This is going to be the last time I can update for the next few days. I have a competition and I won't have my computer but if I get some reviews I'll write on my free time...I liked an idea that one of my reviewers gave me for this story about having Madison send them a letter thanking them and I am taking their suggestion in a way. Keep up the great reviews and keep the suggestions and ideas coming.
Enjoy this chapter and please review!

The all let out a breath of relief. That had to be the scariest thing they ever went through. Haley collapsed into Nathan's arms, Peyton hugged herself, Jake held Jenny close, Brooke was smiling and Lucas was still in shock.

"I never want to do that again." Brooke finally broke the awkward silence.

"I second that notion." Haley said still wrapped in Nathan's arms.

"I've never been that scared in my life." Peyton admitted finally.

"It was all a game guys," Jake spoke laying Jenny back in her carrier, "She was the ringleader and we were all her circus freaks. You had to play to survive."

"Way to play Hales." Nathan tried to joke but no one was in a laughing mood.

"I was trying to save our asses." Haley said defensively, "Didn't you see the way she cracked when I challenged her?"

"She had cracked long before tonight. She told her mom she wasn't going to be talked out of killing herself again." Brooke sat back down on the couch.

"She wasn't going to kill herself." Peyton spoke softly.

"Um, a gun to your head normally means you're going to kill yourself, Peyt." Brooke replied.

"No, she wasn't." Peyton spoke again soft but firmly.

"How do you know?" Haley inquired.

"If you're thinking of committing suicide you don't talk about it. Those who talk about are just crying for help or attention." Peyton hugged herself tighter, not looking at anyone, "If you're going to kill yourself you do it alone."

"Oh," Brooke didn't know what else to say. How did Peyton know all this?

"It was still scary." Haley added crawling back into Nathan's arms, "Lucas, are you okay?"

Everyone turned to Lucas who was standing in the exact same position as when Madison was carrier off. He still couldn't believe what he saw.

"Lucas?" Haley asked again.

"What?" Lucas snapped out of his trance-like state.

"Are you okay?" Haley repeated slowly and louder.

"No," Lucas said quietly, "I'm just so shocked."

"Yeah. Who knew she was a Looney Toon?" Nathan tried to make a joke but on one laughed again. Haley hit him at his lame jokes.

"Lucas, she needs help and we helped her get it," Brooke started, "We were almost killed but we helped her."

"No Brooke, we didn't," Lucas said firmly, "you did."

"Everyone helped in some way it wasn't just me." Brooke stood awkwardly in front of Lucas.

"It was all you Brooke," Lucas' eyes welled up with tears, "I'm so sorry Brooke. I should have believed you in the first place but I didn't."

"Lucas, it's okay." Brooke moved closer wrapping her arms around him, "She was crazy. It's just like you to fall for the crazy ones."

"That's why he's with you." Nathan joked again.

"Nathan," Haley said, "Shut up!"

Brooke and Lucas sat down with Brooke leaning up against Lucas. They fit so well together it just felt so perfect all over again. Nathan and Haley began whispering and smiling and kissing and it was so cute it made everyone sick.

"We've got something to share." Nathan said finally out loud.

"We're," Haley paused and smiled, "we're engaged!"

Lucas couldn't believe his ears. His best friend and his brother are getting married? How weird was that?

"That's great guys." Brooke broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Yeah I'm happy for you guys." Jake said next.

Lucas didn't know what to say so he just put a fake smile on his face and focused only on Brooke. Peyton didn't say anything either. Actually she hadn't heard a word they all said. She was off in her own world at the moment and she didn't feel like coming back.

"I'll be right back," Jake said going towards the door, "I'm going to call my lawyer back."

"I hope everything works out for you." Brooke said snuggling up closer to Lucas.

"Me too." Jake smiled nervously. How good was good? Would he get full custody or joint custody?

It got deathly quiet in the room when Jake left. No one knew what to say or do so they all just sat there. Peyton finally snapped back to reality and realized what she had said to all of them. Suicide, a word she often contemplated. She had passed information she had learned about in therapy to her friends who knew nothing of her harmful thoughts. She had to get out of there.

"I've got to go." Peyton said quickly and hurried out the door with her jacket in tow.

As she raced down the stairs, Jake was heading up. He was smiling from ear to ear. It had to be good news but Peyton didn't want to stay and find out. Yeah, she wanted to be there for Jake but the night had stirred so many memories from her past she had to get away; she had to escape.

"Peyton, where are you going?" Jake asked as she ran past him without even acknowledging him.

"I have to get out of here." She didn't stop running away. Running away from things was something Peyton did best. Things get too tough so you run.

"Peyton what's wrong?" Jake knew Peyton well enough to know that something was terribly wrong.

"Nothing Jake, I just have to go." Peyton ran to her car and pulled away.

"I'm bored." Brooke stated bluntly.

"Way to smash our first official party." Nathan took a stab at a joke again.

"You call this a party?" Brooke exclaimed sarcastically, "There's no booze or music or boys!"

"Excuse me?" Lucas replied easing back into the mood of the 'party'.

"I'd like to keep my options open, just in case you get hooked on another loony." Brooke joked. It wasn't funny but Lucas pretended to laugh.

"You're going to jinx yourself, you know." Haley said seriously.

"Shut up!" Brooke acted nervous, "Let's go hang out by the pool."

She dragged Lucas towards the door leaving Nathan, Haley, and Jenny together. It got even quieter when they left. Haley and Nathan felt awkward. They didn't want to make out in front of Jenny. What would that be teaching her?

Outside the apartment Brooke pulled Lucas close and kissed him. He wasn't sure if she was still mad at him but obviously she wasn't or she was doing a good job of hiding it.

"Guys," Jake appeared next to them, "Let's keep it G-rated please."

"Like you've never seen this before." Brooke joked.

"I don't care to watch." Jake responded back still smiling.

"So what's going on?" Lucas finally asked.

"She's all mine!" Jake said excitedly.

"I told you you'd get her." Lucas said smiling.

"See, you worried about nothing." Brooke said giving Jake a big hug.

"I wish I would've believed you guys sooner." Jake hugged back with relief.

"Well, you'll know better for next time." Brooke finally let go of him and moved back to Lucas.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time." Jake said worriedly, "By the way, do you guys know where Peyton went? She ran by pretty quickly and she looked strange."

"Nope, she just got up and left." Lucas shrugged. Peyton always looked strange and sad but that was just Peyton.

"Something's not sitting right with me. Something's going on with. Why won't she just tell me what it is?"

"Jake," Brooke started, "She's Peyton. She's a loner. She's not going to talk to anyone about what going on in her head."

"I just wish she would. I want to know what's going on in her head." Jake said thinking about Peyton and her smile and her presence.

"You like Peyton don't you Jake?" Brooke was quick to see that love- sick look on Jake's face.

"Am I that transparent?" Jake blushed knowing his secret was out.

"Yeah, you really are." Lucas said realizing it too. Just the way he looks at her and...the way she looks at him. Jake likes Peyton and Peyton likes Jake!

If Peyton and Jake hooked up the whole gang would have that special someone in their lives. No one would feel like a third wheel anymore. Jake might even be good for Peyton. Peyton was always happy when Jake was around.

"So, are you going to ask her out?" Brooke asked anxiously. She wanted Peyton to be happy and she wanted to give Peyton someone so she couldn't steal Lucas away again.

"My life is so messed up right now." Jake shook his head, "She deserves better."

"Better than you?" Lucas was surprised, "That's impossible!"

"Maybe after the whole Nikki problem dies down I'll think about it but right now, you can't tell her." Jake didn't want a girlfriend that would have to deal with Nikki.

"You won the case Jake," Brooke informed him again, "You don't have to worry about Nikki anymore."

"You don't know Nikki at all," Jake shook his head again, "This is just the beginning."

She sped away accelerating more and more as she drove. Then she came upon a red light. She did something she hadn't done in a while; she went through it and the next one and the one after that. What was she doing? She promised herself no more of this but she was never good with promises.

She had no where to go or no one to talk to. She realized she was still alone. Though she had Brooke, Haley and even Jake but yet she felt so alone. None of them could understand what she's gone through and until they lost their mothers they never would. She drove and drove until she thought she wouldn't be able to drive anymore. She pulled over and recognized the car in the driveway. She needed someone desperately to talk to. Someone who knew what she was going through. She walked up to the front door and rang the door bell. A tired looking woman opened the door. She had been crying too.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you." Peyton wasn't sure if she should even be here, "but can I talk to Madison?"