Thanks to LadyPiper1, Rouella, a.k.a.-ashley, Jessica, lysser8312, Melissa, turogirl323, and LucasPeyton4ever for reviewing. It's so nice to know that other people are reading and enjoying this story (and my other OTH story). Here is the next chapter, hope everyone enjoys!

Chapter 4 Laugh at a Broken Heart

While the Scotts and the Sawyers were attempting to come up with a plan that would enable Peyton to have a place to live while attending school, her best friend was dealing with another nagging problem. Jake answered the door after the first ring of the bell, holding Jenny in his arms. "Nope," Brooke said as she barged in. "No fair. Baby's too cute to be part of this, buster. Put her away."

"She's not a doll, Brooke. I can't put her away!"

"Then put her to sleep or something. Isn't it her bedtime? We have a few things to straighten out." She conveyed the entire conversation thus far with a pleasant voice and a large smile, attempting to not scare the baby. Jenny giggled at her and cooed, obviously enjoying the arrival of a friendly face. Jake shook his head but disappeared down the hallway and returned ten minutes later without his daughter. Brooke had a glare fixed at him as he reentered the living room. "You are so much easier to yell at without a babe in arms."

"Yell away," Jake said as he raised his arms in surrender.

"Where do you get off, dumping Peyton? Is the dating market suddenly large for single dads? Because I thought what you two had meant something. Something that could certainly withstand a few years apart for the sake of school!"

"Are you done?" She couldn't help but notice that Jake's voice was soft and somewhat sad. It certainly took some of the edge from her plan of making him cry; it was going to be far too easy.

"No!" She was indignant. First, he dumps her best friend and then he disarms her plans for attack by appearing remorseful.

"I didn't mean to hurt Peyton," he said softly, sitting on the sofa across from Brooke.

"Didn't mean to hurt her? This should be good," Brooke said with an expression that demanded and explanation.

"You have to promise not to tell her any of this—"

"I don't have to promise anything," Brooke said snidely.

"What if I convince you it's for Peyton's own good?"

"Breaking her heart is suddenly something helpful and full of warm-fuzziness?"

"I didn't want to break up with Peyton, but I had to—"

"Evil aliens take over your ability to make your own decisions?"

"Would you listen?" The outburst startled Brooke and she nodded, waiting for him to continue. Jake sighed and stood up, pacing his living room as he tried to decide where to begin. "I love Peyton, and I love her as a part of my life. But I don't want to be the one standing in the way when she realizes that she doesn't love me the way a woman should love her husband. And that's the road we were on. If I had asked her to marry me yesterday instead of breaking up with her, she probably would have said yes." Brooke nodded slightly, knowing that he was right on target; she had caught Peyton looking at wedding dresses and engagement rings online just a few weeks prior.

"One day, when she realized that she loved Lucas, she would have a choice to make. And I just couldn't put her in a position where she's stuck in a life she doesn't want. She wouldn't voluntarily leave me, not with Jenny in the picture."

"Wow," Brooke said after a few minutes of silence. "So you decided to completely cut the woman you love out of your life so that she could see she was meant to be with one of your best friends?" Her voice was still a bit harsh and sarcastic; Jake nodded sadly. "That is so sweet," Brooke cried as tears sprang to her eyes. Jake shook his head as he walked away, laughing to himself about the amazing transition Brooke could make in front of his very eyes.

The night was wrapping up quickly at Peyton's house as well, no decision having been made but she having promised to at least think about Lucas's offer. He was leaving in two days to begin basketball practices but she still had a week before she needed to get to orientation. Karen and Lucas left first, both hugging Peyton and whispering what they thought to be calming reassurances. Lucas looked like he wanted to stay, but he knew his mom would want him home for his last few nights; if for no other reason than to warn him one last time about the dangers of having sex. He made eye contact with Haley and she nodded slightly, silently offering to keep an eye on Peyton. She sat down on the sofa next to Peyton, fully intending to stay the night and Nathan stood looking at them, wondering if he was ever going to get his wife back. They had been married for two years; he had almost forgotten what it was like to go to sleep alone.

"I'll be okay by myself," Peyton whispered to Haley. "Go home with your husband."

"I'm really not in the mood," Haley whispered back, causing Peyton to burst out laughing.

"I'm really fine."

"And I'd really like to stay and spend time with one of my best friends while I still can." Haley was alluding, not so subtly, to the fact that Peyton could possibly be staying in Tree Hill while the rest of them went away to school. It was only a possibility if she was stubborn enough to refuse Lucas's offer.

"Get out Nathan," Peyton ordered playfully, causing the younger Scott brother to frown. He knew what her words meant; another night alone.

"It's not fair. Guys aren't allowed to have sleepovers. What would you say if I went and stayed at Luke's?"

"Have fun. Enjoy Karen's cooking. Goodnight sweetie." She stood up, hugged him, and kissed him deeply before pushing him away. Nathan shook his head in despair and wished Mr. Sawyer a good night before leaving. Twenty minutes later, the two girls were in their pajamas, under the covers, and avoiding conversation. Peyton tried to sketch while Haley attempted to read a book, but neither girl was successful in her endeavor. Eventually, Haley laid the book aside and decided to be the first to speak.

"You should go."

"Huh?" Peyton hadn't really been focused on the sketch but her mind had been elsewhere, trying to work out reasons why Jake had decided to break up with her when things had been going so well. Then her thoughts veered to Jenny, which made her want to cry. She couldn't imagine not seeing that wonderful, precious little girl again.

"You should take Lucas's offer. Go to New York when you had first planned to go. Otherwise, you might never go."

"Thanks for the confidence," Peyton said dryly.

"Am I wrong?"

"It would be easier—"

"To stay here and hide from the world forever. I know. But it's out there, and you have to follow your dreams. Or you're going to wake up some day and regret it. Besides," she said with a significantly lighter voice, "what in the hell are you going to do in Tree Hill without Brooke and me?" Peyton chuckled a bit, but the air was too thick with tension to afford a genuine smile.

"I don't know, what if it doesn't work?"

"What if what doesn't work?"

"The arrangement. What if Lucas and I get on each other's nerves and suddenly, I'm homeless in the middle of a strange city?" Suddenly, realization struck and Haley knew why Peyton had been avoiding the prospect of sharing an apartment with Lucas.

"First of all," she said calmly, "you and Lucas have never annoyed each other. You just can't seem to ever be on the same path. There's a difference. And secondly," Haley said in a more serious tone, "Lucas is not your one and only lifeline. I can't offer to have you live with us, because Nathan would probably kill me." Peyton laughed and Haley smirked; Nathan was probably going to have many bad thoughts about Peyton that very night for taking Haley from him. He wasn't planning on sharing her for any length of time until they had children who would demand it. "But," she continued seriously. "You always have a place to go. If something does happen, you can always come to us. We're going to be living a few city blocks away."

"I don't know," Peyton said softly. "I just don't know."

"You can't control everything," Haley said suddenly, taking Peyton aback. "Before you argue, listen." Peyton kept her mouth shut, but Haley could see that she didn't like where the conversation was heading. "You have had complete control over your life for longer than most people our age have been able to make their own meals. It's normal to be scared about relinquishing some of that, but it's not like Lucas is an ogre."

"I know. But there are so many 'what ifs.' What if I want to bring a boy home? What if, despite my recent frigidity, I decide to start having sex again? What if Lucas wants to have sex? What if Lucas wants to have a relationship? What if he wants to have a relationship with me? What does he want from me?" The last questions brought with it a new bought of tears; this time from both girls.

"Hales, you really suck at this whole 'cheering Peyton up' deal," Brooke said as she entered the room a few minutes later. Haley simply shook her head; she wasn't gong to deny that she only seemed to dig up more problems, not help with the ones currently on hand.

"Brooke, I'm fine," Peyton argued as she wiped her red, puffy eyes.

"Oh, really? Cause you look like hell to me."

"Thanks," Peyton returned dryly. "Where have you been all day?"

"Why? Did the saintly Scotts leave you alone?"

"No," Peyton said with a small smile. "It's just not like you."

"I figured you were going to be weepy. And I just can't deal with that today," Brooke said with a nonchalant shrug. "It's very unlike you. I'm afraid tutor girl here has sucked out some of your coolness to raise her own level in teenage society."

"High school's over Brooke. It's a whole new ballgame," Haley said with a smirk.

"That's what scares me," Brooke returned with a sad expression that quickly disappeared. "But it's not acceptable for you to mope any longer, P. Sawyer. So get over it."

"We have new problems," Haley said in almost a whisper.

"What is this? Did you break a mirror that we don't know about?" Peyton shook her head, dabbing at more tears. "What is it now, friend?"

"No apartment," Peyton answered simply.

"She lost her lease agreement for the apartment in New York and they can't find another non-hovel like place. So Lucas offered to share his apartment. But she doesn't want to do it."

"Afraid you can't keep the libido on a leash?"

"Not exactly the way I would have put it," Peyton answered dryly.

"But I'm right, aren't I?" Peyton didn't answer, Brooke knew her well. Rekindling old feelings was only one of the many problematic instances, but it was the one currently weighing most heavily on Peyton's already stressed mind.

"She's thinking of postponing school."

"Well, that's stupid," Brooke said incredulously. "And that's not going to happen. You're not missing your chance out, Peyton. Lucas is a good boy; he'll keep his hands to himself as long as you do. You're just going to have to put aside all your commitment issues and let him help you."

"What if I don't want help?"

"You can't do everything alone," Haley answered softly. "Some time or another, you're going to have to ask for help. What would you do if, five years down the road, Nathan lost his job and we needed somewhere to stay?"

"Recommend a good hotel," Peyton said quickly, earning an elbow in the side from Haley. "Alright, fine. I'd find out how I could help."

"And then?"

"I'd do whatever I could to help you guys. Because you're my friends."

"And you are Luke's friend," Haley stated firmly. "You don't give yourself enough credit. We need you around just as much as you need us. It will make a difference, having you in New York instead of leaving you here. And I don't like the idea of going to the city without my best friend." Brooke remained silent because of the power of the moment, but she was dying to protest because she had not been included in the best friend clause.

"I'll call him in the morning," Peyton answered softly.

"Call him now," Haley said, picking up the telephone. "He's awake." She dialed the phone and waited for Lucas to answer before handing the cordless to Peyton. "Your ball," she whispered before pulling Brooke out of the room.

The title of this chapter comes from Amy Grant's "I Will Be Your Friend:"

"When every moment gets too hard
And though the road can feel so far
No matter how much time we're apart
I'm always near you
I'll be the shelter in your rain
Help you to find your smile again
I'll make you laugh at a broken heart
Wherever you are"