A/n: Thank you all. Your reviews mean the world to me.

Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Five

Conflicted Resolutions

"Owen!" Haley called out knowing her friend was in the bar already setting things up for tonight. "Hey O where are you?"

"Jeez Haley calm down." Owen said coming out of the bar's storage room. "What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you." she said as she came up to the bar where he was situated at. She sat down on the bar stool in front of him.

"What's wrong?" he asked when he saw her fallen face.

"I got in a fight with Brooke and I need my guy best friend to give me advice." she said slightly depressed. He took a look at her and saw that this was serious. They actually got in a real fight and not one of those stupid ones they usually got into.

Owen looked at her with pure compassion. "Mind telling me what it was about first before I enlighten you with my wisdom?"

She rolled her eyes at him but nevertheless nodded her head and began telling him about what happened at Victoria's store along with telling him about their previous arguments.

"Well…" Owen trailed off not knowing what to say after Haley finished her story. "That's umm…"

"Wrong right? I mean what kind of best friend says that to her best friend for a guy?" she asked indignantly. Her demeanor quickly changed after she went over what happened and she felt she was in the right to be mad at Brooke.

"Maybe if you were a bit more supportive…" he cautiously trailed off not wanting to set her off on him too.

Haley rolled her eyes. "I was just trying to look out for her Owen. I don't want her to ruin her life for some guy who is obviously trying to come between her and Julian."

"Haley-"

"And another thing, why do I have I listen to her talk about Lucas all the damn time? Ever since she became friends with him it's been 'Lucas this and Lucas that.' What if I want to talk about other things huh? I mean I have stuff to tell her too! What if-"

"Haley!" Owen yelled trying to get her attention.

"What?"

"Have you ever thought that maybe you're jealous of Brooke's budding friendship with this Lucas guy?" he questioned thinking that the way Haley was going on about that Lucas guy was more than what she led on to believe.

"What! No way! I am not jealous!" she shouted appalled that Owen would say such a thing. "I'm just trying to look out for her and her relationship with Julian."

"Think about it Haley. What bothers you more? Knowing Brooke might leave Julian for Lucas or that she might replace you for Lucas?"

Haley thought about Owen's words for a while. She had to admit that it did bother her more that Brooke might replace her with Lucas. As usual he was right but then why couldn't she just tell Brooke what she was feeling instead of using the Julian thing as an excuse? And why couldn't she just give Lucas a chance to prove himself when he return had done nothing to her?

"Maybe you're right." she finally relented. "Maybe I am jealous of Lucas Scott."

"Scott huh? Small world isn't it?" Owen said smirking. Haley gave him a puzzled look when suddenly she realized what he meant.

"Oh that's right! You two have the same last name huh?"

"So it seems."

"Ooh maybe you guys are related or something?" she asked with interest. It would be such a coincidence if Owen and that Lucas guy ended up being somehow related. She couldn't help to think more and more about it.

"Nope we're a pretty small family with not enough Scott men to pass down our illustrious last name. Besides daddy dearest only had an older brother who according to Grandpa Royal was a 'dead beat man with no obligations.' He died a long time ago though before Nate was born. I don't think I ever met him and if I did I don't remember." he said trying to explain the web of complications that was his family. His family was complicated; there was no way to really explain how they were. They were all so mysterious and guarded when it came to talking about that uncle of his that sometimes he wondered if his uncle was really dead or not.

"So let me get this straight, it's only you, your parents and your brother?" she said thinking it was really sad if those three were the only family Owen had in his life.

"Yup plus grandparents from dad's side, my moms' parents are dead and…oh and Uncle Coop who's my mother's only brother. I have a couple aunts, uncles and a few cousins but none of them are named Lucas in case you were wondering."

"That mysterious uncle, what was his name?" she suddenly asked out of curiosity of just wanting to know more about Owen. He didn't share much about his family and when he did it was all generic responses. She was lucky enough to know one of his deepest secrets but other than that nothing.

"Don't know, family doesn't like talking about him since apparently he was like the black sheep of the family or something like that." he replied shrugging his shoulders.

"Sucks…"

"Tell me about it…"

They both stayed silent contemplating for a while what they were talking about a few minutes ago. Owen was thinking about how messed up his family truly was and how he wished thing would be different between them. It was wishful thinking but still he couldn't help but to want that.

Meanwhile Haley was thinking about her fight with Brooke and what Owen told her. She still couldn't believe that she was jealous of a guy who she didn't even know. Although she already knew the true reason they got in a fight in the first place, she couldn't help but to put some blame on Brooke too. After all she was the one that kept talking about Lucas and always hanging around him and at times ignoring her.

"Everything is going to be okay Haley." Owen suddenly said breaking the silence that had befallen between them.

She smiled when she heard those same words that the mysterious guy spoke to her earlier. "I know, some guy actually told me that too."

"Some guy?"

"Yeah bumped into him, he was really cool actually."

"Wait just a minute Haley James. You told some random stranger about your problems with Brooke before me?" he told her in a mock hurt voice.

"No silly!" Haley giggled and he smiled happy that she at least was laughing a bit. "I was crying when we bumped into each other and he asked me what was wrong. I just told him I got in a fight with my best friend and well he was really nice about it."

"So what are you going to do now Haley?"

"I don't know but I want to make things better between Brooke and me because I hate fighting with her."

"Well Haley here's your chance to make things better." Owen told her, motioning for her to look behind her. Haley turned around and saw Brooke walking into the bar with some guy she didn't know next to her. When they got closer she immediately realized that the guy was the same guy she bumped into after her fight with Brooke.

She was confused.

"Brooke…" Haley trailed off, unsure of what to say or even do. Both girls stared at each other for a couple of seconds with the same awkward expression on their faces.

"I'm sorry." They both apologized at the same time. Finally after what it felt like a lifetime both girls walked towards each other and hugged, apologizing over and over again for the things they said.

"I am really sorry Haley." Brooke said after they separated.

"No I am sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I was wrong, stupid…jealous."

"Jealous?"

"We'll talk more about that when we're alone." she said eyeing Lucas from the corner of her eye. "In the meantime why don't you tell me how you know him." she asked in a curious tone.

"He told me about how you guys bumped into each other after our fight, is that true?"

"Yeah and he was really nice." Haley looked at Lucas. "Thank you again." she told him at which he simply nodded his head. "But again, how do you know him Brooke?"

Brooke smiled widely. "Haley James I would like to formally introduce you to Lucas Scott."

Haley felt like she should have been slapped in that moment. Of course this guy was Lucas. Blond hair, striking blue eyes, gorgeous looking? Duh that was just how Brooke described him. Plus she remembered he said he was late meeting a friend…how could she have not realized it back then?

"Hey do you mind if I talk to your friend first?" Lucas asked Brooke when he saw that Haley was momentarily in shock. Brooke just shrugged her shoulders and walked towards the bar situating herself in one of the many empty bar stools. Lucas motioned for the honey blond girl to follow him and she wordlessly followed him a few feet away from where Brooke and Owen were.

Her face was blank, cleared of any emotion but deep inside she was feeling ashamed. She was ashamed that she misjudged him, granted she didn't know him that well but still she misjudged and thought the worse of him without giving him a chance.

"I-I know you have some reservations towards me and that's cool, I respect that," Lucas rushed to say when he saw how relatively quiet she was. "but I hope that with time you'll see I'm not the guy you think I am." he sincerely told her. And from just hearing that Haley instantly knew that she had to apologize, he was just too darn nice.

"I uhh…" Damn this was too hard for her. It was one thing when she didn't know who Lucas was but now that she knew who he was and that he had made a slight impression on her, it was going to be really difficult to apologize to him.

"I'm sorry." she finally said looking down on the floor with embarrassment.

"Hey it's okay." Lucas reassured her as he lifted her chin so that she could look at him and see that he was being sincere. "Honestly that didn't bother me. But what did bother me was seeing how Brooke was after your fight with her."

"Y-You really care about her huh?"

"Yeah she's a…she's a pretty amazing girl." Lucas replied quietly looking at Brooke for a brief second before turning his attention back to Haley. Haley smiled at him with compassion, he was so into her best friend (something that didn't bother her anymore) and it was sad to see that nothing was ever going to happen between them.

"You like her don't you?"

Lucas scratched the back of his head nervously before answering. "Yeah I do... a lot actually." he confessed giving her a tight smile.

"Let me tell you something Lucas…"

When Brooke saw the interaction between the two, she felt something inside of her, something that she shouldn't have even felt in the first place. This strange feeling coursed through her, a feeling of anger and annoyance. She was pretty sure it was something around the lines of jealousy but it just couldn't be. She couldn't possibly be feeling that.

"Careful Brookie." Owen warned from behind her with amusement. "Green is not a good color on you."

"Owen? What are you doing here?" she asked when saw him behind her completely dismissing his comment.

She wasn't jealous.

"Well Brooklyn I just so happen to work here." he answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Shut up." she ordered in annoyance rolling her eyes. "What I actually meant to say was I didn't see you there."

"Course not. You were too busy trying to make amends with your BFF to even notice me." he playfully scoffed rolling his eyes. From under the bar he found his stash of cheap liquor and poured himself a drink offering some to Brooke which she gladly accepted. She immediately finished it and Owen filled it up again.

"Aren't you happy that your BFF and lover are getting along?" he asked when he saw that Haley and Lucas were still talking just a few feet away from them. Somehow the conversation that Haley was supposed to have with Brooke was forgotten and in exchanged she was talking to Lucas. It was fine with him since he knew that Haley needed to have this conversation first before talking to Brooke. Plus Haley's talk with Brooke had to be somewhere private and not in a bar

"Not my lover Owen." Brooke responded keeping an eye on both her friends. Owen just laughed taking a drink himself.

"Oh that's right, you're still with that jackass." he said mockingly though annoyance was evident in his voice as he took another drink.

"Shut it." she ordered drinking down the contents of her glass in one gulp. Owen filled it up again; she really needed to loosen up. Brooke saw her friends making their way back and she was relieve that they seem to have really talked things through but at the same time feeling a bit irritated with them.

"Hey guys." Brooke greeted them in a fake cheerful tone that both Haley and Lucas were able to pick up immediately. "How did things go?"

"Umm they went." Lucas answered looking at Haley giving her a look that Brooke noticed. What the hell did they even talk about?

"What does that even mean?" Brooke wondered feeling a bit irritated that they didn't want to tell her.

"It means it's none of your business Brooke." Owen remarked in amusement. Both girls gave him a look while Lucas laughed at his comment. It was then that he noticed Owen behind the bar and started wondering who he was.

"Owen Scott by the way." he introduced himself when he saw Lucas looking at him. "I've known these two crazy girls for a while now and you don't know what you're getting yourself into." he playfully said as both Brooke and Haley slapped his arm.

Lucas laughed again this time getting a glare from the girls himself. "I think I'll manage but Scott huh? Well it's nice to meet you I'm Lucas Scott." Lucas replied shaking Owen's hand. "Seems we have the same last name." he said getting a far distant look on his face as he thought about their shared last name. What was the possibility that this guy could be related to him? After all according to his Uncle Keith his "father" did live in New York at some point of his life.

"Seems we do and before you ask nope I don't think we're related just a coincidence."

"Wasn't going to." Lucas simply said. He decided he didn't want to know, it would just complicate his already messy life. "But umm actually I have to head back to the office so…"

"No worries Luke we understand." Haley was the one to respond much to Owen's surprise and Brooke's annoyance. "It was nice meeting you and sorry again for everything."

"No problem Hales…coming Brooke?" he asked his cheery counterpart.

Brooke didn't answer and instead was looking at Haley with confusion clear on her face. Haley barely met Lucas and they were already on shortening name basis? Again she began to wonder what they talked about that made them so close all of a sudden.

What the hell was going on here?

"Brooke?"

"Yeah let me just uhh…we'll talk later Haley?" she asked wanting to make sure.

"Of course Tigger." she said smiling. "I'll drop by after my shift kay?"

"Alright then…see ya Owen." And with that she turned to leave not waiting for Lucas who quickly said his goodbyes and went after the brunette who was confusing him more and more each day.

"Brooke!" he yelled after her but she just quickened her pace. "Hey wait up." he said grabbing her arm and forced her to look at him. "I feel like I've been doing this a lot lately." he told her panting slightly.

"Is there anything you need because I thought that you needed to get back to the office."

"Hey are you mad at me or something?" he asked not getting why she seem mad all of the sudden.

"Why would I be mad?" she asked placing one of her hands on her hip.

"I don't know I mean you were fine a couple of minutes ago and now you're all…" he said scratching the back of his head and honestly feeling confused at this moment. Did he do something to upset her?

"I'm fine Lucas. I just remember that I'm going out with my boyfriend tonight so I need to go home to get ready so can we go now?" He looked hurt for a moment and it actually bothered her to see him like that but she quickly dismissed it, she wasn't supposed to care that much. She had a boyfriend after all who she loved very much. And since he was getting all cozy with her best friend she figure he could seek comfort in her arms instead.

"Umm yeah of course. I uhh…yeah let's go." he replied, again scratching the back of his head in confusion. It hurt that she threw the boyfriend thing at him out of nowhere but he knew what he was getting himself into when he agreed to be her friend.

"Our lives are so messed up Owen." Haley told him after Brooke and Lucas left. Things were okay between them but there were still some things that she wanted to talk to Brooke about. Some things concerning Lucas and other things that concerned Julian.

"Tell me about it." He grabbed another bottle of cheap liquor he had laying around since the one he opened earlier Brooke and him (mostly him) finished and pour himself another drink. He offered some to Haley and she shook her head no in response.

"Yeah but at least Brooke and I are doing a bit better."

"Turns out that Lucas guy wasn't such a bad guy after all huh?"

"Nope he wasn't very decent guy actually." she commented as she watched him take another drink. She had been watching him all afternoon and noticed that he had been drinking more than usual.

"How's your family by the way?" Haley asked with great interest after watching him take a drink from his glass.

"That was a sudden change of topic." he remarked intrigued.

"Well you don't talk about your family a lot so just curious."

"Still uptight as ever." Owen simply replied not caring to talk about his family.

"How's your brother?" she asked tentatively. It wasn't like she was interesting in knowing but Nathan Scott had taken the liberty to coming more and more to the bar and Haley was getting tired of it. To her Nathan Scott was an absolute disgust with his superior act and thinking he was God's gift to all women. He wasn't at least to her and yet, and she really hated this, there was something about him that intrigued her.

"Why?" he asked warily not liking Haley's sudden interest in his brother.

"No reason." she tried answering coolly and when she saw he wasn't buying it, she further explained herself. "Is just that he's been coming a lot to the bar you know?" And it was true. Nathan had been coming to Safe Heaven more often than he would have wanted him to but it wasn't like he could do something about it except literally kick his ass out but that was too extreme even for him.

So he just snorted while filling up his glass. He immediately drank from it. "I know and I am not too happy about that…too dangerous for me."

"You shouldn't have to keep hiding what you do to your parents Owen. I'm sure they'll understand." she whispered looking at him with concern. He was drinking more than usual and she was really starting to worry now.

Owen just rolled his eyes already knowing where this conversation was going. "Haley James this talk is getting too serious for my liking."

"Owen…" Haley said in a warning tone.

"Fine maybe I shouldn't have to but if you met my parents which you won't for your own safety, then you would understand why I can't tell them that I dropped out of law school to work as a simple bartender."

They remained quiet for a bit, Owen still drinking while Haley sat there thinking.

"Are your parents really that bad?" she asked after a while. She noticed that his eyes were getting droopy and that his head was leaning against his hand.

"Try my dad." Owen answered as he took another drink. It was cleared to Haley that he was slightly drunk already.

"Owen maybe you should stop." she suggested worriedly.

"He thinks he's Mr. Perfect but he isn't" he said with distaste evident in his voice completely ignoring what she said.

"Owen…"

"No Haley." Owen hiccupped a bit. "You should s-see him." he slurred a bit already looking to be on the drunken side. "Always pushing us, me and Nate. Never let me do what I wanted! Pushed Nathan the hardest though…made him train like hell for basketball and me," he says pointing at himself. "I-I was pushed into football…well until I got injured. Then daddy dearest decided to push me another way and BAM I'm studying for a stupid career I didn't even want!"

"O…come on sweetie why don't we head to Mr. Parker's office where you can sleep off your drunkenness." Haley told him as she went around the bar to get him. Mr. Parker was the owner of the bar who was a sweet old man already on his sixties.

"I am not drunk Haley! But I'm also not sober!" Owen said letting out a bellow laugh. "Shh-shh Haley! We can't be loud or Imma get in trouble." he whined like a little kid and despite the situation Haley laughed.

"I know sweetie but come on we have to go."

"Okay Haley." Owen agreed as she half carry half dragged him into Mr. Parker's office. She knew it was empty because he himself told her he wasn't going to come to the bar today so it was the best place to put Owen in. Once there she situated him on the couch making sure he was as comfortable as possible. "Sleep tight Owen but only for a while cause' you still have to work whether you want to or not."

She turned to leave only to have Owen grab her hand. "O?" she questioned when she saw that his eyes were closed but his hand was still griping hers. She leaned down to his level.

"My dad is not a good person Haley."

"Come on Owen, just go to sleep and I promise we'll talk more about your dad later okay?" she told him brushing his hair from his forehead in a caring way.

"Notta good…pe-person." he muttered as he finally let sleep overtake him.

Haley sighed feeling a bit bad for Owen. He always acted like such a tough guy but in the inside she saw that he was broken…vulnerable even. She could only imagine what his childhood was like with Dan Scott as his father. She was lucky enough that her parents respected her decisions whether they were wrong or not and yet her life wasn't as great as people thought it was.

Her parents although very supportive and loving neglected her at times. They weren't around much and when the opportunity came, they left her and two of her older sisters to take a trip around the world. Her three older brothers and her sister Vivian were already married by the time she reached high school so that just left her, Quinn and Taylor to fend for themselves. After she graduated high school though, Taylor became a drifter, roaming from one place to another never staying in one place for too long so it was just her and Quinn. It was tough at first not having anyone to care for her and Quinn but thankfully they had Victoria who acted like a mother to both of them. Then there was Brooke and Clay who acted like an extra set of brother and sister to her and Quinn.

She took one last look at Owen and left the office quietly closing the door. She set the coffeemaker on because she knew he was going to need a strong cup of coffee latter on and continued getting the place ready for tonight.

Life really sucked sometimes.

"Well, well, well if it isn't the famous Robert Lee or should I just say Daniel Scott." a brunette man stated as he took a seat across from Dan Scott.

Dan who had been reading the newspaper looked up scowling. "Keller shut your trap!" Dan ordered in a hush tone. "My wife is in the kitchen you jackass!"

"Ahh so Rachel finally decided to work her way around the kitchen?"

Dan smirked. "First of my wife is too hot to be doing such domestic chores. And second of all seriously Rachel working around the kitchen? Ha! She doesn't even know how to turn on the stove."

"You sure know how to pick them huh Robert." Chris said when he noticed that woman in question was coming their way.

"And what is that supposed to mean Christ Keller?" a very young and beautiful redhead asked.

"Oh nothing babe, Chris Keller is just making small talk with your husband."

"Whatever Keller." Rachel said already feeling annoyed with him. "You being here can only mean one thing and I am not too happy about it." she remarked crossing her arms and giving Chris a glare.

"You knew it was coming Rach. Your hubby here has to take care of some business so your ass can have all the luxuries you demand."

"I swear you are the most annoying man ever!" Rachel growled with annoyance.

"Tough luck babe you're stuck with me." he said chuckling to himself. Oh how he loved to bother the all mighty Rachel Gatina-Lee.

"Enough!" Dan shouted tired of their fighting. "When are you guys going to learn to finally get along?"

"When Hell freezes over." Rachel hissed at Dan while getting a 'Never' from Chris.

Dan rolled his eyes, it seem that was all he ever did when these two were in the same room. He stood up in front of Rachel giving her a sweet kiss. "Rachel, honey weren't you going to go out right now?" Dan asked wanting for his wife to leave so he could talk to Chris in private.

"Well I was but now that I know that this asshole is here I don't want to because it means you're leaving again." she said quietly giving Dan her all too famous pout.

"Hey I'm not leaving for a few days sweetie." Dan reassured her as he gave her a light peck on her lips. "Now come on go out and enjoy yourself. Buy yourself whatever you want." he encouraged her.

"Fine!" she finally agreed. "But I swear if you leave again without me being here you will be playing with yourself for a very long time okay?" she threatened with such conviction that Dan knew she meant it. "Alright then I'll see you later Bobby." she gave him a deep loving kiss and then started heading towards the door.

"Bye Rachie Poo!" Chris yelled after her which simply earned him the middle finger from the redhead. "Chis Keller thinks your woman is too much Dan." Chris said after the door opened and closed signaling Rachel had already left.

"Yeah you should see her in the bedroom?" Dan grinned getting this lustful look on his face.

"Is that an invitation?" Chris joked while giving Dan a suggestive look. Oh how he would love to bed the feisty redhead.

"Not in your lifetime Keller." Dan told him firmly.

"You ever think your life is too good to be true Dan." Chris remarked after a while. Dan gave him a puzzled look. "Well you know you got the best of both worlds. A good American portrait family back in New York and a very hot, young wife here in Orlando."

"Well when you put it that way I guess I do." he simply said although deep down inside he knew he didn't have the best of both worlds. It was hard lying to Deb and his sons about Rachel and vice versa. Chris just didn't understand the kind of sacrifices he had to make in order to get where he was today.

"Well come on Bobby, we got a conference call with the Boss in a few minutes and Chris Keller doesn't like to keep him waiting." Chris said standing up and heading towards Dan's private office.

Dan took a look around the place he was able to call home. He had created a life here with Rachel despite having another with someone else. At times he did felt bad for all the lying but at the end of the day he wouldn't have it any other way. That was just the kind of man Dan had always been. Taking a deep breath he followed his business partner into his office.

To Be Continued…

A bit short I know but I felt like I needed to end it right there. We got a little bit background on Haley and Owen. Brooke being jealous of Lucas and Haley hehehe. And yes a twist with Dan Scott that will eventually get him in trouble.

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