Summary: Jake, Lucas, and Nathan make sure the girls get home safely.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, aren't I special?

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Chapter Four: Changes

"Peyton…." Brooke mumbled and opened her eyes. She scrunched her nose when the wind blew a whiff of vomit into her nose. It wasn't far away, too close actually, it must be hers, she mused. "Gross..." She said groggily and tried to sit up. She felt hands on her back and turned to see Nathan's grim face. She wondered if he ever smiled, it seemed to be rare. He smiled sarcastically all the time, like Peyton, but she never saw a real smile. She always gave away smiles, hiding the true bitterness that lay beneath. Maybe he was hiding too. She blinked in confusion, unsure of where these thoughts were coming from. He lifted her into a sitting position. "Where's Peyton?" She asked vaguely, she had seen her a while ago, after she tried to kiss her. Why the hell she had tired to do that she wasn't sure. Nothing was clear right now, her head felt full.

"Lucas took her home." Nathan said emotionlessly, watching her upper body sway back and forth. This was the second night in a row he was looking after Brooke; it had to be a world record. Peyton had never let him take care of her, but Brooke didn't seem to mind. She seemed to thrive on the attention. He wasn't a hero and Brooke wasn't a damsel in distress, they had just been forced into the roles through circumstance. His mouth twisted at the irony of the whole scene.

"Wonder boy strikes again," she muttered to herself. A cool breeze blew and she shivered slightly and realized his hands were still pressed to her back. It made her feel warm, less alone. Not that she needed anyone she was Brooke Davis after all. She hadn't needed anyone in a long time. At least not for anything more than a good fuck. She grinned at him mischievously, remembering her mission of the evening. She touched his arm lightly, but he shook his head. He's going to be a challenge, she thought. But that only made her want him even more.

"Come on, Brooke, let me drive you home."

"But the party has just begun," she stuck out her lower lip, watching the way his eyes lingered on her lip. It never failed, boys were always watching her. Every moment of every day she could feel their eyes on her breasts, lips, and ass. It made her feel good to be wanted, it only increased her desire to be everything they wanted. She felt her loins stir at the thought of him in her bed. And he would be, it was just a matter of time.

"I think you've had enough to drink," he stood up and pulled her with him. She leaned her body into his, letting him walk her to his car. "So wonder boy and Peyton are going to finally do it."

"What?" Nathan looked at her quizzically.

"He did take her home…." She grinned, watching him squirm. It brought her a tiny prick of pleasure knowing it bothered him that his brother was getting some when he wasn't.

"Brooke, Peyton almost drowned."

Her face paled visibly under her makeup, "Oh my god, she did? Is she okay? What happened?" She felt panic clutch her chest, breaking through the fog in her brain. If she lost Peyton she wouldn't know what to do. Maybe she didn't need anyone, but Peyton was as close as she came to that emotion.

"Just drunk and stupid. She'll be okay," he reassured her and absently patted the back of her head. "So let's get you home." He opened his car door for her and she slid in, sighing in relief.

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"So this is it, huh?" Jake turned his car off when he pulled up in front of Haley's house.

She nodded and smiled, "Thanks for putting up with me Jake."

"It was my pleasure," he smiled. "A friend of Luke's is a friend of mine."

"We should definitely hang out again," she gave him a shy smile. They had really gotten know each other at the party and she found she enjoyed his company. He didn't make her feel inadequate or uneasy. He hadn't been ashamed to introduce her to his friends; he had treated her as an equal. Something she had never felt with anyone but Luke. It made her feel less alone.

He paused momentarily, his thoughts going to his daughter Jenny. He wasn't sure how to tell Haley that he had an eight-month-old daughter. He hadn't been able to tell anyone, but he hadn't felt this guilty about keeping the information to himself with anyone else. She stared up at him with shining eyes and he couldn't help but think about how beautiful she was. He hadn't looked at anyone since Jenny had been born, but she had caught his attention with her wit and charm. He had noticed her around school, always helpful to those around her. That was what had made him invite her to the party tonight. She deserved something for herself. He blushed at his thoughts, he barely knew her, but he felt like he did. "I would like that." He stared at her house, noticing how empty and cold it looked, "Is no one home?"

She ducked her head sadly, "All asleep, no one waits up for me."

"It isn't that late."

"I—" she wasn't sure how to explain her family to him. Their peculiar habits and ways of living. "I'm not home much," she said instead, "Being one of twelve kids has its downfalls."

"Twelve kids, huh?" He noticed her change of subject and went with it, it wasn't his business. He knew what it was like to have secrets.

"Yeah, and I'm the youngest." She almost said that they had stopped caring by the time she was born, but she held that back. What was it about him that made her want to tell him all her deepest and darkest secrets? Things that only Luke knew about her.

"I was an only child, it must be nice having so many siblings."

"Sometimes. Luke and I are closer than I am to my brothers and sisters, we practically spent our whole childhood together." She chuckled.

"You're lucky to have a friend like him."

"We both are." She smiled and opened her car door, "I'll see you later, Jake."

"I'll be seeing you Haley." The promise of tomorrow hung in the night air as she walked to her door. She looked back at him and waved before disappearing into her house.

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Lucas cradled her slim body close to his own. Her head rested on his shoulder and she whimpered as he carried her into the house, moving her head into the crook of his neck. Her breath came out in shallow puffs, tickling the hairs on his neck. His loins responded to the sensation, but he pushed it down. He carried her up the stairs, carefully as if she would break if he wasn't careful. He nudged her door open with his shoulder and stepped in, the broken glass on the carpet crunching beneath his shoes. He paused momentarily at the sound before walking over to her bed. He laid her on it gently, careful not to jostle her head as he did so. She rolled up into a tight ball and shivered inside her wet clothes. He pulled off her shoes and socks, bringing her legs out as he did so. He went to the hallway and dropped her shoes on the hardwood floor.

She opened her eyes slowly and tried to focus. Tried to remember what had happened, she was so cold. Her body, hair, and clothes were drenched; the smell of chlorine filled the room. How did she get here? She coughed, the motion only causing bile to rise to her raw throat. She tried to lift her head up, but she felt like it was glued to the pillow beneath her soaked head. She heard someone walking into her room and froze. Lucas' face entered her field of vision and she felt tears spring to her dry eyes. "Lucas…" her voice sounded scratchy and raw. She noticed his clothes and body were wet as well. She wanted to reach out and touch his face, he looked so tired, but she didn't. She couldn't. "What happened?"

"You fell into the pool at Tim's." He felt as if he were dreaming, he had been so scared she wouldn't wake up. When he had seen her eyes open, he had never felt that relieved in his life. But he didn't want to say or do anything to scare her, no matter how much he wanted to touch her. He had to remain distant or he'd make it worse.

She shook her head, trying to remember. Flashes of memory floated through her tired brain; water, his arms, and darkness. "You saved me." She said in awe, her heart felt raw and open. She was too weak to fight him, too tired to turn him away. She knew it would change tomorrow and by the look in his eyes he knew it too. But maybe for tonight they could pretend it was simple. Pretend she was normal and that she wasn't too broken to let him in.

"I'm not a hero, Peyton, I did what I had to do." His voice sounded strangled and weak. He looked into her eyes, searching their depths, looking into her soul. Her eyes were huge, filled with pain and fear. He knew that if he touched her right now, she would welcome his arms. Fall into his body and let herself get lost in the moment. But then the moment would end and she would hate him for it. Or maybe she would hate herself. The wall of ice and stone would go back up and he'd be no closer to her heart than he had been before. It would be like starting over, but worse. So he ignored the silent invitation in her eyes. "I'll help you into the bathroom, you could use a hot shower."

She nodded silently and let him help her up. Her hand burned in his as he led her to the bathroom across the hall. His hands were gentle, not asking for more than she was willing to give. Before she entered the bathroom she looked up at him, searching his face, trying to figure him out. But it was like trying to see through a mask. She closed the door behind her and looked in the mirror. Her skin was pale and her hair was matted to her skull. She slowly undressed, studying her body in the mirror. Too skinny, she poked the spaces around her collarbone. Too bony, she touched her shoulders and elbows. Her stomach was concave; she wished she could eat more. She never felt hungry anymore. A large bruise covered her ribs; she lightly touched it, wondering where it came from.

She stepped into the shower and turned the water on, letting the scalding water hit her skin violently. She felt dirty, not only from the alcohol, but her life. She couldn't remember a time when she was innocent and trusting like Lucas. He gave to her so easily and never took anything. She had stood before him two nights in a row, offering herself to him, and he had turned her away. At least he didn't want to take unless she could give him more than her body. He wanted it all, her fears, dreams, joys, sorrows, her heart, and her soul. She didn't know how to give him what he really wanted. She wished she could. His heart was so large and he wasted it on someone like her.

And he was still there, rescuing her, making sure she was okay. Unwilling to have sex with her for some reason. She hadn't realized what she had been asking for until he had told her to shower. And her body had ached with need. And something inside shifted and shivered when his eyes said no. She wasn't sure how she'd feel tomorrow, but tonight she was lonely. She wanted to give the only thing she knew how, her body. It was the only thing Nathan had ever wanted. He had never seemed interested in her mind or her art. So she had learned to shut those needs out. And now when someone was asking for them she didn't know how to give.

Lucas had been standing outside the door since she had gone into the bathroom. He didn't know what else to do, he didn't want to sit in her room and invade her privacy. He didn't want to damage the fragile bond that was holding them together. His heart felt like it were being torn in half because he could feel that she needed him, but she didn't know how to show it. Didn't know how to handle it. He didn't either; it scared him to need her this way. She'd never know that he needed her just as much, if not more, than she needed him. His heart ached in misery. He touched the door lightly and at that moment she flung the door open, she was only wearing a towel around her slender body. He stared at her in shock, his body responding to the sight in front of him, "Your turn." She said and walked around him. It took him several moments to realize what she was talking about.

She grinned to herself, satisfied that he had reacted to the sight of her. She had never doubted he wanted her, maybe he wanted too much and she didn't want enough. Or maybe she was afraid of what that could mean. She shook her head and went into the bedroom. Twenty minutes later she was dressed in sweat pants and a baggy sweatshirt, she was still feeling like hell warmed over, but better than before. She could move her head without wanting to pass out. Lucas peeked in the doorway, "I need some clothes…." His cheeks were stained with a faint blush and Peyton laughed at his embarrassment. Nathan had never let him see that side of him; he always covered it in bravado and mock confidence. "The room to your left is my dad's room, there should be some dry clothes in there."

Lucas walked into the room a few minutes later, wearing grey pajama pants that sagged around his legs and a white t-shirt that was two sizes too big. "How do I look?" He did a mock twirl in front of Peyton and she laughed. It was the first time that night he had heard her sound happy and it made him feel good that he could be there to hear that. To be the cause of it.

"Simply gorgeous, darling." She said in a fake accent and chuckled.

He flashed her a wide smile and looked at the clock on her nightstand. 12:45."Well I should be going, it's late." He didn't want to overstay his welcome.

She stared up at him, her eyes becoming wide once again. She didn't want him to go, she just didn't want to be lonely. She was so tired of being alone in that empty house night after night. To be without him, the only one who seemed to understand her. The silence was deafening, "Please…" she picked at a piece of invisible fuzz on her comforter, refusing to look him in the eyes, "Stay."

He stared down at her bent head; her drying curls cascading down her back. She looked so lost and vulnerable. Like that day she had told him about her mom. He knew it was rare for her to take down her guard and let someone see into her heart. He couldn't have left now if he wanted to, he could feel her heart crying out to him, the way his was reaching out for her. "Yeah," he said softly, "I'll stay."

She looked up at him and their eyes locked. They both knew that tonight it was going to be like this. She would let him stay, but nothing would happen. He would sleep on the futon in her room and she would sleep to feel better. But in the morning everything would be different, she would be far away and he'd be helpless. They'd figure it all out in the morning, but tonight they could cheat the day.

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Nathan looked over at Brooke as he pulled up in front of her house. Mansion was a better word for the Davis residence. He stared at the extravagant iron wrought fence lining the sidewalk and the large bushes that sat within its borders. His eyes shifted to her sleeping form on the seat beside him. She had either fallen asleep or passed out, he wasn't sure. She had squeezed her lithe body into a tight ball, her head resting on the window frame. He had wrapped his letter jacket around her shoulders to help warm her. She had buried her nose into it. He touched her arm, "Brooke, wake up."

She groaned, stuck her head out from under his jacket, and opened her eyes, "Five more minutes." He shook her arm again and she realized she wasn't in bed avoiding school; she was in Nathan's car. She squinted at him, trying to focus on his face, "Hey handsome." Even when she was hung over she couldn't forget her plan to land Nathan Scott. This might be the last time she'd have him alone for a while. She had to take advantage of the moment.

"Brooke, I'm not in the mood."

"I know how to fix that," she reached a long arm towards his lap, but he grabbed her forearm.

"Your parents could walk out here any minute,"

"Doubtful. 'Daddy'," she said spat out bitterly, "is probably out screwing a slut at the local bar and 'mommy' has probably passed out."

He stared at her in silence; he had never realized her home life was bad. He had assumed her partying and sexual habits were a result of boredom. But the look on her face and the stab of bitterness to her voice told him otherwise. He felt a pang of sympathy for Brooke; maybe they were more alike than he thought. His mom didn't care what he did and his dad cared too much. He didn't know what it'd be like to have them both not care. Sometimes he thought it'd be nice to catch a break. "I'll help you inside then," She stuck out her lower lip, chewing on it, afraid he'd see her mother in another one of her drunken fits. Peyton was the only one at school who knew how her parents were. She liked to pretend her life was dull and perfect. He noticed the worried expression on her face, "I'm not asking, you may pass out in the doorway otherwise."

She nodded her head numbly and he got out of the door, coming to her side. He helped her out of the car and into the house, pressing his weight against hers; afraid she'd fall if he didn't. The front hall was large and cold, like a museum. And he had thought his house was unwelcoming, he couldn't imagine coming home to this everyday. He helped her to her room. It was large and heavily decorated with satins, lace, and fur, just as he had expected it to be. Instead of gaudy it seemed soft and feminine, a part of her that seemed to be hidden from the world. He still held her arm, keeping her steady, refusing to let go until they got to her bed. She sat down and pulled his jacket closer around her shoulders, not willing to give it back just yet, it made her feel safe. She shook her head, trying to erase the feeling of security that enveloped her, "I'll see ya, Davis."

He turned to leave and she stopped him, "What about your jacket?"

"You can give it back to me Monday." He turned back to the doorway and was about to go through it when he heard her call out softly, "Thanks, Nathan." He nodded his head, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

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A/N: Thanks to everyone who keeps reviewing my work! I greatly appreciate it and I love feedback. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I worked hard on trying to show a new level to each relationship. I like to think they're all different and unique so I enjoy hearing what you all think of them. If you read, please review.