So yeah, it's been awhile. Surprise, surprise. I've been having a tough and busy few months that just didn't allow for a lot of writing but I did manage to write a couple of chapters.

This chapter I wanted to touch upon when Haley suspects she's pregnant and needs to talk to someone. We all know that someone is Brooke early on in the fourth season. I think it was made pretty clear Haley suspected just before her wedding hence the pregnancy test in the purse. So I envisioned what that conversation might have been like. Again due to a hard to decipher time frame I took some liberties and fit it in where I figured would make the most sense to me.

Hope you like it. I should have another chapter up by tomorrow. Until then please enjoy! And if you could review I would really appreciate it. It may push me to post the next chapter sooner. ;)

Title: Late

Season: 3

Episode: During The Show Must Go On

Summary: Haley tells Brooke she thinks she might be pregnant.

It had been a long and torturous day and Haley was ready for the rehearsal dinner. She looked around Tric and was impressed with the way Brooke was setting up the place. She had no doubt the place would look incredible when they all showed up tonight. She had come over to apologize to Brooke after the blow up they had earlier in the day and once the two talked it over, with Brooke apologizing as well, the two were able to put it behind them. Haley hated being on the outs with any of her friends and couldn't be happier that they were able to get over it.

Haley watched as her brunette friend stood in front of the stage and assessed her work. She meant to leave but couldn't shake the need to speak with Brooke about another issue weighing on her mind. Deciding that she really needed to speak with someone she walked over to Brooke and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh, hey!" Brooke said surprised to still find Haley there when she turned around. "I thought you left to get ready."

"I did. I mean, I was but I needed to talk to you about something else." Haley said a bit nervous.

"Okay. What's up?"

"Umm, can we go somewhere a little bit more private?" Haley asked glancing at the people around.

"Sure." Brooke answered suspiciously. "Let's go to the back room."

The two friends walked towards the back room that served as the artist green room whenever musical guests came to perform at Tric. Haley took a seat on one of the couches and played with her hands nervously. Brooke watched her friend and took a seat next to her.

It wasn't often that Haley came to Brooke in a nervous state. If anything it was always vice versa. Brooke had gotten used to relying on her friend and former roommate when she needed advice. Looking at Haley carefully Brooke could tell that whatever Haley wanted to talk about was troubling for her. She couldn't come up with anything that could possibly be worrying her friend. They made up over the dress issue and everything seemed to be going great between Nathan and Haley. She could only hope that whatever Haley was about to tell her, she would be able to help her as best she could.

Haley sat staring at her hands trying to figure out the best way to approach this subject matter. There really was no easy way to start talking about it. She just needed to start talking.

"Okay, so I don't even know how to start. You know the last few months the only things I thought I had to worry about was fixing my relationship with Nathan and where I was going to college. Then the school shooting happened and we lost Keith which suddenly added to my worries about Lucas and Karen. But then everything seemed to work out and I felt like things were finally getting figured out and we were overcoming all those things I felt worried about. Everything seemed to be looking up. Nathan and I worked it out, I'm not sure where I'll end up going to school but that just depends on acceptance, and Lucas and Karen are better. I should be so happy."

"Haley, you're kinda scaring me with the rambling. What's going on? You are happy. Right?" Brooke took Haley's hand and squeezed it in comfort.

"Yeah, I'm happy," Haley took in a deep breath and stared down at the floor, "But I'm scared too."

"Scared? Why are you scared? What's wrong?" Brooke asked concerned.

"I'm late." Haley timidly responded.

"You're late." Brooke repeated as she realized what Haley was referring to. "Oh, wow. How late?"

"A little over a week. Brooke, what am I gonna do?" Haley tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she stared at her friend.

"Let's not freak out just yet, okay? Like you said a lot has happened in the last few weeks. It could be stress for all you know. Have you taken a test?"

Haley turned away and shook her head in response, "No. I haven't had the courage to."

"Okay, listen. I can go and get the test for you. I'll try and get to a store tonight."

"I would really appreciate that." Haley hugged Brooke tightly. "Thank you. I don't know if I could have talked to anyone else about this."

"It's going to be okay, Haley. I'm here for you."

"I don't think I ever could have imagined finding myself in this kind of situation. My sister Taylor probably, but me? Never in a million years. I don't know if I can handle this."

"First, calm down. You don't even know if you're pregnant. Believe me, I know freaking out is the first thing your brain is telling you to do, but until you know for sure you need to try to keep calm."

"I know. You're right. But I can't help but worry. I'm only 17, Brooke. I still have to graduate High School. College is on the horizon."

"Everything is going to be alright. Try not to freak out for now. I'll get the test for you. Just go home, get yourself beautiful and focus on the dinner tonight. What I have planned is going to be fabulous and I want you to really enjoy it. Most importantly focus on the fact that tomorrow you will be marrying the man you love again in front of your friends and family. It's going to be a beautiful celebration and one of the happiest days of your life." Brooke held Haley's hand and squeezed them comfortingly. "Don't let your worry over something you're not sure about ruin this for you."

"You know that won't be easy for me. I can't help but worry, but you're right. Thank you, Brooke. Thanks for being here for me."

"Hey, you're my friend. We've gotten really close this year, Haley. While I rooted for you and Nate to work things out, I'm glad it took the two of you awhile to figure things out. It gave us an opportunity to really get to know each other and I couldn't have been happier about it."

"Thanks Brooke. I really appreciate everything. I'm glad we were able to become closer friends. I don't know who I would have turned to with this who would understand. I mean I know I could always talk to Peyton but," Haley looked towards the ceiling and sighed loudly, "I don't know."

"Hey, you don't have to explain anything to me."

"Thanks for letting me talk to you and not freaking out about this. I just really needed to tell someone and every time I'm with Nathan I can't help but feel guilty."

"Why guilty? Haley not to be crude but I'm pretty sure you didn't tear off his pants and mount him without his help. He was just as much an equal participant as you were."

"Well, thanks Brooke when you put it that way." Haley sarcastically said.

"I'm sorry. All I'm saying is that you have no reason to feel guilty. I get that this is not something you're both ready for right now and it's definitely not something you planned, but neither one forced the other into doing something they didn't want to."

"Believe me I know. I just know this would be the last thing he would ever want. He is working so hard with Basketball. Not to mention we just got our relationship back on track. This is just so much too fast."

"Haley, listen to me. Nathan loves you. While this situation is not ideal you two can get through it. You're Naley, you can get through anything."

Haley scoffed loudly at her friend. "Barely."

"Hey, you still got past your obstacles. You are stronger now than you were before. You will be need to give yourself some credit. If you were any other couple, you would have been permanently broken up after the whole Chris /tour thing with you focusing on studying and I'm sure Nathan would probably revert back to his man-whore ways. Only the two of you could have gotten over that."

"You make us sound like some super couple living some sort of fairy tale love."

"I wouldn't say you're living in some kind of fairy tale, but you kind of are a super couple in a sense. You two have the kind of love we all dream of. Well, except for the whole getting married in high school part." Both girls laughed. "You'll get through this. Now, I've got to get back to making tonight's party a fabulous event. You go pamper yourself and make yourself extra beautiful. We'll worry about this later. We've got a party to enjoy tonight. And believe you me it's going to be fantastic."

"Thanks for everything Brooke."

"No problem. Now go! Time is a wasting." Brooke pointed Haley towards the exit.

"Okay, okay I'm going!" Haley laughed as she walked towards the exit.

Later that night just as the festivities was winding down; Brooke managed to pull Haley aside before the bride-to-be could leave.

"So I went to the farthest pharmacy I could find and got you the best pregnancy test I could afford. Do you want it now or should I bring it to you tomorrow?"

"I think it'll be best if you bring it to me in the morning. I don't need Nathan asking me what's in the bag."

"Right, okay. Try to stay calm okay. Until you take that test and have a definitive answer there is no need to freak out. Now go. I have a lot of cleaning up to do and Boy Toy looks like he's lost his favorite toy." Brooke looked behind Haley and noticed Nathan searching around the club for, she assumed, Haley.

"Hey!" Haley lightly smacked Brooke's shoulder before pulling her in for a hug. "Thanks again for everything, Brooke. You have been such an amazing friend."

"No problem, Tutorgirl. I'll see you in the morning." Brooke gave her one final squeeze watched as Haley walked towards Nathan.

Brooke watched as the couple embraced and shared a soft kiss and couldn't help but smile. There was no other couple she rooted more for than those two. While she tried to play it cool for Haley's sake she couldn't help but feel a little freaked out for her friend. She knew how scary it was to think that you might be pregnant. She could easily recall the fear that overcame her when she found herself in the same situation. She only hoped that Haley would have the same luck and it would turn out to be nothing. Though she had no doubt Nathan and Haley would be able to handle it she still wouldn't wish it on them this early in their lives. Not when they still had high school and college on the horizon. She smiled towards the couple one last time before grabbing a trash bag and started to help with clean-up. Everything would be okay.