Peyton warmed the pot of homemade hot chocolate over the burner as she set aside five mugs.

"Mmmm, P. Sawyer", Brooke groaned. "You make the best cocoa I have ever tasted."

"The trick is to use milk instead of water. My mom taught me that."

"I'll have to remember that when Broody and I head back to Philly."

"You guys still leaving tomorrow?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah. It's time to get back. I have work and Lucas has a game. I know his heart is here with his brother and we'll try to come back whenever we can but we have to get back to our real lives, too."

Peyton nodded as the back door busted open and in bounded Lucas, Jake and Jenny.

"Hey, hey, hey! Snow boots off at the door, guys!" she reminded the trio.

Breathless and excited, they did as they were told, fresh from a fun filled afternoon of playing in the few drops Mother Nature had decided to sprinkle upon their town.

"Mom, can I have chocolate chip cookies?" Jenny asked.

"After dinner you sure can."

The little girl frowned but it quickly faded and turned into a smile as her father slipped her one right out of the jar.

"I saw that", Peyton said, hands on her hips after Jenny had run upstairs.

"I have no idea what you're talking about", he shrugged innocently.

She wiped a streak of chocolate evidence from his own mouth.

"Purely circumstantial?"

"I totally plead the fifth", he grinned.

"You're not funny, Jagielski."

"Pey, it's just a freaking cookie, babe. The world's not going to end."

Peyton threw up her hands.

"Whatever, Jake. Just let her do whatever the hell she wants to do…"

"Okay, roll the end credits, please", Brooke interrupted. "We've had enough drama to last us like forever. Jagielski and Sawyer, we don't need you two going at it, too."

"I'm fine", Peyton sighed.

"And so am I. Like I said, it's just a stupid cookie and besides, all this stuff with Nathan and Meg…I don't know. It's really made me think. Yeah Jenny can be a spoiled brat and a royal pain in the ass sometimes but that's my little girl. Our little girl. And I love her. I've loved her since before she was even born. I can't even describe it. As scared as I was, the bigger Nikki's stomach got, the more real it became and the more I fell in love with my daughter. And when Jen finally came out…it was the coolest thing, you know? It was like being born again, watching this helpless, innocent, screaming little creature you helped to create that is such a part of you yet totally separate. I know what all that was like for me, how special it was and to have it taken away…dude, I can't even imagine the pain Megan and Nathan are going through right now."

Peyton nodded.

"Is he any better?" she asked Lucas.

"He's hanging in there but I know it's tearing him up."

"Poor guy."

"Poor Meg", Brooke sighed.

"Yeah", Peyton said. "I don't know how she's getting through this."

"I don't think she is", Brooke added. "She looks…awful. I hate to be rude but the girl is skin and bones and pale as a damned ghost. I know she was always a tiny thing but I don't think she's eating."

"She probably doesn't have much of an appetite", Peyton observed.

"I just feel so bad for her, for both of them. I wish there was something we could do or say…"

"We're doing all we can just by being here for them", Lucas sighed. "They are headed back to Charlotte pretty soon, I think."

"Both of them?"

"Yeah."

"Wow", Peyton said. "What do you think will happen to them now? Their marriage?"

"I don't know. He says he's gonna stay with her. They have a lot to work out or at least to talk about for now."

"I don't think there is a marriage left", Brooke spoke.

"Brooke!" Lucas said, angry and a bit surprised.

"What, Broody? You want me to lie? There is no sense in prolonging the pain."

"That's not what he's doing. Nathan is really hurting over this, all of it. It was his kid, too, you know."

"Babe, no one says he isn't hurting. I know he's your brother and I know you want to defend him but face it. This is all…"

"Don't say it" Lucas cut his eyes at her. "I mean it, Brooke. You better not say this is all his fault."

God knows he loved her more than himself but if the words came out of her mouth, he couldn't be held liable for his actions.

"Fine", Brooke said tensely. "I won't say another word."

"Guys…" Jake interjected.

"It's cool, Jake. Besides, I don't want my boyfriend to bite my head off so I will keep my comments to myself. I won't say anything about the stuff Nathan has done over the past few months and I won't dare bring up Tutor Wife."

"Haley is irrelevant in all this", Lucas said tersely. "I mean, really. We can blame a lot of things on her but it's not her fault Yoanna died and we all know it. And yeah Nate was no saint in all this but it isn't his fault, either. He loved his daughter and in his own way, he loves Meg. He never meant for any of this shit to happen."

"I agree", Jake piped in. "But have you talked to her, Luke? Haley, I mean?"

"No", he shook his head.

"I have", Peyton volunteered quietly.

All eyes turned in her direction.

"What?"

"I called her the night Yoanna died. I know we all made a pact to stay out of stuff but I had to. It wasn't right for her to find out on TV or in a magazine."

"What did she say?" Lucas asked.

"Not much. Obviously it was very sad for her. I mean, anyway you look at it, it's a pretty terrible situation. Anyway, we didn't talk long and she didn't say much but I could hear the tears in her voice."

"Pey, why didn't you tell me?" Jake asked.

"I don't know", she shrugged. "It never came up. And I didn't think you would understand…just like you won't understand it when I say he needs to see Haley right now."

"Absolutely not!" Brooke shook her head.

"Not now", Lucas agreed. "It would just make things worse on everyone, if that's even possible anymore. But it wouldn't be good."

"It's really kind of pointless", Jake sighed.

"Gosh, guys I don't mean like this instant. But in time after things settle down. After Nathan and Meg decide what they're going to do…"

"What good would that do?" Brooke asked. "Really, Pey. Think about it. Haley totally has her own thing going on in New York with Chris Keller and her career and her own kid for God's sake. Why should she be thrown back in the mix? It isn't fair to her kid. If you ask me, Nathan and Megan need to just split up and sort things out and deal with their own individual problems and pain. They can't help each other until they at least try to help themselves first."

Jake shook his head.

"Here the four of us go again. So much for not getting involved."

Lucas took a deep breath.

"I can't not be involved."

"Broody…"

"What Brooke? I'm sorry. His life is torn to shreds. Yeah, a lot of it is by his own hand but he's still a human being. And I love him and I'll do whatever I have to do to help him and protect him. You might not get it, you might not agree with it but I don't care. All I need to know is one thing and that's the thing that truly matters…he's my brother. Nathan is my brother and I can't turn my back on him. I won't. Not now, not ever."

The mood was tense. Lucas had spoken and like it or not, he did have a point. Besides, there would be no changing his already made up mind.

"Mom, Daddy, can I play with my finger paints?" Jenny asked as she returned to the adults.

Peyton sighed as Jake nodded.

"Yeah, Jen, just don't make a mess, okay?"

Jenny looked at her mother who was near tears.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Jenny."

The little girl studied the bewildered and hurt expression on Peyton's face.

"I'm sorry I ate the cookie when you told me not to", the child apologized softly and sincerely. "I won't do it again, Mom. Just don't be mad at me."

Peyton looked up at the scared expression on her beloved daughter's face. God, Jenny meant the world to her. She couldn't imagine not having her or Jake in her life. Without them, it would be a pointless and lonely existence. She looked over at Lucas and immediately knew what he had meant. She understood his love for Nathan. It was real and strong and pure…and without condition.

"No, baby, I'm not mad at you", Peyton cooed as she hugged her close. "Never at you, Jen."