Prologue

"Don't worry, I'll get it," Haley called, sarcastically, to her unmoving roommates.

"We knew you would," Jen, the obnoxiously sweet computer engineering major, called over her shoulder, with a sugary tone.

Haley swung the door open with a welcoming smile, expecting someone else's boyfriend or friend, or even the landlord, "Surprise," the deep male voice greeted.

"Hi," her hand clenched on the doorknob, her heart started pounding, she could feel her free hand start to moisten, "w-what are you doing here?"

"Well it seems my two years at community college paid off," he grinned handing her a small envelope. She ripped it open, her eyes getting larger with every word she read.

"Nathan!" she shrieked, "I'm so proud of you…I'm taking you to dinner."

NHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNH

She had taken him to a local Italian restaurant with the hope of him still enjoying pasta and carbs as much as the boy she'd fallen in love with in high school. And he had, he'd smirked when they'd walked to the roadside bistro across from the campus and Haley's apartment.

"I've really missed you, Hales," he murmured when the waiter had taken their plates after a hearty helping of mac and cheese for her and lasagna for him.

"I've missed you too," she smiled warmly, "so you start classes with us on Friday?" she'd picked up the dessert menu giving it a quick glance over and glancing at him from over the top of it.

"Yeah and I got my associates degree back at Christmas so I've been earning a few credits here and there," he nodded, "might even be able to catch up with you," he joked, "although it'd probably take the summer to do that."

"Well if anyone can do it," she set down the dessert menu asking the waiter for the check when he returned to their table.

"You give me too much credit, Hales," he stole the check as the waiter set it down quickly slipping his debit card in and handing it back to him, "what?" he questioned when she gave him a disapproving look.

"I said I was taking you out to dinner," she replied, pulling a few bills from her pocket and offering them to him.

"I'm not taking your money Hales," he laughed, pushing her hand back to her, "besides I'm pretty sure I'm the most financially stable twenty year old--like ever."

"Really?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey," he mocked insulted, "I've been doing my finances for four years now I've got this figured out and then some," she laughed as the check was returned and Nathan signed before standing and pulling her chair out for her.

"Well thank you for dinner, then," she murmured quietly, "Are you going to play basketball?" she suddenly asked, as they stepped out of the restaurant.

"Tryouts start next week and I have to walk on," he shrugged, "I'll probably never stop playing though," they let the quiet engulf them as they walked back towards campus.

"Gah!—I still can't believe it's been two years…So have you found my replacement yet?" Haley questioned interrupting the silence, she'd been curious about Nathan and his relationships since she'd missed him at Christmas one of the few times she'd been back in Tree Hill.

"Could never happen," he swore softly, "You, Haley James, are irreplaceable," she sent him a stern look, "but to answer your question. No, there is no one in my life, other than Lily, of course."

"Isn't she the cutest kid you've ever seen?" she asked grinning, and she couldn't decide if it was because she knew he hadn't had a relationship in the last two years or if was just finally being with and talking to him again, "you know Karen just found out she's pregnant again?"

"I know, and as ridiculous as it is to say at twenty it's a lot of fun having these little kids around," he chuckled, "so how 'bout you? Got a boy I should be worried about coming to beat me up?" he questioned just as eager to learn about her current relationship status as she had been to learn his.

"Nah," she shrugged, "don't seem to get a lot of dates when you're a virgin in college," she lamented, it was one of her biggest complaints about the boys in college they were all after the same thing and it surely wasn't a lasting relationship as far as she could tell at least not the guys she could find.

"Well you're on one now," he offered, raising his eyebrows in that hopeful way that Haley was sure she was the only one to have seen since he was a small child.

"My high school boyfriend went out with me, because I made him and he doesn't know anyone else," she deadpanned; taking his hand in her own. He shivered feeling the sparks in his fingertips, taking the gesture as a symbol of her acceptance of his offer. Although he wasn't sure she even realized she'd done it as she acted as if nothing was different and continued strolling along the Durham streets.

"I wouldn't want to spend my time with anyone else," he promised making eye contact and refusing to let her believe anything else; causing them to stop on the sidewalk on the way back to her apartment, "Marry me?"

"Wh—wait…what? Nathan, we've barely seen or spoken to each other during the past two years," She refuted, not sure she'd even heard him correctly, and amazed he seemed serious about the previously asked question.

"Haley, I've loved you since I was sixteen and I've known just as long that I was going to marry you." He swore grabbing up her other hand holding both of them tightly in his own, "We agreed to breakup because we were hours away from each other. But we aren't anymore, and I love you--"

"I love you too," she sighed, a soft smile taking over her face as she squeezed his hands in hers, "I always have, you know that—but, Nathan, we can't…I mean what about our families? Our friends? Where would we live? How would we live—right now I'm pretty much surviving on scholarship alone—and you are paying for your own education--"

"Hales, I have my own apartment, I'm on partial financial aid and the other part is a loan," he shrugged, he was right when he said he was financially stable, but he wasn't rich and certainly couldn't pay for a Duke education, "I know you want your parents at your wedding, but Hales…they haven't been back to North Carolina since we were juniors in high school. And I know I don't want my parents there. Yeah, it would be nice if Luke could be around, but he's been in Europe since he left Tree Hill two years ago."

"I know, he's um…supposed to be home around Christmas--" She offered, remembering the e-mail from her best friend who had been absent for the past few years.

"He was supposed to be home last Christmas too," he interjected, reminding her of another e-mail she'd gotten last year around the same time, "I've countered all your arguments, so why not?"

"We are so young Nathan," she sighed, trying to come up with a reason why they couldn't, and she really wasn't finding one, "and we are so far away from who we used to be."

"No we're not," he chuckled glancing her up and down before looking down at his own feet and then back up to her eyes, "You are still the shy quiet tutor and I am still the stuck-up jock I've always been," he shrugged, "some things will never change Hales. And I know we're young but come on I would have married you at sixteen."

"Okay, when are we doing this?" she sighed defeated from her arguments, thrilled at the thought, and almost subconsciously preparing herself for him to yell 'psyche'.

"Right now, campus chapel is open 'til ten, right?" he questioned remembering one thing from his campus orientation, and grabbing her hand, pulled her down the brick path they had taken toward her apartment and reversed their direction heading for the chapel.

"We don't have rings; we can't get married without rings--" she started to argue, knowing she wanted to at least have some sort of ring for the occasion. If she was going to wake up tomorrow a married woman she knew she was going to have to have a ring to remember this as reality and not a dream.

"I actually have this," he pulled the black velvet box from his pocket, and she gasped, he felt like slapping his forehead for forgetting it was in his pocket…hell it'd practically been burning a hole for days now. He cracked it open and she could see the single square cut diamond, nestled neatly on the silver band, "It was actually Great-Grandma Lee's--"

"You proposed without the ring?' she practically shrieked, letting him take her hand in his as he slid it on her finger, he chuckled as she brought it up to examine it closely.

"Well I wasn't exactly planning on proposing tonight," he shrugged, "I was thinking maybe the second or third date," he grinned, releasing another chuckle, tucking the box back into his pocket, "why? Would you have said yes sooner?" he questioned as if it suddenly dawned on him.

"Maybe," she winked, spinning away from him and leaving him standing there as she continued on their walk, glancing back over her shoulder, when she noted he wasn't following quickly, "you coming?"

"Like I'm going to pass up that offer," he spoke softly to himself, jogging the catch up with her wrapping his arms tightly around her waist making their gait awkward as they walked as one, as she led the way towards the chapel.

The minister only requested a sit-down with both of them before agreeing to marry them. Once he was satisfied with the couple, he directed Haley to a back room where fresh flowers were set up after their arrival every Sunday morning.

"So you and Haley have been together a while?" the minister asked Nathan as they waited for Haley to return to them.

"We dated in high school, but—uh this is the first time in almost six months that we've seen each other," he sighed, fiddling with the collar of his polo. "Oh…that's—that's not going to make you change your mind is it?"

"No…there's something about the two of you," he smiled kindly, "I've seen a lot of couples come through here…some to get married…some to get divorced, the two of you have something special though."

"Okay," Haley breezed up to the alter; smiling at Nathan.

"Okay, well…Sally is going to be your witness," the minister nodded to the church secretary, "let's begin shall we."

Nathan and Haley had decided to have the traditional service and smiled at each other as their vows were spoken before the minister gave Nathan permission to kiss his bride. Nathan's arms engulfed her waist pulling her tightly into him before swooping down to seal his lips over hers.

When they pulled away slowly, Haley glanced up at him, "I just realized that's the first time we've kissed in two years."

"I know," he murmured taking her lips with his again, pulling back once more, "I love you Hales."

"I love you too," she pushed up onto her toes again, sealing her lips over his once again.

"Now you two realize that without the appropriate paperwork this marriage isn't legal, but bring that license to me once you get it and I'll be happy to sign for you."

"Thanks Father," Nathan smirked, pulling Haley swiftly after him out of the church.

"Slow down," Haley laughed, running with him across campus to her apartment.

"Slow down?" he questioned spinning and swinging her up into his arms, laughing with her when she started giggling, "Haley Scott, we've got a marriage to consummate and I don't know about you--"

"Ooh, good point," she interrupted, wiggling from his arms grabbing his hand and pulling him after her, "let's go."

"Yes!"