Chapter Five: Auction Rules

Peyton closed her cupboard, preparing to go to bed. She unfolded the sweat pants she had taken out and felt her foot knock into something. She threw the pants onto the bed and bent down to find the offensive object. It was her web cam.

Peyton sighed and put the web cam back on her table. Ever since she had got home, she had been thinking about Jake (well, more like ever since she had left his house), but now instead of going to bed with thoughts of Jake's lovely face she'd be remembering how she was the worst best friend in the world. And it had been such a wonderful night.

It had been a wonderful night, Peyton thought. She was still a little surprised at herself for actually telling Jake her ugly secret about how she had treated Brooke. Thankfully, he had seemed okay with it. 'However, 'seemed' was a little different than actually being okay with it,' Peyton reminded herself. And Peyton didn't know if he was. Maybe that explained why he had only kissed her on the forehead. Not that she objected. And he had been totally sweet when he said 'goodnight' – her face brightened just thinking about it – but, she wouldn't have objected to a kiss a little lower down.

It was then that she heard a tapping on her bedroom door. She swiveled on her foot, a little worried, but her worry turned to surprise when she saw the intruder.

"Hi!" her voice went up several pitches.

"Can I come in?

"Uh, yeah, of course."

Jake smiled and walked inside her room till her was standing a few paces in front of her.

Peyton stared at him. "What are you doing here?" she finally asked.

"Auction rules."

"Huh?"

"Well, after you left I remembered the auction rules…we have to kiss at midnight."

Peyton felt her heart start beating faster. "Oh…yeah." She glanced hastily at the clock. It was less than a minute to midnight! Jake took a few steps forward, and Peyton moved closer to him. "Well…" she said, "rules are rules."

Jake nodded slightly, his head inching towards hers. "Rules are rules."

Peyton closed her eyes as she felt his hand brush away her hair from her face. He closed the final distance between them and kissed her softly, sweetly.

When they broke apart they stared at each other for a few moments. "So I guess since its midnight I don't own you anymore," Peyton blurted out eventually.

"I guess not," Jake agreed.

"So…you get to do what you want."

"Yeah…"

"What do you want to do?" she asked, too desperate to know the answer to not ask.

"I want to stay here," Jake said.

"You do?"

"Yeah…actually I didn't just come here for the rules," he admitted.

"You didn't?"

Jake shook his head. "I like you Peyton," he told her. Peyton stared at him for a few moments, speechless. "Could you say something?" he asked nervously.

"I like you too," she grinned and jumped up; kissing him so passionately that they both lost their balance and Jake fell backwards onto her bed, pulling Peyton down with him.

"Oh my God!" Peyton sat up. "Are you okay?"

Jake grinned up at her. "I'm fine. Come here." He put his hand in her hair and pulled her back down so they could resume kissing.

Peyton smiled and kissed him back, blissfully happy for the first time in longer than she could remember. "Hey – if you're here where's Jenny?"

"My parents are watching her."

"Wait – so you told them you were coming here? And they were okay with that?"

"I didn't say I was coming here specifically, I just said that I had something I had to do, and I might not be back till morning so –"

"Till morning huh?" Peyton teased.

Jake realized how that sounded and quickly tried to refute that statement. "No, that's not what I meant. I don't expect you to – I mean, I don't think we should – not that I don't want you, Peyton, because, clearly, that's not the case, it's just – I mean, I didn't come here thinking – I just wanted to see you," Jake said finally.

"Well, I glad you came," Peyton told him and gave him a chaste kiss. "And you are welcome to spend the night…if you want."

"I…" Jake took a deep breath. "I would like to spend the night…but just to sleep. I realize I might lose cool points for saying this but, I just want to go slow."

"Have you forgotten already; you don't have any cool points!" Peyton reminded him. "But, baby, you do now." Jake grinned and lifted his head up to kiss Peyton. "And, hey!" she said excitedly, "now I have something cool to tell Jenny about her dad."

Jake looked worried. "You're going to tell Jenny about our sex life?"

Peyton turned red. "Right…that wouldn't be a good idea."

"Probably not."

……………

Haley walked out of her bathroom, changed into a tank top and pajama bottoms. She pulled back the cover on her bed, about to get in when she heard a tapping noise which seemed to be coming from her bedroom door. She opened it, thinking her mother wanted something, but no one was there. Haley decided that she must have imagined it and closed the door. She tried to get into bed for the second time, but she heard the noise again, only this time it was more insistent and she was sure it was coming from…the window?

Haley tip-toed to the window and pulled back the curtains to reveal her smirking boyfriend. "What are you doing here?" she demanded in a harsh whisper after opening the window.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Nathan pouted.

"My parents are home!"

"But, I had to come – auction rules."

"Huh?"

"We're supposed to kiss at midnight."

"Oh yeah…you're right. Goodnight, now," Haley made to shut the curtains.

"Haley!" Nathan whined.

"Yes?"

Nathan took advantage of the fact that Haley had leaned towards him when she said that and tried to kiss her, but she moved her head back just in time so all he got was a pain in his neck from stretching too far. "What did you do that for?"

"It's not midnight yet."

Nathan frowned, but Haley kept her eyes on the clock. It was ten seconds to midnight. Nathan forced himself to wait, crouching on her ledge till 3 seconds were left, before cupping her face with his hands and pulling it towards his. Haley began to protest, but from the moment his mouth covered hers she stopped and lost herself in the kiss. A good thirty seconds later, Nathan pulled back. Not because he particularly wanted to, but because there was a very good chance he would have fallen off the ledge if he hadn't.

"Mmm…" Haley stared at Nathan dreamily. "Now are you gonna tell me why you're really here?"

"I told you – auction rules."

"And that's the only reason why?" Haley raised one eyebrow up, something she had learned from him.

"Yes."

"Okay, then. Goodnight, Nathan."

When he hands reached from the window Nathan intervened. "But, now that you mention it…"

"Yes?"

"Maybe I could…stay over?"

"Nathan!"

"I have before."

"My parent's weren't here then. And you had just collapsed. You have your own apartment now. You should be there."

"But, you're not at my apartment."

Haley softened at this, but then started arguing again. "No, don't think you're getting in just with that. Go to your apartment, Nathan."

"But I miss you –"

"But –"

"Please, baby, it's cold –"

"But –"

"Please, Haley? I won't ask to stay again."

"You won't?" Haley was very cynical about that. And she also didn't think she wanted it to be true.

"Well, actually, I probably will," Nathan admitted, "but it's only because I miss you."

Haley was about to protest again, but Nathan gave her his best puppy-dog face and despite herself her resolve gave way. "You have to promise you won't make too much noise."

"I promise."

Haley helped Nathan get in before she closed the window and curtain behind him. He took a few steps forward, and slipped on something, landing on the ground, back first, with a loud thud. "Oh my God, are you okay?"

Nathan nodded slightly, to calm Haley down, even though he could still feel some stinging in his back.

Haley looked for what he had slipped on and picked up a pen she had accidentally dropped on the floor. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said when she saw it. "Are you sure you're okay?"

From Nathan's position, Haley's back was right next to his head. And with the way she was bending over to get the pen, her tank top had stretched upwards, revealing her smooth skin and the little '23' on her lower back. Nathan smirked. "I'm fine now."

Haley turned around, not understanding his reply. "Are you sure? Let's see if you can stand okay."

She helped him up, and Nathan found that standing was not a problem, expect for a slight twinge in his upper back. "Yeah, it's fine."

"Good. Now, let's get into bed before we end up making more noise." Haley crawled into bed, and watched Nathan as he toed off his trainers and socks, and then followed her inside. Once he was under the covers Haley turned on her side to rest her head on his shoulder, and draped her arm across his chest. Nathan responded by putting his arm around her waist.

"So what do you think about me getting a tattoo?" he joked.

"A tattoo?" Haley exclaimed. "Like, any tattoo?"

"Maybe. Or I could get one to match yours," he smirked.

"Hmm…so would it say 23 or 32?"

"Why 32?"

"So then whenever we stood next to each other it would either say 23,32 or 32,23. I know! You could get one of 23 backwards."

"Haley, 32 is 23 backwards."

"No, but I mean a mirror reflection of 23. Of course, then you'd have to get yours in the same place I got mine."

"I'm not sure about that. I mean, it looks totally hot on you, but if I ever got a tattoo, I think I'd get it higher up on my back. Like near my shoulder."

"Ooh!" Haley got so excited that she sat up. "Then you can get a winged lion."

"A what?"

"A winged lion. It's a lion with wings."

"Why would I want to get that?"

"Angel has one."

"Who's that?"

"Angel! From 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'. He has a tattoo on his upper back of a winged lion. Although, I can't remember the last episode I saw it on him. Actually, I can't remember the last episode of 'Angel' I saw where David Boreanaz was shirtless." Haley put her hand on her chin, in thought.

"Okay…let me get this straight," Nathan said pointedly. "You're in bed with me, your boyfriend, and you're trying to remember the last time you saw some old TV star shirtless? Are you trying to tell me something Hales?"

Haley giggled at Nathan's irritation and kissed him on the lips. "I'm sorry, baby. I was just trying to remember for the tattoo. No, really," she added when Nathan raised his eyebrows at her. Nathan began to grumble, but was pacified when Haley kissed him lovingly. She put her head back on his shoulder and sighed. "Besides, it's not like you're really going to get a tattoo anyway."

"I know! I'll get a tattoo to match yours if you get a ring to match mine."

"What ring? You don't wear rings?" Haley said, looking at his hands.

"A nipple ring-Ow!"

"Be quiet! My parents will hear you."

"But, you pinched me."

"Well, you shouldn't have said that."

"It was just a joke - although it would definitely look hot on y-ow! Ow! I'm kidding, Haley, I'm kidding! Jeez."

"Goodnight, Nathan."

"Goodnight, Haley." He kissed her forehead before whispering, "I love you."

"I love you too."

The end

A/N: That's it! Thanks for all the reviews – I didn't expect for this little story to get as many as it did, but I'm not complaining!  Mwah! I love you all. (If I just freaked you out, remember, I'm sick right now, so it's really just the antibiotics talking.)