A/N: Thank you for all your replies!!! Also, thank you to Angie for the great idea about the guitar!
Chapter 2
Later that weekend, Nathan was still dealing with the repercussions of his actions. He had pushed Haley away and now it was biting him in the ass. He knew that he had a lot of time to make up for, and he was going to try his hardest to win Haley back. Nathan was going to start with buying Haley's guitar back from whomever bought it. Peyton had handled the exchange, so all he had to do was ask, Right?
Wrong. Nathan sighed as he heard the door slam behind him. His visit with Peyton had gone a lot worse than he ever expected. Apparently, Peyton had joined 'Team Haley' When Nathan had "started being an ass, even after Haley had more than made up for it". She was right, of course, but she didn't have to be so snippy about it.
On to plan B: Talk to Brooke.
"May I help you?" Brooke asked, fixing Nathan with a steely gaze
"Well, I was wondering if you could help me with something," Nathan said unsurely
Brooke let out a bitter chuckle, "And I would want to help you because..."
"You would help me because you're Haley's friend, and I'm trying to fix things between us," Nathan filled in
"Why now, Nathan?" Brooke asked, skeptical, "Why after all this time did you finally get your head out of your ass long enough to see that you needed her?"
"I always knew that I needed her," Nathan replied quietly
"Well you sure didn't act like it!" Brooke said, raising her voice
"I know!" Nathan cried, matching her tone, "I know that," He said softer.
"Then, why, Nathan? If I'm going to help you get Haley back I at least need a good reason why," Brooke said exasperated
Nathan sighed "Because I love her so much that it hurts, Brooke. I can't even imagine my life without her. I know that I pushed her away when she came back, but it's only because I was scared. You saw how messed up I was when she left, and I have never been like that about anyone in my entire life. I should have responded to her when she tried to call or when she wrote, but I just couldn't get past the fact that she was with Keller,"
"She was never with Chris, Nathan. She wouldn't dream of doing that to you," Brooke interrupted
"I know. I know that now. All I could picture was the two of them together though, it consumed me. It pulled me down until I couldn't see or think about anything else. It broke my heart. I know she was following her dreams, just like I want her to, but I couldn't help but wonder if she loves it more than she loves me. But now I know that we're meant to be together and I know I hurt her just as much as she hurt me, but I need her back Brooke."
Brooke sighed, "Alright, what do you want to do? I'll help in any way I can,"
Nathan's face broke out into a huge smile, "Thank you, Brooke, I promise you won't regret it. I was thinking maybe I could buy her guitar back from whomever bought it and then give it to her and then make the biggest damn apology speech of my entire life."
Brooke thought for a moment, "It's good, not great. I think with a few tweaks, you might just have a shot, Nathan."
"What do I need to do?" Nathan asked eagerly
"Here's where we start..."
Later on that evening, Brooke was nervously awaiting the arrival of Haley back at the apartment. She and Nathan had gone over the plan time and time again, making sure that there were no flaws, it was going to be perfect. Just as Brooke finished running over her "lines" in her head, Haley walked through the door.
"Hey Brookie," Haley said cheerfully
"Hey Hales. Luke called he wants you to meet him at the Rivercourt," Brooke said nonchalantly
"Why?" Haley asked confused, "I just saw him this morning,"
Brooke waved her hand passively, "Something about Steinbock...or maybe it was Spock. Wait, doesn't Dr. Spock write baby books? Oh my god Haley! Are you pregnant?"
"What! No!" Haley yelled immediately, "Lucas was probably talking about Steinbeck...he's a famous author,"
Brooke shrugged, "Potato, Patato. It's all the same to me,"
Haley laughed, "You are one of a kind Brooke Davis,"
Brooke sent her a dimpled smile, "I know,"
Haley sighed, "Before I go, I have something to share with you,"
'I know what it is!' Brooke thought, "What?"
"Nathan stopped by the café today and you'll never believe what he said to me..."
Flashback
Haley was working at the café, talking jovially to all the customers. One cute young guy in particular. Sure she wasn't ready for a relationship, but it didn't hurt to look, she wasn't dead. Just when she felt the day was getting a little brighter, Nathan walked in. Haley braced herself for whatever snarky comment was coming her way. She was truly surprised at what he said.
"He's not good enough for you," He said softly, so only she could hear and then turned on his heel and walked out.
Haley felt the rage and anger build up to the surface. He had no right whatsoever to say that to her anymore. She slid her tray on the counter behind her and rushed after Nathan.
"Hey!" she yelled harshly, "Don't do that to me!"
"What?" He asked flabbergasted
" 'He's not good enough for you'! You don't get to do that anymore Nathan!" she yelled, "You said you were done, now start acting like it!"
Flashback End
"Wow," Brooke breathed dramatically, "I can't believe he said something like that,"
Haley shook her head sadly, "I know. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about it. I'll let you know when I do. I better go meet Luke,"
"Alright, have fun with Steinberger!" Brooke yelled after her
Haley walked lazily to the Rivercourt. Lately, she'd been walking aimlessly around Tree Hill, letting it all seep into her and remain there forever. Haley always received a calm when she was in Tree Hill. On tour, her nerves had been run ragged with performing, fending off Chris' advances, and trying to talk to Nathan, but as soon as she stepped foot in Tree Hill, all was still. As she approached the Rivercourt, there was this odd light radiating from it. Haley quickened her steps with curiosity.
"Nathan?" She asked incredulously "What are you doing here? I'm supposed to be meeting Lucas,"
"That was a lie," he replied simply
"Why?" she asked, utterly confused. Haley thought she was going to be discussing books with her best friend at their favorite hangout, only to find her soon to be ex-husband there surrounded by candles.
"Because I needed to talk to you and I knew that you wouldn't do it willingly," Nathan said matter-of-factly
"What do you want from me Nathan?" Haley asked tiredly
"I want you and I want us to be together," Nathan said
Haley's head snapped up at his words, "Seriously Nathan, what are you trying to do?"
"I am serious Haley. I know that I haven't acting like it for the past few months, but I was just scared. I love you, Haley and I want us to be us again," Nathan said sincerely
"You love me? Did you love me when you were with Rachel? Did you love me when you used to make me hate myself? Did you love me when I used to cry myself to sleep at night because of the things you said to me? Did you love me when you..." Haley paused choking back tears, "you just stood by and watched while people tore our marriage down into nothing?"
Nathan hung his head as his thoughts went back to that day.
Flashback
Haley and Nathan stood by their lockers, which happened to be uncomfortably close, packing up from the long day at school. Just as Haley opened her mouth to try and make another attempt to talk to Nathan, she was interrupted.
"You know he just married her to sleep with her," the girl said loudly enough for both Nathan and Haley to hear, "It's blatantly obvious. He wanted to get into her pants and then he shipped her off so he'd have an excuse to divorce her. That's gotta be the reason, I mean, c'mon, Nathan Scott would never go for her,"
Haley whirled her head around looking at Nathan, silently begging for him to say something, anything, to prove those girls wrong. Nathan, however, just shut his locker and began to walk away.
He bent down to Haley's ear and whispered, "It's a shame she's right,"
Flashback End
Nathan was searching desperately for words that would make everything okay.
"I love you," He finally said
"I wish I still believed that," Haley said bitterly before walking away
