Haley Scott sighed as she wiped off the table with a damp dishrag. It was a typical low key Monday evening at the Café, not too busy except for the usual few customers sipping coffee at the end of the counter. It was almost seven in the evening and every crevice of her body from her neck to her feet ached something terrible. The bell sounded as the front door opened, garnering Haley's attention.

"Good evening, Miss. Need a large bowl of chili, extra spicy, extra meaty. Three packs of crackers, Saltines, if you got them and a nice glass of Mt. Dew…easy on the ice."

Haley scoffed, hands on hips before tossing her rag at the "patron".

"Get it yourself", she mouthed.

"Is that any way to talk to a paying customer?"

"I don't know. Is this any way to treat your best friend?"

She could no longer hide her mock anger as her lips broke into a smile. The man who had entered the café was Lucas Scott, the son of Karen, the owner, and Haley's best friend since elementary school as well as her new brother in law, courtesy of Haley's nuptials to Lucas' little brother, Nathan.

"Forgive me, Hales", he grinned as he kissed her forehead. "Can't get a woman to wait on me at home either. I just figured it was worth a shot."

"So Tigger won't wait on you hand and foot?" Haley asked with a smile, using the nickname of Luke's live in girlfriend, Brooke Davis.

"Hell no. I mean, she did at first. What? Like the first 24 hours we lived together when we were going through the new and happy phase and all of a sudden she decided to take time away from reading Cosmo and get all domesticated on me. Anyway, the June Cleaver act lasted for all of two days but it worked out just the same anyway. A man can only get so far on burned Pop Tarts."

Haley smiled as she could almost see Brooke, no doubt in high heels and a fabulous outfit, trying to serve Pop Tarts that had been left in the toaster a little too long. The couple had been living together all of a year, after college when Lucas became co owner of his uncle Keith's, auto body shop and Brooke had been hired on at a local interior designing firm. Brooke, as wonderful and sweet and funny as she was, by no means anybody's Betty Crocker.

"But, I figured you were having a crappy day so I decided to get a present for my favorite sister in law", Lucas said as he sat down to his dinner.

"I'm your only sister in law but okay, I'll take the bait. What did you get me?"

He grinned as he tossed the CD to her and watched as her face lit up.

"UHF? Hell yeah! Oh you do rock, Bil!"

"Bil? I get you this totally awesome gift and you can't even remember my name long enough to thank me?"

"Bil. B-I-L, brother in law, that's you", she smiled as she hugged him.

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that we're related now. I guess I'm never getting rid of you", he joked.

"I guess I'm never getting rid of her either", Karen smiled as she emerged from the back and checked the clock. "It's late as hell kiddo and you've been on since the breakfast shift."

"I know but with Shelly calling in sick and the lunch and dinner rushes…well, I didn't want to leave you hanging."

"And you didn't and I appreciate it and now things are slow as hell so scoot. Besides, don't you have a handsome husband waiting for you at home?"

"I do, don't I?" Haley grinned. "Actually, I doubt he's off from the dealership. Dan has been working him into the ground lately."

All faces frowned with the very mention of Dan Scott, father in law to Haley, father to Lucas, ex boyfriend to Karen and dastardly menace to all. After college graduation, Dan had insisted both his sons come work for him at his successful car dealership. Lucas, single at the time and all too weary of the shenanigans Dan had pulled the last 22 years of his life, had opted out and instead ventured into a business partnership with the uncle that had raised him when Dan had ignored him. Nathan however hadn't been so lucky. And with a top notch promised salary, the money wasn't something the young newlyweds were prepared to turn down, even if it meant putting up with Dan's BS.

"Dan", Karen muttered. "Tree Hill's own little personal ray of sunshine."

"Tell me about it. Anyway, I think I'll get out of here. Time to go and make dinner for my husband. And speaking of, you should be getting home soon, too, Karen. I'm sure that fox of a fiancé of yours is waiting on dinner."

"Andy's waiting but uh, not for dinner", Karen winked as she and Haley exchanged high fives.

"Iiieewww! Gross! Hel-lo, son in the room here", Lucas protested as he covered his ears.

"You have a nerve. If I had a quarter for every time I caught you and Brooke doing God knows what, I'd be a very wealthy woman", she said, swatting the back of his head.

All the kids loved to tease Karen about her extremely handsome, ten years younger, college professor fiancé but truth be told, they were all very happy for her. Her younger lonely years had been spent devoted to her son and her business. Nobody deserved happiness more.

"Later, guys", Haley grinned as she walked outside.

She let out a yelp when she unexpectedly bumped into her suit clad husband.

"Nate. What are you doing here?" she asked, placing a quick kiss on his lips.

"Dad was getting on my nerves at work but what else is new, right? Anyway, I said to hell with another late night behind the desk and in the showroom trying to sell a bunch of stupid cars to people with bad credit. So I decided to come and take my beautiful wife home where I plan to cook dinner for her."

"Dinner?"

"You do remember what dinner is, don't you?" he smiled. "You know that thing where people sit down and eat food."

"I know what dinner is, smart ass but I've never heard of you cooking it before. What's the catch? Are you having an affair? Did you kill somebody? Better yet, you plan on killing me? What?"

"Ha ha, I married a comedian. Hales, I just wanted to do something nice for you and spend some real quality time together where you can relax after a hard day's work."

She smiled as he kissed her and led her by the hand to their Land Rover SUV. They made small talk as he drove them across town the few miles to the small fixer upper house they were renting a few blocks from Market Street. They went inside and immediately he removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves to his shirt, rustling about in the kitchen. Haley showered changed into the comfort of a favorite pair of old pajamas before joining her husband in the dining room. Her eyes widened and her face broke out into a smile her eyes fell upon the table set with two plates and candles.

"Macaroni and cheese", she shook her head. "My husband so rocks! This is the food of the gods."

"Yeah if the gods are five year olds but whatever", Nathan smiled as he shook his head. "I know this is your favorite and I want you to be happy."

She looked into his blue eyes and melted.

"I am happy", she said softly and honestly.

And she was. In fact, she'd never been happier…neither one of them had. Nathan Scott, the resident arrogant, rich boy jock and Haley James (now Scott) the token mousy brainiac from the wrong side of the tracks. They were the perfect couple and had been ever since that fateful senior year of high school. It was that time when Lucas had joined the high school basketball team, a team his younger brother, Nathan, just so happened to dominate. For years they had known they were half brothers bonded by their father's blood, but their lives were miles apart. Nathan had grown up privileged with his father and mother, Deb. Lucas had grown up struggling with the single mother Dan had abandoned years before. It would take a while before the brothers would become friends and even longer before father and oldest son could begin to form some sort of family relationship. But it had all happened and in part that was thanks to Haley. She had been Nathan's tutor and the pawn he had tried to use to eat at Lucas. But the tables were turned when he fell in love and that love had eventually brought everyone together. Now six years of dating and three months of marriage and they were still going strong, more in love than ever. Haley smiled as she watched him down a forkful of cheesy macaroni. Before her was her husband…lover, best friend, future father of her children…her life partner. In a world where it seemed every possible obstacle had been thrown their way, fate had love and kept them together. It was a relationship written in the stars…Shakespeare himself couldn't have created two who loved each other so much. They were the perfect match, a match made in Heaven.