"Peyton Sawyer!"

Oh shit. I hadn't lasted 10 minutes in Tree Hill without being recognised. I turned to face the source of my name, and there she was. The brunette spitfire that had once been my best friend.

"Brooke..."

"Where the hell have you been? I thought you'd fallen off the face of the planet. I tried calling you so many times. What happened?"

Before I had a chance to reply, Brennan came running up behind me, screaming.

"Mumma, Mumma. I left my Ramones shirt at home."

Brooke's eyes widened. Her mouth fell open.

"Errr..." I turned and bent down to Brennan's height. "It's okay, you can borrow mine. How about you go back into the hotel and put some music on to give the place a bit more character."

"Okay Mumma" he beamed, turning and running back into the hotel.

I stood up slowly and turned around, awaiting Brooke's ridiculing gaze.

"Mumma?" she glared. "What the hell happened P. Sawyer?"

"Hi Brooke. Nice to see you too. Sorry I've gotta go. Cya round."

I went to turn and walk away but was stopped by a Brooke's hand on my shoulder.

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold up. What's going on?" she asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

I let out a deep sigh, giving into the fact that I'd have to tell her.

"Hi Brooke. That was Brennan. He's my son. He's 4 and a half and he enjoys music, art and...basketball." I laughed nervously.

A viscous silence overcame us.

"He's Luke's." She stuttered.

"Yeah" I sighed.

"He doesn't know does he?" she questioned.

"Errr...no. He doesn't. And I'd rather you didn't tell him..."

"Well you better hurry up, coz if someone see's him running around they're gunna put two and two together..."

"I know...just...just give me a chance okay."

"Okay." She let out a deep breath and sighed. "Peyton...what happened to you?"

--

I sighed, falling back onto my bed. That conference had been alot more intense than I'd thought it would be.

"Mumma, who was that lady you were talking to earlier?" Brennan asked jumping up onto the bed beside me.

"That, Brennan, is my friend Brooke. Remember I told you about her."

"Oh yeah, the clothing line one..." He smiled.

"That's her."

"She's pretty."

"She is hey" I laughed. "So, how about I take you to the river court."

"Really? Yay!" he squealed jumping off the bed and running to get his ball.

--

"Woah, this place is awesome" Brennan exclaimed.

"I know. It's beautiful."

"Can I play mumma?"

"Of course you can. I'll just be sitting right over there" I told him, pointing to the grandstand.

He ran over to the court, basketball in hand. He loved that thing. It was his 3rd birthday present from me. It was all I could afford at the time. It was beautiful and shiny the day I gave it to him, but was now tattered and marked. His face lit up the moment his eyes fell upon it. He was his fathers son in that regard.

"Well, well, well. Peyton Sawyer. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"Nathan Scott" I smirked, turning around.

"Where have you been?" he asked, taking a seat in the grandstand beside me.

"Nowhere...everywhere" I replied.

A comfortable silence fell between us.

"He's beautiful Peyton."

"Thanks."

"Dodgy jump shot thought" he laughed.

"Hey!" I squeaked, slapping him playfully. "How's Haley...and Jamie?"

"Haley's great. She's working at Tree Hill High...teaching music. And Jamie...well, he's Jamie. He's a bundle of energy. Extremely intelligent, like his mum. And he's got a better jump shot than..."

"Brennan. Brennan Scott Sawyer."

"How old is he?"

"4 and a half."

Another silence fell between us. This one wasn't as comfortable as the last.

"Does everybody know?" I asked.

"Pretty much...you know Brooke can't help but talk. Lucas doesn't though. I don't even think he knows your back."

"I'm not back...I'm just here on business."

"Well...even if it's just for business...it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too."

"Now do you mind if I go teach Brennan over there how it's really done."

"Go right ahead" I laughed.