The promos are making me so mad. I mean are we honestly supposed to believe that Nathan would ever cheat on Haley, especially with Carrie of all people?!
After tonight's episode, I am really unhappy with Mark Schwahn! Is there anyone else out there upset about Carrie putting on Nathan's jeans and then Nathan watching her like a perv when she was skinnydipping?

Sorry about how long it's been since I last updated, things have gotten slightly more complicated in my life and I wanted to improve on this chapter. I still don't think it's very good, but I figured I should update. Once again, sorry for the delay.

By the way if you read the last chapter right after I updated I made some changes, nothing major, but there's a few. I don't know if you care, but I figured I should tell you.

Anyway, please Read and Review! Thanks a lot to those that have reviewed, it truly does mean a lot to me and it is what keeps me writing more than anything. So yep, I hope you guys don't hate this chapter or something, but please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of the characters and such.

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

The next installment of the story shall now begin, with a rather angry 17 year old….

Dreams bring pain, not happiness

Nathan ran as fast as he could through the streets of Tree Hill and to his hopefully empty house. He got inside, "Mom?" He received no reply and sighed a sigh of relief. Nathan went to the phone and quickly dialed Lucas' cell.

"What's up Nate?" Lucas asked on the other end.

"I screwed up Luke…I just lost it." Nathan said quietly, fear starting to flow through him.

"What happened Nathan?" Nathan didn't answer Lucas' question, so he prodded more, "Haley called. She told me you lost it on Chris."

"He was tickling her Luke…And she just let him. All those memories just came rushing back."

"So you beat the guy to a bloody pulp just because he was being his normally annoying self?"

"No I beat the wimp to a bloody pulp because he confirmed my worst fears."

"What did he do?"

"He talked about having sex with Haley." Nathan heard Lucas put the phone down on something, "Luke, are you there?" He asked, confused.

Nathan heard the yelling on the other end, "You stupid idiot! What did you expect to happen after you say something like that?! Nathan has haunting images of that running through his mind for over a year! Did you really expect him to not snap?!" Nathan heard Lucas hit the steering wheel with his fist, "And this whole time you've been mumbling about how he attacked you like a maniac for no reason!"

"Lucas!" Nathan shouted into his own phone.

"What?" Lucas asked, his tone still held a bit of anger.

"Is Chris with you?"

Lucas sighed, "I'm sorry Nate, but I couldn't just leave him on the path. You know Keller, he would come up with some story about why you started hitting him and you would end up arrested for giving the guy what he deserved."

"Is Haley with you too?"

"No. When I picked up Keller I didn't see her, she had already left."

"So where is she?"

"Right here."

Only it wasn't Lucas on the phone who answered him. Nathan turned around to see Haley staring at him, a little bit of fear playing across her features.

"Do you think she was scared?" Nathan asked suddenly.

"What?" Lucas responded, blinking a little at being pulled out of his silent reverie.

"When she came home to face me from the tour last summer, do you think she was scared?"

"I'm pretty sure she was Nate," Lucas looked into his little brother's eyes, "I mean she was giving up her dreams on someone who might have already given up on her."

"If I had taken her back then and not made her go through everything I put her through, maybe she wouldn't be in this hospital bed."

"You're right. Maybe she wouldn't be. I mean maybe she would have gone back on tour, maybe you guys wouldn't have lasted. The pain and issues you guys had could still be there and not have been resolved. Or who knows, maybe you guys would be just fine, but that didn't happen, Nate. There is no way to change the past, you're here now, and there's no need to ask 'What if?'"

Nathan nodded. He needed to concentrate on Haley now, he had said it when he proposed to her again, all the stuff that they had been through brought them to the point where they were. Sure Nathan didn't want Haley in the hospital bed fighting for her life, but as long as she made it, maybe one day this stupid point shaving thing and accident would teach them something.

"Do you think she was scared when the car almost hit her?"

"I don't think she had time to be scared."

"She had time to push me out of the way and brace to get hit, Luke. She had time to be scared." Nathan looked back down at his knees and once again ran his hand through his hair. He remembered the fear that had overtaken him as he watched the car run into Haley after she had shoved him.

"In case you somehow haven't realized it yet, Haley is fearless when it comes to the safety of her friends and family. You're lucky, you're both to her Nate. I think she was more glad than anything to save you."

"I gotta go Luke," Nathan said into the phone, hanging up.

"How's your hand?" Haley asked, taking a few tentative steps towards him.

Nathan hadn't realized until that second just how much his hand was hurting, but he wasn't going to tell Haley, "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see if you were alright…"

"Why?"

"Because Nathan…" Haley ran a hand through her hair. His guard is up, that should make things a bit more interesting, "I care about you. You still mean a lot to me."

"Is that what you were thinking when you and Keller shacked up on tour?"

"Nathan!" Haley knew when his guard was up Nathan could say horrible things, but she couldn't believe Nathan actually took Chris seriously, "Chris and I didn't ever hook up on the tour! Why is that so hard for you to accept?"

Nathan shook his head, his own face a mask of disbelief, "You kissed the guy while you were still with me, who's to say once I was out of the picture you two didn't take it to the next level?"

"Nathan, I loved you!" Haley looked at the ground, already regretting admitting that. The last time she confessed she still loved him she had gotten a hickey on her neck.

"That's why you left me." Bitterness flowed through Nathan, "It all makes sense now. You loved me so you leave me the first chance you get, and then, when I finally get my act together and go see you, you tell me it was a mistake to get married."

"Nathan…I'm sorry I hurt you."

"Sorry doesn't un-do it. It almost did, but then a reminder came along."

Haley took a step forward and placed her hands around his bloody one, "What can I do Nathan to make you feel better?" She brought their hands up and stared into his eyes.

Nathan Scott stared deep into her chocolate brown eyes. He felt himself falling into them. They weren't the eyes of the girl he had fallen in love with, but he knew he could still love the woman who possessed these new eyes. I want you to stay home, I don't want you to go back. Nathan wanted to say those simple words, but he couldn't, all he could do was stare into her eyes.

Haley silently moved their hands down and spun around. Without breaking their connection, she led him into the kitchen. She turned on the cold water and gently ran Nathan's bloody knuckles under it. He felt the pain lessen slightly. Next, Haley went to his medicine drawer and cleaned his hand with peroxide and put bandages over his knuckles.

"You still know the way around," Nathan whispered.

"Of course I do. We did spend some time in here, before you moved out." Haley looked back up to Nathan's face and once again stared into his hard blue eyes. She could feel her heart rate already speeding up, "You're the only one Nathan, I swear. I gave you my heart."

Nathan smiled a little, "If that's not enough for you, then I guess I'm not enough."

"What?"

"Nevermind. I was just…reminiscing."

Haley got an odd feeling when he said those words, a feeling she felt was dangerous, "I should go. Brooke probably wants to teach me some of the new routine."

"Alright, thanks for all your help…Hales."

"Anytime Nathan. You can always call me." Haley walked to the door in the kitchen and glanced back at Nathan, standing by the counter. She gave him a sad smile and began to open the door.

"Don't go." Nathan's voice was so full of emotion and pain. "Please Haley…stay."

"What?"

"You asked me what you could do to make me feel better-"

"I didn't mean anything like that Nathan."

"Neither do I." Nathan took a deep breath, this is it. All or nothing, "I mean don't go back on tour Haley. Stay home, let's start over. That would make me feel better." Nathan pleaded. He was putting his heart on the line.

Haley stared intently at Nathan. She felt tears of sadness and confusion well up in her eyes. Why is he doing this to me? Why this minute? I will not breakdown in front of Nathan now, "I should really go." Haley said quickly as she ran out the door.

Nathan watched her go, he watched her get into her car and drive away. A look of sadness came over his face, "Damn it!" Nathan shouted. He slid down the side of the counter and collapsed onto the ground in misery. Why did I do that? Now I've probably ruined any chance for Haley to stay and I managed to do what I thought was impossible, let Haley break my heart again.

What Nathan didn't see as Haley drove away was her own face, tears already falling at what she had just done.

"Tutor Girl?" Brooke asked, concern in her voice when she heard Haley silently enter the apartment. Haley didn't say anything, she just kept on walking into the bedroom, gently closing the door behind her. Brooke got up off the chair she was sitting on, planning the next cheer routine. She stopped at the bedroom door and listened, she heard Haley quietly sobbing.

Brooke opened the door and silently walked over to Haley. She sat down on the bed that Haley was laying face down on and began to gently stroke her hair.

After several minutes of Brooke silently comforting Haley she said soothingly, "Whatever you need, I'm here for you Haley. I hope you know that."

The ringtone for Lucas went off on Brooke's phone, but she ignored the call. She was sure Haley needed her more.

"You should've picked up." Haley said, her voice weak from the crying.

"Whatever happened to you I'm sure is more important than whatever Broody wanted."

"Not really. This is my own fault."

"What happened?"

Haley took a deep breath, her face still on top of her pillow, "Nathan asked me to stay."

Brooke was confused, "So why are you upset?"

Haley sat up and looked at Brooke, "I can't do that Brooke….even though I want to."

"Why not?"

"Because Nathan deserves more than a life with me, just like I deserve more than a life with only him. We're both selfish Brooke, we both want our dreams."

"Why can't you have both?"

"This past year has proven I can't have both."

"No. It's proven you can't have Nathan Scott and Chris Keller."

"Chris has nothing to do with it."

"Chris has everything to do with it Haley. Had you spent all those hours in the studio working with The Wreckers you would've asked Nathan right away if he wanted to come on the tour too. And you wouldn't have made out with them…At least I don't think you would've."

"So I would be on the road all the time and Nathan would be playing basketball all the time, but we could still manage to stay married. Is that what you're saying?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Haley sat on the bed, thoughts running through her mind. Maybe our dreams wouldn't tear us apart, but maybe bring us together…