CHAPTER FIVE
"But I love the way you smile at me,
I love the way your hands
reach out and hold me near..."
Elsewhere- Bethany Joy Lenz/ Sarah McLachlan
Dawn broke over Tree Hill.
Jake jumped off of his flight. Back in tree hill- his heart did a small summersault. He was home. In her pushchair Jenny giggled to herself.
Brooke rolled over and buried her head in Luke's shoulder. He smiled and kissed her hair gently.
Haley woke to Nathan cooking breakfast. Smiling to himself. 'Morning Mrs. Scott.' Her told her handing coffee across. Haley grinned.
Peyton rolled over pulling her covers over the mass of blonde curly hair.
Jake reached Lucas' first. He hadn't wanted to go straight to Peyton's. Not yet. He knocked at the door and was only slightly surprised to see Brooke open the door.
'Jake!' she squeaked and hugged him. He was surprised by her reaction- about as much as Jenny who was used to getting all of the attention. She gurgled annoyance at Brooke, who laughed and picked her up. 'Hello sweetheart. Come on in.'
Brooke wandered into Luke's room. He blanched when he saw Jenny nestled in his, girlfriends- he hoped, arms.
'Where did you get the baby?' he asked looking confused.
'Actually. That's mine.' Jake said coming round the corner. Luke looked up grinning.
'Jake! Man! Welcome home!' he also hugged his friend. Jake was pleased with attention even if it didn't come from someone he wanted it too.
'thanks.' He grinned and removed his daughter from Brooke. 'So… anything new?'
Peyton was brushing her hair when Brooke rang. She answered her phone wearily. She felt exhausted like she'd spent all her energy waiting for something… or someone who wouldn't be coming home.
'Hey girlfriend.'
'Hey Brooke.' She answered trying to be cheery.
'Open the door hunni.' Brooke hung up. Peyton wondering why she couldn't use the bell like a vaguely normal person.
'Brooke you know that the bell…' she swung the door open. 'works' her voice went flat. Brooke was stood holding a beautiful little girl in her arms. But it wasn't Jenny she was staring at. It was her father. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.
'But this is funner.' Brooke commented bouncing down the steps to Luke's pick up. Jenny still with her.
'I guess I should ask about those two later, huh?' Jake said trying joke.
'You know more than me.' Peyton said quietly. Letting the one she'd given up upon in her house and she supposed her life.
'Oh.' He followed her accepting the drink she offered.
There was incredibly awkward silence between the two of them. Peyton tried to stay calm but in the end she failed. She slammed a mug down in the sink and felt tears well up in her eyes when it broke.
'pey… it's ok.' Jake tried to comfort her but she pulled away.
'Is it? You can't do this Jake. You can't walk into my life just after walking out of it. You… complicate…'
'Complicate? I don't want to Peyton I want to make things easy…' Jake was crying. He'd wanted to help wanted to make things better for her not worse. He felt sick…
Peyton was crying too. She couldn't take this. She couldn't take the risk to lose her heart all over… why did he think he could just keep coming and going!
'How? By popping in for a holiday!' she felt her emotions trickle out of her like a small hole in a glass. Flowing away.
Jake smiled. The emotions flew back into Peyton. That smile! She felt her heart spin.
'I'm not back for a holiday Peyton. I'm back for good.'
Nikki sat in her hotel in Seattle she was watching the phone. It rang.
'Hello?'
'It's me. We were right. You're ex just brought a ticket to Tree Hill on his debt card... He's there now.' Nikki grinned.
Jake reached for her and everything else fell away. She loved that he knew when to hold her. When to be there. She drew a breath and gathered in his scent. He always knew when to act. And when to come home.
