Author note: Sorry guys I didn't update this story for a while but it won't happen again ;-) I'll try to update it more often from now on. Anyway I hope you're going to enjoy this chapter. Enjoy and don't forget to review.

Take care. Stef.

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Peyton was walking back to the hotel. She was walking like an automat because she was lost in her thought. Her lips were still numb from the kiss she shared with Lucas. Maybe coming back wasn't such a great idea she thought to herself. She could not believe what this kiss did to her. It was like a wake up call. All her feelings resurface like if she left Lucas yesterday. I'm still addicted she thought walking back in the hotel hall.

She was about to go in the lift when she stopped for a second and smiled. The girl talking to the receptionist look just like Brooke! she said to herself seeing the back of the woman. I miss her so much, I should give her a call. Peyton walked to the lift keeping her eyes on the woman. At this moment the woman looked at the side and Peyton frowned. Is it Brooke?. "Brookie?!" Said Peyton loudly but not sure of what she was seeing. I'm probably hallucinating! Why on earth would Brooke be in Tree Hill?.

Brooke turned around, she could recognize Peyton voice anytime. A flow of feelings just rushed in her, it was mix of anger, guilt and happiness.

"Sawyer!" Said Brooke with a smile. "I can't believe you're here." Added Brooke walking to Peyton and hugging her tight.

"I'm so happy to see you too Brooke." Said Peyton relieved to see that Brooke was not mad against her.

"Let me look at you." Said Brooke splitting. "Gosh you look terrible! What did happen to you?!" Asked Brooke. "Huh…No offence right?!"

Peyton laughed. "None taken". She said honestly knowing that Brooke did not intend to hurt her. "But what are you doing in Tree Hill?" Asked Peyton to change subject. She did not want to go over her two years in Hell just yet.

"I can ask you the same question!" Said Brooke smiling. "Let me buy you a drink and we'll talk" added Brooke pointing to the bar.

They sat at a table. Peyton ordered a beer while Brooke ordered a Cosmo.

"A Cosmo huh?" Said Peyton jokingly. "Well…we can recognize the New Yorker in you!" She added.

"What do you want?!" Said Brooke winking. "I'm a famous designer now."

"Yeah! I know you are! I saw you on TV last week. You were just stunning." Said Peyton sincerely.

"Why did you disappeared?" Asked Brooke directly. She didn't want to play game anymore.

"I… I" Said Peyton not expecting such a direct question. "I'm…not sure". She added sincerely. "Well… Luke broke off our engagement and I guess I just needed to find myself again". Peyton sighed. "I probably didn't do it the right way." Peyton saw Brooke nod.

"But I didn't think at first!" Said Peyton as an excuse. "I just wanted to leave Tree Hill as fast as I could and well…I didn't think to the people I was leaving behind. More the days passed and more I felt it hard to contact you guys". She added sadly. "What can I say? I'm…I'm sorry". She added sincerely keeping her eyes on the beer bottle. "I think I'm back to find out who I am. I don't know anymore…." She cleared her throat "but I need to clean up the mess I did when I left first." She looked at Brooke sadly.

Brooke felt her heart break. She was so sad for Peyton and she knew deep down that she was also to blame. "Come on Peyton. Don't beat yourself up!" Said Brooke nicely reaching for Peyton hand. "We all make mistakes some just have more consequences. I'm sure it's not too late to patch things up."

"They are upset huh?" Asked Peyton with apprehension.

"Well…I can't say much on that because I didn't come back in Tree Hill for a while". Since that terrible night when I slept with your fiancé! thought Brooke. "But I've chatted quite a lot with Haley about it and I think it was the hardest for her and for Luke of course but he understood why you left." Added Brooke uncomfortable. "What he didn't like is that you just disappeared. As for Haley well….It's a different story. You crushed her when you left."

"Really?" Said Peyton sadly and with a strong feeling of guilt with which she had trouble breathing.

"Yeah really!". Said Brooke sadly thinking about Haley. "Think about it Peyton. You were the one living in Tree Hill. I was already living in New York when the accident happened. She didn't get any support from Nathan who was only focusing on self pity. The only person she was counting on was you and the day you left well…you let her down. She couldn't believe you did that to her". Said Brooke but seeing Peyton sad face she decided to give her some hope. "But I'm sure she'll forgive you."

"I did let her down." Said Peyton shaking her head." I'm not better than the people who left me". People always leave and I did it too. Thought Peyton sadly. "How is she?" Asked Peyton not sure that she'll like the answer.

"Well…Nathan and her split up about 2 months ago but on the good side Nathan is starting to get better now. He and Haley are seeing each other and I've got some good hope for them." Added Brooke with a smile. "As for now, Haley is living with Lucas." Added Brooke nostalgic.

Peyton nodded. "I can't believe they split up. For me it will always be Nathan and Haley forever. They are the one keeping my hope of true love still alive." She added sincerely.

"I know how you feel" said Brooke. "But they'll be back together soon. I've got hope". She added with an hopeful smile." But I'm glad to have you back Sawyer. Don't do something like that ever again." Added Brooke with a warning tone.

Peyton smiled. "And what about you? Why are you back?" she asked curiously

Brooke sighed. "I just missed Tree hill" she said lying to Peyton but also to herself. "I wanted to come back for a while. I don't know…take a trip back down memory lane." She added mysteriously.

They both started to laugh.

-------------------------------THE MORNING-------------------------------

Haley took James to school and hurry to Nathan. When she arrived at the door she decided to use her key because she didn't want to hurt Nathan even more by knocking. It was her flat too He told her yesterday.

She walked in and saw Nathan walking out of the bathroom with just a towel around his hips.

He seems surprised. "Haley….you're already here!" He said walking to her.

Haley blushed and she felt silly for blushing like a teenager. Nathan was close enough for her to smell his skin. This smell always drove her crazy and even after two years in Hell she was still as attracted to it as she was before. "Hi…"she croaked. Haley cleared her throat. "I told you I'd come." She said looking down.

Nathan took her in his arms and kissed her softly. Haley put her hand on his chest because her knees could not keep up with her shivering. She could feel Nathan heart speed up at the instant when she put her hand on him. They kiss became more passionate even bestial. It was like they didn't want to be away any longer. Haley broke it off regrettably. She was breathless.

"We really need to talk Nate". She said trying to recover her spirit.

"Well… I'm all ears" Nathan said walking to the living room.

"Ummm Nate…Can you go and huh… dress up a little?" Asked Haley uncomfortable. "I…I just can speak when you're like that" she said pointing at the towel.

"Why you want me to take it off?" He said pretending to do it.

"NO!!" Haley shouted. "It's just that..." She sighed. "You won! I just can't concentrate when you show your skin." She added blushing.

"Ohh…" Said Nathan pretending to just get her. "Well ok then." He said walking in the bedroom.

Haley sat on the sofa waiting for Nathan . She didn't know what to do or what to say yet but there were only one thing she was sure of...Everything needed to be told.

Nathan came back and sat on the sofa beside Haley, she turned to face him.

"I'm ready Hales". Said Nathan calmly. "You can tell me everything you need to."

Haley nodded. "Okay Nathan. I need to tell you all the things I was trying to for the last two years but you didn't listen. Firstly, I never thought that the accident was your fault." Said Haley sincerely. "Accidents can happen to anyone and well…he could have happen with me driving too." She saw sadness passing through Nathan eyes. She took his hand. "I assure you Nate I haven't thought not even for a second to blame you for anything. However, I'm partially blaming you for the rest." She added sadly.

Nathan tried to talk but Haley cut him off. "Oh don't worry! I'm blaming myself too. I left you going down the hill without trying anything. I thought you would be strong enough to raise up by yourself but I was wrong." She shook her head. "And once I realized that you wouldn't do it by yourself well…it was too late and…and you were not my Nathan anymore."

"I'm sorry" said Nathan in a whisper.

"I know you are". Said Haley sincerely. "And I'm too actually. I didn't work hard enough on our couple but I was just fed up at the end. I was living with a ghost and I really thought you stopped loving me." Added Haley sadly.

"Stopped loving you?!" Asked Nathan surprised." How could I?! You're my all life Haley!!"

"I…I'm just scared Nathan". Said Haley with tears in her eyes. "I almost gave up on us you know. I never thought I would but I did." She added guiltily. "I left you because I didn't want Jamie to see you like that any longer and because it was hurting me too much to see the love of my life doing everything he could to destroy his. I was day dreaming every day, hoping you would come back to me that one morning I would wake up with you by my side but it didn't happen. I thought we lost our way till that day in front of Jamie's school. I could see love in your eyes, I didn't see that in a while. I was just scared to start believing on us again because…it hurts way too much when you finally stop believing."

"I…I" said Nathan with tears falling down his cheeks. "I never meant to hurt you Hales I was just selfish. It won't happen again you know. I realized I was about to loose you and this thought hurt me more than anything else. I could sale my soul to the devil just for you to forget all the pain I caused you. Please give me another chance and I'll prove you everyday that you made the right choice. "

Haley smiled and looked in Nathan's' eyes. "Well…I just talked to you about the thing that went wrong but everything is different now." She added ribbing his cheek. "Yesterday changed everything."

Nathan looked confused.

"Let me explain to you" said Haley seriously. "You realized it just in time Nathan because I started to apply for some jobs in California. I…I wanted to leave Tree Hill." She said out of relieved because she hide that to everybody.

"You were going to leave?!" Asked Nathan shouting. He was not really shouting to Haley but at himself. His worst fear almost happened and he could not believe it.

"I…Yeah" said Haley nicely "but I'm not anymore! I'm staying here with you. I love you too much to leave."

Nathan sighed out of relieved. "I'll follow you to the end of the world because my home is where you are Haley". Said Nathan taking Haley in his arms. "I just want you to come home. I want us to be a family again." He added with the voice broken by emotion.

"When I felt asleep against your body yesterday I realized that love still exist. You're still the one Nathan and you'll always be." Added Haley kissing his lips softly. "I…I'm coming home…today." She added sure to make the right choice.

Nathan took her in his arms. He was so happy that he couldn't talk just yet. After a while he cleared his throat " I….you won't regret it Haley. I won't allow it to happen." Added Nathan kissing her passionately.

Haley was driving to Lucas smiling blissfully. She could already imagine James reaction when he will see that they were moving back home. "I can't stay away from him, he is my heart!" Thought Haley parking her car. She was going to prepare her bags, eat lunch with Lucas and go back home.

When she walked inside she was surprised to find Lucas watching TV.

"Hey Luke? Why are you here?" Asked Haley walking to him.

"Well…it's my house…" Said Lucas jokingly."How was your little chat with Nathan?" Asked Lucas winking. "Did you guys take a nap?" Added Lucas laughing.

"Oh stop it!!" Said Haley slapping his arm but she was laughing too. "Well…Actually we talked and…well…I think I'm going to go home today." She said timidly.

"Ohhh That's a shock!!" Said Lucas pretending to be surprised. "I didn't expect that!" Said Lucas really overplaying.

Haley laughed. "Stop acting Luke. You suck at it!" Said Haley jokingly. "You know what I'm going to prepare our bag and I'll eat lunch with you before going okay?" Said Haley standing up.

Lucas just nodded and looked at his TV screen again. He had a weird smile on his face.

"What the Hell!" He heard Haley shout from the bedroom.

Haley walked back to the living room. "How come my stuff are all packed?" She asked to Lucas curiously. "Did Nathan phone you or something?!"

"No he didn't" said Lucas calmly "but I knew you would go home. You're meant to be, you're both an half of a all. You can't stay away for too long and I'm glad of that. You guys are the real thing and I'm glad to have you in my life". Added Lucas sincerely. "When I look at you both I still believe that my soul mate is somewhere and that I'll finally found her someday." Added Lucas pulling Haley into a hug.

"I love you Lucas. I couldn't dream of a best friend than you Haley" said with a smile.

"I love you too Hales and I think you better go now. You've lost enough time with me." Lucas said with a smile. "Go to Nate now and take a nap before picking Jamie from school."

"Sure?" Said Haley frowning.

"Yeah sure!!" Said Lucas with a smile.

"Okay" said Haley all excited to go back to her family life she missed so much.

She went to her bedroom and pick up a bag.

"Go ahead Hales". Said Lucas from the bedroom." I'll bring you the other bags in a minute".

"Okay" shouted Haley opening the front door. When she turned around she saw Peyton smiling.

Peyton saw Haley shocked expression. "Lucas didn't tell you I was back huh?". Said Peyton stating the evidence. "I'm so glad to see you Haley." She added uncomfortable.

Haley kept staring at her without visible emotion. "Lucas there is someone here to see you" added Haley passing by Peyton without acknowledging her.

"Come on Hales!" Said Peyton following Haley to her car. "It's me! Don't act like you don't know me! I get it you're mad and you've got every right to be. But please talk to me!" Begged Peyton. "We've been friend for so long! Peyton and Haley…You remember right?" Said Peyton hoping to move Haley.

Haley turned around after putting her stuff in the car. Lucas came out with the rest of the stuff, put it on the trunk and walked back in the house. He didn't want to meddle.

Haley look straight into Peyton's eyes. "I think you're making a mistake". She said calmly. "You can't be my friend Peyton….She died for me about 2 years ago" added Haley.

She jumped into her car and drove away leaving Peyton in tears on the sidewalk.