Only in the News

By: caramelo

I do not own One Tree Hill or anything related to it.

Chapter Five: Little, Lame Children

Peyton sat in a hurt silence. Every so often, she would glance in Brooke's direction, eyes full of confusion and tears, wondering what had happened to her best friend. Stay with me, she had begged not five minutes earlier. Stay with me.

She would have begged longer too if Brooke hadn't turned her back.

In a half-hearted attempt to stop the tears from rolling, Peyton brushed at her eyes with her sleeve. She could feel Jake tightening an arm around her, left to care for her under the instructions of Brooke. He would have done it anyway, Peyton thought absently, Jake's just that kind of guy.

But as much as she appreciated Jake staying with her, despite the mess she must have been, he wasn't her best friend. He wasn't Brooke. Brooke…who was currently curling into the smallest corner she could find, resolutely staring at the ground while a girl beside her choked back sobs of fear.

Peyton averted her eyes. Everyone had their own way of dealing with tragedies, she reminded herself. Some screamed and cried and fought until things were okay, a group Peyton would have pegged Brooke to be in. But Brooke seemed to be falling into the other category, where the person fell under the weight of everything and pushed everyone else away, and Peyton couldn't help but feel betrayed.

That wasn't the Brooke she knew.

Of course, there was a third way to deal with tragedy, Peyton-patented, which was, of course, to screw your best friend's boyfriend, and that wasn't the person Peyton knew herself to be either. Tragedy changed people, made them darker, less predictable. Tore them apart.

Peyton curled her legs against her chest and buried her head in her knees. Her breathing was ragged, and her body was shaking. Tragedy was certainly taking its toll on her. Death almost seemed like a welcome alternative to this hell.

A hand gave her arm a squeeze, and Peyton was suddenly reminded, again, that she was not alone. "Hang in there, Peyt," a reassuring voice whispered in her ear. Peyton let out a slow breath and felt her heavy head rising from her knees, leaning towards Jake.

"It's hard," she whispered back.

"I know," Jake said. "It's hard for all of us." He sent a meaningful nod over towards Brooke, and Peyton inclined her head to show she understood.

"I just really wish she wouldn't close up like this. It's so…"

"Like you?" Jake supplied helpfully as Peyton struggled. Peyton fell silent immediately, defenses raised and ready to argue. "Shh," he shushed her before she could, "You do, and you know it. All those years you spent drawing pictures instead of talking to people. It had to be hard for her too."

"So what are you trying to say?" she demanded in a harsh whisper as she twisted in his arms. "Is this some sort of punishment for the way I acted?"

"No," Jake said slowly, thinking his words over carefully. "I think Brooke just realizes that her way of dealing isn't going to keep her sane in this mess. So she's going to the other way she's familiar with. The one you made work so well for you."

"It didn't," Peyton said, her voice dull. "I came out a pretty messed up person."

Jake tightened his hold around her. "I don't think so."


"Wow," Haley said as Lucas finished his story. Their story. She leaned against the inside wall of the desk behind her heavily in apparent disbelief at how close they had come to dying. Lucas watched her carefully. It was a lot to take in, especially for a person who had just been pulled out of a shock not ten minutes before. He brushed a hand on her arm.

"You okay?" he asked her anxiously, offering a smile when she looked back up at him.

Haley bit her lip, ready to appease him with a nod and a matching smile, but something caused her to hesitate. If there was anyone that could see through one of her lies, it was Lucas, and if there was anyone who would be most upset about her lying, it would probably be him too. So she shook her head instead. "Not really," she admitted.

Lucas nodded, and the hand on her arm gave a comforting squeeze. He understood. "Today's been hell."

Nathan spoke up suddenly, darkly. "It's not over yet." His tone was bitter.

A tear rolled down Haley's face, and Lucas turned to glare at his little brother. "What the fuck, man?" he demanded, pulling Haley in towards him, already wiping away tears that hadn't fallen yet.

"It isn't," Nathan said defensively, although he was considerably less hostile as he spoke. "I'm just saying, we need to try and find a way out of here again. Now's not the time for precious little bonding moments."

"Are you crazy, Nate?" Haley said, tugging herself out of Lucas's arms, her tear-streaked face incredulous. "I was against it before, and now this happened, and I'm even more convinced I'm right. It's better just to stay here. Wait for the police."

"And where the fuck are the police?" Nathan snapped. "They're not here yet, and I'm not going to sit and wait hoping to make it through another one of those bastard's rounds around this school. I won't."

"It's the safest thing," Haley cried.

"No, it's not," Nathan said, his voice hard. "They're going to remember that they heard something around here, and they're going to come back and check it out. And then, if they're smart, they'll notice that there's a body missing from the hallway. Mine if you want to get specific."

It was obvious that Nathan's sharp words had hurt Haley, and Lucas resisted the strong urge to punch him, an urge he hadn't had for a good week or so. Nathan seemed to realize how harsh he had been and was instantly apologetic, although stubbornly holding his ground. "Listen, Hales," he said as he reached out for her. She didn't comply, and he grimaced like it pained him. "I'm sorry, okay? But I'm right too, and you guys both know I am. It's dangerous inside this place. Even you were on my side with this, Lucas."

Lucas met his brother's gaze unabashedly. "That was before you got shot," he said.

"And then I almost had to watch you guys get shot too," Nathan reasoned. "You think that was easy? If we stay here, it could happen again. But if we get outside, we won't have to worry about that shit anymore. We'll be safe. Completely. Come on, you guys. You have to see this my way."

"You're hurt, Nathan," Haley said, her voice barely controlled. "How are you going to be able to get around?"

"I'm not crippled," Nathan said sourly. "I'll be fine."

Haley broke away from Lucas and crawled over in front of Nathan. His eyes were glinting with determination through the darkness under the desk. She stared at him for a good minute, as if testing him, challenging him. Nathan could feel the smallest stirrings of doubt in his stomach when she leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips. "Okay," she murmured as she pulled away.

Nathan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Okay as in you see it my way? You want to get out of here?"

"Of course, I want to get out," Haley said. "Although I don't necessarily agree that this is the best way," Nathan opened his mouth to argue, but she shushed him quickly, "we don't exactly have many other choices. So if this is what you really want to do, and you're positive you're up to it, we'll look around for a way out again."

This time, Lucas was the one ready to protest. Haley seemed to anticipate this and cut him off before he began. "You did agree with Nathan before," she pointed out reasonably. "It'd be pretty crappy to turn back on him now."

Nathan grinned admiringly at his girlfriend. "Listen to the lady, Luke. She's the smart one."


Brooke rested her chin on her knees, curling herself into the tightest possible ball she could manage. Her skin was pale, and she was completely motionless, except for her racing eyes. They never lingered on one spot, and never dared fall on Peyton or Jake. Except for the occasional split-second glance, she seemed entirely unaffected by the freshman sobbing quietly beside her.

Jake sighed into Peyton's curls as he watched her. Brooke was strong, but a situation like this was enough to break anybody. And in the time Jake had gotten to know Brooke, he had gotten a particular impression from her. She was almost like Nikki in the way that she ran from commitment, scared to let people in. And letting people help her…out of the question. It was just as bad. So while Brooke's will was strong, she wasn't the type to ask for help, and that could very well leave her as good as dead. A person couldn't afford to lose it during this sort of situation.

He studied her painstakingly again. Jake didn't doubt that Brooke might have very well already begun losing it.

A sniffle came from the bundle of curls below him, and Jake ran a hand through Peyton's hair reassuringly. It would be okay. They would be fine. Brooke didn't hate her. It was funny, Jake mused, as he continued to twirl her hair in his fingers. Brooke and Peyton had all but switched bodies. He would have expected Peyton to be the one to try and escape from reality. God knows, he had had to pull her back enough times in the past few weeks. But without a pen and paper in her hands, Jake suspected she had nothing to aid her in an escape this time. So she was forced to stay with them, while Brooke was the one to run away.

Brooke's eyes suddenly fell on him, and all at once Jake knew that Brooke and Peyton hadn't switched places after all. If it had been Peyton, her hazel eyes would have been dull and tired, blank in expression. But Brooke couldn't have been more different. The battling emotions were thinly veiled behind her gaze, a mixture of fear, sadness, desperation, and too many others for Jake to count. She was definitely losing it, but not in the way Jake had originally thought. He was almost certain that Brooke was going to explode. He lifted his chin from Peyton's hair. Brooke's stare flickered for a moment, to the door and then to the girl beside her, and Jake almost thought he had lost her again, before her eyes rested on him once more.

"Brooke," he murmured. His voice was low and soothing. Peyton's head shot up in attention as she looked back and forth between him and her best friend. She was obviously trying not to let her hopes rise.

Brooke seemed on the edge. So Jake repeated himself. The fingers Brooke had latched around her shins in a death grip seemed to loosen a little. It took a few moments, but Brooke finally opened her mouth, ready to speak. Peyton's fingers intertwined with his in anticipation.

Frantic knocking suddenly pounded at the door. "They're coming; they're coming!" a girl shrieked from outside.


"Which way?" Lucas whispered as they ventured hesitantly out into the hall. It was like a goddamn guessing game in Vegas, where you were more likely to lose, and when you did lose, you lost badly. He hadn't wanted to try escaping again, but he had been outnumbered by the unbeatable couple that was Nathan and Haley. He resented the fact that Haley had been quick to side with Nathan, which had become the usual lately, even though he knew she had more sense than to venture out here. Especially when Nathan, the bastard, wasn't really in the condition to be sneaking around like this.

But, Lucas had to admit to himself, as he snuck a furtive glance at Nathan, the guy wasn't hindering them much. He had utterly refused help other than that first boost off the ground and was creeping down the hallway just as quiet and fast as the other two. Lucas had had to steady him on a couple stumbles and missteps, and he did have a noticeable limp, but it was nothing too bad.

He suddenly realized that they were still scurrying around with no general direction in mind so he echoed his question from earlier. "Where are we going?"

"Back door," Haley grunted, and Lucas recognized that while he hadn't any particular thought to where he was going, Haley had been effectively steering him the direction she had had in mind the entire time.

The library came into view, and Lucas fought a sudden overwhelming nausea. Not from a dead body, surprisingly, which he had seen more of today to last him four or five lifetimes, but from scared eyes, blinking out, barely visible underneath the tables. It was sick, what these classmates had done to their own. What could have driven them?

Lucas couldn't help it. He took a few long strides over to a garbage can outside the library door, gripped its sides, and threw up his mom's blueberry pancakes "with a Thai twist." He winced at the noise he was making, knowing Haley and Nathan were sweating it out as they waited for him, but before long, his stomach was emptied. He grimaced and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand before he turned back at them, half-expecting Nathan to make some derisive comment about his show of unrestraint.

But none came.

Haley scampered up to him as soon as she was sure he was done and grabbed his hand. "You okay?" she whispered worriedly. Lucas nodded. She smiled weakly and gave his hand a squeeze before dropping it. Nathan came over to give both of them a push.

"Not safe here," he muttered.

As if to prove his point, not too far in the distance, a girl started screaming.


"Fuck," Jake said, and through the terrified haze in Brooke's mind she wondered if maybe this was the first time she had ever heard him swear. She was pretty sure it was. The room around her erupted into yells and cries, and Brooke looked up just in time to see a tall girl with long brown hair and brown eyes throw the door open. She was one of the top in their class, the thought registered dimly in Brooke's mind. Normally shy and reserved, her tousled hair and blotchy cheeks were a scary contrast.

"They heard you guys earlier," the girl panted. "They're heading in this direction."

Heard them earlier…Brooke's thoughts raced as she tried to remember what they might have done earlier. An image, playing like a movie, rolled in her head, turning her stomach.

Jake stumbling through the same door the girl had come in…falling, hurt…Brooke throwing out her arms to stop him from hitting the ground, and Peyton's voice echoing her own. "Jake!"

Oh, God.

She heard footsteps pounding in their direction.

Oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god.

Jake must have heard them too. "Everybody out!" he yelled. She looked up at him, and he stared back, urging her forward, then his gaze flickered somewhere else.

Peyton's eyes were glazed over.

Brooke sprung into action. "Peyton," she hissed, launching herself towards her friend. "Peyton, snap out of it!" She stood up, tugging on Peyton's arm as she did so. "Come on!"

Peyton blinked once, then twice. Horror swept over her face, and she scrambled up. "We're so fucked," she gasped. Brooke didn't respond, but she secretly agreed as she pulled Peyton out the door.

And that was when she found herself facing the butt of a gun.

Peyton moaned behind her, and the group that had been so quiet and still in the janitor's closet earlier was in complete pandemonium. Shot after shot, body after body, and Brooke found herself frozen into place watching it all. The dark haired girl with the 4.2 GPA sobbed and begged as a gun was pressed onto her forehead. Brooke's gaze rose to the gunman's face and saw his expression was cold and merciless. He had no reason to kill this particular girl, Brooke knew, but he was going to do it anyway. Brooke could only watch it play out before her. Vaguely, she felt Peyton's nails dig into her hand and knew Peyton was rooted to the spot beside her as well.

The gunman's hand tightened around his gun. The girl's screams became louder.

This was it.

Then Jake launched himself at the other boy. Brooke could feel a sob bubbling up from her chest but couldn't be sure if she had made a sound or not. There was a split-second, furious scuffle ending with a bang, and the gunman stood up shakily while Jake remained still, blood pooling around him. Brooke felt tears flowing freely from her eyes and felt Peyton shaking when she realized their mistake.

While it was noble, the idea of staying behind for Jake, they had accomplished nothing with the other girl had scampered off in the opening she had been given, obviously able to keep her mind under pressure as well. And Brooke and Peyton remained, alone with a murderer.

He turned toward them, not fifteen feet away, a sick sort of grin on his face in comparison to the cold blankness it had held as he had prepared to kill the other girl. It was obvious he had been looking forward to getting a hold of them, although Brooke couldn't be sure why as she was certain she hadn't ever seen this boy in her life.

He leveled the gun towards her or Peyton, she wasn't completely aware of whom. Brooke opened her mouth but no sound came out. It didn't matter. Peyton was screaming loud enough for the both of them.

And then he pulled the trigger.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the wait. I was trying to focus on getting my other story wrapped up, but really there's no excuse. I'm hoping, however, that this chapter will sort of kind of make up for it. Maybe? Or it could make you all yell at me for leaving it where I did, but you know, I don't mind. Just more pressure for me to get out another chapter sooner, hopefully, which isn't a bad thing. Awesome reviews last chapter, guys. Really. Please keep it up.

Something I feel deserves to be noted: I think a lot of you were confused on who saved Lucas and Haley. I tried to do more to clear it up this chapter, but if you're still confused, it was Brooke and Peyton crying Jake's name when he stumbled through the door, which in turn, lead the gunmen to them. Sorry for the confusion!

Reviewer responses for chapter 4:

CutieRay: Wow thanks. So many compliments. I'm flattered.

Update: I'm a miserable updater I know. It's a curse.

basketcase: Continued! Like the chapter? Hate it?

OTHbaby08: Hopefully the suspense hasn't killed you yet because I'd really appreciate another review. ;)

A. sawyer: Now I have a big 5 chapters. So don't kill me. lol

Emilie: The characters had basically had an overdose of romance in the show at that point as far as I'm concerned. Haha. I wasn't looking to mess with relationships in this particular story.

Adamsgirl4life16: Umm..soon enough? LOL I know I'm a horrible updater.

alexceaser: Right on the Peyton and Brooke crying, nice job. Not entirely clear if you knew specifically when it happened, however, so feel free to clear that up in another review! LOL.

ForeverInDarkness101: Another reviewer who figured out on their own who saved Lucas and Haley! Cookies to you! And yes, unfortunately, it did lead to bad consequences.

xocmmox: Long review…I like it. And parts of your review only confirm the fact, that yes, everybody will hate me once I've finished the story. As for the police, now I'm not making any generalizations, because yes, I know police are awesome and everything, but a few that I've come across personally are less-than-great. Also, it must be taken into account that while there is a lot of description in the story, it actually is pretty fast-paced even if in the character's eyes it seems to stretch out forever. For the scream thing, see the author's not above. And if you want, I can start sending you emails when I update. Wow. Long response for a long review. I don't mind rambling!

liz: MORE FINALLY! LOL…umm according to the date on your review it's been a month since then that I've updated. Hopefully that's soon enough?

akissonarainyday: I'm sorry not to be able to answer most of your questions. When Columbine happened, I was almost too young to understand what happened, and it did take me a while to figure out why it did, partly in help from the book She Said Yes, which really is an amazing story about that day. I'm flattered by your review.

0621: I love your review. Awesome awesome awesome interpretation of the story. I think you were one of the only people who picked up on where the cries that saved Lucas and Haley came from. I look forward to another review by you!

stephanie: It has been forever. God. I'm not even going to say next chapter will come out sooner because every time I do that it somehow comes out slower. LOL, anyway, thanks for the review.

flephanie: Spot on? Thanks! Haha Everybody loves Nathan and Lucas.

devil356: Aww, thanks. I always feel bad when I get these reviews because I never seem to manage updating soon.

PrincessPB: A little gutsy? You mean really really gutsy haha. Wow, I really am flattered though. Thanks for the encouraging review.

monnie: Thanks for such a nice review! Um, I don't think anyone will be too happy with me after this chapter.

Junkyxl: That's awesome. I'm glad you thought it was realistic.

beccarooni: A TON of people were relieved about Nathan. I did say that there would be one main character death in the story, however. Sorry!

Jessica: I'd have to agree with you on the Brooke/Peyton thing, although I can't say that one of them isn't in danger, as you've seen from the chapter above.

Queen of the Elven City: It's okay! Just don't forget to review this chapter! And you've made me laugh again. Definitely one of my favorite reviewers.

l-a-c-18: To answer your question, Brooke and Peyton were in that shaky stage where they were trying to be friends, but weren't completely comfortable with each other. Think post-Lucas screwing Nikki, but pre-Jake leaving. However, Brooke saying no had more to do with herself than what had happened between her and Peyton.

BrucasJeffnTrish4eva: Playing favorites, huh? It's ok lol everybody does. Brooke and Lucas…well, I can honestly say that at least one will survive. Probably. I think.

Jacqueline22393: Confusing? Oh geez I'm sorry. Tell me which parts, and I'll see if I can try and clear them up for you.

BrookenLucas12: Whoa. Amazing review. I'm completely flattered. And now that I think about it I've read your stuff, and I liked it a lot, not just "borderline good". When are you going to update Secret Love anyway?

Charli: Aww, you liked that line? I'm glad. And the brothers, they're awesome. And really really hot. Not that that has anything to do with your review, but I thought I'd mention it lol. God, I haven't updated since before the jail episode? That seems like forever ago. Oh, and sorry about the midterms. They suck. A lot. I totally sympathize.

Friendsfan: Well, she didn't push her away farther exactly…

justin: Aw thanks. Such an enthusiastic review…Caps lock rules lol.

elisacollette: Peyton is cool with the majority of the characters. I'm enjoying the Peyton/Jake they're putting into the show this season.

LucasPeyton03: Thanks! And in case you're still confused about the cries, see the author's note above.

geniunexchild: Don't worry, it wasn't a serious wound. Nathan's not in danger. Yet.

Cait: Thanks! I got you on the twists? I had twists? lol that's awesome I'm glad you liked it.

Marissa Atwood: Very sad, indeed. And it's not even finished.

Agel15: Yeah, I felt the flashback was necessary. Explaining so much through dialogue can get confusing/not as effective. As for the yells—right on. And I'm hoping I explained it well enough in the story as to when/why they did it.

melihoku: Almost right on the cry thing, although keeping in mind this is a flashback, we would have already read about it and some point. And we did. I hope that's not too confusing.

IntentionallyCruel: Umm. I have a feeling you might be unhappy with me after this chapter. ;) Anyway…2X a month? Holy shit. Freaking machine, you are.

utyui: Continued, as asked. You're welcome lol.