Hey, so hope too many of you aren't upset with the fact Haley ,betrayed Peyton, but i just felt like writing a story where Haley wasn't perfect. Plus they are in love, Haley would never do that if it wasn't love. Any way hope you all enjoy xx

3.

She wasn't even 100% sure she would be able to climb the tree but she was going to give it her best shot. She knew it was possible as she knew it was how Nathan got back into his room when he didn't want his dad to know he'd been out.

She would have just gone to his front door but the thought of running into Dan was something she would always try and avoid, he was a horrible man. Ever since she had heard Brooke saying how much Nathan had changed she needed to see him, she had told herself to wait until their morning tutoring session but she just couldn't and as her dad and Peyton were out of town for the evening and wouldn't be back 'til late she couldn't wait to see him.

She finally managed to climb the tree and tapped on his window, the look of shock on his face when he saw who it was, was so priceless that it was worth climbing the tree for. He quickly came over opening the window and then moved out of the way so she could come in, but being the clumsy girl she was she tripped and landed awkwardly on her elbow.

She winced as she looked at her raw grazed elbow.

"Hey are you ok?" Nathan asked immediately at her side, concern evident on his face.

"I'm just really clumsy." Haley said shrugging.

"I'll just get the first aid kit." He said after he had helped her off the floor and guided her so she sat on his bed.

It was weird for Haley being in his room, she had never seen it before and it completely showed off his personality. There were basketball trophies on the side and rap and basketball posters on the blue walls. She sat on his double bed and tried not to think of all the times he had slept with Peyton in that bed.

Nathan returned, sitting next to her and started to dab disinfectant on her elbow, he was so happy to see her, he was pretty sure she would come and see him sooner or later but he was relieved it was sooner.

He blew on her graze to dry it before putting the plaster on and Haley couldn't help but shiver and remember how good it was to have his lips on hers.

When he put the stuff away again they both sat in silence on his bed.

"I heard what you've done, well haven't been doing." Haley said.

"I didn't just want to tell you, I wanted to show you, that I've changed, for you." He said and softly kissed her lips. She smiled at him as he pulled away from the brief kiss.

"I'm sorry I shouted at you, I was just worried that maybe this between us didn't mean anything to you." Haley said.

"It's scary but you mean everything to me." He said never feeling more vulnerable in his life.

She kissed him and he deepened it until they were making out on his bed.

She pulled back after a while and looked at Nathan.

"We need to tell Peyton." Haley said.

"I'll break up with her tomorrow." Nathan said.

"No I need to tell her, she going to be so upset but I'll explain it to her, tomorrow evening." Haley said not in the slightest looking forward to telling her.

"She'll understand I bet this is the first selfish thing you've done." He said softly stroking her cheek hating that she was going to have to do this. It was funny how much he had changed in a couple of months and it was all due to her.

She had avoided her all day but now she was climbing Peyton's stairs about to tell her she'd been sneaking round with her boyfriend. She was dreading it but at the same time she was happy it would soon all be out in the open, what ever the consequences.

She walked into Peyton's room as the door was open and was shocked to see her in tears curled up on her bed.

"What's the matter?" Haley asked rushing to her best friends side.

"It's my dad he's been in an accident, he almost drowned." Peyton chocked out clinging on to Haley.

"Is he ok now? Where is he?" Haley asked scared of what the answer might be.

"He's in a hospital in New York, my aunts with him. He should be home in a couple of days." Peyton said.

"He's going to be ok, I promise." Haley said pulling Peyton into her arms while she sobbed more, all thoughts of telling the truth shot to hell, she needed to be their for her best friend not hurt her more.

Nathan had been surprised when Haley hadn't rang him the night before to tell him how it had gone but guessed it was probably best to give the girls some space and he naively hoped maybe they would have sorted it out by today. As he approached the tables outside the main building he was surprised to see Peyton with her head leaning on a very tired looking Haley.

"What's the matter?" He asked as he approached them.

"My dad's in the hospital." Peyton said throwing herself into his arms. He awkwardly rubbed her back, he was never good at comforting his girlfriend, while he looked questioningly at Haley and she shook her head.

"He's going to be ok though?" Nathan asked nervously.

"Yeah he's going to be home in a couple of days." Peyton said pulling out of his embrace and Nathan nodded, unlike Haley he never knew how to comfort Peyton.

"Maybe you shouldn't be in school you look exhausted, you too Hales." He said and saw Haley wince at the nickname even though Peyton didn't seem to notice in her emotional state.

"No I need to keep busy, I'm going to go see my art teacher, there was some work in for today that i didn't do." Peyton said picking up her bag from next to Haley.

"If you want me to take you home at any point during the day just call ok." Haley said quickly squeezing her hand.

"Thanks Hales what would I do with out you." She said sending her best friend a small smile then walking off.

When Peyton was out of sight Nathan came and sat next to her.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I got to hers last night and she was in tears on her bed and she told me about her dad so I stayed at hers last night." Haley said fiddling with her hands.

"Hales you look exhausted, did you get any sleep last night." Nathan asked so concerned for her, more then he felt for Peyton.

"It took her a long time to get to sleep and she was really restless. I just couldn't tell her not when she was so upset." Haley said.

Nathan reached across to pull her into his arms but stopped when Haley flinched.

"I'm sorry." She said the sadness in her eyes enough to make him want to cry "You don't know how much I want to be in your arms right now but we're out in the open any one could see us." Haley said looking round nervously.

"Yeah you're right. So what does this mean? For us?" he asked nervously, so scared she was going to call them off for good.

"I think for the time being, we are just going to have to cool it. Until her dad is better and she's happier, we just need to stop seeing each other." Haley said feeling the tiredness threaten to over whelm her. Seeing the hurt look on his face she strongly had to resist the urge to take his hand in hers.

"I promise I'm not finishing us, I promise I will tell her we just have to wait. You mean so much to me but I just can't do that to her right now." Haley said she didn't want to loose him but this was her best friend.

"It's ok. Just tell me when you're ready to tell her. I'll see you tomorrow for tutoring." He said and got up and left with out turning back, he knew it was the right thing to do but it still hurt and still stung like rejection.

"You've changed." Peyton told her boyfriend, it was two weeks since her dad had come home and although she was still worried about him she was over the moon that he was home and she could see he was safe. She had invited Nathan over as she hadn't seen him much over the last few weeks, she hadn't seen anyone outside of school as she'd been spending all her time with her dad.

Nathan looked up from his homework.

"Changed how?" Nathan asked curiously.

"Well you're less of a jerk to me, we fight way less then we used to and you actually seem happier then you used to." Peyton said, she'd been thinking about it for the last peaceful hour as he'd done his homework and she'd sketched.

She'd tried to initiate sex earlier but he had said he it would be weird with her dad in the room next door. It was weird before the only reason he'd come over was to make out or have sex or apologise.

He just shrugged at her unsure what to say, to be honest the last two weeks he hadn't been happy, the only times he'd seen Haley was during tutoring and it was honestly killing him but she looked so stressed at the moment he didn't want to upset her more.

"I think it's Haley." Peyton said carrying on with her sketching.

"What." Nathan choked out not expecting that answer in a million years.

"Well its just ever since she started tutoring you I noticed a difference, it's the effect she has on everyone, she's just so steady and calm and reliable its hard not to be at peace around her. Plus she's been bringing your grades up I'm guessing that's made you happier." Peyton mused not realising the full extent of what she said meant.

Nathan couldn't help but be a bit upset that she felt all his academic change was due to Haley, that was another reason he loved Haley so much the fact that she actually saw all the hard work he put in.

"If you say so." He said in a disbelieving voice, wondering how she could be so spot on but at the same time so clueless.

Haley was happy to see him, no it was more then that she was delirious. The last 3 weeks had gone by in a blur and not a good one.

Peyton had been busy hanging out and looking after her dad so she'd hardly seen her, she wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing because the guilt at what she had done and how she was feeling was eating her up inside. She had only seen Nathan during their tutoring sessions and had given him so much work so they couldn't talk about anything else.

She couldn't concentrate in lessons, couldn't sleep and her dad was away on business. He didn't normally go away for his work but Haley had been encouraging him lately as she was worried that he spent too much time with her and when she went to university she didn't want to feel she was abandoning him.

He had a month of pretty much constant conferences and from the phone calls Haley could tell he was enjoying it. She had been sat at home trying to do some homework but just couldn't concentrate so she had decided to go for a walk and had ended up at the river court and as if by fate he was there too. She just watched him for a while until he turned and saw her.

"Hey." He said approaching her slowly, he missed her so much but he didn't want to push her, he knew how hard this situation was on her and he didn't want to make it worse even though he missed her so much.

"Hey." She replied biting her lip nervously and then suddenly it was all too much and she just broke down in front of him sobbing into her arms.

He wasn't sure 100% why she was crying but it broke his heart and pulled her into a hug. He had never before felt the need to comfort and protect someone before like he did for her. He guided her over to the side of the court and sat her down on the grass by the river with her sitting in his lap.

"I'm sorry Nathan." Haley said when her crying at stopped "it's all just getting a bit much."

"You look like you haven't been sleeping very well." He said wiping some tears off her face with his thumb.

"I've just been home on my own and I just feel so guilty all the time, I don't know if its been a good or bad thing that I've seen so little of Peyton." Haley said, apart from when her mum had died she didn't know a time in her life when she had felt worse.

"If it helps we can stop the tutoring sessions for now, I don't want to make things harder for you." He said, he really didn't want to give up his daily contact with her but he didn't want her suffering more then she had to.

"God no, I wouldn't just abandon you, and Peyton's dads doing so much better I'll be able to tell her in the next week I recon I just wish I could stop how I was feeling I wish I could just blank it all out." She said, knowing there was no quick fix to the situation.

He leant forwards and captured her lips with his, he may not have the perfect words to comfort her but he knew that at least he always got lost and caught up when they kissed. He pulled back studying her face for signs of if it had been the right response or not.

"This is just want I need." She said the emotion clear in her voice as she claimed his lips again. She knew it wouldn't solve her problems but a break, from her raging feelings, for a couple of hours was what she needed. She could just get lost in Nathan and that's what she needed.

Haley knew it was a good sign that Peyton was going to a party and she knew the next day she was going to tell her about Nathan, Peyton's dad was out of danger and actually told her he was quitting the job and getting one at home to be closer to her and Peyton couldn't be happier.

She didn't normally go to parties but the thought of seeing Nathan was enough to get her there. Since the incident at the river court she had been sneaking to see Nathan every chance she got and she was pretty sure if she hadn't then she would have had a break down by now, he had even stayed at hers every night so she hadn't been alone.

Haley had just been on the upstairs landing looking for a toilet when she felt herself being pulled into one of the bedrooms.

She looked up and saw a familiar pair of blue eyes and couldn't help but kiss him.

"We can't do this here." Haley said pulling away from him.

"Just a few more minutes." He said and Haley couldn't resist him.

Peyton had been looking for Haley for 10 minutes, she knew she didn't like parties and she was glad she had come as she had felt like she'd been neglecting her lately not that Haley would ever complain.

She started looking in the bedrooms praying to god it was too early for anyone to be having sex in them.

She walked into a bed room and was shocked when she saw Nathan making out with another girl, she wasn't massively surprised more angry until she suddenly noticed who he was kissing and her stomach turned and she felt like she was going to be sick.

"Oh my god." Peyton said and the couple broke apart looking shocked.

Without waiting for an explanation Peyton left the room, unable to process what she had just seen.

It wasn't until Haley reached the living room that she managed to catch up with Peyton, Nathan close behind her.

"Peyton stop please." Haley begged the tears already in her eyes, this was her worst nightmare Peyton finding out like this.

Peyton stopped abruptly and glared at Haley.

"What's there to say I found you in a bedroom making out with my boyfriend." Peyton screamed at her and suddenly all the eyes in the room were on them.

"Peyton please can we talk about this somewhere else." Haley again begged she didn't want to have to explain all of this with an audience.

"No Hales if you have anything to tell me, I'd love to hear how you can explain this one away, did you just slip fall on his lips huh, you just got lonely tonight so decided to kiss my boyfriend." Peyton shouted at her not seeming to care a crowd had gathered round them.

"It's not like that Peyton, this isn't just a one night thing it's been going on for a while." Haley tried to explain hoping once Peyton knew how serious she felt that she would be less cross.

'SLAP'. Pain erupted in Haley's cheek as Peyton's hand connected with her.

"Don't you dare hit her." Nathan said angrily, Peyton may be mad but there was no need to actually hit her.

"Couldn't find anyone else interested in you so you had to go after my boyfriend who'll fuck anything that walks. You know he's probably just using you to get to me, this is probably one big joke to him that he'll laugh about with his friends." Peyton stated angrily.

"It's not like that, I'm so sorry Peyton, I never wanted to hurt you." Haley said sadly.

"You are such an idiot, you really think you're going to be able to keep him interested in you, he's going to get bored of you, you're nothing special. You pretend to be this nice friendly girl but its all fake." Peyton said a look of disgust on her face.

Haley felt like she had been slapped again.

"Peyton I love Haley." Nathan said, causing Haley to gasp slightly and Peyton to make a disbelieving sound.

"Ha you think Nathan knows what love is." Peyton said scoffing "This would be so funny if it wasn't you Haley, some pathetic girl throwing themselves at Nathan Scott and thinking she even has a chance of being long term. All he knows is basketball, how would he know what love is when no one has ever loved him." Peyton said spitefully.

"That's not true, Nathan is so much more then basketball." Haley said becoming angry hearing Peyton try and belittle Nathan.

"You have a choice Haley me or him." Peyton demanded.

Haley once again felt helpless, she knew she shouldn't be making the choice but in her heart there was only one option and she knew it made her a very bad person.

"Well then I choose Nathan." Haley said sadly.

"Just do me a favour Haley, when he dumps you for some other girl don't come crying to me." Peyton said and gave them one last dirty look before storming out Brooke following her close behind also sending them a dirty look.

Haley had never felt so lost in her entire life.

"Come on Hales lets go home." Nathan said and gently guided her out of the house and suddenly the lost feeling was replaced with a small but strong feeling of warmth, Nathan loved her.

Haley lay on her bed looking at her phone for the millionth time that day.

"Haley James procrastinating never thought I'd see the day." Nathan said smiling at her as he entered her room.

"Ha ha." Haley said, for the last hour she'd been trying to pick up the courage to ring her dad and tell him about Nathan. He was returning home tomorrow and she was hoping if she told him today he'd be less cross when he saw her tomorrow.

"He's going to love you." Haley said smiling at Nathan as he sat on the bed next to her "after he gets over the fact that you cheated on Peyton, he sees her like his own daughter."

"Well I'll have to use all of my charm, don't worry he will get over it and so will Peyton." Nathan said rubbing a soothing hand on her arm.

"He's just going to be really disappointed in me that's all, I just know I need a chance to explain it all to him." Haley said picking at her duvet cover.

In the two days since the party she had tried ringing Peyton to explain everything but she never picked up so Haley decided she needed to give her some time. She didn't regret her relationship with Nathan but she defiantly regretted how Peyton found out and she felt so guilty that Peyton was hurting right now because of her.

Nathan kissed her on the head just trying to be there for her when the house phone rang.

Haley went and picked up the phone by the side of her bed.

"Hello." Haley said.

………….

"Yes this is Haley James."

…………………

"The police department?" Haley said looking confused and Nathan felt his stomach ball up in fear, what ever reason the police were ringing couldn't be good.

………………..

"Are you sure it's him." Haley asked her voice quiet and shaking slightly and Nathan was by her side immediately.

………………

"Thank you for your help." Haley said and replaced the phone in its cradle.

"Haley what is it?" Nathan asked arms around Haley, already prepared for the worst.

"That was the police, there was a car accident with my dads car and um he didn't make it, they said he was dead on scene." Haley said her voice a monotone, she couldn't believe it, it hadn't sunk in, her dad couldn't be gone.

So has any one forgiven me for making Haley be the bad guy yet? and i hope everyone is enjoying the story xx