"So, what is your take on Karma?" Brooke asked one afternoon while they were eating lunch outside at school.

"What do you mean?" Peyton asked.

"Well, things went really well for us last semester, I mean you and I were best friends again, Nathan and Haley were our picture perfect married couple, Lucas and I could be civil to each other, you and Jake were all goo goo eyed."

"I was so not goo goo eyed." Peyton retorted.

Brooke gave her head a little shake. "Whatever. Anyway," she said dramatically, "what I'm trying to say is everything was going really well for everyone and now look at us."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Peyton wasn't exactly sure where Brooke was going.

"Nathan has taken moody/surly guy to a whole other level, Haley has disappeared and you and Jake aren't together. Maybe we weren't appropriately thankful for the good stuff we had and now we are being punished." Brooke mused.

"I think we were appropriately thankful Brooke." Peyton replied sardonically. "Sometimes shit just happens."

"But that's my point – maybe it's Karma that causes shit to happen. Think about it?" Most days Peyton found Brooke's philosophies entertaining, but she had been harboring similar thoughts herself. She wondered why everything had gone so wrong. It had been six weeks since Haley left and Nathan wasn't getting any better, in fact some would say he'd gotten worse. Peyton had spent many nights either on the phone, online or at the café with Lucas. He was really worried about Nathan and Peyton was willing to listen. She refused Luke's pleas to try talking to Nathan again. After their last confrontation she wasn't exactly sure she could trust him. His temper was hair trigger and she had no desire to get in the way of that. Jake had taken to stopping by again – always with Jenny. No matter what kind of day Peyton had Jenny was always a great pick me up. Jenny didn't want to unload on her, she didn't ask her to listen or understand or help, she just giggled and smiled. Jake was another story. They still hadn't talked about what happened. Peyton would have these great moments when she was alone where she would vow to herself to bring up the subject the next time she saw him. The bad part was when she would finally see Jake she couldn't find the words to explain, so she just clammed up and played with Jenny. It was a vicious circle.

"What are you up to tonight?" Brooke asked, interrupting her train of thought.

"No plans, why?"

"Maybe we could rent movies or something? I'm kinda in the mood for a quiet night." Brooke said.

"Did I just hear you right? Brooke Davis wants to spend a Friday night at home?"

"Listen, I just don't want to tempt the Karma gods. They have had a field day with you Jake, Luke, Nathan and Haley – I figure I gotta be next." She grinned.

"Movie night it is. No chick flicks."

"I got it Sawyer. Geez, you'd think I hadn't known you your whole life." Brooke teased.

When Peyton got home from cheerleading practice she found Luke sitting on her doorstep. She was not surprising as Luke came around a lot these days.

"Hey buddy, what's up?" Peyton asked.

"Nathan wasn't at practice again." Luke said.

"What's that, like two weeks in a row? Maybe he is really done with basketball."

"I don't think so."

"Luke, we talk all the time about how worried you are about Nathan, but what about you?" Peyton asked softly as she sat down next to him.

"I'm fine. A little sore from practice but otherwise good." Luke replied.

"That's not what I meant." Peyton took a moment to figure out how to phrase what she wanted to say. She took a deep breath and said, "It's OK to be angry."

"What do I have to be angry about?" Lucas asked.

"She didn't just leave Nathan....she left you too." Peyton said.

"It's not the same." Luke tried to brush her off.

"No, in some ways it's worse. She left you to pick up the pieces. She was your best friend for most of your life and she didn't give you an explanation either. On top of all that, you are the one left holding the bag – the one who needs to put Nathan back together."

"It's not like that."

"Luke, sometimes I think the reason you are so wrapped up in trying to help Nathan is so you don't have to figure out how to deal with this yourself. I just don't want you to feel like you have to pretend everything is OK with me. You can say you hate her and I won't hold it against you. I won't even tell anyone you said it."

"When I get Nathan back on his feet I'll deal with my own issues." Luke offered.

"What if he doesn't?"

"He will." Luke stated firmly.

"But he might not. He may never be the same guy again. After my mom died..."

"She's not dead." Lucas interrupted forcefully.

"I know that. I'm just saying, you need to deal with your own issues too. There is only so much you can do for Nathan. He has to want it himself and right now, he can't see three feet in front of his face. All he can see is the pain."

Lucas stared down at the ground for a long time not saying anything. Peyton stole a glance at him over her shoulder, and saw that his shoulders were shaking gently. She lifted up his chin and saw tears there.

"It's gonna be OK Luke. We'll figure out a way through this. All of us together." Peyton reassured him. She put her arm around Luke's shoulders and squeezed. She was happy to see him cry – he had been holding it in for too long.

They sat that way for a while and Peyton just let Lucas cry until the tears were done. That night when Brooke came over Peyton didn't say a word about what had happened earlier. Truth be told, Peyton was starting to harbor ill feelings towards Haley too. She had said that Luke was left to pick up the pieces, but at that moment, it felt more like she was the one putting people back together. Considering how screwed up her own life was, she was sure that Karma existed because this was her punishment.

After talking to Peyton, Luke felt better than he had in weeks. He went home to pick something up and then headed to Nathan's. Enough was enough.

Luke banged on the door for almost fifteen minutes before Nathan finally answered. If it was possible, he looked even worse than the last time Luke saw him.

"Go away." Nathan growled.

"I'm not leaving." Lucas said and physically pushed his way into the apartment.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I didn't say anything about talking. We are going out."

"I'm not in the mood." Nathan snapped.

"It wasn't a question. Put your shoes on." Lucas said.

"No."

"I'm not backing down Nate. I know you are having a hard time right now..."

"You know? You know?" His voice was getting louder and louder. "You don't know shit about what I am going through!"

If someone had been able to see the two of them, standing there toe to toe, yelling at each other, they never would have believed that the last two years had happened. They looked like the Nathan and Lucas of sophomore year – when they were strangers and enemies. If Haley could have seen them, her heart would have broken. None of the brotherly bond was visible. And then Lucas let him have it, as only someone who loved his brother could.

"She left me too!" He screamed back at him. "Do you really think you have the monopoly on pain here?! Huh?! I know exactly how it feels...it's like you can't breathe, like the sun isn't quite as bright as it was two months ago...like there is a vice grip on your insides that won't let go. Don't tell me I don't understand...because I'm probably the only one who does."

Nathan just stood there glaring at him, but Lucas wouldn't back down. Finally, the look in Nathan's eyes changed...Luke had got through.

"How do you do it?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know. Put your shoes on." Luke repeated. Nathan actually did as he was told. He followed him out to Luke's car and sat silently as they headed toward their destination. Luke shut off the car when they arrived.

"What are we doing here?" Nathan asked.

"This is where we start." Luke said.

"Start what?" Nathan replied.

"Figuring out what we do without her." Luke said. "Come on." He got out of the car. Nathan followed him onto the river court.

"I don't know if I ever want to play again." Nathan admitted.

"I'm not talking about a game Nate. Just shoot." He passed him the ball. "You and I started out with two good things in common – Haley and basketball. Being with her and putting this ball through that hoop came naturally to us." Luke prodded.

Nathan palmed the ball. "I don't know if I can."

"You can. Just shoot."

The two brothers stayed out there for hours. Not talking, not even really thinking. They just kept putting up the shots. One after another, until it became easier.

It seemed only fitting that Peyton was the one who got through to Lucas, and that Lucas was the one to pass that favor on to Nathan. Sometimes friendship worked like that. People weren't always there for each other, it couldn't always be a two way street. Sometimes you can't help the person who helped you, so instead you pass it on. If the Karma gods aren't on strike, eventually it will come back to you.

Peyton noticed a definite change in Nathan – everyone did. He went back to basketball, back to his job, back to a portion of his life. He too had signed up for the Peyton Sawyer therapy sessions. Nathan's first words were an apology for the way he had treated her and she quickly forgave him. And so Peyton did what she did best – she set about being there for everyone and putting everyone back together. She got used to the late night phone calls from Nate or Luke and she did her very best to maintain contact with Brooke, always finding time to go out to a club or watch movies. She worked her ass off on her strip, and was applying to art schools around the country. Peyton never once complained about the lack of time she had for herself, instead throwing herself into everyone else's lives in a blatant attempt to avoid her own. Jake was still coming around, but he wasn't pushing and they still hadn't had the talk. She was beginning to think that maybe they never would. By November, the Scott brothers were coming around less and less which was almost a relief, and Brooke was dating some college guy so her free time was a little more limited which meant that Peyton had more time to herself. It was strange for her. She didn't exactly know what to do with that time, so she started dropping by Jake's place. He was inwardly ecstatic about it, but he didn't want to scare her off so he kept his cool. Jake didn't want to repeat the mistakes of their past.

"Do you have notes for the chem test on Monday?" he asked one night as she was sketching at his house. Jenny was in bed and his parents were at work.

"I'm not taking chemistry. I dropped it remember?" Peyton replied.

"When did you drop chemistry?" Jake asked, clearly surprised.

"Like a month ago. Where have you been?" She teased.

"You never told me that."

"Sure I did. I needed time to work on my portfolio and chemistry was the one elective I thought I could live without."

"I swear I would remember if you told me that."

"Sorry," she said. She almost felt guilty about it.

"Peyton, I want to start over." He said.

"In what? Chemistry?" Petty was confused.

"No, us." Jake stated simply.

"Jake..."

"Hear me out. I know I screwed up...I rushed you. I'm sorry for that. But I really want to give this another shot."

"You didn't screw up Jake. It was me." Peyton admitted out loud.

"Look, I know we've never talked about it...and I don't even know if we have to. I just want to start over – clean slate."

"I can't Jake." She replied.

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because is not a reason. I need a reason Pey."

"Why do you always want things I can't give you? I can't be that girl for you Jake – even if I wanted to."

"What girl? I'm not asking you to be anything." Jake said.

"But you are...maybe you don't even realize you are doing it, but it's there, everytime you look at me. It's like you are expecting me to bare my soul to you...I don't do that. I'm not the girlfriend type, I don't want a soul mate." Peyton stated.

"You dated Nathan and Lucas." Jake pointed out. "Obviously you aren't against dating per se, just dating me."

"I never dated Lucas remember? He was dating my best friend." Peyton reminded him. "And Nathan...well if you want to refer to that as a stellar relationship, you made need to adjust your views on dating."

"You know, it doesn't have to be this hard Pey." Jake said softly.

"I know that. You are the one who's making it hard. Don't make me say it again Jake."

"Say what?"

"I don't love you Jake. I can't love you." Peyton said slowly and deliberately.

"Do you honestly think if you say it enough times that I'll start to believe you?" Jake asked.

"Do you understand that all the patience in the world isn't going to change who I am or what I am capable of? You could wait forever Jake and it won't change. I won't change. And you know why?"

"Why?" He replied.

"Because I like the way things are now. I am happy just the way I am. So, I don't need you to save me from myself, I'm good. OK?" Her voice was void of any emotion.

Peyton wordlessly picked up her books and left. Jake didn't follow her.

A/N One more chapter to go! If you read The Right Thing, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Kinda ties everything together. Thank you for all the reviews! They are so helpful. Please let me know your thoughts/suggestions - carys