A week went by since Peyton had talked to Lucas, the blonde having clammed up about the issue. She didn't know what to make of it anymore. She wanted Lucas' blessing so badly, and the way he blew her off broke her heart. She used any excuse to keep away from everyone, especially Brooke, after that. If she felt remotely well enough to work, she went to work, or if there was a way to drive somewhere, walk in a park that was obnoxiously out of the way, she'd go. Of course, just like any other way that Peyton might try to escape the rough patches in her life, her behavior certainly did not go unnoticed.

Brooke came home from clearing the last few things from her store early, slipping inside quietly so that Peyton would not know she was home. She stepped cautiously, knowing where the floor squeaked and where it did not, until she was at her and the blonde's bedroom door. Peyton, who had been lying on her side staring blankly at the bed, quickly closed her eyes in hopes that Brooke had not seen her awake. But, of course, her acting was in vain, and the brunette came into the room and sat on the edge of the bed with a small smile. She reached out, tucking hair behind Peyton's ear and running her fingers through the blonde's straightened locks. She exhaled.

"I know you're awake, Peyton," she said, and the blonde had flinched as soon as she heard Brooke speak. She swallowed thickly; opening her eyes, but did not turn to look at Brooke. She sighed, not saying anything. "You wanna tell me what's goin' on with you?" Brooke kept running her finger tips through Peyton's hair, a soothing effect. Peyton shook her head. "C'mon, talk to me." Brooke settled into the bed, lying on her side. Peyton turned over, with difficulty, feeling the weight of her baby when she turned onto her back… She found comfort on her other side. She was quiet for a long time, not wanting to say what she knew she needed to say. She figured that if she said it out loud, it would be truer, and she didn't know how she was going to handle that. But the look in Brooke's eyes, the desire to be in the blonde's head and know what she was thinking and what was going on, forced her to speak.

"He said no, Brooke," she said softly. There was a pain in her voice. "I told him I wanted him to be there. I told him I didn't want to sneak around and do this behind his back… And then he said he wished that I would." Brooke frowned, somehow hoping that she would have heard something different.

"Well…" she was at a loss for words, trying to quickly come up with some easy response to make Peyton feel better. "Um…" It was more difficult than she had thought it would be. "This is hard for him," she said, "you can't expect him to just jump into-"

"I know, I know…. It's just really hard. Cause I want him to be a part of this. I want him to be a part of us."

"Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean that just because he doesn't like it that we can't be happy, or that you can't be happy. And you'll never know; maybe he'll come around. Don't let him control what you do, though, Peyton. Trust me. If all you're thinking about is someone else's happiness, you'll never be happy." Peyton thought on this for a moment, and then nodded slowly. She inhaled and sighed, shifting to snuggle into Brooke. The brunette smiled, amused.

"You're right, Brooke," she said. And then she smiled hugely, thinking about the wedding. She chuckled. "We're getting married."

* * *

"Are you excited about being a bride's maid or what??" Brooke asked, strutting into Haley's kitchen. Haley turned, her back now to the sink, with a half-confused smile.

"How the hell did you get in here?" she asked, her smile growing. Brooke smirked.

"Magic," she stage whispered. "But are you?"

"Well, of course I am… wait, did you and Peyton figure things out with Luke?" Brooke's face fell immediately. She sighed, slightly pouting, and slumped onto one of the bar stools by the kitchen island.

"No," she said. "He's being Lucas Pensive Broody Scott and told Peyton to just have the wedding. He's not coming, and he'd rather her have done it without even telling him." Haley's brow furrowed and she came forward, sitting opposite Brooke.

"Well, you can't expect him to just jump right into-"

"Yes, yes, I know, I got it. But it's just so frustrating! It's like nothing in this godforsaken town is ever just doable! It's like everyone has to jump through 16 flaming hoops into a giant tiger's face, and that's for the simple stuff!" The brunette shook her head. "It's absolutely ridiculous."

"But, then, what are you guys going to do?" Haley asked.

"Oh, we're still getting married, hence the bride's maid question. And if Lucas decides to come, which I guess he won't, then that's the way it's gonna work out. If not, then he won't be there." Haley looked at Brooke closely, surprised by what she was saying.

"Brooke, this doesn't sound like you-"

"I know." The brunette sighed, leaning against the counter top. "It's just that this whole thing has Peyton messed up like you wouldn't believe… She hadn't been talking to me hardly at all for a long time. But I finally got her to open up the other day and we both came to this conclusion. Don't get me wrong: I'd love more than anything for Lucas to be there. It'd be so good to share something like this with him. But that isn't the way it's going to work out, you know? And it sucks so bad and I hate it but… I'm not going to not get married just because it upsets him. I mean, you did the same thing when you married Nathan, you know?" Haley nodded, agreeing with Brooke's defense completely. It made sense, after all. It was exactly what she had done with Nathan. She loved him people didn't like it, but it didn't matter. And that was what was important. She smiled.

"Well, I am behind you the whole way, Brooke. I just want you to know that." The short brunette paused, a thought popping into her head. "You aren't going to make me wear an ugly bride's maid dress, are you?" Brooke immediately gave Haley a look.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" the brunette asked.

"Right…." Haley smiled, laughing. "Sorry."

* * *

"I really like blue, gold, brown and white… Would you be okay with that combination or is that not broody enough for you?" Brooke asked teasingly. Peyton smiled and roller her eyes, leaning forward to over look all of the colours combinations Brooke had put together.

"I think it's gorgeous, but I really like the red and ivory, too." Brooke's eyes darted over to that sample, thinking seriously about it.

"Okay, well, at least we've narrowed it down to two choices-"

"Shit! What time is it?" Peyton asked. Brooke grabbed her cell and slid it open.

"Almost four, why?"

"My appointment is today at four."

"Oh… Shit! Oh, I'm so sorry. I got all distracted with the colours that I completely forgot-" Brooke was already standing, helping Peyton up, and heading to the door as she spoke.

"It's fine, really. The hospital isn't that far away."

"Yeah, but we still need to haul ass," Brooke said, closing and locking the door behind them. Peyton smiled.

"Then let's haul ass."

* * *

"Peyton, everything looks pretty good, the baby's in good health, but there's something that we found that we'd like to run some tests on-"

"Wait, what's wrong?" Peyton asked, her face tense. Brooke's face mirrored her girlfriend's. The doctor but her lip, not looking directly at the blonde. She sighed.

"We don't quite know yet, that's why we need a blood sample so we can figure it out. All we know it that there is abnormal activity in your reproductive system-"

"Wait, now? But how?!" Brooke asked, "She's pregnant! Shouldn't all that be asleep or something-"

"Just let us draw some blood and run some tests and we'll be able to answer all of your questions. What you know is about as much as we know at this point." Peyton gripped the cushion beneath her, looking down.

"Great…" she mumbled.

"Now, Peyton, if you would just follow me, we'll draw a little bit of blood and figure everything out, okay?"