe that she was on a tour with Gavin DeGraw and the Wreckers. Her dream had come true. Unfortunately, at the time it was not best for her family. It was not best for Nathan. How could her mind ever stop reeling over Nathan? He was always on her mind. And she really wondered about him, being alone in a house he bought for them with money he was never able to allow prosper. She left him once, and now more than ever she felt as if she had betrayed him. It was time to go home to her husband. It was time to make a better decision than she did last time. And if it wasn't enough this time, well than unfortunately it was not meant to be.

Brooke's whole outlook on the city was changed as well. There was so much wonderment she was experiencing along with her godson. The city was so big, and she felt so small in it. She felt so small in the world she was living as well. However, Brooke Davis was a force, a massive force, that one day would take a hold of the world. Just go on and wait, world, one day Brooke Davis will change it. Today wasn't that day. Well at least it wasn't the day for the change, but she could still change Haley's. She looked over at her friend, and the wonderment that surrounded them was not shining as bright around Haley. Brooke knew what was on Haley's mind, and it was not Time Square. It was Nathan, and that meant it was time to go home.

"I'm getting pretty tired, Jamie, would you mind if we headed home?" Brooke didn't want Jamie to blame Haley for ending their tour early. And she knew that Haley would never try and take away his joy. But this was best, this was best for Haley. She needed to be home, and she needed to talk to Nathan. Haley's healing needed to have begun time ago. All the time they had was now though, and they would not waste one more minute interrupting Haley's picture perfect fairy tale. After all there are always happy endings, well just after all the monsters and demons go away. It was time for Haley's happy ending, but first the destruction of demons.

The little boy didn't really have a choice, and he knew it. He looked from Brooke to Millicent to his mom. The sadness was still there. He wasn't naïve enough to believe New York City's magic would erase it, but he was a little boy after all, and his dreams were unselfish. "I'm ready, just as long as we can come back here sometime to ice skate in the park."

"I promise you, anytime you want," Brooke vowed, "I would do anything for you."

"Anything?" he inquired.

"Oh no, Brooke, you might have just gotten yourself in trouble," Haley warned her friend.

"I said anything, and I mean anything," hoping she could suffice the anything Jamie wanted, "what is it, Jamie?"

"Can we go see Daddy tonight?"

An anything she was not so sure she could grant him. It was too soon to confront Nathan. They had only been away a day. Was that enough time for him to change his ways? Was he even going to change? What happens if he decides that alone is what he wants? Brooke wasn't so sure she could handle that, let alone allow her family to experience it. They were the unfortunate co-recipients of Victoria's wrath, it would simply be too painful for them to have to feel Nathan's as well. "I don't know, Jamie," she wasn't ready either, especially after the way she left him.

"You promised anything," his sad eyes were cutting through her.

"I know, Buddy, I shouldn't have promised anything, I was wrong."

"I want to see Daddy."

"I'm not so sure that he is ready to see us," Haley told her son, voicing her opinion on the matter. On top of that, she did not want Jamie there when she spoke with Nathan for the first time. She was not anticipating holding back; he did not deserve her too. The words would be too painful, and a child should not hear them.

"He is all alone." They knew it, they all knew it.

"Your Uncle Lucas and Lindsey went and saw him today."

"Are they there now?"

Truth be told, they hadn't spoken with Lindsey or Lucas today, so Haley and Brooke had no idea how any spoken words were between them. It could have been a disaster or it could have been earth-shaking. Truth be told, Haley was too afraid to find out.

"No, Honey, it is late."

"He is probably drinking, I wouldn't be allowed there anyways."

"You know it is because I love you, Jamie. I am not trying to take your father away from you. I would never want that."

"I know that Momma, but sometimes I just think he might be sad that I am not around."

"Jamie, it is not safe for you to be around him when he is drinking. If he misses you then he needs to stop, and I will feel comfortable with you being with him. But if it doesn't stop, Jamie," she paused because she had to tell her son something she was afraid to even speak. "Jamie, if he doesn't stop drinking, then we are not going back." She said it, and a heavy weight was released, but along with the weight was a sadness that weighed even more. She stopped walking, how could she possibly be okay with telling her son that he might lose his father for good. And. And, she might lose her one true love forever. She vowed to love him until one of them died, she did not vow to be apart that long.

"It isn't fair, why are you doing this to me? I want Daddy, you can't take him away." Jamie cried out. He has been upset, he has been angry, but never did he take it out on Haley. He saw the sadness in which Nathan encompassed her with. But now, in the middle of New York City, he blamed her. He blamed her because right now, he couldn't blame him.

Haley tried to embrace Jamie, but he wouldn't take it. His arms were flailing as Haley tried to console him. He left her presence, but her sadness wore her down every single step. And he was gone.

"Jamie, Jamie," she cried out for him, with tears heavily drowning her face. Yet she couldn't move, she couldn't move and her son needed her. What kind of mother was she trying to take away her son's father? Maybe it was not the actual truth, but she was going to believe it was her fault. It just had to be. She had sidelined Jamie one too many times from being around his dad. She pushed when he didn't need to be pushed. She pushed, and now Jamie was out of her sight. Her drowning tears caused her to collapse to the ground. Where was Jamie when she needed saving? Oh that is right; she had pushed him away again. Millicent had carefully placed reassuring arms around her. Unfortunately they were not what she needed. She did not blame the girl for trying, but in actuality there was one thing she really wanted right now, and it wasn't Millicent's arms. It was Jamie's.

The second that Jamie sprinted away Brooke was on his tail. For a second before the sprint, she looked to Haley seeing if Haley would do the chasing. But Haley had succumbed to her tears. No matter how physically exhausted Brooke was at the moment, it all went away as Jamie sped done the dangerous streets of New York City. She was frantic and frightened by the situation. No one should be running the streets. It was not safe for anyone. Jamie's jacket was still in her sight, but the boy could run and she had yet to catch up. Every time Jamie crossed into the street, she cringed. She couldn't help it, but she feared that he could get hit. Now that would be the worst ending to this awfully painful story. And they were this close for it coming true. But fate or the God in which Brooke only seldom spoke to was on their side. The horns beeped sporadically, and Jamie was out of her sight. Oh my God, oh my God, where is he? Where is he? "Jamie, Jamie," she painfully called out in desperation that the boy was okay. He had to be. Brooke would never forgive herself. She was the reason they were here. She was the reason that Haley was away, and Jamie was away from Nathan. She was the reason that things had changed. Please, she thought, please don't let her be the reason that Jamie was injured or killed.

She sprinted to the horn beeping cars, where was he? She was sure that she could have auditioned for the exorcism with how fast her head went around looking for him. On her last spin of the head, she saw him. There he was. She ran to him, her own tears now flowing from her eyes, her hands shaking in pure disbelief. How could she have let this happen? Jamie was not okay. She was supposed to be his godmother and she went along living her depressive, self-absorbed life while Jamie was growing up in a broken home. Now in the middle of New York City he was broken. But thank the Lord, not physically.

"James Lucas Scott, don't you ever do that to me again," not really sure what the motherly thing would be in this situation. "I was so scared, I thought…" she couldn't complete or even fathom what could have happened anymore. All that she knew was that he was okay, at least physically. And right now she would be grateful for that. She engulfed him, and did not plan on letting go. Crying into his shoulder, "I have never been so scared." She looked over to a group of people who had surrounded them. They were bystanders to their lives. She imagined they had created their own opinions on the situation, but they didn't know them, not Jamie nor Brooke.

Brooke could feel Jamie shaking in her arms. She knew that this was not his intention to get himself close to killed, "I'm sorry," was all he could say because his fear had caused his own tears. If that man had not grabbed him from the street, well that was not something a five year old should have to imagine. So he wouldn't. He knew he was safe now, Brooke's arms were warm. He had to wonder though how she knew how to be so warm when no one had ever provided her with them before. He didn't really need the answer, just the arms, and he had them. He had Brooke, and boy was he thankful for Brooke and her arms.

The scene soon died down around them, but Brooke and Jamie's tears continued to fall as they stood still, while time continued around them. They didn't care though, because they had the time. None of it would be lost forever, Brooke was sure she would be thanking God rather than demanding of Him from now on. He didn't take away one of the most important persons in the world, her world, so He must not be such a bad guy. So many times she blamed God for her mother's lack of love towards her, but she now knew it wasn't God's doing, it was her mother's. She had to stop blaming others for the pain in which her mother endured on her. She had to start placing the blame where it belonged. Brooke could do that now; she had been given back her potentially happy ending story book. And it was ensured with Jamie's safety.

The stream of tears ceased from her eyes when she realized that they had left Haley crumbled onto the streets of New York. Brooke could not allow Haley to have to agonize about Jamie any longer; there was enough agony in her life. No more today, please. She started walking; there was no way she was going to put Jamie down. There was no way she was going to chance the reunion of mother and son. Brooke heard Jamie's sniffles and knew that his tears too had ended, but she wasn't going to let go. He needed her to hold him, and she was going to give that boy whatever he needed. Even if she didn't think she could. Jamie needed his father, and Haley needed her husband, and she was going to give them both back the person they wanted. She just had to figure out how.

It seemed like an eternity that Jamie had slipped from her sight, waiting was only further weighing her down. Haley realized how heavy of a load she was carrying now, and knew it could not continue much longer. There had been too many of her own facades, just pretending she was fine, and that she could handle all the weight. But she couldn't. The weight of the world was something one person couldn't manage alone, especially not this version of Haley James Scott.

Millicent tried to comfort Haley, but she knew it was not enough. She stood in hopes of catching a glimpse of Brooke and Jamie returning. And she managed to get more than a glimpse. Brooke was walking towards them protectively holding Jamie against her chest. Millicent recognized her eyes. They were filled with sadness; they were eyes she had unfortunately seen before. But the Brooke walking towards her was a brand new persona. Tears had been allowed to escape, but brushed away. Emotion was okay to be exposed, but not before in Brooke's opinion. Hidden sadness, now that was something in which was not okay. Millicent was already proud of the new persona that was Brooke Davis. She had to cross her fingers that this version would endure whatever came her way. All she or anyone else could really do was wait.

Current time was not about the new persona of Brooke Davis, it was about Haley, and it was about Jamie. Millicent helped Haley to her feet so she could see who was returning. Then they stopped abruptly. Millicent had to stabilize her.

Brooke put Jamie on his own feet, and he turned to her knowing she wanted to tell him something important, "Your momma loves you so much. All she wants in this world is for you to be safe. She is not trying to take away your daddy. Your daddy is not safe to be around, so your momma doesn't think you should be around him. You might think that she is the bad guy, but I'm sorry, Buddy, your daddy is the bad guy. Nobody in this world has ever loved someone as much as your momma loves you. Please tell me you believe me?"

"I know. I just miss him, that is all."

"I know you do, Buddy, we all miss your daddy. Your mom misses him too. All she wants is for you to be a family again. The same happy family you were before the accident."

"That is all I want too."

"Are you still mad at your mom?"

"I am mad at my daddy."

This broke her heart to hear. She was angry at her parents from the womb she was sure, but her case was an outlier on the data collection chart – or it was she assumed. She knew that Nathan was once an ass, but not since Haley entered his life. And she knew more than anything that Nathan would never want to harm his son or his wife. He just needed help, help that he was not willing to accept. "Let's go home so you can tell him that."

"But I am not allowed to be around him."

"Maybe you are the cure to his chicken pox, maybe you are what he needs."

"Do you really think so?"

"We might just have to try to find out. Are you willing to try and mend your daddy?"

"I can try."

"It is all we can do, Buddy. But first I need you to do one more thing."

"What is it?" curious to his first task to change his parents' worlds.

"I need you to tell your momma that you love her," turning the boy around so he could see the agony on his mother's face.

Jamie knew now how much he had hurt her by running away. But she didn't know that he didn't really blame her, she was just the only available person. He went running again, but this time he wasn't running away, he was running towards the person he loved, the person that loved him most. Haley.

Haley saw him running towards her, and she braced herself for the contact. She bent down so she could be on his level, "Oh Baby," she cried out as she engulfed him as the tear gates re-opened. She was so grateful and ecstatic for his return.

"I love you, Momma," he knew it was what Haley needed to hear, so he told her again, "I love you so much."

"Oh Jamie, I am so sorry that I took your daddy away from you. I promise things are going to get better. There has been enough of this sadness. I promise you happiness, Baby."

He pulled back because he really wanted her to hear this, "It is not your fault. It is his fault. You are not the bad guy, Daddy is," using Brooke's terminology.

Brooke had returned to the reunion and previous breaking point site. She gave Millicent a comforting back rub silently thanking her. There was no way that the situation would have been suitable if not for the fourth member of the party. Jamie and Haley both needed her, but there was only one of her. So it was another blessing that Millicent was at the site, and for that matter in Brooke's life.

"He is just hurting a lot, Honey."

"A lot of people hurt, not all of them act the way he does. You hurt, Aunt Brooke hurt, and you cry, Daddy doesn't cry, he just drinks."

"I am sorry that your world is so scary, Jamie."

"It is not as scary as it could be. You keep me safe. And even though I get mad at you, I know that you are doing the right thing for me."

"All I want to do is make sure you are safe. That is the most important thing."

"I want to make sure you are safe too."

"I am safe as long as I am with you."

"I don't think that you should see Daddy either if he is drinking."

"I am an adult, Jamie; it is safer for me than it is for you."

"I know that. But I still don't think that you should be around him. Well that is unless I am there too. I will keep you safe, Momma."

"Always trying to be the hero, aren't you?"

"Somebody has got to do the saving when there are people that need to be rescued."

"Have you been talking to your Uncle Lucas?"

"A little, why?"

"It doesn't matter, thank you for wanting to save me, Buddy."

"Are you ready to go home now?"

"I think it is past due," grabbing his hand as they started walking.

Brooke and Millicent silently followed. It was not necessary to speak of the potentially damaging incident that had just occurred. Nothing could be done anymore. It would only cause more sadness. Brooke was no expert but she was sure that Haley's capacity was beyond full. It was time for a release. They would stay at Brooke's apartment for the night; call Lucas to check the status of the situation in Tree Hill. In the morning they would board the plane in which Millicent had gotten them tickets for. And then it was up to the owner of a broken heart. Not much longer though, demons would be destroyed, and Haley's perfect ending would resume. There were no other options – period.

AN: First off, I could never leave you with a cliffhanger on Jamie, and secondly, this story, the people, they have had enough pain, Jamie will never be harmed. Other than the unfortunate pain he has already experienced. The girls are going through a period of ups and downs. Haley just had another down. And it might just be her last. The confrontation is coming, and it is coming fast. It will be in the next or the following chapter. I think I have to stop avoiding it and start writing it. I am just am not sure about the end result. I have to decide if the ending will truly be happy and that happy includes the reunion of the Scott family, or Haley finally letting go of the person who is tying her down. What do you think?? I would love to hear your opinion. Peace.