"I love ice," Brooke murmured into Nathan's neck the next morning. Tree Hill had shut down. The town had never had over three inches of snow in any given winter so a freak northern ice storm was unheard of. Everything was cancelled, school, games, shops were closed and most of the power was still out.

"Why," he asked sleepily. Brooke had kept him up for hours. They had made love so many times he could barely move but his heart was thumping wildly, still unable to believe that he had the girl of his dreams in his arms.

"Because now we don't have to move," she replied.

Nathan squeezed her a bit, "if it had been a perfect day out we still wouldn't have moved."

"I love you Nathan, I can't tell you how much, in how many words," Brooke told him.

Nathan felt himself grow rock hard at her words. They still had things to talk about, to get straight, but for right now they were exactly where they needed to be, doing what they had to do. His lips moved over hers hoping he was conveying his adoration. Judging by her moan, he assumed that he had.

0000

Haley smoothed her hand over Lucas' chest again. She loved how muscular he was. The only other guy she'd come close to being with, of her own free will, was Nathan and he was much leaner then Lucas. She almost stuck her tongue out, just thinking of herself with Nathan caused a fleeting sickness. It was insane to her that just a few months ago she had believed that they were supposed to be together.

"What are you thinking about," Lucas asked.

Haley smiled around his dark room, the power in Tree Hill was still off. She loved the stillness, the complete lack of sound.

"I'm thinking that I'm ready," she replied.

From beneath her Lucas stilled completely, "what do you mean?"

"I mean that I'm ready for you to show me the difference between that and making love with you," Haley whispered.

"In order to make love the two people have to love one another," Lucas had admitted his feelings but Haley had yet to.

"Well then it's lucky that I'm in love with you too," her lazy grin only got larger as she saw his genuine and complete happiness.

Suddenly he rolled over until he was looking over her, "you are so beautiful. I want you, more than anything, but I don't want to rush you. I'll still love you even if you're not ready today."

"What if I wasn't ready tomorrow either," she wondered.

"Then I'd still love you even then, and even if you weren't ready ten years from now. I didn't fall in love with you because of sex, I fell in love with you because you're amazing, the type of person I strive to be," his eyebrows were drawn together in seriousness and he was looking into her eyes as he spoke every word.

"That's why," she smiled at him, "I know I'm ready. Because even if it turns out I'm not, I know you won't forsake me."

Lucas seemed to assess her as his blue eyes caught and held her hazel set, finally he bent his head and caught her mouth. A few hours later, as Haley lay sated in Luke's arms, thanking the Gods for Karen and Keith being away, she remembered that she hadn't heard from Brooke in a very long time.

00000

"You looked amazing on Sunday night," Mouth told Rachael. She was walking in from her bathroom, her body slick from her shower.

"You've told me that a million times," but she was grinning because the compliment never got old.

"I say it because it's true, you were the most stunning girl there," Mouth told her.

If she were the type she surely would have swooned by now. His words were so amazing to her because she knew that every time he saw her he didn't see the Rachael everyone in Tree Hill saw. He saw the fat girl who had let her attitude and anger go and let him in. He saw the girl that no one in the entire world except for a select few got to see.

Mouth caught her off guard and pulled her onto the bed and into his arms before she had a chance to fight back. He held her tightly, "when I heard about what happened…I've never felt rage before, Rach, never in my life. But when I got your message and we talked that night, I wanted to kill him. I wanted him to stop living."

"Don't," her voice was small, pleading.

"What you went through," he squeezed tighter, afraid of his own thoughts, "was unforgivable. He shouldn't be allowed to live, he shouldn't be allowed to function."

"It wasn't that bad," Rachael tried to assure him.

Mouth's hand went to her stomach and he felt her stop breathing, "he gave you a child that you had to give up. He took any semblance of innocence you had left. He took your options. I hope that he lives the rest of his life in the worst agony possible, or better still, I hope he just dies and burns in hell."

Rachael shook, her body was trembling. She felt it coming, the unending wave of unfairness that washed over her. That she should be the unlucky one in the wrong place at the wrong time. And then it finally came, with one small hiccup she began the long, healing cry that would cleanse her, finally, of Dan Scott. Mouth just held her as she sobbed and trembled and rocked. And then he held her, when hours later, she stopped. He held her while she was in her second shower of the day. He held her as he gently made love to her. And in his way, he healed her.

0000

Peyton stretched gratefully before extending the Marlboro red to Jake, he took a fleeting drag and then another before finally stamping the cigarette out. Neither of them smoked, it was a nasty habit, but after any marathon sex sessions they had begun the ritual of smoking one cigarette together. A habit that Brooke would cringe at and Whitey would kick his ass for.

"Good stuff," Peyton told him and rose.

Jake followed and together they brushed their teeth. It was funny because they were both completely naked. Plus Jake had the amazing talent of making his penis flop around on a whim which he did vehemently while they were seeing to their dental hygiene.

Peyton ended up spitting out a mouthful of toothpaste at his antics, which in turn caused Jake to do the same. Before long she was backing him into the shower, what the hell was one more time after twenty-four hours? But as the day wore on Peyton remembered that Brooke had been alone after the dance and probably still was.

0000

"Oh yeah, baby, I'm gonna-" Nathan's words were cut off as Brooke's bedroom door was slammed open.

"Holy shit," Luke's eyes were wide as saucers. Brooke screamed in surprise.

Haley tilted her head to the left before asking Lucas quietly, "can we do that?"

"Good position," Rachael commented from behind Haley.

"Tricky though," Peyton agreed.

Jake grinned at Mouth, "welcome to the family!"

"Does anybody fucking knock ever," Nathan asked. He didn't want to move because if he did Brooke's legs would fall and they'd all see her goodies.

"Okay people, down stairs," Haley directed the traffic out of the room and after one last peek closed the door behind her.

Nathan looked down at Brooke who looked thoroughly put out, she was so adorable that Nathan just took possession of her left leg once more and with a nice trick of the hips determined to finish them off.

Fifteen minutes later Brooke and Nathan walked into the living room where everyone was sitting. Peyton, Rachael and Jake were talking while Mouth and Lucas were playing on the chest set and Haley was gently tapping the keys on the piano. Everyone looked up when the pair entered, Nathan in his shorts and Brooke in a long tee-shirt and what appeared to be his boxers.

"What the hell are all of you doing in my house," she asked right off the bat.

"We were worried that you were all alone," Peyton replied.

Brooke smiled at that, "ever hear of a cell phone, worrywort?"

"We were going to cook you dinner," Haley pouted.

"With no electricity," Nathan asked.

"She has a gas stove," Haley replied promptly, "and what the hell are you doing here?"

Nathan grinned down at Brooke, "I think everyone knows what we were doing."

Brooke hit his chest with the back of her hand, "Nathan and I have reconciled out differences."

"Since when," Luke asked.

"Since yesterday," Brooke shrugged. Then she looked up at the guy she loved and turned humble, "nothing really mattered except being together, everything else will come in time."

"I love you," he murmured into her hair.

"Can we get to the food," Jake begged.

Peyton rolled her eyes, "he makes it sound as if I'm starving him."

"Let me go get changed," Brooke gave in.

That night they spent their time as a group in Brooke's house with candles and a fireplace to light their features as they ate their food and enjoyed each other's company. Around eight that night the lights came back on.