What if Nathan and Haley had gotten a divorce in Season 5?

I don't own anything regarding One Tree Hill.

The mother smiled through her tears as he held onto his son tightly, kissing his cheek gently.
„I am so proud of you, Jamie!" Haley couldn't believe that her son had just finished primary school and was about to start middle school soon. It wasn't that big of her deal, but for her it felt like he was about to graduate University! In her eyes, he was still the little boy of five years old that had an imaginary friend. Jamie smiled and was about to thank her, when his father jogged towards him.

„Jamie! Come here, bud!" He hugged his son and grinned proudly.

His gaze wandered to Haley. "Hales.", he greeted her and the two exchanged a small smile.

After their divorce, they decided to part in a friendly way, not wanting Jamie to suffer from her separation. It was hard for them to constantly be near the other, but they dealt with it over the years.

"Listen.", Nathan spoke again. "We are having dinner over at our place. You two should come along! Sawyer and a few of her friends will be there as well.", he winked at his son and Haley would have laughed, if she didn't cringe at the thought of Nathan's fiance. It wasn't like she was mean or fake or even a supermodel. It was the fact that Lindsey Strauss was one of the most caring people she knew and one of her best friends. After Lucas had gotten back together with Peyton, he wanted to make peace between him and his ex, so he asked her to come to Tree Hill.

Nathan and Haley were already separate at that time, even though Nathan still tried to fix their broken relationship. In the end he finally gave up, when Haley told him she didn't love him anymore. It hurt like hell to hear those words from the woman he considered the love of his life but he promised himself to let her be happy, and that wasn't with him.

So when Lindsey came to town he was still pretty much heartbroken and Lindsey, too, wasn't really over Lucas. One night when they were all hanging out at some bar, all their friends started to dance, leaving Lindsey and Nathan alone at the table, not really in the mood to party.

They talked all night and both found it weird how well they connected. They exchanged numbers and toasted to a good friendship. However loneliness and a bit lust led on another night to a drunken mistake and the two of them ended in bed. It took them a while to step into a relationship and to tell the others, but even Lucas seemed happy for the two after he got over the shock. Of course their friends preferred Nathan to be with Haley, but finally they understood that this book was closed.

"Hales?", Nathan asked again when Haley still hadn't said anything to his invitation and she blushed. She noted that Jamie was gone and Nathan laughed. "He went over to his friends for a moment. He says he's coming tonight, so what about you?"

She shook her head softly. "Sorry, but I think I will just head home. I need to rest a bit. These past days were stressful." She muttered a short 'goodbye' and was about to leave, when Nathan grabbed her arm. "Do you want to tell me, what that's really about?", he challenged her and she looked at him with a blank expression. "What do you want to hear Nathan,huh?" Her tone was harsh and Nathan knew she was angry. He figured it was because of him and Lindsey. She made clear from the beginning that she wasn't their biggest fan and that was okay, but ever since they announced their engagement, she kept her distance even more. He took her arm and led her to a space, where less people stood and sighed. "Is it because of the engagement? Because we are getting married? Do you want to talk about it?" Haley scoffed. "No. I do not want to talk about it, Nathan! That is really the last thing I want to do! I just need to rest a little, so excuse me if I cannot be there when you celebrate in paradise! Bye!" She stormed off, in search for Jamie, but she couldn't held the few tears that fell down her cheeks. She still loved him. She always had. And now there she was, heartbroken because he was marrying someone else, when she was the one, who let him go.

A few days later, it still bugged Nathan how Haley had reacted so he decided to try and talk to her again, since Jamie wasn't home, but at Chuck's house.

They were still friends and he didn't want things to become awkward between them now.

He waited for her to open the door, and was glad when she stood before him.
"Hey."

"Hey."
"Can I come him?" He felt nervous. He hasn't been at their house, her house now, since a few years now.

"I don't think now is a good time, Nathan." Truth was, she couldn't handle him right now.

"Hiding someone?", he joked, but she didn't laugh.

"Nathan, please. Just go.", she pleaded tiredly.
"No. We need to talk. Now."

She sighed and stepped back, so he could step in.

"I don't know why you are acting like this!", Nathan suddenly fumed and Haley looked at him shocked. He hadn't seen him getting so wound up in a long time.

"It's hard.", she finally admitted, to him and herself, and looked down, not wanting to see his reaction.
"What?", he asked surprised.

"I said it's hard. You getting married. Its hard for me, okay?" She still didn't look at him.

"Why? Haley you said you moved on! You told me you weren't in love with me anymore!"
He was angry now. What did she mean? Why was she doing this, now?

"I lied, okay? I still love you Nathan! I probably always will.. I just..I am sorry.", she whispered softly, turning away from him. She didn't want him to see her tears.

Nathan couldn't stand seeing her so broken, so on instinct he went to wrap his arms around her and let cry into his chest. Suddenly, she looked up at him.

"Do you still love me, Nathan? I know it's probably a stupid question. We are separated for years now, but I guess I just want to know. Do you?" She knew this wasn't fair, but she was tired of holding in all her emotions for so long.

Nathan smiled sadly. "I do Haley. I do still love you. And you know it. And Lindsey knows it, too. And I always will. But you let me go. I tried so hard... You gave up on us. And now I made a commitment to Lindsey and I can't back out. She was left at the altar once. I can't do this to her a second time. I love you, Hales. But I love her, too. She is a good person and we are happy. And even though we all know she will always be just second best, I cannot break her heart again. We had our chance, Hales. And we have the most beautiful son in the world. Maybe there wasn't more for us in the store. Maybe that was all we were meant to have."

"Nathan! You cannot say that! I love you, Nathan!" She struggled before whispering her next words. "Don't marry her, please. I might sound selfish, but I can't stand the thought of you being with her for the rest of your life. I know we are still meant to be. Always and Forever."
Nathan stepped back, starring at her for a moment, before pressing his lips to her forehead.

"I love you. Always and Forever. But I am sorry. I can't to this. I have to go."

Only when Haley heard the door close, did she fall to the ground and cried for the true loss of love.

Always and Forever had ended for good.