Hi everyone! So I know it's been over a month since I updated, but I'm going to try and update at least once a week now. So, enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from OTH, unfortunately…

Nathan~Naley~Haley

Even though they were technically back together, Haley still wanted to take things slow. She was staying the night at Brooke's, and in the morning, Nathan would pick her up for school. But just because they had school in the morning didn't mean that Brooke didn't want to hear every single detail of the night she had arranged, even if it meant that both her and Haley lost sleep.

"And that's pretty much it," Haley finished explaining her tale. "Brooke, thank you so much for arranging everything. I really appreciate it."

"Tutor-Girl, it was my pleasure. Anybody can see that you and Nathan are crazy for each other, this was just a minor setback," Brooke said.

"Yeah, but we would've figured out everything eventually," Haley commented.

"I know, but this was more fun," Brooke said as she got up to leave the guest room Haley was staying in. "See ya tomorrow Tutor-Girl!"

Haley smiled. Tomorrow… she would see Nathan and they would hopefully be on their way back to their pre-Winter Formal selves.

Nathan~Naley~Haley

"Hales, are you almost ready? Practice starts in ten minutes," Nathan reminded her. It was Monday afternoon, and the two had had a pretty uneventful day. Sure, there were rumors about the past Saturday night, but the couple was able to deal with that with poise. They were together, and that's all that mattered.

"Yeah, hold on Nate. I, I think I misplaced my history notes, and I need them to study for the exam next week," Haley replied. She and Nathan were standing at her locker as she got her stuff ready before they went to basketball and cheer practice. "You know what, you could fill up my water bottle for me and that's one less thing I have to do before practice," Haley plastered a begging pouty lip for Nathan.

Nathan played along, "Well, I don't know about that. Maybe, to speed you along, I could do you a favor." Nathan grabbed the water bottle, kissed Haley quickly, then went to the water fountain to fill it up.

As Haley finished finding all of her homework stuff, someone walked up behind her. She thought it was Nathan, so she playfully said, "Wow, that was fast. You must really want another..." Haley turned around, and it wasn't Nathan, it was Josh. "Josh, what are you doing here?" Haley hurriedly asked. She had no desire to talk to him.

"I'm here to see you, obviously," Josh flirted.

"Well, look, Saturday night was a mistake, okay? It was a onetime thing, as in it will never happen again," Haley explained coldly.

"What if we didn't tell Nathan? Then it could be a lot of times thing," Josh pulled Haley close to him.

"Look, I'm with Nathan, and like I said, Saturday was a mistake," Haley squirmed under Josh's arms.

"Yeah, but you could be with me, too," Josh pulled Haley closer.

"I think she said she's already with me," Nathan cleared his throat and said, startling Josh.

"Well, that's not what she said Saturday night," Josh eyed Nathan even though Nathan had quite a few inches on him.

"Josh, I told you that Saturday was a mistake! Now just leave me and Nathan alone!" Haley finally pulled away from him. "Please leave."

Josh glared at Haley and Nathan as Nathan wrapped his arm around her. "Whatever," he muttered under his breath as he walked away.

"Thanks Nate. That was so awkward. He wouldn't take no for an answer," Haley sighed. Now that she and Nathan were working on their issues, she didn't want anything to stand in their way.

"No problem Hales. I get a bad vibe from that guy," Nathan shook his head. "Look, let's forget about that loser. We've gotta get to practice otherwise Whitey and Brooke are going to make practice a living hell."

Haley smiled as she shut her locker and finally took her water bottle from her boyfriend.

Nathan~Naley~Haley

"And then he just put his arm around me like we were boyfriend and girlfriend and kept pulling me closer to him. Tay, it was so bad. But then Nathan came back and he got the creeper to back off," Haley was talking to Taylor. Aside from seeing her at cheer practice, Haley hadn't really gotten a chance to spend much time with her sister. Though Haley had moved back into her parents' house, Taylor had found her own apartment to stay in. But now she was relaying the entire Josh situation to her.

"Ugh, sounds like a real loser. You know I had a crazy ex-boyfriend once…" Taylor started.

"You, have a crazy ex-boyfriend? Imagine," Haley laughed at her sister's usual opening line to stories. "Look, let's not focus on that right now. I'd rather think about happy things, like the fact that Brooke's cancelling practice on Friday, so maybe, you, Nathan, and I could go to dinner together!"

"Well, me plus one," Taylor smiled as she subtly told her sister that she was romantically involved with someone.

"Taylor, that's great! What's he like?" Haley asked.

"Well, don't chastise me for this, but I met him a frat party. He and I had a few casual dates, and now it's something more. He's a junior at Duke, and he's majoring in theatre arts. He's really great Hales."

"Wait, is this the guy you were telling me about on Thanksgiving?" Haley asked. Now she was really curious.

"Yeah, but it was getting serious then. Now we're really serious. Haley," Taylor sighed. "I think I'm in love."

"Oh Tay, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you," Haley said as Nathan walked into her bedroom. "Hey, look, Nathan just walked in, so I'll talk to you later. We'll see you and mystery man on Friday."

"Okay bye," Taylor hung up the phone.

After hanging up the phone, Haley looked up and smiled at Nathan. "Okay, I know I didn't check with you first, but we're going to double date with Taylor and her boyfriend on Friday. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course. Thank God Whitey cancelled practice on Friday. I'm pretty pumped for the game on Thursday though," Nathan said.

"Yep…" Haley paused before continuing. "So I know we talked last night, but I think we should talk more about what Brooke so nicely dubbed the semi-fall of Naley."

"Uh, sure, let's talk," Nathan sat next to Haley on her bed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Our trust. I want us to be able to trust each other a hundred percent. More so I want you to be able to trust me. I want to explain what was going on inside my head Saturday night," Haley sighed, then continued. "Well, I was upset that we were fighting, and I thought that maybe I could escape everything that was going on with us by kissing another guy. It was a very in the moment thing, and I don't know, I guess I was letting my anger take over my love for you. Because I do love you Nathan. With all of my heart."

"Haley, I already explained to you why I didn't tell you about the whole video thing. But I got upset when you were mad at me because I thought I was doing a good thing, you know, I thought I was being responsible. I was so proud of myself that maybe I had done something to make you proud. Then, you blew up at me, and to tell you the truth, my pride was hurt. I was, I was sad that you weren't proud of me." Nathan looked over to Haley. "Can you understand that Hales?"

"Nathan, I'm so sorry. I was so selfish. All I was thinking about was Stanford and I think I'm still scared about not knowing. You know, we have to send in our applications in a few weeks, and I'm nervous. I'm sorry," Haley pulled Nathan into a hug.

"It's fine now. I was just caught up in the entire drama of the thing. I love you Haley James," Nathan kissed her forehead.

"And I love you back Nathan Scott," Haley snuggled closer to Nathan. They stayed like that until Haley's tutoring instincts kicked in. "Hm, even though this is very nice, we have exams next week, so we need to get studying." Haley looked up at Nathan's face and laughed. They were on their way back to being normal.

Nathan~Naley~Haley

Thursday night's game came and went with the Ravens taking home another win. But Friday night came, and Nathan didn't feel good. "Hales… I don't think I can go tonight. I… threw up after… school, and now I'm all congested," Nathan said in between sniffles when Haley knocked on his door for their double date with Taylor.

"Nathan, it's fine. Here," Haley put her hand to Nathan's forehead. "You're burning up, too. I'll tell your Mom. You need to stay home." Haley looked at her watch, then back to Nathan. "Well, I wish I could stay longer, but if I don't go now I'm gonna be late for this dinner with Taylor. I'll see you later?"

"Ha, maybe if I'm… still alive. I feel like death warmed up. You… go and have fun," Nathan managed to say in between sniffles and coughs.

"Okay, well, I love you and I'll see you later," Haley said as she walked to the door. "I'm taking your car!" Haley said as she grabbed the keys. Nathan couldn't help but laugh at his girlfriend.

Once Haley had told Deb about Nathan's condition, she left the house and drove to the restaurant where she was meeting Taylor and her boyfriend. 'Whoa, Taylor has expensive taste,' Haley thought as she pulled the car up to the valet.

Haley walked into the restaurant where she immediately saw Taylor sitting at a table with an empty seat next to her. "Hey Taylor. So, where's mystery man?" Haley asked as she sat down and put her napkin in her lap.

"He's in the bathroom. But I told him all about you and he's so excited to meet you!" Taylor said as she looked from Haley to the air behind her. "Oh, this is him! Hi hon!"

Haley turned around and her jaw dropped. 'Oh. My. God. This is NOT happening.'