Hayley's P.O.V

"Hayley!"

I jumped, startled by the loud, shrieking voice that had called out my name. My eyes instantly landed upon its source: Peyton stood at the end of baggage claim, her blonde hair longer than it had been the last time I'd seen her, her familiar honey eyes sparkling with warmth and excitement. I smiled as I walked towards her; I already felt like I was home.

"I hope that's not all that you've brought with you," she said, eyeing my two suitcases skeptically. "You do realize that you're not here for a visit, don't you?"

"Of course I do," I replied, rolling my eyes. "But I couldn't exactly bring my couch and refrigerator on the plane with me, could I?"

"Suppose not," she said with a smile. "I'm assuming that means that we'll be furniture shopping sometime in the near future."

"I'd say that's a very valid assumption." I inwardly groaned at the prospect of shopping, but knew that living in an empty flat wouldn't suit me at all. "So where's your mom? I thought she'd be here with you."

"Well, your flight came in a bit too early for her taste, so she stayed home and is probably fixing breakfast for us as we speak. Rachel came with me instead. She's waiting outside in the car."

I nodded, dragging one of my massive suitcases behind me as Peyton struggled with the other. "I hope she doesn't drive a damn Mini Cooper," I said with a sigh, "because my stuff definitely won't fit inside of it."

"No, she's just bought one of those...oh, what are they called? Oh well, it doesn't matter. You'll see it for yourself soon enough." She pushed through the doors that led to the parking area, her long blonde hair dancing behind her.

Parked near the entrance was a brand new Land Rover with tinted windows. Peyton rushed toward it, motioning for me to follow. Throwing my bags into the vehicle's backseat, she ushered me inside and climbed into the passenger seat. Behind the wheel sat Rachel, her hair a shocking shade of blonde and her normally mischievous eyes covered by sunglasses. I stared at her, confusion etched onto every inch of my face.

"Hey, Hayley," she greeted me, with a smile. She started the engine and drove out of the waiting area, turning into a street off the airport.

"Hi," I replied, surprise evident in my voice. "You look...different."

"The hair, I know. Wonted a change." She sighed, removing her sunglasses. "But now I bloody well hate it. I should have gone for blonde highlights instead, an entire head of it is way to much."

Beside her, Peyton laughed. "You're right. Only natural blondes can really pull off the look."

"Shut up," Rachel growled, her expression souring.

"Well, aside from your recent transition into the world of blondes," I began, smirking slightly, "how have you been? It's been ages since you last visited."

"I know," she replied, sighing. "I've been busy with work for a bit now and things with Matt have kept me rather busy." At this, Peyton began laughing harder once again.

"I bet," I said with a wink. "I'm sure you've just been exhausted, you poor thing."

"I guess that's what too much sex does to you," Peyton added, smirking.

Rachel rolled her eyes and let out a small scoff of disgust. "I'm so glad both of you find my sex life so interesting. Perhaps you ought to get one yourselves."

"I do have one, thank you very much," Peyton replied matter-of-factly, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Just last night, Jake and I..."

"Okay, nobody needs to hear about that," I interrupted, pulling a face. "Your sexcapades with Jake are of no interest to anyone in this vehicle."

"I agree," said Rachel, nodding her head. Peyton shrugged and grinned, refocusing her attention once again on me.

"So," she began, her honey eyes twinkling brightly, "tell me a little bit more about this bloke you've been dating. What's his name? Aaron? Ian?"

"Ethan," I said, my tone sounding much harsher than I had intended. "And I'm not dating him anymore."

"When did this happen?" Rachel asked as she turned onto a busy road, some of cars driving past us in a blur of color. "I thought the two of you were getting serious."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, feeling a familiar sense of unease settling upon me. It had been over four years since Nathan and I had decided to part ways, but in the minds of Peyton and Rachel, I had never quite gotten over our relationship. Every failed relationship I'd had since had been blamed on the feelings that still lingered for Nathan, at least according to those two. I almost felt insulted at their complete lack of faith in me, preferring to believe that I was still a lovesick eighteen-year-old instead of the more mature woman I had become.

"I didn't think it was fair to hold each other back," I replied evenly, watching as Rachel and Peyton exchanged knowing looks.

"You don't learn from your mistakes, do you?" Peyton asked bluntly, rolling her eyes at me in the process.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked sharply.

"It means that you're doing the same thing you've always done. Run away." Peyton gave me a pointed look, her eyes staring straight into my own.

"I'm not running away from anything," I protested, feeling the heat in my face rising. "It was mutual, Peyton. It wouldn't have worked out with the distance between us."

"Is it just me, or does your break-up with Ethan bear an uncanny resemblance to your break-up with Nathan?"

I stared at Peyton, shaking my head. I knew it would only be a matter of time before she brought him up, despite her knowing that I had no desire to talk about him. I started to argue in protest, but Rachel interrupted.

"Peyton, Hayley's love life is not our business. Leave it alone." Through the rearview mirror, she offered me a small smile.

"Fine," Peyton huffed, slumping back into her seat. "Subject change."

I shifted my gaze towards the window, watching the streets of Tree Hill pass me by again. As the early morning sun began to peek over the buildings in the background. Everything seemed to be the same as it had when I was here four years ago, old and new all at once; I sighed, pressing my head against the cool glass of the window, my eyes focused on the buildings that flew past me.

Soon the car was rolling down a familiar road, a road that led to a home filled with memories I had treasured for the past four years. In the early morning sunlight the house loomed into view, almost exactly the same as I remembered it. Rachel parked the car and we stepped out into the dewy morning, my lips slowly turning upward in a smile.

"Don't worry about the luggage," Rachel said as I turned to grab my bags. "I'll take you over to your new flat later."

I smiled slightly and nodded as I followed the two girls into the house, the scent of bacon hitting me instantly. My mouth was watering, eager to consume the scrumptious breakfast Aunt Karen had prepared.

I thought I had prepared myself for the bone-crushing hug Aunt Karen was sure to give me once her eyes landed upon me, but as soon as the kitchen door swung open and I was in her line of vision, I realized by the sheer look on her face that I wasn't quite as prepared as I originally thought.

"Hayley!" she shrieked, rushing towards me and wrapping her arms around me in a warm, albeit oxygen-depriving, hug. At first I didn't think I'd ever catch my breath, but after a few moments she loosened her grip and held me at arm's length, her wide, sparkling eyes examining every inch of me.

"Hi Aunt Karen," I said happily as she continued to inspect me, flashing her a bright smile.

Her warm smile appeared on her face, making me feel as if I was exactly where I was supposed to be. In that moment I didn't feel as though I had just left my entire life behind me to start over in Tree Hill; instead, I felt like I was home.

"Hayley," she said again, her smile still in place. "I'm so happy to see you, dear."

"I'm glad to be back," I said, and I meant it.

Her eyes traveled over me once again and she shook her head slightly. "You look underfed, Hayley. Haven't you been eating in New York?"

"Yes," I replied, smiling to myself. Aunt Karen had always been like a second mother to me, and I had expected her to scold me for my appearance. In the weeks leading up to my departure from New York, my mind had been so cluttered that food hadn't crossed it once. But now as the scent of Aunt Karen's cooking filled my senses, my stomach began to rumble in hunger.

"Get into the kitchen and have yourself some breakfast," she ordered, pointing towards the door. I grinned and nodded, walking into the kitchen as Peyton and Rachel followed.

The sky was burning a vibrant orange as the sun began to set, bathing Tree Hill homes and sidewalks in deep gold. My body was exhausted but my mind was sharp and alert as my eyes absorbed the scene that surrounded me, a feeling of serenity falling upon me. It had been ages since I'd felt so relaxed, so completely comfortable in my surroundings. New York had suited me well, but I had found myself feeling restless as the prospect of moving to Tree Hill moved closer to the front of my mind. Although it had been difficult to admit, I had found myself longing for the lake, the scent of rain and my family.

The truth was that while my life was fulfilling and exciting, I was longing for a time before New York, before Ethan, before normalcy and routine. I was longing for a time when the whole world seemed to be in front of me, when my eyes were filled with stars, when everything was unpredictable and unplanned. Although I had been conflicted when my father had first offered me the job at his company, deep down I had known that I would take it. I had always known that I would end up back in Tree Hill North Carolina, even though I had only recently admitted that to myself. Brooke had been right that last day at the lake - eventually my destiny would catch up to me, and now it seemed like it had.

I suddenly missed her then as I sat in Peyton's backyard, watching the sky fade from orange to purple. It had been months since I had last seen her; she had moved to California to go to medical school, and even though we talked often, it wasn't quite the same as having her next to me, helping me through my latest dilemma. But even though she seemed to be a world away from me, I knew that no matter what, we'd always be there for each other.

The sky was now a stunning combination of purple, pink and grey, and I smiled to myself as a light breeze tickled my cheeks. I had missed nights like these while I was in New York.

"Hayley!" Peyton's voice floated into the night, dragging me away from my thoughts. I turned towards the back door and saw her standing there, her hair shining in the darkness.

"Hey," I said, standing up from my spot on the grass.

"Ready to move into your new flat?" she asked me with a grin as I followed her into the house.

"Actually, I'm really excited," I replied, half-smiling.

"I'm surprised," she said, glancing at me quickly. "I always thought you'd be a bit reluctant to come back here."

"I was," I said as we entered the sitting room, my eyes catching sight of Rachel standing by the door. "But this job is a good opportunity and I couldn't pass it up."

I looked at Peyton and I knew that she wanted to say more, but she held her tongue as she so often did while in my presence. I was thankful for it at that moment; I knew that she wanted to talk about Nathan and I was in no hurry to start that conversation.

"Ready?" Rachel asked, and I nodded. I said my goodbyes to Aunt Karen, promising to return later in the week for dinner. I opened the front door and stepped back out into the night, feeling as though my life was just about to begin.