so i got really blocked up with where this story would go now, but then i remembered an old storyline i had planned and i thought i should fit it in here. :) so i'm sorry to anyone who thinks i'm dead and horrible for not replying to you. i am alive! i'll just be super stressed until next weekend when i go on a break from school. enjoy. :)


21. SOS

Haley awoke slowly and burst out laughing when she saw three interested faces standing above her. She pulled the blanket over her head and blew an exasperated sigh. Nathan shifted next to her and turned over, letting him arm flop onto Haley's stomach, locking her against the floor.

Yes, the floor. After an hour or so of making out Haley and Nathan hand fallen asleep on the rug in the living room. Now Peyton, Brooke and Jake were standing over them in a line, arms crossed, with confused looks on their faces.

'So you guys came home then?' Peyton asked slowly.

Nathan scrunched up his face and opened one eye. 'No, we're not here.' He mumbled, causing Haley to laugh more.

'Yes I came home. Look, we'll meet you guys at the café in an hour? Let us get ready.'

The group nodded and left. When the door shut closed behind them Nathan groaned and stretched.

'Comfiest bed ever.' Haley smiled.

'Yeah, for you. I was your pillow. I didn't have one!' Nathan laughed as Haley hit him.

'Not the point.' She scolded.

'I guess we better get ready.' Nathan mumbled, not making any attempts to move.

'Mmm.' Haley agreed, sighing and closing her eyes.

'Or…' Nathan smirked, leaning over so he was on top of Haley. 'We could be late?'

Haley giggled softly and pressed her lips against Nathan's.

'I think that's a good idea.'


Haley and Nathan rushed into the café, still a little dishevelled from their morning activities.

'There they are!' Brooke sighed impatiently. 'Seriously guys, we can take a little late, but an hour?'

Haley blushed as Nathan chuckled. 'I didn't realise we were that long.' Haley mumbled sitting down.

'Whatever, I'm hungry, let's eat!' Jake said, grabbing the attention of the waitress.

Haley giggled to herself as everyone ordered their food. She was happy.

'Right so, you were in L.A, but now you're here?' Peyton asked impatiently.

'Well…' Haley looked at Nathan, who shrugged. 'It's a long story, with stupid mistakes. But now we are back and better than ever.' She grinned and Nathan who squeezed her thigh.

'Good stuff.' Brooke said quietly, her eyes wandering somewhere else.

'Brooke?' Peyton asked, waving her hand over her friend's face.

'How hot is he?' She gasped quietly, staring at a dark haired boy who had just walked in the door.

'That's Chase.' Jake said matter of factly.

'What?' Brooke scolded. 'You never told me!'

'He's on the team, I didn't think you would want to know.'

'But he's hot! Call him over!' Brooke ordered.

'Hey Chase!' Jake shouted. 'Come sit with us!'

Brooke smiled excitedly as Chase walked over.

'Hey man.' He said, nodding to the rest of the group.

'Hi!' Brooke squeaked.

'That's Brooke, I'm Peyton, you know Jake, and that's Nathan and Haley.' Peyton greeted, moving over so Chase could sit down next to Brooke, who was blushing violently.

'So what are you doing in Tree Hill?' Jake started a conversation.

'Well, it's the middle of the summer and I got bored at home so I thought I'd just take a road trip around some places. This is my third stop.'

'How long are you staying?' Brooke asked quickly.

'Oh, well, maybe a day or so.' Chase answered.

'Only a day!' Brooke squealed. 'You have to stay longer than that.'

Everyone looked at her strangely.

'Well. Brooke continued. 'Obviously, because, I mean, Tree Hill is good! You can hang with us, Jake will want to see you and stuff.'

'I will?' Jake started, until Brooke glared in his direction. 'I mean I will, of course, it'll be fun.'

'Yeah I suppose, there's a river court here?'

Jake nodded and Haley noticed Nathan's expression change, but she shrugged it off.

'We could go there tonight?' Chase looked around the group, who all nodded. Haley watched Nathan intently for any more signs, but none came.

'So eh, Chase, do you have a girlfriend?'


Nathan stared up at the round metal hoop above him, knees shaking and hands sweating. It was just a bit of metal, so why did it scare him so much?

He sighed and took a few steps back on the court, standing on the free throw line. Should he make up some excuse about not playing tonight? Or was Haley smart enough to see through that? She didn't know much about Nathan's history since she left, maybe he could keep it that way.

'I thought I might find you here.' Haley's warm voice filled Nathan's heart. He turned to face her, his heart speeding up to match his shaking body.

'How did you know?' He asked cautiously.

'Because I know you.' Haley smiled and sat down on the bench at the edge of the court. 'I saw your expression change when the guys mentioned the river court today, and when you disappeared, I assumed you might be here.'

'Well done Sherlock.' Nathan smirked, trying to hide his fear as he sat down next to Haley.

'Nathan, you're shaking!' Haley gasped, touching Nathan's arms.

Nathan nodded. 'I'm just cold.' He lied.

'Nathan it's one of the hottest days of the year, you're not cold. What's wrong?'

'Nothing, it's just, I feel quiet ill, maybe I'm getting a fever.'

'Maybe…' Haley mumbled, wanting to push the subject, but knowing Nathan didn't, so she dropped it. 'Does that mean you're not coming tonight?'

'I might come, just maybe not play.'

Haley nodded and leant her head onto Nathan's shoulder, closing her eyes.

Nathan stared nervously across the court, hoping Haley bought his lies, but knowing she wouldn't. He was going to have to face the facts at some point.


'Ball, god sake Peyton, ball!' Jake yelled across the court, waving his arms around in the air.

A game was in full swing when Nathan and Haley arrived at the river court. The sun was just setting and it looked like they were having fun. Jake and Peyton were in one team with Brooke and Chase in the other. Haley squeezed Nathan's hand as they sat down on the bench.

Peyton and Brooke were currently bent over in fits of hysterics, the ball in Peyton's hands. Chase looked on confused, while Jake looked flustered at trying to get the ball.

Haley giggled. 'I'll sort this.' She jumped off the bench and jogged towards Peyton. Grabbing the ball out of her hands she dribbled up to hoop and threw the ball hard.

The ball flew far too high over the backboard and landed with a soft thud on the ground. Peyton and Brooke laughed more as Haley threw her hands up in the air to celebrate.

'Hales, it didn't go in.' Jake said confused.

'But how do you know I wasn't aiming there?' She smirked, jogging to get the ball.

She passed it to Chase who made a free throw. The ball swished through the net and Haley cheered.

'Nice shot.' She smirked, continuing the game, Jake and Peyton against Brooke, Chase and Haley.

With every shot that swished through the hoop the pain grew bigger inside Nathan. He couldn't stand watch all of these dunks and free throws. He ached to join in, but he hadn't played in so long and didn't want to make a fool of himself. He used to be the best player in the state.

--

4 Years Ago

'And that's yet another dunk from our star small forward, Nathan Scott! And the crowd goes wild. We are only four minutes into the game and already the support for the Tree Hill Ravens is filling up the gym!'

'Let's go Ravens, Let's go!' The cheerleaders chanted along with the crowd, waving their pom-poms and whooping.

Lucas threw the ball to Nathan, he was the only option, and Nathan drove towards the hoop, jumping up and dunking the ball with ease.

He held on to the hoop for a few seconds more, before leaping down and continuing the game, the crowd's cheers filling him with adrenaline.

Lucas sighed and pushed Tim softly when he clapped for Nathan. 'Stop it. I'm the best player in the state, not him.' He snarled.

'Not according to the past two years, Luke.' Whitey smirked.

Haley overheard Lucas and Tim's conversation. 'God, why does that guy have to be such a jerk?' She turned to Peyton.

'Same reason Rachel is.' Peyton replied. 'Jealously.'

Haley scoffed and then cheered when she saw Nathan make another free throw.

'He looks so hot.' Haley sighed.

'Yep, and he's all yours. No wonder everyone is jealous.'

'They aren't jealous, and he's not all mine.'

'He might as well be. I don't see him going to anyone but you.' Peyton finished.

Nathan was on fire. He stole the ball and raced up the court, finishing his move with a perfect lay up. The crowd roared and Nathan celebrated with Jake.

Nathan grabbed the ball again, and his biggest rival, Damien West, came to guard him. Nathan went to dodge, but Damien tripped Nathan and pushed him to the ground.

Damien ran backwards, knocking into Haley, but he was too mad at what he did to Nathan.

'You did that on purpose!' She yelled, pushing him back.

Nathan saw Damien push Haley back into the wall. Haley fell to the floor.

'Hey!' Nathan shouted, running across and punching Damien. Soon all the teams were in a scramble.

Nathan was given two free throws for the foul.

'Wait a minute, Coach, we've got blood.' The referee pointed to Nathan's body, where are old scar from a fall from his bike had been re-opened.

Nathan needed to go behind and get stitches; the Ravens couldn't afford to lose like this.

Lucas caught the ball and shot a free throw, which gracefully bounced off the net and back into play.

'I thought you were meant to be best in state.' Tim joked, wincing when Lucas pushed him.

'I carry this team.' He spat.

--

With 5 minutes left in the game, Nathan walked back onto the court. The Ravens were losing now and he needed to get them back up. Whitey would kill them if they lost. All he needed was to get twelve points.

The team quickly passed the ball around, and with 1 minute to go, Nathan needed four points. It was impossible, but he had to try.

Slowly dribbling up to the net, Nathan knew he had to be quick. Damien kept flapping his arms around, distracting him. Quickly, realising the buzzer was about to go, Nathan jumped and shot for a free throw.

As the ball left his hand he felt a shoulder collide with his stomach and Damien fouled him. Nathan hit the floor and stared up at the ball swishing through the basket.

Nathan took the free throw line. With this basket, Nathan could either win this tournament or lose it.

He turned to look at Haley, who was at the side of the court to his left beaming happily at him.

'I'm so proud of you. I love you.' She mouthed to him.

Nathan gave a lopsided smirk, and, not taking his eyes off Haley, he shot his free throw. The crowd gasped at his risk, but when he heard them sigh Nathan knew they had one.

Sighs broke into cheers as Haley ran into Nathan's awaiting arms for a hug.

Soon Nathan was on top of the players, everyone celebrating together.

Nathan had been named Varsity Player of the Year throughout the whole of America the next week. And he certainly had been, until all that shit happened.

--

'Nathan!' Haley jumped about in front of him. 'Are you going to play?'

'I can't.' Nathan croaked, the memories still thick in his mind.

'Why not?' Haley asked impatiently, as Brooke, Peyton and Jake fell silent.

Nathan looked away awkwardly. 'I just can't play anymore Hales.' He sighed.

'Well of course you can. I know you stopped playing after I left but I'm sure you could still play.' Haley encouraged.

'I did play.' Nathan said flatly.

'What?'

'I did play again. It had been three months since you left and I hadn't played since then but I went back. I went back and I was better than ever.'

'So why didn't you go to college?' Haley asked, very confused about the scene unfolding before her.

'Hales come on, just leave it. I want to keep playing.' Brooke whined, receiving a thankful look from Nathan.

'Yeah Hales.' Peyton joined in. 'If he's PMSing and doesn't want to play, he doesn't have to play.'

Haley nodded slowly, and, with one last look at Nathan, walked back onto the court.


Nathan lay wide-awake in bed that night, staring at the ceiling as Haley slept peacefully beside him.

--

2 Years Ago

'He may have taken a three month break from basketball but now Nathan Scott is back, and believe me ladies and gentlemen, he is better than ever. He has already broken his own personal scoring record, but he is heading straight for a world record at varsity people. He is on fire. The Ravens lead by 30, but there seems like Nathan isn't happy with that. He just keeps on scoring.'

And score he did. Free throw, lay ups and dunks, Nathan was hot tonight. He had secured the Ravens a place in the quarterfinals of the State Championships, but now he just wanted to break some records.

10 seconds left in the game and 2 points would secure him the new record. Jake passed him the ball straight away and Nathan dribbled up to the hoop. He jumped and was flying in slow motion towards the net.

Nathan dunked the ball through the hoop and hung on and the buzzer sounded and the crowd cheered. To give the crowd a little entertainment he swung from the hoop a few more times, lifting one hand in the air and cheering.

Then suddenly Nathan was falling, the hoop ripped of the backboard and Nathan plunged 10 feet to the ground, landing on his neck.

People screamed as Nathan's body lay lifelessly on the floor. People started shouting for an ambulance as Jake ran quickly up to Nathan.

'Nathan are you all right? Nathan!' He shouted.

Nathan slowly opened his eyes, pain searing through every part of his body, except one. Why was there no pain there? Then he realised.

'I can't feel my legs…' He whispered hoarsely, passing out.


dunnn- dun dun dun..DAAAA!! that's meant to be the freaky cliche music that.. i don't now how to describe it, oh well. it comes after a shock.. maybe.. just review k?