Disclaimer: I've got nothing

Disclaimer: Still own nothing.

Pairings: Skills/Bevin. Others as well.

Summary: After four years, Bevin Mirskey is coming home with some surprises of her own.

Author's note: Thank you for everyone who reviewed! You guys rock! I hope everyone likes this chapter and don't worry. Skills/Bevin will be coming very soon!

The Truth in Believing

Chapter 4: Everything in Time

Welcome to the planet

Welcome to existence

Everyone's here

Everyone's here

Everybody's watching you now

Everybody waits for you now

What happens next?

I Dare You To Move- Switchfoot

"You kept my child away from me!"

"I didn't keep him away from you! I tried calling you but I couldn't!"

"So you decided at that moment to grow a damn conscience? Why didn't you grow one before you left me!"

"It killed me to leave you. I was heartbroken but I had to leave!"

"Why? Did you suddenly come to the decision that I wasn't good enough for you?"

Bethany heard a sob come through her cousins' mouth. She closed her eyes and willed the yelling to stop. Even in her room, with the door shut she could hear the two adults down the stairs yelling at each other. Bethany knew that confronting the father of her child was something that her cousin had always been afraid of. She was there every time Bevin picked up the phone and then shut it again. She never did go through with the calls.

She sighed and crept out of her bed. Her socked feet hit the hardwood floor and she opened the door. The voices intensified as she walked into the hallway. She stopped in her place when she saw the small figure sitting on the top stair, clinging to the railing.

He looked so sad that it made Bethany's heart break. She walked towards him and sat down next to the little boy. He looked at blonde teenager and leaned against her. Bethany wrapped her arms around him. "It's going to be okay little man."

"Why are they fighting?" Marcus asked his voice cracking.

Bethany bit her lip. "Sometimes, adults fight because they need to."

"That makes no sense."

"I know, buddy. These things aren't really supposed to make sense. People fight because they just need to." Bethany nudged him. "You know, back when we were all in New York, you weren't even born yet but your mom was pregnant with you, my parents used to fight all the time. They fought about little things and big things. My dad would tell mom that one color didn't look good on her and mom would ream him." She paused and let out a small smile, remembering the time her mother yelled at her father while throwing her collection of shoes at him. "The point is, is that when they would fight I would always go into my brother's room and stay there. Your mom would come too. The three of us would just sit in Noah's room." Bethany took a breath and bit back the tears that came to her eyes. "I'm telling you this because you always have me, Marcus. Your mom and I? We're always going to be here. Fighting or not."

The voices downstairs got lower until they heard a door slam shut. Bethany winced and she felt Marcus do the same thing. They stayed that way for a few minutes. Bethany had her arms wrapped around Marcus and Marcus was leaning into his older cousin. They both looked towards the sound of slow footsteps that climbed up the stairs. Both Bethany and Marcus locked eyes with Bevin.

Bethany noticed that Bevin looked…drained. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks were stained with tears and her lower lip was trembling. Bethany stared at her older cousin and bit back a sigh. Bethany knew that it was taking all of Bevin's will-power to not breakdown.

Bevin took the seat next to Marcus and grasped his hand. She let out a shaky breath. "It's going to be okay." She said, her voice quivering. "Everything will be okay."

Marcus nodded, instantly. He let go of Bethany and wrapped himself around his mother. "Everything will be okay." He repeated.

Bevin looked over Marcus's head and locked eyes with Bethany. "It has to be."

Bethany felt herself nodding back. "It will be." She said.

The worst part was over…wasn't it?

Bethany sure as Hell hoped so.

Monday morning came too soon. Her mother begged her to stay home. Her father told her that he would take her to school if she wanted him to. Noah promised that the next time he saw any of her supposed friends…they were dead. Bethany shook her head. She needed to do this. She needed to be stronger than they were. She needed to show people that she wasn't going to back down.

She was packing her backpack when Bevin knocked on her door and let herself in seconds later. Bevin sat on Bethany's bed and let out a small sigh. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Bethany nodded. "Are you going to try and persuade me to stay home?"

Bevin shook her head. "No," she said, "I just want to make sure that you're ready."

"I am." Bethany said. She paused and sat down next to her cousin. "At least I hope I am."

"We're not going to think any less of you Beth, if you stayed home or transfer to a different school." Bevin told her.

"I know." Bethany said. "This is for me."

Bevin nodded slowly. "Okay then." She got up and pulled Bethany into a hug. "Everything will be okay."

"Do you promise?" Bethany asked.

"No." Bevin answered truthfully. "But the worst is over, isn't it?"

"I hope so."

They were both wrong. The worst wasn't over; Bethany found out, while walking down the hallways of St. Christopher's High School, that the worst was just beginning.

Bethany squared her shoulders and tightened her hold on the straps of her backpack. She ignored the whispers and the pointed looks that were thrown her way. All she wanted to do was get to her locker and get through the day…in one piece. She breathed a sigh of relief when she neared her locker. She stopped in her tracks when she came to it. On her locker in white spray paint was the word 'whore'. Bethany stared at the word with disbelief. She turned away from her locker and came face to face with her ex-best friend Anna Farrell. "What do you want from me?" Bethany spat out.

Anna pushed her against the lockers. "To get the Hell out of my way…whore."

"You did this? Honestly Anna? Are you that desperate for Jack? He's a monster." Bethany told her. She shook her head at the red-head. All of those wasted years on their supposed friendship came back to Bethany. "But hey? I guess you two deserve each other. You're both the spawns of Satan."

Anna shook her head impatiently. She stared down at the shorter girl. "I told you at the party and I'll tell you again, you're done."

Bethany growled. "Yeah, I heard you the first time. Do you honestly think that some spray painted word is going to keep me away?"

Anna threw her head back and let out a bark like laugh. "Oh, that is just the beginning. Soon, everyone will know you for the actual whore you are."

"Well then," Bethany said clapping her hands. She looked around the hallway and noticed every pair of eyes on her and Anna. The two co-captain's of the varsity soccer team, ex-best friends and the two most influential seniors in St. Christopher's High School, having a face-off. "I guess it's good that I haven't done anything."

Anna leaned forward and smirked. "That's not what everyone else is saying."

Bethany glared at the red-head. "What did you do?"

"'We'" Anna corrected. "Jack and I along with many other seniors have managed to successfully turn everyone against you."

"You think I care about everyone else?" Bethany asked, she laughed in Anna's face, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach.

"You should." Anna told her. She turned around and walked away.

Bethany would later understand what Anna meant.

Bethany Mirskey snapped out of her memory when she became aware of Molly waving her hand in front of the blonde's face. Bethany shook her head and stared at Molly. "I'm sorry, what?" She blinked wildly, trying to shield her eyes from the sudden attack of the bright sun. She gripped the picnic table.

Molly glanced at her new friend. "Are you okay? You've been spacing out a lot."

"Just thinking." Bethany answered.

Molly nodded. "Do you miss New York? Are you getting homesick?"

"I miss my parents and brother." Bethany told her.

"What about your friends?" Molly asked, poking at her lunch.

"I didn't have any friends." Bethany told her truthfully.

"I don't believe that. You were probably one of the most popular girls in school. Cute boys in uniforms, killer parties, I'm sure you were at the center of it all."

Bethany shook her head. She wanted to tell Molly everything. She wanted to make Molly understand that nothing was as it seemed to be. "Molly," Bethany said, "What you see on the television, isn't even close to what it's really like. The guys? Sure they may be cute, but well over half of them get what they want and when they want it, with no regards to anyone else. At the parties? They aren't your normal parties. Things happen and it ruins lives."

Molly bit her lip and looked Bethany in the eye. "Is that why you don't miss it? Did something happen to you?"

"Ah, Bethany, just the girl I was looking for."

Bethany glanced up and looked at Principle Turner. She shielded her eyes from the sun. "Hi, Principle Turner. What can I do for you?"

"There is a student that needs a tutor. I'm hoping that you're willing to work with him." He held up a hand when Bethany was ready to protest. "I understand that you are still new to the school but your teachers tell me that you're already ahead in most of your classes."

Bethany nodded. "I did most of the stuff in my previous school."

"Are you agreeing then?" Principle Turner asked.

Bethany sighed. "Yes, Principle Turner, I'm up for it."

"Wonderful. His name is Quentin Fields and he will meet you in the Tutor Centre at three thirty." Principle Turner informed her.

Bethany nodded. "Looking forward to it."

She sat back down and watched as Principle Turner walked away. She watched as he paused in front of a couple that always seemed to be attached to the lips. She watched as they both jumped apart and she watched how Principle Turner reprimanded them. She shook her head and turned back to face Molly, who was staring at her with uneasiness. "What's wrong?" Bethany asked worriedly.

"You have no idea who Quentin Fields is…do you?" Molly asked.

Bethany shrugged. "I'm not deaf Molly. I've heard the things that are said about him. Why, what's the big deal?"

Molly hesitated remembering the events of the weekend past. "He's the Ravens star basketball player." She grimaced as Bethany choked on air, knowing that her new blonde friend was coming to the same conclusion. "He was there. On Friday night." She clarified.

"Oh shit." Bethany said. She shut her eyes and cradled her head in her hands. "This is so not what I need right now."

"What are you going to do?" Molly asked.

"What can I do? I already told Principle Turner that I'd tutor him. Here's to me hoping that he doesn't mention anything."

Molly laughed. "He's Quentin Fields."

Bethany mocked glared at the brunette. "Thanks Moll. You're a doll."

Molly laughed harder.

Bethany gasped in pain as she was slammed into the lockers. "Slut."

She glared at the person who body-chucked her into the lockers. "Screw you." She hissed. She winced as she cradled her sore shoulder. In the past week she finally came to understand what Anna meant. Everyone treated her differently. Little freshmen who had no business with her made it their mission to call her names and whisper about her. Even teachers treated her differently. She shook her head at the memory of the Headmaster demanding to know whether or not she was in a sexual relationship with the Chemistry Teacher's Assistant.

In Physical Education, she was the human punching bag. Lacrosse was the worst. She still had the bruises on her shins and stomach. She was sent to the Nurse's office when Michelle Goodman, fellow soccer player, Anna's new right hand puppet and Jack's cousin, elbowed her in the cheek. Bethany threw down her Lacrosse stick and lunged at the offending blonde. The teacher grabbed Bethany and sent her to the Nurse's office.

It was Friday when she limped out of St. Christopher's High School. Everyone was gone. The nurse made sure that the hallways were cleared before she let Bethany step foot in them. "High school can be evil." The nurse told her.

Bethany didn't disagree.

She was walking towards the bus bench when an arm from the shadow's pulled her behind the school. Her eyes narrowed and she was about to let out a scream when she saw who it was that grabbed her. A hand clamped over her mouth. "Don't even think about screaming, Mirskey." Jack Christopher Shaw hissed in her ear.

"Leave me alone." She told him once he let go of her mouth. She went to elbow him in the stomach but he blocked her.

"Why so mad?" He taunted. "I've missed you Bethie."

"You're deranged." She said. "And don't call me that."

"Why?" He asked. His hand played with the hem of her shirt.

"Get off!" She shrieked. She stomped on his foot and tried to get away. She felt his hands clamp down on her shoulders and he slammed her against the brick wall. "Stop it!"

"You think this past week was bad. Bethie?" He snarled. "It's going to get much, much worse. At my word, my father has the power to destroy yours. Your brother and his precious internship will be null and void. And your mother? She'll suddenly find herself in the same boat as her precious daughter."

"Leave my family out of your sick game." She said. She blinked back the tears.

He grabbed her arms tightly. She cried out in pain. "You have no idea how powerful my family is, Bethie." He leaned closer to her. "No idea."

"Fuck you." Bethany said. She doubled over in pain when his fist came in contact with her stomach.

"You already did that, Bethany." He turned and left the other way.

Bethany sat on the concrete. Her vision started to become blurry. She let the hot tears spill out of her blue eyes. Her stomach started to churn. She steadied herself on the ground and promptly threw up. The bitter aftertaste of vomit made her cry even more.

She didn't know how long it had been. She guessed it had been near an hour and a half before she finally got home. She was still wiping tears away from her eyes when she walked through the front door. Her mother was there, pacing back and forth. She stopped when the front opened and closed. "Bethany?" Her mother asked, her voice rising. "What's wrong? Simon! Come quick!"

Bethany let go of her backpack and watched as it fell to the floor with a loud thump. She sunk to the floor. Her mother crouched in front of her. From her peripheral vision she saw her father, brother; cousin and Marcus walk towards her. "I want to leave." Bethany choked out.

"Leave?" Her father asked.

"New York." Bethany clarified. "I want to leave New York."

"Oh Bethie," Her mother murmured.

"Don't call me that! Please, please don't call me that."

She saw tears spring to her mother's eyes and the guilt instantly ate away at the petite blonde. "I just want to leave it all behind."

"Where would you go?" Noah asked.

There was silence until Bevin spoke. "Tree Hill. We could go to Tree Hill. My mom and dad are leaving for Paris because of dad's work, so it could work. She could start over again."

"Yes," her father said, "But are you ready to go back?"

Bevin nodded. "There's no time like the present." She looked at Bethany. "Is that okay with you?"

Bethany nodded. "I just want to leave."

Simon and Margaret Mirskey exchanged looks. "We'll make the arrangements." Simon said.

Margaret looked at her youngest child and only daughter. "Everything will be fine. You'll start over and everything will be fine." She collected her daughter in her arms and let her cry.

"Are you Bethany Mirskey?" A voice called out.

Rapidly, Bethany wiped at her eyes and looked towards the voice. He was standing behind the chair two seats down from her. He was tall with a round face and big lips. His skin was smooth and dark. She nodded. "Yeah," She said clearing her throat. "I'm Bethany. You must be Quentin."

He nodded. "Yeah." He took the seat next to her and slouched down in the chair. "So…"

"Principle Turner told me that you're having trouble in Calculus." Bethany told him.

Quentin scoffed. "That and English. Miss James-Scott told me that getting a tutor would be a good idea." He glanced at her. "I'm only here because if I don't pass by at least a C, I'm as good as done in basketball. The coaches are pretty strict on that."

"Back in New York you had to be a B student in order to play on any sports team." Bethany shook her head. "Anyways, so calculus and English then? That won't be too bad. We'll start with calculus first because it's easier to deal with numbers."

"You play a sport back in The Big Apple?" Quentin asked curiously.

"Soccer." Bethany answered. "So as I was saying, if you want to keep your spot on the basketball team then we should start with…" She trailed off when she saw him staring at her. Bethany laughed nervously and tucked a piece of loose blonde hair behind her ear. "Can I help you with something?"

"Why'd your cousin keep the kid a secret from my coach?" Quentin blurted. "I mean that's just wrong."

Bethany sighed. "She was scared and she did the only thing she could."

"Lie?"

"Avoid saying anything at all." Bethany corrected. She glanced and saw that only a few more people littered the tutor center.

"So she decides that now is a good time?"

"She came back for me." Bethany told him. "You know what? We shouldn't even be talking about this."

"What'd you do?" Quentin asked. "Did ya break a nail or something?"

Bethany gritted her teeth and shot him a tight smile. "None of your business."

"Is that why you were crying?"

Bethany mentally counted to ten. "Look, I'm here to help you keep your spot on the basketball team. The stuff you're doing in calculus right now? I've already done it. I know all there is. Principle Turner knows that and that's why he asked me to tutor you. So you can either keep your mouth shut about my cousin and her child while accepting my help or I can tell Principle Turner that we can't work together."

"Can't a brotha speak his mind?" He asked grinning at her.

"You can speak your mind whenever you want…just not about my cousin or her son." She got up and packed her books in her backpack. "Look Quentin, from what I've heard you are the Ravens star basketball player. It would be a real shame to see your star role taken away from you. You know what though? It's your future and I tried." She sighed as she zipped up her backpack and swung it on her back. "The balls in your court Fields, do with it as you please." She patted him on the shoulder and left the tutor center, shaking her head.

Quentin Fields stared after the petite blonde girl with wonderment. He looked around the center and rubbed his eyes. He looked to the side and saw a medium height albeit scrawny guy with glasses and a beanie hat at the end of the room. "Hey kid?!" Quentin called out to him. He snickered when the kid jumped and dropped all of his papers. "What do you think I should do? Should I let Blondie tutor me?"

The guy with the glasses looked behind him and then side to side. He pointed at his chest. "Me?"

"Yeah you." Quentin said.

"Um…well…I believe that you should. She's very intellectual. She could help you very much."

Quentin nodded. "She that smart?"

"Yeah." A female voice said. "She's in my AP calculus class. The first day she was there we had a test. Mr. Rolland gave it to her just to see where she was. She got the highest score in the whole class."

"What was her score?" Quentin wondered.

"97"

Quentin let out a whistle. He stood up and gripped his backpack. He nodded to the two who spoke. The female nodded back while the guy let out a squeak and stared at the papers in front of him. "I've got to get my tutor back."

Quentin walked out of the tutor center and looked down the hallway. He could see small figure struggling with her locker. He smiled and started to walk quicker. Her back was facing him. "Hey Blondie!" He called.

He watched her back tense and she turned around. "I do have a name." She said.

He stared at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I know but calling you Blondie is funner."

"More fun." Bethany corrected.

"See!" Quentin said. "You're tutoring me already. You come highly recommended."

"You actually want me to tutor you?" She asked.

Quentin nodded. "Yeah, why not?" He paused. "I'll even make you a deal."

Bethany let out a small laugh. "This should be good."

"It is." Quentin promised. "We won't mention your cousin or her son. I also won't mention how I feel that she was in the wrong." He held up his hands in surrender, when Bethany glared at him. "I had to say that. You know to get it out of my system."

Bethany titled her head to the side. "Why should I tutor you?"

"Because I'm irresistible." Quentin said with a grin. He sighed at her pointed look. "Fine, 'I need help to keep my spot on the basketball team'."

"And there will be no mentioning of what happened on Friday or anything that has to do with Skills, Bevin and Marcus…right?"

"Yup."

Bethany looked at him and nodded slowly. "Okay then." She said. "I'll tutor you." She stuck out her hand.

Her took her hand and shook it. "Oh, Blondie, I have a feeling that this is the start of a beautiful relationship."

Chapter four is done and complete. I hope you all liked it and I'm sorry for the wait. It's been hectic and…strange. What-ever will I do with myself. Hehehe. Anyways, thank you all for being patient and I really hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

I'm actually kind of pissed off at OTH. I am so happy that Bevin is finally back but I was really really really hoping for some Bevin and Skills reconciliation. Nope she's married to Tim Smith. How the Hell did that happen? Some major splainin' to do. I still love Bevin though. And Owen. And Brooke. And Nathan. And sometimes Peyton. Not so much Lucas or Haley. And Lindsay? Yeah not so much either. Oh and Nanny Carrie? She reminds me of Psycho Derek, but a brunette version and not so Hell bent on murder…rather she's partial to kidnapping. I think I almost peed my pants in the Hundred episode.

Now to my wonderful reviewers!

Brooke6404: Oh yes, an angry Skills=hotness. Drama is on its way. Something wicked this way comes indeed, and trust me, when it comes, it'll come. I'm fiddling around with some ideas. It might take a while. But some more third person's POV are going to come in. Hope that you liked this chapter and thank you for the review!

Toddntan: I really like the Breytin (Brooke, Peyton and Bevin) friendship so I want to put some of that in there. I'm really happy that you're enjoying this story! Me too! That's why I love her! She's just so…Bevin. She's great! I really hope that this chapter didn't disappoint you. I know that Skills wasn't in this one but I promise he will be in the next one! Oh Marcus, he's such a cutie isn't he? I am planning on making Marcus and Jamie little BFF's. They'd be so cute! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for the review!

Ashley: I love Bevin too! She's just so great! I'm really happy that you're enjoying the story and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for the review!

McNerdy: I've wanted to write about a close tight knit family so I took the one that we know least about (Bevin's) and made my own interpretation. I really enjoy writing them because I can relate to them too. Thank you so much! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter as well. I agree. Grey's Anatomy does rock! I am however a huge fan of McSteamy and Izzie, they would so HOT together. That's just me though. I know! Brooke and Owen=love. The fact that he's smoking is a plus too! Thanks for the review!

Literati and naley forever: You know what? I see on television that mother's are keeping the paternity a secret and it pisses me off too because I'm like seriously? The guy lives next door or down the street and you're going to keep something this huge away from him? I don't know. Entertainment is what it is. Thank you for the review and I really hope that this chapter didn't disappoint you!

CarolinenotCarolyn: So what did you think about Bevin being married to Tim? That kind of pissed me off. But I love her anyway. I really wanted something symbolic in the last chapter so I chose Rivercourt because honestly? What didn't happen at Rivercourt? Heheh. I also wanted the whole gang there and it just happened I guess. I was worried at first whether it would be too corny or what not but I'm glad that you like it. Thank you so much! Its hard writing new characters and making them fit with the old ones so I'm glad that you like it! Thank you so much for the review and I hope that you like the chapter!

Onetreehillgirl066: I don't like Lucas at all actually. I've always thought that Brooke could do so much better and my friend who watches the show too always slaps me when I say that. She's a die hard Brucas fan too! But no…Brucas will not be another couple. I'm thinking of fitting Owen/Brooke in there because they are super cute and I'm just going goo-goo-ga-ga over him. I really hope that you continue to read the story though! Thank you for your review and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter!

Thank you everyone so much! I hope I didn't miss anyone and I did I apologize. You can yell at me if you want!

Truly

Goldsilver02

P.S. I am so sorry for any mistakes!