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A twenty year old Peyton Sawyer stepped off the plane into the cold wind of New York. She must have been crazy to agree to this trip in the middle of winter. She should be home in her nice, warm apartment in Miami, Florida. But instead, here she was. But she had been granted the internship at MTV Studios, so she should be grateful that she was here. Going back into the airport, Peyton recovered her luggage, and took to looking for the person who was supposed to me picking her up. Through the midst of the crowd, she spotted someone holding a sign that mentioned her name. As she got closer, the woman started to look familiar to her- her brown, straight hair, the details of her face.

"Peyton!" squealed a familiar voice. She knew who it was now.

"Brooke Davis."

Brooke embraced her in a hug. Peyton tried to remember the last time she had seen Brooke. It was at the end of their junior year, the day when she left for California. It seemed like a life-time ago.

Brooke had released Peyton. "So you're the new intern, huh?"

"What are the chances?" Peyton replied with a small smile at her former best friend.

"So, how've ya been," Brooke asked curiously. "And what are you doing here?"

Peyton thought through the time they had been apart. At the end of the summer, right before the start of the last year of high school at Tree Hill, Peyton's father proposed an opportunity to her that she couldn't refuse. He had gotten a job that would station him in the Bahamas for a year. Not wanting to be away from his daughter for that long, he asked Peyton to come with him- to leave school and her life behind for the time being. At that time in her life, Peyton had jumped at the escape. Things had gotten quite...complicated over the span of the summer, so she was eager to flee the problems and start over again. She agreed readily, and took the time to notify the school and see if she could still graduate before she left. Although she wouldn't be able to come back for any of the year or for graduation, Peyton would still get credit for all of her education if she took some classes in the Bahamas. So off she went, leaving behind the world she had known, but what she didn't know was that it was good. Her and Brooke had stayed in touch for about a year or so, but the phone calls lessened, and the two drifted apart in their own separate worlds. She hadn't heard from Brooke, or anyone else for that matter, in about a year.

"Well.. I'm still going to Miami University. There was an opportunity for the internship here, since I'm a major in media, I figured what was better than MTV? And what are you doing here? Last time I knew, you were still in Tree Hill."

Brooke nodded. "It wasn't for me, anymore. I'm more of a big city girl, ya know? Plus Lucas still goes to school here, so I made the move up here with him."

Peyton started at Lucas' name, hopefully unnoticed by Brooke. "You're still with Lucas?"

Brooke waved her hand in front of Peyton's face, revealing a ring on her finger. "We're married. Six months ago, in a few days."

Peyton was speechless. Her head swam with feelings that she didn't even want to acknowledge. Jealously was number one on the list. She saw that Brooke was looking at her expectantly, obviously wanting some kind of a reaction. "Oh. Wow, " Peyton managed to stammer. "That's great, Brooke," she told her half-heartedly, getting her act together.

"I know, isn't it!"

Brooke continued on with her story from before, but Peyton was only half listening. Lucas was married... and to Brooke, which made it even worse. She guessed his feelings for Brooke were really the true ones- not the ones for her.

"-and I got the job at the studios and was told to go get the intern, and well here we are." Brooke finished. "I have to bring you in to work, I guess. Then you come see everyone- they're going to be soo excited to see you."

"Everyone?"

"Yeah- Lucas, Haley, and Nathan."

"They're all here too?" Peyton asked, surprised that whole group had stayed together, minus her of course.

Brooke nodded eagerly. "Yeah, Haley is living with us- me and Lucas- for the time being and Nathan stays at his dorm. He's transferring at the end of the year though to go play for Duke. They offered him a scholarship, and he says he wants to be closer to home."

"Him and Haley aren't together anymore?" Peyton asked as they got into Brooke's car and started driving.

"Nope." She looked over at Peyton, who looked surprised.

"But I thought after Nathan went to High Flyers, they were going to work things out-"

"-Didn't happen. I think the only reason Haley is here, in New York, is that she's still chasing after Nathan. Nathan doesn't seem to complain about the company either, though."

Peyton shook her head, confused. "Doesn't make any sense."

Brooke parked the car, arriving at their destination. "What doesn't?"

"That two people that are obviously meant to be together, aren't." Her thoughts were not only on Nathan and Haley, but were dwelling on her and Lucas.

"Yeah... we're here!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Her and Peyton hopped out of the car, Peyton feeling a little nervous. "We obviously have to do this first, but then it's time to reintroduce you to everyone at home."

Peyton smiled, even more nervous about that aspect of the day.