A/N: Hey there people! I just wanted to say thank you for all the love and support you have given me during this story! It's easily become one of my favorites to write, ideas coming like crazy, :D and you are the reason why I do keep writing those lovely characters of Lucas, Peyton, Nathan, and Brooke along with my own Fin and Oli; which I'm so glad you all love just as much as you love the original characters :D
Chapter Twenty One: Remember Sunday
The sun had just risen above the horizon when Lucas called it a night. He'd spent the first couple hours watching over Peyton as she slept, dozing off a couple of times himself but quickly regaining consciousness when Oliver's snore echoed through the room; he had no idea how the other two could sleep through that, in fact the first time that it had happened he had jolted back knocking his head rather hardly on the bed's headboard, in result there was a bump where his head had hit with a little more force.
He'd thought about her confession constantly every other minute. He'd written it off as her being intoxicated, but then that saying about drunken words being hidden truths or something along those lines came searing into his mind. So he watched over her with her head rested on his lap and his fingers running through her blonde locks while he tested her statement through every lobe in his brain trying to decode the meaning that he hadn't known was complete.
He'd stop the examination of her honesty and smile whenever she'd talk in her sleep although most of the time it was incomprehensible he was able to pick up a few lines; mostly the ones were it revolved around his name.
When he thought she would be alright for the rest of the night he tip toed out of the room glancing at the clock its digits reading 4: 39 AM. He was experiencing some sort of insomnia as he sat on the couch unable to wheel his eyes shut for rest that would be haunting him later on in the day if he didn't take the opportunity now. He moved from room to room until he came to the den twirling around on the chair in his father's office waiting for a form of sleep to wash over him.
Lightly ramming into the desk the computer's screen lit up. Apparently Nathan had forgot to shut off the desktop before heading off to bed, if Dan had caught wind of this his brother would surely be in trouble for not taking into consideration one of their father's pet peeves. Reaching for the mouse he opened up Internet Explorer and went straight to the website that consumed most of his net surfing these days; www. Ttfk. com.
Inside of this website that was owned equally by Oliver, Peyton, and Fin were more videos than anyone could imagine. Some were about important things that they were doing that would benefit the community while other's had nothing to do about nothing, they would surely give Seinfeld a run for their money; short little tidbits that could last for about a minute while others last for ten minutes talking about the most randomness of things.
Gliding the mouse across the pad he hovered the pointer above the video dated December 27, 2005 with a title that could make a young person laugh or an older person look on cautiously; 'Fin: the Pill Popper?'
There had been hardly any light when the film began to roll which made it harder to decide if it was going to be morning or dark out. Rustling sounds could be heard and the mystery to who was in that room quickly came to an end when the light switch was turned on.
"Tell me again why we have to leave so bloody early?"
"Well, good morning to you too sunshine?" Oliver spoke a little too cheerily for anyone's likings.
"Fin, this was your idea." Peyton reminded him. "Quote 'Sneaking out is better done in the dark.' Unquote." She had nailed his accent perfectly when mimicking him.
"You'll have to excuse him." Oliver replied shoving a white bottle to their friend. "Fin's a little crabby this morning."
"I'm not crabby. I am very bleedin' ill." Fin pouted rubbing his stomach and glancing at the bottle that he was just handed.
"With allergies?" Peyton asked.
"Deadly allergies." Fin agreed.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to minimize your condition. Shall we make funeral arrangements now?" The banter began as soon as Peyton finished.
"Yes, and make sure you get your money back if these pills don't work." Oliver added crossing his arms and pointing his head to the bottle.
"Where did you get those?" curiously Peyton asked snatching the bottle from Fin's palms, they were in her house after all and she couldn't have one of her friends keeling over just so they could haunt her ass for fun later on down the road.
"Found them in your room." Oliver shrugged carelessly.
"These expired in 1999." Peyton looked at the label on the pain killers and then at her two friends.
"Soooo-" Fin extended the 'o' sound. "What I should take like four then?"
And just like that a video would end. Three minutes and twelve seconds gone in your life that left you wondering did Fin really take those pills? Hmm… Guess that's why the title had a question mark at the end; it's an answer that no one will really know.
Then there were those pictures that you wondered what on earth were they thinking. Lucas had come upon a photo that seemed a bit out of place. It was the only picture on the entire site that showed them at such a tender age when innocence was all they knew and Peter Pan never grew up. The label reading 'We are the future! We are the KIDS of trust funds'; the word kids in all caps because that's what they were in this picture. No more than five years old.
It was a sunny day the rays were brighter than any other day, the air was still, the grass greener with white little daisies sticking out from the ground, and small marvelous little rainbows that reflected off of the bubbles that had been blown and were now floating lazily around. Of course you could imagine three little children smiling and laughing, but no that's not what these three particular children were doing. The little boy who was wearing jean shorts and a red T shirt while sporting a jet black Mohawk was grimacing at the boy whose golden brown mushroom hair was in dire need of a cut as it hid his eyes and his sticky hands reaching over and swooping the chocolate chip cookie from a blonde curly headed little girl in a white summer dress and pink sneakers, the tears in her eyes magnifying her green irises. Peyton circa 1994 was the only one staring into the camera when the photo had been taken, Oliver staring at his stolen prize, and Fin staring at Oli his little hands moving forward that would only indicate as a soon to be push.
You never knew what you'd find on their website Lucas thought as he caught the begging rays of the sunrise noting that he better get some sleep.
***
Peyton woke up the beads of sun casting through the blinds in thin lines. She wondered for a second why she hadn't shut her dark curtains closed those would surely keep out the sun's awfully bright light. Then she remembered she couldn't remember anything about last night. Sitting up quickly she groaned.
"Too fast." She whispered her head pounding with what she assumed was the hangover she deserved from that entire binge drinking the night before. She looked down squinting at the sheets trying to get her eyesight accustomed to the light change. That's when she noticed the pale multi striped comforter. "Holy mother of god." She said a little too loud making her head thump vigorously and rubbing at her temples until it ceased to exist. She looked around noting everything still seemed the same, her eyes coming upon the night stand where the same photo still occupied the glass frame; it was the two, he in his basketball uniform and she in her cheer uniform, on their way to March Madness. "Please God, Please God, Please God." She prayed hoping that once she opened her eyes she'd come to realize this was a dream. Carefully she opened one eye and when everything was the same she prayed again.
Having the sudden urge to run Peyton knocked the blankets off of her and stood. She couldn't stay, not when she couldn't remember what she had told him the night before or what he had told her or even worse what they had done if they had actually done something that would probably require a morning after pill, but when she felt her jeans unroll down her leg she had a very good feeling that no pill was to be needed.
She didn't bother looking around her eyes piercing through to the exit and as she took her fifth step she banged her foot and collided to the wooden floor. She groaned after the loud thump finally passed and when she looked over to see what exactly had made her trip she spotted Oliver lying on the ground an agitated grouse escaping his lips.
"What was that?" Fin's head could be seen popping right up over the other side of the bed. "What're yeh doing on the floor?"
"Well you know I just happened to see a nickel on the floor and thought to myself 'Hey that's one shiny nickel. I must have it for my collection' but the only way to get to the nickel was to trip purposely over Oli who happened to be sleeping on the ground so he could have a close encounter with the gremlins." Peyton muttered rubbing the pit of her stomach where she had landed on an inanimate object.
Fin didn't seem too phased by her sarcastic remark while he looked at the surroundings around him noting that not one bit seemed familiar. "Where are we?"
The knob jingled before the door opened an exhausted Lucas coming through with a mixed emotion expression. "Is everything okay?" He asked when he noticed all three guest occupants lying on the ground with dazed eyes.
"Oh, right." Oliver murmured small flashbacks of the night before flooding back to him.
"What did I ever do to you Jack?" Peyton sighed running a hand through her wild hair.
"Excuse me?" Lucas wondered out loudly unsure of what exactly she had been talking about.
"Daniels." Oli answered.
"Alas, I think those five shots yeh took from his bottle and that hangover yer nursing now is enough indication to tell us that you, my dear, are a cheap drunk."
"Shut it, LIAM." She dragged his name out in that manner that annoyed him to all ends. It wasn't enough that he had been his father's namesake or the fact that he could never be up to par in daddy dearest's eyes, but now here was Peyton calling him the name that he long ago abandoned.
"Alright, guys, enough." Oli warned remember the last time the two had gotten into an argument about Fin's first name. It had taken a long time seeing as both were hard headed people that could hold grudges like on one else's business.
Well, since we're here do you happen to have anything to eat? I'm famished." Fin asked.
"There's frosted flakes."
"Well that's grrrreat." Oliver had done a lousy attempt of the orange feline known as Tony the Tiger.
"How long have you been waiting to do that one?" Peyton asked the fight that could have been long forgotten.
"About two minutes ago." Oliver shrugged keeping his eye closely on Lucas' next move. The look in the man's eyes seemed longing with questions burning inside.
"As appetizing as that home cooked meal sounds I think we'll pass." Fin spoke nonchalantly, but with a steely glimmer in his orbs that somehow warned Lucas about the threat he couldn't make good on yesterday at his mother's café. "Besides yeh-" He pointed his attention to Peyton. "-still haven't finished packing and our plane leaves tomorrow morning and I'm sure you'd want to say a proper goodbye to Anna and Larry."
"Who we haven't been introduced to yet." Oliver chimed in.
"Wait." Lucas spoke. "Do you think I could have a couple of minutes with Peyton?"
"No." Fin and Oliver didn't bother to hesitate. Last time the two had spent alone Lucas had shattered her heart and they were only looking out for her.
"Guys-" Peyton's voice seemed to crack underneath the pressure of having to choose a side. There was the guy who she loves, although she never said those words out loud, and then there were the guys that have always been with her through thick and thin who she loves on a whole other level.
"It wouldn't be wise, Peyton." Fin kept his voice even, standing in between the two so she wouldn't be able to gaze over at Lucas, the girl fell hard when it came to matters of the heart.
"You're right." She had whispered so low that no one besides Fin was able to hear as he ushered her out of the room.
"I'd say it was nice meeting you, but that would be a lie." Oliver shoved past Lucas leaving him behind.
They'd made it out to the front lawn when the trio realized that they hadn't had their own car. So when Lucas came out of the house in no hurry they swore they looked like damned fools.
"So much for making a getaway." Oli murmured before taking the lead and walking down the pathway.
"It looks like it's going to rain."
"We enjoy the rain."
"I hate the rain." Fin answered lowly. "Why do you think I rather much live in California than London?"
"Brooke says she'll give you a ride back."
They all stopped immediately. Taking the opportunity Lucas ran back into the house grabbed a small box from his room and headed into his brothers.
"Brooke wake up." Lucas shook the girl who was wrapped in a cocoon full of blankets. "Come on cheery girl the suns out."
"Broody?" She stirred awake rubbing at her eyes the sleep overpowering her.
"Yeah it's me. Now come on get up."
"What?" She was groggy and seemed so confused.
"Listen, you need to get up and give Peyton a ride back home."
"But why?" She complained not wanting to leave the comforts of a warm bed that happened to be occupying her boy toy at the same time.
"Because I can trust you with giving this-"He held up for her to see a small box with a bow attached to it. "-to Peyt. To cut this long story short she's leaving for California tomorrow and with her two body guards with her twenty four seven I won't be able to sneakily take this to her."
She carefully snatched the box from him muttering that he owed her for this and his debt to her could be paid off in the form of that stereo system he had in his room.
"Fine it's yours. Just do this for me." She grabbed her Uggs from the end of the bed, slipping them on she grabbed Nathan's sweater that he took off in the middle of the night as she groaned the entire time. "And put a smile on that face." Looking over her shoulder she smiled her deep dimples digging holes into her cheeks. "Much better." He yelled to the slammed door.
"What's going on?" Nathan mumbled turning around to find his brother taking the spot that had been occupied by his girlfriend only a couple hours earlier. "Where's Brooke?"
"She's being my minion at the moment." Lucas rested his head on the back wall.
"Brooke's being your slave?" He asked shocked. "It looks like she's finally going to get that Sony system she always wanted." Nathan stretched his body out before he fell back to sleep.
Walking outside Brooke hugged the large jacket around her body. It might have been sunny now, but the clouds rolling in would quickly devour the yellow star.
"G'mornin P. Sawyer." Brooke yawned her mouth closing into smile form. "Guys."
"Hey B. Davis."
"I don't believe we met." Oliver walked over extending his hand out to greet the gorgeous brunette. "I'm Oliver."
"Don't waste your time, Oli." Fin shot out. "She's taken."
"Damn."
"Oh kay." Brooke laughed thinking back to her first encounter with Fin and how it was very similar with this first encounter with Oli. "So I say we get breakfast before you have to go pack for your temporary trip to California."
"Something that involves pancakes I hope."
"And eggs Benedict!"
"Whatever you guys want." Brooke realized that all sleepiness was gone. "What do you say Goldie Locks?"
"Why not?"
"Good."
They hopped into the car that Brooke had barrowed and drove to the only restaurant that served the best home cooked meals outside of a home.
"Come on P. It'll be alright."
Brooke reached out and took Peyton's hand giving it a light squeeze. It had been the first time since Winter Formal that Peyton's seen Karen. She remembered back to all those times when Lucas would bring her over after school and while he worked a shift she sat at the counter eating an endless supply of fries. She just hoped the woman who would place a plate of fries or pie in front of her after she insisted that her last plate was enough still had that kind smile on her face when she saw her.
Peyton remembered the last time she entered the small loved café.
It had been the night before the school's dance when she came to visit boyfriend formally known as hers. She walked in the café's closing time only half an hour away with only one head sitting at the table. Lucas looked up from wiping the counter a grin coming up almost immediately when he saw her.
"Hey." He replied the smile never faltering but the slight dimple showing more as his curled lips grew.
"Hey." She looked around the open café for a place to sit. "Anywhere?"
"Anywhere you'd like."
She looked at the empty counter top and the empty tables by the window. She finally laid her eyes on the table she wanted to sit at and walked towards it. "Hmmm. Would you mind moving?" She asked the person who was occupying the one seat that was taken.
"I hate when you do that." Nathan looked up from his calculus text book to see Peyton standing next to him. "Of all the empty chairs in this room you choose the one that isn't."
Lucas laughed.
"Hey." She protested. "He did say anywhere."
She walked in the door bell chiming got the attention of the proprietor.
"Hey mom-" Brooke called out to the women who had adopted her, not legally unfortunately but emotionally. Even at a very young age Nathan found himself calling Karen mom on occasion assuming that since she was Lucas' mom than she must have been hers in some sort of way; common sense to a four year old.
"Brooke-"Noticing that she wasn't alone Karen walked around the counter unexpectedly and caught Peyton off guard when she went to hug the young girl. "Peyton, sweetheart, it's good to see you again. I was hoping that you'd come by before you spent Christmas with your dad." She felt Peyton relaxing into her arms as she thought about the time Anna had come to her house the night her niece's background came into view. She looked behind Peyton and noticed one unfamiliar young man and one very familiar. "Aren't you the man that left me a two hundred dollar tip?"
A/N: I know what an ending for this chapter lol. Just thought I'd tie it up like this. As always tell me what you think in a review :D They make me so very happy.
Name of Title is a song byAll Time Low