Anywhere But Here

A/N: So…here's another update. It's kind of short but that's because I wanted to end it at a specific point. Anyways, I hope you all like it! - Jasmine

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Lucas got up from his spot on the couch and tried to get his wife to sit. "Peyton please sit so we can talk—"

"Talk about what?!" Peyton shouted, shoving her husband off of her. "About how all of you are here for absolutely no reason whatsoever!"

"Peyton we have a reason."

"Really?!" Peyton asked, raising an eyebrow. "And what would that reason be?! I'm not a drunk…"

She then glanced over at Deb. "I'm most certainly not a druggie."

She looked back at Lucas. "I'm not a sex addict, nor do I have gambling issues! There's NOTHING wrong with me! So why in the world would you stage an intervention?!"

"Because you and I both know that there IS something wrong Peyton." He then directed his eyes toward a photograph of Leighton on the end table to his left.

Peyton's eyes had followed his and she stared long and hard at the photo before returning her gaze back on to her husband.

"Please sit." Lucas said staring into his wife's green eyes, trying desperately to blink back his tears. "And just…hear us out. Please."

Peyton looked around at everyone and then redirected her attention back onto Lucas. She gazed into his blue eyes for a long while before finally plopping down on the couch next to Brooke.

She threw her arms up into the air. "Fine, you can all say whatever it is you THINK need to say."

Lucas sighed, took a sat down on the arm of the couch, beside Peyton, and looked up at the counselor.

Kim nodded. "Okay let's start. Who would like to talk first?"

"I will." said Mia as she grabbed a chair, placed it next to Chase's, sat down and looked over at Peyton. "Peyton, you're an amazingly kind and sincere person. You have always been there for me…you've always believed in me and I…I wouldn't be where I am today or who I am today if I had never met you and I am so thankful and honored to be able to call you my friend."

Mia paused for a moment and then continued. "And that's why…as your friend…it h—hurts me to see you this way—"

"And what way would that be?" Peyton snapped.

Mia sighed. "So…sad. So uninterested in music and the other things that once brought you pleasure—"

"In case you haven't realized I'm a mother now Mia." Peyton interrupted. "I can't spend all of my time in a music studio like I used to! So just because I don't doesn't mean—"

"But you don't even inquire about what's even going on anymore Peyton." Mia said cutting her off. "And Red Bedroom Records…it's your label! You used to love it but now it seems as though you don't care about it! You don't really seem to care about anything or anyone anymore and—"

"Seriously Mia just…stop talking!" Peyton yelled out as she got up from off the couch. "I have no desire to listen to what you have to say, you know why!? Because you my dear no ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about life! You're a vain, self-absorbed little CHILD who spends all of your free time making out with Chase! You have NO RIGHT telling me ANYTHING! Now get out of my house. I don't want you here."

Everyone in the room dropped their jaws in shock at Peyton's words but no one was more taken aback than Mia.

"Alright Peyton…" a clearly hurt Mia began, getting up from her seat. "You don't want me here, than I'll leave."

She then headed for the front door and exited the house.

Brooke shook her head. "Peyton, Mia didn't deserve that. She was here to express her concerns because she really cares about you. We all do and—"

"No you don't." Peyton said interrupting. "And it's obvious you don't trust me. Because if you all trusted me when I told you that I'm fine you would have called off this intervention."

Brooke sighed. "Peyton, we do trust you, but the REAL you. Not this cold, unfamiliar person that has taken over the spirit of the girl we all know, love and appreciate."

Peyton took in a deep breath and sat back down. "I'm still the same person. I've just been…a little stressed lately. But still…I'm taking care of Leighton just fine. I don't have…postpartum depression or whatever it is you are all thinking that I could have."

"Then why would you always call and invite me over ONLY when Lucas had left you alone with the baby?" Haley asked interrupting. "It was so you wouldn't have to take care of Leighton, am I right?"

Lucas sighed and looked down at his wife. "Is that true?"

Peyton's eyes shifted back and forth between Lucas and Haley before she finally rested them on Haley. I don't always call you Haley. Most of the time…you'd just stop by all on your own and I never asked you to do anything. You were the eager one MORE than happy to help!"

"Because it was OBVIOUS that you wanted me to! And as your friend I would never NOT help you."

Peyton shook her head, got up and walked up to Haley. "Don't act like you're this kind, considerate person who's helping out of the goodness of her heart because you're not! You're a selfish, judgmental "friend" who only wanted to help because you DESPERATELY want to have a little baby girl of your own but because you have a disorder that prevents you from ever getting pregnant again you can't! And so instead you're trying to move in on MY daughter, aren't you?!"

Again everyone in the room's jaws dropped in shock.

Julian leaned over closer to Brooke and whispered. "What is she talking about? What does Haley have?"

Brooke shrugged and whispered back. "I don't know. Haley's never said anything to me about it."

Tears began to well up in Haley's eyes. She slowly got up from her seat and glared at Peyton. "I…I told y—you about my…disorder…in confidence! How dare you throw it in my face in front of everyone! And how dare you accuse me of trying to take your place in Leighton's life! I'm not! I don't want to! I'm only helping with Leighton as much as I am and acting as a mother figure to her because her own mother…YOU…have been a LOUSY one!"

Haley snatched Nathan's keys from his hands. "I'm out of here!"

Nathan sighed. "Haley, I know you're upset but please stay—"

"Absolutely not." Haley said cutting him off. "You can but I…I refuse to stand here and be insulted or verbally attacked."

Haley began making her way to the door, but stopped and turned around to face Peyton one last time. "You are such a bitch Peyton! You're a bitch who doesn't deserve Leighton OR Lucas for that matter!"

Haley stormed to the front door, opened it up, exited and slammed the door so loudly behind her she woke up Leighton who had been fast asleep upstairs.

Peyton directed her attention toward the stairs leading up to her daughter's nursery but stood in place.

Karen got up from her chair. "I'll umm…go check on the baby." She then headed off upstairs.

Lucas sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Peyton, you're words were uncalled for. This…this isn't supposed to be a forum for you to go after Haley, Mia and everyone else in here."

"Oh really?" Peyton asked, raising an eyebrow. "So you just want me to sit down and listen to you all attack my character and tell me what a horrible mother I am and not say anything back?! Is that how this thing is supposed to work?! Because that is so totally unfair!"

Kim placed her notes down on the carpet and directed her attention onto Peyton. "Okay all the yelling isn't helping us get anywhere so let's move on and talk about what Lucas and your friends and family all want you to do."

Peyton eyed her husband curiously. "And what is that?"

Lucas sighed. "Peyton I want you to talk to someone and do an outpatient treatment program for postpartum depression."

Peyton chuckled. "You're joking right?"

"No, I'm not."

The blonde put her hands on her hips and stared at her husband in disbelief. "Well I'm not going to do it."

Lucas closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. "Peyton if you don't—"

"If I don't what?" asked an irate Peyton. "You're going to divorce me?"

Lucas shook his head. "No I—"

"There's nothing wrong with me." Peyton said cutting him off. "I don't need some shrink talking to me about my feelings and giving me…"

She shot Deb a look. "Pills to function. I'm doing just fine on my own."

Lucas sighed, got up and walked over to his wife. He took his hands into hers and stared deeply into her eyes. "Peyton, whether you're willing to admit it or not you and I both know that…."

He let his voice trail off and took a minute to try and maintain his composure. "You and I both know that you're depressed and need to get some help."

Peyton shook her head. "I'm not depressed."

"Then why do I sometimes here you crying at night? W—why do you hardly ever leave the house? And most importantly…"

Lucas paused and let the tears that had been welling up in his eyes fall. "Why do…y—you have such a hard time being around Leighton? You…l—love her don't you?"

Peyton slowly nodded her head. "Of course I…love our daughter. It's just…"

"It's just what?"

Peyton shook her head. "Nothing. It's nothing. I'm fine, ok? You and everyone else…you're all overreacting."

Lucas sighed. "We're not overreacting Peyton."

"You are." Peyton said as she released her hands from Lucas's. "And I'm not going to get treatment for something that I don't have. So this little intervention is over and you can all leave now."

Nathan, Brooke, Julian, Deb, Skills, Mouth, Millie and Chase all looked around at each other but none of them got up.

"No one is leaving this room until you agree to see someone." Lucas told his wife.

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Fine…then I will."

"You'll get some help?" Lucas asked raising an eyebrow.

"No. When I said I will I meant if no one's going to leave, than I will."

An agitated Peyton shook her head, exited into the kitchen where she grabbed her car keys from off the counter and began making her way toward the front door.

"Peyton where are you going?!" Lucas shouted out to his wife as he hurried to the door.

"I don't know! So long as I'm not here! I'd rather be anywhere but here!"

Lucas sighed. "Walking away isn't going to solve anything. So please don't do it."

Peyton stared long and hard into Lucas's eyes before quickly opening up the door and heading toward her car.

Lucas shook his head and sprinted out after her. "Peyton!"

Peyton quickly started up the comet and just as Lucas's was about to reach the door to her car, she pulled off onto the road and drove away.

A devastated Lucas stood staring and standing in place for a long while before eventually hurrying off inside.

He passed through the living room, headed towards the kitchen and began looking around for his own keys.

"You going after Peyton?" Nathan asked as he joined his brother.

Lucas nodded. "She's upset and she's driving and that's….not good. I n—need to find her before she gets into an accident. But I can't find my freaking keys!"

"Take my car then." Brooke said as she and Julian entered into the kitchen. She handed Lucas her keys. "And don't worry about Leighton. Your mother and I will stay here with her."

"And Skills, Mouth, Chase and I…" Julian began. "We're all going to drive around and look for Peyton too."

Lucas gave them all a half-hearted smile. "Thank you."

Brooke and Julian both nodded and headed out.

Nathan turned his attention to his brother. "Come on, let's go."

Lucas nodded and the two quickly exited the kitchen and headed off outside.

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"I can't…believe she acted like that." Lucas said as he stared aimlessly out of the passenger's side window. "And I….I can't believe Peyton just…left l—like that either."

Nathan sighed. "I know but…we're going to find her. She…she didn't bring anything with her so we know that she isn't planning on going too far."

The car soon filled with silence as Nathan began driving around the busy, and now rainy, streets of Tree Hill.

After a couple of minutes of quietness Lucas, who tried desperately to blink back his tears, spoke up. "H—how am I supposed to deal with all of this Nathan? How am I supposed to help someone when they keep telling you over and over again that they don't need help? How am I…s—supposed to…reach a soul that…doesn't know they need to save themselves?"

Nathan glanced over at his brother before redirecting his attention back onto the road. "By continuing to push her and by not giving up on her."

Lucas sniffled and looked over at Nathan. "I love Peyton too much to ever give up on her."

"I know." Nathan said as he made a left-hand turn onto a main road. "And that's why I know that…even though things seem…really bad right now that you two are going to get through this."

"I hope you're right." Lucas said as he returned his gaze to the window. "I really hope you're right."

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Okay so there it is! I hope you guys liked it! So…where shall I begin? How intense and drama filled was this chapter?! I mean, it looked like things we're going to be okay. Peyton did after all agree to sit down and listen to what everyone had to say. But after hearing Mia talk she got really irritated and totally chastised and went off on her and kicked her out the house. Then Haley spoke up and Peyton once again got upset and became defensive and started saying how Haley's not all as innocent as she seems and that she had ulterior motives for wanting to help with Leighton and that she's trying to move in on her daughter because she has some disorder (one that, aside from Peyton and I'm sure Nathan, no one knew anything about) that prevents her from being able to get pregnant again. So what do you think about that? We all know that Peyton was probably calling and asking Haley to come by when Lucas wasn't around…hoping that she would take care of Leighton. But we must remember…while Peyton is clearly not herself, she's not completely off her rocker. Do you think that perhaps there's a slight element of truth in what she says? That perhaps Haley was coming around on her own too and that she was happy to take care of Leighton not so much because Peyton needed her too but because she desperately wants to mother a little girl; a little baby girl she's always wanted but can't ever have? Hmm…you all better get ready for a lot of Paley drama! Anyways…Lucas told Peyton that he wanted her to get some help and to do this outpatient treatment program for postpartum depression, but she refused. She thinks she's fine and that everyone is overreacting. And when it becomes obvious to her that no one agrees with her, a fed up Peyton just up and leaves the house. Where do you think she's headed? She didn't bring anything with her so she can't be going to far, right? Maybe she isn't. Or maybe she is…who knows. Hopefully Nathan and Lucas will find her as Peyton is clearly not thinking straight at that moment. Oh and let me remind you all again. I know it may seem that I'm writing Peyton really out of character by making her out to be a huge, irrational bitch that is on the verge of alienating everyone that cares about her, but remember…really depressed people do not act like themselves! So…I hope you liked this chapter…please, please review with your thoughts/predictions. I greatly appreciate them and they really keep me motivated to write! – Jasmine

Still to come…

Brooke and Haley have a little talk

A clue arises as to where Peyton might be going and Lucas is not too thrilled about it