Hey guys!! I am sooo sorry I haven't updated in a while! I feel so bad for leaving you guys hanging. I was sick for some time plus extremely busy with school starting and stuff. So, here's Chapter 17. It's the longest chapter that I've ever written. Hope you guys like it and hope it makes up for lost time! I didn't get that may reviews for the previous chapter so I hope you guys aren't loosing interest or something. If you are or have any suggestions please tell me. Anyway, Enjoy: )

Previously,

Turing off the engine of the car, she pranced towards the house. The living room light is on. Was he waiting up for me? Awe, he's going to be so happy when I tell him! This is the moment that will change everything! She peeked through the front window, curious to see what her current lover was up to. Looking around, she gasped. The living room was decorated elaborately with luminous candles, dark scarlet roses and scattered rose petals. It was a picture from any girl's dream. Her gaze inadvertently traveled the couch. She froze. The sight was one that she would never have expected.

There sleeping soundly on the couch was Nathan. Lying right beside him was no other than Haley James. Looking pretty damn cozy. As a pool of tears started forming in her glistening eyes, the brunette did the first thing that came to mind.

She fled.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The sun shone brightly the next morning, its rays shining through the window of Nathan Scott's house. Birds were chirping happily and flying about, oblivious of what was to come, oblivious to what was in store.

The shrilling sound of the doorbell startled sleeping Nathan as he jumped up from the couch, landing on the floor, all rumpled up and disorderly. Shit, that hurt! Turning towards the coffee table he saw a note.

Nathan,

Had to get back home to James. You looked peaceful sleeping so I didn't want to disturb you. I had fun last night. Glad that we can be friends. Hope everything works for you in the future. Call me later!

Haley

Nathan smiled. He was glad that him and Haley could put aside everything from the past and be friends. Both of them could finally move on. It was nice.

Ding Dong! Ding Dong!

He slowly got up and made his way to the front door, annoyed by the constant sound, his brain still hazy from his long sleep. Who the hell is here at this hour?

Opening the door revealed four teenagers, probably high school students from the looks of it. Two were girls, one blonde with an extremely overly-cheery expression plastered on her face. The other was a brunette, a bit more conservative but still had that preppy spark to her. The two boys on the other hand wore basketball uniforms. Raven basketball uniforms. Ahhh…four of Tree Hill's elite cheerleaders and basketball players. God, let's get this over with.

"Umm…can I help you?" Nathan asked, obviously confused to why they were at his front door step. Wasn't this more Lucas' thing seeing as they were his players?

"Hi! I'm Amber! Can we come in?" the overly perky blonde asked. Did she just fucking ask to come into my house? Geez, what the hell!

"Uh, sure?" His response came out more like a question than anything as the four teens invaded his house.

"Wow, omg, were you expecting someone or something?"

Nathan looked around and suddenly sobered up. The rose petals. The now extinguished candles. The romantic evening he had planned. All for Brooke. Brooke! Why hadn't she ever come home? Was she okay? Did something happen at Lucas's? Was there another accident? Did she decide to go to Peyton's instead of coming here? I need to call her!

"Umm…" he started. Before he could come up with anything though, one of the boys interrupted him. Looks like the blonde wasn't the only one who talked.

"Oh, aren't you Coach's brother? Nathan?"

"Yeah, that's me. Why may I ask are you four here?" He needed to find out what happened to Brooke. NOW.

"Oh! Well some brunette girl stopped by the gym this morning while we were practicing and she asked if one of us could drop this off to the owner of this house," Amber explained as she handed him a perfectly sealed white envelope.

"A brunette? What did she look like? Did she give a name?"

"Umm…she was about my height, green eyes, dark brown hair…she looked familiar but I don't know where from..."

"I think she was Coach's wife." The other girl interjected.

I think she was Coach's wife. Brooke. The letter was from Brooke.

"Brooke!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah that's her name!"

He quickly ushered the kids outside, thanking them, before slamming the door shut.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Why was Coach's wife writing a letter to his brother?" Amber asked outside.

"Who knows? Maybe they're secretly in love," Thomas, one of the players, joked.

"Ha Ha, very funny, Tom. That only happens in soap operas you know."

The four laughed as they made their way back to the high school, unaware of how true their assumption was.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Back inside the house, Nathan instantly ripped open the letter and read it. As his eyes traveled from sentence to sentence, he felt like his heart was getting stabbed, over and over and over again. Tears formed in his eyes as he collapsed onto the couch, cursing himself for being such an idiot and wishing, just wishing that he could take last night back. She was gone. That beautiful brunette with the dashing smile and the radiant emerald eyes. She was gone. And it was all his fault.

Dear Nathan,

I decided to leave Tree Hill. I'm not coming back.

I'm divorcing Lucas. Our marriage was failing before you and I happened and for once, I'm going to do something that's best for me. I think it's time that I stood on my two feel, independent. I'm going to try living life by myself with the kids for a while.

You and I were never meant to be and I got a pretty obvious picture of that last night when I came to your place. I was stupid enough to actually believe that you loved me back, like I love you, but I guess I'm a fool when it comes to love. You always have loved Haley and you always will. Always and forever, right? I was just a mere fling for you while you came to your senses about Hales. Anyway, I wish you two the best of luck. I always knew you and I were too good to be true and that you and Haley were the ever lasting couple. Hope you two get back together and are happy.

I'll arrange for some sort of custody agreement for Shelly, since she is your daughter. I won't be the evil bitch that hides my daughter's real dad from her. I'll send you the court date sometime after I've settled in my new home.

Please don't try calling me or try to find me. Last night you did the one thing you promised that you would never do. You broke my heart. And I can't and won't let that happen again. For my sake and for my children's sake.

I love you Nathan Scott and I always will. But I guess it just wasn't fate, right? Take care of yourself. And please, take care of Luke.

Sincerely,

Brooke

He loved her. He really did love her. Not Haley. Not Peyton. Not some random chic off the street. He loved only one person. Brooke Penelope Davis. And she didn't even know that. He had to fix things. He had to tell her that what she saw was just a mere act of friendship, nothing more. He needed to have her back in Tree Hill. He needed her to know that he truly loved her.

He jumped up, and rushed outside to the place where he knew the answers laid hidden.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Peyton Sawyer was fixing some pasta when she heard her front door slam and angry footstep rushing in.

"Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer! Where the hell are you?!"

She eyes instantaneously went cold at the sound of that voice. Nathan Scott was in her house. The two-faced back stabbing asshole himself.

Before she could utter a response, he found her.

"Awe, looking for some ex-wives to screw? Sorry, we're out. Why don't you try Slut Barn, I heard it's near Haley's house. God she has just perfect location!" her sarcastic words drown laced with the deadliest of all malice.

So Brooke had been here before she left. And she told Peyton what she saw. Figures. Peyton probably knows where she is too. Now all I need is to just get it out of her. Easy, right? Wrong.

"Where's Brooke?" he asked, ignoring what she said.

"Why would you care? Want another quick easy lay or was Haley not good enough?"

"God Peyton you don't even know what happened! Can you just please freakin tell me where Brooke is? I need to talk to her."

"I don't know what happened? Who the hell do you think sat beside your new supposed, now ex, girlfriend while she cried her heart out telling me that she found you and Haley looking pretty chummy with each other on your couch. And you had even decorated the house for her! How sweet!"

"Peyt…" he started, but she cut him off.

"She gave everything up for you Nathan! Her husband, her marriage, her dignity, her previous life that she loved. All for you! And you just threw it away for your ex-wife. God! Bastard, much? And I really thought you loved her! You were telling me all these things and you guys were so perfect…was it all just a joke to you? A little game to seduce your brother's wife then ditch her?"

"No! I really love her! I…" but she cut him off again.

"Then why the heck did you cheat? No offense, but don't tell me I don't know anything. I've heard it all. And that, my friend, makes you the asshole and her the nice girl."

Before another word could escape from Peyton's mouth, Nathan exploded.

"Will you shut the hell up and let me talk for five fucking minutes and explain what really happened?!?!?!" he screamed.

Taken aback by his loud outburst, she nodded her head. "Five minutes, Scott."

He then started explaining everything, from his plans for a romantic night, to Haley showing up, to Brooke not showing up, to Haley wanting to be friends, to falling asleep on the couch, to waking up and reading the letter. After his long confession, he looked up at a guilty looking Peyton.

"I guess I really didn't know what happened, huh?" she said, trying to ease up the awkwardness between them.

He chuckled. "Guess not."

"Nate, I'm so sorry! I know you wouldn't hurt her intentionally and I know you love her. I just got carried away…and I'm really sorry for jumping to conclusions so fast!"

"Peyt, it's really okay. The big problem is that Brooke doesn't know the truth. I truly love her Peyton. I want to spend the rest of my life with her." A smile broke out onto his face as he admitted those words. "I need to find her and tell her the truth. I know you know where she is."

"She left for New York. Her parents have a house up there and she said that she was going to stay there until she figured out what she was going to do."

"New York," he repeated.

"Yup. Hold on let me go get the address." She ran to the living room and then came back with a pink sheet of paper with Brooke's curvy writing upon it.

"Thanks Peyt. You don't know how much this means to me." He said as he broke his gaze from the paper and looked into her eyes.

"Nah, it's the least I can do. Go get her, tiger," she replied as she gently pushed him towards the door, a smile now on her face.

He didn't need a second push. He rushed out of the house and ran to his car. The slip of paper was calling his name.

New York. He always did want to go there.

Ah! The end of the Chapter 17! Please R&R!!!!!!!! Love your reviews and they motivate me a lot! Thanks!!! Have a good day!