Peyton's mind was a million miles away as she diced the carrots, tomatoes and lettuce for the dinner's salad. So much had happened, it all seemed surreal. Like it was happening in a movie or on a TV show or as if Peyton was standing by watching such events happen to complete strangers. But they weren't strangers. They were practically family. It was Lucas and Brooke and she was somehow in the middle of it all.

"Mom, can you help me with my math homework?"

The phone rang and rang and Peyton groaned as the bedside clock read 5:28 a.m.

"Hello?" she answered in a throaty voice.

"Pey?"

The voice on the other end of the line sounded frantic.

"This is Peyton. Who's this?"

"Peyton, it's Lucas…"

"Dude, do you have any idea what time it is?" she half joked. "This so better be important or I am seriously gonna kill you."

"Peyton, Brooke is missing. I can't find her anywhere."

Missing. The very word shook her to the core. Lucas was in a state of panic and no one knew where Brooke was. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. Disappearing without her phone or her car or even the most important thing in the world to her…her child. She, Jake and Jenny had been on the first flight East as soon as they heard. And when they arrived at the Greenwich home, they comforted Lucas, helped with Harmony and prayed and searched for Brooke. The women had been best friends since forever. Elementary school, the death of Peyton's mother, middle school, junior high, cheerleading, Girls' Scouts, boyfriends, pimples, bad haircuts, high school, college, proposals, weddings and birth…they had been through it all. And now Brooke was simply gone, probably against her will, somewhere hurt or maybe worse, alone, cold and terrified. The feeling was indescribable yet nothing compared to the minute she happily bounced in the house with shopping bags and Felix Colwell.

Just the very thought of those 48 hours made Peyton want to throw up. She was angry at Brooke but something was missing. The obvious was the obvious but nothing really made sense. The more Peyton tried to put it out of her mind, the more the thoughts came creeping back in. The more she tried to understand everything that had happened, the more complicated it all became. She felt like she was going insane. All she could do was chop those damned vegetables for her damned dinner. Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop…

"Mom, can you look and see if I did this problem right?"

Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop…

"Goddammitt!" Peyton yelled as the sharp blade of the knife cut the tender flesh of her finger.

"Mom, are you alright?"

"Jenny, I would be if you would just shut up for a minute!" Peyton yelled, running cold faucet water over the minor wound.

The little girl's face redden as tears clouded her eyes. Not even bothering to control her sobs, she ran off to her room crying.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Jake asked.

"Nothing. I just cut my finger and Jenny…"

"Jenny what?"

"She was talking to me and I'm trying to concentrate and do other things…"

"Jenny is a littlekid who just wants some attention from her mom. And that's you, Pey. You are her mother or at least the only one she's ever known. Look, I know you're frustrated and I am too but you can't take that out on innocent people like you've been doing to Jenny and me all week."

"You don't understand, Jake…"

"Then explain it to me, babe."

"It just doesn't make sense, you know? It looks like Brooke just up and left her child and to go out of the country with that Felix guy of all people. But we both know she would never leave Harmony like that. Brooke is a good mother and she loves that baby. I have known her all my life and this isn't like her. And it's driving me nuts because I know there is more to this than meets the eye but I can't seem to figure it out. Jake, am I crazy? Should I just leave this alone? What do you think?"

"I think you are a great person and a great friend and a great mom. I think you need to calm down before you worry yourself into a heart attack. And you know what else I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're right. Something's not right with all this. I smell a rat."

"Yeah? Me too and I bet its name is Felix Colwell", Peyton sighed, tossing a dishrag aside.

The family ate dinner in silence as Jenny continued to pout and Peyton and Jake picked at their meals. Jenny asked to be excused before dessert. As everything continued to weigh in heavily on Peyton, she and Jake did the dishes together. There were things that were wrong that she couldn't control but some that she could, she thought as she wiped her hands dry and exited the kitchen.

"Where are you going?"

"To apologize to my daughter."

Peyton walked to the pink colored room decorated with Backstreet Boys posters. Jenny sat in the center of the bed still sniffling.

"Hey you. Can we talk?"

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

"I guess I deserve that", Peyton said, taking a seat on the bed as well. "But I want to talk to you so can you hear me out for a second? Look kiddo, I was wrong, okay? I had no right to snap at you and you didn't do anything wrong. I know the last week or so I haven't been myself and I'm really sorry for that."

"It's because of what happened to Aunt Brooke, right?"

"Yeah", Peyton said, stroking her stepdaughter's cheek.

"I don't understand what happened."

"Neither do I. And I wish I did and that's what is bothering me."

"Uncle Lucas is real mad."

"Yeah…he is."

"Mom, are you mad too? I mean, at Aunt Brooke?"

"I don't know sweetie. Sometimes adults do really dumb things. And when you do those dumb things, there just isn't any explanation for it and sorry is too late."

"I don't think Aunt Brooke did anything wrong."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she's Aunt Brooke. She's really sweet and she loves everybody and she takes care of everybody. She's not like Nikki. Like how Nikki left me. I mean, I do love Nikki because she gave birth to me but that's the only reason I love her. Sort of because I have to. But I love you because you go to my soccer games and you bake cupcakes for my class and you take care of me when I'm sick or hurt and you love Daddy too. And you're always here. I know you'll never leave us. Nikki is just a bad person. I don't think she can help it but she is. And you're a good person just like Aunt Brooke is. She would never want to hurt Uncle Lucas or Harmony. I just know."

Peyton just stared at Jenny. She couldn't believe it had taken the words of an 11 year old to make her realize what she already knew. "I just know". Jenny knew it, why hadn't Peyton?

"Mom, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, honey. Um, why don't you finish up that math homework and I'll be in to check on it later. Sound good?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I love you, Jenny."

"Love you too, Mom."

Peyton bounded back into the kitchen with a newfound energy.

"Everything okay, babe?"

"Yes…no. Hell, I don't know but it will be. I just figured something out…well sort of. By the way, we have an incredibly smart kid in there. Anyway, something is up and whatever it is, I am going to get to the bottom of this. I am going to begin at the beginning and figure out everything with Luke and Brooke and Felix and everything that happened. And I won't stop until this puzzle is solved."

Jake knew that fierce look of determination on his fiancée's face. Once Peyton Sawyer set her mind to something, that was it.

"Alright", he nodded. "I'm here if you need me. Whatever you want…"

"I'll be okay. Thanks for your patience, Jake and I love you very, very much", she said, giving him a big kiss.

-------

Peyton sat up for the third night in a row in the spare room she had used to create her artwork. The Lucas/Brooke situation had steadily been on her mind for 72 hours straight still without an answer in sight. There had to be something, one clue that would tie everything all together.

The phone rang and Peyton's heart skipped a beat. 5:28 a.m. The exact time it had been when she received Lucas' first phone call.

"Hello?" she nervously answered.

"Peyton?"

"This is Peyton. Who is this?"

"Sorry if I woke you. This is Mary. Mary Davis Tabag, Brooke's mother."

"Mary, hi. Um, this is a surprise. No, you didn't wake me. What's going on?"

"Something isn't right, Peyton. Something fishy is going on. I don't know what it is but I have to find out and stop it before it ruins my daughter's life. Will you help me?"

Peyton swallowed hard.

"Mary, ever since that night I've been thinking the same thing. That's why I'm awake at all hours of the night. I haven't gotten any sleep since this whole thing happened."

"I need you."

"Fine but Brooke doesn't need to know what we're doing. I have a feeling Felix is involved in all this somehow. If he didn't cause it then he's certainly not making things any better. Unfortunately, he's about the only person she has right now so she trusts him and that gives him a lot of leverage. So until we get some answers, this stays between us."

"Absolutely."

"But we might need some more reinforcement. One more person. Someone who can and will help. Someone we can trust. Someone who really loves Brooke."

"Who do you have in mind?"

-------

"Yoga! I'm a pony! Oh yeah! Tae bo! I'm beautiful! Vogue, vogue! Oh darling, I am working it!" Gordon chanted as he danced naked in front of the mirror covered only by yellow feathered boa.

He ignored his telephone as it rang.

"Gordo, it's for you, love", said Wes, the tall, dark and handsome, underwear clad flavor of the week.

"Who told you to answer my phone? You don't pay no bills around here."

"Don't be a meanie. It was ringing and bothering me."

"Can't you see I'm busy? The Gordon is having 'personal time' at the moment. Gordon does not wish to be disturbed with phone calls or pesky visitors during 'personal time'".

"Fine but it sounds really important. Says her name is Ms. Sawyer."

"Child, I don't know no Ms. Sawyers."

"She said Shoulders might ring a bell."

Biting his lip and pondering, Gordon took the phone.

"Yes Shoulders", he sighed.

"Gordon, I need your help."

"Stand up straight, wear something a little more dainty and please keep those things covered up. Now bye…"

"Gordon, wait…"

"It's about Brooke."

"I don't want to talk about Brooke. Brooke Rebecca Davis Scott, the woman formerly my best friend, the woman formerly known as Diva has gone way too far this time! I ain't even with the drama! We about to be on the news begging for her safe return and she had the nerve to be off with that wheeling, dealing, limousine riding, jet flying, greasy, sneaky, slimy yet too fine Felix Colwell. Did you see her walk in that house giggling without a care in the world while we searching gullys for her ass? Ooo and did you see those Uggs boots? So last year! Anyway, she is a sob story having, non thinking, too much drinking, out of control baby abandoner, if that last one is even a word."

"But she is also Brooke. Our Brooke. Sweet, loving, considerate, heart of gold, give you the shirt off her back and the last penny in her pocket Brooke. The woman that has been through hell and back this past year. A woman we know and love. The same woman that went through so much to have the baby that she loves more than herself. Think about it, Gordon. You even said it yourself, something is off about Felix."

"So let's say I am interested. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I talked to her mom, Mary, and she feels the same way. We have to figure this out before it's too late for Brooke and Lucas and Harmony and everybody. But we need you, Gordon. You're our missing link. Now what do you say?"