SORRY IT TOOOOOOOOK SOOOOOOOO LONG! Maybe you should reread the last chapter if you dont remember or something.

Chapter 13

PART one- The Heart Doesn't Forget

Haley stirred awake peeling one eye open at a time, then glanced over at her bedside clock. 8:04am. She rolled over her side and noticed Nathan next to her, sleeping soundly. Her eyes automatically widened in horror as everything clicked in her modest, innocent mind. She pulled her sheet slightly off her body and peeked under: naked.

"Oh, god..." She mumbled, flinging herself out of bed and pulling on her robe. She hurried down the hallway and sped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her breathlessly, leaning on it for support. She exhaled heavily, before shoving herself away from the door and starting the shower. Ripping open the medicine cabinet, she cursed as half of the containers fell into the sink below. She pulled the Motrin out hastily and struggled with the annoying child-safety cap. After downing a few and taking a shameful look at herself in the mirror, she heedlessly hopped into the steaming shower.

The hot water poured down upon her back, as scolded herself for getting drunk enough to let such a thing happen. Her heart was telling her she wanted it. But her head was objecting. She reluctantly the shower off, after about thirty minutes, stepped out and wrapped a towel around herself.

She let out an extended, ragged breath as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She willed herself to lean over and plant a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Hales..." He murmured. "...Too early..."

"Nathan, we need to talk." Her voice commanded strongly. His body heaved over and he stared in her eyes. He realized what she wanted, and braced himself for it. "We can't Nathan." Her voice came, soft and feeble. "We just can't." He rolled out of the bed, and slipped on his boxers.

"Give me one good reason." He demanded.

She hesitated, but finally spoke. "Megan." She declared, thinking it should be more than enough of a reason.

"Megan...? You're not serious, because I think I remember yelling at us last night because she wanted us together!"

"She's four. She doesn't know what she wants!" She shouted back at him.

"No, I don't think YOU know what you want."

"You wanna know what I want, Nathan! I'll tell you. I want a husband who won't leave me the second he gets a "better opportunity." I want my daughter to have a father that she can count on. I want someone who won't be here one minute and gone the next. And most of all! I want someone that I can trust. And Nathan, you... you just can't give me those things anymore!" She exclaimed, flailing around her arms, not even bothering to hide the shakiness in her voice from the tears that began to fall.

"I could Haley. You just won't let me." He protested sadly, shutting the bedroom door softly behind him.

- -

Peyton awoke at a quarter to ten, realizing that she not only had a huge hangover, but was also alone. She pulled on her fluffy mint green robe and traveled through the house to the kitchen. Neither Jenny or Jake could be found. She settled on aspirin and a hot cup of coffee as she flipped on Good Morning America. She reflexively picked up the phone to call Brooke, before remembering she and Lucas would be in the Bahama's by now.

The door bell rang through the house and she heaved off the couch and went to the door. A tall man dressed in a nice black suit greeted her.

"G' Morning ma'am." He smiled.

"Hello..." She answered hesitantly.

"Jake sent me ma'am. He left this package and note for you." He explained knowingly, giving her a white envelope and large red box. "I'll wait in the car for you."

"Wait?" She questioned.

"Read the note ma'am. I'll be in the car." He told her with a mischievous smile.

- -

Haley's head pounded she took the stairs to her basement two at a time. Her hand dragged down a wall, searching for the light switch. She hadn't been down there in a while, and it showed. The one semi- clean spot was in the corner farthest away from her. Megan had made her set up a "Safe Nest," when she learned of tornadoes in a pre-school safety assembly.

She went over to the shelves on the wall, and read the box labels. She was looking for tablecloths. Megan had spilt grape juice on her current one. Her eyes scanned several boxes, she'd forgotten about most of the things down here, everything from Christmas Decor to her childhood toys. Her heart dropped when she read the next box, "Nathan."

Curiosity got the best of her and she found herself pulling the box off the shelf and unfolding the flaps. The first item her hands came into contact with was his old varsity jacket. God, how she had despised that thing. It stood for everything she hated about him: his stubbornness, his arrogance, his smart-a.ss, hurtful comments, but she was quickly reminded of the numerous times he had put it on her, worried she was cold. His old jersey came next, hitting her with flashes of smiles he'd give her when he'd make a shot, or the game winning kisses he would get "rewarded" with. She gently moved it out of the box, and turned to the small brown chest, with the small gold Haley Scott name plate on top. It was the jewelry box he had gotten her for Christmas their senior year. She cautiously opened it, remembering it's contents. Her rainbow colored cracker jack bracelet, her wedding ring, and the folded piece of paper she shoved in there, hopefully to never see it again.

Dear Mr. Scott,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to the University of California, Los Angeles's basketball program...

Tears welled in her eyes every time she she thought about it. God knows how many times she read that letter, enough to have memorized it at least. She almost laughed at the next item in the box. The nightgown he had bought her on their first date. She had bought him socks. He wore them though, but told her he had more fun with her gift.

The dress she wore to prom came next. Most wouldn't understand why something like that would be in a box like this, with all of its cuts in exactly the right places she looked "Wow," and Nathan would never let her forget it. She chuckled as she remembered Nathan telling her "I'm surprised that we actually made it to prom, I would have nailed you the second I saw you."

Underneath the dress, resting on the bottom of the box was their scrapbook and home videos. She gingerly pulled out the scrapbook and laid it on her lap. The first page declared, "Nathan and Haley forever." She rolled her eyes. She flipped through the pages, laughing and crying at different pages. She reached the last few, and stopped there. Their wedding pictures were the last thing she wanted to look at. She tossed everything back into the box, wiping tears from her eyes. She picked it up and carried it to her bedroom, forgetting about tablecloths.

- -

Peyton quickly headed to her room , tossed the package onto the bed and tore open the letter.

Peyton-

I'm sorry I wasn't there to wake up with you. But I'll make it up to you. I promise. Open the box and put on what's inside. David is the man who gave you this. He's an old friend of mine. He will drive you to meet me. I love you.

-Jake

P.S. Don't worry- Jenny's at my parent's house.

"What the hell is going on around here these days?" She blew out as she tossed the letter aside and fell back onto the bed. She pulled the box toward her, lifting off the top. The most beautiful warm green silk dress, and matching purse lay inside. Also a not telling her there is shoes in the closet, and promising he had help, so everything matched. She quickly showered and dressed, remembering poor David was still in the car.

She locked the front behind her as she stepped outside, immediately noticing David spring out of the black Lincoln LS.

"Finished already ma'am? Didn't take you all that long to look so beautiful."

"Why thank you." She blushed, stepping into the car. He walked around and got into the driver's seat. "So, David, where are we headed?" She asked eagerly.

"Sorry ma'am. But Jake doesn't want me tellin' you anything."

"Not even a hint...?"

"Sorry." He shrugged.

"Fine." She grumbled, leaning back into her seat.

- -

Nathan picked up Megan at Karen's after stopping to shower and change. She had her hand latched onto his and she swung them happily as she replayed the night's events to him. She seemed to have forgotten about her fight with Haley, and instead focused into Keith's spilling milk and Karen yelling at him. She found it very entertaining. They walked along the beach, and Megan laughed when Nathan picked her up and twirled her around. They played a game of tag, finally collapsing onto the sand in front of Dan's beach house.

"Daddy?" She asked as her breathing returned to normal.

"Yeah angel?"

"When are you going back to your home?"

"At the end of the summer. But I promise, I'll come back to visit you."

"Why do you have to go?" She asked sadly.

"It's my job sweetie. I have to. Remember, basketball?"

"Yeah... I member." She sighed, looking out at the ocean. It was killing him to see her like this. Even more so to know he caused it. "You're gonna hurt mommy..." She mumbled almost silently, as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Hurt mommy? Megan, what are you talking about...?" He asked, even though he was sure he already knew the answer.

"Mommy and Aunt Brooke and Aunt Peyton were talking 'bout you a forever ago, and dey say that mommy should be crying. But den mommy and me talked and she said dat you hurt her a long time ago and dat you wouldn't hurt her again, but I don't believe her."

"Why don't you?" Crap, she was going to make him cry.

"'Cause she had on her sad smile. I don't like that one daddy." She mumbled quietly.

"Me either." He admitted, thinking about Haley's smile. He closed his eyes, trying to rid his brain of the image. Still there. He looked down at Megan, thinking hard of anyway to get Haley back.

- -

"I'm going to kill Jake. How long have we been in this car? I have to use the bathroom." Peyton complained.

"We'll be there in then minutes ma'am." He smiles at her impatience.

"Ten minutes? But we're in the middle of the mountains! There is nothing in the middle of the mountains!"

"I know," he laughs.

"Wait. This isn't some kind of hack job is it? Like he couldn't just break up with me so he hired a hit man to through me off a cliff!"

"I promise, no hit-men. Besides, if it were, why would he dress you up?"

"So they don't have to dress me for my funeral." She says, obviously a crabby from the hang over.

They finally turn off the highway and go down a straight, nicely paved street. He makes another turn, and Peyton notices the bright green grass on either side of the road. At the end, they come across a large black gate. They enter through it after David had talked to the guy on the intercom. A gorgeous Bavarian-looking hotel greeted them. Jake was standing at the front door waiting for them.

"Thanks, David."

"No problem Jake. You're a lucky man with this one." He smiles.

"I know. " He laughs as he helps Peyton out of the car. "You look stunning Peyton."

"Thanks." She blushed as they walk inside.

- -

Nathan and Megan were pulling out of his father's beach house, when he noticed the sign in a yard a few houses down. He quickly got out of the car, dragging Megan with him. He knocked rapidly on the door.

"Hello..." Came the voice of the house's owner.

"Hi.." Nathan smiles slyly.

"God! Finally! I called Karen and she said you had picked her up then I've been calling you for four hours now! But did you think to call? NO!" Haley rambles in frustration.

"MOMMY! Guess what!" Megan squealed, interrupting her mother's outburst.

"What!" Haley sighed, throwing a glare Nathan's way before turning to Megan.

"We bought a house! And daddy said he'll give me a WHOLE room for my toys, den you won't get mad 'bout my room being messy!"

"A house!" She exclaimed, Nathan smirked.

"A beach house. You see, I got thinking about the little game of life that Megan and I played- which we never did finish, and I promised her that I would buy her a beach house one day when we had enough money. Then again, I promised her a lot of things..." He said, staring into Haley's eyes. Both knew it wasn't the board game he played with Megan they were talking about. Nathan had made the same promise to Haley. Haley was silent for a minute, before her reasonable side kicked in.

"Nathan... you can't just buy a house..." She sighed.

"I can't. That's funny. I think I just did."

"No mortgage or other bidders or anything?"

"Haley, I offered double their asking price. They accepted. Not a big deal."

"Double the price... NOT A BIG DEAL!" She shouted incredulously. "Nathan! It's a huge deal! That's like a half a million dollars!"

He just smirked more. "Calm down Haley. It's not like I can't afford it."

"Geez. Mommy, why you so mad? It's just a house."

"Baby, you can't go around buying houses for no reason-" She said to Megan.

"Oh, but I have reason... I wanted to." He stated smugly. Smirk still present. He knew she'd react like this.

"Watch her. I'll be back later." She shook her head in disbelief. Nathan had NEVER understood the concept of saving money.

Megan looked up at Nathan. "Daddy? Why is mommy so mad?"

"Because she's crazy." He laughed.

"But we love her anyway right?"

"Yeah, angel. We love her anyway."

- + -

Peyton and Jake had finished their meal and were waiting on desert. Jake took Peyton's hands across the table. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." She smiled.

Jake slid out of his chair and onto his knee in front of her. Peyton's jaw dropped as she realized what was going to happen.

"Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, I love you with my whole heart and you complete me in every meaning of the word. You have become a great mom to Jenny, and I cannot begin to imagine our lives without you. I have wanted to marry you for a long time, I just, I thought everything would change. But I realize now, maybe we need to change a little. So Peyton, will you marry me?" He smiles nervously, opening a small black box with a classic gold banded diamond ring.

"Yes, Jake. I will marry you." She smiles, tears rolling down her cheek as he placed the ring on her finger.

Up Next: Chapter 13 Part two: Something Like That

--Brooke and Lucas return. Is the honeymoon over yet?

--Haley and Nathan visit the new Scott house. Alone.

--Saturday Breakfastsatthe Scott's household resume.Admission's are made... yikes.

I promise the next update will be soon. Im shooting for the 16th. REVIEW!

1ThNaley23- I seriously am excited that you liked the last chapter. By the way. I am sorry for the wait. VERY dreadfully sorry.

OTHTutorgirl23- lol. They aren't together offically yet. They just slept together. But... just you wait.

MTG4U- Lol. Mind the Gap. Sounds cool. Anyways. Im glad you liked the last chapter.This story is no wherenearfinished. In fact, I have HUGE plans for this story. I love it.It takes so much work because I want it to be perfect.

LiasonFan2- Ahhhhh! Clingy girls in stories! I HATE that. Anyways. Thanks for the reivew.

Medine- Still Little miss addicted I hope. Even though this update took like a freaking century. Okay so that was a tad overdramatic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. A little hint for my favorite and oldest reviewer: NH+ alone + a beach house lots of fun!

RoseRows: Lol. I love Megan too. I was really happy with the way her scenes turned out. But I guess that's what happens after you rewrite a chapter over eight times. All of it: eight times. I orignially had a man named george in it. Yes, george. By the way, this story isnt going anywhere for while, don't fret.

2060mipy: I understand. No one really forgets and forgives that easy. Im sorry it took so long for this chapter.

REVIEW AND MAYBE ILL SEND YOU A FLY MESSAGE TOO!