Title: Do What You Have to Do
Author: Kat (heartsmash)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill, or the characters of Jake and Peyton. I do own the story so don't steal it.
Summary: Written for rewrite a scene from Season 2 challenge from Writers911. Changes the outcome of Jake's departure to something that I agree with more, because I am a die hard romantic and re-watching the season finale constantly breaks my heart.
"Nikki found Jenny."
It felt more real to Jake now that he had said the words aloud. The one thing that he had wanted to prevent above all others had come true. The mother of his daughter had kidnapped his child and for all he knew, was halfway to Reno by now.
Peyton's eyes grew wide at the news.
"What do you mean?" she asked him, knowing what he had said but not understanding how it had happened.
"She has her Peyton."
"What? How?"
He fought back the tears that were threatening to make his voice crack and answered her.
"I don't know how. But I have to go. I have to find her."
"I'll go with you!" she cried desolately, and it broke his heart to hear her this upset over his leaving.
"No, you can't."
Peyton sat on the edge of her bed and argued with him, obviously desperate in not letting him go. Her stubbornness was one of the things that he loved about her.
"Why not? I mean, what's the point of school and grades and all of this if I'm not…" she paused, as the tears filled her eyes, "God Jake, I can't be without you, I love you."
Jake looked away from her tear-streaked face, sadly. He hated that he was the root of her tears. He sighed sadly before trying to make her understand why she couldn't come with him.
"You're meant for better."
It tore him up to say that to her. He didn't want to think of her with another guy – and he certainly knew he would never find another girl like her. Peyton was one of a kind – she was beautiful both inside and out, she was generous and kind-hearted. And she had shown him her heart, although it had been hurt before by Nathan.
She shook her head vehemently and told him that she wasn't.
"You are."
The tears rolling down her cheeks were almost too much for him to handle.
"Hey, look, I don't know, maybe I'll find Jenny sooner than later. Maybe I'll be back-," he said, trying to make her feel like they would be together again
"You won't! You know you won't!" she cried, angrily.
"Come here," Jake said softly, holding out his hand to her.
She took it and stood, coming to stand only inches in front of him. She was shaking from the emotions that were running through her and he wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and whisper that everything was going to be okay. But she had to understand that Jenny had to come first, especially when his daughter was currently in the dangerous possession of Nikki.
"Listen to me."
She shook her blonde curls again and looked away from him.
"I need you to get past this."
"No!"
"I need you to forget about me and move on…OK?
He saw her starting to argue, but he couldn't let her change his mind. He wiped her tears away and continued.
"You're too amazing to carry this around. Y-you're too full of greatness and…"
It broke his heart. The look of her face, the words that were coming out of his mouth, but he had to leave and find Jenny.
"I love you too much."
She sobbed and gathered him into a hug, never wanting to let him go. He held her tightly as well, memorizing the way her hair smelt, the feel of the soft skin of her neck and the way her body fit against his. They broke apart from the embrace, afraid of what was to come next.
"But I have to go."
"No!" she cried again
"You know, I can't have Jenny be with Nikki."
She looked into the brown eyes that she loved so much and could read all his emotions through. He saw that leaving her behind was tearing him up and that he was right – Jenny comes first. Peyton claimed his lips in a final kiss, and put every ounce of passion into it, almost for him to make a memory of. When the kiss ended, he had to summon every ounce of strength that he had and walked past here. She turned towards the door and called his name. Jake stopped at the doorway and looked back at her. She could see the pain on his face – this wasn't easy for him at all. She didn't have anything left to say, but he did.
"You know, I coulda held you in my arms forever," he said brokenly, "It still wouldn't have been long enough."
She sobbed again at his parting words and he knew it would be best to walk away. He walked down the steps slowly, as if he were walking the green mile. He could hear her heart wrenching sobs and he tightened his grip on the banister and continued to walk down the stairs and out of the Sawyer household. Forever.
Peyton on the other hand, had to use all her strength to make it to her bed where she curled into a little ball. This had to be what the end of the world felt like, of that, Peyton was convinced. Never, in a million years, did she ever think that Nikki would once again disturb the happiness that she and Jake had found. Their time together had been so perfect. So comfortable and - he loved her, much unlike her horrible relationship with Nathan which had predominantly been for status and sex.
Why did love and hurt have to walk hand in hand?
She cried so long and so hard that her throat began to ache and the muscles in her stomach were burning from the power of her choking sobs. Her pillow, which smelled just like Jake, was soaked and she saw no end in sight. Every time she almost got it under control, she would see his face, hear his laughter, feel his love and the loss of him made the void inside of her even wider.
She didn't hear the footsteps coming up the stairs and was so startled when she felt a hand on her back that she sat up.
"I made it around the block before I realized that I can't do this without you Peyton," Jake whispered, gathering her in his arms and inhaling the scent of her hair again. It was like a lifeline he couldn't let go of. She held on just as tight, if not tighter, in fear of him leaving again.
"Come with me," he said.
She broke the embrace to look into his eyes and see if what he was asking her was what he really wanted. When she did see the truth, she said the only possible answer that came to mind.
"Yes."
Peyton made quick work of grabbing a bag from her closet throwing a bunch of clothes into it, grabbing two rolls of money from the emergency cash box and her cell phone, and snatching her leather jacket that hung behind her door. Jake shut down her computer and met her at the doorway of her bedroom. She flipped off the lights, and followed him out of her house. She would call Brooke and let her know what had happened and why she had left. Love had needed a helping hand and Peyton wasn't one to turn it down. It was journey that they would both embark on, making sure that the other would not have to do it alone. Peyton realized that in his coming back to get her meant one thing: everything was not broken in her life.
End.