Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it still.

Authros notes: The votes are in and this is the story I will be working on. I will be speeding the events up and hopefully updating on a regular basis. I love this chapter, I loved writing it and I loved reading and rereading it and hope you all will enjoy it also. This chapter contains alot of Naley and a special guest appearance.

Please read and review.

" So, the plan is for my mom to stay here with Jamie until Brooke returns to Tree Hill and then she'll take him to her house, right? " Nathan asked, as he watched his wife pack her bags.

" I just don't want to burden your mom. Plus Jamie loves Brooke and he would have a good time. " She didn't want to say that she didn't trust Nathans mom, it's just that with her past drug and alcohol problems, she didn't want to run the risk of Deb relapsing while with Jamie.

Nathan nodded, but he couldn't help but frown at what his wife wasn't saying. His mother had come a long way from the drugged out mess she'd been just a few short years ago and he didn't want her to feel like he didn't have faith in her. But like Haley, he had his concerns and Jamie's safety was his top priority.

" Maybe for a couple hours every day Deb can pick Jamie up so Brooke can get some work done. " Haley suggested, She really didn't want to offend her mother in law, she just wanted to know that her baby was being taken care of.

" I'll talk to her. " Nathan smiled softly. It was just like Haley to worry about everyones feelings but for now she just needed to focus on herself and let him worry about the rest. It was time for him to step up and be the husband that Haley needed him to be and the father that Jamie thought he was.

" So, I was thinking- " Nathan started causing Haley to look concerned at his tone.

" Uh oh. Nothing good ever comes from that. " She teased, causing him to roll his eyes.

He continued on as if she hadn't spoken. " After dinner and after we put Jamie to bed; go for a ride with me? "

" And go where? " She asked, watching as he got up from his spot on the bed and walked slowly towards her. There was something in his eyes, she knew it all to well, a mixture between sweetness and mischivousness.

" That is for me to know, " He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. " and for you to find out later on tonight. What do you say? You up for it? "

After so long together it still amazed her that he could send shivers up her spine with a single touch of his lips. She would go anywhere with him, he didn't even have to ask.

" You're really not going to tell me? " She questioned with a pout, she hated the not knowing.

" Nope. " He grinned, turning and walking out of the bedroom.

" Can't I stay up for a little while longer? " Jamie pleaded, trying to use the baby blues he got from his daddy to his advantage.

Haley looked at Nathan. She knew he had a surprise planned but they were also leaving for New York in the morning and would be gone for a couple weeks. Jamie would be staying in Tree Hill, he was too young for the trip.

" Tell you what, Buddy- " Nathan began dealing with the toddler. " Why don't you go lay down and when we get back, you can come and sleep in our bed? "

The boys eyes brightened up considerably and he quickly nodded in agreement.

" Hales, you want to go tuck the boy in while I go let my mom know we're leaving? " Nathan questioned, knowing how much the little time they had left together was affecting both his wife and their son.

Haley held out her hand to Jamie, which he quickly accepted and led him upstairs. She knew the seperation was going to be hard on him, it was going to be hard on her also but she had to do this. She had to try for him. And for Nathan. She needed to try and be okay for them.

As they reached his bedroom door, she could feel her eyes watering up. Crying in front of him wasn't something she wanted to do, she wanted to seem confident even if she wasn't. She knew he was scared and needed her to calm his fears, not break down in front of him. She shook her head in an attempt to shake the fear off and walked through the threshold.

" Do you want me to read to you? " She asked him as he climbed into his bed. He shook his head. " Why not? "

" I want you to hurry up and come back. " She couldn't help but laugh. Jamie was smart. A little too smart.

" Okay. " She sat down on the bed beside him and ran a hand through his soft blonde hair. It still amazed her how much he looked like his uncle. " I love you. You know that, right? "

" I love you too, momma. " He told her, followed quickly by a yawn. She knew he would be out quickly.

As much as she was looking forward to some alone time with Nathan, she wasn't looking forward to leaving Jamie. Reluctantly, she left the bedroom, clicking on his night light and turning off the overhead light. Once she was safely out in the hall and out of his sight, she let the tears she held in escape.

She felt his arms wrap around her before she even saw him. He didn't say anything, just held her as her tears fell silently. It felt like hours but in reality, only a couple minutes had passed before her tears began to fade.

" You good? " He asked and she nodded her head against his shoulder, really not wanting to leave his embrace but knowing that they had to get going. " Good. "

He held her for just a moment longer before letting go. He tried to descretely wipe his eyes, she didn't point it out that she'd seen. It killed her to seen the pain she was causing him and Jamie.

Wordlessly, she took his hand and followed him out of their house and to his truck. She smiled as he opened the passenger side door of his range rover for her, something he always did over the years, an action often over looked. It was a small reminder of all the little things he's done over the years that showed her how much she meant to him. She couldn't help but wonder if he knew just how much he meant to her.

Less than a moment later, Nathan was in the drivers side and turning the key into the ignition. He put the car in drive and then took her hand with his free one, bring it to his lips and kissing it softly. Another action he'd done thousands of times over the years but now they seemed to hold more signifigance.

" So, " She needed to break the silence. " Where are we going? "

Nathan chuckled softly at his wifes impatience.

" It's a surprise. " He reminded her, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as she rolled her eyes.

" You know I don't like surprises. " She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

" You'll like this one. " He told her. " I promise. "

He wasn't going to give in, she knew that.

" Dinner was nice. " She decided to talk about something else, let him have his little secret.

" It was. Lucas and Peyton seemed to be civil. " He pointed out.

It had been a little over a week since Lucas and Peyton had spoken and nobody really knew what all transpired between them. The only thing for sure is that something had changed but it was still unclear in which direction.

" They were. " Haley agreed. " I just hope they stay like that. "

Nathan nodded in agreement. " Maybe just being friends would be the best thing for them right now. I know they love each other they just don't know how to be in love without hurting each other. "

" Plus Lucas still needs to cool off from his break up with Lindsey, it wasn't that long ago. " She added, her best friend had a habit from relationship hopping instead of dealing with how he felt.

" Have you talked to Lindsey lately? " He had felt bad for his nearly sister in law, being stuck in the drama that was Lucas and Peyton must've been hell on her.

" A few weeks ago. "

" And? How is she? " He prodded, the conversation seemed to be distracting her and keeping her from realizing where they were headed.

" Uh, She's doing good. She's seeing someone. " She revealed, she felt guilty that she hadn't told Lucas yet. Maybe part of his issues with Peyton were due in part of his guilt over Lindsey. But Lindsey had wanted to keep it a secret so she had.

" Does Lucas know? " She shook her head. " Ouch. "

" It's good that she's moving on, you know? I would hate for her to feel any bitterness towards Luke like he'd done with Peyton for so many years. "

" You're right. " He agreed.

" She wants to come visit us while we're in New York. After Lucas leaves to come back to Tree Hill. "

She watched as he nodded, a slow smile formed on his lips.

" We're here. " He said simply and she turned her head and looked out the windsheild.

She was confused. They were in the parking lot of a closed down shop near in the middle of Tree Hill.

" Here? " She questioned with raised eye brows.

" More or less. " He smirked, opening the door and climbing out the drivers seat. She sat there was he ran around to her side and opened the door. " Come on, Hales. "

She climbed out. She wasn't sure what to expect but it wasn't this. Whatever this was.

A knock at the door interrupted her mid paragraph in the book she was reading and with an annoyed sigh she set it down on the coffee table. She was sure it was one of the kids and wasn't sure why they just didn't use their key, since they all had one after all. She didn't even have a key.

She wasn't even going to be able to keep Jamie while Nathan and Haley were around. She would get him for a few hours every afternoon but that was only Haley wanted Brooke to be able to work without Jamie distracting her. It was as if her son and daughter in law still didn't trust her despite all the great strides she'd made over the past several years.

Fixing a friendly smile onto her face, she pulled open the front door. It fell immediately when her green eyes met the familar blue ones staring back at her in surprise.

" What are you doing here? " They both asked, in unison.

" I live here. " She crossed her arms and moved to block any entrance into the house, not that her tiny frame could have stopped him if she wanted too.

" I came to see my son. " He looked past her. " Where is Nathan? "

" Not here and I don't think he'd like to see you even if he was. "

Nathan wouldn't want to see Dan. She knew Haley wouldn't want to see Dan. Nobody in Tree Hill wanted anything to do with Dan Scott, he was a monster.

" Let's let him decide that. " Dan muttered, turning away. " I'll be back tomorrow. "

" He's leaving for New York tomorrow, he won't be back for several weeks. " Hopefully that would keep Dan from coming back.

Dan paused but didn't turn back around. She debated telling him about Haley, hopefully he would respect Nathan and Haley enough not to put them through any more than they were already going through. She twisted the handle of the door, making sure it wasn't locked and set out onto the front porch of her sons home, closing the door behind her.

" Haley is sick. " She said, inspite of the voices in her head that were screaming at her not to tell him. " They'll be in New York for her surgery. "

He turned back around and she allowed herself to look at his face. To really see it for the first time in years. He'd aged but so had she. He had crows feet around his eyes and laugh lines around his mouth, though she didn't know what in the past four years had he had to laugh about. The spark, she noticed, that used to be in his eyes was gone now. Now those eyes just looked empty and sad.

" Is she going to be okay? " It was the first question that popped into his mind but since he didn't even know what was wrong with her, he assumed it was a valid one.

Deb shrugged before taking a seat on the steps that led to the front door. She tried to seem indifferent as Dan did the same.

" What's wrong with her? " He prodded, feeling a tightness in his chest.

" Cancer. " Deb answered, her tone stoic. " She has a tumor in her brain and it's been there awhile. "

Dan didn't say anything. She waited for anything to come out of his mouth, she expected something evil and heartless but nothing came. When she finally looked over, she was surprised to see the tears streaming down his face.

" It's our spot. " She whispered, in awe of the plain wooden table and bench.

Nathan had brough her to the marketside dock where they would meet up in the mornings before school and she tutored him. That was back when Nathan and Lucas hated each other and she'd hid the fact that she was helping his brother from Lucas.

She watched as he sat down and pulled out a box of cracker jacks from his jacket pocket and motioned for her to sit down across from him.

Haley knew what he was trying to do and so many emotions were flooding her. She was touched by the sweetness of it. It was a defining moment in her life and she felt blessed that he felt the same way. But it also angered her and right now, that emotion trumped everything.

Nathan unfolded the top of the box, clearly he had opened it before and pulled out the pink bracelet he'd giving her that day so many years ago.

" Look. " He told her with a smirk. " It's for you. " He reached for her hand and slid the bracelet on her wrist. " Don't say I never gave you anything. "

" Stop! " She demanded harshly, surprising even herself. " This trip down memory lane isn't going to heal me. "

He looked down at the ground, his mouth now fixed into a frowned. " No it won't, " He told her and she could see the tears brimming his eyes. " But it healed me. "