Claudia was stood at the Scott's door, she was looking for her husband, Claudia left Tree Hill to go on a rock tour leaving behind her friends, family and Husband. Her husband wants an annulment and she wants him.

"Hey, Porn Freak." Claudia laughed sadly and Nathan looked at her in shock.

"What're you doing here?" Nathan asked determinedly stoic.

"I wanna come home, Nathan." Claudia replied truthfully and Nathan scoffed disbelievingly.

"Yeah, this is really bad timing. Uh-" Nathan said awkwardly before he was cut of by Deb, Nathan's mom, was rushed to the door.

"Nathan, we have to go." Deb said as she walked out of the house, she did not acknowledge Claudia.

"What's going on?" Nathan asked looking over at his mom.

"It's urgent. It's your father. We have to go now." Deb replied and Claudia had an increasingly shocked face. Nathan shut the door behind him.

"I'm sorry." Nathan said to Claudia before he followed his mom. Claudia stood at the doorway, unsure of what to do. Deb looked over at her.

"Claudia?" She said and Claudia turned to face them. Deb and Claudia hadn't really spoke after Claudia screamed at her at the after-wedding party. "Come with us." She stated smiling a little then she got back into the car. Nathan did not argue as Claudia got into the car.

___

The dealer ship was burning down and Deb was crying out for her husband. Claudia slipped her hand into Nathan's comfortingly during all the chaos. Nathan didn't take it away from her. Dan was alive as he breathed for air with paramedics around him.
___

Nathan stood at the window in his bedroom and looked out of it arms crossed. Once Claudia had finally mustered enough courage to go up to him. She knocked on the door.

"Hey, that was your mom on the phone. She said she's gonna spend the night at the hospital with your dad." Claudia stated and Nathan just scoffed.

"Unbelievable. They should have a Scott family discount." Nathan sighed and Claudia looked down at the ground.

"I'm really sorry, Nathan." She whispered upset.

"About my dad or about us?" Nathan asked arrogantly.

"Everything." Claudia replied looking up at him with her eyes filled with despair . Nathan looked away indifferently.

"So, what're you doing here anyway? Tour playing Tree Hill?" Nathan asked mockingly and Claudia shook her head as she stayed at the door frame.

"No. They wanted me to become a... solo artist and record a record or something, but... It didn't matter without you. None of it mattered without you." Claudia answered truthfully. Claudia had the voice to become the next soul singer but she gave it up for him. Nathan raised his eyebrows uncaringly.

"I made a lot of mistakes, Nathan." Claudia sighed and Nathan nodded his head.

"That's right... and if you left the tour for me, you made another one, coz I'm leaving in the morning; I'm going to High Flyers." Nathan explained and Claudia smiled with glee. She walked up to him.

"Nathan that is amazing. I am so proud of you. I knew you would go." Claudia said smiling as she hugged him, Nathan did not hug back. She stepped back and looked at him. "What you can't hug me anymore?" She asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Well, listen, there's-there's no more apartment and... I put all your stuff in storage... so you can spend the night in the guest room if you want."  Nathan explained and Claudia nodded gratefully, she really didn't want to leave him. But she walked up to the door. She stopped as she got there and turned around.

"Nathan, there wasn't a moment when I was away... that my heart wasn't with you in Tree Hill." Claudia explained truthfully. The sleepless night and the endless crying showed her how much she missed Nathan but when she sang all she could about was how much she loved him.

"That's great!" Nathan exclaimed dispassionately. "But I'm still leaving tomorrow, and unlike you, I'm taking my heart with me." Nathan replied ignorantly and Claudia walked away from him so he wouldn't see her cry. She walked into the guest bedroom and locked the door. She slid down the door and cried.

___

Claudia walked into her old apartment after having just returned from the door. She frowned as she saw her face with pink paint all over it. She sighed looking at it, looking at how bad she hurt him.

Claudia was unpacking on the guest room bed, Nathan walked in and sighed.

"Just wanted to make sure you have everything you need." Nathan stated grunginly.

"You mean other than you?!" Claudia spat back angrily but then she sighed. "Sorry. That wasn't fair." She apologised and then there was a pause. Claudia felt uncomfortable. "This is really weird, Nathan." Claudia said as she sat on the bed. "You know, I can just call Peyton or Lucas or something." She offered.

"No, Claudia, it's late." Nathan stated before he inhaled. "Besides, what's the difference? You turn the lights out; it's all the same darkness, right?" He said cynically and Claudia called on him before he could leave.

"Nathan- " She sighed and Nathan turned around. "You know,... you know when you took those drugs before the game... where you collapsed?" Claudia asked and Nathan crossed his arms listening. "You made a mistake. But... I know you promised yourself that if you had a second chance, you would do things differently." Claudia continued and Nathan looked down sadly. "I know that I hurt you. But I promised myself that if I could get you to listen, um... I would tell you that... there was never a day on that tour... when I didn't think you were the best part of my life." Claudia explained as she walked up to Nathan.

"You can't just say that, Claudia, Not after months of silence." Nathan replied restrained.

"It's the truth Nate." Claudia whispered.

"Really?" Nathan asked shocked.

"Yeah." Claudia muttered.

"Well, what about the day you signed the annulment papers?" Nathan asked and Claudia looked up at him in shock.

"The papers that you initiated?!" She exclaimed pointing at him.

"Yeah, after I drove a thousand miles to see you and you didn't even call me after I left! Must have been a hell of an encore!" Nathan spat back and Claudia couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Nathan, you just walked away!" She exclaimed angrily.

"Well, it beats running away." Nathan said and then another knife painfully Claudia in the heart.

"I did call." Claudia replied monotone.

"You called our answering machine, Claudia!" Nathan shouted.

"Because I knew that you were gonna hang up on me anyway so I had to leave a message!" Claudia exclaimed and Nathan shrugged.

"Well, I didn't even play it." Nathan said and Claudia looked sad. "I deleted you." He whispered harshly, it was like the old Nathan was coming back.

"Well,... the you deleted... this." Claudia sighed before she took a deep breath. "'Um... I was being childish when I walked away from you for the tour." Claudia said and Nathan nodded his head in agreement. "I left you purely on the basis of my love for music, but then I realised my love for you is greater. Much greater. I fought for all the wrong reasons and I was stubborn." Claudia continued to recite and Nathan raised a brow nodding his head. "I can't take it back, I wish I could take it back. I should of asked you to come. But there is no point in my denying the face that I loved the tour because I did. Even the sleepless nights when I cried about you. But Nathan you should know," Claudia continued as she walked up to him. "There was never a night where I loved it more than I loved you." Claudia finished reciting seriously as she looked up at him.

Claudia continued to stare at the wall with her face painted pink on it. Brooke entered from behind and walked up to Claudia. Claudia turned around to face her.

"Pretty angry, huh?" Brooke stated and Claudia turned back to the wall.

"Yeah. You'd think after three months, this would have gone away." Claudia sighed and Brooke shook her head.

"I don't think that's ever going away." Brooke explained and Claudia closed her eyes.

"You can probably tell, but Nathan's not here. He... moved out before he left for camp." Claudia explained and Brooke nodded her head.

"Yeah, I know. I-I'd say 'welcome back' but I don't suppose you're staying." Brooke muttered and Claudia turned around and looked at Brooke.

"No, I am." She stated surely and Brooke looked surprised.

"Oh, well, you might be staying but you're not staying here, I just rented this place. For me." Brooke replied frowning and Claudia sighed as she watched Brooke walk through the apartment.

___

Claudia walked up to Lucas who was bent over. He just realised that he was out of HCM pills. The serious and fatal heart condition.

"Are you OK?" Claudia asked and Lucas straightened his back breathing hard.

"Depends; are you home for good?" He asked before he turned around to face her smiling.

"Or for bad." Claudia added and they both hugged. Haley James walked up to the Rivercourt smiling.

"Well, well, well what did the cat drag in?" She asked and Claudia let go of Lucas and looked at her best friend.

"Haley James, is that you?" She asked mockingly as the pair walked up to each other. They hugged each other tightly.

"Back for good and better than ever." Haley exclaimed as the girls hugged each other. "Also love the hair and the new nose ring!" Haley laughed and Claudia smiled at her.

"I can say the same about you blondie." Claudia replied picking up a strand of Haley's blonde hair. "Lucas check this out, the only two girls you need in your life and standing right in front of you." Claudia said to Lucas as they walked up to him hand in hand.

"You should be grateful to have us." Haley continued the joke and Lucas just nodded his head.

"We are amazing." Claudia added and Haley nodded her head in agreement.

"Don't I know it." Lucas stated smiling down at his two best friends.

___

The front door opened in Karen's Cafe and Claudia, Haley and Lucas walked in.

"Hey, can a girl get a decent cup of 'Jo' around here, am I right Hales?" Claudia exclaimed and Deb turned around and Karen grinned at them.

"Oh, one song per cup!" Karen replied to Claudia as she walked up to the two girls. "Oh, I've missed you two, kiddos!" Karen said hugging the two girls with glee.

"I've missed you, too." Claudia and Haley both grinned as they got out of the hug.

"So, what brings my two favourite Jetsetters round?" Karen asked the pair of them.

"Ah, well, um... considering what they pay the opening act, I... was kind of hoping for a job. I mean my new volunteering job down at the children's home won't make ends meet." Claudia replied and Karen nodded her head before turning her attention to Haley.

"I just need a job." Haley replied shrugging. Karen laughed.

"Oh, of course, we'd love to have a big pop star and my favourite Haley performing in our hip new café." Karen squealed and both teenagers shook their heads.

"Actually, I was just kind of hoping to waitress." Haley replied and Claudia nodded her head in agreement.

"Let's see what you have got!" Karen grinned and the two teenagers nodded their head off before they tended to the floor. Claudia walked over to the piano smiling.

"You know, um,... I played my first performance right here; just for Nathan." Claudia said because she could feel Lucas and Haley looking at her sympathetically.

"Have you talked to him since he left for camp?" Lucas asked and Claudia shook her head.

"He didn't pick up but I kind of guessed that." Claudia muttered as she tugged on the sleeves of her long sleeve top.

"So you haven't had any contact with him?" Haley asked her and Claudia turned to face them.

"I wrote letters." Claudia replied before she turned to face the piano upset.

Claudia walked up to Nathan's bedroom door and stood in the doorway.

"Are you awake?" She asked and Nathan laid on the bed with his eyes open.

"Yeah." He mumbled and Claudia looked sad. He was being so distant.

"Hey, talk to me, please." She begged as she walked into the room.

"I don't know what to say to you, Claudia." Nathan said honestly. "Part of me just wants to find the right words to hurt you." Nathan sighed before he looked over at Claudia. "The same way you hurt me." He finished and Claudia looked at him emotionless.

"Nathan, I am hurting." Claudia said sternly, because it was true. Claudia had been hurting ever since Chris showed up in Tree Hill. Ever since she performed her first ever show, that was when it all went down hill.

"You mean because I made out with Chris? Because I turned my back on us and walked away?" Nathan asked and Claudia looked at him steadily. "Oh, wait, that was you." Nathan said before he lied back down on the bed.

"No because you made me choose." Claudia stated bluntly as she looked at him in dead in the eye. "I never made you choose between me or basketball." Claudia continued and Nathan just watched her. "I was willing to give up everything for High Flyers, for you." Claudia whimpered a little and Nathan could see she was really upset. "But no I go on tour and everyone wants to scorn the bitch." Claudia muttered as she began to leave. She just wanted to hug Nathan again, she wanted to be with him. Period.

"Claude." Nathan called out struggling. Claudia walked up to him really fast.

"Nathan, please, I just miss you and I love you." Claudia mumbled as she crawled on the bed, Nathan wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" She mumbled before they began to kiss. Nathan did not resist until he came to his senses.

"Claudia, I can't do this!"  Nathan stated breaking it off, but Claudia still hugged him. "I'm sorry, you need to go. Alright?" Nathan said pushing her off of him. Claudia looked down at him for so long that he had to look away. She moved back and sat the end of  the bed.

"I understand, you just don't love me anymore." Claudia replied hurt, she sat there a while as the pain showed before she got off the bed and walked away.

" Always and forever." Nathan said and Claudia turned to face him with such hope. "That's what sucks, Claudia. I still do love you. I always will." Nathan continued as he shook his head. Claudia could feel her heart churning in her chest. "I just can't trust you." Nathan stated coldly and Claudia walked away and ran into her room. She lay on the bed and cried into the pillow. Her song book, that laid beside her, was stained with tears.

___

Claudia is working behind the counter and Brooke walked up to her smiling.

"How much for a broken heart with a side of regret?" Brooke asked sitting down on the stool.

"Um... more than you wanna know." Claudia replied smiling sadly. Brooke nodded her head.

"Hmm, so when you're done here, bring your stuff to the apartment." Brooke stated and Claudia looked confused.

"Why?" Claudia asked laughing a little.

"Because boho spice you're moving in with me." Brooke grinned and Claudia smiled disbelievingly.

"Why would you do that?" She asked confused but grateful.

"Because you need a place to live and I need rent money to pay for my new back-to-school wardrobe. So, the way I see it, you move in; I look hot; you don't get crabs at a shelter. Works for me." Brooke explained smirking before she walked out of the cafe. Claudia watched her smiling.

___

Claudia entered her old apartment carrying two bags as she hugged her song book. She looked at the pink mess that Nathan had painted, Payton out a border around it and wrote 'LOVE' at the top. Claudia looked at it and sighed

"OK, here's the deal: I got a room for you but not a lot of pity; you did what you did and it's done take it or leave it." Brooke explained shrugging and Claudia nodded her head.

"I'll take it." She replied smiling.

"Alright. Come on in, roommate." Brooke nodded his head and they walked into bedroom.