Sorry I couldn't get this update up sooner, but I came down with a nasty cold and then had some internet problems. I think I could have done better with this chapter, but it got my main points across and I don't really want to wait another day to post. So enjoy!

Chapter 6

With both her hands resting her in black leather jacket, Peyton waited nervously for the door to open. She didn't have anything planned to say – rehearsed speeches weren't her style. But now she was wishing it was because she had no idea what she was going to say to Brooke.

Peyton took in one last deep breath as she heard the door unlock and then watched it swing open, "It's about time, Mouth," Brooke announced who was also expecting Mouth McFadden. When she actually saw who it was, her face grew in surprise.

Peyton let out a smirk "Hey,"

Brooke covered her surprise face with a smile, "Peyton. You're back,"

"You don't look too happy, Davis," joked Peyton.

"No…I am. It's just…" Brooke felt uneasy but didn't want to let is show, "Come here," she pulled Peyton into a hug. "Merry Christmas,"

"Merry Christmas," Peyton let go of Brooke, "My dad is coming home, so we're going to spend Christmas in Tree Hill,"

"Oh…well that's good…cause I need all the help I can get with Clothes Over Bro's," the brunette suddenly held up a t-shirt with her company's logo on it.

"Hmm…for starters, the apostrophe has got to go,"

"Ugh, what are you, Tutor Girl?" Brooke walked back into the house, letting Peyton come in, "She said the same thing, but this is my company and the apostrophe stays,"

"Alright," Peyton shrugged, not really caring.

Peyton took a seat at the counter of the kitchen island. Brooke was on the other side of the counter, pulling printed t-shirts from a box.

"Well, I thought I'd come over to bring you your Christmas gift," Peyton held out a wrapped box for her friend.

"Oh, Peyton," Brooke said with a regretful expression on her face, "Thank you…but with the clothing line…I actually didn't have time to go Christmas shopping,"

"It's ok," laughed Peyton, "It's cool…I just wanted to give it to you before um…things get busy with um, the holiday and stuff,"

Brooke smiled as she happily took the package. She walked across the living room and placed in under the tree with the other gifts that had been wrapped by Haley.

"There's one more thing…" Peyton said as she stood up from her stool.

Brooke looked up from the tree and over at Peyton. "More presents for moi?"

"Um…no, actually, Brooke, I was hoping we could talk,"

"Yeah, of course. What's up?"

"Well…" she hesitated.

Brooke recognized the look in her face. "Let me guess…it's about Lucas,"

Peyton nodded, "How'd you guess?"

"Let's just say, I'm getting better at reading people's faces now,"

"Oh,"

"Look, I don't know what happened up at the cottage or what he said to you but I don't want to talk to him right now," she said sadly, "So if he asked you to talk to me…"

"Actually, he didn't," Peyton interrupted, "Actually I don't even know if you guys are back together or not…"

"We're not…I haven't heard from him since we left,"

Peyton bit her lip. A part of her was happy to hear the news but other part of her saw the hurt Brooke's eyes. Peyton looked down at the ground. If she was going to tell Brooke, there was no way she could do it while looking directly at her.

"Look, I came over to talk to you on my own…and I don't really know how to say it, but there's something I need to tell you,"

A sudden feeling of jealousy overcame Brooke. She began to wonder if something had happened while they were away. She folded her arms across her chest and waited for Peyton to explain.

"Last year, you asked me how I felt about Luke," Peyton slowly began, "and I never really gave you a straight answer... maybe because I didn't really know the answer.,or maybe because I was scared but the truth is, I was in love with him…and I don't know… at the cottage …"

"You slept with him?"

"What? No!" Peyton immediately denied, "Brooke…what I'm trying to say is that…I realized that I'm still in love with Lucas. My feelings, they never went away. He doesn't know it yet, but…I'm going to tell him,"

Brooke opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Although she wasn't surprised about Peyton's feelings, she was surprised at her own confusion.

"Wh…what if I asked you not to tell him?"

Peyton looked down. In a soft voice, "I can't do that, Brooke. Not any more,"

"So our friendship means nothing to you?"

"Brooke, it means everything to me…"

"Then don't do this Peyton. He's the only guy who has ever made me happy…and I'm not ready to give that up yet," Brooke choked out.

"I'm sorry, Brooke. I really really am," Peyton wiped her eyes as her lips quivered, "If I just loved him then maybe things would be different. But I don't just love him...I'm still in love with him,"

A soft thud came from the doorway. Both Brooke and Peyton looked up to see a bouquet of flowers on the floor. A bouquet of flowers that was once held by Lucas Scott. Lucas was standing at the doorway with a surprised look in his eyes.

A sudden feeling of embarrassment came over Peyton. She hadn't expected for Lucas to find out like this. She didn't know what to do next so she only did what was natural to her; she ran out of the apartment, brushing right past Lucas.

Still in shock himself, it took Lucas a moment to compose himself. He then turned around and started after Peyton.

"Wait, Lucas," Brooke called out.

Lucas stopped at the doorway and looked at Brooke.

"We were…she was talking about Jake,"

The look of hope slipped from his eyes. His head lowered and his pursed his lips together in disappointment. A soft bitter laugh escaped him as he shook his head.

"Lucas, I'm sorry,"

He nodded and held out his hand, asking Brooke not to come closer. With his hand on the door, he gently closed it behind him. His heart had just been on an emotional rollercoaster that lasted only a few seconds but it was enough for him wanting to be alone.

Lucas leaned on the railing and looked out over the parking lot below. From above, he watched Peyton drive quickly out of the parking lot.

The events that night replayed through her head over and over. She couldn't believe how easily the words flew right out of her mouth.

"Now you've really done it," her conscience suddenly said.

"I didn't mean it," Brooke said through spilt tears, "but it's not fair…it's not fair that Lucas is only pretending to love me…it's not fair that I can't have someone care about me like that,"

Brooke's conscience, who was dressed in a tight and revealing red outfit sat down beside Brooke in her bed. It still weirded Brooke out that her conscience looked nothing like herself at all. In fact it looked exactly like how Rachel looked dressed up as Pamela Anderson. "I know it's hard," she sighed, "But you know how this will all end up in the future if you stay with Lucas,"

"But what if I change? What if I make Lucas fall in love with me? What if we move out of Tree Hill?" Brooke wondered.

"What if Lucas Scott never met Peyton Sawyer?" she mocked, "You know it wouldn't matter…cause they'd end up meeting at some point in their lives…look the point is, no matter what you do, in the end, it will always be Peyton and Lucas, not Brooke and Lucas happily ever after,"

Brooke couldn't believe how mean and how harsh her conscience was, but being Brooke Davis, she wasn't going to give up the fight, even if she was battling herself, "But I can't just turn off my feelings…besides how do we know he doesn't really love me…I mean he came over to see me, not Peyton…and he came to bring me flowers, not Peyton,"

"And then what happened when he saw Peyton? What happened when he heard what Peyton said?" her conscience reminded her.

Fresh tears began to fill her eyes.

"Exactly how did Lucas look when you lied to him and said that Peyton was talking about Jake? Did you see his face? How sad he looked?"

"Why are you doing all this? Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

"I am," she replied as she flipped her faux blonde hair, "I'm trying to save ourselves from an unhappy future,"

"I can change it," Brooke said defiantly.

"Brooke really…I mean we're good, but we're not that good," she laughed. "I mean we dated the guy twice and he still goes back to her…he still loves her…Besides exactly what are you going to say when Lucas finds out that you lied to him? Do you really think we still have a chance after what you did? And what about Peyton?"

Her conscience stood up, "Peyton is supposed to be our best friend Brooke…or did we just say that to get back at her? Because when was the last time we were ever really there for her?"

Brooke thought for a moment, trying to remember the last time she and Peyton seriously talked. Even before the triangle evolved, they never really had a real conversation…at least not since high school started.

"But do you want to know what my real question is?" The conscience plopped herself back down on the bed beside Brooke. She looked at Brooke and then handed her a stack of photos of random guys Brooke had kissed over the summer, "Do we really love Lucas or do we just want to keep them apart?"