Un arbre sur la colline ne m'apartiens pas. (I do not own One Tree Hill)

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Jake questioned his motives of that night as he walked the steps to his house. The cloudy sky looked down disappointedly on the young father as he stood on the roofless porch. The out-of-place planks of wood creaked under his running shoes as he paced over them. Looking up he saw the starless sky. The white moon shined over the small town and he thought of his daughter. His beautiful little girl whom he abandoned that night. Then Nicki came to mind. He could see her rude face telling him how he had done just what she did. As he sat down on the cold concrete steps, his mind shattered and his feeling exploded. The young man rested his face in his arms as tears fell down his face.

Jake jumped when the screen door slammed shut behind him. "Sorry Jake." Apologized a deep voice dimmed by the wind. "You're home early."

"It wasn't any fun... so I came home." Jake responded to his older brother, Mike between silent sobs.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked to his brother who stared away from him. He asked again. Jake turned to him; the dark brown of his eyes was surrounded by a glistening shade of pink. Tears dripped of his chin as he nodded his head. Mike's face broke out with sorrow. "It'll be okay." He said as he held his brother in his arms.

As he comforted his little brother, Mike began to cry too. "Jake," he said. "Go inside." Jake closed his eyes as he shook his head. "Why not?"

"I feel... unworthy I guess. Like I don't deserve her." Jake looked over at his brother's confused face. Once Jake finished explaining what had happened that day, Mike stared blankly at the shady sky in front of him.

"Jake, you're not unworthy." He said hesitantly. "Your infant daughter is laying upstairs in her bed, all alone. She doesn't deserve to be left that way. You're a great father and nothing Nicki said or didn't can change that."

Jake thanked his brother and left him outside on the porch to go see his little girl. As he climbed the stairs he looked at his parents, sitting happily on the sofa and he thought to himself. 'Someday, I'll sit like that, proud of my children and what they'd become.' He took a deep breath before opening the door to his room. The creaky door awakened Jenny and she began to cry.

"It's okay, I'm here." He said as he held her in his arms. Once she stopped crying Jake set her down and covered her with the small blanket. "I didn't mean to hurt you and leave," he whispered. "But I'm here now." .

A week or so later

The sun shined bright and the afternoon sky was clear of clouds. Slight drizzles from the early morning, had left the grass smelling fresh and renewed. Peyton sighed as she walked alone across the trampled grass. Looking around she saw Nathan and Lucas walking together and Brooke and Haley going in the same direction. To her left she saw Jake sitting on a bench with Jenny. "Jake." She yelled as she ran over.

"Hey Peyton. I was hoping I'd see you." He said smiling. "You're coming tonight, right?"

Peyton nodded her head as she sat down beside them. "Yeah, I can't wait to see what you're surprise is."

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Later that night, Peyton made her way through the sunset stained streets. The dying sun shot it's bright rays over the small city, while the night's darkness loomed patiently above it. Peyton stopped and looked in front of her, the sky's purples and reds mixed together creating a river of beautiful colors circling the bright setting sun.

"Hi Peyton, come in." Jake greeted her with Jenny in his arms. "It's just you me and Jenny tonight. My parents are on a business trip until Sunday and Mike's out for the night." Jake smiled as he took her jacket and hung it in the closet.

"So what are we doing?" Peyton asked curiously.

Jake chuckled. "Close your eyes." He said as he guided her to the kitchen. When she opened her eyes, she found that she was impressed by what she saw.

In front of her, sat the small kitchen table covered with a black sheet with two candles lit. Nice plates were set out and the smell of chicken filled the air. Also set on the plate were Peyton was to sit, was a small bouquet of tulips.

Their dinner passed by quickly as they talked and laughed. "Here I'll take that." Jake said picking up her plate, then setting it in the sink. "And now..." Jenny began to cry loudly. Jake made his way to his daughter. He checked her and then announced for his friend. "Diaper." He nodded his head and left the kitchen, Peyton followed with Jenny in her arms.

"Why do you need your coat to change a diaper?" Peyton asked him as he slipped on his jacket.

"Because..." he struggled with the zipper. "We're out. I'll go to the store and get some if you stay here with Jenny." Peyton agreed then watched as Jake left the house.

The young man shivered in the cold air, wondering how the temperature had dropped by so much. When he turned on the ignition on the car, he heard a large bang. Looking under the hood, he grunted and slammed it shut. "Why did it have to break down?" he asked himself as he walked to the store.

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"They're grrrrr-eat!" . . . . . . . . . . .

–Tony the tiger

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