Looking For Solid Ground

Okay, so a few notes. First, Haley lost the baby in the accident. Everything else as is, including brooke and nathan's little sex tape. It starts off the night of prom. I know it starts kinda slow, sorry, but i promise it'll get better. enjoy!

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"Tutor girl!" Brooke greeted happily, pulling up the bottom of her red dress a little, so she could sit with the smaller girl at the table.

"Hey," Haley said, smiling up at the beautiful girl emptily.

"You look amazing," Brooke commented, trying to lift Haley's mood. "I mean, you're hot again. Not that you weren't hot before. I mean, you were beautiful. You were glowing. You were--"

"Pregnant?" Haley offered.

Brooke silently cursed herself. When Haley lost the baby, it was like the spark that was inside of her had vanished. It killed Brooke to see her friend like that, so she did the only thing she knew how--she pulled away.

"I'm sorry--" Brooke began.

"It's ok. Tonight should be a happy night. It's prom," Haley interrupted her with fake cheerfulness.

"Speaking of, where's that husband of yours?" Brooke asked, gazing around the gym.

"Around," Haley answered, looking down at her hands that were folded in her lap.

Truth was, Haley hadn't seen much of Nathan since the accident. He had completely closed himself off from her, blaming himself for everything. He was coming home later and later at night, more often than not smelling of alcohol. She hadn't seen him tonight since the moment they had arrived together. He was probably off somewhere, getting drunk--last year's prom, all over again.

"Haley are you ok?" Brooke asked, noticing the girl's hesitancy.

"I'm fine," she lied.

Honestly, she was dying inside, and she had no one to turn to for help. Nathan was never around. Lucas was so happy to be with Peyton again, that she didn't want to ruin this time for him. And then there was Brooke. Brooke had been her closest girlfriend. Or so she thought. But come to find out, when she had needed Brooke the most, she took off, just like Nathan had.

Haley sighed, not wanting to start down the poor pitiful me road, "I see she still cares."

Brooke gave her a confused look at the sudden change of subject, and Haley nodded towards Brooke's prom dress that read the word 'whore' in white letters under certain lighting.

"Peyton--I she still cares about you."

Brooke couldn't help but smile, "Yea, isn't it great?"

"Yea," Haley nodded. It was perfect really, Brooke would go back to Peyton, and completely forget about Haley. Then maybe Haley could go back to how it used to be, when it was just her and the Rivercourt guys. Back when they were invisible, and didn't have a care in the world.

"About that--" Brooke began, interrupting Haley's thoughts.

"About what?"

"The tape."

Haley nodded slowly, "The tape."

"I just wanted to apologize. I mean, I know you've been under a lot of stress and stuff lately, and I know it couldn't have helped with things between you and Nathan, and I feel so bad about--"

"Brooke, I thought I was the one who was supposed to be the rambler," Haley commented, a small smile playing on her lips. Brooke blushed slightly. Haley's smile grew slightly, it wasn't often that Brooke Davis blushed.

"Look, don't worry about it. It's not like I was the one who he was dating back then. I didn't even associate with you guys. I've forgiven Nathan for it, so I've definitely forgiven you for it. You were both such different people back then; it's like it was even you, you know?"

Brooke nodded, unsurely.

"So just forget about it."

"But, you and Nathan, and then Peyton-"

"Like I said, I've forgiven you and Nathan, and from the look of things, Peyton will eventually forgive you too."

"You really think so?"

Haley nodded, her small smile fading.

"I just can't wait for things to go back to normal. You know, like it used to be? Me and Peyton against the world," Brooke commented.

"Yea," Haley replied, eyes shining. So maybe, she didn't want things to go back to how they used to be. Maybe, she didn't want Brooke and Peyton to become best friends again. Haley had nothing against Peyton. In fact, she considered Peyton to be her closest girlfriend after Brooke. She just was afraid once Brooke reunited with Peyton, that Brooke would return to her old self, and that's not what she wanted.

She wanted the Brooke that would make/burn macaroni and cheese for her when she was upset, the Brooke who would wake her up super early on a Saturday morning because there was a sale but Haley had to drag out of bed in order to get to school on time, and the Brooke that would tell her everything was going to be okay even when Nathan would refuse to look at her after she had come back from the tour. Not the Brooke who was so absorbed in her own little world that she didn't even know Haley existed. What she wanted was her friend back.

"Are you sure that you're ok?" Brooke questioned, seeing straight through her. After living with Haley for as long as she had, she was able to read her like a book.

"I'm fine," Haley replied defiantly, looking up at Brooke with tears in her eyes.

Brooke could feel her heart breaking at the sight of her friend in front of her, knowing that this was partially her fault.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, you know you can talk to me, right?"

"Sure," Haley replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"H-"

"Hey you guys, what's up?" Mouth asked, walking to their table, two glasses of punch in his hand. He handed one to Brooke and offered the other to Haley. She shook her head, and he took it for himself, joining them at the table.

"Am I interrupting any good gossip?" He asked with a smile.

"Just trying to decide the hottest couples," Haley lied. Brooke eyed her carefully. If she didn't know her better, she'd say Haley was a normal teenager, having a blast at her senior prom. Unfortunately, Brooke knew her better.

"So how high on the list are we?" Mouth asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Well, let me tell you. I don't think it's fair for the others if we consider you two in the running. I mean, on one hand you have the gorgeously hot Brooke Davis," Haley said, nodding at Brooke who gave her an appreciative smile. "And on the other hand you have the super stud Mouth McFadden. Seriously, nobody else stands a chance with you two as a couple. I think it's selfish really."

Mouth laughed, "Well, life's not fair now is it?"

Haley struggled to keep the fake smile she was wearing. Her eyes quickly glanced around the gym for a some sort of quick escape. She noticed the drink table out of the corner of her eye.

"You know, I think I am kind of thirsty," Haley announced. Mouth made a move to stand, but she shook her head. "It's ok, I'll get it. You enjoy your date here," Haley gave him a wink, standing up and walking away.

"Haley-" Brooke called after her, but she was ignored.


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Haley walked over to the punch bowl, picking up a cup.

"Now, what in the world is the most beautiful girl in the room doing pouring her own glass of punch. Shouldn't she have some knight in shining armor doing that for her?"

A smile grew on her face as she turned around to face Lucas, jumping into his arms. He easily picked her up off the ground, holding her close.

"Care for a dance?" he asked as he placed her back down and taking her hand in his.

"Always," she smiled.

He led her onto the dance floor as a slow song began to play. He wrapped his arms around her, and she folded into him. It was more off a hug than a dance, but it was exactly what Haley needed.

"So where's that husband of yours?" Lucas asked, as Haley leaned her head against his chest.

"I have no idea," she answered honestly. He looked down at her. She looked so small and vulnerable and it scared him because he couldn't fix it. That had always been his job, to make her happy and to make her smile, and he couldn't anymore, and it hurt like hell.

"Do you want me to talk to him or kick his ass or something?"

Haley smiled and sniffled. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her Luke time.

"No, it's ok. He's hurting too, you know? He blames himself for everything, and it's tearing him apart.” Haley replied, letting the tears tumble down her cheeks, tired of fighting them. She doubted Lucas would care if she got his jacket a little damp.

Lucas rubbed her back soothingly, doing all he could to comfort her, "And you?" he asked, his voice full of worry.

"I'm getting there. I mean I have to be. It’s not like it can get any worse right?” she replied with a nervous laugh.

Lucas closed his eyes tightly. He silently cursed everything and everyone that had ever hurt his best friend, including himself for not being there for her when he should have been. He kissed the top of her head gently as they swayed back and forth to the music. He didn't understand how she still had such grace even after everything she had been through.

"So speaking of dates, where’s yours?“ Haley asked after collecting herself.

"She didn't want to come."

Haley looked up at him questioningly. Her eyes still shining from the tears.

"I went to pick her up and she didn't answer the door. I tried calling, but she didn't pick up the phone," Lucas explained.

"Call her again."

"Why? Apparently she doesn't want to be here."

"Lucas, seriously. You know her, I know her. This is Peyton we're talking about. She is head over heals in love with you. She wants to be here. Call her again, maybe there's something wrong. Maybe she can't decide which shade of black nail polish to use."

Lucas nodded with a smile and removed an arm from around Haley and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and looked down at his best friend.

"Why does it feel like lately I've been abandoning you for a girl?" He asked her, honestly.

"First, you're not abandoning me. I'm right here, always where I've been, and always where I'll be. I'll always be there for you, and I know if I need you, you will be for me. Second, she's not just a girl, she's Peyton. The girl you've been in love with for how long now? Go on and call her, I need to go fix my make up anyway. The whole crying look isn't really my thing." she laughed.

Lucas smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead and pulled her into a close hug. "You know you'll always be the number one girl in my life right?"

Haley nodded, "Yea. Now go rescue you're woman from whatever drama she's in now, before someone else does." She said, pushing him away quickly so he wouldn't see the returning tears. Lucas laughed, walking away, dialing Peyton's number.