A/N: I suck at UDs, I know this and I massively apologise. BUT I have actually gone ahead and planned the rest of this and pretty much written it so UDs should be like more often!

The Friday before Karen and Keith's wedding was designated as a sort of unofficial party for everyone involved and Peyton found herself following Nathan up the steps to Tric with some trepidation.

Tree Hill's parties so far had not worked out so well. She vaguely remembered being a somewhat angsty mess at the last one.

"So Ellie's sticking around huh?" Nathan nodded at the guy on the door and then held it open for Peyton.

She shrugged, "for now."

He rolled his eyes, "ever the optimist."

"But that's what I have you for," she said beaming at him and linking her arm through his, "lead the way to the alcohol-"

"Peyton!" A mass of dark curls fell into Peyton's face as Brooke dived at her, "you came!"

Nathan sniggered into his hand and disappeared, traitor, as Brooke straightened up and examined Peyton's outfit. "You know now that I don't hate you I can tell you that you look totally pretty!"

"Umm, thank you?"

"You're welcome," Brooke smiled widely, "and you know, I like you now." She began to play with Peyton's hair, "even if you are really surly and angry looking like allll the time..." Her face darkened for a second, "just stay away from Jake ok?"

Peyton began to panic, she was going to die at the hands of a drunken cheerleader, what a freaking cliché, "Brooke-"

Suddenly Brooke threw back her head laughing and squeezed her arm, "I'm just kidding." Then her face switched again and she gave her another serious look, "only not."

"I wouldn't-"

"Oh I know," she cooed suddenly, "you're a real sweetheart underneath all the angst, I can totally tell."

It was probably the first time in her life she'd been called sweetheart when it wasn't attached to someone whistling and slapping her ass and getting a fist in their face for their troubles; Peyton was stumped. "You're really nice too Brooke," she said finally.

Brooke beamed again, "I know!"

"Brooke," Jake appeared and shot Peyton an apologetic look and then his girlfriend a fond one, "are you terrorizing people again?"

Brooke pouted, "no! I was actually being nice Jakey."

"She was," Peyton said grinning, "I'm just gonna head over to the bar-"

"Find us later," Brooke called after her, "we have to dance! Jake, dance floor now!"

She laughed and shook her head with amusement as she made her way over to the bar top.

The bar guy grinned crookedly at her, "what can I get you?"

"A pink elephant please."

He blinked in confusion and then nodded, "sure."

"Wow a blonde with taste, I've been looking for one of those all my life," someone drawled behind her.

She twisted around and raised an eyebrow, "I'd suggest you keep looking."

The guy she was looking at grinned widely, he was holding a guitar and leaning casually on the bar, "you gonna keep me dry all night Owen or you gonna fill my glass?"

"That depends," the newly christened bar man, Owen, shot the guy a look, "are you gonna ask nicely?"

"I'm Chris Keller man, I'm always nice."

Chris Keller, oh holy shit- she knew that name.

Owen rolled his eyes and put Peyton's pink drink in front of her," if he's bothering you I can throw him out- I've done it before."

She smirked, "I bet."

"Hey now- you don't even know me!"

"I've heard of you though."

"Well, well," he gave her a filthy smirk, "and just what have you heard?"

"That you leave a bad smell everywhere you go," Rachel cut in as she slid up next to Peyton at the bar, "the hell are you drinking Thelma?"

Peyton pouted, "it's grenadine and lemonade- best drink ever."

"It doesn't have any alcohol in it at all?"

"Not the perfect drink for you then Gattina," Chris said, still smirking.

"At least it'll keep me sober and away from you," the red head snapped back.

"You didn't complain last time."

"I-" Rachel fell silent and then straightened her shoulders, "go back to the hole you crawled out of and die there Keller."

Chris clutched at his chest, "aww you're breaking my heart here baby."

Rachel's eyes narrowed, "can it go break somewhere else?"

Before Peyton could interrupt a flash of blue eyes appeared in front of her and then Lucas was suddenly kissing her up against the bar. She pulled back after a moment or two and looked at him in surprise, "er hello?"

"Hey," he grinned and then glanced at Chris, "oh. Keller. Didn't see you there." His arm tightened around her waist and Peyton inwardly rolled her eyes, yeah right.

Still, it was kinda cute that Lucas thought he needed to be at all jealous these days.

Chris looked unflustered and raised an eyebrow, "sure you didn't."

Lucas gave him a tight smile, "what you doing here man? Didn't you leave like, forever?"

"We were all devastated," Rachel added.

"My sentiments exactly."

They both turned to scowl at him and Peyton thought wildly that it was hilarious that they were siding up against someone else for a change instead of pulling each other's hair out.

"Wow you know I'm really feeling the love here guys," Chris said drily.

"You don't deserve the love," Rachel retorted angrily.

"Ok so, I'm thinking you're still not over me leaving last time- sorry I didn't send a postcard darlin'."

"You think I care about the fact you didn't keep in touch?" Rachel hissed at him.

"I wasn't the only one there you know," Chris shot back, "there were two people making a mistake."

"Keller," Nathan appeared, a dark look on his face, "what are you doing here?"

Chris widened his eyes, "what the hell's with the fail welcome wagon? I've been here two minutes- I came to the bar, hit on blondie-"

"I knew it," Lucas said triumphantly.

"Hey wait a minute," Peyton protested, "you struck out in less than a second, that doesn't count!"

"Well I could try again," he flashed her a smile- Lucas took a step forward, looking dangerous for a second and Chris held up his hands, "or else I could just stand here quietly till my set starts."

"You're actually playing?" Rachel said incredulously, "who the hell invited you?"

Chris shrugged, smirking again, "I got contacts," he reached out a hand to play with her hair, "wanted to check in on all my fans back-" Rachel slapped his hand away with venom.

"Don't touch me, don't even speak to me Keller, stay the hell away from me or I swear to god I'll break your fingers and you'll never play again ok?" And then she stalked away, shaking her head at Nathan as she did so, "and you stay away too."

"Daaayyyum, she was always fierce but," Chris wiggled his eyebrows at them, "that's gonna lead to some awesome hate sex."

"Do what she said man," Nathan said sharply, "or I'll let her break more than your fingers."

Chris waved a hand, "aren't you over all that yet Nate?" He shrugged, "hey I can't help it if your girls like me more than you."

Nathan pointed at him, "don't push me."

"Haley's going to kill you," Lucas said suddenly, glaring at Chris, "no strike that, I'm going to kill you."

"Hey would you look at that," Chris interrupted, "time for me to on stage! Enjoy my set guys, I'm sure you will." He clapped Nathan on the shoulder, winked at Peyton and then picked up his guitar and sauntered towards the stage.

"I hate that guy," Lucas said scowling, "he shouldn't be back here. He caused enough damage when he was at school with us."

"Yeah I remember," Nathan snarled.

"What's up with Rachel?" Peyton asked quietly.

Nathan scratched the back of his head, "nothing, it's nothing. I don't know, dammit this couldn't have come at a crapper time," he muttered before stalking away.

Peyton turned to look at Lucas in confusion, "I thought Nathan hated Chris Keller because he went on tour with Haley? Why do I suddenly feel dense Luke?"

Lucas sighed and tugged her away from the bar gently, "Keller was in the year above us... he and Rachel hooked up when she was with Nate- she was, messed up. Panicking about her and Nate and how serious they were getting and Chris knew she was and... I guess he played on that."

"Yeah she's talked about cheating on him- she never mentioned it was with Chris..." She frowned in confusion, "but then- Chris and Haley started working together?"

"Yeah after Haley and Nathan were married- the crap with Keller, Nathan and Rachel had been over for a while. Nathan just really resented Haley working with him and Rachel hated Chris. But then he left and Hales left and- and Nate got really drunk for like six months, Rachel became Rachel... And then you came onto the picture." Lucas smiled softly at her, "you changed everything babe, you changed everyone."

She laughed, scrunching up her nose, "I think you're being a little over dramatic honey."

"Maybe," he smiled widely at her, "but you changed my life."

She stared at him, her eyes wide, "yeah?"

"Yeah," he laughed at her surprise, "you think you're the only one that can say big romantic things and get away with it?"

"You're such a goofball," she said affectionately.

"But you love me anyway," he bent down and kissed her again, "you wanna dance?"

She hesitated, "I do, kind of, but I wanna go do some talking first ok?"

Lucas nodded understandingly, "I'm gonna go talk to my mom for a bit. Find me when you're done being all angsty with my brother?"

"You're so funny. And we don't angst- that's your job."

"Whatever you wanna believe," he called after her grinning.

Nathan was sitting on the back steps staring intently at the juice in front of him. Peyton sat down heavily beside him, "see the future of the universe in there yet?"

He sighed and put it down, leaning his elbows back on the step above and shrugged, "nah, I don't need a magic potion to tell me I'm royally screwed for the next few days."

"Does Haley know Chris is here?"

"I don't know," he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Rachel's pissed."

"Noticed that," she said trying to smile.

"I sure as hell didn't invite him Sawyer."

"And I never said you did!"

"I know, I know but I swear Rach thinks I did- did you see her face? I thought she was gonna kill me. And I didn't do anything wrong, at all- the whole time we were together-"

"I know Nate," she said soothingly, "but you realise Haley's gonna need to know he's here and you can't be mad at her just because seeing him again reminds you of shit that happened a long time ago."

"I wasn't going to be!"

"Right, cos your face right now screams that you're cool with all of this."

He stood up suddenly, "you know what sucks? The guy I hate most in the world rolls back into town and everyone's acting like I'm the bad guy!"

"Woah, woah, Nate, I said be nice to Haley, I didn't say you were the anti-christ!"

His eyes flashed with something resembling humour and then he sighed and sat back down next to her, "you're the anti Christ," he said finally, though there was no venom in his voice.

She laughed, she knew this routine, "actually I prefer to go by ruler of all that is evil, but anti-christ, satan, the devil- they're all applicable."

Nathan snorted, "kinda pedantic for someone who eats souls."

"Who said anything about eating souls? I keep them all on my wall."

"That explains the creepy art work then."

"Jerk! That was uncalled for," but she grinned and then stood, turning to face him, "now look here Nathan Scott, you can sit here and procrastinate by calling me all the names in the book and being rude about my art- which by the way is fantastic- screw you very much or you could maybe go sort out your love life so that I can get back to mine." She rested a hip on the wall beside them and cocked an eyebrow, "which is it gonna be?"

Nathan dropped his head for a second sighing and then stood up and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "your art is amazing and so are you, but you're still the devil."

"Does that mean we're going back inside?"

"Yeah, you can go dance with my loser brother. But don't forget to remind him that you love me more than him."

She punched his shoulder, "don't say it out loud!"

"Seriously though," he slowed his pace as they climbed the steps, "you're happy right? He's behaving and everything?"

"Really? You're gonna ask me if Lucas is behaving?"

He snorted, "right, stupid question. So I don't need to you know-" he wiggled his eyebrows, "have words?"

"If you do I'll run over your foot," she said darkly.

Nathan's laughter followed her inside and she chuckled to herself as she looked around for Lucas. Instead she was met with a weary but smiling Ellie.

"Hey, what are you doing out of bed?"

Ellie blinked in surprise and then let out a shout of laughter, "did you forget which of us is supposed to be the mother in this relationship? Peyton, I'm thirty three years old, I promise I can take care of myself and it is perfectly safe for me to be out of bed. Besides," she twirled around on the spot, "I have to practice walking around a lot for being a bridesmaid."

Peyton giggled, "well you might not be the youngest but you'll be by far the most prepared bridesmaid in the world."

Ellie narrowed her eyes, "watch it squirt, I could ground you."

"Um, no you couldn't."

"True, but I could call your dad."

"Ha! He's out of town."

"Which means he'd be really pissed if he had come back-" Ellie trailed off smirking and Peyton made a big show of zipping her mouth shut. "Good girl."

Peyton scowled and then bit her lip, "Ellie-"

Ellie interrupted, "you know your boy keeps looking up all hopeful every time you glance in his direction and I'm pretty sure he's gonna drown if he doesn't get your attention soon so I suggest you get over there."

Peyton looked at her for a moment and then nodded, ok, this was how she wanted to play it. All jokes. No seriousness. Fine by her, hell she was the queen of denial.

And Ellie was apparently the freaking Empress of it.

She sighed and then caught Luke's eye- he waved and she waved back, pushing her hair out of her face feeling shy suddenly, "yeah I guess I could go say hey."

"You mean if I insist?" Ellie rolled her eyes, "I'm actually surprised he's not attached to your hip right."

"Hey, we are not that bad!"

"You are," Ellie elbowed her, "go on, stop trying to prove a point."

"You know I was kinda glad you were sticking around," Peyton scrunched up her nose, "now I'm not so sure..."

Ellie scoffed and batted her over the head, "get over there before I start doing embarrassing dances on the bar."

Peyton shot towards her boyfriend like the floor was on fire with Ellie still chuckling behind her.

"Hey you," he said softly as she slipped under his arm, "you want a drink?"

"No," she said firmly, "I wanna dance." She wanted to lose herself in the person she loved and a whole load of bad music.

He reached out a hand to touch her forehead, "you feeling ok?"

She swatted his hand away, "you're funny. Come on," she tugged him towards the dance floor, "show me what you got Scott."

They moved through their friends and Lucas twirled her gently before pulling her close, "Nathan ok?"

"No," she scrunched up her nose, "but he will be when Chris Keller leaves."

"And you?"

"I'm fine," she said, smiling tightly.

"Liar."

"I'm not lying."

"You're worried about Ellie."

"I'm-"

"Peyton!" Rachel swung an arm over her friend's shoulder and beamed at her, "'m I interrupting?"

"Uh, kind of," Lucas said scowling.

Peyton widened her eyes at him in warning and then leant back from Rachel's face, "you smell like a brewery."

"Aw, you're so sweet to say so, thank you," Rachel swayed a little on the spot, "so I think m'gonna go home."

"Right," Peyton looked around for her bag, "I'll drive you."

"Naw s'okay, Chris's gonna- gonna- drive me."

"What? No way," Peyton began steering her friend through the crowd, "just because you've drunk a bar dry doesn't mean Chris Keller is now an appropriate designated driver."

Rachel pouted, "but I don't hate him right now and he's still kind of a fox."

"No, he's the reason you and Nathan won't speak for the next ten years if you do what you want to do right now."

The red head looked confused, "I don't follow."

"It's a good thing you've got your looks," Lucas muttered.

Rachel turned to scowl at him, "I didn't hear that but I bet it was somethin' stupid and sacr- sarc- sarcastic. So predictable Scott."

She stumbled over a bar stool and Lucas shook his head, "you can't do this all the way home."

"Watch me," she snapped before Lucas just shook his head, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

Peyton was momentarily stunned and then simultaneously began laughing and taking as many pictures as possible whilst Rachel shrieked at Lucas to let her down.

"Hey, everything ok?" Nathan appeared frowning at the strange scene in front of him.

Peyton chuckled and nodded, "we got it thanks Nate."

"Rachel?" Nathan twisted to look at Lucas's current baggage and stared at her upside down, "you ok?"

"Goway," she said shortly.

"I-"

"Mean it. Just goway kay? Leave me 'lone for good now."

He stepped back in surprise and Peyton touched his arm, "she's just drunk Nate- did you find Haley?"

"Yeah," he said quietly, "she went home as soon as she saw Chris."

Peyton's face filled with sympathy, "it's not your fault Nathan."

"Pfft, tell that to my wife and the drunk girl currently pulling your boyfriend's hair," he scowled, "man I hate Chris Keller."

"Yeah," Lucas winced as Rachel tried to pinch him in the back, "I can relate."

They made their way out of Tric and towards Peyton's car, "you can put me down y'know, anywhere will do."

"Is Keller still inside?"

"Prolly."

"I'm thinking that actually means probably in which case I'll be carrying you until there's no way you can run back inside ok?"

"I loathe you."

"That's ok; I'm not your biggest fan either."

"You wanted to go home with Chris Keller tonight?" Nathan had stopped walking and was staring at Rachel's head in shock.

"Why d'you care?"

Lucas was beginning to tire of Rachel's incessant kicking and finally lowered her to the ground where she tried to compose herself, "jerk," she growled in his direction.

"Bitch," he shot back, smirking. Peyton punched him on the arm and he looked at her incredulously, "what? I just got her out of there didn't I?"

"I didn't need rescuing," Rachel snapped angrily, trying to stand up and failing.

Nathan offered her his hand, still looking dazed and she pulled away like she'd been stung, "don't even think about it!"

He snapped, "what the hell Rach? I haven't been near you all night, like you requested, you blame me for Keller's re-appearance and then decide to go home with him and now you're bitching out at me for trying to help you?"

Rachel stood finally and shook her head, "that's just your problem, I don't need help Nathan. I don't need anybody's help. I'm absoltly- absolutely- able to take care of m'self!"

"You can't even form a proper sentence," he snarled back, "let alone get yourself home safely."

"God it's not 'save a Gattina' night Nathan, I can sleep with who I want and when I want!"

"Yeah I remember," he shot back before turning on his heel and stalking away.

"Fine then!"

"Fine!" He waved a hand behind him and continued to walk towards the main road without looking back.

"God you're such a jerk!" Rachel yelled before promptly ruining the moment by being sick all over Lucas's shoes.

He stared at her aghast and then up at Peyton who pulled an apologetic face, "I'll buy you some new ones baby."

He rolled his eyes, "let's just get her home ok?"

Once again she couldn't help but laugh, suddenly she was the responsible one, the one in the stable relationship thingy and the one who was leaving the bar sober.

It really couldn't last.