Btw I don't hate Haley, I actually like her and Nathan together, I just didn't like her when she left him to go on tour and kissed Chris and everything but thanks to everyone who reviewed.

"So he said he blew you off because he wanted you to hang out with your friends and have fun. Are you sure he's not hiding anything?" Ariel shrugged and continued to eat her salad.

"I'm not saying that he's cheating on you or anything because believe me I see the way he looks at you. I wish I had someone to look at me that way." Ariel smiled and stopped eating.

"I do think he's hiding something from me and I want to find out but what if he's not and then it looks like I don't trust him or something." Marley nodded. Ariel's cell started to ring and she answered it.

"Hello!"

Mermaid, hey how are you?

"Hey Brooke, I'm good and you?"

Good, anyway I heard about Nathan and I'm so happy for him.

"Wait, what?"

You know how he's not the coach anymore, he's a player on the team. Wait you didn't know!!

"Nope, I'll call you back." Ariel hung up the phone and dialed Nathan. He picked up after 4 rings.

Babe, hey

"When were you going to tell me?"

What?

"About playing basketball? Huh, when?"

Listen we need to talk in person, come and see me I'm in my room.

"Be right there." Ariel said goodbye to Marley and walked over to Nathan's dorm. He was sitting at his desk when she walked in. She sat down on his bed waiting for him to explain. He turned his chair around and faced her.

"So…"

"Two weeks ago I went to the doctor and asked him to check me out, see if everything was healed. He told me I was fine and that I could possibly play basketball but I would have to start off slow. So I went to the coach and told him and so he decided that he would train me for awhile until he thought I was ready to be put in the game. I was going to tell you when I knew for sure that I would be able to play." Ariel nodded and Nathan saw that she was still mad.

"Why couldn't you tell me? If you love me you'd be able to tell me this kind of stuff. I don't understand why you had to hide it from me."

"Because I didn't want you to worry. Are you okay with me doing this?" Ariel nodded and smiled. She walked over to him and sat in his lap.

"This is exciting, I mean you could be able to play again! I'm still mad at you though." Ariel gave him a fake glare and he laughed.

"Well I'm glad you're okay with it."

"Your dreams are my dreams." Nathan kissed her on the lips and then stared at her.

"I'm lucky to have you in my life, you know that." Ariel nodded and kissed him again.

Christmas Holidays

"I can't wait to see everyone, of course my parents won't be around, they're in Italy. We get to see Lucas, Brooke, Peyton, Jake, Karen, Keith, your mom, and your dad and whoever else are in town. Aren't you excited?" Nathan laughed and nodded at his girlfriend. It was actually their first time going back to Tree Hill since they had gone to Duke. Ariel saw Peyton and Brooke almost every Friday but over the past month she hadn't seen or heard from either of them but that's because they were busy with midterms.

"Yeah I'm excited but I'm more excited about getting presents!!!" Ariel laughed at Nathan and shrieked when she saw the Tree Hill sign.

"We're here!!!" Nathan put a hand on her knee and she smiled at him. She realized that she was acting kind of like Brooke and laughed at herself. "I'm so acting like Brooke."

"Just a little." They both laughed and Ariel saw that they were at her house. Since her parents weren't home and there was more than enough room, she decided to have Christmas at her place. Ariel grabbed her bags and ran into her house and laid down on the couch. Nathan came in carrying everything else. He put it down and laid down on the couch with her. They laid there for awhile until the door was opened.

"HONEY I'M HOME!" Ariel jumped up and ran up to Brooke and hugged her, then she hugged Lucas.

"It's so good to see the both of you, it's been too long." Brooke nodded in agreement and jumped on Nathan who was still on the couch.

"Hey buddy!" She gave him a noogie and jumped off him. "So how's basketball?"

"I played my first game 2 weeks ago. It felt good to be back out there." Ariel smiled and sat in his lap. Lucas and Brooke sat on the love seat and the four of the spent the next few hours catching up. There was a knock on the door at about 6:30 and Ariel answered it.

"AHHH! Hey!" She grabbed Peyton and gave her a hug. Then she gave Jake a hug and led them into the house. There was another knock and Ariel went back. This time it was Keith, Karen, Deb and Dan. She hugged them all and led them in. Dan stopped her, wanting to talk to her.

"Ariel, I'm so glad that my son met you. You didn't try and suppress his dreams and I know that you make him happy. How is he?"

"He's good Dan, he's really good." Dan nodded and walked into the living room where everyone was.

"Ariel, who's going to get the tree?" Ariel smiled and pointed to all of the guys.

"They are!" The girls laughed and the guys groaned. Once the guys had all of the girls ideas of what they wanted in a tree, they left. Ariel went into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of wine and glasses. She walked back into the living room and they all cheered. Ariel poured them all a glass and they sat there drinking and talking.

"So, how was Nathan's game? We really wanted to come but the conditions were bad that night." Ariel looked at Deb and smiled.

"He did so good, you could just tell that he was supposed to be on the court." Deb grabbed Ariel's hand and smiled at her.

"I'm glad you're with my son, you're the right girl for him." Ariel smiled and hugged Deb.

"Me and Keith have decided that in a month or so, we are going to try and have a baby." The girls looked at Karen and started to shriek and hug her.

"What's going on?" They all looked up at the guys and started to laugh.

"Oh nothing, just girl talk." Again all the girls laughed at what Karen said. The guys just gave them a confused look and sat down. Dan had bought beer and gave all the guys one. "Girls let's move into the kitchen."

"Great idea Karen." They all got up and walked into the kitchen, brining the wine, and sat around the table.

"So Brooke are you and Lucas thinking about getting married or anything? I know you two are young but you two are so in love." Brooke thought about what to say.

"We've talked about it but I've decided that I want to have a career before I get married. Actually clothes over bros is going very good. Luke and I went down to New York and I showed my designs and clothes to different agencies and I one actually wants to put my clothes out there. Then I was thinking of just getting a loan and opening my own shop in New York and selling my clothes."

"So, you and Luke will be moving to New York?" Brooke looked at Karen and shook her head.

"Well I will be and whether he comes or not is his own decision." Karen nodded and grabbed Brooke's hand.

"Believe me he'd follow you everywhere. So Ariel, when's the wedding?"

"There's no wedding. I don't think there ever will be. Not because I don't love Nathan but I know he's still hurting from his last wedding." Ariel kind of frowned.

"I'm sure he'll come around." Ariel shrugged, wishing that maybe he would but she knew there was no chance. He had told her before that he was never going to get married again. "So how's school Ariel?"

"I think I might not become a teacher. I think I know what I want to do. Brooke we should go into business together and start up a small shop and sell your clothes. I mean I have the money to start it up and I could take a few business classes. That way we can both make the clothes." Brooke thought about it for awhile and smiled.

"I like that idea. We just have to run it by the men." Ariel nodded and looked in the living room, the boys were all watching the game. "It'd be in New York though, are you willing to move to New York."

"Umm.. yeah! I love New York. I think we should do it. That way we can have our own hours and everything." Brooke squealed in excitement and hugged her friend. "So we'll do it!"

"YEA!!! We have to tell Nucas." Peyton, Deb and Karen looked at the two with confusion when Brooke said 'Nucas.' Brooke saw their faces and laughed. "It's Nathan and Lucas's names together. Just like me and Lucas are Brucas, Ariel and Nathan are Nariel, Peyton and Jake are Jeyton, Karen and Keith are well I dunno and same with Deb and Dan, you got the same letters."

They all started to laugh when she said that and Brooke gave them all a glare.

"I love it." Brooke smiled and drank the rest of her wine. Karen smiled at Brooke, she loved that she was with her son. "Brooke, Lucas is lucky to have you."

"Thanks Karen. Keith is lucky to have you, just like Dan is lucky to have Deb, Jake is lucky to have Peyton, and Nathan is very lucky to have Ariel. If he was still with Haley, I bet he wouldn't be going to Duke." Everyone thought about it for a moment and nodded in agreement. Deb was about to say something but they guys walking into the kitchen interrupted her. Nathan walked over to Ariel and kissed the top of her head. He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"I love you." Ariel looked up at him and smiled.

"Awww you are just too sweet." He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the lips. She loved how he made her feel like he was the only girl in the room. A knock on the door interrupted them. Ariel jumped up and answered it, it was Marley and Cass.

"Hey what are you two doing here?" Ariel asked as she let them in.

"Both are parents went away for the holidays and we didn't have anywhere to go, so we came here." Ariel hugged them both and led them into the kitchen.

"Everyone these are my friends Marley and Cass from Duke. Girls this is Dan, Deb, Lucas, Brooke, Peyton, Jake, Keith and Karen. You already know Nathan." The girls waved at them and pulled Ariel into the living room.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us you had such a nice damn house." Ariel laughed at Marley and walked back into the kitchen.

"Not something I usually tell you people." Marley laughed and followed her and Cass into the living kitchen. By 10:00 everyone except Brooke, Nathan, Cass, and Marley had gone home. Cass and Marley were in their bedrooms sleeping, Brooke was in her room on the phone and Nathan and Ariel were in the living room talking.

"Brooke and I have decided to open a shop and sell her clothes, in New York." Nathan gave her a funny look and nodded. "But it won't be until I finish College."

"Okay, so that would mean you would live in New York, right?" Ariel nodded. "Well I was going to wait and tell everyone this on Christmas but anyway, I'll be playing in the last game and a scout from the L.A. Lakers is coming there to see me."

"That's great! You should have told me earlier." Ariel realized that if he got on the team he would move to L.A. "Oh, so you'd move to L.A."

"Yeah and I would think that you would come right?" Ariel shrugged her shoulders. "Ariel?"

"Nathan I really want to do this, open up a shop with Brooke. I just don't know Nathan. It's great though that they're coming to see you." Nathan nodded and frowned.

"Can't you open a shop in L.A.?" Ariel looked at him in surprise.

"I can't believe this. I went to Duke for you and I'm not saying you have to give up this chance but I just don't know if I will go with you. I have dreams too you know." Ariel stood up and walked into her bedroom, she threw out a pillow and a blanket and went to bed. Ariel didn't know that Brooke was listening at the top of the stairs.