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Brooke had spent a lot of time thinking over her actions and the history that she and Peyton had. With a few wise words from Mouth, Lucas and Haley, she realised what she had to do.

Looking back, Peyton really had just been honest with her, and even if that had made her feel threatened at the time; Peyton was with Cooper now. Rachel had corrupted her long enough, she felt the urge to have her P Sawyer back, the girl that knew her possibly better than she knew herself. Plus, she had to hear all of the juicy Cooper gossip; best friend to best friend.

The morning of the state championship game Brooke woke up early and headed out for coffee and cake. She felt that her early apology would work a little better if she was equipped with sugar and caffeine.

Typical Peyton still kept a spare key outside, so Brooke was able to let herself straight in. It felt odd to walk through the house again; it felt more like home than anywhere else did. She crept up the stairs, not wanting to alert Peyton of her presence too quickly due to the fear that she was likely to throw her out.

She pushed the door open expecting to see Peyton in her usual deep sleep, mouth hung open, breathing deeply. Instead, her eyes were scarred by the sight of Cooper delivering kisses to Peyton's collarbone while she chuckled lightly.

Brooke squealed and slammed the door shut, managing to drop the coffee in the process. She tutted and dropped to her knees to begin to clear the mess. From the other side of the door she could hear murmurs and shuffling which didn't help Brooke to erase the images in her mind. She thanked her lucky stars that she'd only seen exposed collar bone thanks to the well placed sheets.

The door opened in a smooth motion, Brooke found herself facing Peyton's ankles from her position on the floor. She looked up at her friend who still had bed hair and had obviously just pulled on the first top and shorts she'd been able to find.

'Hey,' she greeted nervously, 'well this is not how I planned it but spilling coffee has actually put me in a great position to grovel.'

Peyton inclined her head in both amusement and doubt.

'Forgive me, P Sawyer.' Brooke requested, still kneeling on the floor.

'For spilling coffee?' Peyton smirked, 'Or coming to my house so early?'

She held out her hand and Brooke gratefully took the offer of help.

'I'm sorry, Peyton, for everything. You were right.' Brooke said not quite mustering the courage to meet the blonde's eyes.

'I never wanted to steal Lucas from you.' Peyton clarified, 'Never.'

Brooke felt tears building in her eyes, 'I know that, I do. I was just being stupid me. I missed my friend so much, will you take me back?'

'I think it's my duty, leave you with Rachel and your heart might turn to stone.' Peyton shrugged. She reached out and rubbed Brooke's arm, 'I missed my best friend.'

'Yeah?'

'Definitely.' Peyton smiled, it was one that Brooke liked to think was reserved for her, 'Do you know how hard it's been to keep this Cooper secret under wraps?'

Brooke laughed, 'I want all the details, and I mean everything!

'I promise.' Peyton committed, 'And hey, how about no more arguments about boys?'

Brooke held out her fist, 'Hoes over Bros?'

'Hoes over Bros!' Peyton nodded and bumped her closed fist against her best friend's.

'Talking of Bros,' Brooke began, eyebrows arched, 'Did my interruption send that one to a cold shower?'

'Brooke!'

'Okay, well I'll see you at the game, I'll let you two get back to your hanky-panky.' Brooke smiled and it was genuine happiness for her friend.

'I'll see you there.'


Cooper and Peyton travelled to the game together as Peyton couldn't travel on the bus or in Rachel's car. Although she escaped the redhead on the journey, she knew that there'd be nowhere to hide at the game.

When Cooper dropped her off at the cheerleader's dressing room she was so thankful that she and Brooke had made up. She didn't think she'd be able to stand being in such a confined space with two people who hated her.

As it turned out, all the cheerleaders had to forget their grudges when Haley fell ill before the game. Thankfully after a quick but heated trip to the hospital, Haley was given the all-clear and the girls were able to catch the rest of the game.

Peyton had kept Cooper up to date on what was going on and he'd come to meet them when they reached the court.

'Haley, how are you?' He asked, concerned for his nephew's wife.

She waved him away, 'I'm fine, really. I just need to find Nathan.'

Cooper nodded and pointed her in the right direction. Bevin, Brooke and a reluctant Rachel went to take their placed on the sidelines whilst Peyton held back.

'How are we doing?' she asked softly, refering to the game.

'Great, Nathan's out there playing the game of his life.' Cooper grinned, 'Course it's not the same without you there.'

Peyton snorted highly doubting that was true.

'Babe, you have no idea how much of the game I spend looking at those endless legs.' He told her.

'Don't tell Nathan that.' She advised, reaching on her toes for a kiss. 'I better get to the court, seeing what a vital role I have in the game.'

Her eyes twinkled and her hips swayed as she left him, he couldn't help but watch until she was out of sight.

Having Peyton back on the sidelines proved as a big distraction to Cooper, he shamefully missed a number of Nathan's amazing shots and dunks. It was worth it for him though, to take in the sight that he wouldn't see again; his girl as a cheerleader flaunting her legs and smile for all to see. It didn't escape him that she frequently sought his face out in the crowd and offered a wink.

Cooper wasn't even aware the game was almost over, it was only when the buzzer went that he realised. Confetti fell from the ceiling like snow, and cheers filled the room. Even though he hadn't been paying too much attention he knew that it was a victory for the Ravens; Nathan had dominated the game.

He cautiously made his way from the stands, looking to find his nephew to congratulate him, and then find Peyton and smother her with compliments. The crowd all seemed to have a similar idea though and reaching the court was a frustrating battle; the confetti wasn't much help either.

Nathan, as Cooper could have predicted was holding Haley in a tight embrace, not paying any attention to the celebrations that were mainly due to his efforts.

'Hey, man,' Cooper said nudging his shoulder.

Nathan smirked and pulled away from Haley slightly, 'Hey Great-Uncle.'

Cooper cringed, 'If you teach your kid to call me that there'll be hell to pay!'

'Great-Uncle Cooper, you're getting a Great-Nephew.' Nathan grinned, pressing a kiss onto Haley's head, 'It's a boy.'

'That's great you guys! Congratulations!' Cooper beamed and pulled the couple in for an odd but fitting hug.

'Thanks, man.' Nathan said, unable to keep his face from grinning widely.

'And congratulations on the game, the NBA will be calling for you, I have no doubt.' Cooper patted Nathan on the back.

Nathan blushed at the deserved compliment. The trio would have continued to discuss the game, but they were interrupted by a commotion on the other side of the gym.

'Oh jeez,' Cooper puffed before setting off in a sprint.

'Midnight Madness round two.' Nathan chuckled, earning him a thump from Haley.

---

When the buzzer sounded marking the end of the game, Peyton and Brooke embraced squealing loudly in excitement. They laughed together and watched the confetti fall over the celebrating team. Most of the cheerleaders had stormed the court to offer their congratulations but the two friends had hung back, still enjoying their recently renewed friendship.

'Isn't that a lovely sight?' Rachel scoffed from behind them.

Peyton rolled her eyes and Brooke pouted, a little torn.

'So, lets go over this, shall we?' Rachel asked scornfully, 'Brooke's backstabbing best friend tries to steal her boyfriend, gets bored, and moves on to Cooper. What does Brooke do? She welcomes her back with open arms! That makes a whole bunch of sense, doesn't it? And I'm the dumbass failing school.'

'Rachel, life's too short for me to hold a grudge against anyone.' Brooke sighed, 'Sorry but I'm not going to hate Peyton for you.'

'Funny, didn't you make me do that?' Rachel scowled.

'Brooke, lets go and find the guys.' Peyton suggested, taking Brooke's arm.

Rachel put her hand on her hip, 'Looking for more boys to steal? Nice.'

'Give it up, Rachel.' Peyton joined the argument, 'One; I didn't steal anyone. Two; isn't taking other people's boyfriends your favourite sport? Three; if you have a problem, lump it on me, not Brooke.'

'Well, that was me being nice.' Rachel shrugged. 'For the record though, I think you're a scheming hoe-bag, Peyton, and you're welcome to Brooke; you deserve each other.'

'You're not exactly up for Friend of the Year, now are you?' Brooke said seething.

Rachel, strangely seemed quite offended by that statement, 'You might want to check your report card sometime, Penelope.'

'What is that supposed to mean?' Brooke asked angrily.

'I can do calculus in my sleep, Brooke, you're the one that's failing.' Rachel revealed, 'Tonight I was going to get the key to the next test so that you might actually have a chance at passing.'

'Like hell you were.' Brooke laughed.

'Just check my report, I don't need tutoring. Your little friend Haley told me everything I need to help your dumb ass out of this mess.' Rachel told her. 'Don't worry about thanking me.'

'You know what a good friend would have done?' Brooke questioned, 'They would have told me that I'm failing rather than creating some crazy plan worthy of expulsion!'

'Like I said, no need to thank me.' Rachel said stormily.

'Well, this has been,' Peyton began lamely, 'Anyway,' she took Brooke's arm and led them in the other direction.

'You know what?' Rachel called after them, 'You were right, boyfriend stealing is my favourite sport. Game on, bitches.'

Brooke went to fire a reply but Peyton held her back in a strained act of self-control.

'Of course you know how well Cooper and I connected in the bedroom, even after we'd broken up he couldn't resist me!' Rachel teased.

'Don't you dare!' Brooke warned turning on her heel and pointing her finger.

'Don't threaten me, you're not brassy enough to pull it off.' Rachel smirked.

Apparently Brooke felt like showing just how brassy she in fact was by slapping the grin off of Rachel's face. 'I am threatening you; stay away.'

Rachel held a hand to her cheek in shock before composing herself, 'You don't scare me, even with the weight advantage you're carrying.'

'What I wouldn't give to take out a chuck of your red hair right now.' Brooke snarled.

Rachel took this as an invitation to shove Brooke backwards, sparking the beginning of a scrap. Peyton tried to intervene, but she just got pulled into the madness.

Together Brooke and Peyton managed to floor Rachel with ease, but it made them feel stupid for getting sucked back into high school drama. Simultaneously they stopped their attack which in reality had only consisted of a few firm pushes to get Rachel down.

'Good call, P Sawyer.' Brooke smiled as she went to stand, 'Love triangles are over, right?'

'Think what you like!' Rachel puffed stretching out to grasp Brooke's ankle.

The brunette tumbled to the floor with a crash and a scream.

Peyton wasted no time in abandoning Brooke's new rule and defended her friend with a punch. She caught Rachel's jaw cleanly, and having upper hand, she went for another punch. She put all of her force behind it, thinking about how the girl had been a tornado of ruin since the day that she arrived in Tree Hill. She'd tried to come between everyone and hadn't done a bad job of it. It was mainly for Brooke and Cooper though that she threw the right hook.

But Rachel, as no stranger to fighting had gauged Peyton's next move knowing that she'd strike out with her fist again. With this awareness, she skilfully dodged the punch causing Peyton to deliver a powerful blow to the hardwood floor.

Rachel was surprised when Peyton barely flinched and jumped straight back into the battle. By catching her unawares, the blonde managed a hit to the mouth with her left fist.

As she was still at Peyton's mercy, Rachel decided to go for dirty tactics to ensure that she didn't lose. She tasted blood in her mouth as a sneaking sneer crept to her face, knowing that she was attacking below the belt. She reached forwards and grabbed Peyton's right hand, crushing it in her own.

Peyton yelped in pain and jolted backwards allowing Rachel to kick her way out from her opponent's clutches.

Before Peyton, or a recovered Brooke could retaliate the three girls were pulled apart by Cooper, Lucas and Mouth. Rachel couldn't seem to help herself from kicking out as she was dragged away in one final act of supremacy.

'Game on!' She screeched, although no one was listening.

'What the hell happened?' Cooper asked, guiding Peyton to the stands so that she could sit down.

Her breathing was rough and ragged due to the anger and adrenaline she'd mustered during the scrap, but Cooper was patient, and his fixed stare calmed her somehow.

'Just Rachel being Rachel.' Peyton explained, feeling stupid, 'She egged us on and Brooke took the bait. Then Rachel brought Brooke down and I just found myself jumping in and swinging a fist.'

'It's a pretty mean left hook you've got.' Cooper complimented to show that he wasn't mad.

Peyton arched her eyebrows, 'Really? I'm right-handed.'

She held her right hand up to show him the damage, which made him wince.

'I punched the floor; hard.' She laughed, 'So of course I had to give her a split lip.'

'Of course!' he agreed. 'Stay right here and I'll find some ice. I can trust you not to fight anyone whilst I'm gone, right?'

'Hurry with the ice or you're next!' she called out in jest. The couple shared a smile and Peyton watched as Cooper literally sprinted off. She cradled her hand and watched his tight ass muscles as he ran.

'He is whipped.'

Peyton laughed and held out her uninjured hand to help Brooke limp to the seat beside her. 'So much for no silly high school drama, huh?'

'Bitch deserved it.' Brooke muttered snidely, 'And I hope you messed her face up so bad because my ankle really, really hurts.'

'Here's hoping.' Peyton agreed, 'Thanks for stepping in by the way.'

'For P Sawyer; anything. Even for the dumbest fight in history.' Brooke joked, 'And you totally had my back too.'

'It was pretty dumb, wasn't it?' Peyton decided.

'Hey, at least we won. Imagine losing that would be the worst.' Brooke tried to justify their actions. 'That was the last fight, it had to be. We ended the season the way we started it, I'm done now.'

They both settled for the new plan, groaning and laughing at how victory had turned out so sour.

'Where did Lucas go?' Peyton asked, curious as it would be unlike him to leave a girl.

'There he is now,' Brooke indicated to the far side of the gym, her hazel eyes sparkling, 'he's bringing me ice.'

Sure enough, flagged by Cooper, he was headed towards them with ice packs.


'What a crazy day.' Cooper remarked when they finally arrived back at Peyton's that night. They heaved a sigh and fell back onto her bed. 'So what was it that you had to tell me earlier?'

Peyton bit her bottom lip in hesitation, but Cooper was too distracted by the very short cheer uniform that had ridden even further up her thigh.

'You know how sexy it is to see you all feisty and fighting your corner?' he murmured in her ear, brushing his hand under her skirt.

'I'm sure every guy looks for a cage fighter, who wouldn't want a girl with war wounds?' Peyton said sarcastically.

'Hey,' he cut in, 'you always look beautiful.'

He took her hand in his and kissed it softly, careful not to hurt her. He then trailed kisses up her arm, settling on her neck for a more concentrated assault.

'Cooper, that thing I had to tell you,' Peyton began in a hoarse voice.

'Mmmm?' he hummed pulling her top up so that he could focus on her flat stomach. His hands were warm as they brushed her skin and caressed her hips.

It took everything for Peyton to keep from giving in to the urge and just rip his clothes from his back.

'The thing is,' Peyton cringed, afraid to break the moment, 'I kind of told-'

Peyton was cut off by a thump, 'Hey guys!'

Cooper's gaze went from the girl in the doorway back to Peyton.

'What I was going to say,' Peyton winced, 'Is that Brooke's moving in…tonight.'

'I really hope I packed my schrunchies or this could get very awkward.' Brooke sang, 'Cooper, be a doll and help with my bags, could you?'

He obliged and sprang into action, heaving her suitcase towards the closet.

'Actually Cooper, I meant could you help with the bags still in my car?' Brooke explained.

Cooper shook his head, not knowing why he was surprised, 'Of course.'

He strode off at Brooke's request and the girl's laughed at him as he did so.

'Way to go with telling him I was gonna crash the party; that was real smooth.' Brooke mocked her friend.

'He was being sweet, I didn't want to crush him too early.' Peyton told her, 'I still feel bad, bless him.'

'So are you like sending him away tonight? It would be the weirdest slumber party ever!' Brooke spoke some sense.

Peyton pouted, 'Yeah, you're right. Well that makes things awkward.'

They laughed together and then laughed harder when Cooper returned, struggling with Brooke's heavy luggage. Peyton went to rescue him but he refused her help.

'Thank you for this.' Peyton said wrapping her arm around his waist.

'No problem.' He replied before leaning down to whisper in her ear; 'You so owe me now though!'

'Cooper!' she cried, and smacked him in the arm, which she instantly regretted.

'Did that hurt?' he asked, back to his concerned self.

She sucked in her breath but shook her head.

'Babe, you have tears in your eyes.' He pointed out to her, 'Do you want to go to the emergency room?'

'No, I'm fine.' She insisted, 'Honestly, but thank you.'

'You guys settle in, I'm gonna go and get some more ice and some snacks, okay?' Cooper told them.

Peyton leaned in to peck his cheek, 'Don't ever change.'

'P Sawyer, how awesome is he?' Brooke gushed as Cooper hurried away.

'He's amazing, so, so amazing.' Peyton told both Brooke and herself.