Keep Bleeding

Chapter 1 – The First Cut is the Deepest

Summary: Keep Bleeding – Sequel to Thicker than Blood. Falling in love was the easy part, it was everything else that got in the way. Naley!

Since we had a rerun tonight, I thought it'd be a good time to post this story.I know I suck. I said a year ago I was going to write this sequel but never did. Thicker than Blood is my baby, I never thought I would have so many people enjoy that story and so it was a welcomed surprise. I wrote a couple of more stories after TTB but none have reached the kind of success that story had, which is why I was hesitant in writing a sequel. When I wrote TTB, it was a different time, season 5 was on the show, nanny carrie threw a big wrench into Naley and the show was rejuvenated by the jump. Now things are different, the third "reboot" didn't go as well as the show may have liked, season 8 is here and it looks like to be the end of the show. I thought about keeping TTB as is but after going to Wilmington and the OTH high I've been riding, I figure I might as well write this down now because I know for sure that once the show goes, I probably won't be writing that much any more. I've had this story in my head for two years now and so I figure I share it with you instead of keeping it bottled to myself lol. I will try to keep the light hearted spirit and humor that made TTB such a hit in this story but there will definitely be some drama.

Just to recap some key things to refresh your memory:

- Nathan met Haley at a blood donation at the beginning of the semester. After aggressively pursuing her, she finally submitted to his charm and the two fell in love. Dan of course wasn't too happy and tried to break them up by hiring someone, Jules, to "sleep" with Nathan. The plan backfired when Nathan learned of the plan and Jules gave Nathan the money Dan paid her and Nathan used the money to help Jake out and pay for a trip to Mexico over winter break. Haley had a pregnancy scare but Haley was not pregnant but Nathan asked her to marry her anyways and the two wed.

- Peyton started going out with Jake but their relationship came to a head when Jake revealed he had a daughter, Jenny. The two worked through it but Nikki, Jenny's mom, demanded custody of Jenny and offered to back off if Jake paid her. Nathan gave him the money to pay Nikki off (see above). Lucas and Brooke had a thing for each other since high school and they finally got together around the same time as Nathan and Haley. Brooke has to leave to New York to pursue her fashion career.

Other things to keep in mind. Peyton and Haley are friends and roommates and met freshmen year college. Jake played on the basketball team along with Lucas and Nathan. Only Lucas, Nathan and Brooke are originally from Tree Hill.

That's basically a short summary, there was a lot of things I skipped out on but please feel free to re-read TTB. I have to warn you that some of the formatting got messed up over the past two years and so dividers that separated scenes are now gone and so when you read it, it can get a little confusing cuz you don't know when the scene changes. I'll try to fix it when I get a chance.

Anyways, I talk too much, please check out my other current story. The Search For Something More, enjoy this one, it takes place right after the events of TTB and as always, please review!

PS. Thank you Bindy417 for your input ! Also, anyone who wants to help beta for me, please PM me!

"Nathan Scott!" The secretary called out.

"Yeah, that's me." Nathan stood up and he extended his hand to Haley. She eagerly took her hand in his and stood up with him. Nathan and Haley walked hand and hand to the front and handed the secretary a bunch of forms. The night before, the couple came back to North Carolina from their whirlwind trip in Mexico where they got married. Now they were in the local municipal office near Duke to apply for their marriage certificate and make their marriage official and legal.

"Have you read and filled everything out?" The secretary asked.

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. I'll take you're file and when we're ready, we'll call you back up."

Nathan nodded and he and Haley sat back down again. Luckily due to the holidays, the office wasn't that crowded. Nathan couldn't believe it; one minute he was begging his mom to spend Christmas in California with Haley, the next he was in Mexico with her. They had their little pregnancy scare but it did nothing to diminish his feelings for Haley. If anything, it only reinforced the feeling he felt ever since he met her, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"This is all so exciting." Haley rubbed her hands together, her gold wedding band prominently shown.

"I know." Nathan took her hand back in his, his own wedding band also showing, and brought her hands to his lips. "Today, we'll finally get our marriage certificate, then we can get your name changed and get you a new driver's license." Nathan smiled. They still had a laundry list of things to do so it was all about doing one thing at a time, especially since they still had about a week left before the spring semester started and things would get busy again.

The only people who knew about the marriage so far were Lucas, Brooke, Jake and Peyton. They had been shocked but to them it didn't matter. They were young and in love, what else was there? They didn't get to spend as much time together as they would've liked. Nathan and Haley separated from them to go do their own thing since technically they were on their honeymoon. The whole group did spend New Year's together but other than that Nathan and Haley were in their own little world.

Their friends were happy for them but Nathan and Haley could tell they were still processing it in. In fact, Nathan and Haley found it hard to believe themselves that they went through with it. Still, it felt right and being together felt right. From the moment they met each other, they belonged to each other. Nathan may have been quick to pick up on this fact but eventually he wore Haley down.

"And don't forget we still have to tell our parents." Haley reminded Nathan.

"Yeah, don't remind me." Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Can't say I blame you?" Haley agreed.

"I mean, it's not like we got married while we were in high school." Nathan pointed out.

"Well I doubt us getting married during our second year of college as opposed to junior year high school would make that much of a difference. I honestly don't know how my parents will react."

"I hope my mom keeps her gun at the shooting range." Nathan replied softly.

"What?" Haley asked.

"Nothing." Nathan shook his head. "Well knowing my mom, she's going to freak. She got married young and look what happened between her and my dad. I can already hearing her say that this is a big mistake." Nathan frowned and Haley frowned back. "And after the stunt we pulled on my dad, he's definitely going to agree with her."

His dad had called him and left messages but Nathan didn't answer or reply to Dan. Technically he should be grateful to Dan, his little ploy of trying to get Jules to "sleep" worked out for the best. Luckily Jules had a conscious and gave the money Dan paid her with to Nathan. Nathan was happy to take the money, using it to help Jake's financial problems with Nikki, his baby momma, and the excess money paid for their Mexico trip.

"You don't think that, do you?" Haley asked while fidgeting with her wedding band, something Haley tended to do often now that she had a ring on her finger.

"Never." Nathan replied resolutely. "From the first day I met you at the health clinic, I knew there was something about you. I remember calling you Mrs. Scott and I meant it as a joke but there was something deep down inside me that already knew that you were the one."

Haley felt her heart swell with love and she smiled brightly. "Haley James-Scott." Haley said softly as she stuck out her hand to admire her ring. "It does have a nice ring to it."

"Oh yeah." Nathan smirked and leaned in to kiss her. Lost in their own world, their mouths open wide and Nathan's tongue sought entrance, which Haley quickly granted.

"Mr. Scott?… Mr. SCOTT!"

"Oh sorry." Nathan pulled back and apologized to the secretary glaring at them. Haley looked like she was about to turn as red as a tomato as she was sure that the secretary wasn't too pleased about the PDA they were displaying in the office. The few people that were there also gave them dirty looks but one woman in the corner actually looked quite amused.

"Here's your paperwork." The secretary handed the papers back down to Nathan. "You can go down the hall, make a left, room 23. You're case worker will be there to finish everything out."

"Thank you." Nathan smiled politely and he and Haley got up. They gave a curt nod and the two started to make their way down the hall.

The secretary couldn't help but laugh to herself, Aww, young love.

"I swear she's gotten so much bigger." Jake smiled as he slowly rocked his sleeping daughter in his arms.

"We haven't been gone that long." Peyton teased.

"This was the longest I've been away from her." Jake admitted and then got up and slowly laid little Jenny down in her crib. "I finally got Nikki out of the picture thanks to Nathan and a part of me did feel bad for just leaving her with my parents."

"Your parents agreed that you could use some time away. You're only young once." Peyton pointed out.

"Yeah I know." Jake replied. He enjoyed his vacation in Mexico but he really missed Jenny. He only wish he could've taken her with him but she was still too young to be on such a long plane ride. As soon as that plane landed, he and Peyton went straight to his house.

"And how'd you hold up? I know you enjoyed yourself dad?" Peyton asked as she put a comforting arm around Jake's shoulder.

"I missed Jenny but I still had fun in Mexico."

"I wonder why."

"Well not only was I in paradise but I was with my very beautiful." Jake turned to Peyton and put his arms around her waist. "smart .. and sexy girlfriend."

Peyton smiled and leaned in to give Jake as kiss. A few seconds they broke it off.

"Look I just want to say thanks." Peyton said.

"For what?" Jake asked.

"For letting me in.. for introducing me to Jenny.. for giving me my space during the trip."

"Peyton, I told you. It's not about sex with me."

"It's just with Jenny and Haley's near pregnancy scared, I sort of freaked out in Mexico. I'm sorry. I didn't mean.."

Jake laughed. "For the millionth time, you don't have to be sorry. Believe me, I understand." Jake looked down at Jenny. "I know we're careful and we used protection but you never know, these things happen. I love Jenny, I do. She's the best thing that's happened to me but I'm not ready to be a father.. again."

Peyton smiled and hugged Jake. "I still can't believe that they got married."

"Or that Brooke and Lucas were so drunk that they barely remembered the whole thing." Jake added.

"I bet you if we got them in front of an alter, they would've gotten married too." Peyton laughed.

Jake nodded in agreement. "Pretty wild huh?" It was all the talk during the trip. Everyone was still wrapping their heads around it. "I knew Nathan was whipped."

"I didn't think Haley would go there." Peyton admitted. "But if she's happy then I'm happy."

"You don't sound so happy."

"Oh I am, it's stupid." Peyton shook her head. "Haley and I have been dorming since we started school and I'll miss her now that her and Nathan are going to take over Brooke's apartment."

"Well if you ever get lonely in that big dorm of yours, I know someone who could help you out with that?"

"Oh yeah." Peyton asked. "I wonder who." Peyton teased as the two kissed again.

Lucas lifted the last of Brooke's luggage on to the conveyer belt. He watched as the ticket lady put the tracking stickers on it before sending it off to be scanned and placed on the plane.

"Is that the last one?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, I just got this." Brooke lifted her oversized purse over her shoulder. She reached inside and took out her plane ticket. Silently, the two walked hand and hand towards the security check point.

The two got back to North Carolina a day earlier than the rest of their friends. Brooke didn't have much time to pack her belongings before she had to fly out to New York. Rogue Vogue opened the doors to her and now she would be attending the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) in New York The whole thing happened so fast, she was having a hard time wrapping her head around it. She knew that one day that in order to make it big in fashion that she would have to move to one of the major fashion cities like LA or New York, she just didn't think it would be this soon. And she certainly didn't think she would be in love when it happened. Brooke Davis had two loves in the world, her prospects of being the next big fashion designer and the other was Lucas Scott.

"I didn't think it would be this hard." Brooke admitted as the two stopped in front of the security check point.

"Yeah I know." Lucas agreed.

"It's crazy right, I mean one minute I'm just Brooke Davis, college student making clothes in her living room and next thing I know I'm heading to New York."

"I'm not surprised." Lucas replied. "I'd always knew you'd make it. You're meant for great things. You're going to change the world Brooke David and you don't even know it." Lucas smiled down at her.

"Luke, stop." Brooke warned.

"What?"

"Stop being sweet and charming. I know how you Scott boys operate."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lucas chuckled.

"Next thing you know, you're going to drop on one knee and ask me to marry me and next thing I know I'll be saying yes and we'll get married but our best friends will be drunk …"

"Brooke!" Lucas interrupted.

"Right, sorry." Brooke sighed. "I wondered this whole time how Haley and Nathan could get married just like that. I mean, they're still young, what's the rush? But now I'm here at this airport about to leave and I have to say bye to you and I'm not ready to say bye." Brooke sniffled.

"But you're ready to pull a Naley and get married?" Lucas squinted.

"No, I'm definitely not ready to get married." Brooke laughed and wiped her eyes. "Besides, you're a broke college student and there is no way I'm going to say yes without a ring." Brooke teased.

"Of course." Lucas smiled.

"I am just going to miss you Lucas Scott."

"Brooke." Lucas said in a stern voice and put his hands on her shoulders. "This isn't the end for us okay. I've waited this long to be with you and you think a few hundred miles is going to stop us.. no way." Lucas reassured Brooke.

Brooke calmed herself down. "Thank you for being such an amazing boyfriend." Brooke hugged Lucas and the two shared a tender kiss.

"Now go before I keep kissing you senseless." Lucas nodded for her to go through security. He looked down and Brooke could tell that he was putting on a brave face for her. If he lost it, she would surely follow.

"Okay.. but wait I almost forgot." Brooke reached into her purse. "These are the keys to my apartment."

"Oh yeah." Lucas took them from Brooke. "This is really nice thing you're doing for Nathan and Haley." Lucas muttered.

"Anything for love right?" Brooke shrugged. "Besides, rent is paid for the rest of the semester and I didn't want it to go to waste. And speaking of wasted, it's also to make up for being a little drunk at their wedding."

"Little drunk?" Lucas squinted at her. "You caught the bouquet and threw it back at Haley."

"I thought we were playing catch." Brooke tried to defend herself but Lucas continued to giggle.

"But we were the only ones there and Haley handed it to you." Lucas pointed out.

"Oh whatever, you're the one that threw up on Nathan's shoes."

"It only splattered on his shoes and besides he was able to wipe it off."

"If that's your story. No wonder Nathan calls you Pucas." Brooke smirked.

"Remind me why I love you?" Lucas teased.

"You mean this." Brooke tip toed up and gave Lucas another kiss.

"Good reminder." Lucas nodded his head. "I am going to miss you Brooke Davis." Lucas took her hands in his and gave her a hug. "Call me when you land okay."

"I will." Brooke sniffled and stepped away from Luke.

He watched her go and he waved back. Lucas stood there at the airport for a good long, even waiting to make sure that Brooke's plane took off. With her gone and his brother married, Lucas knew one thing for sure, nothing would ever be the same again.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE NOT MARRIED?" Haley grabbed a hold of the young clerk's dress shirt and yanked him up from his seat

"Hales." Nathan tried to calm her down. The poor guy looked about their age and also looked scared as shit. Nathan didn't blame him. An angry Haley is a force to be reckoned with. Nathan took a hold of her hands so she could let go of the clerk and Nathan guided her back to her seat.

"What my wife is trying to say is," Nathan tried to speak as calm as he could, "what seems to be the problem?"

"When I put in the information on the computer, there's an automatic hold on overseas marriages?" The clerk replied.

"What do you mean hold?" Nathan asked.

"I only started working here.."

"Clearly." Haley huffed out.

"But I know it has something to do with the new immigration laws that just passed. There's a history of falsifying marriages to get illegal immigrants to come into this country. They just want to make sure that all foreign marriages are valid."

They both looked at him like he was crazy.

"But we're both Americans!" Nathan pointed out and pointed to himself and Haley.

"Yeah, we no hablo Español Señior." Haley added with a very American accent.

The clerk and Nathan turned their head and looked at Haley confused for a second.

The clerk cleared his throat and shook his head. "It's not like your marriage isn't valid. In Mexico you are considered man and wife, but it just means it'll take longer to process your U.S. marriage license."

"And exactly how long will it take?" Haley questioned.

"I'm not sure." The clerk replied nervously.

"What do you mean, you're not sure?" Nathan questioned, his eyes turning dark and clenching his fist. His patience was starting to wear thin as well.

"The laws are so new.. there are different time frames and situations.. umm.. I'm not sure which one applies to you guys." The clerk said nervously as he started to flip through some paper work.

"Well you better find out." Nathan warned. The clerk swallowed a lump in his throat. Nathan was much bigger than him and he could literally see the vein coming out of Nathan's bicep. He could tell that Nathan would have no problem pummeling him to the ground.

"Yeah.. I can.. I can ask my supervisor." The clerk stood up nervously.

"Yeah, you do that." Nathan motioned for him to go away and the clerk started to back away slowly.

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked Haley and started rubbing her back once the clerk left the office.

"No." Haley shook her head, she couldn't believe this was happening. "I really wanted to be Mrs. Haley James-Scott." Haley pouted.

"Would you settle for Señora Haley James-Scott?" Nathan offered.

To Be Continued . . .

Note: Hope you all enjoyed, please review! I'm nearing the end for The Search for Something More, so I'm going to focus more on that story and then pick this one up. I hope to update as soon as I can. Thank you and I promise, shorter Author's notes next time lol.