Sometimes they come back
A/N: I debated somehow incorporating this into the next chapter of my story, or make it a one shot. One shot won out. Tell me what you think. I actually almost cried writing this. Don't ask me why. LOL
All the guests had left, and Haley and Peyton were standing by the piano talking when Nathan walked into the room.
"Hey Peyton, Can I borrow you for a second?" he asked.
She raised her eyebrow at him flirtily. "Wow, I haven't heard that in like 6 years," she joked.
He rolled his eyes and Haley laughed. "I will fight you for him," Haley teased.
Nathan leaned against the wall. "I could stand here all night watching the two of you fight over me".
"HEY!" Haley cried out as Peyton burst out "EWW!"
"No seriously. I wanna show you something," Nathan said.
"Sure," Peyton said as she nodded.
She followed him into the hallway down to his office. She stood by the door while he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a piece of paper. Peyton raised her eyebrow curiously before she recognized the black and white markings.
He turned around and handed it to her. It was the drawing of two hands intertwined together, with the words "sometimes they come back" at the bottom. It was HER drawing. The one she gave him when Haley was on tour years ago.
He sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if my brother and I have switched roles. I don't recognize who he is some days, and I haven't since the day the two of you broke up. It was hard on you, Peyton. I know it was. But I think a piece of him died that day. He left a part of him with you that night, and you still have it, Peyton. He never got it back. He's scared. Not of you, of himself. Of how much he loves you. I knew it when we were teenagers and I'd catch him stealing glances at you when we're together, and I know it now."
Peyton sighed. "Nathan…"
"Look, I know its no excuse with how he's been with you, but you confuse him. It's like when you're around, everything he thinks he knows is wrong. This is Luke's brain, and this is Luke's brain on Peyton," he laughed, making her chuckle.
"Look, when Haley left, it felt like she was choosing music over me," he continued. "I did the same thing Luke did to you. I gave her an ultimatum. I'll never forgive myself for that. It didn't have to be either or. I've never known Luke to be the type to not care what his actions are doing to other people, especially not to you. But Luke's our dad's son, Peyton. He'll never want to accept it, but he has Dan Scott in him. And Dan Scott, when he shuts down, doesn't care about anybody but himself."
Peyton bit her lip, nodding.
"I remember one night, back in Junior Year, He stopped by the apartment for god knows what forsaken reason". 'I can't remember'. But He was hiding from something. From someone. And I knew it was you.
Peyton scoffed. "Wasn't that around the time he started chasing after Brooke again?".
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Did I mention he was a stupid jerk?".
"He'll come around, Peyton. But in the meantime, have faith. Be patient. You came back to him. He'll come back to you, too."
Peyton stood up and threw her arms around him, clutching the paper tightly in her hands. "Thank you," she whispered tearfully.
