Thanks again for all the reviews...I promise there will be no more Madison to stir things up so don't worry about that. Here's a longer chapter for those of you who wanted a longer chapter last time...It will get really juicy soon...lol...keep reviewing!
Peyton sat alone sipping her cup of coffee at Karen's. The day was slow with very little customers, just the way she liked it. She had been so exhausted from the whole Save Madison thing last night. Peyton was wearing herself down over the small stuff, she just needed a break.
"Peyt?" Jake emerged from the kitchen tying an apron around his waist, "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay." Even though they had been friends before they broke up they couldn't seem to get back what they had, "How's Jenny?"
"She's good." Jake said wiping the counter down. No matter how hard Peyton tried to push him away he wouldn't have it. He wanted to be in her life even though she didn't want him, "So what have you been up to?"
"Haley, Brooke and I started a road trip to L.A. but ended up having to come back before we made it." Peyton didn't know why she had so much trouble talking to Jake.
"Why? What happened?" Jake tried to strike up the conversation.
"Well, we-"Peyton started but was interrupted by a big hand that had come to rest on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Sorry," Shane said sitting on the stool next to her, "Madison said I could find you here."
"God, you scared me!" Peyton caught herself smiling. Jake caught on too; he hadn't seen her smile since they broke up.
"Again, sorry." Shane glanced over at Jake who was just staring at the two with curiosity in his eyes, "You know curiosity killed the cat?"
"What?" Jake snapped out of his investigative stare, "Oh sorry."
"Shane this is Jake," Peyton jumped in before anything started," Jake, Shane."
"Nice to meet you." Shane said holding out his hand for Jake to shake. Jake took the hand looking at it as if it were diseased.
"Yeah, you too." Jake turned to walk away but decided he needed to know whatever was going on between the two, "Did you say Madison?"
"Yeah I did." Shane said smirking slyly at Peyton who blushed. Jake felt jealousy creeping up his throat. He wanted to yell don't even think about getting with her; she's mine, "What's it to you?"
"Shane is Madison's brother." Peyton saw a fight looming over the café and she really didn't think Karen would want that kind of publicity.
"Madison Madison?" Jake asked quizzically.
"Yeah, Madison Madison." Peyton nodded reassuring Jake.
"I thought...When...why am I always left out of these things?" Jake walked away baffled. Madison was back and she had a brother? A brother who was totally trying to take Peyton away from him.
"That guy was a little weird." Shane said once Jake left them alone.
"Hey hey," Peyton glared warningly, "That's my friend you're talking about."
"I'm just saying." Shane held his hands up defensively.
"Well don't." Peyton said softly. Just because she and Jake weren't going out anymore they still needed to stand up for each other. "He's got a lot on his plate right now."
"Well I just saw the way he looked at you and thought it was weird." Shane leaned a little closer as if to hear Peyton's answer more clearly.
"How did he look at me?" Peyton felt her cheeks blush. After all she did to him Jake still looked at her in that way.
"You know what way I'm talking about." Shane raised his eyebrows.
"That's crazy!" Peyton cheeks turned bright red now, "Jake likes me? No!"
"So you and him aren't, you know?" Shane wanted a girl without baggage.
"We were but not anymore." Peyton said quickly, not really wanting to dig up those old memories of 'Peyton and Jake'.
"And there is the twist." Shane leaned away from Peyton, a move he used way too often.
"What do you mean there's the twist?" Peyton took a gulp of her coffee emptying the cup.
"I don't want to be a rebound guy." Shane said coolly.
"Who said you were going to be a rebound guy?" Peyton smirked messing with his head. Shane wasn't like any of the guys in Tree Hill sort of like Peyton.
"I'm not saying I was but I'm not saying I wasn't." Shane didn't fidget with anything while he talked to her. He didn't let his eyes wander to any other areas than her face. He had learned these tricks from many years of practice.
"Why would you want to be a regular boyfriend?" Peyton pried carefully. She didn't want to scare him away if he didn't want to get into some sort of relationship.
"Why, are you looking for a regular boyfriend?" Shane leaned forward again. He was back in the game.
"It depends on who's looking for a regular girlfriend." Peyton knew how to work the field too. She had dated Nathan Scott remember.
"Anyone in particular that you're looking into?" Shane moved in even closer almost close enough for their noses to touch.
"Nope." Peyton waited patiently for Shane to kiss her but instead he pulled back. She had to take matters into her own hands. She pulled from the back on his head all the way in until their lips touched. It wasn't a real deep passionate kiss but it was enough to ignite a spark between the two.
"You want to get something to eat tonight?" Shane asked after the unexpected kiss.
"Actually Lucas and Brooke are having this little party at their house tonight," Peyton thought for a second, "But you can come."
"Way to make a guy feel welcomed." Shane mocked a deep hurt.
"No, I'm serious." Peyton pleaded, "Come!"
"Alright!" Shane agreed getting off the stool, "I'll see you tonight then?"
"Yes, definitely." Peyton smiled to herself as she watched walk out the door. There was something different about him and she was dying to find out what. Feeling content with what she had accomplished in the diner she left a five on the counter and left not wanting to be drilled by Jake.
"Last night was crazy." Nathan said caring chairs up from the basement, "Just when we thought we got rid of her."
"Yeah, how messed up can one person be?" Lucas said finally seeing Madison for the nut job she really was. He actually pitied her more than he ever had before. She needed help but why couldn't she see that?
"Pretty messed up I guess." Nathan set the chairs down at the top of the stairs turning back for more.
"Lucas!" Brooke yelled from the kitchen where she was feeding Bella, "Bring up the cooler too!"
"Yes ma'am!" Lucas headed back down after Nathan.
"You do seem to attract the crazy ones." Nathan handed Lucas the cooler, "Madison, Peyton and look who you ended up with."
"Very funny." Lucas and Nathan had bonded a little more over the years. It was good to not be an only child anymore. Plus Lucas wasn't the only Scott boy that hated his father, "But I really didn't go out with Peyton. But you did!"
"Yeah but we just went out to fill the jock/cheerleader thing." Nathan stopped and then smirked, "But the sex was good."
"Dude, you're going to marry my best friend. Don't say stuff like that." Lucas shut the basement door behind them.
"You know my heart only belongs to Haley." Nathan held his heart just as Haley walked by.
"Aw, thanks baby," Haley kissed his cheek, "My heart only belongs to you too."
"Aw thanks baby." Lucas mocked after Haley was out of sight.
"Shut up! At least I'm getting some." Nathan smirked widely.
"First of all I don't want to know and secondly, I've got two kids," Lucas paused letting it sink in, "I think I've got me some."
"Look at them." Brooke whispered to Haley as she burped Bella on her shoulder, "You'd think they actually like each other."
"They do like each other they just don't like to admit it." Haley said bouncing Braden on her knee.
"Guys and their ego." Brooke shook her head just as Bella burped in her ear, "Good girl."
"You know, never in a million years could I picture all our lives like this." Haley pulled Braden closer to her, "You and Lucas married with two kids, me engaged to Nathan Scott and Peyton and Jake alone."
"The craziness!" Brooke teased Haley.
"Don't mock me!" Haley smiled brightly, "I'm serious."
"You look real serious." Brooke cradled Bella in her arms rocking her to sleep.
"Well, I'm happy the way it all turned out." Haley smiled to herself, "Aren't you?"
"Of course I am! Look at how lucky I am!" Brooke motioned to her two babies.
"I want one!" Haley hugged Braden tight to her body.
"Well at one o'clock in the morning, you can have 'em both." Brooke smiled; she wasn't even able to think of a life without her kids.
"I want my own!" Haley whined.
"Did you tell Nathan?" Brooke questioned laying Bella down in the play pen near by.
"No, we're not ready for that." Haley couldn't even imagine having a baby now.
"Oh, and I was ready." Brooke said sarcastically.
"Yeah you were." Haley thought about it for a second, "Look at you."
"Hales, you're never really ready for a baby. Just because you can handle it doesn't mean you're ready." Brooke said cleaning up Bella's mess.
"Well I think you handled it better than anyone I've ever known." Haley smiled giving her friend a hug. They had become close friends, closer than either of them imagined but it was always good to gain a new friend no matter what you're history was.
The doorbell rang interrupting their bonding moments. Peyton didn't wait for anyone to answer the door though she just walked in with Shane close behind her.
"Peyt, Shane, hi." Haley said surprised handing Braden to Brooke.
"Hello again Haley, Brooke." Shane said stepping next to Peyton. Haley excused herself and went to tell the boys about the surprise guest.
"Hey guys." Brooke said cheerfully, "Can I get you a drink?"
"Nah," Shane shrugged, "You've got your hands full anyway."
"Oh, him." Brooke sifted Braden weight to her other hip, "This is Braden."
"Hey Braden, I'm Shane." Shane reached out to shake Braden's tiny hand. Braden pulled away shyly seeking comfort in his mother's shoulder.
"Braden Michael Scott, are you being shy?" Brooke had never seen her son hide from anyone before in his life. He was a people person just like her.
"So he doesn't like new people." Shane said standing uneasily next to Peyton. He was having second thoughts about coming here because none of these people knew him. Just then Jake walked through the door which put the icing on his cake.
"Hey Jake," Brooke hugged him tightly, "I'm glad you decided to come. And you brought Jenny!"
"I'm glad I came too." Jake said trying not to look at Peyton and Shane. He couldn't believe she'd bring the other guy to a friends get together knowing he'd be there.
"Hey Jenny!" Peyton kneeled down next to the little girl holding her daddy's hand.
"Hey Peyton." Jake said softly after she had picked Jenny up. He hugged her but without the tightness of Brooke's, "Hello again Shane."
"Jake." Shane knew this was a bad idea. He didn't want any problems with getting Peyton.
"Are Luke and Nate out back?" Jake asked after an awkward silence.
"How'd you guess?" Brooke tried to lighten the tension that had settled in the room, "I'll bring Jenny and Braden out in a bit. You can go join the guys too Shane. We know how you guys don't like the whole girl power thing."
"Well, I don't know." Shane managed to get out. He didn't want to hang out with the guys, he was here for Peyton.
"Go ahead." Peyton urged him tickling the little girl's sides.
"See you in a bit." Shane planted a kiss on her cheek. As he walked outside Haley walked in joining Peyton and Brooke and she was just in time to miss the tiny but noticeable kiss.
"Spill." Brooke said setting Braden on the ground, Peyton doing the same with Jenny.
"What?" Peyton tried hard to conceal the smile that was bursting out of her.
"You and Shane?" Brooke couldn't even picture them together. Peyton and Jake were meant for each other.
"I don't know." Peyton was suddenly interested in her nails.
"Come on Peyt we know you better than that." Haley put her hands on her hips. She was going to get the truth out of Peyton if it killed her. She had to know for Jake's sake.
"I guess we're together. We haven't really talked much. I mean I barely know him." Peyton realized these facts when she was caught up in his charm.
"But what about-?" Haley started but Peyton's hand stopped her.
"Don't even say it. You know why I can't be with him. Shane doesn't have anything that I have to worry about." Peyton hated talking about why she ended it with Jake.
"Oh, only a crazy sister." Brooke added. Jake was hurting so much since Peyton broke up with him. He really thought she was the one.
"I don't need this from you guys." Peyton turned to go outside with the guys.
"Wait, Peyt I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Brooke grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. After having the babies Brooke had become a very hugging and kissing person.
"I know it's just sometimes I think I made the wrong choice." Peyton felt tears threatening her eyes.
"Have you told him this?" Haley asked joining the group hug.
"God no." Peyton pulled back, "He's got enough to worry about than me."
"You'll never learn will you?" Brooke said lifting Bella from the play pen while Haley lifted Braden and Peyton to Jenny, to join the group in the back yard.
This party was going to be interesting.