I AM SO SORRY! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T UPDATE FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS! REGENTS AND FINALS ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT SUMMER VACATION BEGINS. WHICH MEANS I WILL BE UPDATING MORE OFTEN. THIS CHAPTER IS NECESSARY IN THE LONG-RUN OF THE STORY, BUT IT MAY SEEM USELESS NOW. ANYWAYS, I HOPE YOU ALL REMEMBER THIS STORY AND STILL HAVE INTEREST. I WILL TRY AND UPDATE WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH!

THANKS

Chapter 9: I Spend My Time…Thinking About You

Flashback-8 Years…

"You're dating Jake, Haley," Nathan said sadly looking at her.

"Are you not okay with that, Nate?" Haley asked, realizing the truth of Nathan will only come out while drunk.

"No, Haley. I only told you I was because I want you to be happy," Nathan told her.

"What if I told you I was happy?" Haley questioned.

"I'd tell you that you were lying," Nathan whispered.

Haley nodded.

"You know, you're the only girl I picture marrying," Nathan said turning over to look at Haley.

Haley laughed, "Shut up Nathan."

"No, it's true," Nathan said.

"Yeah, you're still pretty young Nathan," Haley said laughing.

"So? I know we're going to end up getting married, Hales." Nathan said.

Haley rolled her eyes, "Really?" she said playing along.

"Yeah. And we're going to have 5 kids," Nathan said.

"Five?" Haley asked.

"Yeah. 3 girls and 2 boys." Nathan said.

"I'm sure you know their names, too," Haley said smirking.

"The boys. Lucas Daniel and Nathan Jr." Nathan said.

"And the girls?" Haley asked.

"Only one…Nicole, for some reason-I love that name."

Flashback-7 Years Ago…(The birth of Nicole)

"What are you going to name her, Hales?" Brooke asked.

"Nicole," Haley said, "Nathan loved that name." she whispered.

End Flashback

Present

Haley was interrupted with her thoughts by a knock on her door.

"Nathan?" Haley asked as she opened the door.

"Can I come in?" Nathan asked.

Haley nodded, and led him into the apartment.

"Look, Haley…I'm sorry I yelled at you," Nathan paused, "I just…I can't get over the fact that you hid my daughter from me. I would've been there for you, you know that Haley."

"I know." Haley said.

"Then why didn't you call me?" Nathan asked.

"I thought you didn't want anything to do with me when you didn't go when I sent the note to you guys," Haley admitted.

Nathan nodded, "I want to meet her."

Haley looked up shocked, "I'm still mad, Hales. And I still have a lot of questions, but I still want to meet her."

"Okay," Haley smiled.

Nathan got up, ready and nervous to meet his daughter, "You named her Nicole."

Haley smiled and got up, "Of course." They looked at each other for a minute, "Let me take you to her."

"Nicole?" Haley asked going into her daughter's room.

"Yeah mom?" Nicole said turning away from her video game.

"Come here," Haley said and Nicole walked over.

Nicole walked over to where Haley was standing, and Haley led her over to her bed

"Nicole, you know how you always ask me about your daddy?" Haley asked, Nicole's eyes widened and she nodded her head.

"He didn't know about you, remember?" Haley asked again, searching Nicole's eyes.

Nicole nodded again.

"Nicole, your daddy found out about you and now he wants to get to know you…" Haley finished.

Nicole smiled gigantically and hugged her mom, "Is it okay with you, though Nicky?" Haley checked with her daughter.

"Yes!" Nicole screamed.

"Okay, well he's right outside," Haley smiled.

Nathan was very excited and anxious to meet his daughter.

Nicole. Nathan thought. She knew I loved that name, and she used it.

Nathan's thoughts were interrupted with Haley and a shy young girl following behind her.

I guess she is Haley in one way… Nathan thought.

"Nicole," Haley said, "This is Nathan-you saw him yesterday, remember?"

Nicole nodded and smiled at Nathan. A James smile, Nathan thought.

"He's your daddy," Haley said bending down reaching Nicole's level.

Haley stepped aside, to let Nathan and Nicole share a moment together.

Nathan walked over to Nicole and bend down in front of her, and smiled at her and stuck out his hand. Nicole looked at Nathan and completely ignored his hand and launched herself into her father's arms. Nathan felt an immediate connection to his daughter, and immediately hugged her back.

"You're really my daddy?" Nicole asked, pulling away.

Nathan laughed at her, "Yes ma'm."

Nicole narrowed her eyes at him, "Are you perfect?"

Haley chuckled and Nathan looked at her confusedly, before Nicole continued on.

"Mommy told me I was just like my daddy, and well, I'm perfect," Nicole said.

Nathan stared at Nicole for a few seconds and grabbed Nicole back in his arms and started laughing, "Oh I'm definitely your father."

Nicole laughed and looked at her dad, "I'm so glad you found me."

"Me too."

Haley smiled at the interaction between the father and daughter, and was immediately in love with their relationship and was extremely happy they found out when they did.

5 Months Later…

"Nicole! Haley! I'm here!" Nathan called walking into his daughter and her mother's apartment.

"Daddy!" Nicole screamed running throughout the apartment.

Within the 5 months of the "reunion" as the six called it, a lot happened. Nathan moved into an apartment in the same building as Haley so he could be closer to Nicole and help Haley out some more. Peyton and Brooke "rekindled" their very broken friendship, and Brooke was beginning to trust Peyton again. As for Lucas, Haley and him brought back their friendship and it was as if nothing had changed. It was obvious Brooke and Lucas had some feelings for each other, and had decided to start fresh. The two decided to be friends and let fate take over. People meant to be together always end up together in the end, is what Brooke told him, and that if they were meant to be, they'd be. Jake and Peyton spent a lot more time together, and it was very obvious the two developed feelings for each other. And as for Nathan and Haley, the two hadn't spoken of where they'd end up, yet both refused to date when their friends mentioned it. Nicole adored her father, and both Haley and Nicole loved Nathan being part of their family now.

"Where's your mom?" Nathan asked as he carried Nicole to the couch.

"Right here," Haley said running out in her bathrobe to the bathroom.

"Running late?" Nathan laughed.

Haley stepped out of the bathroom, sticking her finger out at him, "You know very well Mr. Scott, lateness is your quality."

Both Nathan and Haley loved the fact that the two could be so carefree with each other, friends, like how they used to be.

"Well I have a present for you," Nathan screamed.

"How about me?" Nicole yelled.

Nathan laughed at his daughter, "Yes, you, too."

Lucas and Brooke were walking down the street after getting Starbucks, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

"So ever thought we'd be here, Pretty Girl?" Lucas asked.

"Drinking coffee? No," Brooke laughed.

"Getting along," Lucas said.

"Hell no," Brooke said, "But I'm happy we are."

"So…." Lucas was cut off.

"Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis?" a man asked.

Lucas and Brooke looked and saw Tim Smith, a kid they went to High School with walking over to them.

"Tim," the two greeted.

"Still together after all these years?" Tim asked.

"Peyt, you and my dad should get married," Jenny told Peyton.

Peyton laughed, "Why?"

"'Cause you'd be my step-mom, and we'd have fun. I mean you guys aren't even like boyfriend-girlfriend yet and you already take me shopping," Jenny smiled.

"Yet? We're not dating yet? I think someone wants me and her daddy to date," Peyton laughed.

"What's my surprise?" Haley came out to see not only Nathan and Nicole, but two more people who were strangers from her past, and tears sprung to her eyes.