Chapter 17

Nathan woke up to Haley kissing his chest. He smiled down at her. "Morning."

Haley blushed looking up at her new lover. "Hello." She moved up till she came to his lips and then she whispered. "Someone's up."

Nathan looked down and saw just how right she was. "Up for it?" Haley raised her eyebrows giving him permission.

Nathan got out of bed and stared for a good five minutes at Haley who was once again asleep. He smiled as he left to go to the kitchen to make breakfast. "Pancakes it is." He thought back to the time that Lucas taught him how to make them. He felt kind of bad now because of what he said back then.

"I smell pancakes." Haley said coming out of the bedroom and into the kitchen in just Nathan's dress shirt.

Nathan smirked and looked Haley up and down when he saw her. "Chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and hash browns."

"Who taught you?" She asked going to the fridge.

"Lucas." He said flipping a pancake. "He taught me how to cook other things too."

"Like?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." He looked off to the side.

"Can I help?" She asked getting them both orange juice.

"No. I will cook everything." He stated.

Haley huffed out and took a seat on one of the stools around the island. "Fine. But it would be an incredible turn on of we made breakfast together."

Nathan rolled his eyes and let out a smirk. She was totally gonna get him in every way now. "Come help, my queen."

"Wasn't it better with help?" Haley said once she and Nathan were sitting eating their breakfast.

"I guess." He shrugged. "But this is really good."

"That is because we made it together."

"That must be it." he agreed.

After breakfast, Nathan insisted on doing the dishes. Haley obliged sitting back to watch him.

"I'm gonna take a shower." Haley said heading to the bedroom. "Come join me."

There was knock on the front door and Nathan answered it. He hoped whoever it was he could get rid of them and get back to Haley who was probably naked by now. He froze in place when he saw Luke standing there.

"Hey man." Lucas said. "I figured you'd be up. Can I come in?"

Nathan let him in even though he knew it might end up badly. "Why are you here? Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I just wanted to come and see how you were doing. After seeing Haley last night and all. He looked at the kitchen and saw leftover pancakes and looked at his brother with his brooding eyes. "Chocolate chip pancakes."

Nathan suddenly had that feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Yeah." He shrugged. Just then they both head the shower turn on and that's when he saw the look on Lucas' face. "Lucas wait."

"Don't." He held his hand up and rushed past him out the door. He couldn't believe it. Nathan was already moved on. And worse than that, he slept with her and she was in his shower. And who would tell Haley. He was gonna have to break her heart. God, he hated Nathan for this.

Haley ran into the living room still in Nathan's shirt. "Who was that?" The door had just slammed and it startled her.

"Lucas." Nathan said. "And he saw the pancakes and he heard the shower running.

"Oh." She nodded. "Pancakes?"

"It's an inside thing." He paused and sighed. "The things is he thought I—"

"You were with some skank?"

"Yes, he did. He's gonna have to find out, Hales otherwise he'll come here and beat me with a bat."

"No, he won't."

"Yes, he will." He looked at her and smirked. "You wanna have shower sex?"

Haley rolled her eyes and turned and motioned with her finger to follow her.

While at work, Haley kept glancing up every time the door opened hoping it was Lucas. She figured he might stop by and talk to her about Nathan. After the umpteenth time of looking up and not seeing him, she decided to focus on work instead.

"Hi, Hales." Haley looked up and saw Lucas sitting at the counter. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah. I'm due for a break anyway." She motioned for them to go up to the roof. Once there, Haley turned to him. "What's up?"

"This may be difficult for you to handle. But- Nathan is seeing someone."

"How do you know this?"

"I went over to Nathan's apartment and he had a girl there."

Haley couldn't help but smile. "I know."

Lucas looked confused. "You do?" Haley nodded. "Haley?" he prodded. She shrugged innocently. "Was that you?"

"Guilty."

He didn't believe it. "For how long?"

"A week."

"And you're already sleeping together?"

"None of your damn business." Haley shouted. "And don't you dare judge me about it."

"So you did have sex."

"And I made that decision on my own." She shook her head and left to go back inside.

"So, does he hate me?" Nathan asked Haley. She'd just come over and told him what happened with Lucas.

"He asked me is we slept together. And the way he asked me, it was as if I committed a crime or something."

"Do you think he wants to kill me?"

"Probably, but I think its not gonna come to that." She cuddled up with on the couch. "I just don't get why—" She sighed before she could finish her sentence.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"I have to go." Haley got up and hurried out the door.

Nathan was left a bit confused but shook his head. He'd eventually find out where she'd gone. "God, I love that girl."

Lucas rolled his eyes as he heard tapping at his door.

"I'm sorry." she said. "I now understand why you were so upset before."

"Enlighten me then." He gestured to let her in.

"You have always held me to a higher standard. And we have always told each other everything. And I didn't tell you about Nathan. I apologize for that."

"Then why do it? You know you could tell me."

"I know. I just—it was just nice for us to have it just be the two of us."

"Okay. I guess I can understand that." He rolled his eyes. "But I'm still kind of upset that you didn't tell me."

"But do you forgive me?" She asked hopefully.

"You are my best friend." He smiled. "Just don't keep any more secrets from me."

"I promise."

"You and Nathan are back together?" Brooke huffed out to Haley on her way up to Nathan's apartment.

Haley turned around and pursed her lips at both Peyton and Brooke. "Luke told you?"

"Question is, why didn't you?" Peyton asked.

Haley shrugged guiltily, "It was just nice having it just the two of us. It was actually kind of sexy sneaking around."

"I bet." Brooke smirked. "Did you two—?"

"Brooke," Haley halted her. "No comment. Just be happy for me."

"Fine." She sighed. "You're no fun. But I am happy for you."

"Thank you." Haley hugged Brooke and then Peyton. "Can I go see my man now?"

Peyton and Brooke looked at each other with smiles on their face.

"Bye." She waved them off as she hurried up the stairs to Nathan's apartment. "Waiting for me?" Haley questioned when she saw Nathan was waiting for her.

"Yes. I missed you." He looked at his watch. "I have not seen you in like twelve hours."

"Well, I am here now." She pulled him to her once he closed the door. "And now we have twelve hours to make up for."

"I so love this version of you."

Haley pulled back and looked up at him confused. "What version is that?"

"The one that is sexual. And that you can't wait to get back into the bedroom."

"True that." She smirked and gasped when Nathan picked her up bridal style and walked them into the bedroom.

"I don't think I'll ever get sick of this." Nathan said smiling down at Haley after their round of love making. "Never get sick of this."

"You better not." Haley kidded. "Me either. And its nice, to be able to have you here in this way after all I've been through in the last few months."

"I will always be here for you." He caressed her arm up and down. "I promise."

"I love you. I know. And thank you." She teared up looking up at him.

Haley woke up next to Nathan and blushed knowing what had occurred a few hours prior. She carefully got up and grabbed Nathan's sweatshirt and went into the living room and took out her journal.

'Dear journal, I know things have changed. But change for the better. And I do not regret my decision to become sexual with Nathan. And truly thinking about it, it all started with a horrible incident.'

Haley turned her head when she heard the toilet flush. "Hey, what are you doing up?"

"I woke up and you weren't next to me. Whatcha writing?" He asked rubbing his eyes.

"Just a journal entry. "She closed her notebook and tossed it on the couch. "You should get back to bed."

"What were you writing about?" He was curious if she was writing about?

"About change. In me, in us. How I'm happy with my decision."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." He moved a few strands of hair behind her ear. "You look tired."

"I am." She started to close her eyes. "Let's go to bed."

"I love you." Nathan murmured falling asleep next to Haley in his bed.

"I love you, too." Haley caressed Nathan's chest as she cuddled him and fell asleep.

And that night, they both had a dream about the future, marriage, kids, and a happy fulfilling life together.

THE END