Long time no see I know... havent ud this in a while becase I wasn't sure if anyone was really interested... if you still are please let me know and review... thanks

Nathan stormed off down the steps at school. He couldn't handle being in that loud building anymore. He needed to be somewhere alone, somewhere quiet. He found himself running across the high school parking lot and along the crowned streets of Tree Hill. He was running to the bridge. The bridge that he ran to each and every day since that horrible night near the water, the bridge that provided comfort yet gruesome memories as well.

Peyton kept a long enough distance away from Nathan to avoid being seen. She wasn't sure if she was going to talk to him quite yet. Curiosity kept her following him however.

When Nathan headed off down the road she quickly hopped in her car and followed him out the parking lot. He was jogging at a pretty quick pace down the street. As fast as her car went it was still hard keeping up with him as he ran through the crowds of pedestrians.

As each car whizzed by and as people shoved their way past him Nathan felt his anger rage. He still wasn't aware that his curly haired ex-girlfriend was on his trail. When he eventually did arrive at the bridge he took in a deep breath or two and checked his surroundings.

Meanwhile Peyton was busy racing into a driveway to avoid being seen.

Nathan didn't see his ex and continued his routine. He stepped onto the metal guardrail of the bridge and looked over. About 150 feet down laid the water that took his brothers life. Out of all the places that could give him some sort of relaxation this was it. He felt horrible for treating Haley so meanly earlier this morning. She insisted on talking to him tough she had to press her luck. Apparently he reached his breaking point and lashed out, a typical behavior of someone grieving.

Peyton peered through a bush at Nathan. Of all places she wondered why he came here.

Nathan slowly leaned more and more over the railing pressing his luck. It would be easier right? He couldn't hurt any more people he cared about and he would be where he was suppose to be. He would be dead! That was the plan after all. It wasn't supposed to be Lucas that died it was meant to be him.

"What is he doing?" Peyton asked herself as she watched Nathan lean over the iron poles guarding the cliff.

"I will all be easier!" Nathan kept telling himself.

Meanwhile…

Karen caught herself glancing at her son's wood door from the kitchen table. She just waited for him to come barging through the doors at the smell of her bacon cooking.

(Flashback)

Karen was busy flipping the slices of bacon in her frying pan when Lucas came barging through the kitchen.

"Hey mom," Lucas greeted reaching for some of the cooling bacon.

"No," she snapped.

"Aww mom, I love you," Lucas tried buttering her up.

"I love you too Lucas but you have to wait just like I told Keith," she insisted.

"Wait for what?" asked Lucas. "I wasn't doing anything but wishing my mom a good morning. Is that a crime now?"

"Uh huh," laughed Karen. "I believe you."

"Hey Luke," greeted Keith waking through the front door with the newspaper and a gallon of milk in the other hand.

"Morning uncle Keith, "Lucas replied as he reached for a piece of the bacon on the serving plate again.

"No," Karen said slapping her teenaged son's hand gently with the spatula. "Scram, I'll call you when it's ready."

"Please," begged Lucas placing his lips in a pout. "I'm starving to death here."

Keith laughed at his nephew's attempts as he put the milk in the refrigerator. "You know she won't budge," told Keith. "You've tried hundreds of times kid." He gave Luke a wink signaling their scheme.

Lucas smiled back as he helped put the plan into action.

"Ok mom, I understand and I'll wait," he gave in. "Can I give you a hug though?" He wrapped his arms around Karen and faced her away from the bacon.

"I love you ma," he said signaling Keith with his hand. Keith reached out and grabbed three large juicy pieces of freshly cooked bacon.

Karen gave Lucas a suspicious look as he released her from his hug. She knew his little scheme.

"You can put the bacon back now Keith, I'm not stupid I know you two took some," realized Karen.

Keith sighed knowing he'd been caught. "You're on your own kid." He put the bacon back and sat back down at the kitchen table smirking in defeat with one single slice stashed under his sleeve.

Lucas turned in disappointment and headed towards his room when his mom called his name.

"Lucas," called Karen.

Luke turned and faced her.

"I love you too," she threw him a single slice and smiled.

Lucas caught it and ate it in one big smiling mouthful.

"Hey can I have a piece too?" Jumped in Keith stepping up behind her.

"Why don't you eat the piece under you're sleeve first," Karen said playfully glaring his way.

Keith and Lucas let out laughs.

"You knew about that huh?" he said guiltily.

(End of Flashback)

"Luke would have already had the bacon gone," Karen said disappointed.

"Naw you wouldn't have let him," laughed Keith. "The warden always cracked down hard on him when it came to eating all the bacon and sausage."

"Well don't worry now, you get to eat it all up," Karen mentioned sadly taking her eyes off Luke's door and placing them on Keith. "He's not here anymore."

Keith scooted his chair next to hers and wrapped her in a loving hug. "He's still with us Karen, I can feel him."

Meanwhile…

Nathan thought hard about his life. Was it even worth sticking around for anymore? All he had to show for was a wife that left him, a mom that only stuck around when it was convenient, an asshole of a father, and a bunch of friends who were suffering too much in their own damn lives to even give a shit about him anymore.

He had basketball of course but was shooting a ball through a hoop really that substantial? Was it worth hanging around for a lousy game?

Without Haley he had no one to love and Lucas gave him his challenge. Who else was there to do those things for him? All that was left was an empty shell of a person. The only thing he felt lately was guilt and anger. Each time he came to the bridge he drifted further and further from the people he loved and the life he once had.

He looked around and still the coast was clear, there was no one in sight!

"Nathan wait!" screamed Peyton running up to him unsure of what he might attempt next.

Nathan jumped back off the railing in shock, where had Peyton come from? How much had she seen him do?

"What are you doing Nate?" pressed Peyton.

"Just letting loose, sightseeing a little," lied Nathan unable to look her in the eyes.

"I'm not stupid Nathan, I dated you long enough to know when you're lying," concluded Peyton.

"Yeah I guess so," he said turning away from her and looking over the railing again.

"What were you just doing?" she questioned again.

"Nothing important," he lied once again.

"It's not going to solve anything," she said grabbing his arm.

"What won't?" jerked Nathan.

"What you're doing to you're self and the people who care about you," she answered. "You're letting Haley slip away Nathan."

"Look who is talking," defended Nathan. "You're the one avoiding everyone, you're the one who is hiding in your own depression."

"I'm taking about you right now Nathan," responded Peyton. "I'm not the one trying to kill myself."

"What are you talking about?" avoided Nathan. "I wasn't going to kill myself."

"What were you doing leaning over the edge of a 150 foot bridge then?" snapped Peyton.

Nathan tried thinking up a lie but none came to mind. He ended up sticking with his original lie instead. "I was just sightseeing."

"You're way too hard on you're self," told Peyton.

"Well I deserve it," broke Nathan.

"It's not you're fault he died, no one blames you either," revealed Peyton.

"Yeah well, if I had listened to him instead of acting like an ass he would still be here," Nathan said.

"That may be true but punishing yourself isn't going to solve anything." She whispered coming closer to him. "Lucas did what he did because he loved you and wanted you to live."

"I was horrible to him though, I was so mean." Said Nathan starting to break down. "I should have been the one to die not him."

"Don't say that," Peyton said wrapping him in a hug.

"I told him I hated him but I didn't," cried Nathan hugging her back.

Peyton remained silent trying to comfort him.

"I didn't mean it," Nathan cried into her shoulder. "I didn't mean what I said to him." He started bawling now and letting it all out. Peyton just hugged him tighter refusing to let him go.

"Shh," she whispered.

"I swear I didn't mean it Luke," cried Nathan hugging Peyton close. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said!"

"Shh," she hushed softly. "Calm down."

"I'm so sorry," he cried.

"He knows Nathan, he knows," comforted Peyton.

Next chapter (Arriving in Heaven)

What do you think that means?

Can the dead really return?