I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the reviews; OTH.daddy'sgurl06, Falconwolf3( Hope everything is going okay.) and HaleyBub(Your reviews always make me smile.) Here is the next chapter. I think we are slowly but surely coming to an end. I think there is going to be 12 chapters. You will see a lot more "roadtrip scenes" in the next chapter. My goal is to get 6 reviews... Is that too much to ask? So tell your friends. Hope you enjoy.The chapter title isa title of a song by Jack's Mannequin... I do not own Jack's Mannequin or OneTree Hill. indicates a linefrom I'm Ready. Okay NOW enjoy.

Alison

Chapter 8: I'm Ready

Ever since Brooke had told Peyton that she was going to take her to Jake's house, she was nervous as hell. She didn't know what she was going to do.

"How do you know where Jake is anyway?" Peyton asked with a sense of curiosity in her voice.

"Well, I made a few calls."

"I guess that the wise B. Davis never tells her secrets."

"That's right ," Brooke said with a slight chuckle.

They pulled up to a small, but nice brick house. It had a "homey" touch to it. It had a wonderful hanging flowerpot and a colorful garden in front. Peyton being the over- analyzing person that she was she starting getting into deep conversation with herself.

In all the years I have known Jake I have never seen him plant a single sunflower or any other thing that resembles a flower. She paused letting herself put the put the pieces together. Maybe he was married with three kids named Jenny, Benny, and Lenny; with a step-ford housewife which washes all the dishes, cleans the house, takes care of the garden, and still has time to take the kids to soccer practice and be a perfect mother. Once again she paused for a moment from her insanity. They were sitting in his supposed driveway. I have been spending way too much time in this car , Peyton thought to herself before getting out.

Brooke was staring at her wide-eyed. She didn't know whether she should push her to go so she kept her mouth shut for the moment. Brooke pushed her weight on the door of her best friend's car and got out. She went to the opposite side and opened Peyton's door. She gave Peyton a few silent words of encouragement.

Trying to regain her composure of mind, Peyton didn't realize or know how she made it all the way to his doorstep. Brooke knocked at the dark green door and walked right through.

"Oh , J.J., I brought someone that you might be interested in seeing," she said with some satisfaction in her voice because she had pulled off this little surprise.

"Since when do you call him 'J.J.'? Peyton's eyes darted to her friend.

"I needed a nickname; so sue me." She darted her glistening eyes right back at her. "Get it ? J.J. Jake Jagielski," she said this slowly so that Peyton got the joke.

"Oh you could have fooled me B."

Peyton was going to mock Brooke some more, but she was stopped short because her eyes had been presented with the gift of Jake.
His eyes automatically locked with her hazel eyes and all of their memories from last year rushed back to them. They were instantly in love again.

"This is..."

Please don't let him say wife or girlfriend or anything in the category of relationships, Peyton thought.

" Jenny," he said with a smirk on his round face.

Jenny struggled to walk out into the living room, but none-the-less got there and stayed on her two tiny legs.

Peyton's mouth gaped open and couldn't believe that her vision was correct. She picked Jenny up and brought her to her chest. Jenny was still wiggling her feet as if she was walking on the floor. "Hi Jenny ; hi," Peyton said while she played with her small hands.

xxx

After the "Oh my God" 's and "She's so big" 's had been let out, Brooke decided to leave.

"Peyton, call me with the details and I figure we could leave for the road tomorrow around two in the afternoon. So I will maybe pick you up then." She paused for a moment waiting for one of them to at least acknowledge that she was leaving. "And remember you two; I know when you guys have had sex. And if I know He knows," she said this while pointing to the sky as if she didn't want him to know she had done this gesture.

With that said Peyton turned her head around and shot her a joking look. Peyton gave her a hug and said, "I'll call you with the details."

"Okay, bye Goldilocks," she told her in her natural cheery voice.

"Brooke, when are you going to get me a new nickname? I have not one curl on my head anymore."

Brooke shrugged her shoulders and looked at Jake. "J. J." She nodded at him and was out of the door in a matter of seconds.

While Brooke was having her meltdown, Peyton and Jake were just catching up.

Jake approached Peyton. He cupped the sides of Peyton's face and kissed her forehead lightly. They stood that way for several minutes, taking in each other and their surroundings. Jake put his broody forehead against Peyton's and she looked up at him just with her eyes, but he was already looking back.

Peyton felt as if she was high, but this time it wasn't from drugs. Hell, this was better than being high on drugs. She was in love all over again. Her mind never ceased to wonder if this was not right.

I already have these feelings for him when I've just seen him for the first time in God knows how many months. I can't keep wearing my heart on my sleeve because it will just get broken into little pieces again.

My life has become a boring pop song and everyone is singing along.

She backed away swiftly from Jake realizing that she was moving to fast.

Jake was puzzled for a spilt second, but tried not to show it. He wanted to kiss her so badly. He was fighting the temptation for now, but he didn't know how much longer he could go without crashing his lips quickly onto hers. Who knows, she might have a boyfriend whose name was something like Spencer or Gavin. Some emo, guitar playing freak. He probably doesn't even know how to play the guitar ; he just carries the case around because he thinks it looks "cool." Jake was getting more and more flustered just thinking about it

"Well, I have to take Jenny to Nikki's, but you're welcome to come along or you can stay here."

"Jake as much as I want to be with you-"

"No, no I totally understand." Jake turned to walk away feeling like a total loser. This was the second time he had been rejected in a matter of twenty minutes.

"It's just I've been in a car for twelve hours straight and-"

"Oh yeah, that's fine," he said easing his expression and his feelings of rejection. "Make yourself at home and I'll be right back sweetheart." With that said he was out the door. After he was out of sight, he hit himself on the forehead about twenty-one times and let out a sigh of frustration. "Sweetheart." He hit himself in the head again. "What the hell was I thinking ?" His next door neighbor gave him a crazy stare. "Stupid," Jake said while stepping foot into his car.

xxx

Peyton sat on his brown couch and literally twiddled her thumbs for five minutes. She stood up and slowly started to walk around. Feeling more and more guilty with each step she took. She finally approached what seemed to be Jake's room. The wall was dark blue and had a king size bed with alternating stripes of dark and light blue. Of course, there were all the normal things in a room like a desk, nightstand, and a dresser. There was one specific difference with this room. The difference was that there were sliver frames filling all around the wall. Most of were him and Jenny or of his buddies, but there was one in particular that had caught Peyton's eye. The only one that was not bolted up on a wall. It was on his nightstand. She walked up to it and placed the frame in her trembling hands. It was of her and Jake. She knew then that he did care and that he still had feelings for her. Whoever said that a picture told a thousand words was right.
"Peyton, I'm home."

She put the picture frame down on the wooden nightstand. "Jake," she said softly

"Are you hungry? I make a mean spaghetti." Jake of course being a guy, was oblivious to her recent feelings.

"No, no you sit, I'll cook," she ordered.

Jake could do nothing but listen. He sat down in his kitchen chair and watched. He did more than just watch her though. He took in her every movement she made. She moved with so much grace and beauty.

"Shit," Peyton said in a exasperated voice. "Ow, Ow. I cut myself while slicing the vegetables."

"Oh, Oh let me see." Jake came rushing to her rescue. "Let's go get you a band-aid , baby." He took her hand and led her into the bathroom.

"Here we go." Jake rummaged through some cabinets and finally found the box of band-aids. He took one of out the box and set it on the white sink. "Okay, give me your finger." He took her finger and ran it under warm water. Next, he got out some Neosporin and started to rub it on the swollen wound. Peyton winced in pain.
"You okay?"

"Yeah, it just stings."

"Well, I am going to put a band-aid on it and it will be as good as new." He got the band-aid off of the sink and undressed the wrappings. He wound up the band-aid around her small finger.

"Better?" he asked with the same grin as before .

"Actually Doctor Jake, I am."

Jake gazed into Peyton's eyes. There was such an intensity and heat between them. The attraction was inching them towards each other, neither one of them could stop. Not that either one wanted to stop. Jake's forehead softly hit against Peyton's. He looked into her eyes as if he could see right through her.

"I missed you, Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer." He didn't even give her enough time to answer before crashing his lips onto hers. He wrapped his trembling hands around her waist and lifted her onto the porcelain sink. He backed away for a second, making sure that this was okay. She intertwined her legs around his waist letting him know that it was. He roughly grazed his lips against hers. Both of their tongues fought for control. Peyton brushed her hands on Jake's back and pushed him even closer to her. She wanted them to be merged together, to be one person. Jake pushed her into himself to let her know that he was feeling the same way too. He snaked his hands around her stomach and then cupped her face. They could both feel their hearts racing and it felt so right. Peyton loved his kisses. There wasn't anything better at the moment. She was finally happy. He picked her up and brought her down to the ground. Their foreheads met again and this time both of their eyes gazed into each others. Instead of him motioning towards her, she inched her way to his soft lips.

"I love you, Jake." She said this with her mouth onto his so he could feel her words. It was like they were breathing as one now. It was her turn to not give him the chance to answer. She gave him a hard kiss and ran her hands through his silky hair. He was starting to kiss back when the doorbell rang.

"Don't get that," Peyton whispered huskily into his ear.

"I have to," he said even though his other half was saying not to.

He walked over to the door with Peyton behind him, holding onto his waist. "I'm ready, Jake. I'm ready to have a relationship with you," Peyton said as Jake was opening his front door.

"Peyton." She paused for a moment looking at Peyton with her red rimmed eyes. "Oh God, you were in the middle of something." She was sobbing hard now. Brooke turned around and walked at a very fast pace.

"Brooke!" Peyton let go of Jake and rushed out of the house. She finally got a hold on Brooke after sprinting towards her. "Come here." She took Brooke into her arms. Brooke was already crying on her shoulder. "I don't want to ruin everything." Her voice was muffled because of all the sobbing.

"It's okay, Brooke. What's wrong?"

"No, I am not going to ruin your day. I am going to be a good friend and not put my problems on you, while you are happy. Oh God Peyton, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She was getting louder with each word. "I need you. Did you hear me?" Brooke picked her head up slightly and said, "She did it again. She did it again, Peyton!" Brooke's head was already back on Peyton's shoulder and her back was moving up and down hard. Peyton looked back at Jake and gave him a look to let him know that it would be okay. She rubbed Brooke's back in little circles.

"Shh. It's okay. Shh. I'm here.