A/N: Hey guys! I came up with the idea for this story a year ago, and began writing it several months ago. I wanted to get a head start before beginning to post chapters. I can't promise chapters will be out in a regular fashion, especially with school approaching, but I can promise I will do my best. Though I currently do not have the whole story written, I know EXACTLY where I'm taking this and I'm VERY excited about it. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Let me know any thoughts, criticisms, or feedback of any kind. The more you give me, the more I can work from to improve and make you all happy. Thanks! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Haley removed the lid of her lipstick, placing it carefully on the dark wooden dresser before painting a light coat of cherry red to her lips. Haley studied her face, something wasn't right. She looked in the mirror, searching for something missing. Then she remembered, reaching for her pearl necklace which was resting by the gold framed wedding photo. Haley smoothed out her soft curls, setting them aside, trying to get the clasp to latch.

"Haley?" A familiar voice called out for her.

She smiled, relieved and while still playing with the pearls behind her, she walked to the front hall where her husband was standing. "Can you help me with this?" She turned her back to him, holding the necklace out for him. He took the tiny gold clasp in his hands and carefully fastened it. He gently rested the necklace down against her neck and placed a soft kiss beside it.

"What are you so dressed up for?" He asked, as she turned back around and pecked him on the cheek.

Haley's jaw dropped, "Patrick Parker! How could you forget?! We have lunch planned with your mother!"

He shook his head, "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you this morning. We rescheduled."

Haley sighed disappointedly. All her life she'd heard nightmare stories about mother-in-laws, but Haley loved Elizabeth. They'd gotten along ever since they first met. "Why?"

Patrick walked past Haley, to the kitchen, "I have some friends who are in town who I'd like to meet you."

Haley followed him, "Wouldn't I have met them already? At the wedding, or at one of your business dinners?" She tried to speak evenly when she mentioned the dinners. Truthfully, she HATED them. The only reason Haley trudged through them with a smile was because of Patrick.

Patrick shook his head, "No, it's some guys I met at a recent event and their wives, and a couple of other friends who couldn't make it to the wedding."

Haley put her hand on her hip, "But this isn't a business dinner? It's just a regular night out?" Regardless, she knew she was going to go anyways.

Patrick nodded and shuffled through a stack of papers he had picked up from the counter, "A regular night out. Where's today's paper?"

Haley walked back out to the table in the hallway, retrieving the folded paper. She dropped the paper on the kitchen table near her husband's arm. Patrick sat down and began to unfold the pages. Haley knew he would be too occupied with today's news articles to tell her any more about tonight's company. She was halfway out the doorframe when Patrick stopped her.

"Hey, come sit with me." He didn't look up from the paper though.

Haley smiled, "It's okay, I don't mind."

Patrick frowned and leaned the pages downwards so he could see her, "No, please stay honey?"

Haley slowly walked over to the table and placed her hand on his shoulders, "Your mother keeps asking me when she's going to have a grandchild to spoil." She tried to hint in a tender tone.

Patrick was already back to reading his article, "We can work on that later," He mumbled in a far from flirtatious way. Haley knew it was a sore subject, and she knew she shouldn't have mentioned it, but she couldn't help it. She really wanted a baby but they hadn't been able to conceive during their eight month marriage. And after those failures, it had become a sore subject, and the trying became an avoided topic and a less frequent activity. Haley just wanted to regain the intimacy with her husband that they'd lost months ago.

Haley nodded and turned to the sink, she began to hum while putting the clean plates away. Patrick thought out loud, "It's not going to be long before we're a part of this war too you know."

Haley sighed with aggrivation, "Patrick, let's not talk about it." For Haley, this topic was equivalent to Patrick's dislike of talking about trying to have a baby. She avoided even thinking about it like the plague.

Patrick folded the paper and turned around in his chair to look at his wife, "What's wrong?"

Haley closed the cabinets, "I just don't like discussing it. It's terrible."

Patrick got up and walked over to her, placing his hands on her hips, "Don't worry honey." He whispered in a way that made Haley feel just as safe as she had the day she married him.

Haley turned back around and smiled, "Go get ready for dinner." She patted his chest lightly before turning back to the vanishing stack of clean dishes.

--

Haley squeezed Patrick's hand after entering the busy restaurant, a little overwhelmed at the idea of meeting a lot of new people yet again. Patrick's work constantly called for awkward social outings. She never liked his boring business dinners, where she always felt extremely out of place. He whispered to her, "Stop worrying."

Haley smiled as Patrick began to lead her to a big table in the corner filled with young men and women. Patrick smiled charmingly, "Hello! Sorry we're a little late. This is my wife, Haley." Haley smiled at the faces peering at her pleasantly. "Haley, this is John and Catherine Anderson, Christopher and Rebecca Grenwood, Andrew and Abigail Franklin and Nathan Scott."

Haley nodded and smiled at each of the couples and then at Nathan. Nathan was standing with his hands in his suit pockets, looking a little out of place among all the other couples. Haley sympathetically smiled and Nathan returned it with a silent laugh. Patrick motioned for Haley to take a seat between him and Nathan, who was awkwardly seated at the end of the table. Patrick immediately began to discuss business with John and Christopher and as Haley tried to chime in with the other young wives, she found it difficult when the topic kept switching to their children. Haley noticed Nathan fidgeting with his food. She leaned over and whispered, "Feeling out of place Mr. Scott?"

Nathan smiled and looked up at her, "Nathan, and yeah just a little."

Haley laughed, "You're not alone. Truth is, I can't stand these things."

Nathan was temporarily mesmerized by her smile. Her whole face lit up when she laughed, completely illuminating her already obvious beauty. "Why's that? No kids to gush about?"

Haley shook her head, "Not yet." She tried to stay positive and gracefully dodge the topic. "I'm a school teacher though, so those kids keep me busy enough."

Nathan nodded, shocked to find himself feeling almost relieved. "So you're not just the ordinary housewife than anyways? Of course you don't fit in with these women."

Haley shook her head and blushed slightly, shocked at his brutal honesty. She felt she had to exchange it, despite the rude nature of his comment. "It's just that I can't stand not having a purpose. I love teaching. It gives me a challenge, and it's important to me, to the kids, and to the future. Despite the fact that it's not normal for most women my age in this day to have a job, I enjoy it."

Nathan was surprised to find that her response didn't surprise him at all. He couldn't imagine that a lady like her would be like most women in any way, yet he had only known her for a few minutes, "I think it's great that you're different than most wives. I respect that."

When he looked up, ready to see those big chocolate eyes, they were instead squinted, staring at him quizically. "Wait, are you Nathan as in college basketball star best friend Nathan?"

Nathan laughed again, "Yes, Patrick and I were really good friends in college." That was understatement. He and Patrick were as close as roommates in college could be, but they hadn't seen each other in a year.

Haley nodded, "I've heard so much about you. Patrick wanted you to be his best man in our wedding, but you couldn't make it."

"I had to have knee surgery a week before. I'm so sorry, I wish I could've been there. Patrick really was a very good friend." Nathan was the star basketball player, always dating a different girl, while Patrick had been the over-achieving scholar, with a couple serious girlfriends. They were complete opposites yet for some reason, they got along better than brothers.

Haley laughed and teasingly raised an eyebrow, "Oh, I've heard stories about you Nathan Scott."

"I'm sure you have." Nathan had had his fair share of "fun" in college, to say the least, and Patrick had witnessed all of it. "But I'm sure you're no saint either Haley Parker."

Haley shrugged, "I'm pretty close." Nathan simply smiled in reply, there was something about her that he was stuck on. Something that made him excited, nervous, anxious and relieved all at once. Every detail about her was tuned to perfection from her ruby red lips to her shining curls, yet it was her natural beauty that amazed him like her dark chocolate eyes.

Two hours later after a steak dinner, and rich dessert, Haley and Nathan were still laughing and talking. They'd spent the whole night this way, completely wrapped up in their own little end of the table. And for the first time, Haley was actually genuinely smiling and enjoying herself during one of these business dinners.

"Haley?" Catherine was politely awaiting a reply to a question that Haley wasn't even aware was asked.

Haley stopped smiling at Nathan and turned to face the other young wives, "Yes?"

Rebecca finished the thought, "We were discussing the war and wondering does it bother you that Patrick is enlisted in the army?"

Nathan had completely, temporarily forgotten about him. This was his best friend's wife. The wife he was supposed to have met a year ago. He put the thoughts of her beauty and smile out of his mind and looked over to see her response. Haley's face had fallen, though she kept a faint polite smile there, "It certainly doesn't ease my nerves."

Abigail touched Andrew's shoulder, "See. That's what I told Andrew when he wanted to join; 'that'll be the death of me'. I just couldn't handle that kind of anxiety, especially nowadays with a draft right around the bend."

Patrick knew that Haley never wanted to talk about the war because she worried about Patrick having to take part in it. He discretely placed one hand on her thigh to calm her and looked to Abigail, "Haley handles it very well. She may not enjoy it but she's very supportive of my duty to serve my country."

Haley smiled at Patrick. She loved how he always knew what to say. She loved how he always knew when she was uncomfortable. Haley kissed him on the cheek lightly, causing an eruption of 'awww' from the other end of the table. She blushed a little and looked over to Nathan instead, only to find him staring intently at his coffee, no longer smiling. He was so much more handsome when he smiled. Patrick squeezed her thigh and then put his glass down, "Well, it was nice seeing you all but we better get going."

Patrick helped Haley out of the chair and held her coat for her as she slid her arms through the sleeves. She adjusted her hair and then smiled at the Anderson's, Grenwood's and Franklin's, "It was so nice to meet you all. We'll have to do it again sometime." Haley went over to kiss each of them goodbye.

Patrick waited for her and turned to Nathan, who was watching Haley say goodbye to Abigail, "I see you two got along really well."

Nathan's stomach dropped like a little kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But when he looked over at Patrick, he was surprised to find the biggest smile on his face. Patrick looked over to Haley as well, "What do you think of her? She's great isn't she?"

Nathan could see the way Patrick's smile grew when he said her name. He looked at Haley laughing at something Catherine said. That smile was absolutely dazzling. She was more than the best. Haley Parker was the perfect woman. "She's the best. Good job finding that one." Nathan patted Patrick on the back.

Patrick nodded proudly, "One day you should find one like her Nate." He gleamed at Haley as Nathan couldn't help but think that he'd wish he'd found this particular one before his best friend had.

Patrick returned the hug as Haley appeared next to them, "We'll see you again soon I hope Nathan? Come by our townhouse for dinner sometime."

Haley nodded, "We'd truly love to have you. It was so nice finally meeting the infamous Nathan Scott. So don't be a stranger now." She pecked him lightly on the cheek.

Patrick then wrapped his arm around her shoulders and escorted her out the restaurant door. Nathan stood glued to the spot, completely at a loss for words, thoughts or movement, forgetting about the bustling restaurant around him. Patrick truly had found perfection. He sat down, breathlessly, and tried to shake these thoughts out of his head. Haley was married to his best friend. Haley Parker. Nathan reminded himself, trying to talk himself back into common sense. The only reason he felt this way was because he was just a little lonely right now, and seeing his best friend in bliss just made him a little jealous. His feelings for Haley meant nothing. She was an attractive girl is all, and they'd only talked for a couple hours. Nathan went to bed that night repeating these things to himself over and over, except when he closed his eyes that night he could still feel the butterflies in his gut.

--

Haley unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor by her feet. She looked over at Patrick, who was sitting on the edge of their bed removing his shoes, "What did you think of Nathan?"

Haley bent down, rummaging through the dresser drawer looking for her nightgown, "I really liked him. He's just like you described him, except he was a little more shy and charming and a little less crazy and wild."

Patrick laughed, "Yeah, he gets like that when he's nervous."

Haley placed the folded nightgown on the dresser and closed the drawer, "He's so sweet. Why doesn't he have a wife yet? That's so hard to believe with his charm and good looks."

Patrick removed his shirt, "Nathan's never been a one woman kind of man. Serious relationships have never interested him."

Haley walked over to him, not ready to give up and change into her nightgown just yet, "That's a shame, he's such a good guy."

"I love you for worrying about him, but don't. It's not your problem to solve. Nathan's always gotten by just fine by himself." Patrick kissed the top of her head.

Haley rubbed her fingers through his hair, "Even if he's afraid of commitment, I'm sure he gets lonely."

Patrick shrugged, "Maybe."

Haley smiled and placed herself in Patrick's lap. She bent down and whispered in his ear, "You though, have no reason to feel lonely tonight." She giggled and kissed his neck. Patrick sighed, and pulled her off of him gently. Haley studied his face, alarmed. Though they'd lost some intimacy over the past months, he had never rejected her quite so cooly. "What's wrong?"

Patrick kissed her forehead, "Not right now."

Haley's playful smile vanished as she got up and walked over to the dresser to retrieve her nightgown, accepting defeat. She slipped it over her head and was about to walk back to bed when she remembered her pearls. Haley fumbled with the clasp, clearly frustrated. She groaned and walked back over to Patrick, "Can you please help me with this?" She barked in a strained voice.

Patrick could read the agitation in her voice; he had upset her. He quickly undid the little gold clasp and then spoke gently, "I'm sorry Haley. It's not you, I just...have too much on my mind tonight." Patrick slipped his pajama bottoms on.

Haley climbed over to the edge of the bed and reached for Patrick's shoulders, concern winning over her temporary anger, "I noticed that. You've been so tense and distant today."

Patrick sighed and closed his eyes, holding his head in his hands, "I know, I'm sorry honey. I've been thinking about things."

Haley knew that voice, he was hiding something from her. She let her hands slip off his shoulders as she sat down on the bed next to him, "What things?"

Patrick sighed and got up, he turned around so he could see her. Haley already had anxiety written all over her face as her forehead wrinkled in further concern. "I have something to tell you."

Haley got off of the bed and walked over to him. She rubbed his arm, "What is it Patrick?" Worry flushed through her body like a warm tidal wave.

Patrick was staring intently into her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction, "I wanted to talk to you and my mother separately and that's why lunch-"

"Patrick. Please just tell me already." Haley couldn't take the suspense anymore, her knees were already beginning to shake.

Patrick nodded and cupped her face in his hands, "Haley honey, I've been called to duty. I leave in a week."

Haley's heart stopped, jaw dropped and knees buckled as her worst nightmare became a reality.

--