Brooke roped Peyton into helping plan Haley's party. Brooke took care of the fake ID's they'd need and Peyton talked to Tim about the joint party planned for later. There were a lot of people who didn't know Haley from a hole in the ground who wanted to come. Apparently getting hitched did not diminish Nathan's star. Peyton chuckled to herself at the drone mentality of most teenagers.

"Brooke, are you sure taking Haley to a strip joint is the best thing? It doesn't really seem like her kinda thing?" Peyton explained again.

"That's the point. You are supposed to do things you normally wouldn't do before you get married. It's tradition." Brooke replied.

"So your parents are OK with having the joint party at their place?"

"Yes, at least they would be if they were going to be home." Brooke grinned mischievously.

"You are so bad."

"Hey, maybe someday if I wreck the house bad enough they'll remember they have a daughter?" Brooke joked. Peyton knew Brooke's parental indifference stung. Peyton's dad might not be around all the time, but she never doubted that he cared about her.

"Maybe."

"So, I have a surprise for you at the party." Brooke hinted.

"For me? This is supposed to be about Nate and Haley." Peyton pointed out.

"It is, it is, but that doesn't mean the rest of us can't have a good time too."

"Good point. On a more painful subject, how are things between you and Luke?" Peyton asked.

"Depends on the day. Look Pey, I know you have become like his confidant or something but it's gonna take a lot for him and I to ever be friends." Brooke replied.

"You forgave me." Peyton pointed out.

"Ya, but you and I have been friends since like, first grade. Lucas and I were never friends. We were buddies, we were dating, but we kinda skipped the friend part."

"He's really trying to change Brooke. All I ask is that you give him a chance." Luke and Peyton had grown close after Dan's heart attack. After spending time with Jake, any residual feelings for Lucas had waned but their friendship had remained. Dan's heart attack had ripples through the whole Scott extended, mixed up family. Given Luke's predisposition to brooding, it was only natural that it caused a lot of reflection for him. With Haley busy being a newly married woman, it was Peyton who became Luke's confidant. It didn't mean that him and Haley weren't still close, but it was different. Peyton could be a little more unbiased than Haley could. Deep down Haley still wanted to protect her best friend from Dan, but Peyton had no such desires. She just listened without saying much. Luke was so conflicted about his feelings for Dan and he had a hard time figuring out how he felt about everything. On top of that was the fact that his best friend had gotten married at sixteen. Outwardly he was supportive of Haley and Nathan's decision, but with Peyton he was a little more open. He was worried about them, more Haley than Nathan, but it was something he couldn't share with Haley. He didn't want to rain on her parade. The two of them seemed so happy. Peyton also thought that Luke felt a little left out. For most of his life it had been him and Haley against the world, and although Nathan and Lucas were no longer enemies, he wouldn't exactly call him a best friend either. Suddenly his partner in crime was tied to someone he really didn't know. He knew that things change when people get married and he worried that he would lose his best friend because of it. Peyton listened to all this without judgement. She became his sounding board.

The day of the party started early with Brooke bouncing in at nine to start party preparations. She woke Peyton up and dragged her out of bed. For the millionth time in Peyton's life she thought to herself that Brooke had too much energy for just one person.

After she felt sufficiently caffeinated, the suspense got to her and she asked Brooke again, "So what is the surprise?"

"Patience is a virtue." Brooke replied vaguely.

"Which you don't have, so you can't preach to me about it. Come on Brooke, give me a hint." Peyton whined.

"No luck girl friend. You'll just have to wait and see. Trust me." Brooke grinned.

"That is the problem....I don't." she returned the smile.

The girls set up the house for the party and then, after finishing their errands, started getting ready themselves. The strip club was a hoot. Even Haley loosened up and had a good time. At eleven o'clock they headed back to Brooke's parents house. The party was already in full swing. The girls had a good buzz going from the strip club and jumped into the group party with a vengeance. In the chaos and fun that was the whole evening Peyton had entirely forgotten about Brooke's surprised. At around midnight Haley found her in a corner talking to the DJ about music.

"Peyton, I need your help." Haley said.

"What's up?" Peyton asked.

"Luke is outside."

"And?"

"Well, I know that you two have become closer recently and he has that look on his face." Haley explained.

"What look?"

"You know, the one where something is weighing him down and he's just waiting for someone to ask what it is."

"And you want me to go ask him." Peyton replied.

"Well, I know that he has been talking to you more lately. I love Lucas but I am also willing to admit that there are some things he just can't talk to me about. He'll talk to you." Haley admitted.

"Haley, it's not that he can't talk to you." Peyton didn't want Haley to feel like she was stealing her best friend.

"No, I'm not jealous. I am happy that he has someone he can talk to. I just worry about him. Chalk it up to too many years with Karen and Lucas." She smiled wryly.

"OK. I'll check it out." Peyton said. She found Lucas exactly where Haley said he would be. He was off to the side at a picnic table, looking down the neck of a beer bottle.

"You know, it doesn't matter how long you stare at it. It isn't a wishing well, there are no answers in there." Peyton said sarcastically.

"Hey," he said looking up at her. Peyton took a seat beside him.

"So watcha doin out here? The party is inside."
"Just thinkin." He replied.

"About what?"

"Lots of things." He was being very tight lipped.

"Like what?" She gently prodded.

"Everything feels off balance for me right now." Luke started.

"How so?"

"Well, we start back to school next week and..."

"And?" She kept at him.

"I want to change." Luke said.

"Change how?"

"Like I said at the end of last year. I wanted to be a different person. I'm just afraid that once I get back into Tree Hill High and am playing basketball for Whitey again that the guy who screwed everything up will come back too."

"He won't if you don't let it. Look, I know it's been a crazy summer but sometimes the only thing you need to change is your attitude. You can't control the actions of others; the only thing you can control is how you react to it. Ya, you made some bad decisions last year, but you didn't make those simply because you were here. They were choices. This year you'll make different ones."

"It isn't that easy Peyton. What if I become a raving jackass like I was last year?" Lucas asked.

"You won't."

"You don't know that." He stated emphatically.

"You are right, I don't know that for sure. But I know you. You are too smart to make the same mistakes twice. It's a fresh start Luke. Maybe not in Charleston like you planned but it's still entirely up to you how things turn out." Peyton said.

"When did you get so wise?" Lucas asked with a smile.

"I've always been wise." She retorted. "You are just now noticing."

"I am noticing." He replied softly.

"Look, I'll make you a deal. If you start becoming the evil Lucas from last year I'll just call you a jackass. It will be like a signal for you to pull your head out of your ass." She grinned.

"Deal." He replied. She stuck out her hand to shake on it. He took it thankfully. "You've been my saving grace this summer Peyton. I don't know how I would have got through everything without you to talk to." Peyton laughed in response. "You laugh, but I'm serious."

"It's just funny to me...I mean I am the least together person I know yet somehow I have become this guru to all my friends. It's just kinda ironic."

"That's not true. You are a very together person. I should know." Lucas said. "So I think I'm ready to go back into the party. Are you comin?" he asked as he stood up.

"I'll be in in a second."

"OK."

Lucas left Peyton sitting on the picnic table. His words resonated in her head. Maybe art wasn't her calling after all, because if he believed she was really together, then she was a better actress than she thought. It was easy to give advice to others, it was herself she had a little more difficulty with. She understood what he said when he felt off balance. She had felt that way most of her life. She was willing to admit that it was mostly because of her own doing. Sometimes she felt like she led a double life. Popular cheerleader by day, raving lunatic at night. Maybe lunatic was a bit strong, but she did see herself as two different people. When she first met Lucas it was such a relief to her because she didn't have to be two people for him. She could be a whole person – full of flaws and insecurities. The strange thing was that despite the fact that they had grown closer over the summer, it was mostly one sided. She was happy to be there for him, to be his sounding board, his confidant, but she didn't get the same thing from him anymore. She hoped that would come back because he wasn't the only one feeling conflicted about the start of the New Year.

"Still avoiding the drama I see." A voice came from behind her. She whipped around to find Jake standing there with a half grin on his face.

"Jake!" Peyton was immediately snapped out of her reverie. She quickly got up and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a party for Haley and Nathan." He replied.

"Not here at Brooke's dumbass, in Tree Hill?" she said sarcastically.

"Did some thinking and decided that I had to come back." He said taking a seat beside her.

"Why? What about Nicki?" Peyton asked.

"Running away doesn't solve my problem. And I don't want Jenny growing up looking over her shoulder forever. So I figured I'd come back and fight for her. To do that, I'll need all the support I can get and that support is here in Tree Hill." He explained.

"Aren't you afraid that Nicki will win?" Peyton had to ask the obvious.

"Sure, but not as afraid of what Jenny will think of me ten years from now if I keep running. I have to believe it will all work out." Jake said.

"It will. And I'll be here, what ever you need." Peyton offered.

"What ever?" He grinned at her. Suddenly the memory of the kiss she gave him came to her mind. She felt acutely uncomfortable and didn't know what to say. "Relax Sawyer." He teased sensing her discomfort. "I was kidding. So what's been happening here? I mean besides the wedding?" He asked.

They stayed outside for a while just talking about all the stuff Jake had missed in the two months he was gone. Peyton couldn't help but think how much she had missed his face and easy smile. It might have taken him a long time to open up to everyone about his life, but once he did, he just seemed to be this easy going, open book. Nothing seemed to really faze him too deeply. He seemed to take everything in stride. She missed that too. Eventually after she had run through the dramas they had endured in the summer, they went back into the party together.

Brooke came and found her straight away. "Surprise!" She shouted. Brooke was obviously feeling no pain.

"What are you talking about?" Peyton asked.

"I see you found your surprise," Brooke said pointing to Jake standing across the room with Lucas, Nathan and Tim.

"What? Jake? Jake was my surprise?"

"Of course silly. I know you missed him, don't even try to deny it."

"I'm just glad he's back." Peyton said, not admitting to anything.

"Ya whatever. You can lie to some people, but not me Peyton. Inside that sarcastic face is a girl jumping for joy." Brooke stated.

"Yep, that's me. Jumping inside. Come on, let's get another drink." Peyton smiled at her.

The party was a raving success and fun was had by all. School started on Monday, which officially meant the end of summer. After the summer they had all survived, they were kinda happy to be back in school. Sophomore year had been traumatic for everyone, Brooke, Lucas, Nathan, Haley, Peyton, Jake...everyone of them was secretly looking forward to the start of a new year, hopefully leaving the drama behind them as they started as they became juniors.

A/N so I got five reviews for this. I was so impressed - I understand that Jeyton is not the most popular subject (I am still a Naley lover at heart - have faith there will be some Naley here too. Can't stay away from it too long). As always, please let me know your thought/suggestions. Thanks - Carys