New chapter before I go on vacation! Finally. I hated this chapter, it was hard to write and honestly I hate it. Whatever. It got the job done i guess.

Chapter 16

Part Two - Together We Rise

"Hung over much, Hales?" Lucas chuckled as he draped his sport coat over the back of the chair. Her hair fanned out around her head which laid on the cold, hard surface of the table.

She slowly moved her head off of the table and let it rest in her two hands. "How I got the idea to open that bottle of wine, I'll never know." The waitress with the name tag that pronounced her Courtney poured her more coffee, and Haley smiled lazily at her in thanks.

"Is she new here? I've never seen her before. She looks pretty frazzled with the before work crowd." Lucas commented lightly, eyeing Haley carefully as he stirred more sugar into his coffee.

She shook her head and shrugged, "She must be new. Your mom said she had to hire a few new, inexperienced girls because Marie and Joan quit. Joan finally graduated and took a job offer from Miller Real Estate, and Marie's boyfriend proposed and asked her to stop working."

"Why would he ask her to stop working? A little demanding, isn't that?" Lucas questioned casually.

Haley chuckled ever so slightly, "Not like that Luke." She fumbled in her purse for her Motrin. "He has money, a lot of it. He's a lawyer I think she said, and he wants her to stop working and focus on earning her degree."

"Oh." He was silent for a moment, pretending to be scanning the menu which only made him feel uncomfortable because he knew it by heart, right down to the prices. Haley struggled with the child safety cap and he let out an empathetic laugh. "You need me to help you with that?"

As he said it, the top popped off and she smirked proudly at him. "No, I do not. Do you need help reading the menu at your mother's café?" She joked and he glared. "Just ask the question already." She sighed hastily, chasing the pills down with a swallow of coffee.

He nodded, bowing his head slightly. "What's bothering you, Hales?"

"Nothing. I was just being stupid last night. I was drunk, don't I get that excuse?" She pleaded as she brought the coffee cup to her lips and took another long pull.

Lucas stared at her stonily, "No. Haley, you don't get that as an excuse. Now, let's talk about Nathan leaving."

"You really bother me sometimes, you know that?" She sighed, but he remanded impassive. "What do you want me to say, Luke? Nathan leaves in ten days."

Lucas looked pointedly at her. "Why is it upsetting you so much?"

"Why wouldn't I be upset?" Haley exclaimed incredulously. "Los Angeles is a long way away from Tree Hill."

"Yeah, so you are upset that his flight will be long, is that it?" He asked Courtney for a bagel, and Haley motioned for one too.

Haley grumbled, "Shut up Lucas." She remained quiet for a moment, staring a hole in her coffee cup. Suddenly she raised her head, "You wanna know why I'm upset? I'm upset because every time I finally have peace in my life, something shakes it, and that something is usually Nathan. I love him, Luke. Sometimes it scares me how much I love him. Even after everything."

"Nathan loves you, too. He loves you so much Hales." Lucas reached for her hand across the table.

She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I know he does. But sometimes love isn't enough." She glanced up sadly and met his eyes. They were full of worry and it shamed her to know that she was the one who put it there.

"I think you know who you need to talk to, Haley. I don't think I'm the one who can help you here." He sighed, defeated. He grabbed his bagel and stood, bending over to kiss her cheek. "If you need me, I'll keep my cell on."

"Lucas?" She called when he had almost reached the door. She looked lost, scared. Her eyes searched his for an answer, any answer. "Do you think it could work?"

He closed his eyes and shifted his weight to his other foot. "Maybe you should ask yourself that question, Hales."

-.-.-.

Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled to the front door, dressed in only basketball shorts. He swung the heavy door open, leaning on it for support, and squinted at the brunette figure in front of him. "Brooke? What the hell are you knocking at my door at eight o'clock in the morning for?"

"We need to talk." She said curtly, brushing past him into the house, walking straight for the kitchen. "Nice place you have here."

He stood still at the door, processing his thoughts for a moment before shaking his head amusingly and joining his sister-in-law in the kitchen. She took charge when he flopped down in a chair and she poured each of them a cup of coffee.

"Alright, Scott. I'm going to get right down to it." She slid carefully into a chair across the table from him. "You don't deserve Haley, not even a little bit, but for some unknown reason, you got her. She loves you, again for unknown reasons,-"

"Brooke, if you just came here to make fun of me, I'd like you to leave." He sighed, leaning back in his chair.

She continued on like she had never heard him. "-And you love her. What I'm concerned about is that you don't love her enough."

"Enough for what?" His brow furrowed.

"Enough to not break her heart again. Now, you leave the eighth, which in case you didn't know, is in ten days. Inevitably, you will hurt her and Megan by doing so-"

He grumbled, "Brooke, I can't change where my job is. If I tried to quit, they'd sue me for breaking my contract."

"I know, I know." She spat. "What I am saying, is that you need to figure out if you love Haley and Megan enough to try to work out the long distance thing."

"Brooke," He whispered, placing his elbows on the table and look her in the eye. "I love Haley and Megan more than anything in this world."

Brooke smiled, "That's what I like to hear. Let's get to work, superstar." He knew the gleam in her eye, and every nerve in his body told him to abort mission. She was pulling things from her purse that reminded him a lot of a Mary Poppins magical bag, everything seemed to fit and he felt himself pull away slightly in fear. Now, he figured, would be a good time for his coach to yell, "Get your head out of your ass, Scott. Put your hands up on the defense!"

.-.-.-.-.

He opened his bedroom door, rubbing the sleep off of his face as he stepped out into the hall. Instantly, he caught sight of the naked, frizzy haired brunette girl who was busy tearing the clothes off of all of her Barbies. Nodding casually to the child as if her behavior was a normal occurrence, he stepped over her and continued down the stairs. Reaching the kitchen, he poured himself a bowl of Lucky Charms and plunked down on the island stool. He read the back of the cereal box as he chewed noisily to himself. Glancing down moments later, he noticed the naked girl in the stool next to him, imitating his every move.

"Where's your mom?" He grunted sleepily, shoveling another helpful of cereal into his mouth.

"Where's your mom?" She mirrored.

Raising a surprised eyebrow and turning his head slowly, Owen James smirked. He reached over her head and snatched the phone off the cradle, an action she couldn't copy. He punched in the seven slightly smudged numbers written on the palm of his hand. He cleared his throat, smirked and nodded teasingly at the little girl. She giggled furiously.

"Hello?" A hurried female voice spat into the phone.

Cooly, Owen replied, "Hello, Meredith." Over the phone, he heard her suck in her breath. Megan was waiting for reassurance that the conversation was going well, she was biting her lip, something he noticed Haley did as well. He winked at her and she broke out into laughter again, clamping her hand over her mouth to stifle it.

"O-Owen! I wasn't expecting you to call." She stammered.

He remained smooth, "I told you that I would call. Did you not trust me?"

"No..." She protested in a tone barely above a whisper. "I mean, I wasn't expecting you to call, so soon." She spoke up.

"I couldn't wait to hear your pretty little voice."

Meredith cocked an eyebrow. "Always the charmer, huh Owen?"

"When I have the proper inspiration." He suggested playfully, showing a thumbs up to Megan.

"Oh please." She laughed out in a burst. "You, Owen James, could charm the pants off of a snake. You have that strong, mysterious type to you. "

"Yeah, but I want your pants. Not a snake's."

-.--..-.

The clatter cause by her car keys hitting the kitchen counter sounded eerily throughout the silent house. She had observed his car in the garage, but there were not any signs of him around the house. She called his name repeatedly, as well as Jenny's, but received no answer. She glanced back down at her car keys and noticed the counter was cleared of the morning breakfast clutter and piles of unnecessary papers. She crept upstairs finding every bed made and every basket of laundry folded neatly and put away. When had her house ever look like this? It was like the Twilight Zone.

She called out his name again, this time her tone taking on a slightly worried one. She turned out of their bedroom and back into the hallway. Like creepy magic, Jake had appeared at the top of the stairs, holding a box.

"You called?" He smiled from the top step. In his hands was a single daisy.

"It's... clean," Peyton grimaced, "Why is it clean?"

He laughed, "Jenny has been gone all day and I had nothing to do. You and Lucas were at work, Nathan and Brooke were together... weird, but true, and Haley was busy running errands and stuff. Therefore, I cleaned."

"Where was Jenn-" She started, but gasped, "You cleaned the mirrors!"

"Yeah, I did. And Jenny was at her friend Paige's for the afternoon and then Paige's mom was going to take them to Stephanie's sleepover." Jake raised his eyebrow and slipped his arm around her waist. "So, I thought we'd have a date night. Go get dressed up, and I'll make dinner. I already raided the basement for old movies." He propositioned, handing her the daisy for effect.

"And obviously, you also raided my garden." She said in a monotone voice and looked at him pointedly. He gave a crooked smile and her heart melted.

"This is a low budget date night." He shrugged, and she sighed, defeated.

Peyotn looked down, suddenly fascinated with the same black and white converses she had been wearing for years. "The bills come today?"

He nodded, "Why do they always seem to come in chunks? Why not, say one every two days instead of all on the same few days?"

She smiled feebly, "It's almost the end of the month, I guess it's bill time." She kissed his cheek and went back to the bedroom to change into 'date night' clothing while he headed downstairs. She flipped through her closet, and nothing seemed perfect enough. It wasn't often they got a night to themselves, and she wanted it to be special. She felt the familiar giddy butterflies in her stomach, even if it was dinner and a movie in their own home. Spraying her light summer perfume on, she took a final look in the mirror before sauntering down the stairs. She felt his eyes on her and internally smirked, it made her feel sexy that Jake still checked her out so often.

"I'm sorry, have you seen my fiancee? She probably has on an old band tee and jeans. Looks like she might not have bathed?" He pretended to crane his neck around her up the stairs. She slapped his arm.

"I do too bathe. And I've been known to wear a mini skirt or two." He snorted in laughter before pulling her into a kiss.

"You look beautiful. I like this strapless thing you have on. It makes it easier for me to look at your cleavage without getting caught doing so." Jake smiled pointedly and took her hand, leading her to couch were he had the dinner spread out on the coffee table.

"Chicken Fingers, shrimp, and mashed potatoes?" She laughed, looking down at the table.

He shrugged, "I improvised, besides, these happen to be some of my favorite foods."

"Im not complaining." She sat down next to him. "What movies are we watching?"

He bends over the side of the couch and retrieves two movies as he pops a chicken bite into his mouth. "The Mighty Ducks and Tommy Boy."

Peyton let out a snort of laughter, "They're perfect."

-.-.-.

"Brooke?" Lucas called, closing the door behind him and setting down his suitcase, which seems to get heavier every time he picks it up. He walked through the house to find her sitting in a dining room chair, huddled over a mess of fabrics. He asked nervously, "Are you redecorating?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Is this just for fun then?" He tried.

"No!" She repeated more forcefully.

"Then what's it f-"

"Lucas! It's for my design classes! Gosh, it's hard enough trying to do this when I have to get up to pee every five minutes, can you just go away?" She wailed, and he mentally noted she was in a bad mood.

He nodded and stepped slowly away from her, "Okay, sure. I'll.. Just go start dinner?" He suggested softly, and she muttered a thanks, at least that's what he hoped she had said.

Fifteen minutes later he managed to heat up a frozen pizza and stir together a minute rice package he found in the cupboard. He started to pour himself a glass of wine, but quickly remembered she'd have his head for that and poured it out. Instead, he filled two water glasses with gatorade.

"Brooke, dinner is ready!" He shouted and heard the chair scrape the floor in the other room. He set out everything on the counter and took out two plates. When he turned around he saw a unhappy Brooke staring at the food venomously.

"Lucas!" She shrieked, "Even I can cook that! In fact, I can cook a whole lot more than that!"

He looked confused, "Did you want me to make something special?" He mentally checked that today wasn't some anniversary or anything. Nope.

"Well you could have made something a little nicer. This is... this is college guy food." She waved her hand dismissively.

"Sorry?" He offered plainly, grabbing his plate and walking over to his lazy boy chair. He dug his hand into the side of the chair and located the remote, immediately flipping on Sports Center.

"Are you having an affair?" She wailed with her hands on her hips.

At her words, Lucas choked on his bite of pizza. "Are you serious! Brooke, I can't believe you just asked me that!"

"Well, you are leaving early in the morning and coming home later, and avoiding me, what am I supposed to think?" Brooke's shoulders heaved and she took in a deep breath to keep the tears from falling.

He let out an exhausted sigh and wrapped his arms around her. "Come on, pretty girl. It's just the busy season, it'll cool down once all of these whiny players get start school again. And I came home early today, but you nearly bit my head off."

She sniffled into his shirt, "I'm sorry, I'm just stressed out about this project, I kept putting it off and it's due next week and being pregnant isn't helping much either."

"Well, I'd help you but considering my lack of style I would probably hinder the process." He admitted and they laughed together.

After a beat of silence, Brooke looked up at him. "So you aren't cheating on me?"

"No, I'm not, and will not ever." He promised.

She looked pointedly at him, "Then who were you whispering to out on the porch last night, and why did you stop by Karen's this morning?"

He chuckled, "Haley called freaking out about my dumbass of a brother and then we had breakfast together. How did you know we were at Karen's?"

"I was on my way to see Nathan and saw you pulling out."

Lucas tried to contain his shock, "YOU were with Nathan? Why?"

"He's a Scott," She shrugged. "I know they are helpless when it comes to relationships." She smiled, showing her dimples.

"I'll show you how helpless I am."

-.-.

It was dark by the time he had summoned enough courage to go over to her house. He rubbed his sweaty palms down his khaki shorts and shifted the package into his left hand so his right could ring the doorbell. Almost immediately, Megan swung the door open. He swallowed and wrapped his arms around the little girl smiling wildly.

"Hey Meg, I brought you something." He grinned at his daughter.

Her blue eyes lit up, "What?" From behind his back he swung around his hand to reveal a doll. "Cinderella! Daddy, she's my favorite!"

"I know, that's why I got it for you." He laughed and kissed her forehead.

"Megan, what do you say?" Haley said evenly to her daughter, but stared at Nathan. She was wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"Thanks, daddy! Wanna come play Barbies wif me?" She asked, tugging at his arm.

He smiled down at her, "Tomorrow, I promise, okay? But right now, I need to talk to your mom."

She sighed dramatically, "Okay.. Tamarrow."

"Go get your pajama's on, Meg. I'll be up in a minute to tuck you in." Haley said again in the even tone that made him extremely nervous. "What are you doing here, Nathan?"

"I came to apologize."

She sighed heavily and led him back out onto the front porch. They sat on Haley's whicker bench in silence for a while, just looking out at the stars.

"Nathan... I want you to know that no matter what you choose, Megan is still your daughter and I want you to be in her life. Not like she would give me a chance not to anyways. She asked about four hundred times if we were going to see you today." She paused and but her lip. He wanted to say something, but knew he shouldn't so he just nodded and she continued. "I have always put her first, Nate, and I always will. So I want to know if you are in this or not because it was easier to explain why she didn't have a family like all the other kids when you weren't in the picture, but now that you are... you know, I.." She trailed off.

He tilted her chin to make her look at him. "Hales, I love you and Megan so much."

She nodded her head, "Yeah, I know you do, but it wasn't enough last time. I want to know if it's enough this time. You don't have to answer tonight. Just, let me know." She said softly, calmly. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "And thank you for bringing Megan that doll. It was really sweet."

She closed the door behind her and he started off to his car. Halfway there he stopped, turned and ran back to the front door. He flung it open and burst into the house. Haley stopped on the stairs and looked at him questionable.

"Okay, crazy. I was just going to tuck in Me-" She laughed, but his lips crashed forcefully into hers. The kiss, she knew, was more than just a kiss to him. She felt her knees go weak and leaned against him. "You promise?" She breathed.

"I do." He swore, staring straighter into her deep brown eyes than he ever had before.

"I want to show you something." She smiled, took his hand and led him to her bedroom. Inside it, Nathan felt hugged by her warmth, like he always did. It held so much that was Haley. It was cool colored and smelled of vanilla like her hair. She rummaged around in her closet, before being called out to.

"Mommy, I'm weady to be tucked in!" Megan screamed and they laughed. She pulled down the box and placed it on the bed. He stood and walked out of the room with her to Megan's room. "Daddy?"

"Hey angel." He smiled.

"Mommy, will you guys tell me a stowy?" She yawned.

Haley kissed her forehead and pulled the covers over her and they sat down on the edge of her bed. "Sure baby. There once was a beautiful princess."

"-who liked Macaroni and Cheese." Nathan added.

"And lived on the better side of the Great Bridge, while the prince lived on the other."

Nathan smirked, "-And the HANDSOME prince messed up a lot and the beautiful princess liked to get into fights with the handsome prince. She used big words to confuse him."

"-because of all of the books she read. And one day, they stopped fighting and realized that they liked each other."

"And they fell in love, had a baby, the end." Nathan rushed out.

"That wasn't a very good story." Megan screwed up her face.

"They lived happily ever after." Haley added and Megan smiled. "Good night, baby. Mommy loves you."

"Good night. I love you more." Nathan whispered and Megan giggled happily.

Back in Haley's bedroom, Haley snickered. "You stink at story telling." She popped the top off of the box and motioned for him to come sit next to her.

"So shoot me. What is all this stuff?"

Haley laughed, "It's yours. Most of it I stole. Some of it is mine that reminded me too much of you."

"My old varsity jacket? Your prom dress?" He quirked an eye brow, "Any chance I could get you to wear that again?"

"Never." She smiled and he opened the smaller box. The jewelry box.

"Your cracker jack bracelet and wedding ring. Understandable. I figured you had thrown them both out."

She looked shocked, "Oh, please! You know I'm like the biggest pack rat!" She looked down and noticed him toying with the wedding band. "I can't, Nathan. Not yet."

He nodded in understanding. "I know." He closed the box and stacked everything back into the box. He leaned back on her bed. "You wanna hit the lights or what?" He sighed teasingly.

"You're not going home I take it?" She laughed.

He turned to her, "I am home, Hales. I'm with you."

Up NEXT: -Let's Get it ON

-Good bye, sweet child of mine.

-Baby's got... what?

Shout Outs: Im too tired to do these...

Nicolec: Mysterious Meredith will make a great appearance in the next chapter.. I just ran out of room in this one. I like writing drunk characters, it loosens them up so that you can play with them a little more.

Deli41321: Hey, thanks for the review. Nathan always says the wrong thing doesn't he? I feel bad for the guy, he screws up so much. Thanks for reading.

Coupling- all- the- time: Thanks for the review, I really liked it. Owen and Meredith's past comes out in the next chapter so be sure to read it!

Peace, Im tired

Katie