A/N: Thanks to all my loyal reviewers! I love the ones I hear from every chapter. And shout out to Summer who took time out of her busy life to review. Hug LOL. And if any of ya'll have friends you think would like this tell them to read and review. I am trying to get more reviews that way I know I should continue. I also wanted to apologize for the spelling and grammer mistakes in the last couple f chapters. I'm not an idiot I promise. Most of the time at least. My computer crashed and I lost Microsoft Word. I have been using Notepad which doesn't have spell check and formats things weird for I had to fix it but I missed some stuff. So sorry again. Okay so this is JP and next up is an NH chapter. Let me know if you guys would rather get long updates like once a week or these shorter updates every couple days. I write more at once then I post but I'm scared I'll use up all my good stuff in one chapter. I'm paranoid. LOL. Okay on with the story!

Chapter 9: We Belong Together

Jake's POV

Being back in Tree Hill was strange. So many things had changed. It's funny because that was exactly the same thing I thought last time I returned. But this time it was for good. I told Peyton the same thing last time as well, but the circumstances were out of my control. I hadn't expected Nikki to come back into my life a second time. That was all in the past now. I had full custody of Jenny and Nikki was proved unfit in court. When I left Tree Hill to find her and my baby, I didn't have to look far.

Nikki didn't know which way was up and even her parents didn't respect her choices. She had lied to them about where she had been as well so they were no longer on her side. I called them and they told me where she was. They traced her credit card to a hotel in South Carolina. She hadn't gotten too far before she realized she had no plan and no where to go. She didn't even have a job or any money. How was she going to take care of Jenny. Once I found her I called the police and they brought her in.

A few weeks had passed before we were able to get a hearing. Then the next thing I knew a couple months had gone by before it was over. Turns out Nikki was still drinking, doing drugs, and sleeping with many men. When these things were brought up in court, the judge could do nothing else then release Jenny to me. I missed Peyton every day while I was gone. But I didn't let myself call her. I had to let her move on. I had told her I wanted good things, better things for her. And she wasn't going to do that with thoughts of me still in her mind. It was so hard for me and I knew the same had to be for her, but this was best.

I have left and came back too many times in our short relationship. But no matter how short it was, I feel like our love could have lasted forever. And it was more real than anything I had every experienced. I never even felt close to that with Nikki. Sure she gave me a daughter that I love with all my soul, but Peyton brought me alive again. At 16 years old I had already been crushed and thought I could never feel for anyone again. Peyton showed me that was wrong. Even though she would always be in my mind and my heart, I had almost let go of the idea of being with her. That was until I got the phone call that changed my life.

Flashback

During these last couple months with the hearing and all I had needed a place to stay. Money was really tight. My parents were already spending thousands on my legal defense and they couldn't give me much for rent and to take care of Jenny. I had her temporarily on the grounds that I would stay in the state and show that I could provide for her. So I had to get a job. Then I found that I liked it here. I ended up moving to Charleston and it was really beautiful. I had been there on vacation when I was younger and I also remember Lucas telling me he enjoyed it the one day he lived here.

I even liked my job. Or should I say jobs. I worked at a music shop fixing guitars which was great because I got to work on my music. Then I also couched a little league basketball team at the YMCA. Then of course I was finishing school in the evenings. I had gotten so settled in and I didn't want to uproot again. So I decided to stay once I got Jenny for good. Peyton popped into my head every day. I wondered how she was and what she was doing. She sent me emails from time to time, just like before, but again I never answered them. I didn't want either of us to have false hope.

It was late one night after work and picking up Jenny at daycare when the phone rang. It could only be a few people. The only people that I know are my parents, my jobs, and the daycare. After a couple rings, I put Jenny down in her playpen and answered.

"Hello."

"Is this Jake?"

I didn't recognize the voice. And every time that happened I got suspicious. I was always paranoid that Nikki found her way out of whatever hole she had dug herself into.

"Can I ask whose calling?"

"This is Larry Sawyer."

"I'm sorry, I don't know a Larry Sawyer.."

"I'm Peyton's dad."

All of a sudden I went completely silent. My throat was too dry to talk and I was in too much shock to think.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

I contemplated hanging up but maybe this was important. Why would Peyton's dad be calling me?

"Yes I'm here."

"So this is Jake?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad I was able to reach you."

"How did you get this number? I never gave it to Peyton."

"I know. Actually Peyton doesn't even know I am calling you. I got it from your parents."

"I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but can I ask why you are? I haven't spoken to Peyton in months."

"That's just the thing Jake. There are some things you don't know about. Peyton was shot."

My heart stopped. I couldn't breathe.

"What? Is she okay? What happened?"

"She's fine. Well physically she'll be fine. There was a shooting at school. A kid held some hostage and killed a man. Peyton got caught in the cross fire. You might even know them. Jimmy Edwards and Keith Scott."

"Lucas's uncle Keith?"

"Yeah so you did know him?"

"I had met him a few times. Oh my God how awful. Do you know how Lucas is handling it?"

"Well I haven't really seen him lately and Peyton tends to keep to herself where he is concerned.

"Wow. And I knew Jimmy Edwards. He used to hang out at the basketball games with Mouth. I can't believe this."

"So Peyton's okay though?"

"She'll recover from the bullet wound but not from her broken heart. She is keeping a lot inside of her and doesn't really have anyone to turn to. Everyone is dealing with there own experience in the incident and of course Keith's death. To her, her problems shouldn't be anyone's concern. That's where you come in."

"Sir?"

"Like I said before Jake, Peyton doesn't talk about any boyfriends to me. But she talked about you. She told me all about you and how much you meant to her. That makes me think you had something special. That you still have something special. Just so you know, she hasn't taken that drawing of you down in all these months. I still catch her looking at it every day. She hasn't moved on. And she needs you. She needs someone who loves her. From all that I have seen and heard, it seems you two belong together. God knows I have tried to do all I can, but I hardly know my daughter these days. Although, I believe you do. She's getting released from the hospital Thursday at five. I was thinking maybe you could…"

"I'll be there."

TBC