A/N: I do not own One Tree Hill

I quickly got in my car and started driving after blurting out my main reason for return. I am glad that I was able to get it out, and walk away. I didn't want him to ask questions about why; I just want him to think about it for a while, especially after the kiss we shared earlier.

On another note, I am very glad to be able to patch things up with Brooke, after she flew off the handle earlier today; I thought for certain the road to our friendship would be long and treacherous.

I am still trying to grasp the words I just heard. Peyton Sawyer didn't come back to be with Lucas, she didn't come back because Brooke was coming back; she came back because I was here. As soon as the words sink in, I kick myself for making the kiss seem like a mistake. Unless I am misinterpreting her statement, it sounds like maybe she wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss her.

Almost in a daze, I scramble through my keys and let myself in. I throw my coat on what I think is the couch although in my current state is just a guess. I want to take a shower so I walk up the stairs until I am interrupted by a voice coming from the couch.

"Hey, where have you been? It's like 4 A.M. And I needed to get into my house." Crap, Lucas.

I pulled into the driveway, and walked up to the house. The kitchen light was on so I knew Brooke was waiting to talk. Upon walking in the door the brunette runs into a hug.

"I am so sorry Peyton. I didn't really have a right to get mad about you and Nathan."

"I am just glad you got over it, but you said you were having a bad day, do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, I worked everything out. It was just Owen being stupid, and I had to deal with Victoria. But Owen and I are Ok now and I had a few drinks to forget about my mother."

"I am glad you were able to get things back on track for you and Owen. And Brooke, you know your mother is a bitch. Don't listen to anything she says that is meant to bring you down. I'm here for you if you want to talk about it though."

"I know, thanks, okay so changing the subject. I am sorry I freaked out earlier. I had a chance to talk to Haley today. I had a hard time believing my Naley was over. They were the only example I had of a functional couple. And they kept the separation quiet so long. I was just freaking out about it when you told me. Forgive me?" She says it giving me the puppy dog face on Brooke Davis can pull off, and I have to forgive her.

"Of course I do Brooke; I don't want to lose our friendship like we did in high school."

"So what do you say you help me finish off this bottle of wine and we talk about your intentions with the newly single Nathan?"

Brooke grabbed the glass off the counter and filled them. I am not sure what I should tell Brooke, but I am thinking telling someone the whole truth would be pretty good. Silence overtakes us; I am not sure where to start.

"I am going to have to drag this out of you, aren't I? So do you want to be with Nathan?" She asks as if I will be telling her the juicy details of a soap opera.

"Oh Brooke, I never stopped wanting him. When we broke up in high school, I know things weren't good, but I still loved him. I thought he was better off with Haley. I guess those feelings never went away."

"What about Lucas?"

"I loved Lucas, but I was able to get over him. And I think that says something. I never stopped loving Nathan. You kept asking if Lucas was the reason I was back in Tree Hill. I wish I could say yes, but only because Nathan was married when I came back. He is really the reason. I am a horrible person."

"Peyton, how come you never told me about this?"

"I didn't want you to think I was a horrible person. It was bad enough with all the things that happened between Lucas and me."

"Have you told him?"

"I told him that I came back because I heard he was back, and then I got in my car." I pause. "He kissed me earlier tonight, and I swear Brooke, all the butterflies I used to get when he would touch me are still there. I had forgotten how good he felt."

"Wow Peyton, I don't think I have ever heard you talk about anyone like that. It is weird. But I guess I am glad. I haven't seen you happy in a long time, even if it does mean the loss of Naley. Haley seems fine so why shouldn't I be? So are you ever going to talk to him about your feelings, other than your statement before you got in your car?"

"Yeah I am going to LA, when I come back we promised to talk about the kiss."

"Well, I hope it works out how you want it to."

"Thanks, Brooke; I am really glad you're not mad at me. I think I am going to head to bed, my flight is at noon, and it is already 5. I do need a little sleep."

I pause, surprised that Lucas is in my house, I thought he was in New York. "Nathan, are you alright man?"

"Yeah, sorry I am just distracted? So how did it go with Lindsay?" I say trying to escape the fact that I am still thinking of Peyton's statement earlier.

"Good, there won't be any wedding or engagement soon, but she agreed to start dating me again. A step in the right direction. Now do you care to tell me why you are spacey and returning to your home at 4 in the morning?"

"Are you sure you're over Peyton, man?" I want to be sure he doesn't still harbor any feeling for the blonde if I tell him about the night's events.

"Nate, how many times do I have to tell everyone I am in love with Lindsay? Peyton and I have been over for a long time. I don't have feelings for her anymore." He rants.

"Good, because I do." I think I said it out loud.

"What?" Lucas is confused, I can tell by his tone. "When did this happen?"

"Freshman year of high school, I don't think I ever stopped loving her. She told me that I was the reason she came back to Tree Hill." I say staring blankly in front of me.

"Wow. I don't know what to think. I mean I guess I had always thought she came back for me. Conceited of me I guess, but I thought you guys ended sophomore year. You didn't cheat on Haley did you?" I hear his voice rising, he is ready to fight if the answer is not what he wants to hear.

"No man, I never cheated on Haley. I respected her too much for that. But you know that we are over now. And I am thinking that that is a good thing. Because I really do want to see what happens with Peyton. I think she and I feel the same way about each other."

"Wow man, I guess if Peyton is who you want to be with, I'll support you. It'll be weird, but hey Lindsay is giving me another chance, you could be with anybody and I wouldn't care."

The next chapter will probably be the discussion about the kiss. Just thought I would let you know since I know a lot of you probably wanted it to be in this one.