"Lucas we are going to be late." Peyton panted dashing up the steps to the large dark wooden doors of the church.
"We still have some time." Lucas reassured her. "Besides she doesn't even think we are coming anyway. She will just be happy to see you."
"A man after my own heart." Said a playful, and familiar voice behind her. "Keep expectations low to avoid disappointment."
Shock and elation flooded through Peyton as she turned to see Sam's smiling face behind her.
"Sam." She cried out pulling her into a tight hug. "I have missed you."
Sam was stiff at first but then relaxed and returned the embrace. "I wasn't expecting that." She said then quietly added. "I sort of assumed you hated me for leaving your BFF with nothing after she gave me everything."
Peyton pulled back to look at Sam, her jaw hanging open. Sam didn't meet her gaze. "I don't even really know how to respond to that, but right now there is no time, so let's go." She said grabbing Sam's hand and dragging her to the doors, while grumbling about how affronted she was that Sam thought she hated her.
Peyton choked with emotion as the three of them walked into the beautiful church. It was filled with people and everything looked immaculate. This was going to be a special day for her Brooke.
"Julian is looking hot." Samantha noted.
Peyton looked to the front of the church where Julian stood in his tuxedo. She couldn't disagree with the girl.
A finely dressed and deathly serious Skillz approached them.
"Do you have a wedding invitation?" he asked in a professional tone.
"Skillz!" Lucas and Peyton exclaimed together ignoring his somber demeanor. Peyton threw her arms around him, and Lucas followed up with a one-armed bro-hug.
"I thought you guys had forgotten all about us." Said Mouth coming up behind Skillz with a broad grin splitting his face.
"Mouth! It is so good to see you. Maybe you can throw on your 70's suit and we can dance again." Peyton teased.
"I was kind of thinking he could be the wedding announcer." Lucas commented. Then putting his fist to his mouth in a mock microphone said. "And it looks like Julian is going in for the kiss. I definitely see tongue, and Brooke is taking that action and giving some tongue of her own."
"I so did not want to hear that." Sam complained.
Lucas quickly hugged his old friend. "Mouth it has been too long since we talked."
"You know I would like to catch up on how my favorite run-aways been but you guys are running late and need to be seated before the bride arrives." Skillz interrupted.
"Well aren't you just a grouch." Peyton grumbled.
"You have no idea." Mouth said. "He was treating Julian like a criminal and he almost didn't let Millie come in. He is taking his security detail way too seriously."
"Hey, I am just going to make sure everything goes perfect for Brooke." Skillz said without showing the slightest shame. "And if she bumps into you guys as she is walking in that will mean it is not perfect so you need to sit down."
Then scanning the crowded church he said. "There is a spot in the middle over there."
Peyton looked to where he was pointing and was a little disappointed that it was not near anyone she knew.
"Hey, all you people in this row, stand up so our late guests can get in." Skillz said forcing half of the guests seated in the pew to their feet.
A red-faced Peyton pulled Sam behind her while Lucas took the back of their line, as they walked to the pew.
"I'm glad you guys came. Brooke is going to be real happy." Skillz said as they passed him and politely filed by the other guests.
Once they were seated Peyton took some time to look at the guests, most of whom she knew. The sheer volume of people reminded Peyton of the powerful influence B. Davis had on the lives of those around her, especially the girl next to her.
Peyton wrapped her arm around Sam and pulled their heads close together.
"So I hope you know I am kind of pissed that you think I hate you."
"Maybe you could beat me until my morale improves." Sam suggested.
"Don't get smart with me little girl." Peyton warned, unable to keep her lips from splitting into a grin. "I have a mean right hook."
"Yeah." Sam whispered back. "Brooke told me about that."
"She told you about the sex tape?" Peyton shrieked in disbelief; drawing scandalous frowns from many of the people near her and a smirk from Lucas.
"Well, no she just said you gave her a black eye because of boy issues, but thanks for telling me about a sex tape. That will be awesome to bring up to Brooke."
Peyton felt her eyes bulging out of her head. "Don't you dare!" She warned. "Anyway, it's not like Brooke strictly limits herself to verbal communications."
"She never hit me." Sam smugly pointed out.
"Oh but she wanted to so bad." Peyton countered.
"And there were so many times I would have totally deserved it." Sam snickered.
"Like the time you ruined my wedding dress?" Peyton asked.
"Well that technically wasn't me. It was a lot of other misguided teenagers."
Peyton leveled her best 'don't sell me your crap 'cause I'm not buying it' look at Sam.
Sam looked down at her feet and blushed. "Misguided teenagers with lots of alcohol and spray paint…that I may have invited into her store."
"You're getting me off topic." Peyton said. "How could you think I hated you? We had so many…I don't know… warm moments."
"We did?" Sam asked.
"Are you trying to make me cry?" Peyton scolded. "Of course we did, the back stage time at the Angels and Airwaves concert, the time I gave you the breakfast in bed idea after we 'borrowed' Brooke's parenting book from her, the time we tricked Brooke into thinking she had toilet paper hanging out of her pants the whole day in the park."
Sam noisily choked down a laugh. "That was funny."
Peyton continued over her. "and when I tried to convince you that Brooke didn't really think you were broken, and don't you remember when you came over to my house to keep me company because you found out I was going stir crazy?"
"Oh yeah, the stir crazy moment. That was the first time I realized someone could have worse bed head than me. By-the-way congrats on getting your hot pre-mom waistline back." Sam joked.
Laying her head on Peyton's shoulder Sam said. "That day probably would have qualified as a 'warm moment' if you hadn't threatened to pee on me."
Peyton grinned and pressed her cheek against Sam's crown. "It was a warning not a threat."
Then in whispered tone, too soft for anyone to hear reflected back on that moment saying "You did make that day much better for me."
"Now that I am all fat and matronly nobody wants to hang out with me." Peyton glumly complained to the four walls surrounding her, throwing another paper airplane out the door.
"Oh I got some good distance out of that one." She squealed. The joy, however, was short-lived.
The chime of the doorbell distracted Peyton from her bored depression.
"Come in!" She yelled not wanting to get out of bed.
After a half a minute of not hearing anything she groaned and lifted herself off the bed.
"I said come in!" She yelled as she walked out of her bedroom and gasped when she bumped into Samantha.
"You scared me." Peyton said.
The teen had a bag full of what looked to be junk food.
"Hello to you too." Samantha scoffed.
"Oh. Hi Samantha." Peyton said a bit bewildered as to why Sam was visiting, but glad to see her none-the-less. "What's up skater girl?"
"Nothing much emo cheerleader girl." Sam shot back. Then looking down at the paper airplane cemetery on the floor said. "You thinking of starting a career as an aeronautical engineer?"
Peyton smiled. She always liked Sam. "Why did you decide to grace me with your presence?" She asked.
"I heard you were going crazy and I wanted to watch." Sam answered back.
Peyton blushed. "I am not going crazy!" She defended.
"The monster bed head says otherwise." Sam disputed.
"Well why don't we go to the kitchen so I can get a knife? That should make my tumble into craziness more interesting for you to watch."
"Fun, but I was thinking along the lines of watching some movies and eating junk food." Sam said presenting her bag to Peyton.
Peyton flushed with newfound love for the girl. Someone wants to be with me! Then answered saying "Movies yes, junk food no. I am already fat enough."
"Please you will lose like twelve pounds when you deliver, and I promise you won't gain more than six with me tonight." Sam justified. "Then again, it's not like I care; I mean it just means more candy for me."
"What movies you got?"
"Well, not a lot. I have While You Were Sleeping because I figured you could identify with it, you know, with all the high school comas. In fact, you are due for another one anytime now; Then we have Hire Education cause I figured it might be fun to reminisce about the time you were shot during school, and finally Tommy Boy, because I find fat people wickedly funny."
"Don't make fun of fat people until I get skinny again." Peyton pouted.
Peyton was shocked to find Sam's arms wrapped around her shoulders. "You're not fat. You're pregnant." Sam said. She quickly released Peyton and looked down uncomfortably at her bag.
"Oh did Sammy forget that she is too cool to hug me?" Peyton sarcastically sympathized caressing her face with her hand.
Samantha blushed furiously. "So I vote for Tommy Boy." She said moving past Peyton into the living room.
"What if I want to watch something else?" Peyton asked following her.
"Crazy people aren't allowed to vote."
"Neither are 15 year old girls."
"Fine." Sam relented "What do you want to watch?"
"Tommy Boy." Peyton answered turning the TV on. "Because I find fat people wickedly funny."
"Brat." Sam said.
Peyton smiled
"So anyway, I am going to throw some popcorn in the microwave." Sam announced pulling two packages of Orville Redenbacher's packets out of her bag of treats, before throwing it on the couch. "Try to save some Milk Duds for me." She said as she walked to the kitchen.
Peyton started the DVD and sat down on the couch. She sifted through Sam's bag of treats while she waited for Sam to return.
"Oh Hershey Kisses." She said. "What woman can say no to chocolate?"
Seven kisses later Sam appeared with a big bowl of popcorn. Peyton quickly swallowed the rest of the chocolate bliss and pushed the wrappers between the couch cushion.
"Oh good you're back." She said pointing the remote to the TV and pushing play. "Now we can get the movie started."
Sam flashed her an 'I know you just oinked out' look but sat down next to her without saying anything.
Peyton flinched and yelped when the baby did a judo kick on her bladder. That's gonna leave a wet spot.
Sam giggled and looked down at her belly. "What's it like to have something living in you. I mean do you ever freak out that it is going to go all 'Aliens' on you?"
"Someone living in me." Peyton corrected with a laugh. Then in a more somber tone "It's quite beautiful actually."
Peyton pushed Sam's hair behind her ear before turning back to the movie, she laughed when Tommy got M&M's in the car's heater vent. Peyton looked over to Sam when she noticed the girl was eerily silent.
Sam was still staring down at Peyton's belly.
"Do you want to feel it?" Peyton asked.
"Uh. No. No. I was just thinking about…uh what candy I want." She said hurriedly grabbing the goodie bag and shuffling through it.
Peyton gently, but firmly took the girl's hand away from the bag and put it on her belly. "The baby is moving. Can you feel her?"
Sam shook her head so Peyton pressed harder. A moment later the baby did a monster kick making both of them jump and shriek.
"That was cool." Sam laughed, a radiant smile gracing her face.
"Way cool." Peyton said returning the smile. Then in a soft sincere voice said. "Thanks so much for being with me Sam. You have no idea how lonely I was getting."
"No problem." Sam blushed, breaking eye contact.
"How did you even know about my distressed state of mind?" Peyton asked. Suddenly very curious.
"I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you."
"Don't give me cheesy lines from Top Gun." Peyton said. "Brooke made me watch the volley ball scene at least a hundred times."
"Really." Sam asked. "Let me file that away in my good torture material library." Sam pointed to her head. "Beep. All done. Now I just have to think of the best way I can use that knowledge to maximize annoyance for Brooke"
"Demon child." Peyton said cupping Sam's face in her hand, and stroking her cheek with her thumb. "So tell me."
"Tell you what." Sam teased.
"Don't be coy with me girly." Peyton demanded. "Tell me how you knew to come here."
"I just knew." She said then turning to the TV said. "We are missing the movie."
"We've both watched the movie half a dozen times, I can act the fat parts out for you later, tell me how you knew about my cabin fever. Tell me now!"
Sam rolled her eyes. "Lucas called Brooke, but she had a big corporate meeting about a new line of clothes so she asked me to go."
"So since my husband and best friend didn't want to hang out with me they sent you to jump on the grenade."
"At least they cared enough to delegate the dismal duty." Sam teased.
Then more quietly. "Besides I was kind of excited to come. I-I kind of like talking to you."
Peyton moved her hand to Sam's cheek and gently guided Sam's eyes to hers. "Well, I am glad you kind of like talking to me, because I like talking to you a lot."
Sam smiled then launched forward gripping Peyton in a tight hug and whispered. "Brooke loves you a lot you know."
Peyton grinned. "I have no problem understanding that the wonderful B. Davis loves me. Unfortunately, that is a problem you do have."
"I'm getting better." Sam said softly pushing away. "I mean how do you not feel love from someone after they rescue you from a psycho AND give up TWO potential boyfriends for you. Owen I didn't really care a whole ton, but I am still kind of ticked off about Julian. It's confusing feeling anger for someone you love so much." Sam confided.
"Get used to it." Peyton said. "You tend to hate the people you love the most."
"Well I have reached my final conclusion about your sanity for the report Brooke wants me to deliver."
"She asked you to deliver a report?"
Sam nodded with devilish delight, her lips parting in a massive grin. "Her actual words as she was headed out the door were; and I quote 'I need you to report on whether or not I am going to need to buy Peyton a strait jacket. And give her lots of chocolate to keep her from hurting anyone'. End quote"
"You know, they usually say you shouldn't beat the messenger, but you got just a little bit too much joy from delivering that message." Peyton said. "So you are going to 'report' to Brooke that I am completely sane I assume." She asked.
"Oh no, I am going to tell her to start strait jacket shopping. And I will also mention how well the kisses worked. How many did you eat while I was making popcorn?"
"Sure make fun of the fat girl's eating habits."
"I told you you're not fat. In fact, you are one fine pregnant woman." Sam said.
"That sounds like a line from a movie about women in prison." Peyton mumbled
"Huh?"
"I said watch the movie." Peyton ordered looking to the TV
Later Peyton exploded with laughter when Tommy Boy blamed the car's broken door on its hapless owner. Once again Sam's silence drew Peyton away from the movie. She turned to see Sam, once again, staring quietly at her belly.
"Are you okay honey?" She asked.
"Yeah." Sam lied.
Peyton took a deep breath and ran her hands over face. She loved Sam, but it really annoyed her when the child put up emotional walls.
"Let me rephrase that question." She said. "Sam what is the matter? And don't lie to me this time or I will spank you."
"That sounds like a line from a movie about women in prison." Sam said.
"Don't change the topic Sam. Something about my belly is giving you issues. I hope you're not pregnant, but if you are it is better to find out now."
"No. I'm not pregnant, psycho. BTW I am putting that paranoid baseless accusation in my report."
"Sam, I am tired of fishing for the problem, just tell me."
"Do you feel anything for the baby yet?" Sam asked "I mean it's not like you have seen it or held it."
"Seen HER or held HER." Peyton corrected. "And of course I feel something for the baby. She is mine. I created her, she belongs to me. I love her."
"Do you feel that because you're special or because the baby is?" Sam's voice was starting to crack. Peyton was getting close to some hurt, and she was going to find out what it was and fix it.
"There is nothing really special about me. I think it is all her." Peyton smiled as she reached up to push Sam's hair behind her ear.
Sam's face crumbled and tears misted in her eyes, but she didn't cry. "Well." She said in a distant cool tone as she turned her face to the TV. "I finally understand."
Sam's problem suddenly became clear. Shame consumed Peyton. How could she have been so stupid? She was adopted herself, why didn't she ever talk with her about it. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Peyton took immediate corrective action. She had to fix this. Reaching for the remote she turned off the TV.
"Why did you do that?" Sam complained.
Peyton ignored her protest and gently grabbing her by the shoulders so the two were facing each other said. "Look, you and I were both adopted. My adopted parents loved me as their own, and hopefully you know Brooke loves you."
Peyton stared the troubled teen down, waiting for a response. After half a minute of silence she tried again. "I said hopefully you know Brooke loves you. And now you are supposed to respond by saying. Yes I do know she loves me more than life itself."
Sam remained silent until Peyton fired her an impatient glare.
"Fine!" Sam said. "I know Brooke loves me. Are you through yet?"
"No." Peyton said. "Knowing you are lovable was just step one. Step next is understanding your biological mother."
"I don't need to understand her. She gave up on me. She can go to hell!"
"Do not pass judgment on her until you know her story." Peyton told her. "You have no idea what she went through giving you up."
"Neither do you." Sam shot back as she rose to leave.
"Um Excuse me, Rude Wonder. I am talking to you. Where in the hell do you think you are going?" Peyton asked.
"I have to be somewhere else." Sam shamelessly lied.
"No." Peyton said pulling her back down. "You need to be right here."
Then in a calmer tone she continued. "You are right Sam. Neither one of us knows what your mother was thinking when she gave you up. But I can tell you from experience that mothers love their babies."
"Just the special babies." Sam disputed.
"Stop it Sam! Stop holding in hate for someone you do not even know. That is as stupid as eating poison and hoping she dies."
Sam's eyes glazed over as she stared past Peyton. Peyton needed to mix things up if she was going to get passed the stubborn girl's self-destructive defenses.
Peyton tenderly pulled Sam closer to her, at first she resisted but Peyton eventually coaxed the teen to rest her head on her shoulder. Sam cried openly now.
"Don't you think I know it's stupid to hate her? I know she doesn't even know me let alone care if I hate her, but I can't stop. I think about all the mean things I will say to her when I am successful and then I realize I am never going to be successful. If I talked to her now she would just be glad she dumped me."
"Sam, please listen to me?" Peyton pleaded. Then she waited.
After a minute or so of silence Sam turned her head so her other ear rested on Peyton's shoulder she faced her neck. "What?" She asked irritably.
"Are you listening?" Peyton asked patiently.
"Yes!" Sam snapped.
"Good." Peyton said ignoring Sam's 'tude for now.
"Every pregnant mother I have ever known, myself included loves her baby. So do you think it might be possible that your mother loved you?"
"She gave me up?" Sam said. "So that kind of blows your happy theory out of the water."
"So all mothers that give their children up for adoption do it because they do not love them?" Peyton asked.
"As far as I am concerned they do?"
"My birth mother loved me?" Peyton said. Emotion cracked her voice.
Silence hung thick in the air until Sam said. "I'm sorry Peyton. I just don't know what to feel."
"Do you want to feel something different?" Peyton asked.
"Yes." Sam acknowledged breaking down into a silent trembling cry while she clung to Peyton.
"Sam first of all your mother actually gave you life. She delivered you rather than aborting you. So at worst she did not totally give up on you. That should count for something. And if your mother loved you even close to as much as I love my daughter, it would have been terribly hard for her to give you up. So why would she give you up if she loved you?"
"I don't know." Sam sniffled.
"Think about it." Peyton urged. "You do not have to think of an answer right away."
After a couple minutes Sam spoke up again.
"She is not very much older than me, heck she may not have been much older than me when she had me." Sam offered.
"Okay." Peyton said affectionately rubbing Sam's back. Peyton was getting close to a breakthrough. The knowledge both excited and frightened her. She couldn't say the wrong thing. Just best to let Sam do all the talking. Sam would come to the truth by herself.
"So I answered your question." Sam muttered. "Are you just going to leave me hangin'?"
Peyton bent her head down and kissed the grumpy girl's forehead. "You brought up a very good point, and you need to apply that knowledge to the answer you still haven't given me."
"What was the question?" Sam asked.
"Are you serious?" Peyton huffed.
"What?" Sam whined. "It has been a long time since you asked."
It was no wonder Brooke wanted to kill her beautiful daughter most days.
"Ok Sam focus, I am about to ask the question again. Why would your mother give you up if she loved you?"
"I don't know." Sam said.
Peyton continued stroking Sam's back. "That's okay. I can wait."
Sam's silent showdown continued over ten minutes as Peyton continuously ran her fingers over Sam's forehead and down her back. Sam adjusted herself so she was laying on Peyton's lap rather than her shoulder. Peyton knew Sam was testing her, and while Peyton truly enjoyed this special time with Sam her ever-shrinking bladder was getting hard to ignore. She did not know how much longer she would be able to hold out but, she wasn't going to get up until the last possible second.
Finally Sam spoke again. "I guess if I was pregnant now and I didn't have Brooke, and you, and Haley I would not really be able to take care of a baby. I mean it's not like I could be a dad or save for a college education. Maybe…" Sam wiped a tear away before laying her hand back down on Peyton's leg and continuing. "Maybe she just loved me so much that she couldn't stand the thought of not being able to give me a fair shot at life. Maybe rather than giving up on me she was just giving me all the stuff she couldn't."
Relief washed over Peyton. Sam got it, and since the answer came from her lips she would never forget.
"Yes, Sam that is another very real possibility. So what do you say you put your feelings for her on hold until you get her side of the story? Personally, I believe she thinks about you a lot."
"You really think so?" Sam asked.
"Of course I do honey." Peyton said as she lovingly cleared a couple of tears off Sam's cheek. "Now get up before I pee on you."
"There's Haley." Sam exclaimed, forcing Peyton from her thoughts.
Peyton turned her head to see her beautiful and very pregnant friend walking down the isle.
We could have walked down together if I would have decided there was no way I was going to miss my best friend's wedding a little bit sooner. Peyton glumly reflected.
"She was my best teacher." Sam whispered to her.
Brooke walked in next. She was stunning.
Everyone rose.
Brooke's hair, a little bit lighter now, was done up and decorated with white pearls. Her dazzling face glowed with happiness. Tears sprang to Peyton's eyes. Her Brooke deserved this moment. She never thought when she first met Julian that he would deliver it to her, but she knew he was a good man. Anyone that made Brooke this happy was an angel in her book.
Peyton was a bit surprised to see Victoria walking her daughter down the aisle. Her damn father must have ditched her! What an as-
"Oh Peyton, look how happy she is. She looks so pretty." Sam cried wiping her eyes.
"She is." Peyton agreed giving the girl's hand a gentle squeeze.
Well at least Bitchtoria was here for Brooke. Peyton thought.
It was actually becoming more difficult to hate Brooke's mother. She used to be synonymous with Satan, or at least his sister, in Peyton's mind but now it was different. She was still evil at her core but her moments of humanity were becoming more frequent.