NO. 1:
ENGAGEMENT.
Two years. Two years had passed since the unfortunate chain of events that had taken place not too long after the return of Ian Banks.
It had taken Peyton and Brooke a couple of months to fall back into their usual, everyday routines, but once they had done so, it felt as though Ian Banks had never returned. As for the couples, everyone was still together. Rachel and Dean were still going strong, and Sam and Peyton seemed to have formed a bond that not even the devil himself could break.
At present, Dean was sitting at the computer chair in the motel room he shared with Rachel and Sam, staring intently at the screen while searching for any information concerning a woman by the name of Aaliyah Rose. Rachel, in all her glory, was sitting on his lap, drinking her morning coffee, which she thought tasted rather bitter.
Meanwhile, Sam was doing research in his father's diary, attempting to find anything on ghosts and/or vampires. The clock on their bedside table read eight 'o' clock and Dean was still feeling groggy, considering he never awoke this early in the morning. However, Rachel had convinced him to wake up by promising him alone time later in the evening when Sam would be heading back to Tree Hill to visit his girlfriend, and Haley. Haley and Sam had formed a close friendship over the past two years, and so had Sam, Brooke, and Julian. Julian had told Sam he would forever be thankful for him and Dean saving Brooke's life.
"I think I found something," Sam chimed in at the same time Dean said, "I think I found something."
The Winchester brothers laughed at their timing and Rachel rolled her eyes as she removed herself from Dean's lap and walked over to the table, leaning over it so that she could get a closer look at the print in John's diary. Dean had given Rachel the lowdown on his father so that Rachel could grow more comfortable when discussing John's adventures and attempting to become familiar with the tons of supernatural beings that roamed this very earth.
Much to the brother's surprise, Rachel had become quite skilled over the past two years. Where she lacked strength, she gained agility, confidence, gracefulness, and courage---which made up for her lacking in the strength department.
Dean made it known every chance he got that he was more than proud of his girlfriend, and though the two still found it odd to express their feelings aloud, it was easy to see that the two loved each other. The way they looked at each other said much more than petty, meaningless words ever could. Despite that, however, Dean made sure to tell Rachel he loved her every morning he woke up and every night they went to sleep(not that they ever did much sleeping).
Sam, too, was impressed with Rachel's skills, and on the rare occasions that Dean, Rachel, and Sam were in Tree Hill together, Sam allowed Rachel to guide Peyton on certain hunts. Peyton had only tagged along a few times, but she was slowly learning how to control herself during a fight, and she listened(unlike Rachel) when the brothers told her to stay hidden.
"What'd you find?" Rachel queried as she plopped down on one of the lumpy, unmade hotel beds. "Oh, and the question's for the both of ya."
"Aaliyah Desirée Rose was born on September 22, 1986," Dean read as his eyes skimmed over the article he had come across. "She was burned in a house fire on September 22, 2008. It was rumored that she died instantly, and the police ruled it a homicide. Her killer has yet to be found, despite evidence proving it was a man who took her life."
"That would explain the third degree burns on the body and why her victims are only men, with the exception of the woman the police found dead and burned last week," Sam murmured as he carefully shut the diary, shoving it aside. He looked up at Rachel and Dean, adding, "That still doesn't explain why she's going around setting random homes on fire." Sam heaved a frustrated sigh as he stood up and sauntered towards his suitcase, shoving what little things he had brought with him to Lansing inside once he had reached it.
"She was murdered by men, idiot," Rachel stated in what could only be described as a 'duh' tone. "That's why she's killing men, and the reason she's committing arson is because that is how she was murdered."
Sam mentally berated himself for not understanding it before. His mind had simply been elsewhere. "That makes sense," Sam agreed, albeit grudgingly, as he shoved the remains of his belongings into the suitcase.
"So, what do you suggest we do?" Rachel asked as Dean joined her on the bed.
Zipping up his suitcase, Sam said, "I say we find her, kill her, and get the hell out of here." When neither Rachel nor Dean said anything, Sam whirled around, only to find that the two were wrapped in a lip lock. Sam averted his gaze and groaned inwardly. "Some warning, please," he moaned, feeling a slight pang of jealousy in his chest. It was times like these that Sam missed Peyton the most.
Dean, sensing Sam's distress(he just thought of it as some freaky brotherly link between the two of 'em), pulled away from Rachel and offered his little brother a smile. "Sammy, call her. You haven't spoken to Peyton in a week, and we have cell service. As cliché as this fucking sounds, the only thing holding you back is you."
Sam merely rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Since when did you get so damn insightful?"
Dean scoffed. "Just shut up and call her," he snapped vehemently before attaching his lips to Rachel's once again.
Sam groaned at the sight and grabbed his cell phone, heading out the door so that he could avoid watching Rachel and Dean make out. He hit speed dial and waited for Peyton to answer her phone.
Peyton, who had been working on artwork for Haley's third album cover, was startled by a scream coming from the bathroom.
"Brooke," Peyton drawled lazily, craning her neck to get a better look inside the bathroom, where Brooke was standing in front of the sink. "Do you have to scream?" she complained.
Brooke, now known to friends and family alike as Brooke Penelope Davis-Baker, trudged out of Peyton's bathroom, a horrified expression on her beautiful face. Tears were in her eyes and Peyton couldn't determine whether they were happy tears or freaked out tears(they weren't sad tears--Peyton knew that because she obviously knew her best friend). She vaguely recollected the fact that Brooke definitely hadn't walked into the bathroom crying.
"Brooke, what the hell---" Peyton began, only to be cut off by Leona Lewis' song, Bleeding Love, which was coming from her cell phone. She had set it as the ring tone for when Sam called. Peyton opted to ignore the call in favor of helping her friend, but Brooke waved her hand, gesturing for Peyton to simply go ahead and answer. Peyton did just that, pulling the cell phone out of her purse, only to open it a moment later and press the contraption against her ear.
"Hey, stranger," Peyton greeted as she stepped into the kitchen, leaning against the marble counter. She wished Sam was standing in the kitchen with her, but she knew he was off saving lives. She cheered up when Sam responded.
"Hey yourself, Blondie," Sam teased. "The lovely couple is busy sucking face at the moment, so I thought I'd call up my beautiful girlfriend."
Peyton didn't miss the sarcasm in Sam's voice when he said 'lovely couple' and she couldn't stop the blush that creeped its way onto her cheeks in response to Sam's words about her being his 'beautiful girlfriend.' She should have been used to the compliments by now, but she wasn't. "Well, this girlfriend misses her boyfriend," Peyton stated somewhat sadly.
Sam sighed heavily. "And he misses you, too. Beautiful, I swear to you, the minute we finish up here in Lansing, I'll be on my way to Tree Hill. Dean doesn't plan on coming up for another few days, but I plan on leaving before him and Rachel so I can see you. And I know you said Ian hasn't returned, but we just want to make sure for ourselves. He's still out there, and there is always a chance he'll try to hurt you again. I won't let that happen."
Ignoring the ice cold shiver that slithered up her spine at the mention of Ian, Peyton smiled, thankful that she had Sam in her life to protect her. As long as she was with him, she knew nothing bad could happen to her. However, despite feeling safe around Sam, Peyton still had nightmares about Ian--even after two years. She didn't think the nightmares would disappear until Ian, himself, disappeared off the face of the planet. What bothered her the most about Ian though, was that she was pretty sure he was still possessed. And if he were still possessed, there was no doubt in her mind that he was more dangerous than ever before--even more dangerous than he had been two years earlier.
Peyton shoved those thoughts aside, not wishing to dwell on Ian Banks at the moment, or at any moment, actually.
"So," Peyton drawled, feigning nonchalance, "how long does it take to get from Lansing to Tree Hill?"
"I honestly have no clue, Peyton, but I promise I'll be there as soon as possible," Sam assured her.
Peyton couldn't stop herself from counting how many times she had heard that promise spoken, and it was inevitable that she remembered just how many times that promise had been broken. However, she knew now that Sam wouldn't make that promise unless he truly meant it, so she sincerely believed that he would be in Tree Hill as soon as possible. The two years that they had been together hadn't exactly been easy, and they had gone through their fair share of rough patches(it involved a 'separation' of sorts), but Peyton wouldn't change their relationship for the world. Sure, it wasn't easy for her when Sam was off fighting who knew what(and things were even more complicated because she had no clue whether he was okay or not), but it was worth it just to hear his voice when speaking to him on the phone. And it was even more worth it when he surprised her by showing up unannounced. It just made things ten times more special.
"I'll hold you to that promise, stranger," Peyton teased good-naturedly.
"You know I love you, right?" Sam blurted at random.
An involuntary smile tugged at the corners of Peyton's lips, threatening to blossom into a full-blown, lovesick grin.
"I do," Peyton assured him wholeheartedly. She believed with her whole heart that Sam loved her just as much as she loved him. Sometimes, maybe even more than she loved him(not to say that she didn't love him, because she truly did). "I love you, too," she whispered, her voice threatening to crack thanks to the tears that were now brimming in the corners of eyes. "I just really, really miss you."
Hearing ruckus in the background, Peyton concluded that Sam must have gone back inside. There was absolutely no doubt that living with Rachel and Dean every single day must be tiring--the two hardly ever kept their hands off one another, unlike Sam and Peyton who were more inconspicuous about their relationship. Sure, everyone in Tree Hill knew that Peyton and Sam were in a serious relationship, but they didn't make out in public or anything. Every now and then they'd share a chaste kiss in public, or maybe even hold hands, but they didn't participate in full-on make out sessions like Rachel and Dean tended to do. Suffice to say, Rachel and Dean were much more ostentatious about their relationship than Peyton and Sam, and Peyton was okay with that. More than okay with that, actually. Everyone who knew her knew that she was in love with Sam, and Peyton knew that Sam loved her, too, and in the end, that was all that really mattered. The entire universe didn't have to see them out in a public restaurant, or on the middle of a dance floor. As long as it was just the two of them, everything was fine.
"I know, and I miss you, too, which is why I hate to say this--" Sam started, but Peyton interrupted him before he could continue.
She already knew what he was going to say. "But you have to go, right?"
"I'm sorry, beautiful," Sam said, and he really, truly sounded apologetic. Not that that mattered. Peyton would have believed him even if he hadn't sounded apologetic. "Rachel and Dean have a lead on our ghost girl and we have to kill her before she burns another person to death."
Curiosity piqued, Peyton asked, "Is she the one that's been going around committing arson and killing people in the process?" She'd vaguely heard of the arsonist burning down houses and committing murders left and right in Lansing, Michigan. Peyton liked to keep up with the hunts Sam went on, namely because she had been on various hunts with the brothers and Rachel. She was getting slightly better at holding her own during the hunts, but that didn't mean she wished to join them on the road. She didn't feel she was ready to hunt demons for a living. Her friends were in Tree Hill and she wasn't so sure she had the strength, or the heart, to leave them behind.
"Yeah, that's the one," Sam replied, sounding all business-like as opposed to his usual, lighthearted self(or at least, that was how he acted around Peyton). "Another death was reported this morning around one a.m. We didn't get word of it until Bobby woke me up, and that's what we've been working on all morning," Sam informed her. "Rachel and Dean may know where she is, so that's why I really have to hang up. I promise to call as soon as I arrive in Tree Hill, okay?"
Peyton sighed. She hated saying goodbye to Sam, but she knew it wouldn't be forever. She was used to having short conversations with Sam over the phone, and she was even more used to only seeing him once or twice every few months. Occasionally, Sam would surprise her with a visit, but it was a rare thing for him. It was complicated being in a long distance relationship, but Sam was most definitely worth it.
"I'm holding you to that," Peyton teased, fighting to disguise her sadness as happiness. "I love you, stranger."
'Stranger' had become Peyton's nickname for Sam, so she rarely ever referred to him by his first name.
"I love you, Peyton," Sam whispered before hanging up.
The minute Peyton hung up, she returned to living room to question Brooke about the whole 'crying in the bathroom' incident. As she approached the living room, Peyton noticed that Brooke was bawling her eyes out on the couch, and it just so happened that she was crying because a mother was giving birth.
Confused, and a tad curious, Peyton plopped down beside Brooke and asked, "B. Davis, uh, you okay?"
Brooke nodded enthusiastically as she cocked her head to the side and beamed at Peyton, tear streaks staining her face. "I'm pregnant, Peyton. I'm going to be a mom."
Peyton's eyes lit up in response to the news and she resisted the urge to jump for joy. "That's what you were trying to tell me before I rudely left the room, wasn't it?" Peyton asked, feeling extremely horrible for leaving her best friend alone in the living room. She pulled Brooke in for a one-armed hug and Brooke rested her head on Peyton's shoulder.
"Yeah," Brooke managed to choke out as she wiped her tears away. "I'm not angry with you. It's been a while since you've seen Sam, so I figured my news could wait." Peyton could see the wheels turning in Brooke's head and she prepared herself for an onslaught of difficult questions to answer as she pulled away from Peyton. "When is Sam returning, anyway? And what is his job? You've never really explained it to me, and neither has Rachel. I feel all out of the loop."
Peyton tried not to laugh at Brooke's train of thought. But then again, she was probably attempting to get over the shock of being pregnant.
She wracked her brain for an answer to those questions, knowing that she would have to bend the truth. She hated lying to her best friend, but Sam had sworn her to secrecy, and the last thing either of them needed was to be locked up in an insane asylum because she couldn't keep her mouth shut.
"He's a temp," Peyton blurted, remembering that Sam had once told her he worked as an agent for the FBI. "He mostly works through the FBI and all that good junk," she added for show. "Anyway, Sam's job isn't important right now. You, Mrs. Baker, are pregnant. With child." Brooke smiled at that. "Does Julian know?"
"I haven't exactly found time to call him," Brooke started. "I found out before Sam called you. That's why I looked so damn pale. I don't know how to tell Julian I'm with child, and the last thing I want to do is tell him over the phone. Besides, he's working on a movie. What if he isn't happy about it? I've already taken one movie away from him. I can't take away another."
Peyton rolled her eyes at the absurdity of Brooke's words. "Brooke, Julian is not going to be pissed at you for being pregnant. He'll be happy--ecstatic, actually. He doesn't have to give up the movie, either. There are ways to work around the pregnancy. Besides, if worst comes to worst and he has to choose, he'll choose you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to him. I know Julian, and I know he doesn't believe you've ruined his life. If anything, you've made it better, and I know he's made your life better, too."
Brooke knew Peyton was right. Actually, she was right on point. Her husband was a good man, and she knew he'd never hurt her, and she also knew he'd never abandon her.
"I'm just terrified that everything is going to change, and you know how much I hate change," Brooke mumbled, offering up a watery smile when Peyton looked at her.
"Things are going to change, Brooke, but you have to believe that they're changing for the better," Peyton assured her. Peyton couldn't help but think back on how happy she had been when she found out she was pregnant with Lucas' child. It had been one of the more happier moments in her life, but it all came crashing down when she found out she had miscarried. Her heart broke at the thought. She had lost Lucas and she had lost her child, but she still had Sam, and she still had her friends. In truth, she had never fully recovered from losing Lucas and her unborn child, and she also knew that she most likely never would. She'd never forget Lucas, and she didn't want to. Sometimes, she would remember the way they used to stay up and talk all night about absolutely nothing, and she'd even remember how he had always been there for her, always saving her no matter the consequences.
Guilt settled in her chest when she realized that she rarely ever visited Lucas' grave. Though he had passed away nearly three years earlier, she had yet to bring herself to visit his grave as often as she visited her mother's. Yes, Peyton loved Sam and her love for him grew stronger with every day that passed, but there would always be a special place in her heart for Lucas. That place had been and always would be Lucas', and Peyton knew, without a doubt, that Sam understood that. He'd never ask her to forget Lucas.
Brooke took immediate notice of the far-away look on Peyton's face, and she knew her friend was reflecting back on the good times she had spent with Lucas, and she was no doubt thinking about her miscarriage. Lucas' death had been hard on the small town of Tree Hill, North Carolina, and it broke Brooke's heart every time she thought of him. Lucas had been one of her best friends. He was the first guy that ever wanted to be with her just for her. He hadn't wanted just sex from her when they were in a relationship(granted, their relationship hadn't been the most stable one, but they had experienced their fair share of good times), and even after their ridiculous(and what now seemed petty) break ups, Lucas had been there for her. He had been a good guy--an amazing guy, actually. She still visited his grave every chance she got. Karen sometimes visited Brooke and Peyton when they had sleepovers(they still did that even though Brooke was married), and she almost always brought Lily and Andy along with her.
Lucas would always be missed, but everyone knew he'd want them to be happy. That was just the kind of guy Lucas had been.
And they were happy. Every single one of 'em.
"You'll get your miracle baby," Brooke whispered, snapping Peyton out of her reverie and dragging herself out of her own. Brooke honestly believed that Peyton would have a child one day, and she'd no doubt make an absolutely wonderful mother.
"I'd be too scared," Peyton admitted after a moment of silence. She didn't want to talk about her fears, though, so she changed the subject. "How is your new line coming along?"
Brooke wasn't thrown by Peyton's sudden change in topic, but she did however go along with it. If Peyton didn't want to talk about the baby, then she could accept that graciously. "Oh, I'm so excited, Peyton," Brooke gushed, shoving thoughts of Lucas and Peyton's miscarried child out of her mind. "Eva Longoria is wearing one of my dresses to the frikkin' Golden Globe Awards and it looks absolutely amazing on her, if I do say so myself." After pausing momentarily, Brooke added, "I'm actually thinking about starting a baby line, in light of recent news."
Peyton furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?" she asked skeptically. "I thought you just found out..."
Brooke chuckled. "I did just find out, and well, I think I want to go through with the baby line idea I had a few months back. I just have to tell Julian about the baby before I get into the whole designing thing again."
Peyton placed her hand over Brooke's in a comforting gesture. "If you want, I can come with when you tell him."
A smile graced Brooke's features, but she shook her head. "No, this is something I have to tell him on my own, but I love you for caring enough," Brooke informed her gratefully.
"What else are best friends for?" Peyton teased.
"Exactly," Brooke chirped happily.
"Here ghosty, ghosty, ghosty," Sam sing-songed as he walked through the fence that led to the graveyard.
Dean eyed Sam warily, worried that his brother had gone absolutely insane. "Shut the hell up, Sammy," Dean snapped vehemently. "The fucking ghost isn't going to come to you just 'cause you call it like it's some fucking dog."
Sam glared daggers at his brother. "Yeah, well, luring the damn ghost with threats isn't working for you, either," Sam bit back as he expertly made a circle of salt in the graveyard. Before they could actually get rid of the ghost, they had to find her. They just had to get her to reveal herself, but so far, they weren't having any luck.
"She listens to women," Rachel reasoned, fed up with the boys bickering back and forth. "Let me talk to her. There's no use in keeping me in the car. You should know better by now, boys."
Dean groaned, ready to protest. "Rachel, get your ass in the car," he ordered, not bothering to be gentle. He loved Rachel, but sometimes she could be so damn frustrating. "You're still bleeding from that damn demon that attacked you earlier. I don't need you to get hurt even more."
Rachel rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. Sam prepared himself for another argument between the happy couple. "Dean," she deadpanned in a warning tone. "Aaliyah hates men. Despises them. Men are the reason why she's dead. All of her victims have been men. That one woman was killed by accident because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She won't kill me."
"Who says?" came a taunting voice. Rachel, Dean, and Sam's heads shot up as they registered the presence of a certain ghost. Fortunately, she was standing in the circle of salt, so she couldn't attack them. At least, not yet.
Rachel merely grinned, already having planned what she was going to do in order to kill the ghost.
Much to Dean's content, Rachel had made due with her promise to spend some alone time with him that night. It had been, what?, three months since Rachel and Dean had slept together and spent the night alone. Sam was on his way back to Tree Hill. He had left immediately after they had succeeded in killing the bitch of a ghost that had been burning houses down and killing innocent bystanders in the process. Turns out, the only reason she had been murdering all of those men was because they were related to the bastard that had murdered her in September of 2008.
Rachel felt absolutely horrible for making Dean worry about her, but she was the only one who could have possibly known how to get through to that ghost. Rachel, much to the brother's chagrin, had been right about the ghost only reasoning with women. Rachel was enough of a distraction for Aaliyah, and therefore, it was easy for the boy's to send the ghost where she belonged.
The thing that had worried Dean the most, though, was that Rachel had scars from a fight with a demon that had been protecting Aaliyah for who knew what reason. Sam had successfully killed the son of a bitch, but Dean couldn't forgive himself for allowing Rachel to get hurt. Sometimes, he wondered why he ever agreed to let Rachel come along, and then he would remember that it was because he loved her, and because he couldn't imagine his life without her in it. She and Sammy were the only family he had left.
"Dean, let it go," Rachel whispered soothingly, noticing the faraway look his eyes had taken on. He may not show it all the time, but Rachel knew that he cared about what he did, and that his 'job' affected him more than he let on. After a little over two years of being on the road with the Winchester boys, Rachel felt the same way. For Rachel, it was most definitely complicated at first. When she'd be forced to murder a possessed human, she'd cry herself to sleep while snuggled up to Dean in their lumpy, uncomfortable motel bed. Adjusting to life on the road hadn't been as complicated as she thought it would be, though. Sure, she missed having all the privileges and necessities she used to have, but just being with Dean made her forget about all those things. Now, the thrill of the hunt and the warmth of Dean's presence beside her every night was enough for her. And having Sam around as a brother figure wasn't all that horrible, either, though the two were constantly butting heads.
"This night isn't supposed to be about damn hunts," Dean murmured bitterly, more to himself than to Rachel. This night was supposed to be about them, and he was doing the Dean Winchester thing by fucking it up before it even really began.
"You know," Rachel drawled lazily as she straddled Dean's lap, "we haven't had a night alone in like, three months."
A smirk graced Dean's lips, but instead of giving into his desires, he removed Rachel from his lap and walked to the other side of the motel room they were sharing, opening up the top drawer of the dresser.
Rachel watched Dean with curious eyes and pouted because he had more or less just blown her off. He had better have a pretty damn good excuse for doing so, or else he'd be sleeping with himself tonight.
Dean had never been much of a romantic--in fact, he still wasn't much of a romantic, but Rachel had managed to change him in more ways than one. He wanted to tell her that. More importantly, he wanted to do this right.
Rachel's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and disbelief once she realized Dean was holding a small, velvet box in his hands. Velvet, square boxes normally held one thing--engagement rings. Rachel's breath hitched in her throat as Dean knelt down on one knee in front of her, taking one of her hands in his own. In that moment, their surroundings honestly didn't matter to her. She didn't care that they were in a fucking motel room or that they were just recovering from another dangerous hunt. None of that mattered. Dean was all that mattered. Uncharacteristically, tears welled in Rachel's eyes as Dean began speaking.
"I'm not all that experienced in the romance department," Dean admitted sheepishly. Way to start a proposal, asshole, he thought to himself. "I've never been in a serious relationship before. I've never allowed myself to get attached to a woman, and I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I was always a love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy." Rachel flinched at the thought of Dean ever having been with anyone aside from her, but she had been the same way. If she berated him for his past ways, she would just be making herself a hypocrite. That, she was not. "But then I met you," Dean continued, dragging Rachel out of her thoughts, "and you flipped my world upside down. I remember the first day I saw you. You were just this insignificant red head that just so happened to pass me and Sam on the streets of Tree Hill. Sam and I both saw something in you, but Sam was more interested in Peyton than you, and I was more interested in your body than getting to know you personally."
Rachel laughed through her tears in response to that information. It was such a Dean thing to say.
Dean's facial expression softened as he continued with the proposal. "That all changed, though. I felt something different when I had sex with you that first night we spent together. Sammy's usually the the one that gets those tingly, girly feelings that only girl's are supposed to get, but for who knows what reason, I felt those with you, and I still feel those every single day I'm with you. You're the female version of myself, and I feel like sometimes you know me better than I know myself. I don't have to be anyone other than Dean Winchester when around you, and that's a refreshing feeling. You know things about me that I've never shared with anyone before--well, except Sammy, of course, but this isn't about him.
"This is about you, and me, and the love that I feel for you." More tears fell from Rachel's eyes, and she honestly didn't know how to keep them from falling. However, they were most definitely tears of joy. "Now, I know this is a shitty place to do this, but like I said, I've never been one for romance, and I don't think the surroundings should matter. We've got each other, and well, isn't that the important thing?" Dean couldn't believe he, out of all people, was proposing to someone. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Rachel, and it was important that she knew that. "Gatina, you are the most beautiful, talented, intelligent girl I have ever met. Not to mention, you're the only girl I know that can kick ass the way you do, especially with the limited amount of training you've had." Rachel laughed through her tears at that piece of information. Hell, she did tend to kick ass, though. "I love you, Rachel, and I want to spend my life with you. Whether that be days, months, or years, it doesn't matter... all I want is to spend every waking day with you."
Dean opened the velvet box and Rachel lifted her free hand, covering her mouth with it as she gasped. The tears that had been welling in her eyes during Dean's speech began to fall even harder, but she wasn't ashamed by them. They were tears of complete and utter joy. The ring in the box was absolutely beautiful--it was gorgeous, and made of white gold, with three-stone diamond rings in the middle. Rachel couldn't even begin to fathom how Dean came up with the money to afford something so extravagant, but it wasn't like that mattered. Like they said, you couldn't put a price on love, and there was no doubt that Rachel was head over heels in love with Dean Winchester.
"Rachel Virginia Gatina, I am so in love with you," Dean began as he removed the ring from the velvet box. "Will you marry me?"
The love and the compassion Rachel spotted in Dean's vibrant emerald orbs was enough to confirm that Dean was sincere in his proposal, and it was enough to know that he really did love her, and that unlike most of the people in her life, he would never abandon her. He'd always be there, no questions asked.
"Yes!" Rachel shouted without a moment's hesitation beforehand. Dean's eyes lit up the second her answer registered in his ears, and it made him even happier when she repeated the mantra over and over again while he placed the ring on her ring finger. "Yes, yes, yes!" Rachel shouted in between kisses. "God, I love you," she breathed as she looked between Dean and the ring on her finger. "I have to tell Brooke!" Rachel exclaimed happily. She was literally beaming, and Dean loved the fact that he could make her happy, but the last thing he wanted was for her to leave the room.
He just wanted to be alone with Rachel, and though it was such an un-Dean like thing to say, he didn't feel like having sex(okay, so maybe he wanted to, but not at that particular moment in time). He just wanted to hold Rachel in his arms and relish in this moment with her. It was a big step for the both of them.
"Brooke can wait," Dean whispered, taking her hands in his as he pulled her down on the bed so that she was laying beside him. "I just want to lay here with you for a little bit."
Surprised quickly crossed Rachel's features, but just as quickly as the surprise had appeared, it disappeared. She was actually okay(more than okay, if she wanted to be completely honest) with just lying beside Dean and being close to him. Though there relationship was a very physical one most of the time, it felt nice for Dean to just want to lay with her. That was one of the many things that reminded her that Dean wasn't just with her for the sex. He was with her because he loved her, and she was most definitely with him because she loved him.
A content smile graced Rachel's lips as she snuggled closer to Dean, resting her head on his chest. "Before you, I was never able to be with someone like this," Rachel whispered, albeit randomly, as she gestured between the two of them. "I can't wait to marry you," she whispered, fighting back more tears as she fiddled with the gorgeous ring on her finger. "I don't even know how you bought this, Dean. I mean, we don't exactly make that much money doing what we do." As an afterthought, Rachel added, "We actually don't make any money."
Dean laughed. "Rach, I actually just---"
Rachel cut him off before he could explain to her how he bought the ring. "I don't want to know, Dean," Rachel said. "It doesn't really matter how you got it. Gosh, it wouldn't even matter if there weren't a ring. All that matters it that I'm going to be Mrs. Dean Winchester."
"That has a nice ring to it," Dean admitted, pure and unadulterated happiness lacing his tone. "You're it for me, Rach."
Rachel grinned as she craned her neck to get a better look at her boy--fiancé. "And you are so it for me, Dean." It was complicated for Rachel to admit that to Dean--to completely let her guard down, but she felt as though she had to say it. She had to let him know that she was serious about this--about them. She wasn't going to back out of their engagement. She'd sooner let a damn demon beat the shit out of her before she ever left Dean.
"You're sexy when you're all emotional, you know that?" Dean teased, going back to his usual jerk-like self. Still, Rachel wouldn't change anything about him. Not one thing.
Rachel laughed as she attached her lips to Dean's, pulling away after a few moments. "I'm about to get way sexier."
Dean flashed her a mischievous grin. "Bring it on, Miss Gatina."
Brooke paced nervously in front of her and Julian's bedroom. It was too quiet in their house without Sam there, but Sam was off at college, and Brooke couldn't be prouder of her daughter. Still, she had other things to worry about(not that she didn't often worry about Sam's well-being, hence the reason she called the girl nearly every day), like the fact that she was pregnant and had no clue how to tell her husband that he was going to be a father.
The door opening snapped Brooke out of her thoughts. "Brooke, is that you?" Julian's loving voice made her smile as she looked up at him. He smiled at her, causing some of her nervousness to subside. But only some of it.
"We need to talk," Brooke blurted as she walked over to their bed with Julian by her side, taking a seat beside him once he had sat down.
Julian shoved the script he had been reading aside and narrowed his eyes into slits as he glanced in Brooke's direction. She had been acting strange this morning, and apparently, her strange behavior had yet to disappear. And, in all of his experience with women, the words 'we need to talk' were never followed by good news.
"You okay?" he queried, forehead creased with worry.
Brooke nodded. "Ecstatic, actually," she told him truthfully. Well, that wasn't the answer Julian had been expecting. "It's just... well, I--we're going to have a baby."
Julian tried not to faint as that info processed in his mind. He'd seen enough movies to know that passing out after being told your wife is pregnant was cliché. After taking a deep breath and then exhaling, Julian pulled his wife in for a hug.
"I love you, Brooke, and I'm going to love this baby, too," Julian whispered reassuringly into her ear, sending involuntary shivers up her spine.
Brooke pouted as he pulled away from her. The thing she loved the most was being in Julian's arms. He always made her feel as though she belonged.
"You're really happy about this?" Brooke asked, scrutinizing his expression closely. His gorgeous eyes were sparkling with excitement and that adorable smile of his was plastered on his face. Still, that didn't convince her that he was truly happy about this. Taking care of a child was a huge responsibility and she didn't want to ruin his career.
Julian placed his hand on Brooke's stomach, beaming at her. "Of course," he told her honestly. "How far along are you?" he asked once Brooke had accepted the fact that Julian was truly happy about having a baby on the way.
"One month, I guess," Brooke answered, a joyful smile plastered on her face. She loved that Julian was okay with this, and she felt stupid for ever doubting him.
Julian would always be there for her. She knew that for a fact.
"What should we name him, or her?" Julian blurted, not sure what else to say.
Brooke laughed lightheartedly as she placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "Uh, we have some time to figure that out," she teased as she lay down beside Julian, resting her head on his chest. "But, Julian, promise me that you won't give up on your movie because of our baby. I don't want to ruin anything else for you."
Julian looked at Brooke as though she had sprouted three heads and six pairs of eyes. "Brooke, you aren't ruining anything. You've just made me the happiest man alive," he assured her. His movie could wait. There would be a million other movies. There was only one Brooke. And besides, he was going to be a father. Nothing was more important to him than that baby and his wonderful wife.
"I really do love you, Mrs. Baker," Julian whispered as Brooke snuggled closer to him. He kissed the top of her forehead, making her smile.
She was Ms. Julian Baker, and she had been since the first of May.
And I will always be Mrs. Baker, Brooke thought, sighing contentedly as she placed her hand over the hand Julian had placed on her stomach.
As her eyes slid shut, Brooke felt as though her life was finally falling into place.
Running her index finger along the edges of Lucas' tombstone, Peyton knelt down and allowed a tiny smile to cross her features. She wasn't sure why she chose that night to visit his grave, but she felt as though she needed to visit him. She needed to be near Lucas--or at least, she needed to feel his presence somehow. She had to assure herself that she would never, ever forget him. That was what scared Peyton more than anything--even more than Ian Banks returning. She didn't want to forget Lucas. Not now, not ever.
"Hey, Luke," Peyton started, smiling sadly. "I know it's been a while since I last visited, but uh, it's still hard to visit your grave." She fought to keep her voice from cracking as tears welled in her eyes. "Things haven't been the same without you, but I promise I'm okay. We're all okay, actually. Your mom and Andy took Lily to Hawaii over the summer, but I'm sure she told you all about that." Gosh, Peyton absolutely loved that little girl. Lucas would have been proud of his little sister. She was getting to be just as intelligent as him. "She is quite the talkative one, that Lily, but she's absolutely adorable. She would have loved you, Luke, and though she doesn't quite understand what happened to you, she misses you. You were a good big brother to her. You were good to everyone, especially me. You should know that Sam treats me right, and that I really do love him. He hasn't replaced you, though, I swear. There's a special place in my heart that will always belong to you. I really hope you know that. I also hope that as an Angel--I know you're in Heaven, because you were too amazing not to be-- you're guiding those on earth that still need someone like you in their lives. Your spirit lives within us. It will always live within us
"I see a lot of you in Jamie, too, you know?" Peyton smiled at the thought of Jamie. He was such a cute kid. Smart, too. Like his mom. "That kid worshiped you, Lucas. He misses you so much. Just as much as he misses Q. Sometimes Haley will call me crying because she feels as though she can't spend another minute without you in her life. Just know that no one has forgotten you, Luke." She wasn't ashamed that she was more or less talking to a tombstone. She talked to her mother all the time. "No one will ever forget you. I will always love you, Luke," she whispered before leaving the graveyard. It was too complicated for her to stay much longer.
Maybe one day she could stay for a long period of time, but for now, she would be happy, because her life was as good as it was going to get.
If only she had known then that things were going to go wrong--very wrong, she probably could have stopped it.
AN: And there you have the revised version.
I added some things, subtracted a few things, and changed around some words. I took out the sex scene between Rachel and Dean because I felt like they should have a short, intimate moment to show just how happy they were about the engagement. They might not act like that in public, but I do believe that Rachel and Dean could have moments such as that one. Brooke and Julian are love.3 I hate that they're going through rough patches on the show now. :| Peyton and Sam are still my favorite, jsyk. There will be a lot of P/S drama and a lot of R/D moments. You'll get to see some Haley/Nathan/Jamie, and even some more of Jake/Jenny. There will be a new character introduced in chapter two. Unfortunately, Mouth and Millie will not be appearing in this. I can't write so many characters at once, so I figured I'd just have it to where they and their child were living in New York. :)
Anywho, I hope everyone enjoys this revised chapter, and looks forward to chapter two, which is currently being written and revised.