Kidman5 - I'm glad you like my fic and thanx for reviewing

AriTwist - Thanx for reviewing. I like leyton too but I dunno if I'd call it a Leyton fic.

"Hales? HALES?" The second call had awoken her, "Can't I just get some sleep she thought to herself?" "HALES?" finally Haley succumbed to the fact that she would have to get out of bed. Haley dressed in a yellow tank top and a pair of pyjama trousers, opened her bedroom door to be greeted by the curly haired blonde. "Wow you look like hell!" Peyton said. "Speak for yourself!" Haley retorted as she had noticed that Peyton's eyes were red and puffy, she had obviously been crying. "So you gonna tell me what's up or am I supposed to guess?" Haley looked for the answers in Peyton's eyes but could get nothing, Peyton was staring at the ground now as the blonde curls invaded her face. "Hey, you can tell me" Haley's soft tone cause Peyton to look up, she knew that she could talk to Haley and that it would go no further. Haley had really stuck by her through all the drama last year from when Lucas began dating Brooke, Haley listened to her and gave her advice. Most importantly she kept her grounded.

Yeah, she had Brooke and they had been friends since they were little and Peyton would never trade that for anything in the world. However, Haley was a different kind of friend to her. She wasn't involved with the same crowd that Brooke and Peyton grew up with and wasn't in the cheerleading scene. Haley was down to earth and knew how to separate the real world from the mayhem that was the superficial high school life. "So something happened and I don't know what to do" Peyton finally gave in and spoke. "He finally told you?" Haley asked hoping for a positive reaction. Peyton looked at Haley puzzled before replying "So am I like the only person in Tree Hill that didn't know how he felt?" "Peyton please, I've been the boys' best friend for as long as I can remember. It's my job to know what's going on with him. Come on sit down I'll get you something to drink." Haley made her way over to the kitchen and eventually reappeared by the blondes' side handing her a cup of coffee.

"Technically it was Brooke that told me, there was a mix up when he broke up with Anna he told her he was going to see the girl he wanted last night and he ended up at Brooke's and Felix came to the wrong conclusion and they punched the hell outta each other and then Brooke told me. It's really too much too take right now." Peyton looked to her friend for a response. Haley looked confused for a moment before opening her mouth "Yeeeaaaahh…… so I don't suppose for once we could do things simply in Tree Hill. I mean boy meets girl, boy likes girl, girl likes boy, and boy and girl get together. THE END." Haley's enthusiastic end to her comment was welcomed with a laugh from Peyton.

"Life's not meant to be easy you know" this gained a nod from Peyton. "So you know how he feels, how do you feel?" Haley anxiously waited for the answer to the question. "Did I love Luke? Yeah I did, I mean last year he was amazing, he made it impossible to shut him out but then everything with Brooke and Nikki happened and now I really don't how I feel about him or me or anything anymore. Life's hard at the minute" Peyton responded. "You know I'm always here for you, you that right!" Haley grabbed Peyton's hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

"We may get the old Lucas back yet though!" Peyton's comment caused Haley to raise her eyebrow. "I kinda went off on Lucas about not being a friend and instead of backing away he called Jake to check up on me." "Wow who knew my best friend could be so sweet?" Haley exclaimed. "Me" Peyton said in a soft tone with a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Is that a smile I see?" Peyton embarrassed to say the least replied "Luke can be a good guy, he can be that guy again. I just don't know if I'm in that place." "Well there only one person who should know" Haley said staring at her friend causing Peyton to let out a groan of frustration.

Karen and Andy were sitting in the Scoot kitchen having lunch when they looked up at the knocking at the door. Karen got up and opened the door to find Jake standing there. "Hello Jake" Karen said as she welcomed him in, "Hey Ms R…… Hey Karen." "Good man you're finally learning Jake I'd like you to meet Andy my friend" she said as Jake extended his hand to Andy. They exchanged their introductions before Jake spoke again "Is Lucas home by any chance?" "He's in his room, go on in, but no basketball whatsoever for him. Okay?" Karen's statement caused Jake to raise an eyebrow but he made his way down the hall to an open door. Lucas was lying on his bed with his hands behind his head staring at the ceiling. "You won't find the answers up there." Lucas' eyes quickly made their way from the ceiling to the tall figure in his door way, he got up and made his way over to Jake giving him a hug. "You dirty bird, its about time what took you so long?"

J: I was hanging out with Peyton since I've been back.

L: I figured, why else would I have called you, certainly not to talk anyway.

He gave Jake a smirk.

J: Thanks man.

L: Come on, KIDDING!

J: Nice face, you and Nathan still showing that brotherly love that worked out so well last year.

He was pointing to the bruises and cuts on Luke's face from his earlier interaction with Felix.

L: Nah, new kid this year.

Jake laughed at the comment.

L: So how is she?

J: Lost would be one word I would use, lonely another and confused.

L: That bad.

J: Yeah. Man its been hard keeping the fact that you called me a secret, I've nearly slipped up a few times.

L: Its cool I told her earlier today when she was cleaning this up. He said as he motioned at his face.

"So tell me your back for good man?" Lucas was hopefully of a positive response. Jake had helped Lucas through the tough times when he joined the team, the only one who really talked to him or had his back. "I've been thinking about it. I miss this place, the guys and my parents. I miss Tree Hill" he responded. "Well we've missed you and Jenny, its not the same." "So why no basketball then?" Jake asked. "I may or may not have a heart condition. I just don't want to know if I do or don't, it'll just change the way I live my life and I don't want that" Lucas replied.

"Well maybe this could benefit you two?" Lucas stared at Jake confused. "I'm not following" he said to Jake. "Peyton? You still have feelings for her Luke." Lucas nodded. "Well maybe she can make you see sense and get the test. You can tell her or I will." Jake said firmly. "And how will that benefit her?" Lucas asked. "Well she can help you with that and you can help her out with her problem." "What problem?" "I really don't know how to say this Lucas but when I found her last night she was with a guy…….. she was buying cocaine Lucas." Lucas was speechless and as hard as he tried he couldn't get the words to come.

"Tutor wife! Goldilocks!" their head snapped around from the coach to the apartment door where Brooke was entering.

H: Tigger

P: B.Davis

B: P.S are you mad at me? I mean I didn't do anything wrong except tell you that the boy that broke our hearts was back in love with you before he had a chance to do it.

H: BROOKE! Stop rambling.

B: Sorry.

P: No Brooke I'm not mad at you, it took us long enough to be best friends again I'm not messing that up again.

B: Good, so Broody and Goldilocks back on track?

P: I don't know.

B: Peyton if this because of me then forget about it. He likes you andI think you like him too.

Haley raised an eyebrow and turned to face Peyton, staring along with Brooke waiting for the blonde's reaction.

P: Umm uh uh. That's not the point.

B: Yeah you two hurt me.

This caused Peyton to feel guilty and look away.

B: But its in the past, yeah it'll take a while to get used to it but I've got my own boyfriend to take my mind off it.

She winked at Peyton.

H: So tell him already!

P: Yeah I think me and Luke need to have a little chat. Thanks you two.

H: Anytime.

B: Tutor wife's right. The three of us can count on each other.

The three rose to there feet and hugged each other, at this time Nathan and Tim had just walked through the door. "Yeah" Tim said as he approached the girls but was quickly stopped in his tracks as Nathan grabbed his shirt. "Nope, we're going" Nate responded as he pushed Tim back out the door. "But I wanted to join in" Tim screamed from outside causing the three girls to burst into laughter.

The chapter title is a lyric from Longview's song Further