Chapter 4--

"Ready as I'll ever be."

He smiled slightly and went back through the door. She followed him out, locking the door behind her. She took a good look at herself before getting in his new Escalade. She looked like hell. She had a pair of jean capris on, a white tank top, which was hidden by Luke's Body Shop hoodie, black flip flops, and her was was pulled up into a messy bun. But that was what Haley wore, comfort clothes, very rarely did she let Brooke dress her in good clothes that made her actually look 23 years old. But trying to keep up with a four year old was hard enough without worrying about what other people thought of her fashion sense. She climbed into the passenger's seat, and turned down the hip-hop music that was blaring from the speakers.

"Sorry Mommy. Yes. I'll turn that racket down." Luke said, mockingly.

"Lucas, honestly. It's 1:00am, you don't need to wake up the whole neighborhood."

Lucas could tell she was exhausted, it was in her voice, he felt kind of bad for pleading with her to come. He could have done this by himself, and Haley really need her sleep, she worked really hard.

"So are you going to take that tutor job this summer?" He asks.

"Yeah, I start Monday. It's only on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays for like, three or four hours. Peyton said she'd watch Megan, and it won't be hard at all."

"Oh, that sounds good. And if Peyton can't watch her then Brooke and I could."

"Thanks Luke." She yawns patting his hand and turning to look out the window.

They arrive at the airport at about 1:30 and Lucas says that they are to head toward gate 6 in letter C. Haley just nods and follows him, she has a headache and doesn't feel like being a map reader. They get up to the gate and are told the plane has been delayed about a half hour. Haley sits down in the row of chairs.

"I am going to go to the bathroom, and then I'll get us some coffee. I'll be right back." Lucas says to her.

She nods at him then lays down. There was a song playing on the radio speakers. She knew the song, but couldn't muster the strength to remember the words. She quietly hummed it to herself as she fell asleep.

"Sorry, Hales, there was a line at the coffee counter, and I couldn't find the bathr-" Lucas stopped when he saw Haley sleeping. She was curled up in a ball, his big Body Shop hoodie swallowing her small figure up. He smiled silently to himself before walking over to her and putting her coffee on the floor near the. He lifted her head gently, sat down, and cautiously rested her head on his lap. He subconsciously ran his hand through her hair, he used to do this when she'd fall asleep when they were watching a movie together. That seemed like a lifetime ago now though.

Nathan's plane had landed, and people were starting to file off. Lucas probably would have fallen asleep, too, if they hadn't came and startled him. Nathan got off the plane, and walked through the tunnel.

He saw them immediately, they were hard to miss. Haley sleeping, and Lucas being Lucas was rubbing her hair gingerly. He walked toward them with a smile on his face.

"Hey, man." He said to Lucas quietly.

"Hey, I think I'll just carry her out. No need to wake her up when she'll just fall back asleep."

"Yeah." He watched as Lucas stood up and pulled Haley onto his back.

"You ready to go man?" Luke asked shifting Haley's weight up farther on his back.

"Definitely. I just have to stop at baggage claim."

"Yeah, sure."

They walk down to baggage claim where all of Nathan's luggage was loaded onto a cart.

"Perks of being in the NBA." Nathan states rolling his eyes.

"Got it."

They walk toward the car which is parked in the parking structure. They take the elevator to floor three and Lucas leads the way to his vehicle.

"Nice car." Nathan comments as they load his luggage into the Escalade. They put Haley in the backseat, and get in.

"So where are you crashing at?" Luke asks.

"Uh. I don't really know. I guess it's too late to wake up Dan and Deb."

"Yeah, probably." Luke laughs. "I'd tell you that you could sleep at my place but Brooke moved out all of my furniture, except for our bed, so that she could redecorate. I'm sure Haley will let you crash on her couch or in one of the spare bedrooms tonight, since Megan is sleeping at Peyton's."

"Sounds good. So how's it going with Brooke? She driving you crazy yet?"

"No, not really, well sort of, its just, with all this wedding stuff she is kinda making me nuts. But I love her and if that is what makes her happy, then I guess I am happy too. So what about you? How is the NBA going?"

"Its going well. A lot harder than college, but you make money playing and you don't have to show up to any classes."

"Those are definitely bonuses." Lucas laughed, he missed playing.

Lucas pulled into Haley's driveway, and went around to get a still-sleeping Haley out of the car. He would wake her up this time. "Haley? Haley wake up." Lucas whispered into her ear.

She groggily turned over. "Is it okay if Nathan crashes at your house tonight?"

"Sure.. whatever." She stumbles out of the car and toward the front door. Locked. She bent down and picked up the rock that held her key. Nathan caught a glimpse of her the tattoo she had gotten in High School. His jersey number placed right above her butt. 'Damn! She still has that.. Well of course she does, it's a tattoo!' He thought. They walked inside and Haley fumbled upstairs. Lucas came in behind him, and told him that he could stay in one of the guest rooms, the one Owen, Haley's older brother usually takes. He showed him where the bathroom was and turned to leave.

"Alright. Thanks for picking me up man. I'll talk to you later."

"See ya, Nate!" Lucas called.

Nathan walked through the house, it was nice, very homey, very much what he expected from Haley. There were pictures everywhere. 'So that must be her.' Megan his daughter. He was looking at a picture of Lucas and her. He was holding her, and she was holding a basketball, which was bigger than her, and she was smiling. 'God, she looks so much like Haley!' He thought. He walked through the kitchen which was clean, the family room, clean, a small bedroom, clean again, and another bedroom which was an absolute mess. He opened the door farther, the walls were light blue with clouds on them, and the ceiling was a dark blue with stars. There was a small bed in the corner, which had light blue covers that were disheveled. There were toys, books, and clothes scattered throughout the room.

"Snooping through my house, Nate?" He turned around quickly and got a good look at Haley. She looked so beautiful standing there in a tank top and cotton shorts, with the moonlight shining on her delicate face.

"Uh.. No. I mean, I was just passing by and uhh.." He stammered. Her expression softened to a smile. He looked to cute flustered and nervous.

"It's okay. I don't have anything to hide. So I guess I never said Hi or anything." She said walking toward him. She pulled him into a friendly kind of hug. "So, hi. And welcome back."

"Hi, Haley. I missed you." He said truthfully. She pushed him away. 'You bonehead! It's too soon to say that!' He thought.

She walked into the room, cursing herself for hugging him so soon. She needed to change the subject, quickly.

"26 hours." She said looking around the room.

Nate played along, he knew what she was doing, she was a pro at changing the subject. But he still had no idea what '26 hours' meant.

"Uhh... what?" He asked confused.

"Megan. I was in labor with Megan for 26 hours."

"Oh. Ouch."

"Yeah, you're telling me. She was two weeks overdue. Lucas took bets at how long I was going to be pregnant for, and Dan was certain she was going to be a boy because 'Scott men are stubborn, Haley. And that is one stubborn baby!'"

"Yeah, that sounds like my dad."

" I think Luke had me at a month and seventeen days overdue as the highest bet. I was pssed back then, but now I think it's funny. No one else does, to hear them you'd think I was a total bith when I was pregnant."

"No truth to that statement?" He asks playfully. She puts on an offended face, which quickly changes to a smiling one.

"Well, maybe just a little. But in my defense I was tired, and usually hungry, and... well. Fat." She says laughing at herself.

"I'm sure you looked beautiful."

'Oh lord! How did they get here, in her daughter's room, talking about her pregnancy that he wasn't there for? And was he flirting? Geez! This conversation is over!' She thought panicked.

"Uh. Yeah. Right. Well, we better get some sleep, you have to see a lot of people tomorrow." She said walking out of the room.

"Right," he said following her. "Good Night Haley."

"Good Night, Nathan."

He watched as she walked into her room and shut the door, then he walked back into his room and flopped down on the bed. 'Idiot! She might have a boyfriend or something! She didnt say that she missed him. God! This was going to be a crazy summer!'

OMG!I love you all! I will update more now...Keep Reading and reviewing!

Katie