(Honeygrove: Motel Room)
"Peyton?" Lucas called again when his knocks still went unanswered.
Brooke snatched the tequila bottle from Rachel's hand and took a large swig of the liquor before Rachel pulled it out of her hands.
"I don't think you should be drinking that," Rachel said placing the bottle back on the dresser as Peyton went to open the motel room door.
"Oh please," Brooke said reaching for the bottle again, "you were practically telling me to drink earlier. What was it you said? Oh I know…"
"Ok," Rachel interrupted. "The point is I didn't know about you then."
"Know what?" Lucas said as he stood with Peyton at the door.
"Uh, nothing," Peyton said pushing him out into the hall, "We'll give you a minute." She said looking at Brooke and closing the door behind her.
Brooke was about to have some more of the tequila when Rachel placed her hand gently on top of the bottle to stop her.
"Fine," Brooke said putting the bottle back on the dresser and looking at Rachel.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me before?" Rachel asked Brooke with concern evident in her voice. "I mean, how long have you known about this?"
"Rachel," Brooke sighed sitting on the edge of the bed. "Please don't get all sentimental on me, ok?"
"Why not?" Rachel asked taking a seat next to her. "I meant what I said at the party Brooke. You're my friend and I care about you."
"Well, that's why I didn't tell you." Brooke said standing up and pacing in front of Rachel. "You'd only worry like you are now, and everything would change between us. I didn't want you to think of me any differently."
Rachel stood up and smiled, placing both her hands on Brooke's shoulders so that she was now facing her.
"Oh Brooke," Rachel started in all seriousness. "Nothing could possibly change the way I think about you. To me you're always going to be the same cheating whore that punched me in the face during midnight madness and I mean that in the nicest possible way."
"Gee thanks." Brooke said returning Rachel's smile and laughing.
"Yeah, well considering the situation I thought a compliment was in order." Rachel said winking at Brooke.
"You call that a compliment?" Brooke asked her playfully.
"Yeah." Rachel said seriously. "Don't you?"
Brooke nodded slowly, the smile on her face growing larger as she did.
"Yeah I do." She said pulling Rachel into an embrace. "You crazy bitch."
"Ok," Rachel said smiling at the familiar name. "Now we've got all the sentimental stuff out the way, are you going to talk to me or what?"
Rachel released Brooke and saw that she was nodding.
"Alright," Brooke answered quietly. "What do you want to know?"
At this, Rachel smiled and pulled Brooke down onto the bed beside her to talk.
(Honeygrove: Outside)
After Peyton had left Rachel and Brooke in the room, she led Lucas outside the motel and onto the street. Brooke's car was nowhere in sight along with Haley, Nathan, Mouth and Skills.
"Where are the others?" Peyton asked Lucas pointing towards where she'd last seen them.
"They called a tow truck for Brooke's car," Lucas answered her sitting down on a nearby bench and beckoning for Peyton to sit beside him.
Peyton sat down slowly, still looking to where Brooke's car was previously located.
"Nathan followed it to the garage in my car." Lucas continued.
"Why would they do that?" Peyton asked curiously.
"He didn't have what he needed to fix it on him, but he said he might have the part back at the shop." Lucas answered before pausing for a moment.
After a minute or so of silence Lucas turned to face her hesitantly. "Peyton listen…." He began.
"Lucas," Peyton interrupted. "You don't have to explain anything to me."
"I don't?" Lucas questioned uncertainly.
"No," Peyton sighed, finally turning to meet his gaze and taking his hand in hers.
"Really?" he asked again, "because you seemed upset with how I reacted towards Chris."
Peyton looked closely into Lucas' eyes and sighed once more.
"I guess I was just a little surprised that's all." Peyton answered studying his face.
"You and everyone else." Lucas agreed.
"So what happened?" Peyton asked seriously as she ran her free hand through her hair. "Were you jealous?"
Lucas looked at Peyton and for a moment didn't say anything.
"Lucas?" Peyton prompted.
"Honestly?" Lucas asked her. "I don't know. I mean when I saw them together today; it just reminded me of everything that happened between them. It reminded me of how hurt I'd been when I found them in bed together and I guess I just lost it."
Lucas paused for a moment.
"I never really got to confront him properly about it until today and all the anger I'd felt then came flooding back. Chris just winds me up that's all."
Peyton looked at Lucas questioningly.
"Are you sure that's all?" she asked him, his hand still in hers.
For a split second, Lucas hesitated. Not enough so that Peyton would notice, but just enough for him to doubt his answer. Deep down inside himself Lucas wasn't entirely convinced that was all it was.
Lucas smiled at Peyton and leant forward to kiss her lovingly on the lips.
"That's all," he said gazing into her eyes and kissing her again. "I promise."
(Honeygrove: Lucas' Car)
"I can't believe that we're going to be stuck here over night," Nathan said as he drove back from the garage with Haley, Mouth and Skills in Lucas' car.
"It's only one night." Haley said in response. "Besides it could be fun. I mean we could always crash that prom Brooke's going to with Chris."
Nathan smiled at Haley.
"That's true," Nathan agreed. "Last night kind of sucked, especially for Brooke and Peyton."
"And…" Haley began dreamily. "We get to spend another romantic evening together, just you, me, prom, an empty motel room…"
Haley looked at Nathan suggestively causing him to smile back at Haley mischievously.
"Hmm…" Nathan said playfully. "Maybe this won't be so bad after all."
(Honeygrove: Motel)
"So let me get this straight?" Rachel asked after Brooke had finished explaining her condition to her. "So far only Mouth, Peyton and me know about this?"
"Yeah," Brooke answered her nodding.
"What about your parents?" Rachel asked. "I mean, have you told them that your having surgery next week?"
Brooke glanced at the floor a moment, fidgeting with her fingers in her lap.
"Not yet," Brooke answered her quietly.
"Ok, well that settles it then." Rachel said in response as she stood up from the bed.
"Settles what?" Brooke asked.
"I'm coming back to Tree Hill with you tomorrow." Rachel said smiling.
"Rachel you don't have to do that," Brooke said standing up to face her. "What about your parents?"
"Look Brooke," Rachel began. "I'm already going to be two days later than they expected me, a few extra won't make any difference."
"It will to me," Brooke said.
"Well, you're just going to have to deal with that." Rachel said, "because I'm not going anywhere."
"Honestly Rachel, I'll be fine. You should go meet your parents on vacation. I'll still be here when you come back." Brooke argued. "Besides you're looking a little pasty, you could really do with a tan."
Rachel smiled at her last comment.
"Yeah, well maybe they could sort your ass out for you whilst you're in there?" Rachel countered.
"Hey" Brooke protested, "My ass isn't that big. At least not when it's compared to your old one anyway."
Rachel laughed at this as Brooke continued.
"Look, Rachel," she began. "Please will you go on vacation? I already feel bad enough that you got expelled for something that I did as well. It's not like I'll be alone, Peyton knows about the cancer and she'll be there after I've had the surgery."
Rachel wasn't convinced, but she knew better than to try and argue with Brooke about this.
"Fine," Rachel sighed in defeat. "I'll go, but only if you promise to call me and let me know how it went."
"I promise." Brooke said smiling at Rachel.
Rachel smiled back at Brooke.
"You know I could have won that if I'd really wanted to." Rachel said laughing and pulling Brooke into another tight embrace. "You take care of yourself Brooke." She added squeezing her even tighter.
"I will." Brooke said squeezing her back.
"No, I mean it." Rachel said in return. "Otherwise who am I going to have to insult me?"
"Don't worry Rachel, I'm sure there's plenty of people that would be willing to do that for you." Brooke replied smiling.
Rachel released Brooke from her grasp and hit her playfully on the arm.
"Yeah, but none of them would be as fun to insult back." Rachel said tauntingly pulling her into another embrace.
(Honeygrove: Motel Corridor)
Lucas and Peyton had been about to knock on Rachel's motel room door when they'd heard Brooke's voice on the other side of the door.
They had been standing hand in hand, in front of the door, Peyton about to knock with her free hand when it had happened.
"It's not like I'll be alone, Peyton knows about the cancer and she'll be there after I've had the surgery."
Peyton quickly glanced towards Lucas, hoping that he'd not heard what Brooke had just said, but the expression on his face clearly told her that he had.