Chapter 11 Moving Forward

March 15, 2009

"I can't believe you're going to abandon me."

Haley was getting ready. Somehow Taylor had convinced her to tag along on a road trip during spring break.

"You've got to try and make it without me sometime, Luke." Haley folded her shirts neatly and packed them in her suitcase.

"I haven't even had a chance to introduce you to Brooke."

"Brooke?" Haley looked interested. "When did you meet her?"

"Last September. We've been seeing each other, on and off, since then."

"Wow. She passed the five-month mark?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You never date a girl for longer than five months."

"That is not true!"

"Yeah?" Haley looked at her friend skeptically. "Name one other girl that's lasted as long as Brooke has."

Luke opened his mouth and then closed it again. He grimaced a little and then grinned widely. "Kelly Harris."

"Nope."

"What are you talking about? You remember Kelly."

"Oh, I remember Kelly, but I don't think you do."

"What?"

"You broke up with Kelly a month before we left Tree Hill."

"And?"

"You started dating her on May first because you did that presentation together on the labor movement. Remember? So you were together for about four months and twenty-five days. Close, but not good enough.

"Am I that bad?" Lucas asked quietly.

Haley dropped the skirt she was folding and sat down next to him. "Avoiding long-term relationships isn't a crime." Haley put an arm around his shoulders. "I know when you find the right person you'll be able to make a commitment."

"I think . . . maybe I avoid being with one person for too long so I don't end up like Dan."

Haley listened carefully.

"I just don't want to make any promises that I can't keep."

"That's a good thing, Luke."

Haley started packing again and Lucas lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"So when I'm I going to meet Brooke?" Haley asked.

"Maybe we could get together the weekend before you leave?"

"I was kinda hoping it'd just be the three of us: you, me, and Nathan."

"How about tomorrow then?"

"Sounds good."

When Brooke walked into Karen's café she saw a girl with beautifully long brown hair giggling and laughing as her sort-of-maybe boyfriend tickled her.

"Stop!" Haley gasped. "I'm going to kill you Scott!"

Brooke's eyebrows rose but she composed herself and walked forward. "Hey, boy."

"Brooke!" Lucas grinned when he saw her and reached out to give her a quick kiss on the lips. The handsome black-haired kid next to Haley rolled his eyes.

"This is Haley, my best friend, and this eyesore is my little brother Nathan."

Nathan gave his brother a fake laugh. "I thank God every day for bringing him into my life."

"It's great to meet you." Haley smiled and shook Brooke's hand. She shot Nathan a look and he pasted on a polite expression and said hello.

"You, too. Lucas talks about you all the time, it's nice to finally have a face to go with the name."

Brooke felt a little off balance. Lucas had known Haley forever and it was obvious that they were close. But she didn't pick up a boyfriend/girlfriend vibe and she was usually right. Usually.

"It's nice to meet you," Nathan shook her hand, "and actually see you. I keep thinking that Luke doesn't meet 'real' women."

Haley laughed. "Some of them are real, and some are just real to him."

"Shut up," Lucas said good-naturedly. "So do you feel like doing anything?"

"How about some shopping?" Brooke said.

Haley looked a little surprised but recovered quickly. "Sure. I need some new socks anyway."

Haley stood in the changing room, trying on different outfits that Brooke had insisted made her look hot.

"You and Luke probably don't do this much, huh?"

Haley turned around in the mirror, admiring the black low-cut top and knee-length skirt that Brooke had gotten for her.

"Shopping? For CDs, all the time. Clothes? Never."

"Really? Having a man's opinion can be a great thing."

"Well, Luke's not a man."

"Is there something that you know that I don't?"

Haley laughed. "I mean, Luke's not a man to me. He's just . . . Luke."

"Ah." Brooke looked at her closely. "So I'm sure that every girl he's ever gone out with thinks that the two of you are secretly in love, right?"

Haley was little surprised at Brooke's directness. "Some of them . . . most of them."

"How do you deal?"

Haley shrugged. "Either they believe me when I say Luke's like my brother, or they don't and they eventually break up."

"Luke doesn't seem like the long-term type anyway, am I right?"

Haley blinked. "Two for two. You're pretty sharp."

"Not really. But most people think that anyone that looks as good as I do," Brooke's eyes flashed with humor, "must be as dumb as a rock. So when I can actually put a sentence together they assume that I must be a genius."

Brooke put her hands on Haley's shoulders and turned her from side to side. "Why don't you go out and show yourself off to your guys?"

"Ugh, do I have to?" Haley said.

Brooke gave her a little push so she walked out. She saw Luke and Nathan passed out on the chairs every decent store provided for the guys who had to sit and wait for their wives, girlfriends, and girl friends.

"Wake up." Haley snapped her fingers.

Lucas' head rose off the back of the chair and he blinked with surprise. "You look great, Hales."

"Yeah. Your girl has great taste. A little different from mine—"

"You mean sluttier." Brooke walked out and patted Haley on the back. "Don't be afraid to say it."

"I'd say more provocative," Haley said primly.

"Can we get a comment from the teenage boy demographic?" Brooke asked.

"Thumbs up." Nathan smiled. "Can we go now?"

"One more outfit," Brooke said

Haley sighed. "I'm exhausted."

"It takes years to work up those shopping muscles," Brooke added seriously.

They went back into the dressing room and Brooke pulled off her clothes. "So Luke told me that you're going to be leaving for California soon."

"Yes."

"Then you're going to need a great bathing suit for the season."

"What?"

"Try this on."

"Brooke . . ."

"Come on. I'll wear one, too."

Haley and Brooke walked back out in front of Lucas, both of them wearing robes.

Lucas looked at them both. "You want my opinion on your robes?"

"Nope. On this." Brooke let her robe slide off her shoulders and she stood there in a bright blue bikini that showed off all her assets. Her dark brown hair fell past her shoulders and Lucas' eyes followed all her curves.

Lucas smiled and then glared over at his brother. "Stop looking!" Nathan covered his eyes obligingly and then Lucas looked over at Hales.

"I'm guessing you're only out here to support Brooke."

"What are you trying to say? That I don't look good in a swimsuit?" Haley actually sounded angry.

"What . . . no! I just mean . . ."

"What do you mean, Luke? Huh? Are you saying I'm not sexy?"

"No . . . Hales, you're totally . . . sexy." Lucas choked on the word while Nathan laughed, still keeping his eyes covered.

Haley whipped off her robe, checking to make sure that Nathan wasn't looking.

"Well, then, why can't you say it? Say it!"

"You're . . . you're . . ." Lucas stuttered.

Haley bent down and picked up her robe and put it on again. It was hard because she couldn't stop laughing.

"Oh, you were so right!" Haley laughed. She high-fived Brooke and they collapsed into each other's arms. "Total spaz."

"What?" Lucas sputtered.

"Sorry, Luke." Brooke grinned. "I couldn't resist a little joke."

"A joke!" Lucas stood up and lunged for them and they ran back into the safety of the changing room, laughing all the way.

Lucas turned around and glared at his brother, who still had his hand over his eyes.

"You can stop that!" Lucas barked at him.

Nathan lowered his hand and smiled at him, "Don't get snippy with me because they played you." He stood up. "I'm hungry, I'm going to grab a burger or something."

Lucas nodded. "We'll meet you at the food court. If I don't kill them both."

Nathan walked out of the store and once he was out of sight he slumped against the wall for a minute and closed his eyes. He'd seen Haley's one-piece through his fingers. It had been a deep purple and it made her skin look amazing. He'd never seen her in anything so skimpy and he leaned against the wall and tried to catch his breath.

Stop it, idiot. He told himself. He'd seen plenty of girls in bathing suits at the pool, great-looking girls. But regardless of what his mind said, his body refused to calm down. He stood there breathing deeply for what felt like forever before he was able to get it together enough to start moving again.

"I like her," Haley said.

Lucas was lying next to her in her bed.

"I'm glad. What about you, Hales? Are you seeing anybody new?"

"No. I'm taking a break for a while."

"Come on, not all guys are jerks like that . . . Trevor idiot. What kind of name is that anyway? Trevor. It just sounds stupid."

"I know, I'm just tired of the dating thing. Even when I'm with a nice guy I feel like there's something . . . missing."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm homesick."

Lucas shifted. "Really?"

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I love it there, but it's not the same."

"I know what you mean. But when I met Brooke it was like . . . being home, you know?"

"That's incredible."

"I really wanted her to like it here, even if we don't end up here."

"'End up here'? You're starting to sound serious."

"I guess I am. I don't know, Brooke told me that she wants something serious and that if I don't she'll give me some time to make up my mind before she moves on."

"I've never met anyone so . . . direct."

"Isn't it great?"

"It really is," Haley mused. "She came right out and asked me if I was interested in you."

"What'd you say?"

"After I stopped puking?" Lucas hit her with a pillow. "I gave her the brother-from-another-mother speech."

"So that's why she wanted to prank me."

"The look on your face," Haley giggled.

Lucas looked like he wanted to hit her again but he didn't. "Nathan was a little quiet today; I couldn't get him to really talk to me. Maybe it's because I haven't been around as much this year."

"I think he understands. He probably didn't say much because clothes shopping isn't his thing." Haley yawned.

"I'd better get home."

"Okay. Look, why don't you invite Brooke over for our last weekend together?"

"Really?" Lucas asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. We can all hang out."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Now that Haley was back from her trip she only had a few days to spend in Tree Hill before she had to go back to school, so Nathan was anxious to spend time with her—and at the same time make sure that no one noticed it.

Lydia James answered a knock at her door to see Nathan standing there.

"I think that she's hanging out at Lucas' house. She went out before I got up this morning." She didn't even wait for Nathan to open his mouth.

"Thanks."

Nathan knocked on Lucas' door and he let his brother in.

"Hey, Nate."

"Hey."

"I can't go down to the court today, I've got to get to work."

Nathan shrugged. "That's okay. Is Haley around?" he asked casually.

"I think she might be down at the café with my mom."

"Okay."

"Hi, Aunt Karen."

"Oh, Lucas is at home, Nate."

"Yeah, I know. I was just there, he's busy so I was just looking for Haley."

"She's not working today, maybe you could try and see if she's home."

Nathan just sighed and left.

He walked along, dribbling his ball slowly. Haley wasn't anywhere. He didn't feel like going home so he decided to take a walk down by the river. It was a beautiful day, it was warm and the sky was cloudless.

He rounded a corner and there she was, sitting on a blanket next to a large picnic basket.

"Haley?"

"Nathan, what's up?"

"Are you meeting someone here?"

"No, why?"

Nathan looked at the plate of fried chicken, a whole apple pie, a large bowl with mashed potatoes, and a smaller one with gravy, and a plate of corn on the cob.

"You're going to eat all this by yourself?"

"Yes." When Nathan's eyes bulged out she laughed. "I mean, eventually. My Mom and Dad will probably be eating the leftovers for days."

Nathan sat down on the blanket next to her. "So why did you bring all this stuff?"

"I don't know, I like treating myself sometimes, you know? Growing up with five older brothers and sisters means that everything I have is used, handed-down, and recycled at least three times. Every once in a while I like to go all out and do something just for me."

"I think I get it."

"Do you? That's great, because I just made all that up."

Nathan laughed.

"Are you hungry?"

"I'm always hungry," Nathan answered.

The food tasted good but it was probably the company that made it really delicious. He'd never done anything like this with his parents. His father was definitely not the type to put together family outings; his mom probably would have liked to do something like this—if she hadn't been allergic to everything natural.

Nathan ate until he felt that his sides were going to split and after Haley packed up the massive amount of food that was left over they lay back on the blanket. He listened to her breathing beside him and he let his eyes drift shut. They didn't feel the need to talk and they just let a comfortable silence cover them. He turned his head to look at her and saw that her gaze was fixed on the sky. He looked down, saw her hand lying on the blanket between them, and he wanted to hold it. His fingers twitched briefly but he remained still.

Haley sighed and took in a deep breath, which made her chest rise and Nathan's gaze dropped to her breasts. He felt a warm flush move down his body. He slid his eyes away from her and tried to calm down. He liked Haley, but this was . . . something else. Lying there he sensed something change, he could feel it, low in his belly. He closed his eyes and opened them again, expecting the world to look different somehow, but it was the same. It was him who had suddenly changed.

Haley rolled down the window of her car and enjoyed the weather a little before turning the key in the ignition. On days like this it was hard to think about ever leaving California. She drove back to her apartment and as soon as she got in the door her cell phone rang.

"Lucas?"

"Hey, Hales."

"Tell me that you're going to be able to make it out here for my graduation." Lucas hesitated for so long that Haley sighed. "You can't make it."

"I'm really sorry Hales."

"It was a long shot, anyway. I mean, we're graduating a couple days apart on opposite sides of the country. It just sucks that you guys won't be there, you know?"

"We're gonna celebrate when you get home, I promise."

"Yeah," Haley said sadly, then she perked up. "Anyway, I'm sorry that I'm going to be missing your graduation. But when I get back to Tree Hill I'll have special graduation gift for you."

"Ooh, what?"

"Not telling."

"Cruel. I've got to go."

"Okay, talk to you later."

"Bye."

Nathan watched Haley walk down the aisle in her cap and gown and he felt his breath catch in his throat. Her smile was brilliant. He wished that he could be closer but then that would ruin the surprise.

After the ceremony when all the students were milling around the tents, chatting and eating cake, he and his brother finally revealed themselves.

"Lucas? Nathan?" Haley ran towards them and jumped into Lucas' arms. "What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't make it!"

Lucas put Haley down and Nathan hugged Haley hard, picking her up as she wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the embrace.

Lucas snorted. "You didn't really think that we'd miss this, did you?"

"I'd have understood. I would've punished you both for it for the rest of our lives, but I'd have understood."

"Since you're so gifted when it comes to torture I thought that we should spare ourselves and make an appearance."

"Thank you for coming." Haley's smile couldn't have been wider. "Let me grab Taylor and Matt and we can all go somewhere."

"Is the whole James clan here?" Lucas asked.

"No, just those two and my parents. The others couldn't make it. Babies, business trips, there's always something."

"Haley!" shouted a voice from afar.

Nathan recognized it instantly and his face froze for a moment. It was Jason, Haley had been dating him for almost a year. He was a tool, and he knew it wasn't just jealousy. Lucas couldn't stand him either.

Jason walked up, shook Lucas' hand, then turned to Haley and bent his head to give her a deep kiss while Nathan stopped himself from grabbing a tent pole and knocking him flat on the grass.

"I didn't know you two were coming. Are Karen and Deb here, too?" Jason asked.

"They're here," Lucas glanced over at Haley, "do you two have plans for anything after the ceremony?"

Jason smiled wickedly and opened his mouth to reply; Haley hit him lightly on the stomach and gave him a playful glare.

"No," Jason coughed. "My family's planning to do something next week and I thought that we might just go out to dinner or something."

"Well, Deb rented out a house and Mom has been losing her mind in that kitchen cooking for you."

Haley looked incredulous. "Are you serious?"

"Surprise!"

Haley just stood in the doorway, stunned. She looked around quickly; her entire family was there except her oldest brother, Brian. Lydia hugged her daughter and laughed.

"And you thought that it wasn't possible to have us all in the same place at the same time."

"What are you all doing here?"

"What do you think?" Quinn asked. "The last James has finally totally and officially flown out of the nest. It's time to celebrate."

"I've been out of the nest for years," Haley said.

"Yeah, but now it's official."

Haley hugged Quinn. Her sister had been like a mother to her growing up, and she'd missed her high school graduation because she'd been hugely pregnant at the time.

"Where's my niece?"

"In Minnesota with her father. I'm letting him experience the joy of parenthood."

Haley looked at her sister closely. "He got that set of golf clubs that you told him not to buy."

Quinn shrugged. "He gets his clubs, and I get a little vacation in California." She smiled wickedly. "You should have seen the look on his face when I told him that if we're gonna be spending that kind of money, then I'm flying out to see my baby sister graduate."

Haley shook her head. "How long have you two been happily married?"

"Six years, but it feels like one." Quinn smiled. "He'll be coming out with our kid in a few days. Mom and Dad have turned this into another family reunion."

Jason edged over to Nathan. "I can never keep all of Haley's brothers and sisters straight, can you?"

Nathan turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised. "I can."

"Maybe you could help me out then?"

Nathan turned his back and ignored him. Jason got an annoyed look on his face.

"Do you have a problem, man?" he asked.

Jason's voice was still mild but Lucas stepped in before things could get tense. "The one Haley's talking to right now is Quinn, she's the oldest. She used to work in advertising, like Lydia, but she's taken some time off to raise her daughter." Lucas nodded to his left. "That's Jen carrying the bread, she's third in line."

"Anything about her I should know?" Jason said. "Other than that she's cute?"

Nathan made a face.

"She's a chef. And she has a boyfriend," Lucas said with just a hint of impatience.

Nathan smiled when he saw a guy who looked remarkably like Haley—which was probably why he liked him so much—walk up to her with a wrapped gift.

"That's Matt, I used to play ball with him before he moved up to New York to try and get his acting career off the ground."

"Wasn't he pretty good?" Nathan asked. "I think Whitey mentioned him once."

"He was great." Lucas looked at him with a little regret. "He could have gone almost anywhere in the country but he wanted the lead in Cats more than a championship, I guess."

Nathan shook his head with disbelief.

"I can understand that." Jason had minored in drama.

"You would," Nathan muttered.

"And that," Lucas gestured, "is Taylor. She's only a year-and-a-half older than Haley."

"What's she like?"

Lucas opened his mouth and then closed it again. "She's . . ."

Lucas glanced over at Nathan and he shrugged. He'd never seen Taylor around that much. By the time that he'd come into Lucas and Haley's lives Taylor had already had one foot out the door. She was never home, always out with somebody doing something.

"She's . . . unique."

"So the only one missing is . . . Brian, right?"

"Yeah. He's the one that seems to be carrying on the James 'you can never have too many babies' tradition. He's got three kids and another one on the way."

Nathan grinned at his brother. "Haley let me put some money in the pool."

"What pool?"

"You know, the 'what year does Brian have his sixth kid' pool."

Lucas laughed. "You're kidding."

"Nope. If he has number six in 2016 then I win six hundred dollars."

"That's awful, does Brian know about it?"

"No." Nathan looked shocked. "That might skew the results."

"Crazy," Lucas said. "Every last one of you."

Brian strode in the door with a suitcase in hand. "You started without me?"

"Brian!" Haley ran around the table to hug her brother. "Late as usual."

"You try being on time when you've got three people hanging off you, but like that matters anyway. You know I'm your favorite brother."

"Hey!" said Matt, indignant.

"Don't try and deny it."

"I plead the fifth." Haley held up her hands.

They sat back down and Haley smiled around the table. "Thank you guys so much for coming. I can't believe that everybody I love is in one place."

Quinn stood up. "Here's a toast, to my baby sister. I know you're going to do great things. I knew from the minute you were born that you were a special person and you've never proved me wrong."

"Here, here!" Lydia said.

Everyone all raised their glasses and drank.

"And I'd like to thank Karen for this incredible food." Haley smiled over at her. "And Deb for arranging this whole thing."

"It was our pleasure," Deb called out.

Haley sat back down and Nathan caught her eye and she grinned at him. He felt his heart warm at the sight. Haley was glowing. She was never happier than when she was around family.

"So what are your plans?" Quinn asked.

"I think I might go back to Tree Hill for a while with Mom and Dad, but I'll probably come back out here and try to find a job."

Nathan felt his stomach roll over a little. He'd suspected that Haley would stay out here but he'd hoped that maybe she'd be home again for good. He didn't let himself feel too badly about it. Tonight was about Haley and there was no way that he'd be able to stay down for long anyway, her mood was contagious.

Nathan spent most of the night just enjoying everyone's company, he didn't talk much once dinner was over.

He sat on the porch while Haley's family played an intensely competitive volleyball game in the backyard.

Haley came and sat next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Everything's great. Why?"

"I don't know you just seem . . ." Haley paused for a minute, "a little wistful."

Nathan glanced at her before looking back over the lawn. "I just can't help wishing I'd had this growing up. My uncle Cooper is great, but I hardly ever see him. Probably because of my dad."

Haley didn't say anything but she put an arm around his shoulders and he leaned into her.

They watched the game for a few more moments and Nathan laughed. "I didn't think it was possible but I think your family is more cutthroat than my dad. Brian and Matt look like they're going to kill each other."

"Game night is no joke in the James household. My father beat my mother once, just once, in Scrabble and she didn't speak to him for weeks."

"Haley!" Jen yelled. "Get your butt down here and back on the line!"

"Duty calls."

It was a warm night but Nathan still felt cold when Haley got up to switch out her sister. He watched her serve the ball and sat back further on the couch.