Alright, so I got kinda annoyed with the huge blob at the beginning so I've taken it off. If for some reason you want it back let me know. Also, if you happen to have any questions about my story please let me know.

Sorry it has taken me so long to update! I've had to write a research paper for my English class and it has taken up a considerable amount of my time, too much I think. Anyway, please Read and Review!

Thanks for those that review!!! It really means a lot when I see people reviewing my stories, it's what keeps me writing! Please keep(or start) reviewing! Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of the characters and such, if I did we would've seen at least some of the 5th season by now.

Bold face is reality with Haley in a coma, Normal is the dream world, and Italics are the thoughts

After a too long delay the next installment of the story shall begin, in a creepy white room….

The Things that Hide Us

"Nathan," Nathan just continued to stare at his feet as Karen talked to him, "I know it's hard, but Haley is still alive."

"They don't know if she'll ever wake up though, or if she'll even stay alive." Nathan explained, depression obvious in his voice.

"Doesn't that give you more incentive to go to her, to be there for her?"

"But it's my fault."

"Do you really think Haley cares? All she probably wants is for you to be there, for you to hold her hand, and to love her as much as you can." Karen paused briefly remembering a time she had found Nathan breaking down by the river court soon after Haley had left him, "Do you remember what I told you Nathan when Haley left?"

Why does anything that happened back then have to do with now? "No."

"You told me that when Haley left, you had gotten mad at her and told her to choose between her and the tour, but you didn't really mean it."

"So?"

"Whatever you did that's ripping you apart on the inside, I'm sure you didn't mean that either."

"Did you forget what I said after that Karen? 'She left anyway.'"

"But Nathan you're overlooking the fact that she came back didn't she? Did you forget what I said after you said that?"

Nathan pondered for a second as he remembered that day, he remembered the agony that had taken over him while talking to Karen at the river court that day. It was one of the few times he let someone else see the pain he was in, "You know what it's like to have the one you love walk away…And that Haley's a good person and she'll do the right thing."

"Nathan Scott I'm going to give you the same advice I gave you then, you have to have a little faith. As much as you tried to hide it you still had some faith before, and look where that got you: Haley came back."

Faith. There's that word again, I'm not going to argue with Karen and tell her faith wasn't what really brought Haley home. "How did you get by when Keith died?"

"Nathan do you not remember? I didn't. I was hurt, I cut everyone out. I knew it was my fault that I didn't have as much time with Keith, but I couldn't accept that. I hurt the people that loved me so much. Nathan, you're better than that, you can't allow yourself to stoop as low as I did. Also, Haley isn't gone, she's still there, go spend what time you have left. If there is one thing I could do over with Keith it's how much time I spent moping about Dan versus actually being with him."

Nathan slowly nodded as what Karen said sunk in. He gradually stood up as Deb and Brooke ran into the room. Karen grabbed Deb's arm and shushed her as Brooke ran to Lucas' room and as Nathan started to slowly march to Haley's.

"Who do you want to ask you to the dance?" An excited red-haired freshman asked her brown-haired friend as they walked down the hallway, in front of Haley.

"That's easy! Nathan Scott!" The brown-haired friend replied, evidently they had no idea who Haley was.

"Oh like you have a chance with him!"

"So true!" There was something in the way the girl agreed that made Haley truly curious as to why they were convinced Nathan wouldn't go with her, besides her being a freshman.

"Hey do you think I have a chance with him?" Haley asked the girls, they looked at her, a little confused. They realized then that it was asenior talking to them, freshmen, so they readily supplied the poor new girl with the truth.

The brown-haired girl answered Haley's question, "Nobody does, Nathan Scott doesn't date. Not since Her…"

Haley was interested in hearing this story from an outsider's point of view, "Her?"

"His wife."

"Nathan is married?!"

"Well kinda. They started dating early in his junior year when he was an asshole, but she changed him. She turned him into a real sweet guy and they got married. It really was a romantic story, except just a couple of months later she left him and never came back."

"That's harsh." Haley was being honest. Hearing it, the story made her seem like a cold-hearted bitch, "Do you know why she left?"

"No and who cares? The point is she broke this town's savior heart and rumor has it that she's back." The red-haired girl took over the conversation now, "She's probably been chased out of town by now! By the way, people call me Red."

"What was the girl's name?" Haley asked, trying to get them back on topic.

"Bitch-Slut!" Red joked, "I think her name was something like Hannah."

"It was Haley James, remember we saw her perform that first time at Tric. You said she was the best singer you ever heard," The brown-haired girl seemed to really look at Haley then, "You know you really look like-"

"TUTOR-GIRL!!! YOU'RE REALLY BACK!" Haley heard Brooke's excited squeal from down the hallway.

"Hey Brooke," she said casually once Brooke got to her side.

"You're Haley," The brown-haired girl stated, while Red looked as if she was choking on something.

Haley nodded and Brooke looked at the girls questioningly, "What did you two say to Haley?" Haley noticed Brooke had a rather scary look on her face.

"No-nothin" The brown-haired girl stuttered as Red just stared; everyone knew who Brooke Davis was, and everyone knew to be scared of her if she got pissed.

"They just told me the version of the story that they've heard to me, it's my fault Brooke. They didn't know who I was…" Brooke continued to glare at the two girls, "Really Brooke it's no big deal, c'mon."

"Remember Haley's mercy you two, spread it around that she isn't a heartless bitch."

The two girls nodded and actually ran away down the hallway.

"Thanks for sticking up for me Brooke, it really means a lot."

"No problem Tutor-Girl, let me know if anyone gives you problems."

"Okay Tigger," Haley gave Brooke a small smile, it was the first time she had smiled since her return to Tree Hill.

"Luke….." Brooke stared quietly at the love of her life, the guy she had given so much to only to see it fall apart. "I need you Luke. Haley, your best friend, needs you. Nathan needs you… This is killing him Luke, please…" Brooke let her hand brush across his face, the face she hadn't touched in so long, too long. "I can't be Cheery without my Broody."

Brooke pulled a chair up, as she had when Lucas had been in a coma before, "Karen and Deb are with Nathan right now. Karen took Deb to rehab tonight, only to check her out a few hours later, Deb was a little confused. Karen didn't tell her what was going on until right about now." Brooke paused, staring at Lucas. "We could all use some of your words of wisdom right now Luke." Brooke stared at her facing, letting the façade of the Brooke who wasn't worried slip to reveal how truly terrified she was.

"You need a place to live right?" Brooke asked Haley casually as she drove her to Lucas'.

"Yeah, I don't think Lucas would appreciate me crashing on his couch for much longer."

"Well you can stay with me. We'll split the rent money, I've been renting your old apartment for a while now."

Haley didn't know if she really wanted to live their again, but she desperately needed a place, "Yeah sure."

"It'll be okay Haley. I've done my best to erase yours and Nathan's coupledom….well except for one thing."

"What's that?"

"Nathan made a nice painting and it's going to stay."

"Nathan made a painting?" Haley was surprised. Nathan had always made it seem like he wasn't into the art thing at all.

"Yeah, here I'll show you." Brooke changed the car's direction and started driving towards the apartment.

In a few minutes they were at the apartment and Brooke opened the door, she said seriously, "Be prepared Tutor-Girl."

Haley walked in and on the wall opposite of the door there was the painting of her face that Peyton had made for hers and Nathan's marriage reception. On the painting was a bunch of pink paint, Haley hated pink.

"Originally there was a picture of a clown on it too, but that creeped me out a little too much." Brooke said with her head at an angle, kinking her eyebrow, looking at the painting as well.

"A clown?"

"Nathan put everything you hate over your face, it was his version of hurting you because whenever he tried to see you, you just hurt him. We all fondly call this 'Nathan's pain stain,' ya know, to symbolize his pain when you left him."

"Brooke…"Hurt and sadness were evident in Haley's voice. Why is she putting me through this? I thought Brooke was on my side.

Brooke walked up to Haley and put a comforting arm around her shoulders, "You need to realize what you did Haley. You need to realize people are going to be pissed that you came back and you need to face it. You did what you did and you can't change that, you can only change what you do."

Haley nodded, still staring at the painting, just starting to fully realize what her leaving did to Nathan.