Chapter 4

A.n: sorry for the late update, I've had exams and had to concentrate on them. Thank you so much for the reviews, they were really inspiring! To hilarie3 I really like the way you think.

Brooke slowly unfolded herself out of her car. It looked like almost everyone was here. She immediately spotted Skillz, Mouth and Millicent leaning against the back of Skillz car.

'What's up , don't have a date?' Skills half teased looking behind her.

'Ha-ha very funny...not! Owen decided to take his buddy chase on a camping trip, Instead of coming as my date. Who does that?' she fumed. Skillz smirked knowingly.

'Beer?' he chucked a can at her.

'Wait, you are tailgating at Luke's wedding?' it was her turn to smirk.

'Like you don't want one.' she smiled at him and offered the beer to Millie who declined saying that she was the designated driver.

'So where's Peyton?' He asked the question he was sure the other two wanted to know as well.

'She's not coming.' She stated simply with no explanation. The other two nodded in understanding while Skillz shook his head.

'Damn, well that's too bad.'

'Really and why is that?' she raised her eyebrow up at him

'This wedding would have had some much needed drama.'

'Oh I'm glad my friend's misery is a source of amusement for you.' her lips twisted in disapproval and Skillz immediately felt bad.

'that's not what I meant, you know I love , I do, but I never thought that she would just sit by and watch the man she loves marry another.' Brooke agreed with him hundred percent but one thing she knew about was fighting for somebody who didn't love you back, it was exhausting and futile and left you as a wreck. 'Besides if she turns up, maybe Luke will finally come to his senses.' Brooke laughed.

'I thought you liked Lindsey?'

'I do, and so do you, but we both love Sawyer and we know who she belongs with don't we?' he smirked arrogantly.

'Yeah well, maybe we were wrong, all of us.' she whispered. She had been wrong when she thought that Luke loved her in high school, maybe she was wrong about him loving Peyton as well.

'Maybe we can kidnap Lindsey and put sawyer in the dress and when Luke lifts the veil, then bam, the real woman of his dreams.' The all burst out laughing with broke swatting him gently on the arm.

'Or maybe she could come in just when they are asking if there is anyone who objects to the wedding...and bam that's her queue.'

'Skillz I don't think they do that in real weddings.' Brooke pointed out and skillz's face fell in mock disappointment.

'Well dang, how are we gonna stop this wedding then?' he whined. For a moment he looked like Jamie when he wasn't getting his way that Brooke had to smile. Those two hung out way too much together.

'We are not, this is what Luke really wants, he seems really happy, so we should be happy for him.'

'Do you really believe that coz I think it's a truck load of baloney' Of course she didn't believe it, but it wasn't like she was going to tell him that. What would be the point? There was nothing they could do about it. The one person who could have done something about it had failed and the other didn't want to do something about it, and she prayed that her best friend would be able to let go and finally move in some day.

'Alright genius, come on let's go...' she pulled him and they headed for the church.

'You know what else would be totally awesome?' He said mimicking the typical TV cheerleader voice as they entered the chapel. Brooke chuckled.

'No, but I'm sure you are about to tell me.'

'...if Luke said the wrong name at the altar, like Ross in friends.' He said excitedly his eyebrows inching up comically. Brooke laughed again.

'Give it up Skillz, this wedding is happening whether you like it or not.' She led him towards the front pew.

'I was just...'

'Well don't.' Brooke said sharply. She winced as she saw Skillz shrink back into himself. She hadn't meant to sound so harsh but then she wasn't going to apologise for it either coz she really didn't want to talk about it anymore. This day was going to be hard enough as it is without indulging on stupid fantasies and what if's. She needed to be strong for Peyton coz she was already a mess as it was and after today she was sure that she would be destroyed.

It wasn't soon after they sat down that Luke and Nathan came in standing at the altar. Five minutes later with everyone sitting down the wedding march started. Lily walked in throwing rose petals in the air. Brooke smiled, she had to. Lily looked too cute, it just reminded her and reinforced her own dreams. Haley walked in after Lily, she was smiling her eyes roaming around the chapel, taking in everyone, but when those eyes landed on Nathan the smile disappeared to nothing but a strained stretch of her lips. Brooke sighed as she realised that she hadn't talked with her friend in a while. She was busy looking after Peyton that she had lost touch with everything else. She wasn't complaining, it just felt like she was neglecting everything and everyone else. She knew about Haley's marriage problems but what she didn't know about was ho w she was feeling, or how she was doing, and she felt bad about that.

She was yanked out of her thoughts by the arrival of Lindsey. Her head turned simultaneously with everyone else's. Her breath hitched and the first thing she thought was it was a good thing Peyton wasn't here. Lindsey looked...amazing, definitely not how you wanted the woman who was marrying the love of your life looking. She looked at Lucas who was grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. Maybe they all had been wrong after all; maybe he really did love Lindsey instead of Peyton.

To say that he had been nervous would have been the understatement of the century. He had huge butterflies in his stomach doing the rumba and had felt literally sick to his stomach. Then he had remembered the anger he had felt right before they left his house and it had simmered right up again extinguishing all the butterflies in one fell swoop.

Nathan had asked him moments ago if he was really sure that he wanted to go through with this because once he said I do there was no taking it back, that was it. Luke had assured him that he wouldn't want to be taking it back. Nathan had gone on to lecture him about the sanctity of marriage blah blah. Luke had laughed telling him that was what the priest was for and what he wanted right now was his brother, his best man.

But as he wondered into the church he found his eyes wondering, and he told himself sternly that he was not looking for her. His eyes landed on Brooke who smiled tightly at him. Before he had the chance to wonder whether she wasn't here at all, or maybe she was but sitting somewhere else the double doors opened and right in the middle stood Lindsey. His breath stopped, she looked so beautiful, more beautiful than he had ever seen her. At that moment everything was right, like it belonged and he had never been surer that he was doing the right thing. And also at that moment blind panic hit him, he was getting married...today...to Lindsey. What the hell was he doing? This wasn't how things were supposed to be? Could he really marry her while he still had unfinished business with another woman? He looked around desperately, searching for clarity, any sign that he was doing the right thing, that this would work out. His eyes finally landed on Lindsey as she walked towards him. When she smiled at him, winking at him secretly, he was reminded again why he loved her. He could see it in her eyes; she was completely in love with him. He smiled back at her his faith restored. Peyton Sawyer was in the past and Lindsey was the future, that was all there was to it.

As the priest began, Lindsey took his hands in her and squeezed them reassuringly. His eyes snapped up and clashed with hers, and those doubts crept up again. Was he doing the right thing? Was this what he really wanted? He had kissed Peyton, more than once and he couldn't forget what she had said to him this morning. Could he just forget about her and marry someone else right now? His eyes roamed the church once more and he came up more confused than before.

'...not be joined in matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace...' the pastor was saying but Lucas wasn't listening. Just then the old church wooden doors groaned open and right in the middle stood the cause of all the confusion. She looked...beautiful, angelic in the green short dress that he was sure complimented her eyes. She stood there starring right at him, as if seeing right through him, right into his soul. And he stood there waiting, like everyone else, waiting for her to say something, anything. He felt a new wave of emotions churn inside him...anger, disappointment...hope?

Brooke spun around along with everyone else as the door opened.

'Oh no.' she gasped in dismay seeing her best friend. Please Peyton don't do this, anything but this. She sent a silent message to her friend. She wanted her friend to get her man she really did, but not this way. At this point things had already gone too far, it was up to Lucas now.

'Yeah! I knew it! Go sawyer!' Skillz punched the air triumphantly next to her.

Everybody waited looking between Lindsey's rigid body to Peyton's frozen one. Peyton sucked in shaky breath, eyes wide and opened her mouth to speak...

A.n sorry this chapter is short, wrote it over a couple of days and I am lost at the moment. Please review!