Two days later, Peyton was tucked into the passenger seat of Nathan's sleek black SUV, quietly making her way along the familiar roads of downtown Tree Hill. It felt like it had been an entire lifetime since she had seen this place sometimes, but as Nathan reached across the console to clutch her hand, she was instantly sixteen again. "What's going on inside that pretty head of yours?" Nathan asked as he slowed down at a railroad crossing and waited for a bright yellow and red freight train to pass. He glanced at her sideways and raked his free hand through his dark tresses nervously. "You've been really quiet since we got off the plane. Nervous?"

She nodded her head silently before looking up to meet his gaze. The reassurance she saw in his shining blue eyes was enough to save her. "I don't have to go with you to talk to Haley if you don't want to. I know that this is going to be hard enough with out me there," she murmured. He smiled at her softly, sending a delicious chill up her backbone. She had come to really treasure that over the pat couple days. "I don't want to put any pressure on you, Nate."

"You're making it easier on me, Peyt," avowed before bringing her hand up to his lips to kiss her fingertips. "I hate that this is going to hurt Haley just as much as I hate that it's already hurt Luke…but the longer we wait, the more it's going to hurt her. I lied to her two years ago when I told her that I wanted to make our marriage work. I held her one-night stand with Lucas against her, even if I tried to forgive her years ago. She didn't deserve that, and she doesn't deserve this. Despite all that, she has to hear it from both of us. She has to know that we're really together."

Peyton felt guilty. Haley didn't deserve this anymore than Luke had. One night two years ago between the two mismatched couples was forgivable, but falling in love her husband was not. "I don't want to be there when you tell Jamie. It's not my place."

"I agree. It's going to be confusing for him, but you are going to be an important part of his life. He is going to know you. He is going to love you. I know that I already do. And the fact that you want to put my son first, before what you want and what you feel," he shook his head in disbelief. "God, Peyton, you have no idea how sexy that makes you. I could love you for the rest of my life just for that."

"Oh, really?" she arched a perfectly plucked blonde eyebrow before leaning across the seat to meet Nathan's mouth for a brief kiss. He quickly tangled his fingers in her curls and drew her closer to him. They had been like this for the entire forty-eight hours they had been together. As soon as she would pull back from his arms, he would always feel her absence immediately. Just as she did, Peyton saw a familiar rush of auburn curls pass by the window. "So, Karen just saw us."

"I'm sure she already knows," Nathan said dismissively before planting another kiss on her lips. He knew how close his brother was to his mother. He had often envied their relationship, especially considering the lack of one with his own parents. While he had absolutely no idea how his mother would take his new relationship with Peyton, his father would probably like it. He'd never fully warmed up to Haley and had long held his former flame over her head. The old Nathan would have seen that as a reason to stay with Haley. This version of Nathan just didn't care. "I can't wait to show you my surprise for you later."

She beamed at him brightly. "You already bought us a beach house in L.A.," she replied. "We could have just lived in an apartment or something here. You're going to be paying off the mortgage on Haley's house for a long time. I'm not going to have a lot of money while I'm starting my label, so I don't want you to take care of me or anything."

"Would you just let someone take care of you for once, Sawyer?" he asked. He had always had to fight to do anything for her, and now that he could give her anything, he refused to hold back. "I am in love with you. I want to give you the best that life has to offer. I promise that this place isn't ostentatious. We need somewhere to live. Just let me do this for you."

Peyton nodded obligingly as Nathan turned on his turn signal and started up one of the more lush streets of Tree Hill. She studied the beautiful homes on their sprawling estates, remembering when she used to drive through the neighborhood when she was in high school and dream about when Nathan would buy one for their family once he hit it big in the NBA. He slowed down and turned into a driveway. Her green eyes went wide as she looked up at the spacious Colonial. She could see Haley's matching SUV in the open garage and a swing hanging from a tree off the back deck. "This is your home?"

Nathan looked at her and shook his head before taking her hand again. "No, this is my home," he told her as he pressed their clasped hands over her pounding heart. "Whatever happens in there, nothing changes that."

"I love you, Nathan Scott," she whispered, squeezing his hand before regretfully letting it go. Before getting out of the car, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number she knew would eventually fade from her memory. When she heard Lucas' voicemail pick up, she left a message that she had been planning in her mind all day. "Hey, it's Peyton. We're getting ready to tell Haley. I thought you would want to know so that you could check on her. She's always been your best friend, and we both know there was a reason you went to her two years ago. Maybe that reason is still there. I'll see you, Luke."

"That was nice," Nathan told her as he helped her out of the passenger seat and headed up the front path. He usually just went in through the garage but knew that this place wasn't really his home anymore. He had called ahead and asked Deb to pick Jamie up for the day. He let go of Peyton's hand and reached up to knock on the door. "Here we go."

A few moments later, Peyton and Nathan were welcomed to the sound of pounding footsteps. A distracted Haley pulled open the door, her eyes wide with excitement at the sight of her husband. She threw her arms around Nathan in greeting before seeing the nervous blonde figure behind him. Darkness washed over features at the sight of Peyton. "What are you doing here?"

Nathan pulled back from Haley "Hales, we need to talk."

She held up her hand and took a few steps back. She knew then why they were there. She had known when he had left Tree Hill that he was going to see her. Haley had just hoped that it had something to do with Lucas. Any other reason than the one truth he had kept from her and she had willingly kept from herself. "I cannot believe you would bring her here to our home."

"Your home," he said gently. "This isn't my home anymore."

"After all of this, Nate, really? We got past everything – your parents, the drinking, the injuries, the NBA, being in high school, the affairs. You even forgave me for Luke."

"No, I didn't, not really," he confessed. "Hales, come on, you know that I never fully let go of it. I should have been able to forgive you if I loved you the way I said I did – the way that you've loved me. I am so sorry that I didn't. I was selfish and I didn't want to let you go. I should have let you be with Luke. That's where you belong. He has always loved you like you deserve. He's what you need."

Tears started to roll down Haley's porcelain cheeks. There would have been a time when it was Nathan that would reach up to wipe them away, but now, Haley was left to brush them away herself. "You love her, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"Get out."

"Haley," Peyton attempted. "Just hear him out."

"Don't you tell me how to deal with my husband," Haley warned her. "You did this. You don't get to say what happens next."

Nathan turned to leave but stopped in the doorway. If he was going to tell her, he had to tell her everything. "There's something else."

"Nate, maybe we shouldn't…" Peyton started to say as her eyes met Nathan's. She nodded slightly. She understood exactly why he needed to do this. So much, in fact, that she was willing to take the hit herself. Brushing past Nathan, she stood toe-to-toe with the only person in the world who had loved both of the Scott brothers besides her. "That day you spent with Luke…Nate was with me in LA. the night before. It was only one night and we hadn't spoken until last week since then. Nathan stayed away from me for you and Jamie. Can you say the same thing for you and Luke?"

Haley reached out and shoved Peyton completely out of her door before slamming it shut. Peyton stood there stunned for a moment before turning around and running straight into Nathan's open arms. He couldn't help but wrap his arms around her and want to comfort her right there. "Why don't you get in the car?" he whispered. "I'll be right there."

Peyton disappeared back toward the car before Nathan knocked on the door and let himself into the foyer. Haley was sitting on the bottom step, clutching Jamie's favorite fleece blanket. He came over and sat next to her. "Haley, neither of us have been happy for a long time."

"You didn't even try," she pointed out. "We could have figured this out."

"Hales, you were never going to be her," he shook his head. "Just like I'm never going to be Luke."

Covering her face with her small hands, Haley prayed that Nate would reach for her fingers and hold them comfortingly just as he had so many times. When he didn't, she knew that she would have to accept that it was over. "I want to hate you, Nathan," she said bitterly, "but I won't. I can't. We still have Jamie."

"We'll tell him together," he promised. "We'll make it okay for him."

She wanted to ask him how they were supposed to do that when she couldn't even make it okay for herself. Instead, she nodded resolutely and stood up before padding over to pull open the front door. She yanked it open and waited wordlessly to leave. Nathan took one last sad look around their house and slipped out the front entry. He passed Lucas as he made his way toward the car. "Lucas." Nathan wasn't surprised when his curt greeting was met with icy silence. However, when he looked back at the front porch, he was relieved to see his brother holding a sobbing Haley in his arms. It was strange that was the moment when he knew. It was the moment when he was sure that everything was going to be okay.