Pulling up to the small café, he took note of how the town hadn't changed at all. He swore the woman sitting on the bench two roads back had been sitting there since he left years back. She even had the same blue dress on as she tossed some bread on the ground.

"Thank you," he passed the cab driver way more than what was owed and opened the door stepping out, squinting in the bright sun. Sliding his glasses to hide his eyes, his hand went up to stop the car coming down the road and jogged across the street.

Pulling the door open, the bell announced his arrival; however no one really looked up. Why would they? People come in and out of this place all the time and even now he could tell the restaurant was still doing great. He saw her before she saw him. Her hair was in a light wave and danced across her back and shoulders, with the summer it had formed a light color of almost a honey blonde but she looked gorgeous.

Hell she always looked gorgeous.

"I'm going to get some more coffee," her voice danced in his ears as she spun in her chair leaving the group of people he's known his entire life. "Karen," she leaned forward on the corner, the older woman coming from the kitchen and instantly she caught his eyes. "Can I get more coffee, please?" her tone sugar sweet, however Karen just nodded her chin up

"Haley…"

"Karen…" she twisted and mocked her tone, her eyes squinting to why she older woman was giving her a weird look. "Coffee?" she tapped her empty glass and spoke slowly and Karen just laughed.

"Sure sweetie," she grabbed the glass and nodded her head over her shoulder. "Why don't you take the next person's order for me?"

"If I must," she gave a sarcastic smirk and spun on her feet with a bright smile. "What can I get-" her eyes widened her throat grew tight. "-you…"

"Burger…maybe fries," he rattled off and flipped his hand upward. "Haven't had any good sweet tea in a while, I'd-" but the words got caught in his throat when her eyes filled with tears and her arms crushed around him. "Hey Hales…" he whispered in her hair and she released a small whimper.

"Hi…" barley passed her lips and he squeezed her tighter.

"I've missed you," he released a small dry laugh and kissed the side of her head. "I've missed you…"

"I've missed you too," she pulled back to look at him, however making sure to still have her chest pressed against his and hands rested on his arms. "But why? How? How long?" a million questioned raced through her mind and he gave a light shrug.

"Leaving after summer… maybe longer. I'm off until training starts back up," he explained, chuckling as her eyes roamed all over him almost unsure he was even really there.

"I thought…I thought you were just coming home for a few days. You had said-"

"I know," his hands framed her face, forcing her eyes to lock onto his and he gave her a smile that sent a tingle all down her body. "But I figured if I have time away, I'm spending it with you."

"Yeah?" she lit up and he gave a quick nod.

"Yeah," he sparked with excitement as she shoved up on her toes to press a long needed kiss to his lips. Her arms slipping around his neck he lifted her up off her feet making her release a small squeal.

"Can that not happen in my presence?" came the deep chuckle of the second person on the list of people he was excited to see. "Because it truly weirds me out."

"Hey Luke…" Nathan pulled him into a hug and slapped his hand to his brother's back.

"Does it?" the dark haired boy at the table stood up and moved toward the forming group. "Does it weird you out? I can't imagine what that's like," he teased with a bright smile as the blonde's eyes instantly rolled. "Nathaniel, nice of you to breeze through this little town of ours."

"What's up, Tony?" Nathan delivered the same greeting with him as he did his own brother. Like, Brooke, Tony always being insanely close to Nathan. Growing up if asked he always told anyone he had two older brothers and up until Brooke reached the age of dating people truly believed Tony was in fact somehow related to the two.

"Nothing you know, just working like an adult, making an honest living," he teased and Nathan laughed shaking his head at him.

"Hey, my living is honest!" Nathan defended, he worked hard for ball and he was more than positive when he reached old age his body would hate him for it.

"Yes, because I'm sure stumbling out of clubs all the time is honest," Tony joked, however not truly meaning It. He loved Nathan, he knew he worked his ass off and was a good guy. Only reason he agreed to Brooke leaving was because he knew Nathan would look after her.

"I'm usually not the only stumbling," Nathan threw back, earning a laugh from Tony, but took note when his brother tensed up a fraction.

"Sure you aren't," Lucas flipped and slapped his brother on the shoulder. "But man, Hales and my lunch break is almost over and we really need to get back to work. Maybe dinner tonight?"

"Oh everyone should come over to my place for dinner!" Haley burst with excitement.

"Hales…" Nathan gave a tone she knew all too well and she giggled looking up at him. "I have a lot of unpacking to do," he stressed the word the entire group knowing it had nothing to do with unpacking. The couple hadn't seen each other in almost three months; clearly unpacking was the last on Nathan's mind.

"And we have all summer to unpack," she teased, his lip pushing out into a pout and she giggled. "It's your first night back. Let's all get together like old times and catch up."

"I'm free," Tony told them along with Lucas.

"I'm not doing anything. Can call Linds and see if she is free tonight."

"Oh I finally get to meet this Lindsey I hear about?" Nathan raised a brow; taking note to when his brother smiled a smile he hadn't seen in a long time and shrug. In that moment, Nathan thankful a chipper brunette didn't return home with him.

"Yay! My first dinner party, I'm excited!" Haley clapped her hands when everyone agreed.

"Yeah, well I'm out, Hales I'll head over around 7-" Lucas started and Nathan's brow shot up. "8, I'll be there around eight. We're adults we could do a late dinner."

"I'll be there at six," Tony joked and Nathan's eyes narrowed.

"And I'll beat your ass," Nathan told him with a serious tone, Haley laughing as she and Lucas walked over to the table to collect their stuff for work.

"Kidding," Tony slapped his shoulder with a bright smile. "But man," Tony's voice flipping low as he grabbed his friend's shoulder. "Brooke…" he trailed off and let the sentence hang there and instantly Nathan knew what he wanted to know.

"I'm sorry, man," Nathan frowned shaking his head. "She has some interviews and has to prep for next season," he covered for her.

"She doesn't," Tony pushed out a tight lipped smile and shrugged. "But figured it was a long shot her coming home. Thanks for trying man," he frowned but quickly erased it as he moved back to the table and sat down.

"I'll come straight home after class," Haley pushed up to give him a kiss and gave a gentle smile. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too…"

"See you later, Nate," Lucas hugged his brother, really excited to have him home the next couple months. "And just think after May you get Haley for at least three months."

"Thank you teachers," Nathan laughed, offering one more kiss to Haley as they exited the café. "So," he moved over to sit next to Tony and picked at some food still left on Haley's plate. "What have you been up too?"

"Honestly, just working. I have to keep up with Rachel's expensive life style," he teased and Nathan let out a loud laugh. "Kidding, but I've really just been going through the motions man. Trying to pick out a decent ring for Rach."

"Seriously?" Nathan's brows arched and Tony nodded with a smile. "Dude, that's awesome."

"Yeah, figured it's about time. Going on ten years together, you'd think I'd done it by now," he repeated the line his best friend repeated numerous times to him. "Just having issues finding a good one. Always figured Brooke would just get me one and I'd pay for it later," he teased, that normally being how Christmas went over the years. He hadn't bought a real gift on his own…well ever. He usually gave her money, she'd go shopping and then he'd ask what it was before she wrapped it.

"Yeah," Nathan spoke, not missing the way Tony mentioned his sister's name with almost sadness. They were always so close, best of friends and Nathan knew it was just as hard on Tony as it was Brooke not seeing each other all the time. "She's doing well, T," he told him and Tony looked at him curiously. "Brooke…she's doing well."

"I know," Tony nodded quickly. "We talk all the time," he lied, not sure if Nathan knew it had actually been almost a month since he spoke to his little sister. He didn't think they meant to go that long, life just got busy.

"But you still worry about her."

"I worry about her reputation," Tony shrugged and leaned back in the chair. "She's the small town girl who made it big in the large city. I swear magazines here love putting her on the cover of their magazines."

"You know those things aren't always true, man. I swear, the last four covers I read she and I were dating and expecting a love child."

"And I know those are shit," he flipped his hand up and got a distant look as his finger tapped the table. "But those of her tripping out of bars and clubs and making out with strangers aren't fake, man," his tone sharp and Nathan's gaze dropped down. "I just don't get it. That's not, Brooke."

"She's twenty two," Nathan gave a light shrug but knew that wasn't an excuse. "And I know that's not an excuse, but I just…"

"Something is off with her," he said it more to himself and shook his head. "Something isn't…right. Just wish she would come home for a while and talk to me. Over the phone she can hang up, in front of me she can't."

"She might just shut you out, T. I mean, yeah sometimes she seems to space out but she doesn't vocalize to me anything that is making her unhappy," he told him, pausing a moment as he thought back to all the times he spoke with Brooke. Yeah, she had her kinda…out of it moments, but it wasn't anything serious. She told him every day she has the best life, got everything she ever wanted. In his mind that meant she was just happy.

"She'll talk to me," Tony shrugged, knowing his sister wouldn't be able to hide what she was feeling from him. She couldn't. They grew up together, they grew up in the same house and went through the same stuff and he knew every time his sister was in an interview he watched that something was just off. "But, what's up with you man?" he flipped the subject, not wanting to discuss his sister and just come up with a million thoughts running through his head.

"Great!" Nathan beamed with excitement as he went on to discuss all he had been up too the last couple years.

"Oh my god, I'm so done with you," Rachel's hand planted on his boyfriend's face as she pushed him back from her. The room erupting in a laugh as he just continued to grin at her and kiss her palm.

"I think you've been done with him about a million times in the time I've known ya'll," Lindsey shook her head, curling up beside her own boyfriend.

Nathan liked her.

He decided that in about five minutes of talking to her and it almost irritated him. They complimented each other well. He was almost positive they might be the same person but for the first time in a long time he saw his brother happy and he wasn't stupid to the reason behind it. She was gorgeous, she was sweet and she seemed to mesh well with the entire group of people. Even Rachel who sucked at making friends.

"That's because he's a pain in my ass," Rachel muttered against the rim glass of her wine, however, a smile still tugged on her lips as her hand slid to his leg. "But Natey Boy, what have you been up too?"

"Uh, really nothing much. A lot of training, working out. Missing my girl," his eyes sparkled over at her and the room erupted with gags.

"Missed you too," Haley grinned, touching his cheek and enjoying a long kiss that sent a tingle down her entire body.

"But other than that, nothing," his thumb ran under his bottom lip to remove some lip gloss and shrugged. "Life's not as glamorous as you think it might be, Rach."

"I don't know, think it looks pretty glamorous from our seats," Lucas commented almost more to himself, as he starred at his glass and picked at an invisible spot on it. "I mean, the beach, the movie stars, the weather. I can understand why people wouldn't want to return here," he spoke without thinking and many people in the room understood the statement as they awkwardly looked down before sharing a glance with each other.

"I agree with Nathan," Lindsey spoke, not catching the weird tension that fell into the room. "I lived there for about five years and though at first it seemed exciting after a while the whole fake feeling seems to creep in. Almost like you can't tell if someone is being honest with you yet also knowing at any point they will stab you in the back. I'd rather be in Tree Hill any day," she shrugged, Lucas locking eyes with her as he studied her. Smiling after a brief moment and kissing the side of her head.

"That must be the pizza," Nathan cleared his throat when he heard the doorbell ring out. "I'll get it."

"Who orders pizza for a dinner party?" Tony used air quotes and looked over at Haley who started to blush behind her glass. "I thought you were so excited, Hales?" he teased handing up a twenty to Nathan as he passed the table.

"I got…busy…"

"Yeah she did," Nathan smirked, taking money from his brother and high fiving Tony as he passed back by. The room erupting with 'ohs' and 'nice' as he exited the room.

"That's enough," Lindsey waved her hands to calm the boys as they made a couple jokes at their host of the night. "Leave her alone."

"Yes, leave her alone," Rachel agreed. "Don't be jealous, but tell me Hales, how many rooms have ya'll christened?" she asked, Tony and Lucas cringing a little as they looked at the table and Nathan's bag beside it.

"Tell me not here," Tony pushed his chair back and Haley's hands went up.

"Enough!" she ordered with a small laugh, sinking back into her chair and shaking her head. "I'm so over you people. See if I try to be nice to ya'll ever again!" she threw a napkin at Rachel who caught it and laughed. "I swear you try to be nice," she mumbled placing plates on the table, grabbing the wine bottle and refilling everyone's.

"I'm good," Lucas held his hand up when she went to go pour more.

"Yes please, because we all know how Lucas gets after a couple glasses of wine," Tony teased his friend who sent him a glare that the room laughed at.

"How does he get?" Lindsey asked, pretty sure she had never seen her boyfriend drink too much wine. If she really thought about it she was almost positive that she had never seen him drunk in their entire relationship. He usually stuck to two tops.

"I don't get any way," Lucas's eyes rolled, Haley, Rachel and Tony all sharing a look before glancing at their friend. "I don't!"

"Sure," Rachel rolled her eyes refilling her own glass.

"Look what I found," they heard the awkward tone of Nathan, the room turning and all eyes widening as a jaw dropped half open. "Not pizza."

"Hey," her rasp tickled their ears as she raised her hand for an uncomfortable wave. Swallowing a building lump in her throat, her heart raced as her eyes surveyed the room. "Room for one more?" and Rachel slid the wine bottle in front of the blonde man at the end of the table who grabbed it and poured himself another.

Sorry it's been so long! Please don't give up on me! Just been really busy and have lost my mojo for a bit! Hopefully getting it all back!

Review!