AN: Thanks everyone for continuing to read this story. I kinda hit a block after story views dropped off a bit and I started thinking people had lost interest or the story wasn't up to par. Hopefully that's not the case.

Thank you for continuing to read and leave reviews. I enjoy reading them!

~~~ "I'm Never Alone, I'm Alone All the Time" ~~~

* Chapter Twenty-One*

Nathan sat silently on the sofa as he had two pairs of eyes staring back waiting for him to speak.

"So I'm thinking you're kinda surprised to see me way out here huh?" Nathan finally said after a long awkward silence.

"The thought did cross my mind. To be honest I can't remember the last time you just drove here out of the blue. Normally you rather I have me come to you."

Nathan wasn't really sure why he was even there in the first place. It seemed to have something to do with the chain of events from earlier in the evening.

"I know it's been a while since I've seen you guys." Nathan started apologizing but was cut off.

"Nate we understand you're just as busy as are we. Don't put all the blame on yourself here." Brooke interjected finally deciding to speak. She offered Nathan a sheepish grin.

Her smile always could put him right at ease. Anyone for that matter who happen to be lucky enough to be on the receiving end of her love. Brooke had a heart of gold and loved her friends and family unconditionally.

"She's right. The phone works both ways so it's no sweat. What's really going on Nate? We literally just got done watching your game." Lucas added.

"Can't a guy pay an impromptu visit to his old high school buddies?" Nathan joked hoping to distract his friends enough so they wouldn't see the uneasiness in his eyes.

Lucas peered back at him with a skeptical eye as he replied "I've known you for too long to fall for that shit."

Nathan tried to hold his fake smile but their concerned stares were weighing on him. It wasn't like him to show up on their doorstep out of the blue. At least not anymore. The trio was inseparable during their high school years. Nathan and Lucas played high school basketball together while Brooke was a cheerleader. They all had become fast friends their freshman year after spending time together during practice, away games, as well as during their classes. The rumor mill was always buzzing about Brooke and her "boys". Fellow classmates couldn't understand or accept that she was just "friends" with both of them. But that's all it was and it worked for them.

After graduating, Nathan and Lucas headed off to Duke University on scholarship together. Brooke opted to pursue her dream of fashion and headed to NYU. They'd remained in contact via different social media outlets as well as the good old fashioned telephone throughout the school year. They had spent the first few years of college trying new things, meeting new people and growing into young adults. Nathan was grateful to have someone to confide in about his father and the pressure he put on Nathan to be perfect. Lucas had witnessed Dan Scott's erratic behavior first hand during high school basketball and it only worsened in college.

Brooke didn't think twice about rushing to Nathan's side after the death of his mother Deb. She hopped on the next flight out of New York after Lucas had called her to tell her the news. Growing up together, they had spent a lot of time at the Scott household and Deb had been a mother type figure for them as well. It was a shock to everyone who loved her. Helping Nathan grieve the loss of his mother was a difficult task and one he wasn't so willing to accept help with. He relied on his friends as his own father provided no emotional support whatsoever after she died. Lucas and Brooke managed to get Nathan through the funeral, burial and got him back to school. The further away Nathan was from Dan the better it was in their eyes. Basketball was the other major part that helped heal Nathan.

Lucas and Brooke's friendship slowly evolved into a romantic one after Deb died. They carried on a long distance relationship for the remainder of college and then decided to move in together. Lucas majored in English and was intent on becoming a writer, a career he could do anywhere. Brooke was intent on moving to California to start her business and fashion line. Nathan had been lucky enough to be picked by the L.A. Clippers and was excited they'd all be living closer to one another again. Sure he traveled a lot for games but knowing his "family" was nearby helped immensely. Lucas and Brooke had made it a point to plan their wedding around Nathan's basketball game schedule for him to carry out his best man duties.

Nathan sat in Lucas and Brooke Roe's living room suddenly feeling foolish. He bolted after the game and came to the two people who would understand him without much explanation. He just wasn't up to that yet.

"I didn't really play the best tonight in case you guys didn't notice yet." Nathan finally said his voice cracking a bit from his dry throat.

"Yeah, it seemed like you just couldn't get it together and as the game progressed it just got worse. Is your knee ok?" Lucas asked as he looked Nathan up and down.

Nathan nodded as he answered "Yeah my knee feels alright. I just let myself get wrapped up in my head instead of focusing on the game. I shouldn't have been so weak."

Brooke looked at Lucas then back at Nathan. "I can't imagine Dan will take your game performance very well."

Nathan winced at the mere mention of his name. He knew he would get an earful from Dan in the morning.

"I'm not exactly looking forward to that conversation or the team meeting tomorrow either." Nathan replied.

"What had you so tweaked during the game?" Lucas asked somewhat out of the blue. He stared at Nathan waiting for a response but heard nothing.

"Nate?" Brooke called out pushing him further to respond.

Nathan looked up from his feet back at his two closest friends knowing they could read him like an open book.

"Her uhhh…..her seat was empty for the whole game." He finally managed to say his voice breaking at the end.

Brooke's eyes grew large as she quickly shifted her glance over towards her husband. His eye size matched hers exactly.

"Where was Haley?" Lucas managed to ask Nathan after a long drawn out pause.

Nathan slowly let the breath he was holding in out before he answered. "She never showed."

"I'm sure she had a good excuse right?" Brooke said trying to sound hopeful.

Nathan shifted slightly on the couch and replied "Not a word from her. No text or missed call, nothing."

Lucas rubbed his thumb and forefinger along his chin as he desperately tried to think on his feet and say all the right things. Nathan appeared on the brink of something bad.

"Did you try and call her?" Lucas asked him.

He shook his head no and slowly his eyes fell to the floor again.

"Something work related had to have come up, she wouldn't just not show up without an explanation. She's your girlfriend for goodness sakes." Brooke declared.

Nathan dug his phone out of his pocket and tossed it on the coffee table in front of him.

"I shut it off once I got in my car and haven't turned it on since." He admitted.

Lucas softened his look at his old friend and then snuck a look at his wife. She offered a blank like stare back not sure what else to say.

"It's not like the last time Nathan. You know that right?" Lucas said.

"Luke, I can't help but think about when….If I don't call then I won't have to hear…" He started off strong but failed to complete his thought.

There was yet another moment of silence in the room. Nathan looked at his friend's faces fearing they thought it was losing it.

"You guys, I know logically they're two completely separate situations. It's just getting my heart to feel that is a different story. Some days it just feels like all this time has passed and other times it's like it happened yesterday. I just miss her." Nathan confessed quietly.

Brooke quickly blinked back the tears that had begun forming as Nathan spoke. He had become so strong as he navigated his way through grieving the loss of his mother. He certainly didn't start out that way. Nathan had been well aware of the dramatic relationship his parents had from a very early age. He could recall several blissful childhood memories of the three of them on major holidays, backyard barbeques and of course basketball games. Insert the rest of his childhood memories of them which included countless screaming matches, the slamming of doors, drunken nights passed out on the couch, and the popping of prescription medications. It had gone on for so long that oddly enough it seemed to be normal functioning in the Scott household.

Dan had insisted that he and Deb fly out to catch one of Nathan's away games at the start of his third year playing at Duke. Dan decided last minute to fly out a day early for the chance to catch some of Nathan's practice and possible face time with Duke's coaching staff. Deb planned to finish a few last minute tasks at work before flying out later on game day. Nathan couldn't wait for his mother to arrive for his father had been downright unbearable for some reason. Dan had laid into Nathan after watching only a few minutes of his practice when they met up for dinner later that night. He tolerated the harsh comments all through appetizers and their main course but lost it by dessert. Nathan fed Dan a lie about some last minute conditioning he needed and headed back to his hotel.

Nathan called Deb the instant he got back to his hotel room and as always he knew she truly understood what he was feeling. She knew firsthand what it was like to be on the receiving end of Dan's "constructive" criticism and how to come out on the other side stronger than before. After all Deb had been married Dan for over 24 years at that time. Looking back Nathan should have noticed and paid closer attention to the details. Sure she had said all the right things as she always did when he called for comfort or advice. There was something different about the way their conversation ended. Deb made a point to tell Nathan how truly proud of him she was and how he was meant for greatness in the world and he would get there in spite of how his father treated him. She made him promise to never forget that she loved him more than herself. That was the last conversation Nathan had with his mother. Nathan thought something was off when the game started and the seat next to his father was empty but figured maybe her flight was late or there was traffic. He tried his best to stay focused on the game after half time even though he was unable to reach his mother on her cell phone. His focus on the game wavered as the last quarter played out. Nathan exited the locker room after the game to greet his father expecting to find his mother finally standing next to him. Instead he found out his mother had died that day of a prescription overdose.

"I know you miss her Nate. She was your mother how could you not. But this thing you've got going on with Haley is good for you. I haven't seen you this happy since when you got drafted. You need to get outta your head, turn your phone back on and call her." Brooke instructed as she stared him down. She snatched the phone off the coffee table and tossed it at him.

"You'll thank me later. Trust me." Brooke declared with a playful smirk that only accentuated her dimples.

She managed to see a hint of a smile grace Nathan's face as he caught the phone flung towards his face. He looked back at Lucas for reassurance.

"As you already know, it's easier just not to argue with Brooke. She's always right!" Lucas added.

That was how their friendship worked. Brooke, Lucas and Nathan had each other through good times and bad. They spent a little more time together catching up before Nathan headed out. Once he was in his car he turned his phone back on and was instantly at ease when he heard Haley's voice on the messages she left him. He quickly noted the time gap in between her calls as well as the current time. He didn't hesitate a second before pulling her number up and calling her back. His fingers anxiously tapped on the steering wheel as he waited to hear the phone ring. He was somewhat surprised when he got her voicemail right away signaling her phone was shut off.

"Hales, I got your messages and uhh…..Sorry I missed your call…. Listen I headed over to Luke and Brooke's after the game. I just needed to clear my head a bit but I'm heading back home now. Call me babe." Nathan said as he left her a message.

"Haley, where the hell are you?" he muttered out loud to himself.

The dark car had been following her for the majority of her run however Haley was completely unaware of their presence until the last bit of her run. She continued running straight ahead knowing the car was still right next to her. Her eyes darted back and forth as she tried to come up with a plan. Something didn't feel right about the car next to her and she needed to think fast. Unfortunately, a dizzy feeling in her head and the overall shakiness was consuming her body and she knew she was running out of time. She needed to get herself home before she literally passed out on the street. Her eyes squinted as she desperately tried to keep her surroundings into focus. That's when she saw it just ahead. Her escape and she was almost there.

"Haley James!" she heard and on instinct her head snapped to the left and she became face to face with the car and it's passengers.

Haley saw a camera with a rather large lens attached to the front. She groaned in annoyance but was somewhat pleased it was them. At least she knew how to handle them.

"Damn paparazzi." She muttered to herself as she suddenly bolted to the right behind a house and quickly snuck through a yard pleased she had finally been able to ditch the paparazzi. Once she felt they were gone for good she slowed her pace down. It wasn't until she rounded the last corner and her house was finally in view, did she feel true relief. She came to a slow stop once she was outside her garage door and at the key pad. She reached up to punch the security code in and watched her hands shake violently.

'I just need to get inside and cool off. I'll be ok.' She thought to herself as she made her second attempt at punching the correct sequence of numbers in. Finally having success as the garage door slowly began to lift up, she ducked her head low and snuck underneath. She felt the cool air conditioned air hit her body as she headed into her house. She went straight for the kitchen to get a Gatorade. She stood at the refrigerator with the door still open as she began to drink. Haley pushed the refrigerator door closed with her hip and then swiped a banana off the counter before heading upstairs. Her legs shook as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom forcing her hand to grip the railing to steady herself. Haley took a bite out of the banana once she made it to the top of the stairs and then padded down the hall towards her room. She kicked off her running shoes and ripped her socks off in an attempt to cool her body off quickly. Next she whipped her shirt off over her head and walked about her bedroom in her sports bra and running shorts. Haley unplugged her phone and turned it on. In a matter of a few seconds, a series of alerts sounded from several missed calls and voicemails. She listened to Nathan's message first before calling him right back.

"Hey Hales! I've been kind of freaking out. Where have you been?" Nathan asked with great concern the moment he picked up her call.

"I'm so sorry about your game and getting stuck at the studio. Peyton was being such a bitch and I was beyond pissed off when I finally left. I knew I'd missed your game already which pissed me off even more so I went for a run when I got home and just got home." Haley rambled quickly followed by a rather loud sigh of exhaustion. She then snuck in another gulp of her Gatorade as she waited for Nathan to reply.

"At this hour! It's dark out. You ok? You sound really winded." He stated as he sat up on his couch.

"I just ran a little too hard dodging some paps tonight and am feeling a little light headed. I'm fine but what about you. How was your game?" Haley asked.

Nathan felt his chest tighten a bit with anxiety at the mention of his game. He didn't want it to come out like this.

After a slight pause he answered "We won but I played like shit. I was wondering if you'd be up to coming over here tonight. We could stay in and get a bite to eat?"

Haley's eyebrows raised in surprised and she replied with a grin "Of course. Give me a little time to shower and get ready because right now I look like a hot ass mess."

Nathan chuckled and shot back "I seriously doubt that Haley James. Alright, I'll see ya when you get here."

Haley finished off her drink and banana before she stepped in for a quick cool shower. She made decent time as she blew dry hair a bit, put a little make up on and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She gathered a few things from her room and brought them downstairs to the kitchen. She shoved the remaining items into her purse as well as another Gatorade and a protein bar and set it on the counter. She was feeling nearly 100 % better as she headed to her car.

She followed her GPS closely as it led her towards Nathan's house. Nathan had informed her that she'd have no trouble with the security gate and their privacy would be respected. She smiled at the older gentleman as he opened the main gate for her after she pulled through the gate. She popped the last bit of protein bar into her mouth just as she got to Nathan's driveway. She shut her car off and her phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Haley said.

"Hales I'm thinking of heading over to your house for a bit. I've got some stuff I need to talk to you about. Is that cool?"

"Chris, I'm sorry but I've got plans with Nathan tonight. Can I take a rain check for tomorrow?" Hales asked while she climbed out of the car.

"It's actually important Haley and I don't know if it can wait." Chris argued.

"If it's like the last time you desperately needed to talk to me and bored me to death with a recap of your date the night before…I'm sure that can wait until tomorrow. I'll call you in the morning Keller ok?"

"But…"

Haley walked up the sidewalk and now stood outside his front door.

"Chris I gotta go now. I'll call you tomorrow."

And with that Haley hung up her phone with one hand and pushed Nathan's doorbell with the other one.

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