Chapter Six

Nathan walked into his mother's café after walking aimlessly around Tree Hill the better part of the night. He slowly ambled over to the counter and sat down on the stool in the farthest corner to try and avoid the looks he'd been getting all day. It was a known fact in Tree Hill that he was still married to Haley, and it was no secret how she had left him.

He hated the pitying looks that people gave him. When he first came back home people didn't know what to say or how to act so they would give him the look. It hadn't taken long, thankfully, for another small town scandal to take place stopping the awkward conversations and pitying looks.

It didn't take long for Karen to notice him. Without asking, she slipped in to the kitchen and made him a steak and baked potato with a side salad. She knew there was no way he had eaten anything today, not with Haley being here. She could see the change in Nathan already and, as far as she knew, he hadn't even see her yet. Taking the food out to him she prayed he wouldn't spiral again, she wasn't sure she could take seeing him that way again.

As Karen set Nathan's food on the counter he looked up from his phone shocked, "Um… Thanks mom," he said drawing each word out.

"I figured you didn't have dinner yet, and you can always eat steak," she said laughing, trying to get her son to smile.

"You know me to well," Nathan replied with his signature smirk.

"So, what have you been up to today?" Karen asked.

Knowing that his mother's curiosity wasn't because she simply wanted to know what he had done all day long, he smiled before answering, "I went to work, where the guys were actually quiet for once, then I walked around awhile before I came here. Nothing to exciting."

"I'm sorry honey, I know this isn't easy. How are you doing, really no hiding behind you're I'm fine go to you always use," she asked touching his hand on the counter.

Putting his other hand over top of hers he looked her in the eyes so she knew he was telling her the truth before he replied, "It's hard knowing she's here, a part of me has wanted to go after her since I woke up that morning and found the note, but I know that isn't what she would want. I'm also madder than hell, but I worked hard to be okay again. I didn't bust my ass in the police academy to fall apart and go back to what I was when she left. You don't have to worry about me mom," he said leaning over the counter and kissing her cheek.

"I'm proud of you, more than you'll ever know. I know it hasn't been easy for you. I still can't believe they had her perform for the concert knowing who she was," Karen said getting angry at people's thoughtless actions.

"Come on mom, they knew she'd bring in a lot of people, and help raise money. Trust me we need it. I just wish they had told me and not blind sided me with it," Nathan said trying to calm his mother down. He knew how much Haley meant to her, and he knew it killed her to lose her. It wasn't easy for any of them when she left. "How about after I eat we have some apple pie and ice cream?" He asked with a wink knowing it was her dessert weakness.

"I say let's do it," she replied with a small smile.

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It was well after midnight when Brooke tried to quietly sneak up the steps to get ready for bed. Since the whole house was dark she assumed Lucas and Nathan were both in bed. Taking her pajamas off the top of her dresser she snuck out of the room she shared with Lucas and quietly made her way to the bathroom.

She thought she had been successful at not waking either Scott brother up as she stepped out of the bathroom and into the hall wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top. That was until Nathan gave her heart attack. He was standing right outside the bathroom door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What the hell are you doing lurking in the hall way?" Brooke whisper shouted at him as she put a hand over her racing heart.

"I wasn't lurking, I was waiting for you to come out. I needed to talk to you," Nathan replied letting his arms fall to his sides.

Brooke already knew what he wanted to talk to her about. She knew he was going to ask about Haley and she had no idea what she was going to say to him. She didn't want to lie to him, but of all the things she and Haley had talked about tonight, Nathan being curious wasn't one of them. "Seriously Nathan? I'm tired, can't this wait until breakfast?" she asked, trying to sound annoyed.

"No, no it can't wait until breakfast," Nathan replied sounding nervous. It was so out of character for the confident Nathan she had known most of her life to sound so timid.

"Okay, what is it?" She asked, not able to just walk away from him when he was like this.

Taking a deep breath Nathan asked, "How is she?"

"She's lost. She has a lot to figure out," Brooke said, not giving away to much of what Haley had told her.

"What do you mean she's lost? I'd think after six damn years she'd know exactly where she is," Nathan said starting to feel the anger rise inside him.

"I'm not doing this Nate, not even for you. I'm sorry, I'm going to bed and I think you should do the same. We can continue this talk in the morning if you'd like, but it's late and you should think about what you really want to know before you ask me anything else," Brooke said putting her hand on his arm before kissing his cheek and going into her room.

Nathan went down the hall to his room and sat down on his bed with his head in his hands. He had no idea why he bothered asking Brooke about her, he knew he'd be upset by anything she told him. He didn't know what he expected her to tell him but he knew it wasn't that Haley was lost. What the hell did that even mean?