My own fanfic

Authors note: this is my first fanfic, so cut me some slack. The begging sucks but hopefully it will improve…

Beginning

Peyton brushed her messy hair into a quick ponytail before flying out of her bedroom in a rush. Frantically searching for her purse and keys she threw things all over the place. Another hectic morning. Slinging her purse over her shoulder she opened the door to the brisk morning air and a familiar figure on her doorstep.

"Hey Brooke, might I ask what you are doing on my doorstep at 6 in the morning?"

Brooke shrugged and pushed her wavy chestnut hair over her shoulder, with a hesitant smile.

"Isn't that what friends are for? To be able to run to, immediately expecting a shelter when your boyfriend kicks you out? Well ex boyfriend …"

Peyton's smile fell on the spot and her expression turned to that of a worried friend. She drew her arms quickly around Brooke, pulling her into a tight hug

"Brooke…No!…What happened?"

Brooke gave a half smile and stepped aside her, into Peyton's house." Look we will talk about it later; you have to get to work. Knock em dead. Peyton, I know you, you will worry about me all day, don't. Just be sure to bring home lots of Ben and Jerry's on your way home. Oh and scream through the door 'Honey! I'm home,' for the anything-that's-mine-is-yours-including-my-houe-make-yourself-at-home effect."

Peyton hugged her once again. Brooke would be fine eventually, even if it took a few drinks and a few flings, she would forget that nasty Felix. As much as Peyton wanted to stay she knew her job was at risk and Brooke needed time to think. Pey rushed out the door with a wave, wishing there was something more she could do. But she got into her beat up truck, nonetheless, and drove away, trying not to look back at her best friend.

Brooke crashed on Peyton's couch and bit her lip trying to remember clearly what had happened. It all seemed like a blur. It was over, Felix had only wanted her body, and a couple other women's also. She tried not to wallow or feel sorry for herself, but knowing she wasn't good enough hurt.

She would prove him wrong. She would strut around. Make him long after her and deny him every chance she got. Revenge was around the corner Felix.

Her thoughts wandered ever slightly to Peyton, Haley, Jake, Lucas…everyone back in the days. After an emotional day she quickly started to head towards slumber land, but one face from the past left a small smile on her lips before she completely fell into dreams. Dreams about the face that she hadn't seen in years , anywhere but her dreams.

Brooke awoke to the sound of a phone ringing. She yawned and brushed her messy hair out of her eyes. Looking around she located a phone.

"Hello?"

"Peyton?" A muffled women's voice answered on the other end.

"Actually, she isn't quite available to come to the phone right now, can I take a message?" Brooke got all ready with a piece of paper and a pencil, waiting for an answer on a line opposite hers that seemed to have gone dead. "Um, Hello?"

"No, no. That's fine. Can you just tell her Haley called?" Brookes mind went into speed mode as she transferred the information. A girl named Haley had been one of her best friends through high school, but after Haley went out of her way to pursue her dreams they hadn't kept in touch. The voice she was listening to sounded exactly like her. There was no way, it couldn't be…..

"Haley? O my gah! It's Brooke, Brooke Davis! How are you?"

"Umm great, uhh I've got to go. Nice talking to you again Brooke, it seems like forever since we have seen each other. Look, tell Peyton I called and we should all arrange a get together. Well, bye!"

A dial tone flooded the phone and left Brooke to wonder that had all been about. She sat back on the couch, unsure of what to do with herself now. Alone, with no one to waste the day away with. Finding a remote she turned on the TV before she could break down and cry. Getting lost in All My Children, she allowed herself to get lost in another drama, besides her own.

Peyton bustled into work, greeting people in her office as she went. Peyton felt strong at work, in control. When everything around her could be falling to piece all she had to do was land another front page article, and she felt some comfort in the stability of hard work. The people surrounding her were nice enough. The environment was always rushing, just like the New York outside her office. Writing didn't come easy, as art did, but it brought money and allowed her to see a world worse off then her own. With a cup of java in hand she was set and ready to face the world. Well, most of it.

"Peyton"

"Go away Jake"

Peyton turned smoothly around a cuticle to hurry away from him but he followed her fast pace desperately.

"Look we need to talk."

Peyton kept moving despite his plea. He kept following. Finally being fed up He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him before they reached her office.

"Pey-"

"Look Jake. I won't marry you. It was nice to see you again. I enjoyed spending time with you. I had no problem hanging out again. But Jake….There are three types of love,"

She started quoting from a random chick flick, "little love, love, good love, and great love. And Jake what we had in high school was good love. I loved you. I understand that you had to leave, and I waited for you for years.

But now 5 years later I see you again, you are a reporter over child abductions. You have Jenny back, and Nikki in prison. I was ecstatic to see you, but my heart didn't jump like it used to." Ignoring his fallen face she continued. "Jake I would have gone with you if I could, and that good love would have evolved. But I didn't, it didn't. We went separate ways. We are two different people then we used to be with different feelings and we can't just pick up where we left off. I went with you on a couple dates these past days, and truly enjoyed your company. Then out of the blue, because of what we HAD, you asked me to marry you. Jake, somewhere in the third year without you I came to turns with the love I had, but gave up on you in sorts. I learned I can live without you and decided to wait for that great love, the one that will blow my socks off." With a deep sigh, she looked up into his face. He looked as if he might cry any second, he still resembled the old Jake, the high school Jake, but he wasn't. When he had seen Peyton again he hoped they could continue what they had. But here she was, shattering his heart into a million pieces. He knew she hated saying what she was, but she was Peyton, never one to lead others on. It lessened the pain. "Jake…Can we still be friends? And let the past die into the past?"

It was like a brick finally fell and crashed everything to the ground. He stared up at her beautiful face. He wanted her but she didn't feel the same. Friends….He nodded, unable to do anything else and walked away with his head hung low like a wounded dog. y. He somehow felt he had lost her for good, maybe because he had.

Peyton watched him walk away, suddenly feeling a bit sick. It hurt to speak the truth but she didn't regret it, other then the fact that it had hurt others. She slowly walked into her office and looked around at the scattered décor. Papers were strewn across the room in random places, and windows aligning the wall, showing off the messy city of NY below.

Peyton looked up from the seat she hadn't even known she had been sitting in when the phone rang. With a sigh she picked it up. She attempted to say anything but was forced to clear her throat and try again, her voice sounding a little raspy to her ears.

"Hello?"

"Miss Sawyer, Mr. Burnside is on line 3."

"Thanks Mary." She pressed the button and went from the receptionist to her boss. "Hello sir, you rang?"
"Yes. Peyton, how do you feel about going out of town, in order to do a story?"

"Is it bound to be a front page article?" She could feel her interests peaking.

"I can't promise anything, but I have a feeling about this one."

"When do I leave?"

"That's my girl. Well, I know you are going to be overjoyed about this, but it so happens that in a week you will be going to your hometown, Tree Hill, North Carolina."

Peyton bit her lip with a surprised smile. A chance to go and see how things were back home, and a chance to escape this mess, it sounded to good to be true.

"Mr. Burnside, what exactly is the story I am covering?" Peyton couldn't help but ask while scooting forward in her seat, anticipating the answer.

"Well there happens to be a protest about racism, a man was just put in jail for killing someone and something about beaches. we have to get the story before New York Times"

"Thank you Mr. Burnside for this wonderful offer. I will be heading down there this Sunday and be back as soon as possible. Keep in touch, you can reach me on my cell. Anything else?"

"I need that article on the soldier from Iraq soldier's memorial on my desk by 6 tomorrow. See ya kiddo!"

Spoilers- We learn more about Brooke and Felix's failed relationships and linger on the past, we renter Tree Hill along with old faces. Please comment and read on!