Don't Believe the Hype
A/N: Ok…so yeah, I really don't know how much I like this chapter, but…here it is anyways. – Jasmine
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"Mommy!" Elizabeth screamed out as she ran over to Peyton and engulfed her in a big huge hug. "You're home!"
"Lizzie..." Lucas said as he closed the front door. "Don't yell. Your mom's head still hurts."
Elizabeth looked over at her father. "Sorry."
"No, it's ok." Peyton said as she held her daughter closely. "Because I am just so happy to see you. I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too." Elizabeth said as she began playing with Peyton's hair.
Peyton smiled as she slowly cradled her daughter in her arms.
"Mommy…"
"Yes?"
"Do you think that we could do something fun together? Just you and me?"
Peyton nodded her head. "Of course we can. What do you want to do?"
Elizabeth pondered momentarily before deciding on an activity. "Can we paint?"
"I think that's a great idea." Peyton said smiling. "Why don't you go and get everything set up in the family room."
"Ok." Elizabeth said grinning and hurrying off.
Lucas chuckled as he walked over to Peyton and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "It's good seeing Lizzie back to her cheery self. She had been so sad…and broody. And being sad and broody is totally not her."
"No it definitely isn't."
"So um Peyton…what were you looking for in your car?" Lucas asked, changing the subject.
"W--why do you think that I was looking for something?" asked a slightly taken aback Peyton.
"Because it looks like a tornado hit it."
Peyton began stuttering out words. "Oh…well I—I was umm…"
Just then, Elizabeth ran back into the room. "It's all set. Let's get started." She then took Peyton by the hand and began dragging her mother toward the family room.
Lucas stayed behind, but eyed Peyton curiously as she and Elizabeth headed out of the room together.
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That night…
"Is she asleep?" Lucas asked his wife.
"Yes." Peyton said as she took a seat beside Lucas on the couch.
"We are so happy to have you back home." Lucas said as he put his arm around Peyton.
Peyton smiled at her husband. "I'm happy to be back too."
The two sat together for a while in silence before Peyton spoke up. "Luke, there's something I need to go and do."
"Like what?"
"I need to see Brooke."
"Right now?" Lucas asked. "It's getting late Peyton, can't you see her tomorrow?"
"I could…"
"But you really want to see her tonight."
"Yeah."
Lucas sighed. "Ok."
Peyton took in a deep breath and exhaled. "Ok…I know I shouldn't be driving and you need to stay here with Elizabeth so I'm going to take a cab to her house. I called for one about 15 minutes ago so it should be here any---"
Peyton's words were interrupted by beeping from outside.
"I guess it's here now." Peyton said getting up. She bent down and gave Lucas a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll be back soon."
Lucas nodded as Peyton grabbed her coat and purse, headed for the door and closed it behind her.
Lucas remained on the couch, lost in deep thought. "She was adamant about being released...then she was looking for something while I was getting Lizzie...and now she just has to see Brooke. Something…something's off with her…"
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"So what do you think we should do?" Brooke asked as she sipped her tea.
Nathan shook his head as he looked down at the photos of Peyton and Alex. "I don't know. I mean…I don't think we can trust that Alex guy at all. But then again, maybe we can, who knows."
Brooke sighed. "We're not getting anywhere."
"No we aren't."
The two sat together in the kitchen in silence for a long while when they suddenly heard a knock at the door. Brooke got up from her chair and headed toward her front door. Nathan's jaw dropped when she reentered the kitchen a few moments later with Peyton by her side.
Nathan got up from his seat and walked over to his sister-in-law. "Peyton, I—I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I---"
Peyton interrupted him. "Nathan, stop. It was accident. There wasn't anything you could've done. You don't have anything to be sorry about."
Brooke and Nathan eyed Peyton curiously.
"Look, Lucas he…he told me about the accident…and how you were arrested for a DUI and I…I don't know why he's doubting you so much but I…I know you would never intentionally do drugs and get behind the wheel of a car Nathan."
Nathan glanced over at Brooke and then redirected his attention to Peyton. "But there's all of this evidence against me. How…how can you be so sure I didn't purposely take them and then accidentally overdose?"
"Because I know you and I know that isn't something you would do." Peyton said as she walked to the table, picked up the photos and examined them. "And because things aren't always what they seem to be. Kind of like these photos here."
Peyton paused for a moment before speaking again. "I know that the two of you think I'm the one with a problem. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone to Charlotte to question Alex about these photos."
Brooke sighed. "So you've been talking with Alex?"
Peyton nodded. "Yeah. And I'll admit it…these photos…they do kind of look…well suspicious. And while I don't actually remember this meeting I had with him…I do know what it was about and what it is he's giving me. I can explain them and I will…on one condition."
"What?" Nathan asked inquisitively.
"That you won't tell Lucas. What I tell you guys…it has to stay between the three of us."
Brooke and Nathan looked at each other for a long while before turning their attention back to Peyton and nodding their heads.
Peyton nodded. "Ok, well…"
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Brooke sat down at the table shaking her head and smiling. "So that's what she's been keeping from us!"
Nathan shook his head. "And for all this time! Peyton is so sneaky…but ingenious."
"Yea she is!" Brooke said agreeing.
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Peyton's cab…
Peyton stared aimlessly out of the window of her cab and thought to herself. "Now that I have those two off my back it's all smooth sailing from here."
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The next morning…
"Lizzie, could you please put that…that thing back in its cage?" Brooke asked, pointing at the lizard.
"But Aunt Brooke, Fluffy likes you!" Elizabeth said as she stroked her lizard's head. "She wants you to hold her."
"Maybe another time." Brooke lied. "But right now, could you please just…put her away?"
"Ok." Elizabeth said sighing as she opened up the cage and placed the lizard inside. "But if we can't play with Fluffy, what are we going to do for fun?"
"Oh I don't know…" Brooke said as she walked over to her laptop. "How about we have a little dance party?"
Elizabeth vigorously nodded her head up and down. "Yes…yes…let's dance!"
Brooke smiled. "Alright. So what shall we dance to? Old school or new school?"
Elizabeth pondered briefly before responding. "Old school!"
Brooke nodded. "Ok let's see I have Cyndi Lauper, Britney, the Spice Girls, Mad---"
"Madonna!" Elizabeth yelled interrupting. "Like a Virgin!"
"Oh no." Brooke said shaking her head. "Absolutely not."
Elizabeth frowned. "Why not?"
"Because your dad is coming to pick you up soon and if he happens to come early and walks in here and hears you singing and prancing around to Like a Virgin, he's going to kill me. You don't want your daddy to kill your Aunt Brooke do you?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "No, but why would he? What's the song about? Is it about something bad?"
"No it's…I'll tell you when you're older." Brooke said as she directed her attention back to the computer screen.
"But that's not fair! I want to know now!" Elizabeth said pouting.
"Sorry kid, but that's life. Life's not always going to be fair. Build a bridge and get over it. Ok...I think I've found a great song. One I know you love. I just have to run in the basement first and get the props. Stay right here."
Brooke headed out of her living room and headed down the stairs to her basement. She emerged a few minutes later carry some pom-poms. She handed Elizabeth a pair and hit the play button on her computer and the room suddenly filled with the sound of Toni Basil's Mickey.
Elizabeth's eyes lit up and she began prancing about the room, shaking her pom-poms. "I love this song!"
Brooke began singing. "Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind hey Mickey hey hey hey Mickey!"
Brooke grabbed Elizabeth's hands as the two danced around and sang together. "Oh Mickey, what a pity, you don't understand. You take me by the heart, when you take me by the hand. Oh Mickey, you're so pretty, can't you understand. It's guys like you Mickey. Oh what you do Mickey, do Mickey, don't break my heart Mickey!"
Brooke and Elizabeth were suddenly interrupted by a loud clapping sound coming from the front door. Brooke glanced and saw Julian standing before them.
"How did you get in here?" asked a flustered Brooke as she placed her pom-poms on the floor and turned the music off.
"I didn't mean to scare you. The door was unlocked…I tried knocking first, but you obviously didn't hear me with the music up so loud…so I just came in."
"Aunt Brooke, who's he?" Elizabeth asked, looking over at Julian.
Brooke scooped Elizabeth up into her arms and walked over to Julian. "Lizzie, this is an old friend of mine, Julian. Julian, this is Elizabeth."
"Oh no, this can't be Elizabeth!" Julian said looking at the little girl in shock. "The last time I saw you, you were just a little thing, and now you're all grown up and so very pretty. Just like your mother."
"You know my Mommy?!" Elizabeth asked excitedly. "Do you know Daddy too?!"
Julian nodded his head. "Yes I know them both. And I heard about your mother's accident. How's she doing?"
"Real good."
Julian smiled. "Well that's good to hear."
"Julian, do you want to see my lizard?" Elizabeth asked as she jumped out of Brooke's arms and ran over to Fluffy's cage.
"Peyton and Lucas let you have a lizard?" asked a surprised Julian.
"Yup." Elizabeth nodded as she picked up her lizard and handed her over to Julian. "Her name's Fluffy."
Julian held the lizard up and took a good look at it. "And how are you doing today Fluffy?"
Brooke turned her attention to Elizabeth. "Lizzie, your dad's going to be here any minute to pick you up, so why don't you put Fluffy away and get the rest of your things together."
"Ok."
Julian handed Fluffy back over to Elizabeth, who carefully placed her back in her cage and skipped out of the room.
Julian chuckled. "If she didn't look like Peyton's mini doppelganger, there's no way I ever would've guessed that cheery little girl would be her daughter."
Brooke nodded her head in agreement, but then quickly changed the subject. "So Julian…what brings you by?"
Julian sighed. "Well I was in the neighborhood and I thought I should stop by and apologize. I'm sorry for acting weird and flaky yesterday."
Brooke nodded. "It's ok, I'm not mad or anything. But I am kinda worried. I mean, is everything alright? What's going on with you?"
"Nothing I can't handle." Julian said confidently. "I promise."
Brooke was about to say something when she was suddenly interrupted by Elizabeth reentering the room.
"Alright I think I better get going." Julian said as he bent down and focused his attention on to Elizabeth. "It was nice meeting you Elizabeth."
Elizabeth smiled. "It was nice meeting you too Julian."
Julian smiled as he got up and redirected his attention to Brooke. "We'll talk soon."
Brooke nodded as Julian headed for the door and exited the house.
"I really like him." Elizabeth stated matter-of-factly. "He's really nice…AND he's cute too!"
Brooke laughed. "Aww…I think somebody has a crush."
"I do not!" Elizabeth said blushing.
"You do too!" Brooke said smiling. "And don't ever tell your dad about it."
"Why not?" asked a curious Elizabeth. "Does Daddy not like Julian?"
"Well" Brooke began, as she picked Elizabeth up and held the little girl in her arms. "Let's just say that Julian isn't your daddy's favorite person…"
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I didn't really like this chapter, but whatever. Ok…so let's see…Lucas thinks Peyton's acting weird. And it looks like Peyton went and confessed her secret to Nathan and Brooke...or did she? Whatever it is she ended up telling them…it looks like Nathan and Brooke believe her. Is Peyton telling the truth or is she just an extremely good liar? Brooke seems to be worried about Julian, but he claims he's fine…is he really though? And it looks like little Elizabeth has a crush on Julian…hmmm…keep that fact in the back of your minds people! Anyways, I hope you guys liked this chapter! Please read and review. This story is getting really difficult to write because there's so much stuff going on. I'll only continue if I know people are reading.
Things still to come…
A certain blonde couple will have it out
Haley helps Nathan and Brooke come to a startling realization
Elizabeth makes a very wacky declaration…but maybe it isn't as wacky as everyone thinks
