TITLE: Back to You

AUTHOR: Dayz Sollers

SUMMARY: Post season 2 finale. As Brooke, Nathan and Jake come back from their summers away from Tree Hill, the group has to face the trials and tribulations of their senior year of high school, and find out what is really important to them. Mostly B/L but it will take a while. Be patient, it will get there. I promise. P/J and N/H also. R&R

Disclaimer: Don't own One Tree Hill, too bad for me.

Rating: PG13-maybe to an R later on
Category: Romance/Drama

Chapter One- Return to Tree Hill

"Everyone, if you could return to your seats and turn off all electronic equipment, we will be landing in Tree Hill in ten minutes."

Brooke watched as the stewardess busied herself around the cabin, making sure everyone's trays were in their upright position and that cell phones, and computers had been disconnected. She switched her CD player off, and shoved it into her purse. The new Backstreet Boys album would have to wait.

Memories played over in her mind of when she had left Tree Hill, threatening tears to fall. She pushed them away, and sighed. Had it really only been three months? It had seemed like forever that Lucas Scott had told her he loved her, and she had simply walked out of the house without a reply. She had waited so long to hear him say those words to her, but in a moment of insecurity she had decided to leave his words unanswered.

Brooke had thought a summer apart was what they both had needed, in order for them to start again. Lucas had made several attempts to call her, but she left each one went unanswered. It wasn't her intention to hurt him, but she just didn't know what she was supposed to say. And a part of her wanted to make sure he was serious about his feelings before she admitted hers.

'I love you Brooke.' The words replayed over and over in her mind, as she grabbed a hold of the arm rests to prepare herself for their landing. She wondered what he had expected her to say, since her feelings had never been a secret. He had known from the beginning of their relationship how she had felt about him. It was him who had betrayed her, made her feel as if he had felt the same thing.

And it was him who had chosen Peyton. A part of her would never get past that. He had chosen a few stolen moments with Peyton over what they had shared. Maybe he had never seen it the way she had, perhaps the connection she felt was one-sided. But then why had he uttered the words she had needed to hear?

As the plane came to a stop, Brooke gathered her bags and made her way towards the cabins door. 'This is going to be an interesting school year,' she thought to herself. The airport was full of people, meeting their loved ones with flowers and open arms. She dropped her bags to the ground, and scanned the terminal. Had they forgotten her flight was today? Wrapping her arms around herself for security, she felt her eyes begin to tear up.

But just as she was close to giving up, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. As she turned around to see a familiar face, a smile broke out across her own.

Haley had woken early to the sound of knocking outside. She glanced at the clock across from her, and wondered if Lucas had forgotten the key. Grabbing the robe from the closet she made her way to the door.

"I'm coming. I'm coming."

She opened the door, and came face to face with the person she least expected. "Nathan." She hadn't meant for his name to come out of her mouth like that, but she couldn't help it. It had been 3 months since she had seen him and they hadn't left on good terms. But the love she had felt for him was still there. She had come back to prove that to him, but it had been too late. He had left anyways for the High Rollers, and wouldn't be back until the end of August. Their marriage had been over.

"What are you doing here?"

Nathan brushed past her, and plopped his gym bag onto the couch.

"I live here. Remember? My apartment?" Nathan's voice was filled with anger, as he glanced around the room. "At least it use to be. Can't really tell now."

Haley looked down at the floor smiling sheepishly. After he had left, she had busied herself cleaning the apartment, reorganizing all the CD's and DVD's they had owned, and arranging and rearranging their odds and ends. For the first time since he had stepped foot in the apartment, it was completely clean.

Haley looked up at him, eager to change the subject. "Oh! How was High Flyers? How'd you do? God all of us were waiting to hear from you but you never called to tell us how you were doing."

She sat down across from him, propping her arms on her legs ready to listen. That's if he would talk to her. She had prayed that he would, even if it was just about basketball. And for a few minutes, it had worked.

"It was intense. Man! We thought Whitey was hard on us. We had no idea. I would have called to check in, but I had no time to do anything."

Nathan spoke, even as Haley silently questioned him. Would he have checked in? She doubted it. At least not with her. He owed her nothing anymore. As if he could read her mind, he shifted uncomfortably and stood up.

"Listen Haley. As much as I would want to sit here and talk about my summer, and hell even look at you…I can't. because every time I look at you I see him."

Haley's smile fell from her face. She knew that it wasn't going to get any easier. He was never going to get past Chris, even though nothing had ever really happened. Sure, he had kissed her but as soon as she realized what was happening she had put a stop to it. Didn't that count for something? But by Nathan's facial expression, and his words she had guessed not.

"I never," Haley began to speak, but was quickly interrupted by him.

"Look. I don't hate you. I've had some time away from all of this, and I've just come to the conclusion we were too young. My mom and dad were right. We didn't know what we were getting into. And with the annulment, we have a second chance at our lives. So, you go your way. I'll go mine. No harsh feelings, okay?"

Nathan reached out his hand to hers as she looked up at him. So that had been it? After a year of marriage, it was over and all that was left was a handshake? As she put her hand in his, she bit back tears. Tears she knew that she had no right to cry.

Jake pulled his car into his parents driveway, happy to be home. His parents made their way out to the porch and watched as he grabbed his daughter from the backseat.

"Honey you're here! We've missed you! Come! Give me my precious Jenny!" His mother took her granddaughter in her arms and twirled her around. "Wow, she got big!"

Jake hugged his father, and laughed genuinely. He was home, and this time for good. The court battle between him and Nikki hadn't taken as long as he thought, because his lawyer presented proof that Nikki had lied in the opening testimony. One lie had lost Nikki her daughter, and granted Jake the thing he had wanted most out of life. His daughter was his for now on, his to take care of, protect, and watch grow up.

After a quiet meal with his parents, they made their way into the living room and he could tell his father had something on his mind.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

Jake looked at him, not sure of what he meant. "Well, I'm going to see Karen and see if I can get my job back. I'm going to reapply into Tree Hill High, and I am going to graduate. Just like I've always told you pop."

"What am I going to do with you?" His father grinned. "I'm talking about now that you're home. You and Peyton? That was her name right sweetie?"

His wife simply nodded her head without looking away from Jenny. "That's right. Peyton. So, when are you going to tell her you're back son?"

Jake thought about lying to his father, to tell him that the three months he had been gone he hadn't thought about it. But he couldn't lie. The truth was, the moment he had left Tree Hill, all he had wanted to do was return and take Peyton in his arms and never let her go. She had been there for him when no one else was.

"I guess I'll just see her when school starts…" His voice trailed off as the doorbell rang.

"I wonder who that could be."

Jake's dad stood up to answer the door. Jake sighed, knowing it couldn't be for him, no one knew he was home yet. So when he heard his name, he turned around shocked.

"Jake."

tbc...