How long has it been since I update twice in a week? Sheesh, sorry that I don't enough. I kind've have a headache so if there are more typos than usual, I'm sorry.

There's no rant today, but the next time I update, I can almost guarantee that there will be. :)

Please Read and Review! Than you so much to those that do!

Yay the writer's strike is over and OTH is getting more episodes!!

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

By the way I'm sorry the end of the last chapter was a little confusing, it isn't Chris. I'm very sorry to those I may have confused.

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, in a bedroom full of tension….

Friends?

"Shit!" Nathan whispered. He glanced at his window, there was no way he and Haley could get out before they were caught. He ran to it anyway, he tried to open the window only to discover it locked. "Damn it," he mumbled again, remembering the complicated way to unlock it. Nathan glanced around his room again and saw his closet, "Haley, go into my closet. Now."

Haley didn't say anything. She hated Dan and she hated herself for leaving Nathan alone with him, but she knew Dan would be worse if he discovered Haley in his house. She got into the closet and closed the door behind her, but there was a small hole in the door right at her eye.

She watched Nathan quickly scan the room as Dan shouted, "Is anyone home?"

Nathan quickly dived by his bed, somehow noiselessly. Haley stifled a small laugh as she watched his massive form struggle to fit under the bed.

Haley was amazed to see Nathan actually fit under the bed, he must have a lot of practice with this.

Dan made his entrance in the room and smiled.

"Nate, trying to make you old man earn a hello. I know you're here, you left you playstation on." Dan scanned the room. "Come out, come out wherever you are Nathan."

Dan started to walk to the closet and Haley tensed. She silently looked around the thankfully massive (and neat, Deb must clean it so the whole house doesn't smell) closet. She saw a pile of hockey gear Nathan had used back in junior high when he used to play every sport. Silently, she managed to hide behind it.

Haley held her breath as Dan started speaking again, right in front of the closet door, "Here Nathan, how about I explain why I'm home already from my "business" trip. I was quite enjoying myself, torturing Boozy, but then I saw a magazine. It said 'famous,' personally I think infamous is a better term, Hades James has taken a hiatus to return home to get her high school diploma." Haley felt her face turn red from the fact that she was mentioned in a magazine and that Dan had just called her Hades, "Now, I know you have a weakness for this girl so, being the caring father I am, I came home to check on you. I don't want a drunk loser for a son, I want a basketball star." Dan opened the closet the door and took a step in.

Nathan stayed motionless under his bed, listening. He hadn't revealed his hiding spot, because he wanted to use it in the future and he knew Haley was smart enough to hide in his massive closet. He only hoped it was enough. If Dan found her, things wouldn't be good for either of them.

Haley hoped against hope that the hockey gear was doing a good job of hiding her, but she wasn't sure. She heard Dan take another step. If he took one more it would be sheer luck that he didn't see her.

Dan's phone rang, "What?"

Haley didn't hear what was being said on the other end, "He can't leave, it's forced rehab. I was told it's prison for the innocent, just legal and it costs money."

The person on the other end responded.

"Karen Roe has no power to sign out Keith Scott!" Dan shouted into the phone, "Only I can get him out!"

Haley was able to partially understand the person on the other end this time, something about it not being Karen Roe.

"Who was it then?….Deb Scott can not sign him out either!! I don't care if she has power of attorney, I put him in, I pull him out!"

There was a pause before Dan said menacingly into the phone, "If Keith Scott is released expect a law suit on your desk by Monday."

Dan closed the phone, "Alright Nathan, this isn't time for games, where are you?"

"Dad, I'm right here," Nathan said, exasperated. He was at his doorway as if coming from the bathroom. Nathan had been lucky to get out from under the bed and to the door without Dan noticing.

"Hey son, how's the game?"

"Fine."

"How's Peyton? Or wait…Hades?"

"It's Haley, and how would I know? I don't talk to her."

"She's home you know."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Nathan was hoping Haley wouldn't get too offended from what he was saying, he just wanted Dan gone.

"Oh, I think you have," Dan said quietly. He looked Nathan up and down, "The last time you skipped school, played your little playstation, and didn't shower was when Haley left you. Though if I remember right, last time you were also drunk all the time, so what happened this time?"

"I wasn't feeling well."

"You haven't been sick since you were three, don't lie to me Nathan!"

"What?! I'm not lying to you!"

"Nathan, I'm not stupid!"

"You coulda fooled me!"

Dan, who was already angry, took a few steps forward and shoved his son down, "Do NOT talk to me like that!"

"Why not? Are you gonna send me to rehab like Uncle Keith?"

"If you don't win this Saturday, yes."

"Unbelievable," Nathan said angrily and he picked himself up off the ground. He glared at Dan directly and then left the room.

"Stupid whore, she had to go and ruin my son." Dan said quietly in Nathan's room.

To Dan's, and Haley's, shock Nathan reentered the room. He reached out and punched Dan with his already injured hand, "She's not a stupid whore Dad and she didn't ruin my life, you did!"

"Back to punching me Nathan? Where is she? You haven't punched me in months, so what did she do, hook up with Keller? I knew it was a smart idea to pay that kid."

Nathan's jaw dropped, "You paid him?"

"No, but I should have. I knew it was a smart idea, but I passed up on it."

"You son of a bitch," Nathan said, angrier than he had been in a while.

"No Nathan that would be you."

Nathan once again readied his hand to punch Dan, but he was interrupted as Haley jumped out of the closet.

"Nathan! Stop!" She shouted.

"The devil makes its appearance," Dan said laughing.

"No, the devil made his appearance a few minutes ago," Haley replied. She turned to Nathan, "Let's go Nathan." She grabbed his clenched fist and started to lead him out of the house.

"So you're back only a few weeks and you're already planning how to break his heart! Nathan, don't come back to me this time son when she leaves!"

Nathan got into Brooke's car willingly, but without saying anything.

"So Nate what was going on with me in your dream world?" Lucas asked, he was trying his best to distract Nathan from his despair.

"You were an ass."

"So I was like you last year?"

"Pretty much yeah," Nathan smiled a little, remembering the secret Dream Lucas had.

"Wait, why are you smiling like that?" Lucas asked, giving Nathan his famous questioning stare.

"You had a secret…"

"I wasn't gay was I?"

"No not at all, well maybe a little." Nathan laughed a little before continuing, "You had been dating Peyton and being a complete bitch to her like I used to be. Brooke, being a good friend, decided to do something mean to you in return. She broke into your locker meaning to destroy all your stuff, but instead she discovered your secret stash of poetry. You caught her and she realized you actually were a nice guy, you were only being a jerk because of Dan and the guys on the team. You two secretly began to date."

"So maybe we are meant to be together?" Lucas asked rhetorically.

Brooke leaned against the wall outside of Haley's room holding the coffees she had gotten for Lucas and Nathan and sighed deeply. They had to try again, try to get around everything. Nathan and Haley did and they had been through a lot too.

After several minutes in silence, Haley couldn't stand it, "Nathan…are you alright?"

"Peachy."

"It's okay if you aren't."

"Hales, I'm fine, okay?"

Haley stopped questioning him, for a few more minutes. Finally, curiosity got the better of her, "Did you really punch Dan before?"

Nathan glared at her, "Did you really make-out with Chris?"

Haley blinked, she wasn't expecting Nathan to take the frustration from what Dan said out on her.

Nathan stared silently out the window, but his thoughts were once again interrupted by Haley.

"We never finished our game."

"I guess I'm stuck with you, but I don't have to listen to you."

Haley hit the brakes, "Nathan, either be respectful or get out of the car!" Haley yelled angrily, "I'm not your doormat!"

"Yeah, you're more like a bee, except you don't die once you sting me, you keep coming back."

"Get out," Anyone else would've left the car in a second at the sound of Haley's tone, but Nathan decided not to.

"I don't feel like it."

"We will sit here."

"That doesn't bug me. It might bug you though," He said with a slight smirk.

"Well then we're going to listen to my music this whole time."

"Make sure to sing along, it might inspire you to leave sooner."

Haley dropped her jaw, she wasn't going to let Nathan know, but his words really hurt her.

Haley hit the radio and turned it to the station Nathan hated the most, Country.

Haley smiled as Brad Paisley started blasting from her car speakers.

Nathan shifted his weight after a minute, he really hated country.

The next song that came on was Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift, Nathan smiled. He actually knew this song. When Nathan left for High Flyers, Peyton had given him a CD of angsty break-up songs, this was one of them.

Nathan started speaking the words as Taylor Swift sang them. Haley turned her head to stare at Nathan, confusion written across her face.

"I guess you don't know me all that well Haley. This isn't torture," Nathan said with a smirk, hoping she would change the station before the next song came on.

Haley scowled, but didn't change the station. In a few seconds she wished she had.

Chris Keller's voice blared throughout Brooke's beetle, and the worst part was that it was the song Chris had dedicated to Haley the night she left.

Nathan was out of the car in two seconds. Haley immediately turned off the radio.

"Get in the car Nathan."

"No."

"Get in the car Nathan," Haley repeated.

"I thought you wanted me out."

"Not because of Chris, but because you were being a jerk."

"Yeah well whatever works right?"

Haley shook her head, "Look Nathan, I'm sorry for yelling at you, now will you just get in the car?"

Nathan looked back up the street only to see Dan's car barreling down the road. He jumped back into his seat, and gestured behind him. Haley saw the car and immediately slammed on the gas. She and Nathan were at school soon after.

Nathan quickly got out of the car and started towards the locker room, he really wanted a shower.

Haley got out as well, and quickly called out to Nathan.

"What Haley?" He asked.

"I saw you passed the ball in our game. I guess there might still be a chance for me to talk to you."

"I was only making it more torturous for you, I was going to make a three from that guy."

"Whatever you say Scott," Haley said with a sly smile. She knew Nathan passed the ball so she could win, even if he wasn't going to admit it. Haley started to walk in the school.

Nathan fidgeted for a second and then yelled, "Haley!"

"Yeah?"

He ran over to her, "I think it's better if we're not friends. Less complicated with basketball, Dan, Lucas, you know?"

"No I don't. Nathan, I don't want to be friends, I want—"

"Good we're in agreement. I won't talk to you, you won't talk to me. You go back on tour and just forget about me. That's how it was before, wasn't it?"

Nathan turned around and ran off to the locker room. He didn't look back, he was scared he would change his mind. If he had looked back he would've seen Haley go back to Brooke's car and start to break down.

Things were crumbling down for Haley. She was confused as to what she really wanted. The tour or Nathan, Brooke was wrong it couldn't be either/or, it was one or the other.

And Haley didn't know which was the right choice or even if she chose Nathan, would he take her back?