Hey guys! Okay so here's another fast update for you, sorry I wasn't able to send out sneak peeks to those who reviewed last chapter but I was running around like crazy doing last minute errands the past two days. I just found out that the place me and my friends are staying at will not have internet connection so I won't be updating this story for two weeks, sorry! Because of that I'll be putting up another update friday night at the latest to leave you with until I come back. So anyway here's the next chapter, I really like how it came out. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill

Chapter 5

Haley was busy getting her things together so she could head over to the café for dinner. She was getting tired of eating alone – a result of Travis constantly being MIA and Karen and Keith had welcomed her with open arms. Moving to Tree Hill was probably one of the best things that had ever happened to her. She felt herself changing, becoming better. She was jarred out of her thoughts by the sound of her cell phone ringing. She picked it up with a smile seeing Brooke's name on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Haley!" Brooke screamed once she heard her friend's voice on the other line.

"Hey Tigger." Haley laughed tiredly.

"I feel like I haven't spoken to you in forever!" She whined.

"I know." Haley agreed. "Life's been busy here."

"Any cute boys?" Brooke inquired.

"You will never change, will you?" Haley teased her friend.

"Nope, embrace it." Brooke quipped. "Now answer my question avoidance girl."

"There's this one guy." Haley sighed taking a seat on her bed and leaning back into her pillows.

"Ahh." Brooke squealed. "I knew it! Is he cute?"

Haley chuckled. Cute wasn't half of it. "He is hands down the hottest guy I've ever seen."

"Oh my God!" Brooke exclaimed. "You slut! Tell me more."

Haley laughed. "Well he's hot but he's got the ego to match."

"Ugh, don't they all?"

"Yeah, but he's sweet." Haley smiled softly.

"So are you guys together or…"

"No!" Haley shook her head furiously despite the fact that Brooke couldn't see her. "No, no…just hanging out...we flirt and I may have kissed him the other night but no we're not going out."

"And you talk about me never changing?" Brooke retorted deadpanned. "You just told me this guy is the hottest guy you've ever seen, that he's sweet, you guys flirt and you kissed him the other night um earth to Haley James!"

"Brooke I don't want to be in a relationship right now because…"

"What's the point in setting yourself up for heartache?" Brooke finished her friend's sentence. "You know, that's a really shitty outlook to have in life." She stated bluntly.

"Well it's my outlook so embrace it." She mocked Brooke's earlier words. "Besides I haven't seen him since the kiss. We basically played it off. He drove me home and made me promise we'd hang out again."

"Yeah, yeah. Boys are complicated." Brooke waved it off.

"How are things going with you back home?" Haley asked changing the subject off of Nathan.

"Okay." Brooke sighed.

"Felix?"

"Please." Brooke scoffed. "That is so over. This town is getting to me Hales, I need my partner in crime."

"Yeah, well tell that to Travis." Haley chuckled.

"I should come visit you in suck hill."

"Tree Hill Brookie…you're never gonna find it if you keep calling it by the wrong name." She laughed out.

"Whatever, I'll figure out something." Brooke said sounding determined.

"Where are your parents at?" Haley asked.

"Who knows." Brooke answered simply.

Haley knew Brooke's relationship with her parents was strained. When Haley had moved in with Brooke it was the first time Brooke really had someone to lean on. Haley knew how hard her move away from California was on her friend despite her never expressing it.

"You should totally come for Thanksgiving break if your parents aren't planning anything." Haley suggested.

"I think they want to go to Catalina but a Thanksgiving with you and your yummy brother is sounding way better."

"Ugh, spare me." Haley groaned.

"I'll find a way to get out of Catalina with my parents."

"Great. Listen Tigger I'd love to catch up more but I'm having dinner with Lucas and his parents tonight and I'm gonna be late so I gotta go." Haley explained.

"Oh, yes, another perk of being reunited with my best friend for Thanksgiving is that I'll get to meet this infamous Lucas Scott."

"I'll be sure to warn him." Haley quipped.

"Shut up." Brooke laughed. "I'll see you later lover girl, tell that boy toy of yours I said hi."

Haley groaned knowing that Brooke would never let the little information she got on Nathan go.

"Bye Brooke." She sing-songed.

Haley walked down the staircase of her house rummaging through her bag making sure she had her house keys. Lucas had offered to come pick her up but she had decided that she wanted to walk to the café instead. She looked up startled when she heard a loud bang coming from the kitchen. She walked towards the room to see what the noise was only to come face to face with a disgruntled Travis.

Haley had to stifle a laugh at the sight in front of her. Her brother was trying to make what she assumed to be his dinner but he was failing miserably.

"What are you doing?" She laughed out after a couple of minutes had passed.

Travis jumped slightly at her voice and narrowed his eyes at her teasing tone. "Don't start."

At that Haley let out a loud laugh. "I thought you were gonna be at the garage until late tonight." She walked over to the stove and turned it off afraid that he'd start a fire. "Just like you work late every night."

"I needed a break." Travis shrugged. "Besides Clay is coming into town tomorrow morning for a visit and I wanted to get the guest bedroom cleaned up for him."

"Oh, Clay's coming?" Haley asked confused, referring to Travis' best friend from since they had moved to California.

"Yeah, is that okay?" He asked.

"No, yeah that's fine." Haley nodded assuringly. She had missed Clay and Travis had been acting weird ever since the move so she figured having the one person he trusted most around might help him out a bit. "I've missed him, I haven't seen him in awhile…what's he been up to?"

Travis shrugged. "He's still working for that sports agency up in New York, he wanted a break so I offered Tree Hill."

"Bet he must love that you gave up your plans of opening a bar with him to become a garage owner in North Carolina." Haley commented.

Travis gave her a knowing look. He knew that Haley thought the main reason they had moved to Tree Hill was because of her. And he knew that she felt some guilt for that because she thought he was giving up dreams for her but the truth was the move was just as much for Travis as it was for Haley.

"That was some pipe dream we had when we were 16, Hales. Clay loves being a sports agent, you and I both know he can bullshit like no other. And besides, I love running the garage and I'm not completely wasting that business degree I got at Stanford. Win-win situation."

Haley laughed at her brother's comment. "Well look, obviously this whole cooking dinner for yourself thing isn't working out for you so why don't you come with me and have dinner with Karen, Keith and Luke at the café?" She offered.

"That's okay Hales." Travis shook his head.

"Come on Trav." Haley whined. "Keith and Karen have been asking for you plus when was the last time you actually ate something remotely edible?"

Travis looked at his sister's pleading eyes and relented after a few moments. "Okay."

"Yay!" Haley clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Keith and Karen are going to be so happy to see you! Come on, I'll even let you drive that death trap you love so much!" Haley raced out of the kitchen and towards the front door leaving a wary looking Travis behind in the kitchen.

Nathan excitedly walked towards the front door of his house. His dad was still out of town on a business trip so he was able to go to the café for dinner tonight. Whenever his Dad was away his Uncle Keith would always make sure that Nathan was okay by enforcing the rule that he had to come to the café for dinner. As a result Nathan eating there wasn't unusual – what was new and adding to his excitement was the addition of Haley James. Ever since she came into town she had become a permanent fixture at the Scott dinners. The fact that he knew he'd probably be seeing her at dinner is what made him walk to the door with a little more urgency.

He hadn't seen her since they had hung out at the dock two days ago. He had spent the teacher's work day playing basketball because of a two a day Whitey had organized and today he hadn't seen her at school because every free moment he had Whitey was pulling both him and Lucas into his office to discuss plays as co-captains of the team. Nathan did not do relationships. He had never had a serious girlfriend and to be honest he didn't really want one but Haley was different. She made him feel different. Nathan wasn't sure what he wanted out of his newfound connection with Haley but he kept getting pulled back to her.

Nathan was about to open his front door and head to his car when the door opened before he could turn the knob. Nathan let out an internal groan when his father appeared before him.

"Nathan." Dan acknowledged putting his suitcase down on the hard wood floor. "Where are you going?"

"The café, I'm having dinner with Uncle Keith." He answered not even bothering to mutter a hello.

"Well, there's no reason for that." Dan shook his head. "I'm here now, we'll have dinner together rest up and then go on a little run."

"Dad, it's 8 o'clock at night." Nathan replied incredulously.

"So?" Dan questioned. "Duke doesn't care of it's 8 o'clock at night." He walked further into the house and nodded towards the staircase. "Get changed into work out clothes, I'll make us something quick to eat."

Nathan rolled his eyes knowing that he wasn't going to win this debate with his father. Not that he ever won any debate with his father. Dan Scott's word was law. Period.

He trudged up the stairs accepting the fact that he wasn't going to be seeing Haley tonight. He pulled out his phone sending Lucas a text about how he wasn't going to be able to make it to dinner.

"Welcome home Dad." He mumbled to himself.

Haley excitedly opened the door to the café, Travis trailing behind her. "Luke!"

Lucas turned around at the call of his name and sent a smile over at Haley. "Travis!" He exclaimed surprised. "I didn't know you were coming tonight."

"Yeah." Travis laughed awkwardly. "I'm not the best chef in the world. It is okay that I'm here because if not-"

"Travis James." Karen came out from the back and sent a warm smile towards him. "I knew I heard someone else out here." She moved towards him and pulled him in for an embrace. "You've been here for almost three weeks now and I'm just seeing you?"

Travis shrugged meekly. "Sorry Karen, I've been busy with the garage. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too." She smiled knowingly. "Keith!" She called out into the back. "You might wanna come out here."

Haley smiled as she saw Keith walk out of the back and a look of happiness spread across his face at the sight of Travis. As much as Keith and Karen were concerned about her after her parents death so knew they were just was concerned with Travis. And to be honest so was Haley.

"Look at you boy!" Keith practically yelled. "You're all grown up! What're you driving now a days?"

Travis smiled at Keith. He was always a second father figure growing up in Tree Hill. Keith and Jimmy were best friends and they had definitely bonded over cars bringing Travis into that world as well. "Harley."

"Wow." Keith whistled out. "She's a beauty." He said looking out of the café windows and seeing Travis' bike parked out front.

"You'll have to take her out for a ride later." Travis offered.

Keith narrowed his eyes at him and smiled. "I knew I liked you for a reason."

Haley turned to Lucas once Travis, Keith and Karen had settled into a casual conversation. "I didn't see you all day!" She exclaimed. "Where were you?"

"I had meetings with Whitey and Nathan all day about basketball." He explained.

Haley nodded getting her explanation for why she hadn't seen Nathan all day either. She hadn't seen him since their date. To be honest she was secretly hoping she'd see him at the café tonight. She hated herself for feeling that dependent but it was the truth.

"Is Nathan coming over for dinner?" She tried to as casually.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her question before shaking his head. "His Dad's back from his business trip so he's having dinner with him tonight."

"Oh." Haley nodded. An awkward silence passed between the two before Haley let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, enough of this shit. I know that you know that I lied about what I was doing two nights ago."

Lucas shook his head. "I just don't understand why you didn't tell me the truth Hales."

"Because I was afraid of how you would react." She explained.

"Nathan doesn't do relationships. I don't want you to get hurt."

"A lot has changed since we've been four Luke, I'm not that naïve little girl… I can handle myself."

"I just don't want you to set yourself up for disappointment. Either of you." He shrugged.

"I can take care of myself Lucas." She said knowingly. "We're just having fun."

Lucas nodded knowing that he wasn't going to be able to control whatever happened between his cousin and his best friend. "Just be careful."

Karen excused herself from her conversation with Keith and Travis. "I better go get that roast beef out of the oven."

Travis sent her a warm smile as she left the table they were seated at. He looked over at the corner of the café and saw Lucas and Haley engaged in conversation.

"So how've you been Travis?" Keith clapped a hand over his shoulder.

"Okay." Travis shrugged.

Keith looked at him skeptically. "You know I'm always here for you if you need me right?"

Travis nodded slowly. "I know Keith."

"Dinner's ready!" Karen called out walking to the set table to place the plate of roast beef she was holding.

"We'll talk after dinner." Keith smiled over at Travis and walked towards the table joining Lucas, Haley and Karen.

"Nathan keep up!" Dan yelled toward his son.

"This is bullshit!" Nathan screamed back.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me Dad. I don't need to go running at 10 o'clock at night. My conditioning is fine, not that you'd know that anyway considering you never come to any of my games!" At this point both men were stopped over at the side of the road.

"Nathan. I'm just looking out for you. Duke's the dream right? It's not just gonna fall into your lap son." Dan explained.

"Well, just do me a favor and quit looking out for me." Nathan rolled his eyes at his fathers pathetic excuse and ran in the opposite direction with one destination in mind.

"Nathan!" Dan called out. "Damn it Nathan get back here!"

"So Travis, how about I take you up on that offer and ride that Harley over to that garage of yours."

"Uh, Keith I love you and all but I don't think that both of us can fit on that Harley…besides, I don't know that I'm all that comfortable getting so up close and personal with you." Travis teased.

"Funny." Keith commented dryly. "I was thinking you could drive the mustang but you know-"

Travis snatched the keys out of Keith's hand. "What you waiting for old man." He moved towards the door tossing the keys to his Harley to a laughing Keith.

"Thanks for dinner Karen!" He called out.

"You're welcome." She smiled. "Don't be a stranger Travis!"

He sent her a warm smile and a nod before turning to Haley. "You okay getting home?"

"Yeah." Haley nodded. "Don't worry about me."

"Let's go." Keith patted Travis on the back and the two walked out the front door of the café.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride home Hales." Lucas got up from his spot next to Haley on the counter and went to grab the keys for his car before Haley's hand halted his actions.

"It's okay Luke." She shook her head.

"Haley, I'm not letting you walk home when I have a perfectly capable car…I'll even let you choose the music." He offered.

Haley laughed. "I actually think I'm gonna go give my parents a visit." She explained.

"Okay." Lucas nodded understandingly moving in to give Haley a hug. "Call me if you don't feel like walking all the way back home."

Haley nodded. "Thanks Luke." She whispered still clinging onto him. Even though sometimes he annoyed the shit out of her Lucas got Haley like no one else did. He knew exactly what to say or do in any given situation. And Haley was eternally grateful for that friendship.

Haley slowly walked towards the cemetery in Tree Hill. She didn't know what possessed her to come here tonight considering she hadn't visited her parents alone since she had been in Tree Hill. The only time she was here was when she had found Travis here a couple of weeks ago. But she knew she was avoiding this place. The relationship Haley had with her parents was complicated and she knew she was steering clear because of that reason, but tonight she felt compelled to visit them.

She reached the gate and pushed it open slowly, delicately walking towards her destination. Being in a cemetery at 10 o'clock at night should've freaked her out but for some reason it didn't. Maybe because this was the cemetery where her parents were laid to rest. Knowing that they were around made her feel safe. Soon enough she was face to face with their headstones. She took a deep breath tears coming to her eyes as she read their names.

Haley brought a hand up to her face to wipe away the stray tears before sitting down on the ground in front of them pulling her knees up to her chest. "Hi, mom." She kissed her hand before laying it gently on the tombstone. "Hey daddy." She did the same with her father's tombstone.

"I'm sorry, it's taken me so long to visit you guys." She shook her head. "I miss you guys so much."

Haley took a deep breath before continuing. "I know I wasn't always the best daughter, I got into trouble a lot and I know that you guys know that didn't get much better after you died." She fiddled with a golden band that was placed on her pinky finger. "But I want you guys to know that you were the best parents anyone could ever have…you two did everything for me and I've been trying to turn my life around I really have. I think being here in Tree Hill helps, being with Lucas and Travis. I love Brookie to death but LA wasn't healthy for me. People were always pressuring me to do pot or some other drug of the week and loosing you guys I guess I just kind of succumbed to that pressure. I lost myself along the way."

Haley looked down ashamed. "I never did anything other than weed. I know that doesn't make it any better but those hard drugs that all those kids were doing…I'd never do that to you guys, I'd never do that to myself." Her voice was adamant.

"I guess being around those people was an escape from reality but then I remembered how Daddy always used to joke about opening an upscale crack house." She let out a laugh through her tears. "I guess I just didn't want to be one of those customers."

"I really miss you guys and I know Travis misses you too." She shook her head at the thought of her brother. "I know he still beats himself up over what happened me that summer before freshman year. But it wasn't his fault and I don't know how to get him to see that. I know he thinks you guys still blamed him after it happened. He may have never said it to you guys but I know he still blames himself."

"It wasn't his fault. For a long time I thought it was my fault. Doctor Sullivan helped me to see that it wasn't but Travis is still stuck there, I think it's why he treats me like I'm still twelve half the time." She shook her head at the painful memory.

"I miss you guys." She whispered while closing her eyes leaning back slightly from the two headstones.

A few moments had passed before Haley heard footsteps behind her. She turned around sharply and was surprised to come face to face with Nathan.

"Haley?" Nathan questioned walking over to her sunken over figure.

Haley looked up surprised hastily wiping away at a few tears. "Nate. What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my mom." He motioned to the headstone a few feet away from Haley's parents. "You?"

"Mom and Dad." She motioned.

"I had no idea." He shook his head.

"Neither did I."

Nathan walked passed her towards what she assumed to be his mother's headstone he laid a hand on it before sitting on the ground, similar to the position Haley was in just a few feet away from her.

"When did you lose her?" Haley questioned softly.

"When I was twelve." Nathan answered. "Cancer."

"I'm so sorry Nathan." Haley shook her head.

Nathan gave her a faint nod. "How about you?"

"They died in a car accident in the middle of my freshman year of high school."

"I'm sorry Haley." He returned the sentiments. "Is that why you and Travis moved here?" He questioned softly.

"One of the reasons." She nodded. "We had Luke and Keith and Karen here. Keith and Karen were best friends with my parents before we moved away plus my dad had his garage here that Travis wanted to revive."

"Do you come here a lot?" He asked.

"Not really." She shook her head. "This is the first time I've visited them without Travis since I've been in Tree Hill. I guess I've just been too scared. Do you come to see your mom a lot?"

"No, not really." He answered. "Only when I want to vent about something, coming here…it just makes me sad." He explained. "Obviously I think about her every day but this place just makes it so real you know?"

"Yeah, I know." Haley nodded understandingly. "I can leave if you want some alone time." She was about to get up but Nathan's voice stopped her.

"No, stay!" He called out. "It's nice to have someone else here that gets it."

Haley nodded and settled back into her spot on the ground. For the first time she was seeing Nathan vulnerable. And it made her vulnerable.

"I had a really shitty day." He muttered.

"Cause you didn't see me?" She teased hoping to ease his obvious tension.

He sent a smirk her way. "Not seeing you was definitely one of the many shitty aspects of my day."

She laughed at his smoothness. "What happened?"

"My dad came back into town, we don't exactly get along."

Haley nodded. "Lucas said that's why you weren't coming to dinner tonight."

"Looks like I wasn't the only one disappointed because I didn't see a certain someone." He teased.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "So I take it your dad is the reason you're here right now?"

"Yeah." Nathan answered. "He was just pushing me about basketball and Duke and I lost it…we were on a run and instead of running with him I ran away from him."

"Nice." Haley commented.

"Yeah." Nathan laughed. "I'm sure I'll hear about it tomorrow morning. You know my whole life it's been drilled into my head to work until I achieve my dreams and that Duke was always that dream." Nathan shook his head. "Lately I've just been questioning if it's actually my dream or my dad's dream."

Haley smiled over at him. "You'll figure it out."

Nathan returned the smile. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What's the dream Haley James?"

She laughed before shaking her head. "I don't know."

"Oh come on." He scoffed. "What would be the one thing you'd want to do for the rest of your life?"

She smiled at him before shrugging. "I don't know, guess I'm still trying to figure that one out."

"You will." He replied confidently. "So can I ask you something personal?"

Haley looked at him for a moment before surprising herself and nodding.

"That tattoo on your shoulder, it's for your parents?" He questioned.

"Yeah." She laughed softly before turning to him. "You're the first person I have ever told that to."

"Really?" Nathan questioned surprised.

"Yeah, in case you haven't noticed Scott, I'm kind of a guarded person." She chuckled.

"You can trust me."

She nodded appreciatively. "Besides Luke, Karen and Keith no one else in Tree Hill knows about my parents."

"I won't tell anyone." He shook his head softly.

"I know." She smiled.

"I miss my mom a lot." He reveled with a sigh.

"I know how you feel, I miss them everyday." She whispered. "Sometimes I wish I could get a do over, be a better daughter." She admitted.

"They're proud of you." He replied with certainty.

"How can you be so sure?" She answered skeptically.

"How could they not be?" He complimented.

In that moment Haley was grateful for the darkness that surrounded them because of the blush that crept on her face at his comment.

"I should get going." She nodded. "It's getting late and we have school tomorrow." She moved to get up and was surprised when Nathan followed suit.

"What are you doing?" She questioned.

"Walking you home." He answered simply.

"Oh, no Nathan you don't need-"

"I'm not taking no for an answer." He interrupted. "Besides, I missed seeing you today so we can talk on the walk to your house." He smiled.

She shook her head following his lead out of the cemetery. "What are we doing?" She questioned.

"Walking?" He answered confused.

"No." Haley chuckled. "Us. What are we doing?"

"You're the one that kissed me the other night so you tell me."

"I don't do relationships." Haley spoke bluntly.

"Did I miss the part where I asked you to marry me?" Nathan teased.

Haley shoved his shoulder with a laugh. "You know that I mean."

"So we can't hang out?"

"I like hanging out with you." Haley admitted and Nathan let out a silent sigh of relief.

"So we hang out." Nathan confirmed.

"And the kissing?" Haley questioned.

"I mean, I don't object to it."

Haley laughed at his smirk. "Let's just figure it out along the way…have fun."

"Fun." Nathan nodded. "I could do fun."

Haley smiled. "Good."

"I can also do serious." He added.

"What?" Haley questioned confused.

"Listen, Hales if you ever need anyone to talk to about your parents or whatever…I get it, I'm here for you."

Haley sent him a warm smile. "I appreciate that Nathan."

Nathan sent her a nod and continued walking in the direction of her house.

"So how was your day Haley James?"