I can't tell you how happy I am I still have readers following this story! Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm working on the next chapter now and if I'm still feeling froggy it'll be up tonight. (Had a bit of writing inspiration...and it's always fun when that happens instead of forcing the chapters out :) )

As always reviews are love, and again THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING :D

- Beth

"Nathan…" her voice was a soft whisper.

The room was about to burst from the obvious tension. Haley couldn't believe he was standing in front of her; his eyes were darker than she'd ever seen them. They, like her own, were filled with sadness. The silence was finally broken by Brooke's soft voice, "I'll leave you two alone…"

After Brooke quietly left the room Haley felt air fill her lungs once again, "Wh-What are you doing here?"

He moved a step closer; his eyes never leaving Haley's "Whitey…contacted me. He told me you missed your last few sessions…"

Haley's heart sunk. He didn't miss her. He was just doing the polite thing. She couldn't really blame him, she did utterly crush him the last time she saw him, all she could must was an "Oh."

"How have you been?" Nathan asked but needed no answer. He could tell by looking at her. Her clothes were too big, clothes that he remembered seeing her in only a month before, yet they were falling off her bones now. Her eyes were sunken in, matching the puffiness of his own, indicating that along with not eating she hadn't been sleeping.

"I've been-" Haley contemplated her answer, she thought for a second about saying "Fine" and that everything was well but she knew he wouldn't believe her. "I've been horrible…actually."

Nathan smirked, "Me too."

Haley let out a sigh of relief, at least he wasn't going to play the "fine" game either.

"Can we-Go somewhere and talk?"

Haley's heart quickened. Maybe he did miss her? Maybe he could forgive her? As quickly as the thoughts entered her mind she pushed them out and she quietly responded, "Sure…"

The two found themselves at the park, the park they went to the night of Haley's first show after Chris died. The night sky was full of stars, illuminating the concrete as they walked, "I've missed you…" Nathan whispered.

Haley sighed, "I've missed you too." She knew this was her fault. She knew it was her insecurities and doubt that led them here. They had something going and because of her it felt like the were back at the beginning. Before the I love you's, before they were...them.

Looking at her with the stars cascading across her golden hair all Nathan wanted to do was grab her and pull her into his arms. He could smell her shampoo, the familiar scent of lavender, and it tested his self control with every step they took. He dug his hands into his pockets in an attempt to control himself, "I'm sorry Haley…"

Haley's voice began to crack, "Don't do that. You did nothing wrong Nathan-"

"Yes I did. I knew you weren't ready and I shouldn't have rushed into asking you the way I did…"

"Nathan…it's my fault. I just felt so guilty about-you know being happy again…that I couldn't think straight…I should have called you that night. I should have told you that it wasn't because I didn't love you...I was...and still am just scared..."

"I know-and trust me…it wasn't exactly the way I imagined proposing..." He ran his fingers through his hair, "I just- I was sitting in that hospital and I talked to my Uncle Keith and he was going on and on about how I needed to seize the day and-I don't know I just got caught up in it all."

"So you never actually wanted to get married?" Haley asked feeling like she had been stabbed in the heart. She wasn't ready for marriage...not yet but the idea of Nathan proposing because of some idea put in his head broke her heart.

"No. That's not what I'm saying at all." He finally turned and grabbed her hands, "Haley…when I said I loved you…I meant it and when I said I wanted to marry you…I meant it. I'm not apologizing for proposing…I'm apologizing for the way I did it. I knew you weren't ready…and I'm sorry I scared you away…I wish-I wish I could take it back and wait…wait till I was sure you'd say yes."

Haley felt the familiar warmth of tears upon her cheek, "Nathan-I'm so sorry…you don't deserve what I've put you through. I didn't mean to hurt you...I didn't mean to disappear...I just couldn't face you...I couldn't face anyone because they would ask me why...and it took me awhile for me to even answer that question to myself. I needed to find closure and I know that closure will never come..."

"I understand about wanting closure Haley. I understand about everything you're feeling...we've talked about this and you should know that..."

"I know. I shouldn't have pushed you away...I keep saying it but it's the truth...I'm just scared."

"This past month has been the most difficult in my existence…and I think you know the significance of that. I had to deal with burying my wife and finding out she was having an affair…yet the hardest thing for me to handle is not being able to see you. Not being able to kiss you" He moved closer to her and brushed a loose curl behind her ear, "Not being able to know you're ok..."

"Nath-"

Nathan wouldn't let her continue, "Let me finish…I love you Haley and if you want time I'll give you that. But I don't want to loose you."

Haley reached up and stroked his cheek, "I love you too…please know that I love you. I ran because…I didn't know how to deal with how I felt about you. I loved Chris…but with you its different…in a completely amazing way. I can't say it enough...it scares me. I don't know how to handle it. After what I went through with Chris I'm afraid to let you all the way in…I'm afraid that what we have…right now, isn't real. That one day I'm going to come home and find YOU on the phone with someone else. It's like I said before…they'll always be with us. Their infidelity will always be with us. What I feel for you is so much stronger then what I've ever felt before…and that means when it ends…it'll be that much harder. It would honestly kill me…"

"Who says it has to end?" Haley began shaking her head not believing what he was telling her, "No listen to me Hales…why does this have to end? Where is it written that were destined to make the same mistakes they did?"

"It's not but-"

"But nothing. I don't know what else I have to do, what else I have to say to get you to believe that I'm not Chris. You're not going to come home and find me on the phone with another woman because no one…" He moved in closer and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him, "NO ONE, can ever make me feel the way you do."

Before she could stop him his lips were on hers. His hands cupped her face and his cheeks could feel the warmth of the tears falling from her eyes. She was unable to resist him, she moved her hands to his face, his stubble rough but soothing to her skin, "I love you Haley…please, don't run from this…"

She closed her eyes tight and pulled him back down to her, "Without you…I can't breath…"

The midnight hour was upon them by the time they reached Haley's apartment, "So you live…above the bar?"

Haley shrugged, "It was cheap and it was close." She fumbled with the keys for a moment before the door finally opened, "…ah, the door gets stuck sometimes."

"Of course it does…" Nathan responded while shaking his head.

Haley threw the keys on the counter, "Well this is it. Really you didn't have to walk me all the way home Nathan…you live on the other side of town."

"Right…because that's what I'm going to do, leave a beautiful girl to walk alone in New York City...at night…don't think so."

"I've done it before!" She defended playfully.

He pulled her to him once more, "Ms. James you are just going to have to get used to someone taking care of you….that includes attended walks home."

Haley shook her head, "Whatever you say…I'm gonna go splash some water on my face…I'm sure I look like I've risen from the dead." She turned away from him and headed towards the bathroom.

"You look beautiful Haley. You always look beautiful."

Haley didn't turn around and she was thankful that the bathroom was the only room separated by a door. She leaned against the old oak and took a deep breath. After a month of misery, he was here…he still loved her…he still wanted to be with her. It was out of experience Haley always thought the worst but for the first time since Chris died and maybe even before, she felt like there was a hope. Hope for a life she always wanted…hope for a life she needed.

After a few moments Haley walked back into the kitchen where Nathan stood leaning against the refrigerator. He immediately smiled at her return and she nervously crossed one leg behind the other, "Hi…"

His smile widened, "Hi." Nathan was about to say something else when a sound that can only be compared to an animal in immense pain came from behind him. Nathan jumped back looking at the fridge, "What the-"

Haley started laughing and ran over, quickly pounding on the side of the refrigerator, "You just have to bang on it a few times and it stops…" After a few short hits the appliance became quiet. Haley looked up at Nathan triumphantly, "See."

Nathan shook his head, "Haley this is ridiculous. You shouldn't be staying here."

"It's just a fridge Nathan…" Haley opened the door to the noise box and grabbed two beers, tossing one at Nathan.

Nathan caught the beer and immediately put it on the counter without opening it. He made his way over to her, "No Haley. This neighborhood is dangerous, I didn't like the idea of you working here, let alone living here."

"The rents cheap, it's the only place I can afford right now."

"Haley…" He continued to shake his head, "Do you always have to be so stubborn?"

Haley tilted her head, "Yes. Yes actually I think I do." She joked.

"I'm serious…"

"Serious about what Nathan? What exactly would you like me to do? I can barely make ends meet as it is, the Anderson's money is only going to last for so long...if I tried to find a nicer place it would completely wipe me out."

"Then move in with me." Nathan blurted out.

Haley, who was in the middle of taking a drink from her beer…froze. A frequent reaction when she was around Nathan, "What?"

"Really. I mean before…what happened with Lucas, you pretty much lived at my place anyway."

"It was different then…"

"No it wasn't, you were just able to forget about everything else for awhile…that was until Rachel's parents and everything else got in the way. Brought the past up again…"

"Nathan-"

He moved closer to her grabbing the beer from her hand and placing it on the counter. He placed her hands on his chest, "Haley I know we just had this long drawn out, unnecessary break…and I understand that was because I was moving to fast for you. I know you're probably thinking the same thing now…"

"Ya think?" Haley responded with her eyebrows rose.

"But I'm not proposing marriage…not yet anyway. I'm proposing you living in a place where I don't have to worry about you every night. I'm proposing letting me take care of you…I know you're so worried about money and that's one thing I have plenty of. I want to take care of you Haley."

"I don't know…"

"Ok. I'm not forcing anything on you. I'll make you a deal…don't answer me tonight. Say yes tomorrow." His lips curved into a smile.

Haley lightly chuckled, "You drive me absolutely crazy, you know that?"

Nathan kissed the tops of her hands and began walking towards the door. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Ok."

He opened the door and was about to walk out before he turned to her, "This is good…you and me. You'll come around." He sexily winked at her and quietly closed the door.

Haley quickly grabbed the beer he had taken from her hand and began chugging for a few seconds, "This is insane…" She made her way into the living room and collapsed on the couch, "Too quick to marry but not too quick to live together?" She took another sip. "My apartment isn't…" She looked around, "…HORRIBLE…" She put her feet up on the coffee table and continued her one sided conversation, "Besides I just moved…for like the third time in two months…" Another drink, "Yup, I'm staying put…I like it here…its peaceful" The more she talked the more she tried to convince herself. She took another sip and as she put her head back to relax, her obnoxious appliance started once more. Her bottom lip came out and she began to pout knowing it was a lost cause, she groaned in frustration before burying her face into a pillow.

That morning Nathan stood by the kitchen table, reading the sports section and eating his typical breakfast…cheerios. A knock at the door pulled him from the newspaper and he looked at the clock on the microwave, "7:30…who the hell could that be…" He made his way over to the door, "Ya?-" His face filled with surprise.

"Ok, but we're splitting the rent." Haley stormed in shoving a box into his chest while dragging two duffel bags behind her.

Let me know!

*Again literally typing the next chapter as I'm uploading this (multi-tasking), hoping to have it up tonight. Hope you enjoyed!