*Takes record from sleeve, smashes it against the shelf in a Peyton Sawyer kind of way, points at the shattered fragments on the ground and names it 'self-portrait'*
Sorry for being a broken record but…
I'm so, so sorry for how long this has taken when I said it wouldn't be long at all. Story of my life. But I have finished this story, finally! …However…(here she goes again)…in the rigorous process of writing this chapter I reverted back to an idea I had a long time ago for the end of this story. I'd previously dismissed the idea because I knew it would be a lot of work but in the end it's the only way I liked it. Thus, this finale is 20k. Oops. And I will post, over the space of a week or so, the final chapter in three parts.
Due to the way it's split, it may seem like there is extra focus on certain characters in this section but over the course of the three parts I really have tried to spread the couples evenly. (I colour code the sections in highlighter for certain couples, group scenes, the lot, so I really have tried.) What I'm trying to say is if you feel that your couples/characters have been neglected, they will be all over the next section. Promises.
Here we go, this has been the most mind-spinning piece of writing, I really hope you like it.
Last chapter the girls were gathered at Peyton's for Haley's final night of freedom before marrying Nathan. (I know it's been a long time!)
Ready…?
…
As they ran through the corridors of the maze-like hospital, Lucas reached out and clasped Peyton's hand. She squeezed her fingers around his, thankful for his warm, secure touch. With her free hand she stroked her fingertips under her eyes, not for the first time that day.
Lucas glanced to his right and felt his heart squeeze tightly at the sight of her tear tracks. He pointed to the sign at the end of the walkway and saw Peyton nod firmly. As they took the corner she skidded slightly in her heels on the polished linoleum flooring. He reached out instinctively to catch her, his arm quickly cupping her waist. She smiled weakly but didn't stop; they didn't know how much time they had.
Ahead of them, finally, Lucas locked eyes on the room they'd been searching for; Hospital Chapel.
Peyton pushed open the door breathlessly and ran her eyes feverishly over the room. She was somewhat of a stranger to religious places; her parents were far from followers and she'd never received any answers to her pleas to God anyway. Today though she'd found herself praying to that God she'd denied for so long; bargaining, begging and hoping harder than she ever had before. She felt Lucas press a kiss onto her hand as she closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears from rolling.
He pulled them silently towards the Chaplain, who thankfully was present. He was knelt at the front pew, whispering to a couple whose faces were painted with pain. Peyton bit down on her lip, "Luke,"
"It's okay." He told her evenly and she was glad, she believed him.
He left her as he approached the Chaplain and she sank down into a pew. The events of the day were swimming around her head in a hurricane of emotion. She dropped her head into her hands and took a long steady breath. Only hours ago she, Brooke and Haley had been excitedly getting ready for Haley's wedding day. It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. It wasn't meant to be like this; ecstasy to heartbreak in the space of one cool winter's day.
"Going to the cha-pel and we're, gonna get ma-a-a-ried!" Brooke sang in her croaky morning voice, skipping into Peyton's teenage room, with a coffee in hand for the blonde. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty, we've got a bride to kidnap."
She sank down onto the bed as Peyton groaned and pulled the pillow over her head, "It's dawn, Brooke."
"Mmm-hmm, I know, honey," Brooke wafted the coffee around the area she presumed Peyton's nose to be, "We can yell at Nathan later for it, much later, once he's had his lovely wedding day in the Hamptons and got back from his glorious honeymoon."
Reluctantly Peyton pulled herself into a seated position and looked to Brooke, bleary-eyed, "Is Haley up?"
"Yep." Brooke broke into a wide grin, "She's writing lists, can you believe our Teacher Girl? On her wedding day? Anyway, get up, get dressed, we have to bundle her into a car and whisk her away like a hostage victim…again."
Peyton frowned back at her, "Is it a little worrying how we keep kidnapping her?"
"I think it probably is." Brooke nodded thoughtfully, before brushing the issue away with a wave of her hand. "Good it's so fun, huh?"
"It's early." Peyton corrected, "You didn't mention early."
Brooke slapped Peyton's butt beneath the sheet and laughed, "I'm sure you'll live. Now come on, you need to be ready before Haley finishes her lists. She may want to start getting ready and she absolutely cannot do that. I'm going to tell her we're taking her out for breakfast."
Peyton rolled her eyes but shuffled to the edge of the bed and swung her legs out. She turned her head over her shoulder and looked at Brooke, "I'm getting in the shower, I will be five minutes. Don't you dare think of coming in there to yell at me."
"You needed yelling at that time! You were going to miss your finals!" Brooke reminded her.
Peyton scoffed, "And maybe I was so deathly tired because you took me out on a tequila spree the night before?"
"Maybe." Brooke considered as she laughed and left the room. She strode up the hall and back to the kitchen where she found the Bride-to-be still hastily scribbling. "How's the erratic, pointless list working out, Hales?"
Haley glanced up, a whispering smile over her lips, "Very therapeutic actually. But I'm still shaking."
"Nothing some Champagne won't sort out." Brooke advised, reaching for a glass from the cabinet.
"You're not serious; we've not even started getting ready yet." Haley pointed out, futilely, as Brooke popped the cork and squealed as the frothy liquid began to spill out of the bottle.
"Miss James, for you."
Haley rolled her eyes a little but took the offering and sipped at its sweetness. Brooke poured herself an orange juice so that they could clink glasses in a toast. Haley then scribbled a few more things down and Brooke rolled her eyes.
A few moments later Peyton appeared in a pair of ripped jeans and an old t-shirt.
"Happy Wedding Day, Hales." She smiled crookedly and set her now empty coffee cup down, "Hey! Why does Haley get Champagne?"
"Um, maybe because she's getting hitched today?" Brooke reminded her, "And you're designated driver!"
Peyton began to shake her head rapidly, "No, we did not decide that. Since you can't drink, shouldn't you be the designated driver?"
Haley raised her hand gently, frowning between her two best friends. They turned to her with amused expressions.
"Haley, you don't have to raise your hand!" Peyton laughed.
"Why is anyone driving?" Haley asked, confused, "I thought Nathan had sorted everything, he told me he had!"
They could almost feel the worry seeping from Haley. Brooke arched her brow in Peyton's direction, "Ready, P?"
Peyton revolved her eyes before heaving a sigh, "Fine." She rounded the counter, seamlessly grabbing a clean towel from the rack as she passed it. "Although I'm sure this part isn't necessary."
"It's the best part though!" Brooke grinned, clapping her hands together excitedly.
"Guys? Wha-," Haley was cut off as Peyton wrapped the towel around Haley's head, covering her eyes. Haley reached up instantly, grappling as Peyton tied a knot, "This is not funny!"
"We're going on a little road trip, but don't worry, we're taking the Champagne!" Brooke cackled.
Haley groaned, "You know what? The alcohol is not really what I'm worrying about."
"Haley, we promise you that this is in your best interests. We are taking you to get married to your boy, okay? Please don't panic." Brooke stoked her hand over Haley's hair in a soothing manner, as she did when Haley needed any sort of comforting. "Teacher Bride, you trust us, right? There's no way that you are not getting to that wedding. It's just that Nathan wants to surprise you, hence the blindfold."
"Of course I trust you." Haley confirmed, "I would just prefer to have vision for my wedding day."
"You will." Brooke assured, throwing the car keys towards Peyton. "That towel would look awful in the photos."
Peyton, and Haley beneath the towel, rolled their eyes and the trio of girls exited the apartment. Luckily Brooke and Peyton had arranged for everything they needed to be sent to the Hamptons house ahead of time so the only things they needed to bring along were themselves.
Brooke seemed to almost float down the stairs, she was so deliriously happy, "Haley's getting married and we're going on a road trip! This is so exciting! We can play car games!"
"Brooke." Haley groaned but she knew it was pointless, with a sigh she decided to let it go and for Brooke to enjoy this insanity. She would try and relax, if that was at all possible.
Peyton moved to drag her fingers through her curls as she often did when she was stressed, forgetting that her hair was up in a sophisticated knot. It was just another reminder of the day that they'd left behind. She set her hands into her lap instead, her fingers gliding over the softness of the purple silk dress. The dress, and in fact all of the outfits, were masterpieces of Brooke's creation. She tried to erase the memory of that hard work being destroyed by the paramedics when they tore through the fabric in their haste.
Her head was still bowed when Lucas returned. He stroked his hands over her shoulders, sighing at the coolness of her skin. In the rush they hadn't thought to pick up jackets or sensible shoes. In his pocket, all Lucas had was a ring box encasing a thin gold band that should have been on Haley's hand by this hour, had the day gone to plan. Which of course it hadn't, it had all gone very, very wrong.
He slipped the jacket off and laid it over Peyton's shoulders, "The Chaplain's just finishing with the couple there," He didn't tell Peyton that they'd just suffered a bereavement, it seemed neither relevant nor helpful. "He'll be right with us."
Peyton shuffled over on the pew so that he could take a seat beside her. He opened his arm and let her fall into his chest. Between them he could feel the awkward angles of the ring box against his rib cage.
"The ring!" Nathan's eyes grew wide with alarm as he span on his heel and stared widely between Lucas and Julian.
The two groomsmen shared a look of amusement; they'd been watching this routine for the past hour. They had never known Nathan so shaken and nervous.
Lucas tapped his chest where the ring was safely sat in the inside pocket, "Right here, Nate."
Nathan nodded and resumed his pacing. They were on the lawn, triple-checking that everything was perfect, which of course it was. It had been perfect on the first check and the second, nothing had changed.
"Hello?"
Nathan's head snapped up at such speed that Julian was sure that he may have suffered whiplash. Rounding the house, with their arms heavily laden were Rachel and Owen. Nathan released a breath and they all knew that he was relieved that it hadn't been Haley even though they weren't expecting her for a couple of hours.
"You're all looking hot," Rachel smiled as Owen coughed behind her. She turned to him and winked, "Don't you worry I will be appreciating that hot body later."
He smirked and followed her forwards; in their hands were the precious dresses that Rachel had brought straight over from Brooke Trinity. Nathan's eyes widened at the thought of what was in the bag across Owen's arms. He knew that it was Haley's wedding dress. He'd had hints - thousands of them from Brooke - at how amazing his girl was going to look in that dress.
"Which way to the dressing room? I want to hang these; Brooke will murder me if she finds a crease." Rachel told them, and they believed her.
"I'll show you." Lucas offered and led them into the beautiful house.
Nathan sank down onto one of the seats nearby. It was just one of the seats that Julian had painstakingly spent the morning covering and decorating with a perfect purple bow, under the marquee that Julian had left Nathan and Lucas to construct, was a dining room decorated with purple and silver as per Nathan's instruction. It was the colour of the bouquet of flowers Nathan had brought to Haley following her mugging, back at the beginning of it all. That was when he hadn't known if she was a flower girl or not. She wasn't, not really, she was a Crackerjack girl. Nathan's mouth tweaked at the obscure table favours at each place setting.
The marquee was vast, covering a sizable portion of the lawn overlooking the beautiful ocean that served as the backdrop. There was a large guest list for the evening reception, something that Brooke had been most vocal about strangely. For Nathan and Haley the only people they cared about being there on the happiest day of their lives were their best friends. Haley's parents couldn't make it and Nathan had dismissed the idea of Dan early on. He had considered Keith, Karen and Lily, his friends from the Rivercourt in Tree Hill, and his old high school basketball coach but they wanted a small ceremony. They'd all be there for the party in the evening and that was enough. Nathan was happy to share their vows with only their close knit group.
Suddenly he sat up straight and turned to Julian, "The ring? Have you got the ring?"
Julian laughed heartily, "I'm getting you a whiskey."
"Have you lost it?" Nathan almost choked on the air he was breathing.
"Lucas has it." Julian assured, patting him gently on the back. "Come on, Dutch courage, you need it."
Nathan nodded with agreement and followed Julian towards the bar that had been hired for the evening. Julian poured them each a measure and passed a glass to Nathan. "Everything's going to be great, we've checked everything a thousand times, nothing can go wrong."
Nathan took a sip of his drink and swallowed down the fiery liquid, welcoming the warmth it brought with it as it spread through his veins. "Yeah, I know. I'm just nervous. I'll be okay when I see Hales."
Julian bobbed his head in understanding. He couldn't remember the last time he and Brooke had been apart for a night. It had been a strange sensation, sleeping alone. He guessed that Lucas and Nathan had felt the same as they'd all been up at sunrise with the same look in their eyes.
Nathan stood at the coffee vending machine, watching as the thick muddy liquid slopped into the flimsy plastic cup. It would be his third cup so far and he doubted it would taste any better than the first or second. It was merely a way of keeping him alert though, that and to give him an excuse to get up from the hard plastic chairs they'd all be confined to for more hours than he dared to count.
He poured some sugar into the unappealing looking drink, hoping that the taste of sweetness would take away from the sludgy bitterness. He watched with a dull fascination as the white granules floated on the surface of his drink. Wrinkling his nose, Nathan swished the liquid around in a circular motion, to little effect. Sighing resignedly, he lifted the cup to his lips and sipped, not caring that it burnt his tongue.
It should have been be champagne in his hand, he realised and he should have been at that beautiful house with that beautiful girl of his. The beautiful girl who should have been his beautiful wife by now. But she wasn't.
His daze was broken by the sound of his cell phone ringing. Cursing, he sat his cup down and scrambled for his phone. If he'd missed something because he was buying sloppy coffee he'd never forgive himself.
Seeing Rachel's name flash up on the screen, he felt his pulse ease a little, "Hey,"
"What's happening?" She asked desperately. Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"No news, we've heard nothing." He shook his head; it was testing all of them. "How are things at the house?"
"All sorted." Rachel told him. Thankfully she and Owen had offered to stay back and sort out all the guests were set to arrive for the evening reception. "A few people are still at the house; Karen, Keith and Lily, Quinn, Taylor, Clay and your friends from the Rivercourt? They've been kind of great actually. Your Dad went home. Me and Owen are going to head to the hospital, we thought you guys could all do with some fresh clothes."
Nathan glanced down at his suit, "Yeah, we could. Thanks, Rachel."
"No problem. We'll see you soon." Rachel said in a serious tone that he barely recognised on her, "Tell everyone…whatever it is you're supposed to say in these situations."
"Yeah, I will." Nathan nodded in understanding. He got it.
They hung up and Nathan strode away from the coffee machine, leaving his just purchased drink there.
Julian's eyes danced as he watched Brooke step out of the car and race to get the door for Haley. He noticed that the bride-to-be was blindfolded and he knew somehow that it had been Brooke's doing. He smiled at the fact.
She was going to be the absolute best Mommy to their son. There wasn't a trace of doubt in his mind that she would be anything less than phenomenal at motherhood. He watched, his eyes creasing at the corners, as Brooke bounced on her heels giddily waiting for Peyton to get out of the car.
Ahead of them he could see Christmases with their son, who he hoped would inherit her excitable nature and his vast imagination. He imagined Christmas Eve, with him dressed up as Father Christmas and their little boy sat on the stairs watching as his Mommy kissed Santa Claus under the mistletoe. Julian smirked at the thought, just as Brooke caught his gaze.
She winked at him and then freed Haley of what appeared to be a teacloth wrapped over her eyes. Julian watched Brooke as she in turn watched Haley blink in the realisation that she was getting married in this paradise. Julian wasn't sure who was more excited; Brooke or Haley.
As Peyton explained exactly how grand the house was outback to a spellbound Haley, Brooke bounced over to her boy, "How stinking great is this, Julian? I'm so excited!"
She squealed through her words as her fingers fiddled with his tie, "Who dressed you? Do you know how much this suit cost…not that I paid for it, but I had to beg for it! If you boys wear your suits sloppy I will not forgive you. Am I going to have to dress all three of you?"
Julian rolled his eyes, "I missed you, you know that?"
Biting down on her lower lip, Brooke nodded, "I think I get it. Me and Baby missed the hell out of Daddy last night."
"Make up for it tonight?" Julian proposed, that devilish smirk of his over his lips.
Brooke pointed her finger, "I will hold you to that, Baker!"
She lifted onto her toes as Julian leaned down, their lips brushed together sweepingly before Julian slipped his arm around her back and pressed his lips harder against hers. She allowed herself to melt into his embrace, trusting him with holding her up on her weak knees. It seemed that she no longer cared about how his tie was fixed as her fingers tickled at his neck and wandered beneath his collar. Her touch was soft and so tenderly inviting, had they not such an important day ahead, Julian would gladly have carried her away to the beautiful bedroom he'd occupied alone the previous night.
They broke apart, reluctantly, with their eyes locked together; both his dark brown and her hazel irises glittering happily. "I love weddings." Brooke revealed, not that Julian was surprised in the slightest.
"Would you be my date, to the wedding?" Julian asked, smiling teasingly.
Brooke rolled her eyes, "Only if you'll be my dork, to the wedding."
He chuckled, "Brooke, I will always be your dork."
"You're the sweetest." Brooke scrunched her nose and initiated another kiss which they quickly found themselves lost in.
They were interrupted by a wolf-whistle courtesy of Peyton. They paused momentarily, and then Julian danced his tongue against Brooke's again. She laughed, and copied his action, their eyes closed to the world.
Lucas and Peyton looked up at the sound of footsteps. The bereaved couple passed them by and the Chaplain approached them noiselessly. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting at this time."
They pressed smiles of understanding to their lips but it never reached their eyes. Studying him they were surprised by his young face and open expression.
"I'm George," The Chaplain introduced himself. "How can I help you?"
"It's our friends," Peyton began in a broken tone. Lucas ran his eyes over her pale expression and red-rimmed eyes.
"Our family." Lucas corrected softly, "They're our family."
"Family, yeah, that's what they are." Peyton's eyed the Chaplain's kind gaze. "I'm sorry, I don't know how this works…we're not really church people."
George smiled gravely, "That doesn't make any difference here. Prayer and hope is open to all."
"Thank you." Lucas nodded.
Peyton gave a weak smile, "We feel so helpless. And they're hurting so much. This was supposed to be Nathan and Haley's wedding day…"
She trailed off as the clutch of emotion gripped her again. George gave her a sympathetic look and Lucas looked to him admirably. He had no idea how this man could do this everyday; be the pillar of strength to people's tragedy.
Nathan stalked through the house, looking for his best man. Lucas had disappeared around the same time that the girls had arrived and Nathan's stress levels were rising by the second.
He pushed open the door to a bedroom, and let out a frustrated sigh of when he discovered the room to be the door closed behind him, he stepped back into the hallway and glanced up at the sound of footsteps.
His eyes locked on a pair of wide brown doe eyes, staring back at him in shock.
"Hales," He froze and watched as her expression changed from shock to panic.
Haley held her hand up to her face and squeezed her eyes shut, "Nathan!"
"I, I'll just go," He began walking backwards slowly watching her wince at their luck.
"Does this matter?!" Haley asked in a desperate kind of voice. "It's bad luck, right?"
"No!" Nathan cried out desperately. He was marrying this girl; he wasn't going to let a superstition stop him. "You're not in your dress, it totally doesn't count."
"It doesn't?" She asked.
Nathan crossed his fingers for luck, "No. No, it doesn't mean anything."
Haley smirked behind her fingertips, "Says the boy who has a 5 part pre-game ritual that he swears by."
He laughed and looked up from the spot on the floor he'd taken to staring at. He figured that since he'd already seen her, it wouldn't hurt to look again. She looked cute. Her hair was a reddish-brown colour that it hadn't been the last time he'd seen her. There was a cute heavy bangs swept across one side of her face and little silver butterfly slides holding twists of it back into a curling knot. She wasn't in her dress yet, instead she was wearing skinny jeans and a thin v-neck sweater.
"That's completely different." Nathan argued, bravely stepping forwards.
Inclining her head, Haley turned towards the sound of his breathing, close to her ear, "Nathan? What are you doing?"
He smirked, although she couldn't see it.
"Nathan!" She demanded but still didn't dare to look.
He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, soft and unassuming. She gasped lightly under her breath and then leaned up on her toes, to kiss him back. He smiled against her lips at her predictability and stroked his hands along her jaw. Haley kept her own hands over her eyes, kissing him blindly, which made him laugh a little.
Haley put her hands onto his chest to push him away but quickly realised that he was in a suit. She groaned against his tongue and let her fingertips linger a little longer on his chest than she should have done.
"I can't wait to marry you." She whispered teasingly as she pushed him away.
"Me either." He sighed, reaching out to catch her hand, "Can't we just do it now?"
"Go." Haley said firmly, her eyes were still pressed shut but she was smiling madly. She made a shooing motion with her hand, "I mean it Nathan, go, and if you see Brooke tell her I want her."
Nathan raised his eyebrows, "Yeah, if you see Luke tell him the same."
"I think Lucas may be…otherwise engaged. Peyton disappeared with that look she gets," Haley trailed off.
Nathan groaned, "Great, so they're christening our new house before us?"
"Our what?" Haley dropped her hand, her eyes wide and staring.
"Oh, right," Nathan ran his hand over his hair nervously, "I um, this is our house. I bought it."
She was in his arms before he had the chance to think to catch her, "Nathan, are you serious? This mansion is ours?"
He laughed and lifted her up; she wrapped her legs around his waist and shook her head, her eyes dazzling. Nathan looked to her worriedly, "You like it?"
She slapped teasingly at his shoulder, "Are you seriously asking me that question?" Shaking her head again she laughed, "I love it, it's a palace!"
Nathan breathed out a sigh of relief and looked into her eyes, smirking, "You look beautiful, by the way, Hales."
"I can't believe we've seen each other." Haley dragged her teeth along her lower lip, driving Nathan wild. "You really don't think it'll be unlucky?"
"Hales, everything's going to be perfect." Nathan promised her.
Peyton stared into space as Lucas explained the situation to George. His arm was still securely around her back, strongly and silently holding her together. Listening to Lucas' retelling of the day's events made her heart hurt.
She had no idea how Lucas was making coherent sense. If she were to try and speak, she was sure that the words would lodge in her throat, thick and painful. He was patient and evenly voiced somehow. All Peyton wanted to do was run. If she had any idea of where to go she'd be gone. But she couldn't leave, everything and everyone she loved was here, in the hospital.
The thought brought another tear to her eye. She couldn't count how many tears she'd shed today; tears that should have been reserved for joy and happiness on today of all days. These were not those tears.
Haley had once told her that there was a limit to how many tears someone could cry in a day. Peyton couldn't recall what that number was, but she was certain she'd exceeded it. She felt Lucas' thumb attempt to stroke her sadness away. She only wished he had that power.
It didn't seem real that only hours ago they'd all been so happy. In fact, Peyton would go so far as saying she was probably happier than she'd ever been. It was Nathan and Haley's day but the feeling was infectious. They'd all been on cloud nine. So unsuspecting and unassuming. She supposed that was why it had struck them all so hard.
Lucas stood in the dining room, pacing and going over his speech under his breath. His brow was furrowed and his shoulders tense. Peyton stood in the doorway, smiling at his nervous energy.
"Hey, Best Man," She called to him, smiling broadly.
He glanced up and the grin broke over his features instantaneously. "Hey, yourself, Blondie."
Taking a moment, he took in the sight of her in the bridesmaid dress that Brooke had designed to accent her every feature. Peyton laughed at him with her eyes. Her eyelids hooded, he looked good in a suit. He didn't notice her looking though; his eyes were on her legs. The dress was short, purposely, Brooke had promised him.
"You look," He shook his head and crossed the room. She greeted him with the brush of her hand over his stubbled cheek.
"Ah," He winced and settled his hand over hers. "I didn't shave this morning, think Haley will mind?"
"Screw Haley," Peyton paused to chuckle, "I love it."
"Oh, you do?" Lucas asked, as though he hadn't known. He pulled her flush against him quickly and circled his hand around her back. She hummed lightly under her breath in appreciation and hooked her long leg around his.
He pressed his lips against hers and pushed her back against the wall, pinning her there with his body. They kissed fervently as their fingers entwined and she ran her toes against the back of his knee.
They kissed until they were breathless, their eyes wide and hungry when they pulled apart. Lucas smirked as her chest heaved against his, she licked her lips and he groaned.
Peyton arched her brow, "Isn't slutty wedding sex supposed to happen after the ceremony? It feels kind of…dirty to do it now."
"Dirty?" Lucas echoed through his crooked grin.
He leaned down and pressed his mouth against her neck and licked kisses against her collar bone. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, her fingers rushing through his hair. That suit, those eyes and the way his teeth were nipping at her skin. Somehow she knew she was about to lose her dress.
She pulled his jacket from her shoulders and started to pop his shirt buttons. She spread her hands widely over his bare chest, feeling for his heartbeat under his skin. Lucas slipped his fingers under the spaghetti straps and pushed them from her shoulders, his soft gliding fingertips felt like sunlight hitting her skin. The warmth of his touch slipped down her shoulder blades and nudged the zipper down her spine.
The silky purple material fell away from her skin like a flower blossoming in the spring. The dress dropped in a soft ripple, pooling over her heeled feet. She stepped over the garment, pushing him backwards, one hand flat against his chest and the other on her hip.
"Keep the shoes on." Lucas requested in a gravely tone as she tugged at his belt buckle.
She nodded softly and grazed her nails against his ribs as she dragged her hands towards his waistband. She pushed his pants down urgently and then pushed him down onto the wide window seat. He laid back and she straddled his hips with her knees, her eyes smouldering.
He didn't want to break the momentum but felt the words itching at his tongue, "Peyt, I'm sorry, I don't have anything,"
She inclined her head questioningly, pausing with her lips grazing the skin around his navel.
"I haven't got any protection." He elaborated though a slight sigh.
"Oh," Her eyes flashed up to him, and she leaned back on her calves. He covered her hips with his hands and tickled the base of her back with his fingers. Her hands rested on his biceps and squeezed at his muscles gently, "Well, maybe we could…you know, try without?"
His gaze of firm crystal blue stared back at her disbelievingly and then he smiled broader than she could remember. Lightly he pulled her down and grazed his lips against hers.
They kissed softly and it was the most sincerely worded answer Peyton had ever heard.
Rachel hastily folded the clothes and pushed them into a holdall. She was leant over the bed, ignoring the tears that kept falling in with the clothes. Ordinarily she wasn't a crier; this she felt was a justified cause though.
She didn't hear Owen enter the room. He was always surprising her like that; being light and soft when she didn't expect it. His arms snaked around her waist and he rested his chin on her shoulder. They didn't speak, but they didn't have to, they'd gone over and over the day a hundred times, both with each other and the guests that had arrived for the wedding reception. There was nothing more to say whilst there was no news.
Only hours ago the girls had been together in the bedroom, excitedly getting ready. Rachel had snapped at Haley a little, exchanged cruel nicknames with Brooke and rolled her eyes at Peyton. She wondered if they remembered that. She doubted they were even thinking about that now, but the thought wouldn't seem to leave her own mind.
"Come on," Owen pulled the holdall from her hands and swung in onto his shoulder easily. They knotted their hands together and quietly passed by the other bedrooms. They doubted that anyone was sleeping though.
At the top of the stairs, Rachel hesitated and Owen frowned over at her.
"Someone's still up?" Rachel asked, indicating to the light down the hall.
"A few." Owen revealed, "They're all over, it's like an insomnia club house."
There was a flicker of something over Rachel's face, but it wasn't surprise. They moved to the lower level and Owen pulled them towards the kitchen. They passed through the den where Haley's sisters Quinn and Taylor were curled on the couch, sharing a bottle of whiskey with Clay, Nathan's agent. They shared nothing more than tight smiles with the group and walked on.
In the brightly lit kitchen they found Karen, Lucas' Mom hard at work. Her husband Keith was sat at the counter, wrapping brown packages with a grim look over his face.
"Rachel," Karen gave her as warm a greeting as the night would allow. "Owen said that you're going to the hospital? Would you mind taking some food parcels? Hospital food is notoriously horrible…I know it's not much, but maybe it'll be of some help. Lord knows when they last ate."
"I'm sure they'll appreciate some homemade food." Rachel nodded. She inhaled the smells of Karen's cooking and her mouth tweaked at the corners.
"Did you want to come along?" Owen asked awkwardly.
Keith passed the paper bag over and pointed through the part open doors to the sun room. "Lily's asleep, still in her dress, poor thing. We'll stay back with her, hopefully get some rest ourselves."
"Perhaps when you kids need a break we'll step in." Karen suggested as she dried her hands on a dishcloth. "Now you two drive carefully and give them all a squeeze from me."
Karen was the kind of mother Rachel thought that everyone should have. She was so sweet that Rachel couldn't refuse her request, "I will. I'll call if there's any news, or one of us at least."
"We appreciate that." Keith nodded.
"We should go, Rach," Owen suggested lightly.
The young couple said their goodbyes; they even both shared a hug with Karen and then left the quiet house for the quieter night. Rachel slipped into the passenger seat of Owen's car and glanced back at the house sadly. Owen watched her quietly. It wasn't often that she let her guard down, but he liked that she could around him. He covered her hand with his and they took a moment to gather themselves. All night they'd been looking after everyone else.
"You're okay?" Owen asked softly.
She looked at him for a long moment and he waited patiently for her to tell him she was alright. "Yep, I'm just tired."
Owen shook his head, "Of course."
Haley crossed her fingers and squeezed her eyes shut, as Brooke and Rachel tugged at the hem of her tea length wedding dress. She hoped that her run in with Nathan wouldn't have any kind of bearing on the day.
"Please don't let that be a bad omen." She whispered under her breath.
She was a rational person; the eternal realist according to Brooke. She didn't believe in superstition or luck or rituals; her belief was that your life was what you made of it, through your choices hard work and circumstance. It was Brooke who was obsessed with fate, destiny and the stars. Even Peyton, with her perpetual pessimism believed in bad luck and being cursed. But for Haley, it simply didn't work like that.
She refused to believe that she and Nathan running into each other would have any affect at all on their future happiness. Their life would be what they made of it. She believed that, she did…and yet all she could think of was that seeing each other was the worst thing that could possibly have happened.
"You're frowning," Brooke observed, her own brow knitting together with confusion, "You don't like the dress! Oh my God, she doesn't like the dress!"
"Brooke, no," Haley shook her head firmly, to which Rachel glared at her.
"You're moving." Rachel scolded, "Don't do that. I have pins in my mouth."
Haley ignored the redhead, "Brooke, I am in love with this dress, it's perfect. It's better than I imagined it. I'm just over thinking everything."
"Have some champagne." Peyton suggested from across the room, where she was assembling her camera.
"No. Thanks." Haley rested her hands over her stomach which was turning. "I've had enough champagne today. I'm okay, I promise."
For a moment Brooke and Peyton just stared back at her, scrutinising her emotions carefully. A light smile lingered at her lips; she loved her friends for their concern. Somehow she knew that she'd always have these two girls at her side to rely on through everything. It was like having two angels on her shoulders, or two devils, depending on what mood they were in.
Apparently both girls decided that Haley was okay, because they started moving around her again at their frantic chaotic pace. Brooke was back on the phone hissing instructions to Julian and Peyton was taking test shots around the room.
"Okay, Hales, just ignore me." Peyton instructed, as she crouched beside her and began snapping the bride to be from every angle. "You look beautiful."
"You do." Brooke agreed over her phone call. She muttered a few more words into the receiver and then promptly hung up. "Okay, the boys are ready and Julian has promised me that they look presentable."
Rachel raised her eyebrows, "Brave man."
"Shut up, Bitch." Brooke warned but without any conviction, she was smiling too widely to be in any way threatening. "Haley, this is it! Are you ready?"
A flash of surprise appeared over her features and then disappeared just as quickly. She could remember playing games with her Barbie dolls with her sisters when she was a little girl, alternating turns between playing bride and bridesmaids. Well, actually more often than not her sisters played bride and she was left to watch on. It seemed that the time had raced by since then, it was had to believe that she would be doing it for real today and it was her turn to play bride.
"I'm ready." Haley confirmed in a strong voice that pleasantly surprised her entourage.
Brooke brought a hand to her mouth and choked back a cry, "I'm sorry, it's just the hormones,"
"Yeah right," Peyton scoffed, "You've always been this soft."
Nudging her hip against Peyton's, Brooke shrugged, "If you don't cry today there's something wrong with you. Our girl's going off with a boy, Peyt! I'm not sure I'm ready, you know?"
"Brooke, you've dreamt about this day." Peyton reminded her as she took a couple of pictures of Brooke and Haley exchanging tears and smiles as Rachel passed out the three bouquets.
"So have I," Haley admitted softly, "And my dreams looked a lot like this. I'm ready, you pair of goofs…if you're prepared to give me away?"
Rolling her eyes to the ceiling as another wave of tears threatened, Brooke laughed, "We'd be honoured, of course."
There was a glistening in Peyton's eyes too, "What Brooke said."
Haley smiled and took a deep breath, reaching each of her friend's hands in her own, "You're the only two people on my guest list today, for the most important day of my life. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't even swap my parents in for you two; although it would be nice for those two idiots to witness this…it just wouldn't be right doing this without you two at my side. You're more than my best friends and god, I have about a thousand things I should be saying to you right now and thanking you for but I think you know them already. And my mind is a complete mess right now!"
Brooke scrunched her nose and Peyton smiled a rare kind of smile that radiated warmth.
"God, you three repulse me." Rachel pulled a face of disgust.
Leaning across, Brooke slapped her on the arm, "You're just jealous, slut."
"Yeah, I think I actually am." Rachel admitted honestly and all three girls paused to blink in their surprise. "Whatever. Go marry Nathan already, I promise I won't heckle."
"I appreciate that." Haley laughed and pulled her two weepy bridesmaids along with her to the door. She squeezed their hands and they stood together for a moment as a trinity, sharing the slight squirming feeling in their stomachs that this was the moment that everything was about to change in their little dynamic.
Nathan returned to the waiting room, surprised to find it empty. It sent a shiver through him. For a wild moment he wondered whether something had happened, but he knew that someone would have called him or someone would have come to find him. He remembered vaguely Lucas and Peyton mentioning something about going for a walk which most likely accounted for their absence at least.
He understood everyone going for air; it was why he'd taken a trip to the coffee machine and yet returned without a drink. The waiting room was suffocating. And honestly, everyone had been driving him a little mad; as he was sure he'd been annoying them. It wasn't anyone's actions, just the tension of the situation coupled with ragged exhaustion. He'd actually snapped at Peyton right before he'd left. She'd been jiggling her knee nervously for something close to half an hour and it had shattered his last nerve. Now though he missed it. He missed her, he missed everyone. It was suddenly a lonely place.
It reminded him of being at the hospital after his Mom's overdose. He'd been alone then too. His Dad didn't seem to care, his Uncle Cooper was out of state and Nathan couldn't quite bring himself to call anyone and tell them what was happening. So he'd waited alone.
He only hoped that this occasion didn't end in the same tragic news as the last time.
Nathan shook his head, it was useless thinking that way, and he knew that. He was an athlete, and sometimes that meant pushing emotions to one side and stepping up. He'd done it a thousand times on the court, with his Dad, and after losing his Mom. It meant rising above himself and doing a little more. The situation was bad, but there was still hope, it wasn't over. Nathan had been thrown some things in his life; it had pushed him pretty hard at times but he'd stepped up and pushed back in those times. He needed to do that again.
He scrubbed his hand over his features and hung his head. He took a few cool breaths and tried to compose himself. On his third breath he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
He couldn't tell who the hand belonged to, only that it was female. He tried to gauge what it could mean, what words could follow the hand on his shoulder, but he couldn't tell.
Slowly he raised his tired eyes, to meet her gaze.
Nathan couldn't breathe. He was stood on the jetty staring at the ocean, trying to calm his heartbeat. This was it, he was about to marry the girl of his dreams. Julian nudged him with his shoulder and he knew the moment had arrived.
"They're on their way." Julian confirmed, pushing his cell phone back into his pocket.
"I can't look." Nathan gulped.
Lucas turned with an amused expression, "I can."
And he did, as Nathan continued to look forward. He was afraid to move, in case his legs gave way beneath him. "Of course you can, you haven't been able to take your eyes off of Peyton since she got here."
"Not just his eyes." Julian chimed in, his eyes creasing at the corners as he smirked. He gave Nathan one more pat of reassurance before retreating to where the sound system was, ready for Haley's walk down the aisle.
Nathan pulled a face at Lucas, "I do not want to know. I never want to know what you and Peyton get up to, I can't handle it."
Lucas just smirked knowingly.
Groaning, Nathan ran a hand over his face, "Dude, if this wasn't my wedding,"
"You wish you could take me on, Little Brother," Lucas teased, clearly enjoying himself.
Nathan arched his brow, "Want to bet, Old Man?"
Lucas rolled his eyes, sometimes they really were like a pair of squabbling brothers, "You really want to go there?"
"Not now." Nathan supposed but reached out to punch him lightly on the arm. "I'm kind of busy today."
Lucas nodded and smiled, "I know. I was trying to take your mind off of it for a minute, you look so nervous, Dude."
Nathan arched his eyebrow, "This is the most terrifying thing I've ever done, no doubt."
"Scarier than the time we tag-teamed Dan?" Lucas challenged, "Only I was kind of peeing my pants when we did that."
"That's because you're a little girl, Luke." Nathan laughed, secretly glad that his brother was there to distract him. It seemed to be taking an eternity for the girls to arrive.
Lucas squinted his gaze at his little brother, "Just so you know, I'm remembering every word you're saying right now. I'll pound you when you get back from your honeymoon."
"Sure," Nathan was going to retaliate further but at that moment the music started; Haley was coming.
He glanced nervously to Lucas who turned his head to look back towards the house where the girls would be walking from, across the grass and to the jetty. Nathan was still too nervous to dare look round himself. Instead he watched Lucas' reaction.
The blond wore a frown, his eyes narrowed and searching. Then all at once his expression changed.
"Lucas?" Nathan asked, worriedly.
"Nathan!" Haley's voice rang through the air, in a chilling strangled kind of tone.
Nathan's skin prickled and a cool sensation ran over his skin. He turned, instinctively, to see her sprinting over the grass in her wedding dress, a wild look in her eye. There wasn't any time for him to think before he started running towards her. He felt Lucas and Julian close behind him.
Haley stopped when she saw that they were racing towards her, "Quickly, please!"
Predictably, Nathan reached her first. He put his hands on her upper arms and checked her over with his eyes. She shook him off hurriedly and grabbed for his hand, as the other two caught up she indicated with her eyes for them to follow her into the house.
"Haley, what the hell's going on?" Nathan called to her.
"It all happened so fast, we were coming downstairs and she slipped," Haley told them in a shaking tone, she had their full attention.
"Who slipped?" Lucas asked urgently as they stormed through the house.
Haley never answered though. They reached the hallway and saw it with their own eyes. Brooke was sat at the foot of the stairs, her legs curls beneath her and her head hung low. She was breathing raggedly and clutching at her stomach with her left hand.
Julian pushed past everyone and crouched down in front of her. He brushed her hair out of her face, paling several shades when he felt blood on his fingertips. "Someone call an ambulance!"
"Rachel's on the phone to them now." Peyton said, pointing towards the hallway.
"Brooke, talk to me," Julian pleaded, tears shining in his eyes, "You're bleeding, your head,"
"Julian," Brooke's voice quavered in a fearful tone, "Something's not right…something's not right with the baby, it feels weird,"
She cried out painfully and doubled over. The air in the house changed, it was almost as though the centre of gravity shifted from beneath them, turning everything on it's head. Lucas and Peyton scrambled away to try and find some towels and cushions whilst Owen who'd joined the group went to update Rachel and the 911 operator of the situation. Haley sank down on Brooke's left and started to whisper softly into her ear. Nathan just watched on in disbelief.
"Ah!" Brooke cried out again sharply and Nathan froze.
He was the only one who seemed to notice it at first; the crimson streak pooling at the hem of Haley's white dress.
...
I tried so hard to write the happy, smiley chapter you were probably all expecting but, well, this happened. Hope the format worked and it was okay to follow.
Thank you for reading, Lexie :)