Love, Lies, and Loss

Disclaimer: I own no rights to One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

A/N: So, I should be in bed right now. Instead I am pleasing all of my fans. Next Morning: Okay, I seriously had a dream about this chapter last night. Either I'm going nut-so or I am just very imaginative in my sleep.

The two girls had rented a U-Haul for their trip to New York. They arrived on Friday morning, planned to pack the entire day and the next and be off on Sunday.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Haley asked Brooke as they approached her former home.

"There is no getting out of it now. After what Brad said to me, I think I'll be quicker to sign the divorce papers than he will," Brooke frowned.

"You can work this out Brooke."

"No, we can't. We're over. That's all there is to it. Any man that would call me an unfit mother and threaten to take my child away from me does not deserve me or my love."

"He was upset."

"I was upset too, but I would have never said anything as hateful and ignorant to him as he did to me. Why are you defending him anyway?" Brooke unlocked the house and Haley followed with arm loads of boxes.

"I'm not defending him. I'm just saying, you both were upset and I'm sure you said some things that you didn't mean too. I don't see why a couple who seemed so in love is going to give up everything they have over some stupid argument."

"Not everyone is you and Nathan, Haley. Not everyone's marriage can survive an avalanche. Sometimes there comes a point where it just needs to end."

"Gee, thanks. I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not."

"Trust me, it was. You and Nathan are perfect. No matter what goes wrong in your lives you are always there for each other. You guys could have another complete meltdown and you'd still end up back together again."

"What can I say? I love my hunk."

"So, has Lucas said anything to you?"

"Like what?"

"How he's doing. I haven't had a chance to get together with him since all of this drama with Brad and me."

"He's still bitter, but I really do think that you being here helps."

"Why do you think I can get through to him?"

"You guys connect. Who knows? Maybe one day you guys will be Haley and Nathan number 2."

"I really doubt that. This whole divorce is going to get really messy. I'm going to have to tell Luke about Tegan. It's my only chance at getting full custody. I can't tell him yet. He's not ready, but I know when I do, I'll be lucky if he ever speaks to me again."

"Considering you are the mother of his one and only son, so far that is, I think he will make an exception."

"I don't know. This is a pretty big bomb to drop."

"He'll get over. He's doing well so far. I haven't really talked to him much since the funeral. We've been so busy with our plans. From what I've heard from Karen, he seems to be taking Peyton's death pretty well now. I think once he remembered that he still had Annabelle, he realized that he had something to live for. I think this weekend will really help out. He and Nate are taking the kids out this weekend. I'm not sure what they are doing. I think I heard Nate say something about camping. It will be a good chance for Luke and Tegan to bond, even if it is just as pals right now."

"I think it will help a lot. It'll take Luke's mind off from everything and just give him a chance to spend time with his brother and the kids. I just hope that this whole thing doesn't come out the wrong way. I don't think I could take it if I disappointed someone again, especially Lucas."

Haley shrugged. She didn't know what else to say in the discussion. The two girls discussed what to pack and where to put everything. Haley was utterly amazed by the amount of items Brooke had accumulated over her five years away. She met Brooke back in the kitchen after scoping out the house.

"We're gunna need a bigger U-Haul," Haley chuckled.

"Whatever!" Brooke playfully shoved Haley.

The two parted ways and began what was going to be a very long two days.

Back in Tree Hill, the Scott brother's were having a hard time putting together their camping trip. Neither one had much experience at camping, or skills for organizing a trip. It was sure to be an eventful weekend for the clan.

"Why don't we just rent a big camper?" Nathan asked his brother.

"Do you have that much money?" Lucas raised an eyebrow at Nate.

"Well…no."

"There's your answer then. Besides, a camper isn't camping."

"It's my kind of camping."

"If you had it your way, we'd stay in a hotel."

"That's a good idea. I don't have money for that either though."

"Okay, so all we have the tents. All we need is a couple of air mattresses and we'll be all set. We can stop on the way to get some food to roast over the fire."

"Since when are air mattresses roughing it?" Nathan laughed.

"If I'm going to be sleeping in the freezing cold, I'm at least going to be comfortable," Lucas stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"It's like eighty out Luke."

"Yeah, but it's get down to at least 60 at night."

"60? We better get a first aid kit in case we get frost bitten," Nathan made fun of his brother.

"Brooke! Brooke! Get up," Haley jumped on Brooke.

"Haley? It's like 9 O'clock in the morning," Brooke whined.

"I know! We've wasted half the day. If we are going to be in the beautiful city, we might as well get some shopping in."

"Shopping? With everything we have to do here, you want to go shopping?"

Haley placed the back of her hand on Brooke's forehead.

"What the hell?" Brooke swatted her hand away.

"I figure you must be sick. I said the word shopping and you pretty much said that I was nutty."

"I'm not sick. There is just so much to do and so little time. We have to be outta here before Brad gets back."

"Get your soon-to-be-divorced-and-have-to-tell-my-ex-that-he-is-the-father-of-my-child-ass out of bed and let's go."

"Haley! You so just depressed me."

"I know, I bet you feel like shopping now don't you?"

Brooke reached for the pillow next to her and whapped Haley in the head with it. She jumped out of bed and chased her out of the room. She locked her out and yelled, "Give me half an hour!"

Half an hour later Haley was bouncing off the walls, "Come on Brooke!"

"Chill out tutor-girl-gone-psycho. I'm ready," Brooke made her way to the front door and grabbed her jean-jacket.

The two girls piled into the car and headed for town.

"Hold the rope tight," Lucas coached Tegan.

Nathan and Zachary were on one side of the tent and Lucas and Tegan were on the other. Anna was sitting next to the clan tasting the woodsy dirt. The four pushed their stakes in and Nathan made a round to double-check them.

"Anna!" Lucas yelled as his daughter, "Please don't eat the dirt."

"Dirt!" Anna yelled at her father.

"Yes, good girl, its dirt."

"Dirt! Yummy!"

"No, dirt is icky sweetheart," Lucas picked up his daughter and she started throwing a tantrum.

"DIRT! I WANT DIRT!

"Hey Lucas," Nathan was falling down laughing, "I bet she's acts just like you when you were a kid."

"No way! I never ate dirt," Lucas finally calmed his daughter down and sat her back on the ground. She began eating dirt again.

"When I was two, the only thing I cared about was my basketball. Judging by the way you play, I'll bet that you were more pre-occupied by dirt."

"I'm feeling a little challenge here."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I saw a basketball court a little ways down the trail."

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

The brother's gathered their kids and raced down the trail. They split into two teams, Nathan and Zach, and Lucas, Tegan, and Anna. The games began and it was head to head. With Nathan's college basketball career, he had taught Zach quite a bit about the game. Anna, on the other hand, wasn't much interested in the ball as much as she was clapping for team. A cheerleader, like her mother. Tegan was a natural. Brad never did much with him, but he seemed to catch on to basketball quickly.

It was all tied up and game point, Zachary had the ball in hand. He neared his basket when all of a sudden Tegan swept the ball out from under him. He made a quick pass to Luke. Luke dribbled down the court spinning here and there. He jumped to make the basket. Nathan tried to block, but it was too late, the ball hit the backboard and dropped through the net.

"Yay!" Tegan jumped with joy. Lucas ran to the child and put him on his shoulders.

"Good game buddy! Who taught you to play?" Lucas gave him a high five.

"I've never played before."

"Are you kidding? You are great. Are you sure your father never taught you to play."

"Nope, it's fun though," Tegan got bored with the conversation, jumped down, and went after the ball.

"He plays like a Scott," Nathan nudged his brother as they watched the two boys pass the ball to one another.

"Yeah, he looks like one too," Lucas's smiled turned into more a wonder some look.

"I had no idea that New York was so expensive!" Haley sighed when she walked back into the home.

"I could have told you that one," Brooke said with a 'duh' in her voice.

"Well, we could have just stayed home and packed, but nooooo, someone wanted to go shopping!"

"Haley James Scott! Do not get me angry."

Haley laughed, "I'm just kidding. There's not really that much left to pack. We got the most of it yesterday. I think all we really have are clothes left."

"Okay? Has it really been that long? All we have are clothes left? I am Brooke Davis. I am a fashion designer and you said all we have are clothes left? You are in for a treat my dear," Brooke led the way to her master closet. She pulled open the door and Haley's jaw dropped.

"Oh my god Brooke. You do not need all of these clothes!"

"You did not just say that either. Please tell me you did not just say that."

"Well, you could always give some to me and then I would be happy to help you lug this junk down stairs."

"Call my clothes junk one more time missy! You have the ultimate fashion icon moving back to your town. I could make you some very hot little outfits to woo your hot husband. Keep talking like that and you won't have me to spice things up when Nathan gets tired of looking at boring ole Grandma Haley."

"My husband likes my style thank you very much."

"Sure Hails, it's your story. If we have any hopes of getting all these packed today we better start now."

"Right!" Haley smiled. She was happy to have her best friend to bicker with and make fun of her again.

The Scott brother's finished loading up all their camping gear and prepared for the ride home. The kids were passed out in the back seat. The weekend definitely wore them out. It was quite amazing for Tegan, nothing ever wore that boy out.

"Next trip, we are not attempting this again," Lucas started the car.

"It's a deal. No one is to find out about the tent incident," Nathan warned Lucas.

"Since you're the one that checked it, I think I'll tell everyone."

"You could have checked it too. It's not like I'm an expert tent checker. How was I supposed to know it was gunna rain and knock the tent down?"

"I don't think the kids even cared about the cold and rain. The just thought it was funny that we couldn't properly set up a tent."

"Well, if we don't tell anyone, I'm sure they will tell EVERYONE," Nathan laughed.

The rest of the ride was full of snickers and smiles as the family remembered their disaster of a camping trip. When the car pulled up outside of Nathan's, Haley and Brooke were already home. The kids woke up and raced out of the vehicle to make fun of the brothers some more.

Tegan was the first in the house. He jumped in his mother's arms.

"How was the trip honey?" She questioned her son.

"It was fun! I played basketball and me and Uncle Luke beat Zach and Uncle Nate. Then we ate smores and the tent fell on our heads when we were sleeping!"

"The tent blew over?" Brooke laughed when she pictured that scene in her head.

"Yeah. Uncle Nate checked it and it still blew over," Tegan giggled.

"All right kid. That's about enough humiliating Uncle Nate for one day," Nathan cut in.

"Aww, honey! I'm sure Lucas had a part in the collapse of the tent," Haley tried not to laugh, but couldn't help it.

"Nope, this one's all on him," Lucas pointed to Nathan.

"Don't try to blame it on me. I'm the one who wanted to get a camper. You just should have listened to me."

"But then we wouldn't have the memories of the looks on each others faces when the kids were making fun of us."

"Well, you do have a point there."

"I'm glad you all had fun," Haley kissed Zach and Nathan on their foreheads.

"How was your trip?" Nathan asked the girls.

"Tiring," Haley stated, "We tried to go shopping, but my credit card didn't have a high enough credit limit to afford one item of clothing in any of the stores."

"Mrs. Psycho-Tutor-Girl Scott woke me up bright and early to go shopping and then didn't even buy anything," Brooke glared at her.

"Neither did you!"

"As you've seen first hand, I had enough clothing to move."

"She isn't kidding there."

"Are you staying?" Lucas entered the room after putting Anna to sleep.

"Staying where?" Brooke was confused.

"In Tree Hill."

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"For good. I'm not leaving again."

"What about you life in New York?"

"That life is over. You guys are my life now," Brooke looked around the room at her friends and smiled.

A/N: Hope everyone liked the chapter! I figured after all the drama, we needed to have some fun.