WARNING: This chapter goes to the hopeful people!
Once again, it came out differently than planned, but after my daily jog yesterday, let's say the lovely breeze and constant leaves falling in my head inspired me to write something with LESS angst.

OBS: I know I said the chapter was far from being ready, but after talking to Court, my unconditional supporter who always finds it in herself to be kind and patient, I decided to leave it to split the chapter in two. It makes MUCH more sense.

OBS2: Once again, I used another SL and changed it completely. Hope you'll like it.

Court, without you, there wouldn't be a story,

troryrogan, I hope you'll like this other one. It's different than all others, but I guess it was my good mood speaking louder!

Mistydm, come on I left you hanging for a day and a half so yo can't be mad at me hehe.. So, on to the chap, don't go angry when you start reading it, the drama of him following IS there, promise. About the comments, I think if you've been thoughtful enough to leave me your feelings, the least I can do is leave you mine. I LOVE replies because they tell me if I should change things or keep them as they are. Readers are what keep the story going. I don't get much reviews, but I get lots of alerts which is also important. Anyway, I twisted another SL and I hope you'll like it. Thanks for all of your words.

Naley, my other loving replier. He called her that, but she taught him a few lessons by kicking his ass!!!! And, she'll kick ass again. In this chap, I twisted another aspect, but of the third season. Hm.. in this chapt, the dynamics will change a little and there won't be much of that lovely friendship, but there's some fluff and weird bonds (I think I told you before) being formed. Well, I'm glad you liked her costume because I have no idea of how I thought of that, really, And about the conversation being heartbreaking, I think it goes a little better this time.

Chelle2911, thanks for taking the time to read this and for leaving me a review!!! I hope you'll also enjoy this chap.

HJS-NS-23, I thought of that, REALLY thought of that. I also thought of having her running in the gardens, but in her state, it was unlike her to do so (to run), and there's a reason your wish won't come true (and I'm spoling, sorry) because there's an specific line for that not to happen!!! Thanks for your replies. They inspire me, a lot.

naleyHON, the questions are answered together with a question you sent me the first chapter. Thanks.

krizue, I can only hope to leave you speechless again, but this chapter came out real different than all others. I hope you'll like it all the same. Thanks, as always!!

Moving on...

Chapter 10

Losing a battle is not losing a war. It is difficult to comprehend and to accept, but it means the struggle is still far from being over! This was a motto, or a consolation; Brooke and Peyton were not sure yet; neither was Nathan.

Completely out of their minds, the two girlfriends were trying their best to keep that positive thought in mind, and so was Brooke's newest and oddest ally, Nathan Royal Scott, but for more than the girl's reasons.

The power of war... always getting enemies to join forces to defeat the common evil, or in this case, the obstinately unmoving Principal Turner and the PTA, who wanted the Senior trip to take place in the last holiday BEFORE the Spring break, in a RANCH. Two outrages for several circumstances, if Brooke and her weird but interesting team had a saying in the matter.

"What's our next strategy?" Peyton sighed, asking Brooke as if she was the school's Yoda; the mentor with all the answers.

Saturday morning had never been so disappointing, except for maybe Nathan.

Eleven months ago, on a Saturday morning, he had woken up for the first time thinking Haley had chosen to be permanently out of his life. Foolish thought, if someone asked him today.

Gathered at the outside area of Tree Hill High, the unusual trio was quiet and inconsolable. They were sitting at the table Peyton had gotten back to sharing with Haley and company since the day after Keith's party, when the tension between the two of them had ever so slowly started dissipating because the blond one had decided to drop being a narrow-minded nitwit.

Across Peyton was Brooke, on her everyday spot; by the blonde's side was the unprecedented member, who, by the way, was still far from being welcomed by most of the table's regular occupants.

Although Nathan had spent the two days before that one claiming his motives to be forming the conspiracy against the Principal and the PTA were restricted to give Peyton moral support, everyone that had been at Bevin's party the moment Haley erupted from the pool house with Nathan jogging after her knew differently.

"HALEY, WAIT!" Nathan implored, dashing after her in Skills' clothes and in his 'Keith Partridges' shoes, in the middle of the remainder crowd who was talking but observing, or too drunk and spread out around the garden.

It had taken him two or three minutes to suck it up and follow her, but Haley wasn't far away.

She was hearing each and every one of his calls, but still carried on in her new state of numbness, her legs heavy and her eyes dry. During their conversation, if he had promised her the world, she would not have believed; his indifference over the long haul and his current situation combined were making it impossible for her to do it.

"Haley, please wait!" Nathan repeated, easily catching up with her and keeping her pace as she completely ignored him.

Glancing around the parking area, her eyes met Lucas' car, still blocked. She didn't have the keys, but still cursed violently and sprang into action, keeping her distance from her almost ex-husband, calling for a cab to take her home, where she wouldn't be forced to look or listen to him.

"40 minutes? Oh, no! No, no, you've got to be kidding me. You know what? In forty minutes I'll have walked home..." Haley hung up, never giving the person on the other end, the chance to respond. "If you look at me and say it's not safe, I'll smack you down." She threatened Nathan; it was the second time that night.

"I can drive you home." He humbly offered. His car was one of the last ones that had been parked. Nathan, never the one to go by British punctuality.

"HA-HA, I'll be safer walking. I don't ride with lying bastards who are under the influence of alcohol or whatever other drug you might have taken."

"Thanks for calling me a junkie." He flirted. Oh, the bad timing...

"It wouldn't have been the first time." She poisoned, remembering the time he'd taken way too many drugs to enhance his performance on the basketball court.

"I'm not going there again, Haley. I'm sobering up and you can provoke all you want."

"Because I was PROVOKING the last time, wasn't I?" She quickly snapped as her eyes squinted.

"You have to meet me half way here, Haley."

"Funny you should say that, Nathan. When I asked you to do the same thing, you've asked me for that thing we discussed at the pool house."

"Haley, can you please calm down so that we can continue our conversation? Let me drive you home, or let's call the 'DW not I'." Nathan approached her, looking down in her eyes.

"God your breath, its pure booze. Makes me wonder how you're still conscious. I think you should let ME have your car and YOU should call the 'DW not I'" She walked backwards, but he approached her once more.

"Go on, snark all you want. I've already accomplished all of my craptastic moves of the night. It'll make sense if you return them."

"Yeah, lying to my face was one of your most idiotic moves. It's a new low for us." She scolded.

"You started the lying game and I was not lying, Haley." He refuted, harsher than he intended.

"You know what? I screwed up big time when I kissed Keller and lied about it, but it's enough! I'VE PAID FOR IT! NOW CAN YOU PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE?"

"I know you have, but so have I." He lamented in a low voice.

"Then why do you bring it up every five fucking minutes? Get over it; go do what you were doing. Go live your basketball star life and let me be, Nathan. I can't take this anymore; the aggressions, the arguments, the accusations, the bitter conversations... It's gotten out of hand and it has to stop."

"We lost our way, Haley."

"And I was the only one trying to recover it, wasn't I?" She grimaced, but spoke quietly.

"You think I want things to end like this?"

"And what am I supposed to think? You ask me for a divorce, but you don't want things to end up badly? Like I told you in the docks, I don't know you anymore. My Nathan's somewhere other than here."

"I'm still the same person Haley, I'm just facing reality."

"Great, tell me it wasn't real, tell me what I feel isn't real..." Haley shook her head, rolling her eyes, accidentally giving him hope with her choice of words. "Get out of my way, Nathan. If you know what's good for you, you'll move and forget I ever existed." She was looking him in the eye, speaking the truth, and meaning every word.

"I was NOT lying and I'll prove it to you." He declared, secure of his statement. "You've doubted my love for you for a long time, but it has to stop."

"And how would you know such a thing? Is it because you know how I feel when you pretend I'm not in a room when you enter? Is it because you can't get rid of your mom and run out of the cafe fast enough when I show up to work...? You haven't been in my life for almost eleven months. How could you possibly know what goes on inside my head..?"

"Someone's told me about a certain conversation in which you told Brooke you thought I didn't love you anymore; I should have fixed it then, four months ago."

"I won't even bother asking. That conversation was private and whoever listened to it disrespectfully invaded my privacy."

"It's not like that; the person was being a good friend."

"To you maybe... I'm SO sorry I can't say the same. And who's told you? Queen of gossip Peyton Sawyer! It must have been; that very same day I took Brooke to the docks like I told you. Days later... PUF... Peyton just showed up there out of nowhere saying she'd seen me from Ellie's motel."

"We both did, but the day you talked to Brooke, Peyton also needed her shoulder to cry and accidentally overheard the conversation. Don't be mad at her, Haley. She was trying to help us."

"Don't I just have a wonderful friend named Peyton Sawyer and the best husband in the world?" Haley bluffed with all of her sarcasm. "She listened to it deliberately. You don't accidentally glue your head to a door and eavesdrop on people's conversations."

"Contrary to what you think, she was doing the right thing. You don't have all the facts."

"I'm not sure I want them."

"You'll still hear it."

"Who says so? I might as well leave you talking to yourself. I'm getting real good at it."

"But you'll stay and listen because I'm asking you to. You might think I have changed, but you're still the same Haley. Comprehensive, caring..."

"Keep telling yourself that!" She cut him off harshly.

He took a breath, looked at her tenderly, as he'd only done it at the pool house when taking her hand so that she'd sit next to him, and spoke, praying silently for her to give him a chance to clear some of the huge mess up.

She looked around masking her interest, but part of her was indeed curious.

"The day we talked at the docks, the day of the award, Peyton went to my house before the party...she's asked me one of the most important questions I ever had to face..." He admitted before reminiscing that moment.

"Why do you keep your wedding ring on your nightstand? Do you carry it around with you?"

"Peyton and her inconvenient questions..." Haley muttered, unaware of what the other girl had asked Nathan.

"When I gave her my answer she's told me that if I really meant it, I should start moving because you were already doubting my love for you."

"Good thing you've followed her oh, so wise advice." Haley remarked ironically.

"I was wrong not to move then, but I'm moving now. I do love you and I will prove it to you."

"And then what!? Don't bother, Nathan. I don't need the consolation of knowing deep down some tiny little part of my husband still exists inside this jackass that's taken over."

Haley's question had trapped him. On the heat of the moment, he had only thought about going after her and proclaiming his love for her to believe in it. But then what? It was a great question, and it echoed in his mind.

"You see, then nothing! Do me a favor and stay away from me. I'm tired and at this point, there's nothing you can say or do that will make me believe you. You only said those words because you were drunk..."

"There must be something..." He murmured, staring fixedly at her big brown mad eyes.

"Well, there isn't." Her tone was resolute.

"You can't actually believe my love for you have faded just like that." He cried out loudly.

"I can, and I do; It's easier" She half-smiled silently.

"How can you do it? It hurts me like hell to even begin to believe you don't feel anything for me."

"Nathan, in the end, I'd rather think I wasn't enough for you than thinking I wasn't worth keeping..." She explained softly.

"Haley..."

"And I prefer to think you're better than someone who lets me go because of your pride... I like to tell myself you're not that awful person. I couldn't have fallen in love with someone that does that."

"It's not about pride, Haley."

"Then what is it about? I really don't understand and I'm sick of trying. Just let me go, will you? Let me believe what I already do. When it comes down to it, it hurts less."

"I can't, Haley! I need you to know the truth, I need you to change your mind."

"Why would I? To get hopeful and have my heart shattered in a million pieces once more? Don't be cruel, Nathan. Don't be crueler than you've been when you decided not to change yours."

"Haley, please believe me, I do love you." He honestly reaffirmed his confession.

"You know, Nathan, if you ever feel like changing my mind, you call your lawyer when you're completely sober and drop the divorce. Give us a chance, earn my trust back, let me earn yours and build a life with me. Or don't change my mind... I know you won't...go live your life without me and be happy."

"Haley..."

"Goodbye, Nathan. Or see you later... You tell me."

"Haley, I..."

"Don't say a thing. Sleep it off and in case you decide something I want to hear, a positive thing, I'd like to know it soon. The school year's ending, I have to choose a school and you're already going to Duke and..."

And there it was; the real reason he could not answer her instantly; the dread school issue. He wanted her to choose a school by herself and not because of him, but thinking about how much this decision would cost him was finally taking its tool...

"I..."

"Just figure out what you want, before it's too late. Actually, it's late, but I'm still here, even though I have no reason to be."

With that being sad, Haley spotted Brooke, desperately marching on her rescue.

"Brooke's coming and from the look in her face I can see she's aware of what's happened. I guess I'll save your $$ this once. I'll meet HER halfway and spare you the yelling. Bye, Nathan, and don't try and change my mind unless you mean it."

As she left, to go to Brooke's encounter, Nathan had lost yet another battle, with his own stubborn and deceiving mind. He was in for a cycle of combats. Making a decision was the first one of them.

-----x-----

"Why are you asking me? Do I look like I have a strategy lying around waiting to be used?" Brooke retorted, her smoldering anger nearly boiling over.

"Oh, calm down. I was asking 'cause you're the Student Council President?"

"Of course I am! I'm Student Council President when they want to find out who released the time capsule, when they plan on busting the culprit of the Senior Prank, when they have to organize prom and the Homecoming dance, when they need to raise funds to the teams... The title only counts when I have to beat my brains out and work my $$ around, otherwise it's not worth a thing. Think about it... The day I tried rescheduling the STD lecture, they ignored me! The same happened the day I tried to convince Turner not to go on opening everyone's lockers because of Tim's joke and the unfounded suspicions of drug dealing AND NOW THIS..." Brooke expressed her dissatisfaction with her 'political' position, which she was now referring to as 'slave work'. "Maybe you should ask Mr. ..."

"Don't forget your promise not to use your thoughtful and considerate nicknames." Nathan interrupted her teasingly with his finger raised, seconds before she could come up with a new term to grace him with.

"AND THE LOSSES KEEP ON COMING!" Brooke sighed deeply. "I can't even curse you now? THIS DAY OFFICIALLY SUCKS!" She bent her head down on the table, groaning repeatedly.

"It does..." Nathan murmured inaudibly, shaking his head and trying to forget the fact that it had been eleven months since him and Haley had separated; like he ever would...

"Maybe if you stop sitting on your cute $$ and start moving it, you'll get better chances of succeeding; Preparation IS half of the battle." Lucas advised Brooke, leaning down behind her and placing a kiss on the nape of her neck.

"It's easy for you to say from the outside, Mr. UNC's newest student!" Brooke muttered.

"Oh yeah, I hear congratulations are in order." Peyton smiled, shaking Lucas' hand. "There are some rumors about Whitey giving one hell of a speech in the middle of the 5 am basketball practice."

"What can I say... it's the truth" Lucas smiled back at her. "I think the Coach was happier than I was, even happier than Haley was... but I'm still hoping for that Duke scholarship." He revealed, meeting Nathan's almost competitive eyes.

"Yeah, but at least you and Haley already have a place to go. We're all on the watch for those mysterious letters."

And sometimes, ignorance wasn't bliss!

After having Haley giving him her own version of an 'ultimatum' at Bevin's party, Nathan had entered a new stage: Contemplating life without her, but for real this time. He had spent three weeks barely being able to find sleep, analyzing 24/7 all the times he'd miss her, which were practically every day, at every waking hour.

On his self-discovery, he had also realized the words Brooke had told him over the phone were valuable. In fact, they were the best piece of advice someone could offer him, but there was still the 'ignorance issue'. He was really willing to prove her his words were the truth in order to get her back if she'd forgive him, but so far, he was only hearing it from Duke, and she was only guaranteed at UNC, or so he thought. For better or worse, Stanford was still Haley's, Brooke's and Lucas' secret, although he knew she dreamed of going there.

"They'll come." Lucas assured Peyton as he took the seat next to Brooke, finding his brother's presence disturbing and somewhat hazardous, but pushing the thought to the back of his mind.

"Yatta-Yatta..." Brooke imitated their conversation with her fingers, clearly wanting them to drop it and focus on their momentary conflict.

"Hello to you too, pretty girl."

"I'm sorry Broody, welcome back!" Brooke apologized, repositioning herself horizontally. "I'm just going through this major crisis and I can't find an escape goat. The cheer squad, most of the student body and both the wrestling and basketball teams are a hundred percent behind us, but we can't find our light in the end of the tunnel. I can't disappoint everyone, or myself."

"Turner's really not giving in?"

"Nope, he's not!" Brooke replied Lucas' question categorically.

"But have you tried hard enough?"

"Luke, when have you seen me at school on a Saturday morning? We came here today 'cause of the PTA meeting and I practically bent down on my knees and BEGGED for Turner to start a pool so that we can select the location democratically, but he insists on the ranch deal because Erica Marsh's parents got this discount fee or something... I suppose we live in a dictatorial regime... Turner's the next Fidel." Brooke ranted. "We should be going to a resort or sky station and not to milk cows!"

"He's not caving on changing the date either WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING." Peyton shook her head at Brooke disapprovingly, emphasizing the date factor.

"Let me get this straight: You want another location and the date to be altered?"

"HA, I knew you were at a college party when I called and filled in you yesterday. Don't deny it, Lucas Scott!"

"Well, we were just having harmless fun." Lucas grinned, knowing it wouldn't please Brooke and her not yet exclusive arrangement. To have Nathan visualizing Haley with a bunch of college guys all over her had never crossed his mind, but it was one of the results of his allegation.

"Can you explain it again?"

Brooke sighed, reminding herself she'd leave it to pick on Lucas and the repercussions of his secret party later on.

"We want a different location, but we NEED a different date. And when's Haley coming home, by the way? I need my Tutor Girl to teach me a way out of this crisis."

Snap. Nathan was back in the conversation; He was now more interested in knowing Haley's whereabouts and dates of her return than to picture the frat boys flirting with her.

"But formulating ingenious plans are your specialty, pretty girl."

"Whatever! When is she coming back?" Brooke whined annoyingly.

"That's a question Peyton should be answering; she's the one meeting Hales tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh yeah, you're also leaving town. Just when I need my two best friends they decide to go all Hollywood on me..." Brooke went on whining like the school girl she was.

"We invited you to come along. Actually, you should come along. Not having you there is going to be a nightmare considering my relationship with Haley's back on the rocks thanks to someone." Peyton briefly glared at Nathan. She had established Haley was now a forbidden subject between them. She was done picking sides.

"If I go, it means visiting my parents. No thanks. But since you're meeting up with Tutor Girl, tell her to stop using the date as an excuse to skip the trip. She's going, even if I have to pay for it myself." Brooke promised. "It's a rite of passage; she can't simply ignore it."

"But she will if they don't change the date." Peyton continued.

"And so will you and this trip will be the worst trip in the history of senior trips."

"And my concert will suck even more. The seniors are my first target public. Selling them tickets to the concert is a done deal."

"But if we go out of town, you still have the Community college students and the school freshman, sophomores and juniors while we'll be in the middle of a RANCH."

"Yeah, Brooke, but the organization team I've recruited will be a no show."

"I assume the concert can't be rescheduled."

"If you want to talk to the managers of Jack's Mannequin, Nada Surf, Feeder, Mozella... go for it, Luke. I can't call them and ask for such a thing. They're already going to LA this weekend to record the promotional song Jimmy Eat World's written which is oh...amazing, they're shooting the promotional footage that's being shown on TV and they're giving interviews for the Magazines Ellie's gotten in touch with. They're doing more than they bargained for."

"That's why Haley's gone there?" Nathan spoke for the first time since Lucas' arrival and in return, as expected, he received two glares; one from Brooke and one from his brother.

"Nathan, have you talked to her since the shit you pulled at Bevin's party three weeks ago?"

"No, Brooke, I haven't."

"My point exactly! Don't ask about her 'cause no one's going to tell you anything. You have no claim on her and she goes wherever she wants, whenever feels like it. She might as well join Michelle Featherstone and Jimmy Eat World on their three month 'Friends with Benefits' tour once classes are over."

"Friends with benefits tour, is this for real?" Nathan's eyes opened widely. All of the sudden, he was relieving the time when he'd had a '1950's' attitude regarding Haley's tour. Telling her it was either him or it was a shame he'd always carry with him.

Another thing that wouldn't give him the piece he wanted was the guilt; she had given up, and he was to blame for it.

"Why would she lie about it, Nathan? If Haley's smart she'll take Dallas' offer and go." Peyton blurted out without giving it the proper thought. That, until Lucas cleared his throat and looked reprehensibly at her. She should not have committed such a slip.

"Dallas?" Nathan's face filled with confusion.

"Back to the senior trip that's scheduled to happen the day before the concert..." Brooke tried changing the topic.

"Who the hell is Dallas, Peyton?" Nathan repeated insistently.

"Hasn't Brooke said it's none of your business, Nathan?" Lucas scolded, not being in the mood to put up with any of his brother's crap in that particular day.

"Stay out of it, Lucas." Nathan warned, staring intently at Peyton, almost begging for an answer. "I don't have a problem with you so..."

"But I have problem with your attitude. I have a HUGE problem with you treating my best friend as last week's trash."

"And someone's in for a big I TOLD YOU SO..." Brooke singed--song in victory. She had warned Nathan about Lucas' anger.

"I'm not doing it." Nathan defended himself, sneering at Luke.

"Because it's gotten old, right...? Because she no longer cares about anything you do. You can walk past her and she'll neglect your presence. Isn't it funny to see the tables turn?" Brooke ridiculed Nathan the way it hurt him the most.

"You know better than that, Brooke. You know the reasons I was doing that to her were not about my damn pride."

"What does he mean by that, pretty girl?"

"Nothing that's worth talking about, Luke. He's just bluffing."

"He's not. He's got that serious look, but it's not the angry one." Peyton meddled, staring at Nathan's concerned expression.

"Is someone going to tell me who Dallas is?"

"NO." Brooke and Lucas answered in unison.

"Well you should because if you do, I'll find a way of contacting him and I'll tell him to push Haley to go to this promotional tour. If he does it, she'll cave and go. Hell, I'll push her myself."

Lucas and Peyton were confounded. Brooke, on the other hand, was running her hands through her hair, counting to ten, trying not to attack Nathan and his dumbness.

"Have you listened to a word I said when you called me about two months ago? 'Cause I must have spoken in Greek or..."

"I have, more than you'll ever know. That's pretty much the reason I'd make the call."

"HUH? Someone please pinch me so that I know this is not just a dream. You've listened to me? I'm glad, but I'm not getting it. It seems to me you're doing quite the opposite of what I told you."

"I can assure you I'm not." Nathan smirked, trying to tranquilize her.

"Then what are you doing?" Lucas questioned challengingly.

"I'm looking for a way of having her back where she belongs: on tour, singing for big crowds, being a hit. Haley's a star who deserves to shine."

"I'm all for that, but touring around the country is not where she belongs now. She's going to college. UNC visit??? Rings a bell?"

"College's six months away. You people said it's a three month tour and that she should go once classes are over. Well, she can go and finish it before college starts, and then she'll decide where she goes from there."

"When are you going to stop making decisions for her?" Brooke snapped.

"I'm not making decisions for her. I'm fixing one of my many mistakes."

"Oh so that you can sleep at night? Because you really shouldn't worry Nathan! She doesn't blame you for walking out of the tour. It was her option and she was the one who chose between two dreams; the tour and a life with you."

"But she didn't have to choose in the first place, Brooke."

"Because you chose for her, right? You opted for getting a divorce and dumping her to the curb. The worst part of it is that she's dropped the tour because of you and you managed to leave her with none of heart's desires." Lucas criticized him, his eyes flashing with anger.

"She didn't have to choose because it wasn't a choice. She could have had both and I was the moron who was too blind to see it at the time."

"And you think you realizing it now makes it all better? Because it doesn't! Plus, a new tour won't make up for all the pain you put her through."

"It's not supposed to make it all better, but it's a start. It's supposed to show her I'll back her up no matter what, with or without a music career. I need her to see I have realized how wrong I was the first time." Nathan revealed, causing Lucas the same shock from five minutes in prior. "Tell him, Brooke, let's get this over with. Tell him why I kept my distance from Haley once I managed to get over my anger."

"Why? So that he can have the same reaction I did? So that he can tell you she would go to Duke or anywhere else if it meant you two would be together? Well, coming to think of it, she'd do all that, in the past. Now, I'm seriously doubting it."

"I'm sorry, but have I heard you two correctly? You're not with Haley because of your college choices, Nathan? That's just the stupidest thing I've ever heard. She'd go to the end of the world with you. That's what love is about, dude. It's about giving in and embracing the other one's dream even if it affects and changes some of your plans. You can't win it all; you have to cave. Your parents royally screwed you up..."

"Thanks, Peyton. I told him already, but he says he's not with her because he knows he won't get to Stanford and he's afraid she's going to go there..."

"If she's accepted." Lucas reinforced the secret.

"Yeah, Broody, if she's accepted."

"Man, I agree with them. This is by far the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You put the love of your life through months of crap because you don't want her to sacrifice her first college choice? She's sacrificed herself once." Lucas commented, officially pitying Nathan's actions.

"And once is not enough?"

"And you sacrificing the two of you is so much better, isn't it?" Lucas rolled his eyes. Dan's genes seemed to always get the best of Nathan.

"I'm here now, aren't I? Willing to find a way of getting her a new tour to show her how wrong I was, fighting for the day of the trip to be rescheduled..."

"And how is the second thing helping her?" Brooke questioned him sternly.

"Because as you said, the tables have turned! She won't look at me now, she won't talk to me, but she's asked me a question the last time we've talked and I finally have her answer. I just need this trip and the time it can give us together. I need to talk to her, to approach her, to prove her something and make sure she still wants the answer I have."

"Now someone please pinch me..." Lucas scratched his head and rubbed his face. Who was this person sitting in front of him? Where was his real brother? He wanted to know so that he'd go there and ask him not to come back. This new and apparently improved Nathan, the same Nathan that had married Haley, was just so much better.

"But I'm here for Peyton too and I'll stay to help her out, because I want this concert to be a success and I know we need the seniors to be in town, to work or to buy tickets. And then there's Haley's performance; I wouldn't miss it for the world. I've missed too much already."

"Are you by any chance considering begging her for forgiveness?" Brooke was having a hard time believing in the sudden change of attitude.

"Yeah, I'm just waiting to find out if we happen to get to a common school."

"And you'd drop Duke if you had to? Or you'd ask her to drop Stanford if she gets accepted?"

"I'm still working on that part, but yeah..."

"And you're back in the game." Brooke giggled. "It's good to have you back, but you're still on probation and I'll make sure to be the officer watching you."

"Do you really mean it? You're not just joking and deceiving us? Playing Dan one more time?"

"No, and since we're here, I'm sorry, honestly. I don't expect you to forgive me, but if you can find it in yourself to do it and give me a hand, I'll owe you more than I already do. You've taken care of my wife when I was out of my mind and didn't do it myself."

"Welcome home, Nathan." Lucas said, willing to leave what had happened where it belonged, in the past, dead and buried, but hoping Haley would be able to do the same thing.

Ally