Thanks for the reviews! This is pretty much turned out to be a set up chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything OTH related.

Chapter 12

Peyton put a sleeping Jenny back into her carrier and then sat down beside Jake who was sitting on the edge of her bed.

"So how did you find her?"

"Pure luck...A cop in Kentucky was responding to a call and when he put his lights on, Nikki thought she was spotted. So instead of pulling over, she started speeding up and weaved around the other cars. The cop thought it was weird so he followed her...ran the plates and saw that she had a warrant,"

"Wow, lucky nobody was hurt. I can't believe she would put Jenny's life in danger like that,"

"That's why I had to go after,"

"Yeah, I know...and I'm glad you came back,"

"I told you I would," Jake smiled, "So how was your summer?"

"How much time do you have?" she joked.

He looked at her quizzically, making her laugh before she explained, "Well, someone burned down Dan Scott Motors, with Dan still inside...he's in a coma and they're still investigating the whole thing. Haley came back for Nathan, but Nathan left for Highflyers. As for me, well, I found out that I was kinda adopted,"

"What?"

"Yeah, that's what I said...My biological mother walked out after I was born and her sister raised me,"

"Wow, that must have been hard to deal with,"

"Yeah, it was...but I've been talking to Liz and we kinda have an understanding now. She's not here to replace my mother and I don't want her to either..."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here,"

"Nah, it's ok...I had Lucas,"

"Lucas?"

"Yea, I owe him a lot. I don't know how I could have gotten through it without him," Peyton voice became quiet towards the end. She was sad that they hadn't spent much time together lately and missed him.

"That's good," Jake tried to sound sincere, but what he wanted to know was, "Are you and Lucas...close again?"

Peyton shrugged, "We're friends..."

He was relieved to hear 'friends'. Jake had regretted the day he ended their relationship. It was the last thing he wanted to do but he had to find Jenny. Jenny would always come first to him and it wasn't fair to Peyton to ask her to wait for him.

"Peyton..." Jake shifted his body towards her. He gently lifted her chin to face him, "I wish I could have been here for you,"

Peyton smiled.

"I love you," he send and gently kissed her.

When his lips touched hers, she was surprised and her reflexes caused her to pull back. Jake looked at her a little surprised and more hurt.

"Sorry," she blushed.

"No, I am, I just thought..."

Peyton's lips stopped him from finishing his sentence. She kissed him with everything she had - trying to feel something.

"You know I should probably be hating you right now,"

"Me? What did I do?" she asked innocently.

"Ever since you told me about...you know,"

"Hmm...you know, I don't," Haley teased, "I guess you're just going to have to tell me...oh but wait, that would mean that you would finally admit it,"

Lucas threw a glare at her smiling face.

"Sorry. Look I know it's scary," Haley sat down beside her friend, "but you have to do it Lucas. Don't suffer in silence. It's the worse thing that you could do to yourself. Trust me,"

Lucas wondered if there was something else that Haley was talking about, "Are you ok?"

As natural as can be, Haley stood up and grabbed a cloth, "Yeah, fine," she started to wipe the already clean counter, "You on the other hand..." Haley looked up when she heard the bells to the café chime, "...have bigger things to worry about,"

Lucas turned around to see Jake walk in the door.

"Jake," Haley exclaimed, "You're back...look, Lucas, he's back," she nudged him before going over to give Jake a welcome back hug.

He covered up his initial shock and got up to greet Jake, "Hey, man. Glad to have you back...and you too," Lucas bent down to see Jenny.

"Thanks, man,"

Lucas stood up, "So, Peyton know you're back?"

"Yeah, we just came from her house actually," Jake put Jenny's carrier carefully down on a table. Haley began to play with Jenny, pretending to mind her own business. Jake took a step towards Lucas, "Peyton told me everything. I'm glad you were there for her Luke,"

"Yeah, me too," he answered as he rubbed the back of his neck. An awkward silence filled the room and it continued to grow when she walked into the café.

Peyton smiled weakly and stuck her hands in her pockets as she slowly walked over to her friends. Her eyes darted back and forth between Lucas and Jake.

"Hey, guys," Peyton said to Lucas and Haley.

Lucas gave her a nod before he quickly looking away.

"Hey, Peyt," Haley said before the room went silent again.

With perfect timing, Jenny's crying broke the tension in the room. Haley stepped back from the carrier, "I swear I didn't do it,"

Peyton laughed, "It's alright, I'll get her," she unbuckled Jenny from her seat and carefully lifted her up. Almost immediately she stopped crying.

Jake smiled and walked over. He wiped a tear from his daughter's eyes, "Looks like she just wanted you to hold her,"

Jenny grabbed onto Jake's finger and giggled. The scene caused Peyton to laugh.

Haley worriedly looked over at Lucas, who shook his head as he watch Peyton and Jake tend to Jenny. He couldn't watch anymore. He turned and quietly walked towards the kitchen where he could slip out unnoticed.

Seconds after he left, Jenny let go of Jake's hand. Peyton stepped forward, "Let's go see..." she looked to where Lucas was once standing. Her head turned to look at Haley, "Where did Lucas go?"

Haley sighed and shrugged.

A/N: sorry this one is short. I didn't get the next part finished and I want to make sure it's right before I post it. Hopefully it'll be up by tomorrow night. Enjoy and let me know what you think so far.