Disclaimer : Chapter 1
A/N: Some characters are really OCC, but please remember this is a kind of A.U. story. Thanks for all the reviews...
Chapter 3: Fiery Rubies
Peyton walked in and took a seat next to Haley, across from Lucas. An awkward and uneasy silence filled the kitchen; Lucas got up and poured a cup of sleepy-time tea in a mug for Peyton. He added lemon and honey, just how she liked her tea and set it in front of her. She took a small sip and smiled, he remembered. She slowly looked at her three friends, faces full of concern and worry all over her. She took another minute and cleared her throat.
"I'm going to try and due this all in one big shot. I … I don't think I'd make it through it, or have maybe the courage to do it tomorrow. I really don't think I'll have the guts do try and explain later." Peyton mumbled as she took a deep breath trying to keep her emotions in check.
"Peyton – take your time. If you're not ready to talk we can just sit and pop in a movie or a CD. It's perfectly okay and fine with all of us if you can't talk right now. No matter what has happened or what will happen I know Hales, Nate, and I are here for you no matter what." Lucas said quietly.
She took another sip of tea before answering, "Thanks… not just for that but for everything. I don't know what I would have done if you guys hadn't been here. Umm... where to start… I just don't know where to begin."
"Hey, why don't we take our tea, coffee, soda, and head into the living room and curl up in there. It will be more comfy then sitting in these chairs. And Peyton – we have all the time in the world for you. So take it at your own pace." Nathan said as he put Hales feet on the floor and got out of his chair.
"Wow – Halley really has rubbed off on you." Peyton said with a small nervous giggle.
They slowly moved into the living room, Nathan and Hales taking the big chair Lucas and
Peyton sitting on the couch. Peyton shivered and Lucas grabbed the two big quilts his mom had
bought for him and the crew off the quilt rack. He tossed one to Nate and Hales the other he
brought to the couch and tucked around Peyton and himself. Everyone was quiet as an awkward
silence took over the room with just a few silent slurps and sips.
"Well, I guess now is good as anytime." Peyton said as she snuggled deeper into the quilt and wrapped her hands around the coffee mug.
"Jake and I haven't been doing so well lately. That's a lie. We haven't been truly good in forever. I was working so hard at the paper still sending in strips for extra cash when I wasn't working at the local art store. This Christmas break life was supposed to be different - well it wasn't. I was and still am I guess trying to land an internship that could work out into a real actual paying art gig this summer. We haven't had sex since our sophomore year in college, after a little break we took. Jake wanted to take our relationship back to the next level; he wanted to have sex again. I started putting him off, and kept putting him off. I almost failed out spring semester sophomore year. I needed to focus on school; I wanted to focus on school."
"I used all sorts of excuses like timing, appointments, whatever I could think off. I came home after a double shift at the art store and I noticed some of Jake's stuff wasn't there at our apartment. I didn't think anything off it. He loaned his stuff out to the guys on the team all the time. Monday came and went, I took Jenny to school, picked her up. Tuesday was the same thing all the way through Friday; a little more and more of his stuff was missing. When I got home early on Friday because me class was cancelled, I noticed the door was unlocked. I thought it was weird and figured maybe Jake was home to surprise me. Boy, was I ever wrong." Peyton said with disgust as a few tears began to fall.
Lucas handed her the box of tissues and wrapped his arm around her giving her a small
squeeze to let her know he was there. She leaned her head on his shoulder and took a couple of
sips of her tea. Lucas exchanged worried looks with Hales and Nathan. Hoping to God, what
he thought might be coming wasn't.
"Jenny had stayed home from school because she hadn't felt good and was supposed to be with the neighbors. I walked into the house and she was sleeping on the couch. I gave her a kiss, tuckered her blanket closer around her and headed upstairs. I wanted to see Jake. So I went down the hall to our bedroom. And, Jake, he … he was … he was screwing some random slut in our bed. I… I freaked out. He looked up at me and had the nerve to finish, got his release and proceeded to get out of bed. He told me in no uncertain terms I wasn't providing for him, and I wasn't taking care of his needs. He said he'd been cheating on me for at least two years. Two fking years. He acted so non-chalet as he and the slut got dressed."
"I really lost it and told him to get the hell out. I was screaming, and he had… had the nerve to tell me that he didn't renew the lease for our apartment for the semester and we had to be out by Monday at eight am so the new people could move in. That's why he had moved his and Jenny's stuff since I hadn't noticed. I hadn't noticed? Of course, I noticed. I followed him and the slut downstairs as he yelled this to me. He picked up Jenny, put on his shoes, and threw his key at me. Then he walked out the door and out of my life forever. I sat on the floor and cried for a bit before packing up my stuff. I put it in a storage locker, took a leave of absence from work, and drove here because I … I … just had nowhere else to go." As she finished the last words, she truly broke down.
Lucas pulled her on to his lap and rocked her gently. He murmured that it would all be okay.
Hales went over to the couch and rubbed her back to give silent support to her friend in crisis.
Nathan meanwhile was sitting back in the chair in disbelief, how could this happen to his ever
strong Peyton? Then a light bulb went off inside Nate's head a unusual occurrence for this late in
the morning. Peyton had stopped crying and wiped her eyes on Lucas's shirt, when Nate stood
up and began pacing in front of the couch.
"Haley, what time is your first class on Monday? Yours too Luke?" Nathan asked with a sly grin on his face.
"Luke and I both have Business 510 at noon on Monday, you know that." Haley said giving her husband a weird look.
"Nate's up to something Hales. Look at that face; I think Nathan is finally going to get us expelled." Lucas joked as Peyton moved off of Lucas' lap and on to the couch between Haley and Lucas.
"No, I'm not. But hear me out though, I have an idea. You may think it crazy at first but I don't know why I didn't think of it. We are going on a road trip." Nathan said with a confident smile.
"Nate, no offense but I am really not up to a road trip right now." Peyton said.
"You will be for this one I promise. We are going to put you Peyton right where you belong. We are going to leave right now after bathroom breaks, food packing, and a change of clothes to go load up your stuff. The essentials that you can't live with out the rest we ship, and transfer your ass to Syracuse with your family. You can join the awesome art program here, cheer Lucas and I on at games, and keep my Haley here company on away games. We have a spare room, and right now more then anything you need us. So let us be here for you. It will work out perfectly." Nathan said matter-of-factly.
Lucas looked at Peyton, Peyton looked at Haley, Haley looked at Lucas.
"Wait… are you guys sure? I mean…" Peyton started.
"Yes! We need more females in this house. Don't babble or try to talk us out of this, this is what we want. I want you here, and plus as Nate said you are family." Hales said jumping off the couch and giving Nathan a hug and kiss for his great idea.
"Plus, Peyton I need someone to talk to, go out with, or blare music with when we hear; "Oh Nathan," "Oh Haley," " Oh.." was as far as Lucas got before Hales and Nathan started throwing pillows at him.
Peyton looked around and realized they were right, she was home. She needed her family and here it was.
"Alright! Road Trip! Last one in the car is a rotten egg!" Peyton called out as the group jumped up and started running to get ready. Lucas took a minute to bask in this happy occasion. He was glad to see the fire back in Peyton's eyes to survive and fight.
"C'mon Scott! Get that ass in gear we got a road trip to start – rotten egg!" Peyton called as she got in Nathan's Yukon.
"This is going to be one great road trip…" Lucas thought as he locked up the house and got into the car.