Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill. How many times do I have to say that?

AN: I couldn't sleep and then this idea popped into my head. I spent 15 minutes debating whether I should turn my laptop on or not, decided to do it anyway, afraid that I wouldn't remember what I came up with if I waited until tomorrow. I wrote the story in one go and decided to post it right away, cause I'm crazy like that :)
This is my take on how Peyton and Nathan became a couple, just my imagination gone wild :)
So there you have it. I hope you'll like it. Please review if you read, thank you!

Summary: Prologue to most of my fics. Or, how Peyton and Nathan became a couple.

Peyton got out of Brooke's car and followed her best friend over to the front door. She had been a cheerleader for only one week and already Brooke had dragged her along to a party one of the players had thrown to celebrate the beginning of the season in Junior Year.

player was Nathan Scott, captain of the Ravens, local bad boy and your ultimate player, in every meaning of the word.

Peyton didn't know much about him and had no intention of changing that tonight. From what she had seen at practice last week, he was an asshole, always yelling at his team-mates, telling them what to do, confident that his plan, his idea was the way to go and not letting anyone tell him otherwise.

Peyton still didn't know if this scene really suited her and had told Brooke she wasn't sure going to this party was a good idea. But Brooke had talked her into it, saying they could always leave if Peyton wanted to.

Brooke rang the doorbell and Peyton stopped behind her, waiting for the door to be opened. She looked around and was impressed by the size of the house in front of her, but determined not to let it show when the door swung open.

"Ladies."

She saw Nathan stepping aside, allowing them to go in. As Peyton walked by him, she smelled his cologne, spicy but sweet, which suited him. She followed Brooke, who seemed to know her way around here and ended up in the kitchen. She greeted some of the other cheerleaders and saw some guys that were on the basketball team as well.

Brooke had gone to get them drinks and was now returning with a cup in each hand, giving one to Peyton as she passed her.

"Enjoy yourself, P. Sawyer. I know I will."

She watched Brooke making her way to the living room, where she sat down next to one of the players. Peyton turned around, looking for a place to sit down, still not sure if she wanted to be here tonight. She sighed when she couldn't find a seat and turned around once more, now facing the open doors that were on the other end of the kitchen, leading into the garden. Peyton shrugged and walked outside, admiring the sky that was lit with stars. She walked around the garden and sat down on a concrete bench, opposite to the house. Even here she could hear the noise that came from inside, people laughing, singing, the mumbled sound of voices being carried outside. She closed her eyes for a second and listened to all those sounds until it had become one big wall of sound, surrounding her.

"You don't like the party?"

She opened her eyes and was surprised to see Nathan standing in front of her. Her eyes met his and for a moment she was lost. Even in the dim light that penetrated the darkness outside, she could see he had piercing blue eyes, something she had never noticed before. She lowered her eyes and shrugged "I don't know." She felt the warmth of his body as he sat down next to her and she moved a bit, so there was more space between them "I don't really know anyone, except Brooke, but she's kind of occupied, making out to random guys."

He laughed and she smiled.

She had never heard him laugh before, he always seemed so angry, so irritated by the people around him. Somehow that laugh had changed something about him, about his personality. He seemed less of an asshole in a way and Peyton was surprised that just one laugh could cause that.

"So that's not your thing? Making out with random guys?"

Peyton shook her head "Not really, no. Not with random guys anyway. I mean, I like making out and kissing, but it has to be with someone special." She felt her cheeks go red, knowing she was babbling, but she hoped he wasn't paying attention to her, not hearing what she had just said. She wondered why he was even talking to her, when he could have been making out with every single girl at this party. Every single girl, but her. She knew how the other cheerleaders thought about him, knew they all wanted him, even though that meant a meaningless one-night stand, because everyone knew that to Nathan Scott, commitment wasn't an option.

"So you would consider making out with me then?"

Peyton let out a sarcastic laugh "Why would I do that?" She got up and walked back to the house, but turned around before she entered "Prove to me you're not a random guy, Nathan Scott. And then we'll see." She smiled as she walked inside, not believing she had just said that to Nathan Scott.

The Nathan Scott. Captain of the ravens, local bad boy and ultimate player, in every meaning of the word.

--

Peyton spent some time walking around the house, trying to find Brooke. She gave up after searching the living room and kitchen, knowing Brooke must have gone upstairs with some guy. Even though she loved Brooke as if they were sisters, Peyton would never understand that part of her. During the last year, Brooke had hooked up with more guys than Peyton had thought was possible and still it seemed like she wasn't finished doing that some time soon. Brooke was a lost soul, looking for love, something Peyton already knew she wouldn't find in drunk guys at parties, but Brooke had to find that out as well and Peyton just hoped she would figure it out soon.

She grabbed another drink and headed for the living room. She leaned against the wall, taking small sips of her drink, looking at the other people in the room. Some of them were dancing, others were making out and a few of them were sitting down, staring straight ahead. She waited for someone to get up, so she could sit down and wait for Brooke to come down again, so they could go home.

All of a sudden she felt someone grabbing her hand, pulling her to the couch. She looked up and saw it was Nathan who was dragging her along.

He sat down and patted on his lap "Sit down, Peyton. Let me prove you I'm not a random guy."

She sat down on his lap, sighing, frustrated this was the only place she could sit, but also equally thrilled he had invited her to sit there. She knew other girls on the squad thought of it as a privilege and she was sure some of them would die to be in her place. Peyton shifted, so her back wasn't blocking his view, although she wasn't too sure he'd be interested in anything that was going on in front of them. She was now facing him sideways, which made her catch a glimpse of the confident and cocky look on his face, making her sigh once more.

"What's the matter, babe?"

She shook her head "Nothing. And don't call me 'babe'. It's very random." She was still thinking about their conversation earlier that night and wondered if he remembered. Deep down inside she hoped he would prove her wrong, so she could kiss him, something she had wanted to do ever since her eyes connected with his.

Someone had opened the front door, Peyton knew because she felt a cold stream of air on her back. She hadn't noticed her t-shirt going up, revealing the skin of her lower back as she sat down on his lap. She was about to pull her t-shirt down when she felt his warm hand on her skin. Not knowing whether to blame the alcohol or the tension between them, she allowed his hand to stay there and put her own hand in her lap again. Peyton could feel his fingers going from side to side on the little patch of bare skin.

It wasn't long before he lifted her t-shirt and let his hand trail further up her back.

She could feel how he used his index finger to draw circles all over her back, as well as tracing her spine. How he used his whole hand to rub her lower back and all his fingers to dart across her naked skin. Good thing she was sitting down, because she wasn't sure she could put up with this if she was standing, pretty sure her knees would have buckled the moment he touched her. She glanced at him and saw he was looking across the room, where people were dancing and laughing, having a good time. Somehow that single fact, that he didn't seem interested in what he was doing to her, that he didn't care how it made her feel, turned her on even more. She followed his eyes and also focused on the group of people dancing to some rap-song, Brooke being one of them, grinding her hips in the same rhythm as the boy behind her. Peyton had completely forgotten about her plan to find Brooke and go home, something that didn't bother her at all.

She felt his hand going down again and it took her a second to realise what he was doing. With one finger he was drawing lines on her lower back, but not just random lines. They were lines that were part of six letters and when he was done, she could still feel those lines burn on her skin. He had written his name on her back.

Peyton felt his mouth next to her ear and heard his low voice "I got your back."

A shiver went down her spine and because his hand was still on her back, she was pretty sure he was very aware of that. Once again she could hear his voice, but this time it was raw.

"And I own you now."

She felt her cheeks glow and knew she needed to get away from him, fast, before she would do something stupid. Something like leaning in, closing her eyes before her mouth had hit target, feeling her nose brush against his, putting her hands around is neck, pulling him close and letting her mouth land on his. Peyton pressed her lips against his and traced them with her tongue, urging him to open his mouth. When he did she knew she was lost once again.

Peyton pulled back and put her mouth next to his ear, knowing her voice was husky and low "You proved yourself, Scott."

She once again leaned in and kissed him, her eyes still closed. Without taking her lips off his, she smiled and mumbled "You're not random at all."

- FIN -