Chapter Eleven

I backed off as the held the knife threateningly in the direction of my heart. The street was otherwise empty-not even a car passed by.

"So you ready to tell the truth now?" she asked.

"You're insane. You're an insane murdering hooker. And you argue that you should be entrusted with a baby?"

"Jenny loves me. I'm her mother, she should go to me," claimed Nikki, advancing on me.

"You're not her mother. If you were her mother, why would she call me mommy?"

"Now I thought we understood my feelings on lies. I guess you are as dumb as you look," she said.

"She's forgotten you. She doesn't care about you. She has a family and if for some insane reason she went to you she'd never become attached to you," I taunted. It was a stupid thing to say. Nikki had a knife. Nikki might be severely unhinged.

"I'm warning you…" she said.

"Yeah, stabbing me is a good idea. That'll really help," I said. She lunged at me. I took a step backward and fell off the curb. She was standing over me. I closed my eyes.

"Hey, how much for a night?" came a voice. A familiar voice. Her expression instantly turned from murderous to pleased.

"Well well. Look who came back," she said. My eyes came fully open and I stared.

"Luke?" I said. He didn't even glance in my direction.

"Kinky," he said, indicating the scene.

"For your viewing pleasure," she said, waltzing to his car. He opened the door for her and got in himself.

"Luke what the hell are you doing?" I asked. As he fastened his seat belt I heard his car honk twice.

Suddenly the dark street corner swung into action. A police car swerved in front of Luke's truck, a homeless man I hadn't noticed tore off his blanket, revealing his uniform. I backed up against the brick wall of a building as Luke got out of the car and the officer forcibly pulled out Nikki.

"What's going on?" she asked

"Nicole Turner-you are under arrest for threatening behavior, prostitution, and…" he trailed off as he patted her down and drew a package from her pocket. "Possession of an illegal substance. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a Court of law," he said. He took the switch knife from her purse, handcuffed her and led her to the police car. Luke ran to me.

"What was that?" I asked, shivering. He wrapped his arms around me and tucked me under his chin. It didn't occur to me how vastly inappropriate his touch was.

"I followed you. I called the cops when I saw Nikki pull a knife on you and this was the only way I could think of to stop her before they got here. Are you alright?" I nodded.

"My arm twinges a bit. So you just followed me and then came here and saved my life? How?" I asked.

"I was driving around and I saw you head downtown at midnight. Of course I was concerned for you," he said. I drew away and looked into his eyes again.

"Thank you," I said softly.

In synchronization he leaned down and I went up on my toes. Our lips met with the same passion that they'd always had. His hands slid down to my hips and held me as mine wove around his neck. He felt so right. He pushed harder against my mouth and it opened of its own accord.

"Uh miss? We're going to need to take you to the station for questioning. And you as well, sir," he said. I pulled away and took three steps back. He quickly closed the distance.

"It's okay," he said again.

"Of course it isn't," I said. I turned to the cop and nodded.

"Your name please?" he asked.

"Peyton Sawyer," I said.

"Peyton Jagielski," reminded Luke. The officer looked between us, confused, as we climbed into the car. Luke and I exchanged glances.

"Peyton Sawyer," I said again.

"Lucas Scott," he said.

We rode in silence the rest of the way to the station. When we reached it, they escorted us inside and sat us down, interrogating. Nikki was nowhere in sight.

"You have had previous relations with Nicole Turner?" demanded the officer of Luke.

"I met her a year ago. And yes, we had relations. Once. This was before I was aware of her occupation," he said awkwardly.

"And you?" he asked.

"There's a trial going on between Jake Jagielski and her involving the custody of their child. I'm her mother, in a way, though Nikki is her birth mother, so she resents me," I said simply.

"Yes, we got into contact with Jake Jagielski. He'll be here shortly," said the officer. I nodded and glanced guiltily at Luke. "So before Mr. Scott arrived, what happened?"

"Well I was driving and I noticed Nikki and I got out and we talked a little bit and then I said something that displeased her and she pulled her knife on me and then we exchanged more words and then Luke came along and pretended to pick up Nikki and she backed away from me immediately and then you guys showed up," I said.

"What did you say to her?" asked the cop. I opened my mouth and closed it again. Deep down I hoped that it was possible that the cops would never find out that I was married.

As I opened my mouth again the door opened. I turned around-Jake. I stood up and walked toward him. As I did, unshed tears began to fall. I'd been crying so much in the last few days I was surprised that I had tears left.

He met me in the middle of the room and I went into his arms, crying. He held me tightly and lovingly for someone who I'd have an argument with an hour previously.

"Mr. Jagielski?" asked the cop. Jake took one arm from me, kept the other around me and shook his hand. I curled inward to him.

"What is Nicole Turner to you?" he asked. Hadn't he just asked me that? Hadn't I answered?

"We had a baby two years ago and she ran off a month later. I didn't see her again until nine months later when she showed up and tried to force her way into Jenny's life and shortly afterwards I left for Savannah and when I came back we began a trial for Jenny's custody," he said. The officer glanced down at a file.

"So Jennifer Jagielski is your daughter. And Miss Sawyer?" he asked. Jake glanced down at me in surprise.

"My wife," he said. His wife-he'd never said that before.

"Your wife. Your name is officially what?" he asked me.

"Peyton Sawyer," I said again. The cop continued to look between the three of us, saying nothing. Stay silent I begged him.

"Okay. Just a few more questions now," he said.

The few more questions lasted another two hours, at which point it was revealed that Nikki would stand trial and the Jenny trial would likely be postponed until Nikki finished her jail sentence.

"I can't believe Nikki was a prostitute," I said as the three of us exited the station.

"I can't believe you're alive," said Jake, kissing the top of my head.

"Luke's fault," I said. Jake turned to him. For the first time in two hours he removed his arms from me and I shivered in their absence as he and Luke hugged. I met Luke's eyes guiltily over his shoulder. How could I tell Jake what had happened in the alley? How could I ever forget it?

"Thanks man," said Jake finally.

"Can we go home now?" I asked. Jake's car was parked in front.

"Yeah. Guess you need a ride?" asked Jake of Luke.

"Yeah, just to my car," he said, getting into the backseat. I got into the passenger side and stared out the window into the night.

"Where's Jenny? I asked finally as we neared Nikki's territory.

"I called Karen," said Jake guiltily.

"Can't believe she came over in the middle of the night to take care of her," I said.

"She didn't come alone, either," said Jake, laughing.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You'll see. Luke we'll see you tomorrow," said Jake. I turned away from Luke as he got out of the car and into his own.

The house was dark as we arrived at it, but the day was beginning to brighten. As he walked out and I joined him, I stumbled. As I tried to get up, my arms gave away. I gave away to pure and complete exhaustion I'd barely slept in three nights.

He crouched down and for the second time hoisted me into his arms. I couldn't even bring myself to wrap mine around his neck, so he just pulled me in and I rested my head on his arm.

As he walked past my dad's room, I glimpsed two figures-one was Karen, sleeping. The other beside her I didn't completely recognize-but at last I registered him-Keith Scott, Luke's uncle. He'd always been madly in love with her. I would have cheered if I had had the energy to open my mouth.

He set me down on the bed and took my shoes off, covering me up carefully as my eyelids began to flutter. I barely registered him sliding into bed beside me and holding me before I finally gave away to sleep.

The sun shining through the window was bright when I awoke. In the day, the drama of the night before seemed so much less. I stretched out and yawned, noticing with surprise that Jake wasn't still there.

I must have made some kind of noise because Karen quickly came in, leading Jenny by the hand.

"Mommy!" she said excitedly, clambering onto the bed.

"Hey Peyton. Jake wanted to stay with you but then you kept not waking up so I made him leave," she said. That didn't make sense-it was obviously before school, seeing as Jenny hadn't left yet. I glanced at my watch and yelped.

"It's five thirty? How did I sleep for like fifteen hours?" I asked.

"You haven't been sleeping. I've been worried about you," she said, pushing a curl away from my face. "How's it going between you two?"

"It's okay I guess. He's incredible-but I keep backing away from him. I'm so horrible to him and he always forgives me. And we did it the night I got back from New York but we haven't… since then," I said awkwardly. She raised her eyebrows.

"Your wedding night?" she inquired.

"I freaked out. But I think we'll be okay-for some reason he doesn't flip when I bitch at him," I said.

"And that's all? Nothing else bad?" she asked. Jenny, still slightly woozy from her afternoon nap, was leaning against me.

"Nothing really," I said, looking away.

"So you didn't kiss Lucas or anything," she said.

"He kissed me!" I claimed.

"He said it was mutual," she said calmly.

"It just happened. It was an emotional time," I said lamely.

"It's not my business, so I'll keep my mouth shut. But you owe it to Jake, no matter what you do feel or don't feel for Lucas!" she said. I nodded.

"Yeah. So um is there anything you want to tell me?" I asked. She blushed.

"I guess you saw? We've been getting closer lately, like we were before his proposal and it made me understand why I can never make it work with a man," she said. Like my father-she and him used to date. And she'd been there with another man.

"That's so great. Luke's going to be thrilled," I said. She smiled.

"He already is. I think I am, too. Ready to get up?" she asked. I nodded and sat up.

"Oh, and Peyton. You and Jake have, right? Before?" she asked. I nodded. She looked decidedly confused.

Author's note: I just realized I haven't given Brooke her romance yet. So to all you Brooke fans, it's coming. And is anyone mad at me for this chapter? Wow, you guys are reviewing like crazy! Thanks and keep it up!