I roll over and am met with the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes, staring right at me. I can't help but smile.

"Hi," I say softly.

"Hi," Nathan whispers, taking my hand and kissing it.

If he hadn't here beside me I would have sworn last night was a dream; it had included some of the most intense and passionate lovemaking of our entire relationship. Everything had been absolutely perfect or at least it seemed that way at the time…the reality of the situation, however, was far from perfect.

"Where's Brooke?" I ask looking around.

Nathan shook his head replying, "I guess she didn't come home…which is probably a good thing, all things considered."

I give him a half smile and rub my eyes. The clock reads that it's 4:00AM.

"I'm glad you stayed," I say quietly, looking down. Nathan reaches out and lifts my chin to make me look at him.

"Did you think that I would just run out on you? After what happened?"

I shook my head, "I don't think so, no, I don't know. Nathan, things are so different. Last week you couldn't even stand to be in the room with me…and now--- this."

"Listen, I know things are complicated, I realize that…we can't figure everything out in one night either…I just know that I can't regret what happened here tonight."

"Neither can I," I said as relief washes over me to hear him say that.

Nathan's expression falters for just a second "…but I also don't know what it means either, I mean…in terms of 'us."

I look at him, confused. "Wait, what?"

Nathan closes his eyes. "I know we got carried away and I will admit again that I don't regret it…but Haley, this doesn't fix us either. There's too much to work through to just smooth it over by sleeping together again."

I sit up, wrapping the bed sheet around me, suddenly feeling too exposed. "What does that mean? In terms of 'us,' what do you want, Nathan?"

Nathan sighed, "Haley, I don't know yet…"

"Well, I do – I want us to be together."

Nathan closed his eyes. "I just need time to think on some things, alright? I – this, I had no idea this would happen…I wasn't planning for this to happen...at all…at least not so soon…"

"I've been back for a while now, Nathan…it's not really that 'soon," Haley said, stunned by his admission.

"It is for me," Nathan replied and sits up on the side of the bed, putting his head in his hands. "I don't think that you fully understand what happened to me when you left, Haley. You completely wrecked me – you shook my faith in everything I knew and trusted."

Haley sighed, closing her eyes, "Nathan, I do know that…I've made mistakes and I've been paying for them ever since."

"We got an annulment, Haley," Nathan said. "We ended our marriage and it was like ripping open old wounds to see you again. So, now that everything was kicked into high gear again, I just need some time to figure things out."

Nathan stood up, grabbing his clothes from the floor.

I sat there, tears stinging behind her eyes. He had sparked a new fire - I was hurt and angry. Whether I was justified in my feelings, I couldn't deny them.

"Well, you take time to figure out what you want – better yet, just go back to Rachel, whatever you have to do, but I won't be used like that again," I was really lashing out now.

Nathan felt like he'd been slapped in the face. He stopped and turned around to face me.

"I never slept with Rachel."

I do an absolute double take. This news truly shocks me and he can see my shock evident in my expression.

Nathan laughs in spite of himself, "for the longest time, I couldn't figure it out…why couldn't I just become the old 'f&^% and run' Nathan who slept around? For some reason, I just couldn't do it. Even after the annulment, when Rachel and I started dating, I just couldn't bring myself to go there with her. Then, I figured it out – it was because of you. You're the only person I want in my life, in my heart and in my bed, so don't think for one second that I could ever use you for sex. What we have goes so much deeper than anything I can even describe..."

I sit there, tears stinging my eyes and falling down my cheeks.

"If it were so simple to just love you, then we would be together. There would be no question…but it's more complicated and I think you know that. I love you, I will always love you…I just can't trust you." Nathan took a shaky breath and just watched me. I think he probably really expects me to lose it now.

I sit there completely silent. I'm stunned but in a way, I can't blame him for how he feels. Why should he trust me? I left him and agreed to void our marriage. I don't try to argue with him; I guess it was pretty naïve to think we could just erase the past with one night of good, okay great, sex. Nathan's right - it doesn't fix what's wrong with us.

I clear my throat, wiping the remaining tears from my eyes.

"Well, Nathan…I suppose there's nothing really left to say…at least not right now."

He dresses in silence and I avoid looking at him. I can't change how he feels about this, I can't beg him to stay. He has to work things out in his own way on his own time…but that doesn't stop it from breaking my heart all over again in the process.

Nathan takes one last look at me, before opening the bedroom door.

I turn over, crying into my pillow as I hear the front door open and close.

I must have fallen asleep again because I wake up hearing the door ppen and close.

"Haley! Did you leave the door unlocked? That's so not safe and I really don't need to come home to find you murdered and our place burglarized," Brooke said as she approaches the bedroom.

She's quiet for a second when she notices my clothes strewn across the floor - I'm a neat freak so that's not a regular occurrence for me.

"Hi," I say quietly.

"Tutor Girl! Looks like you had an interesting evening," Brooke said, her eyes shining. She pushes me to scoot over so she can sit down on the edge of my bed. "I want details!"

"Brooke, can I at least get dressed first?" I ask.

Brooke jumps up, "okay, but don't think you're getting out of this-- I just knew something was going to happen when he came over...that's why I made sure to stay out all night."

"Where were you anyway?"

"Lucas' place," Brooke grinned, walking into the bathroom while I changed. "Who knew just making out could be so fun? Although, I'd say you clearly had even more fun."

"Yeah, if you count Nathan waking up and telling me he doesn't know he wants and leaving," I said.

"Ugh! Boys are infuriating," Brooke exclaimed. "He so knows what he wants, that's a cop-out. He's just being ridiculous now--"

"No, he's really confused, Brooke...and who can blame him? I mean, he hated my guts until a few days ago."

"He never hated your guts. He's just too macho to admit when he's hurt, so he acts like a jerk to everyone and unfortunately, you got the brunt of it."

"Well maybe so, but that doesn't erase the fact that he cheated on his girlfriend last night."

"OHH!!!" Brooke practically squealed. "This is perfect!!"

I can't help but roll my eyes. "This is so far from perfect, it's not even funny...what are you talking about?"

"Rach-ho! She's as good as kicked to the curb now!" Brooke exclaimed happily. "Trust me, once Nathan dumps her ass, the last thing she will want to do is stay on the squad and have to see him everyday...see, we both win!"

I shake my head in disbelief, "I'm having a crisis here with my ex-husband and his girlfriend and you're still worried about the damn cheerleading squad?!"

"Tutor-Girl, you are so not having a crisis...everything that's happened...it is a good thing, all around. I promise - just give Nathan a little bit of time to process everything...boys can only handle minimal major occurrences at a time. He's probably just thinking of the best way to let Rachel down easy."

I shook my head. Maybe...but from here on out, one thing was certain. Nothing would be easy.