Title: My Boys

Author: Kristen

Pairing: Nathan/Haley (Laley friendship)

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing!

Spoilers/Warning: Pretty early season one, so if you've seen that far, you're good.

Summary: An early season one glimpse at Haley James and her two Scott Boys.

Author's Note: A small gift for Miss Diane on her birthday. I hope you have a wonderful day full of sweets and fun love, hope you enjoy it. *hugs*

A major thanks to Emma for helping me along the way.

"Hales are you sure you want to do this?" Lucas asked, throwing the plush basketball above his head repeatedly as he watched his best friend dash back and forth across the room, clothes intermittently flying from the closet. "We could just stay in, hang out."

"Lucas." She warned simply, her crazed pace never slowing.

"Or we could go downtown. They're showing old black and white movies at that theatre. Or I think Skill said the guys would be at the river court so-"

"Lucas!" She yelled, her constant pacing coming to a sudden halt as she turned to face the blonde boy perched on her bed, hands planted firmly on her hips. "Stop it already alright? God. I'm doing this okay? I want to do this. And I'm going to keep doing it so you're just going to have to get used to it. Now, you can keep complaining and leave or you can shut up and help me decided which shirt to wear."

He sat silently for a moment, watching as she looked between two shirts and then back at him, waiting for his input. "Whatever. Haley, guys don't do this. We don't deliberate over clothes for dates we just grab the first thing out of the closet that smells clean."

"You're such a liar Lucas Scott. How many times did you change your shirt before you went to that stupid annual Dan Scott jamboree because you didn't know if Peyton would like gray or blue more?"

"Yeah and look at how well that night turned out." He grumbled, but lamely pointed at the red top she held in her hand.

"Well I'm sure hooking up with her best friend shortly after really helped things along." She quipped back from inside the closet where she changed her top.

"Haha. You're a regular comedian Hales." He deadpanned, giving her a thumbs up when she emerged from the closet. "Looks good, now lets go to the movies."

"Lucas Scott!"

"Kidding! I was kidding. What time is the devil spawn, I mean Nathan, getting here anyways?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"Now who's the comedian?" she rolled her eyes. "He said he'd be here at 7:30."

"He's going to be late. Its already," he started, sitting up slightly to see the alarm by her bed. "7:25."

She scoffed, shoving her feet into her shoes before checking her makeup. "Would you quit being such an ass? He's always been on time be-" she cut off at the sound of the horn outside. Rushing to the window she pulled the curtain aside, a smile spreading across her face as Nathan waved to her from below. She waved back, mouthing she'd be down shortly.

"See? He's here on time. In fact, he's early. So ha!" she turned to Lucas.

"He honked!" the blonde boy pointed out incredulously.

"Yeah, and?" Haley responded, back to dashing across the room, making sure she had everything, stopping in front of the mirror again to smooth out her hair.

"And? He honked Haley! He's picking you up for a date and he honked? What does he think this is, a drive thru?"

"Oh good gosh Lucas. He honked because I told him to. No one's home and I wouldn't hear him at the door over all your whining and complaining. Now, I'm leaving…are you going home or will you be here when I get back?" she asked from the doorway.

"I'll probably hang out here. Brooke's having girly night with Peyton and I'm apparently not allowed. Besides, your mom left me some lasagna." He smiled, his mouth watering at the idea of wolfing down some of Lydia's homemade food.

"Okay." She laughed. "I'll be back later then. Don't eat my mac'n'cheese!" she shouted back as she made her way down the stairs and out the front door; her smile widening as she took in the image of Nathan leaning up against his SUV, smiling back at her.

"Hi." He said sweetly, sweeping a strand of hair from her face before leaning in to kiss her softly.

"Hi." She whispered back when they pulled apart, giggling softly as he kissed the tip of her nose.

"You ready to go?" he asked, turning to open the door for her.

"Thanks." She murmured with a smile, climbing up into the SUV. "Yeah lets –"

"Hey!" Lucas shouted from the front door, causing the couple to turn around; irritation and confusion automatically filling Nathan's features. "Have her back by eleven you hear me? And no funny business!"

"- go. Let's go Nathan." She rushed out, her face flooded with heat as the brunette boy turned to her, a smirk gracing his lips as he took in her embarrassed state. "Please Nathan, get in the car before that idiot," she said loudly, making sure the blonde in the doorway heard her, "says anything else stupid."

She sighed in relief when he shut her door, making his way around to his side of the vehicle before climbing in next to her; ignoring the fact that he was doing his best to hold in an amused laugh as he put the car in gear and pulled away from the house.

~*~

"So I think that dinner went much better than the last one we shared." Haley joked, referring to their first date that Tim and his posse of friends had so rudely interrupted.

They'd just finished having dinner at Elijah's, a restaurant that Haley had once mentioned in a tutoring session as being her favorite. After dinner she suggested ditching their scheduled movie and walking the pier, insisting that it was much too pretty of a night to be inside a cold, damp theatre.

"Yeah." He laughed nervously. "You know I am still really sorry about that right? I was a complete jerk that night and –"

"Hey, Nathan." She cut in, giving him a reassuring smile. "I know, it's okay; I was just teasing you. I wouldn't be here if I was still upset or thought you weren't sorry."

"Okay." He nodded, looking down at her in amazement, wondering how he'd gotten her to agree to a first date, much less a second, and now a third after he was such an ass the first time. They continued walking in a comfortable silence, a cool breeze from the water swirling around them.

"I'm sorry about earlier. With Lucas I mean." Haley started again, looking up at Nathan as their joined hands swung gently between them as they walked down the pier.

"Its really okay Haley." He said with a soft laugh. "It was actually kind of funny."

She scoffed as he released her hand, bringing his to her waist to pick her up and place her on the railing, watching as he leaned on it next to her. "It was not funny! It was idiotic and embarrassing. I swear Karen raised him better than that."

"He was just being protective. Its kind of annoying sometimes, but tonight it was mostly funny." He smiled, picking up one of her hands, folding it into his own.

"Why are you all of a sudden on the Lucas Scott train?" She looked down at him curiously.

"Oh I'm not!" he let out with a guffaw. "I just…I don't know. I guess maybe I see where he's coming from now."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking down at their joined hands, internally giggling like a silly girl as she watched his thumb stroke unconsciously over the inside of her wrist.

He shrugged, pushing her knees apart gently as he stepped in between her legs; his arms coming to wrap around her waist as he looked up at her. "I don't know. I mean, before, when you and I first started hanging out it was annoying. Like he was just making sure I knew that you were his. But now, I don't know. Now I guess I understand he's being like that because he cares about you and wants to protect you. It's the same way I feel."

She watched him, smiling softly as she took in how vulnerable he looked, obviously not comfortable or familiar with revealing how he felt to others. She leaned down; bringing a hand gently to his face as she guided his mouth to meet hers; sighing contently into his kiss as his lips parted slightly.

"You're sweet." She murmured as they pulled apart, her arms looped around his shoulders, drawing his body in closer to hers.

"Please don't spread that around, I'll catch hell from the guys on the team." He joked, leaving repeated soft kisses on her cheek. "But thank you. You make me that way."

She smiled, looking down as the corner of her lip wedged itself between her teeth, color tingeing her cheeks.

"You're pretty." She heard him say softly, her head snapping up to find his gorgeous blue eyes shining with sincerity. "You're so damn pretty."

"Thank you." She returned just as soft, turning her lips to his for a quick kiss before smiling at him brightly. "You make me feel that way."

~*~

"I had a good time tonight Nathan." Haley said as the SUV slowed to a stop in front of her house. "I hope you don't mind that we skipped the movie."

"Yeah Hales, I was real torn up about missing The Notebook." He laughed before jumping out, running around to her side to open the door, winking at her as she thanked him. "I don't even know what it's about but it sounds like a chick flick."

"It is not a chick flick!" she argued vehemently as they made their way up the sidewalk. "Critics are saying it's the greatest love story of our time!"

"Right." He drew out, amusement dancing in his eyes as he watched her get worked up about the film. "So basically, it's a chick flick."

"Oh Nathan Scott you are so going to get it." She warned him, finger pointed at him in accusation. "Just for that you have to come in and watch Walk to Remember with me."

"Uh uh, the date train stops at the doorstep tonight baby." He told her.

"Nathan!" she whined with a pout, stomping her foot for effect. "Why not?"

"One, I cannot believe you just stomped your foot at me like a petulant two year old and –"

"Ooh, petulant. Big word Mr. Scott." She teased, momentarily forgetting their silly argument.

"I have a good tutor." He teased back. "Anyways, and two, isn't Lucas inside waiting for you to get home so you two can hang out and do something dorky together?"

"Hey! I resemble that remark!" she exclaimed, her previous pout restored. "Please Nathan? Please? I'll make sure Lucas is on his best behavior."

"Hales." He returned with a whine of his own, trying to avert his eyes from her beautiful brown ones looking up at him. "Baby, please don't make me." Rolling his eyes in defeat when she batted her lashes at him innocently. "Fine, you win. Lets go inside before I change my mind."

She leaned up, a beaming smile on her face, smacking a loud kiss to his cheek before taking his hand. "I like it when you call me baby."

He smiled back down at her, hope dancing in his eyes. "Like it enough to not make me go inside?"

"Not a chance in hell handsome." She sing-songed. "Now come on." She instructed, pushing the door open and pulling him through with her. Turning around she found her best friend sitting on the couch, eyes glued to some basketball game playing on the television.

"Hey Luke." She greeted, shaking her head at Nathan when she didn't receive an answer. She walked in further, Nathan's hand never leaving her grasp, and raised her free hand to smack Lucas lightly upside his head. "Hey loser."

"Ow, what the hell Haley?" he asked, rubbing his head where she'd hit him. "How was your date with the devil?"

She reached out and smacked him again before pointing behind her to Nathan whose grip tightened on Haley's hand.

"Oh. Sorry." He muttered, having the decency to look slightly embarrassed. "What, uh, what are you guys up to now?"

"We're going to watch A Walk to Remember so you must relinquish your hold on the remote and –" she stopped, gaping at him before placing her free hand on her hip.

"What?" Lucas asked innocently, wondering what he'd done wrong now.

"Lucas Scott. Karen leaves and it's like she took all your home training with her. Are you eating my mother's lasagna straight out of the dish?"

"…no?" he answered with a cheeky smile, even as his fork was in hand, poised over the dish in question.

"Ugh, you're such a boy." She scoffed. "Anyways, you're going to have to scoot over and give me the remote."

"But Hales-" He started.

"Gosh you Scott boys whine a lot." She interrupted with a mumble.

"Oh you're not one to talk Miss James. I believe you were the one throwing a tantrum on the porch just a minute ago." Nathan spoke up with a smirk.

"I was not throwing a tantrum!" she insisted, pushing Lucas over so that Nathan could sit.

"Uh huh. Sure you weren't." Lucas chimed in, glad to have the heat off of himself. "Anyways, I was going to say, we can't watch a movie, the games on."

"Lucas, Nathan and I-" Haley started to argue.

"Oh I forgot that was tonight. The Lakers handing it to the Spurs yet?" Nathan asked, settling himself on the other end of the couch.

"Nah, not yet. But they're still winning. They're a second half team anyways." Lucas answered.

"Um, hello?" Haley broke in, standing in front of the television, demanding attention from the boys. "Hi, remember me? Girlfriend and best friend, person who actually lives in this house? Nathan, we were going to watch a movie, remember?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah, but, baby the game's on and Lucas was here first and-"

"Lucas was here first? Seriously? You normally go against what Lucas wants to spite him and now you're agreeing?" she asked incredulously, eyeing the pair of boys who looked up at her with smiles on their faces, their similar blue eyes drawing her in, forcing her to acquiesce.

"Ugh, fine. I'm going to change into pajamas then because Lord knows this will bore me to sleep." She grumbled, huffing up the stairs. "And use a plate Lucas!"

"Boys." She muttered to herself as she entered her room, slipping out of her shoes and clothes before putting on her cotton lounge pants and a matching camisole. Grabbing a book off of her nightstand, she might as well do something interesting, she made her way back down the stairs, stopping in her tracks as she heard laughter.

"Oh man, did you see that?" she heard Nathan ask, a smile unconsciously spreading across her face at the happiness she recognized in his voice; the smile only growing larger as she heard Lucas respond with a laugh. She walked up behind them, eyes wide with amazement as she took in the fact that, not only did Lucas actually get a plate for his lasagna, he'd gotten Nathan one too.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" she asked as she made her way around the couch, plopping herself down in the middle. "You're eating again?"

"It looked good." Nathan shrugged simply, shoving a bite in his mouth to prove his point. "And Luke offered."

She looked over at Lucas, mouthing a 'thank you', to which she received a dopey grin and a shrug. She leaned back, snuggling into Nathan as she stretched her feet into Lucas lap and smiled contently. She knew they had a long way to go, knew that come tomorrow, when there wasn't a basketball game on television and lasagna to bond over they'd be back to griping about one another; but for tonight, she was going to enjoy the time she had with her boys.