Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry that it took so long for me to update, I've just been a bit busy lately. Umm, remember that I don't own the show or the characters, but this store is mine so yeah. Hope you enjoy, please read and review. And if anything, a few ideas or actual opinions might be nice
A few moments later, she pointed. "That sign, Brooke?" Driving towards it, Peyton realized what it read. Entering Tree Hill…There is only one Tree Hill.
"YES!" shouted Brooke.
"Whooo!" Peyton lifted her hands up in the air in victory.
Smirking, Jake shook his head, and then spoke into the phone. "Umm, just give us about a half hour? We just got back to Tree Hill."
The guard on the other line sighed, a bit annoyed, but nodded, letting Jake have the time. He felt bad for the kid and didn't want to be too harsh, considering the reason he was in jail was a bit dumb, at least to the guard it was. "Fine. Half hour. I'm timing you, Mr. Jagielski." Guard Cortez hung up the phone.
"Well, I guess the tough guy isn't that bad after all. 30 minutes, he's timing, Peyton." He said, handing the cell phone back to Brooke.
Jenny looked at Peyton, with a look of curiosity and hope on her face. Jake noticed this. He smiled and kissed Jenny's small forehead. A yawn escaped the baby's lips and she closed her eyes, slowly drifting off to a sleep. Jake lowered the music a bit to give some peace to the child.
Peyton simply stepped on the gas a little. She knew where she was going from here, now, it was only a race against time.
Lucas coughed, breaking the silence in the back seat. Brooke turned her head and looked at him questioningly.
"You okay?" She asked. "A bit early to be getting a cold, don't you think?"
A sly smile crossed Lucas's face. He simply shook his head. "Well then what do you suggest, doctor?"
"Umm, a cough drop or something? Even better yet, how about taking care of yourself?" Brooke grunted and turned away.
"Oh, come on, Brooke. You act like there's always something wrong with me…Health wise."
"There always is…" Peyton and Brooke replied together. Peyton laughed a little and looked at them through the rearview mirror. "Hey Luke, is this the turn to Whitey's house? You should know…"
"Uhh. Next left. Anyway. There can't always be something wrong with me…"
"Yes, there is." Brooke said, getting a bit annoyed. "Car crashes, basketball injuries, getting beaten up, sicknesses, heart breaks…" Brooke gulped, her voice wandering. "Trust me Luke, there always is."
Hearing the words 'heart breaks' made Lucas hesitate. He knew that Brooke would never forget that, but couldn't she just forgive him, completely? If only she knew how he felt. If only… he thought. If only she gave me another chance.
As if reading his mind, she muttered lowly so no one can hear. "I mean, damn Lucas, I gave you so many chances…"
"Well, when was the last time I got beaten up? In the beginning of the year, when I first joined the basketball team, by Nathan. But that was so long ago. When Haley and I were…"
"Not whores?" Brooke asked with an annoyed smirk.
"When we were nothing," replied Lucas, looking at her.
Peyton pulled in front of Whitey's house, not bothering to disturb the two in the back. "Well Jake…I guess, this is it...for Jenny at least." She sniffed a bit, saddened that Jake had to let go of Jenny for now.
Jake had been staring at Jenny the whole time, and Peyton's voice brought him back to the real world. He nodded and looked at her, trying to hide his sadness.
"Yeah…I guess it is." Slowly getting out of the car, Jake carried Jenny up to Whitey's house and rang the doorbell. The coach and Jake said their goodbyes and Jake looked at his daughter one last time. He took a breath, remaining strong and left.
"Brooke, would you like shotgun?" He asked when he returned to the car.
"Broody, face it. There is always something wrong with you. And there's always at least one person unhappy with you, but you act like everything's okay until you're alone with the person. Then when there is definitely something wrong you don't tell anyone. You keep yourself locked up in your own little world, Lucas!"
"Brooke!" Peyton exclaimed.
She quickly turned to face Jake and Peyton. "No thanks Jake, it's okay. I'll stay in the back."
At this, Lucas was shocked. "Well then what would you like me to do, Brooke? Huh? Would you like me to confess my undying love for you and screw up our friendship again! HUH? Is that what you want?"
"No, Lucas!" Brooke got louder, shifting herself to face him. "I just want you to be yourself and stop being so secretive. You have so many friends, yet you choose to hide everything from everyone, as if you don't trust us. Haley is gone, so you can't tell her. And you rarely tell your mom anything anymore. We care, Lucas! We're here!"
"Well sometimes you have to stay strong for your friends, Brooke. You and Peyton should be ones especially to know." He replied trying to soften the tone in his voice.
"Right. Well don't you ever get tired of wearing that mask? Do you ever break down on your own?"
Lucas sighed aggravated and got out of the car. "I'll walk home. See ya later Jake. Hope to see you soon."
Jake gave him a small nod. "Catch you later, man."
"Just like him," Brooke muttered. "Walking away. Then later on, he'll try to apologize."
"And it'll be too late." Peyton added.
"Yes. See Peyton, you know! I wasn't wrong, was I?"
"A bit harsh, but I got your point. Everyone's a bit secretive at times, even me."
"Yeah, but at least you tell your best friends or the people you trust most. He's just Mr. Broody, always trying to do things on his own. Ugh."
"Peyton, the time." Jake reminded.
"Oh, sorry…" Brooke mused, she knew that she was keeping Peyton behind.
"Ack. Sorry, Jake." Peyton switched gears and easily pulled out from in front of Whitey's house. Next stop…jail… She told herself.
First she had dropped Brooke home on request, once that was done, Peyton knew this was going to be an emotional uproar. She didn't want to let him go, she didn't want to take him there, ever, but she knew she had to. For his, and Jenny's sake, she did what she did. Taking a breath as she drove at a decent pace to the jail, memories started to flood through her mind and she realized that what seemed like forever of Brooke's ranting of Lucas had only been 5 minutes. She has 20 minutes.. Memories of her and Jake were making tears brim her eyes. Why does this have to happen? She questioned in her mind. Why?
Jake had been silent the whole time, looking out the window, not daring to even steal a glance at Peyton. He wouldn't be able to handle it. He knew how much this hurts Peyton, and he couldn't bear the pressure. Hopefully he could easily get Jenny back and return to Peyton, but something inside him knew that wouldn't happen. For most of the ride to the jail, Jake had been thinking up ways to prove to the court that Jenny shouldn't be with Nikki, ways to prove that in this case, the mother shouldn't win. Having such a slim chance saddened him, he loved his daughter, and Peyton, and would do anything to make them happy.
Back at the café, things were getting busy. New faces, new orders, usuals, chatting, the usual. Keith had offered her help many times, but to avoid any drama, Karen thanked him and simply told him to sit back and relax.
"Karen, the place looks busy, are you sure you don't want any help?"
"Positive. Don't worry about it Keith. I've got everything under control."
Keith sighed. "Okay, but I'm here if you need any help."
Putting a slight smile on her face, Karen nodded. "Thanks Keith. Would you like some more coffee?"
"Who me? Oh, no, that's alright. I'm good, for now."
"Alright."
Keith sigh as Karen walks off. He still has some feelings towards her that he hasn't been able to shake off. He watched as she served her customers. She was right, she did have things under control, but Keith still felt the need to ask. Things had been a little awkward between them since the incident with Jules, but he wanted to put forth an effort to make things as close as possible to the friendship they used to have. Keith could tell by the look in Karen's eyes that she was still a bit confused about their relationship. Suddenly, Andy walks into the café.
"Hey honey," called out Andy, as he approached Karen and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head. "How are you?"
A grin crossed Karen's face as she saw Andy. "Hello. I'm…fine, just a bit busy. Would you like anything?"
"Oh, no, no, no. Just came by to check on you. I have some work down at the school to do. Preparing for next semester."
Karen laughed a little. "Okay then. I guess I'll see you later then?"
"Yup, just came over to say hi." Andy's eyes glanced over the café and landed on Keith. "Oh, hey Keith, didn't see you there."
Keith had been secretly watching the whole time. That was one of the reasons he try as hard as he normally would to get their friendship back. Andy. He didn't want anything to happen between Karen and himself in case he said or did something wrong. Karen had Andy, and Keith understood that. What he didn't understand was why it hurt so bad.
"Heya Andy." Keith replied. "I was just uhh, leaving." Keith got up, he needed to go somewhere to think, or find someone to talk to. "The money's on the counter, Karen. I'll see you later. Bye Andy."
With that, Keith exited Karen's Café, taking a breath and looking down the street as he got into his car, deciding he was going to go to the River Court. That was always a good place to relax.
"Uh, Keith!" Karen called. She sighed, it was hopeless. Nodding, she said goodbye as he left.
"Is he okay?" Andy looked at Karen with a suspicious look on his face.
"I'm not sure. Heh, you know us people in Tree Hill. There's always at least one person down."
"Hmm, alright. Well, I best get going. Bye Karen." He kissed her softly on the lips.
With a smile, Karen kissed back. "Bye Andy." She waved as he left the café and continued with her work.
As Peyton pulled into a park by the jail, she took a quick breath and glanced at the rear view mirror. Turning off the car, she exited, following Jake to Guard Cortez's desk, from which he will be escorted to his cell. By this time, they had already said they're main goodbyes. Peyton was strong, holding back her tears, but she didn't know how long she could do it. Jake was just nervous. Nervous, and a bit scared.
Seeing a shadow over his desk, Guard Cortez looked up and sighed. He stood up and raised his eyebrows. "Right on time, kiddo," he stated, looking at the clock on the wall. Cortez then looked at the young lady next to Jake and flashed her a warm smile. "Hello, I'm Guard Cortez." Extending his hand to Peyton, nodded, hearing her introduce herself. "Peyton Sawyer? Nice to meet you too, the pleasure's mine. So, you're the real reason Jake needed a day, huh? I knew it wasn't just some random business to take care of."
Peyton bit her lip and looked up at the guard. He seemed like a friendly guy, at least, that's his first impression. Shaking his hand, she returned his smile. A small, slightly nervous laugh escaped her lips at his comment about Jake needing that one day. "Umm...I uhh.. I guess so."
"Well, that's alright. I didn't really mind, I mean, I don't see exactly why Jagielski's here. I mean, he claimed to have hid his daughter for the best, right?"
"Yeah, it's a really long story. I truely don't know how Nicki is for a mother, but I don't trust her. She's such a..." Peyton's voice drifted off as she felt Jake nudge her. He gave her this look, as if to tell her to watch what she says, but Cortez tries to get it out of her.
"She's a what, Ms. Sawyer?"
"Uhh, nothing...it's not my place to say things." Clearing her throat, she looked at Guard Cortez.
Sighing, Cortez nodded and motioned to Jake. "Alright boy, time to go. Come on..."
Jake looked at him, his eyes widening. Jake had been staring at the ground most of the time, so he wasn't expecting it. Gulping, he turned to Peyton and opened his arms. Hoping Peyton wouldn't break down, he felt her slightly tremble in his arms. He whispered to her softly.
"Peyton...be strong..please. For me?"
Peyton's grip on Jake tightened as he spoke to her, closing her eyes. "I'll try...I'm sure I can do it, Jake..."
"Try hard Peyton. I know you can move on."
"I love you, Jake..." Her whisper got lower, afraid to let go.
"I love you too, Peyton. Never forget that...never forget me."
Peyton opened her eyes and looked at Jake, a confused expression on her face. "You're acting as if you'll never get out."
"Well, I don't know if they can bring me justice, Peyton." He realized Peyton was about to object to what he said, but she silenced her with his finger on her lips. "I've got to go." Pulling away from her, he walked with Guard Cortez to a roomy cell. Jake sat down on the 'bed' and sighed. At least the bed is kinda soft.. Jake smirked sadly to himself and nodded at Cortez, as the guard walked off.
Before Peyton could leave, Cortez called her, motioning for her to come back. Peyton obeyed, walking slowly and unsurely back to his desk.
"Take a seat, Ms. Sawyer."
Taking a breath, Peyton say down, her hands shoved in her jeans pockets.
"What were you saying before..about Nicki? Now, I know Jake isn't a guilty man, and I'd try to help, but I don't know much about the case."
Looking up at him quickly, Peyton had a small look of hope in her eyes. "Well...uh...she..." Peyton swallowed her, not sure if she should continue.
"She what? Go on.."
"She sleeps with a lot of men. Nicki slept with Jake, and left. And then once she slept with another one of our friends. Can I leave his name at rest?"
Cortez nodded. "Sure, I don't think I'll need it. So, that's why you're afraid. You don't know how she'll treat the baby, and she's a umm..." He cleared his throat.
"A slut. Yeah." The blonde looked off to the side.
"Right. Well, I don't know, do you think the baby would be left home alone a lot."
Shaking her head, Peyton thought about the question. "I think she might just take Jenny along. Maybe use the child as a sympathy act sometimes."
"Where did Nicki meet your other friend, Peyton?"
"...A bar. A bar and parties, I think that's pretty much where she picks up men."
"How'd she meet Jake?"
"Never asked..."
Nodding, Cortez rested his hands folded on his desk after writing down the basic information he had just been told. "Has she ever gotten a hold of the baby before? Like, umm..."
"Stealing her? Yes. I was babysitting her one time, and I know this is my fault. But...I was babysitting Jenny once, and I had taken her shopping with my best friend. We umm...we stopped to look at this outfit in a store window, and then I looked back at the carriage and Jenny was..gone. We looked around frantically and saw her with Nicki..."
"Hmm, I see. What happened then?"
"Well, uhh...We tried to get her back, but she convinced security that she was Jenny's mother, and we couldn't get her..."
"Did Jake know about this?"
"I called him quickly and told him. He was pretty mad at me for losing her and I...I felt like an idiot. But, yeah, he knew, and he came, and he got her back since he had official custody of her then."
"Right, right." He scratched his head a little after writing down the incident and turned to another page in the pad, looking back at Peyton. "Any other times?"
Peyton sighed and though for a moment then nodding, squinting as she tried to remember. "I'm sure her and Jake have made encounters, but I wouldn't know about those. There was this one time though, I think me, Jake, and Jenny had gone somewhere, and then we got home..Well, to his house, and...she's there. Nicki was waiting there for us...for Jake and Jenny. She's always swore up and down that she'd get a hold of her daughter. My friends and I have just tried really hard not to let her..." Coughing a bit, Peyton looked at time, then back at Guard Cortez, wondering what exactly he could do.
"So there had been multiple times before that she's tried to get the child?"
"Yes. There was this time Brooke told her that Jenny was in Seattle. Heh, Nicki actually drove there, not finding her kid and drove back."
"Brooke...?"
"My best friend."
"Ah."
"I'm guessing at one time, they trusted each other then?"
"Yep, Brooke and Nicki met one time when...a bunch of teenage angst drama was going on between everyone."
"Do you know where they met?"
"Not sure. I know they crashed a party together and uh...me and Nicki...fought."
"Physically or verbally?"
"Both."
"Alrighty. Let me get this down...Okay, now, where do you think Nicki is or would be now?"
"At the moment, or in general?"
"Generally."
"Well, she's either in Tree Hill looking around..plotting, or she's somewhere out there, doing...things."
"Like what?"
"I don't know..."
"When you say 'plotting' what do you mean?"
Peyton sighed and tapped her fingers on the desk, thinking of a way to word it. "Trying to find a way to take Jenny away, for good, since she knows Jake's in jail."
"Does she know where Jenny is?"
"I doubt it. She'd do anything to find out though..."
Guard Cortez sighed and finished noting down more of what they discussed. Trying to think of any other information he might need, he cracked his neck.
"What is it?" Peyton asked, noticing that he was in thought.
"Oh, nothing, just trying to see if I need anything else." He sent her a slight smile, which she returned along with a nod. "Has he ever laid a hand on–"
"No!" Peyton exclaimed, shaking her head. "He's never had a reason to. Jenny's an angel. Plus, Jake would never do that to his daughter."
"What about his parents?"
"They've watched her sometimes, I doubt they've hit her. Jenny doesn't cause much trouble. I mean, she's very attached to Jake, but she won't give a lot of trouble when she's with other people."
"She'll just cry a bit, like most babies do?"
"Exactly."
"Why'd he choose you, Ms. Sawyer, of all people?"
"To watch Jenny? I don't know, actually...I guess he just...trusted me, for whatever reason."
"And you have done him and Jenny justice, if you know...You don't mind showing up at the trial.
"Nicki would definitely kill me."
"All the more reason to go. What did Jake tell you, right before I had to take him in?"
Peyton bit her bottom lip softly and look at Cortez. "He told me he loves me and to stay strong."
"And that exaclty what you need to do." The smile on the guard's face grew as he gave her his card. Peyton took it, raising an eyebrow.
"Call me if you find out anything else. I'll call you when I get out some information on the case."
Peyton nodded understanding and gave him her cell and home phone numbers. She got up from the chair, glancing at the clock on the wall one more time.
"You should head home, you've been here for quite a while. Thank you for your time though."
"Thanks for trying to help," she nodded him a goodbye and walked out to the parking lot. Aparently, she had been in there long enough for it to start a slight rain. Ugh...just great, rain. Maybe I'll stop by the café.
AU: Well, that's the end of that chapter. Please review. Good & bad critism. Please be constructive if it's bad. I know, it's about time I brought him some other couples and their drama, right? I think I'll be focusing a bit on the others for a while, 'til I think it's time in the story to bring something with Jake back up. Thanks for reading!