Hello guys. I'm so sorry that it took me a hundred years to update my stories. All the usual excuses, work, life, writer's block. What did you guys think about the series finale? It sucks that we will never see the faces of Nathan, Haley and the rest of the Tree Hill gang every week. I guess we'll just have to keep their spirits alive with these fanfics. So here's the new chapter. I hope you will like it. Sound off in the comments ok? xoxo

Chapter 33

"How are you feeling?" Haley asked Brooke as they were walking at the shopping mall. She saw Brooke rubbing her growing stomach. For a moment she felt pain. She missed carrying her baby in her stomach. She missed holding Lily in her arms. She missed watching Nathan tend to her with adoring eyes. She missed her family.

"I'm fine. It's just that it's getting harder to do some stuff."

"Yeah? Like what?" Haley asked. They entered a music store and started going through the racks.

"Like having sex," Brooke said. She looked at her friend and saw the pained look on her face. "Oh God, I'm so sorry Haley. I wasn't thinking."

Haley waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. Life goes on. With or without Nathan. Anyway, how's the baby doing?"

"He's great actually," Brooke said with a smile.

"It's a he?" Haley asked with wide eyes. Her hand flew to her mouth before she let out a loud scream. "Oh my God Brooke! You're gonna have a little Lucas!"

"Shhh! Tutorgirl! Everybody's looking at us! And you need to keep this quiet. Nobody knows it yet. Not even Lucas."

"Wait? What? How is that possible? Don't you guys go to the appointments together?"

"Yeah we do but we promised not to find out the baby's sex until I actually give birth but on our last appointment when the doctor stepped out and Lucas went to get coffee I peeked at the report."

"You did not! Brooke Davis you're a sneak!" Haley exclaimed, although she couldn't wipe off the grin on her face. "I'm so happy for you Brooke. I truly am."

"Thanks Haley," Brooke said with a smile. "How are you doing by the way? Have you signed the papers yet?"

Haley took a deep breath before answering. "No I haven't."

"What are you waiting for? What's holding you back?"

Haley absentmindedly put back the record she was holding and shrugged. "I don't know. There are questions that are still unanswered and I think I just need to know the answers before I really decide."

"Like what Nathan was doing with Rachel?"

"Yeah, that. Am I crazy Brooke for wanting to end our marriage? Our friendship?"

"Haley can I ask you a question? Do you think Nathan lied about him and Rachel? Do you really think there was something going on?"

"I don't know coz he won't tell me! I want to believe that there's nothing going but nobody's telling me anything and it's driving me insane!"

"Rachel wanted to tell you but you wouldn't listen," Brooke said quietly.

"Wait you think I should talk to her? Are you serious? Damn it Brooke! I thought you were on my side!"

"I'm on nobody's side. You and Nathan are both my friends and I only want the best for you. I want so much for you two to work it out because I know deep in my heart you belong together."

"So what are you saying? That I should talk to Rachel?"

"I'm saying that you should put aside the hurt and the pain and talk to the one person who can give you the answers that you've been looking for."

Nathan flipped through a scrapbook that Haley had made, chronicling both of their lives. His fingers lightly touched the photos and a small smile formed on his lips. There was one of them eating ice-cream in the park. They must have been around five years old. Then there was another one of them in high school. He was the school basketball star and she was a cheerleader. He remembered the shock when she told him that she was going to be a cheerleader. It wasn't her kind of thing. But she told him that the only reason she joined the squad was so that she could cheer her best friend on.

His eyes then fell on Lily's sonogram. He still remembered the day he found out about her pregnancy as if it happened yesterday. The shock, the misplaced anger, the look on her face when he practically accused her of sleeping around. He shut his eyes and a lone tear fell. He forced himself to open his eyes again. He flipped through the pages until he came to a photo of their wedding day. They had looked so incredibly happy. There was a photo of him talking to his dad and Haley was looking up at him as he spoke. He saw in the photo the love that she had for him from her eyes. He missed that look. He missed her.

He wiped away his tears. Everything that was happening to his life now was entirely his fault. He admitted that. He treated her badly and hurt her in the worst way possible. And he didn't know how to take it all back. His phone rang, effectively jerking his mind back to the present. He cleared his throat and tried to sound as normal as he possibly can.

"Hello," he said. It was Rachel. He wasn't expecting her call.

"Hey, I was just wondering how you were doing," she said.

"Not too good. Hey, what's up?" he asked.

"Look Nathan, I know how much you're hurting right now. So here's an idea. Why don't you talk to Haley and try to work things out?"

"I tried that Rach but she wouldn't listen. Not that I blame her."

"Well then maybe I should talk to her. Try to tell her the truth about what's going on."

"I don't think that's a good Rach."

"Why? Give me one good reason why. She deserves the truth Nate. And you've been punishing yourself too long. It's time to stop."

He took a moment before answering her. "Not now Rachel. I don't think telling her now would be a good time. Besides, I don't think it's gonna change anything."

"That's just it. You think. You don't know what she's gonna say when you tell her. Look, Nathan, you're my friend and I care about you. If you don't tell her than maybe I will."

"Rachel please don't. Ok I'll tell. Just give me some time ok?"

After a long while she gave in. "Okay, just make sure you do."

"I will. Thanks for calling Rachel. Say hi to Michael for me."

He hung up and went to the kitchen to pour himself a drink. After taking a sip he took his phone and started dialing her number. He stared at her number for a long while and cancelled the call. He'll call her tomorrow.

It's been a week since Haley had the talk with Brooke about speaking to Rachel. She had stashed the divorce papers in her bedroom drawer, still unsigned. She figured that if she didn't see them then they weren't really there. That this nightmare wasn't really happening. She knew that she was the one who instigated the divorce, telling herself that she had no choice, that she had to move on from all the pain and the hurt that her relationship with Nathan had brought upon her. At the same time sometimes when she was lying on her bed late at night, she couldn't help remembering the time when the two of them had been just best friends. There was nothing complicated about that relationship. They could talk about everything under the sun. School, boys, girls, sex. He was her go-to person. The one she always ran to when she had a problem. He didn't always manage to find the solution to her problems, but he was there all the same, listening to her and comforting her. He was the first person she would go to when she had good news to share. And now without him, she felt empty inside. The truth was that she wanted to believe Rachel when she told her that there was nothing going on between her and Nathan. She saw it in Rachel's eyes that she was telling the truth. It then dawned on her that she was probably afraid to hear the truth.

She had been fighting a battle with herself for a week. She had been going back and forth about calling Rachel and finding out the truth once and for all. Finally, she gave up and picked up the phone and dialed her number.

"Hi, it's me. I'm ready to listen," she said as soon as she heard Rachel's voice on the other line. "No, we can't meet at Karen's. I don't want Nathan to find out about this. Come to my house in half an hour. I'll leave the door unlocked." She then hung up, and exhaled.

Half an hour later, as promised, she heard Rachel coming in. "Could you lock the door behind you? I don't want any unwanted guests popping in. God knows we have plenty of those in Tree Hill." Rachel did as she was told and then waited for Haley's next move.

"Do you want something to drink?" Haley asked.

"No thanks."

"Well I need one," she said and poured herself a glass of wine. Despite Rachel's decline, she poured her a glass too and handed it to her.

"Thanks."

"So, let's cut to the chase and just tell me what is going on with Nathan?" Haley asked.

"I don't know where to start," Rachel said and looked down at her wine glass.

"Why don't you start from the beginning."

"Okay. Haley, I think I should tell you that whatever Nathan did, whatever he said, he loves you so very much."

"Then why is he doing this to us? Why did he shut me out after Lily died?"

"Haley, you have always seen Nathan as someone strong, independent, masking his pain behind his brave facade. Well, Lily's death took a toll on him. He didn't want to tell you that he was in pain, that it hurt to see you cry for Lily, that he felt that what happened was all his fault."

"What?" Haley asked incredulously. "Lily's death was nobody's fault. Her heart just couldn't take it."

"I know. But he told me that his job was to protect his family, you and Lily, and he failed."

"Why didn't he tell me all this?"

"Because he didn't want you to see him at his weakest. He didn't want to be leaning on you when you were the one who should be leaning on him."

"Oh my God," Haley whispered as tears brimmed in her eyes. "He should've told me."

"He wanted to but then he felt that he already pushed you too far that he lost you. And by the time he wanted to make it right again, you told him that you wanted a divorce. He thought that he was already too late."

Haley closed her eyes and let her tears fall. She saw in her mind that the pain in his eyes as she told him that their marriage was over. She should have know that his pride was too big for him to beg for her to change her mind. Instead he decided to set her free.

"Is it too late Haley?" Rachel asked.

Haley shook her head. "I don't know. I can't think," she said as she cried. "I've lost so much." Rachel got up and sat next to her. She put her arms around Haley as she sobbed.

"Only you can decide whether you want this end. The ball is in your court Haley."

"I should have listened to you," Haley said.

Rachel smiled. "No, I knew that you would come around. I was just waiting for it to happen. I believe in you and Nathan. I know what if felt like to be with him and what you feel for him, is so much more than what I could ever feel for him. He's a good man Haley."

She nodded. "I know he is."

"Then talk to him. Change this. This cannot be the ending for Naley."

"For who?" Haley asked in confusion.

Rachel laughed. "It's just a nickname that we gave to you guys. Nathan and Haley. Naley."

For the first time that afternoon, Haley smiled. "You're a good person to Rachel. Michael's very lucky to have you."

"We're very lucky to have each other. Just like you and Nathan."

Haley looked at her through tear brimmed eyes. "Thank you for telling me all this, even though I went all psycho on you."

She merely shrugged. "Nothing to it. That's what friends are for. We're friends right?" she asked.

Haley smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way," she said and enveloped Rachel in a hug.

Karen's Cafe was crowded by the time Nathan got there. He had promised to meet Lucas for a drink. He searched the cafe and spotted his brother's dirty blond hair. He sat down at the table and ordered coffee from the waitress.

"Hey what's up?" he asked Lucas.

"Nothing. I haven't seen you in a while man. I thought you had jumped off the cliff," Lucas said jokingly and punched him on the arm.

"I thought of that a couple of times, but then I'd hate to see you cry at my funeral. You're an ugly crier Luke," he said, deadpanned.

"Hey!" They both laughed easily. For the first time in a long time Nathan felt like a burden had been lifted off his shoulder. He realized that he hadn't laughed in a long time.

"How's it going with you big brother?" he asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Nothing much, although I think Brooke is hiding something from me."

"About what?"

"I don't know. The baby. She was acting really weird after we got back from the hospital. I caught her smiling to herself at times, like she's keeping a secret or something. It's driving me crazy!"

"Did you ask her?"

"Of course I did, you tool. But she wouldn't tell me. She said it's a surprise. You know how I hate surprises," Lucas grumbled.

Nathan laughed and shook his head. "I'm sure she'll tell you when she's ready."

"Hey do you think Haley knows about this surprise?" He saw Nathan's face fell. "Oh God I'm sorry Nate."

He waved his hand. "No, it's okay. And to answer your question, I don't know if Haley knows. I haven't spoken to her in God knows how long."

"It's killing you, isn't it?" Lucas asked.

"Yes it is. But this is all my fault. I made my bed. Now I have to sleep in it."

"Is she still going through with the divorce?"

Nathan winced upon hearing the word "divorce". "I don't know. I think so."

"So what are you gonna do about it?"

Nathan let Lucas's question go unanswered and looked outside at the darkening sky. "Looks like a storm's coming."

"Stop dodging my question," Lucas said. He saw Nathan's eyes went wide. He looked over his shoulder and saw Haley entering the cafe.

Nathan felt as if the air had gone out from his lungs when he saw her. She looked disheveled, as if she had been crying. He wondered if she was crying about him. His eyes went even wider when he saw that Rachel followed suit. It appeared as if they had come together. Why had they come together? he wondered. Have they been talking? He knew he had to leave. He couldn't face her knowing the possibility of her knowing the truth from Rachel.

"Hey Luke, I have to go. I just remembered that I had to do something," he said and started to get up.

"Like running away from Haley?" Lucas asked knowingly.

"Look man, I don't expect you to understand. It's complicated."

Before Lucas could say anything, Haley and Rachel appeared at the table.

"Hey Hales. Rachel. Do you want to sit?"

"Sure," Rachel said.

"Hales?" Lucas asked. He looked to her and saw that Haley and Nathan were staring at each other, as if daring the other to look away.

Nathan was the first to concede defeat. He looked at Lucas and said, "I really need to go."

Before anyone could stop him, he was gone.

Haley saw him leave. She wanted to touch his arm to stop him from leaving but she couldn't bring herself to. So she let him go. She then sat down, her hand trembling.

"Well, that went well," Rachel said.

Lucas ignored her and said to Haley, "Hales, what's going on?"

"Nothing," she said. Rachel raised her eyebrows at her.

Haley looked at the door, her brain thinking furiously. She then looked at Lucas and Rachel. "Actually, there's something I have to do. I'm sorry. I have to go."

"But Hales, it's starting to rain and it looks like it's gonna get heavier. Maybe you should wait," Lucas said worriedly. He was right. The rain just got a lot heavier.

Haley ignored him. "I don't care. I have to go." She didn't wait for Lucas to stop her and ran out to her car. She turned the ignition and took a deep breath. It was now or never, she thought and started to drive.

Sorry this one's a bit short. I'll come up with the next chapter soon (I hope) :)