2006
Tree Hill, North Carolina
The music of Gavin DeGraw blared loudly in the background from the custom speakers of Brooke Davis' convertible Volkswagen Bug. The weather was warm, the sky clear and dark, full of bright stars and the lyrics of "I Don't Want To Be" set the stage providing the perfect soundtrack. Lucas Scott grinned over at his girlfriend as he changed into more appropriate sports oriented clothing.
"What?" he asked.
She shrugged.
"Nothing. Just admiring how hot you look. And changing clothes in public? Now you're definitely starting to act like me. That's one of my moves, Broody."
He leaned over and kissed her.
"Let's just say I'm glad that both your good influences and your bad ones rubbed off on me."
Brooke sighed as she looked straight ahead, the lights of downtown casting a beatific glow across the river.
"I can't believe this. God, I can't believe this day finally came. It's like four years came and went in a hurry. Just yesterday it seems we were starting senior year and now today we walked across that stage."
"I know. It's hard to believe it's all over."
"Everything is happening so fast. Tomorrow we all leave to party at Myrtle Beach for Senior Week with our friends, then it's off to enjoy the last summer before college."
Lucas nodded.
"I know. That's why it was so important that we come here tonight. You know what this place means to me. The River Court is my home and it always will be. No matter what happens or where I go or what I do with my life, this is where I started and this is where I belong."
Brooke smiled at him as she saw the other guys already bouncing a ball and joking around on the asphalt. She looked into Lucas' eyes and knew exactly what he meant. There of course was a time when the sentimental value of what the night meant to him, to all of them on that court by the river, would have meant little or nothing to her. But she was a different Brooke Davis.
The last two years of high school had changed her drastically. She was no longer the clique leading, fickle minded, materialistic, shallow, but good hearted slut of a cheer captain. Something inside her had just clicked and turned the tables on everything. Maybe it was falling in love with wrong side of the tracks, Lucas Scott. Maybe it was him cheating on her with her trusted best friend that forced Brooke to find herself. Perhaps it was the unexpected victory of winning the senior class presidency along with the chance to follow through on promises and change Tree Hill High for the better. Maybe it was the introduction of short term lover, Felix Tagaro, into her life or the turning point may have been when her parents temporarily lost their money. The last thing the pretty brunette ever expected was to live on her own in an apartment with Haley "Tutor Girl/Wife" James Scott for senior year while her parents resided all the way in California. But life had a funny way of changing its pace and turning the proverbial apple cart upside down.
Mentally and emotionally, she had grown by leaps and bounds. She was still the same fun loving, good hearted, easy going cheer captain but at the same time a more mature Brooke had emerged and she was free to be the goal oriented, trustworthy, reliable class president as well. Boys were still fun, but they had been downgraded from top priority to favorite hobby. And a new Brooke who had once looked at college as only a way to expand new horizons to party, now had her sights set on a career in fashion design. No one had ever guessed Brooke would have known how to turn on a sewing machine, much less use one but the crafty and talented senior had surprised everyone, including herself, by taking random sketches of everything from underwear to concert jerseys to couture dresses and turning them into a young entrepreneur's dream. Clothes Over Bro's was the title and along with the help of her friends, a website selling the trendy styles was up and running in no time. It had catapulted Brooke into the limelight, winning her the title of North Carolina's Outstanding Small Business Owner along with an all expenses paid trip to New York City during Fashion Week where her designs were modeled in the invitation only Rogue Vogue. It was the beginning of a real future and real accomplishment and before she knew it, Brooke Davis had been accepted by New York University.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she winked. "Go get 'em, Boyfriend."
Lucas couldn't resist tasting those sweet, sexy lips one more time before running onto the paved court. She was more than his good luck charm but by all standards, the love of his life as well. At the tender age of 18 it had been a bold statement to make but he knew in his heart of hearts it was all true. Brooke Davis was it for him and he was the guy for her as well. When they had first dated during junior year, on his part he had welcomed the distraction from the stress of basketball and real life and of course he had more than welcomed the sex. She was a nice enough girl and he really liked her but his soul had been inexplicably connected to her fellow cheerleader and best friend, Peyton Sawyer. When Peyton had turned him down, he had turned to Brooke but his true feelings had never truly disappeared. Like a moth to a fire, the raging flames of their mutual desire could not be extinguished. And on the eve of the day that had planned to confess all to Brooke, a car accident had left Lucas fighting for his life.
He was the child of a single mother, a good boy who grew up to be a handsome young man. His entire life he had bore the surname Scott, a blatant difference to his mother's Roe. But with her head held high, she had named him after the father that had cruelly abandoned both of them and taken up with another family. For years while Lucas watched his mother struggle, while he wore Salvation Army hand me downs and bounced a ball on the River Court with the other kids from the supposed wrong side of the tracks, just a few miles over where Mercedes' parked in immaculate driveways next to the manicured lawns of near mansions, his own flesh and blood had resided comfortably.
It was the belief of Coach Brian "Whitey" Durham who had recruited and encouraged Lucas to don a Raven's uniform. And he had done so proudly and without shame, in spite of the obstacle that was his half brother, despite all the discouragement in the world from the father he had never known. Every sank basket and won game had been for the beloved mother who had sacrificed everything for him. And he had done it all with best friend, Haley James by his side.
The tables had turned and two extremely different worlds had collided. For a while he had lost his way and the man he so desperately wanted to be. A car accident. His father's heart attack. The establishment of relationships with both Dan and Nathan Scott. Dan's treachery. The secret that had driven away the only father, he had ever known, his uncle Keith. And then of course the fire.
But nothing had turned out to be as significant as Brooke Penelope Davis. They had repaired their friendship but as time passed, he began to see more. In her hazel eyes, he saw himself. It had taken forever to realize and then declare his love for her and two more eternities before she trusted him enough to take him back but she had and they had and it had been sheer perfection ever since.
"Good evening, everyone and welcome to Tree Hill's historic River Court for a historic game of basketball. I am Mouth McFadden and I am pleased to announce this spectacular match up of the town's greats, on what could be the last night these men ever set foot on this court together."
As always, there was Marvin "Mouth" McFadden. He had been a permanent presence on the River Court for years. A willowy and brainy shy kid, with a knack for public announcing had been playing the mock commentator ever since he had been old enough to hold a makeshift microphone. When the popular cliques and jocks had shunned him in the mainstream, he had found acceptance with the River Court guys. And when one of their very own, Lucas Scott, had made it to the high school big leagues, he had brought along with him the basketball playing true friends that had been there from the beginning. Along with notoriety and newfound popularity, Mouth had been named the Ravens official sports announcer, launching his broadcasts live on the web for all to enjoy.
He had gone through changes as well. The quintessential little brother of the group, he had managed to fit in and even score a hot girlfriend in uptight class officer turned beer guzzling party girl, Erica Marsh. And even with a broken heart, he had never lost sight of his college and career goals or the friendships he cherished or more importantly the new love of co announcer Gigi Silveri, who always smiling, sat beside her man on the bleachers calling the plays right along with him.
From a few feet away, a car seat sat on top of Peyton Sawyer's car. A beautiful little baby who had just turned a year old sat inside of it gurgling and cooing at the blonde who had been like a mother to her.
"Hi, Jenny. Hi, Sweetie Girl", Peyton playfully smoothed the child's hair.
Jake Jagielski, her boyfriend, walked up and gave her a pat on the bottom.
"What's up, sexy?" he grinned.
"Hey", she pretended to be offended. "Not in front of the k-i-d."
His lips brushed against hers and she smiled as she pulled him in a little closer, inhaling the rugged scent of his cologne. Looking into his eyes and the eyes of his daughter, Jenny, and suddenly everything was perfect in a world that had shown Peyton anything but perfection.
She was a walking contradiction. A ticking time bomb of teenage angst, the punk rock loving, blonde cheerleading co captain with the Colgate smile. It had started with the death of her mother, Anna, at age nine. From the moment of that untimely tragedy, her father, Larry, had been her rock. But lost in his own grief and on a mission to provide the best life possible for his beloved little girl, the man had spent days and weeks, sometimes months at a time out to sea working hard with his dredging company. Peyton had become accustomed to the silence, finding solace in her artwork and music as well as a hint of voyeurism where she could share her inner most feelings to the world through web cams and pod casts.
As the story is written, it was only fitting that the pretty, blonde cheerleader date the handsome, popular jock and that stereotype alone had gravitated her towards Nathan Scott. But it was an unstable world of teenage drama with fights and parties and make up sex. He had been an ass, much like his father but she had stayed with him just because. Then Lucas Scott had entered her life and everything once again had changed.
The friendship with Brooke had been the most solid and long term relationship she had ever had and it had all been risked for a guy. Not just any guy, but Luke. Although they were drawn together, for whatever reasons, it never seemed to be. They parted ways but remained the best of friends and more importantly, she was able to repair things with Brooke. But the loneliness was tangible and in her darkest hours, she had felt isolated from the world. She had wished for love and at rock bottom when she had turned to recreational cocaine use, Lucas, always knowing what to do had called Jake and he had returned to save the day like a true knight in shining armor.
He had moved in and along with him, little Jenny. At 17, Peyton had become an instant wife and mother but she had loved every minute of it. When it came time for them to leave, in her broken state, someone else had came into her life as well. Elizabeth "Ellie" Harp, the woman who had given Peyton life…then given that precious life away. Losing Jake and Jenny and coming to terms with being adopted had been a struggle in itself. But eventually she had warmed up to Ellie and found a new friend, even convincing her birth mom to get treatment for breast cancer. It was her first sense of contentment in what felt like years and then, right before second semester began, Jake and Jenny had returned…for good.
"This one is for my girls…both of you", Jake grinned as he bounced the ball on the pavement.
Peyton smiled at him, Jenny in her arms.
"Da da."
"See?" Jake screamed, jumping up and down with uncontained excitement. "That's my daughter! Did everyone hear what she just said? My baby can talk!"
Peyton playfully rolled her eyes.
"Babe, she's been saying it for a month now."
"I know", he shrugged "But it never gets old."
No, it never did get old. Some might say that Jake was living the domestic life of a man twice his age but he would only look at those people and shrug with a smile. He was happy. Life had never been so normal and normalcy was something he knew he'd never take for granted again.
His back story was unremarkable. He wasn't a protégé or a genius. There had been no major childhood diseases to overcome. Instead he had been an average kid, a polite and respectful boy to his parents and elders, a trusted friend, a decent student and a respected teammate. Life had been rather ordinary until the summer before junior year. That was when his two years older on again off again girlfriend, Nikki Reynolds, had announced she was pregnant with his child.
The repercussions of teenage sex had been a wake up call of sorts that had smacked him in the face. Overnight his world had changed and he had been forced to grow up and think not like a child but like the father of a child. Impending fatherhood through a 16 year old's eyes had been approached with dread and fear but all the doubts immediately erased themselves the moment his pink bundle of joy came kicking and screaming into the world. The first moment he ever held her and looked into her eyes, he swore he'd always be there to protect her.
If fatherhood was embraced by Jake, motherhood was coldly rejected by Nikki. She was a free spirited wild child college kid more concerned about keggers and the unsightly trail of stretch marks that pregnancy had permanently blemished her otherwise svelte body. She had turned over physical and legal custody of Jenny to Jake and disappeared without a trace within months. Picking up the pieces of her absence hadn't been easy and the only thing harder was when she reappeared months later out of the blue.
Without love blinding him through naively worn rose colored glasses, Jake could see her for what she really was. Nikki was a selfish, lying manipulator. She didn't care about their daughter but more about the fact that Jake had moved on without her. The need to control had brought out an ugly, unpredictable, vindictive side that left a trail of destruction like a natural disaster. She had seduced Lucas, picked fights with Peyton and kidnapped Jenny, forcing the young man to quit school and flee with the child.
Peyton and her dad had provided an out but all Jake found in Savannah, Georgia was loneliness, a couple of dead end jobs and the paranoia that came from constantly looking over his shoulder while on the run. Then he had received the ominous news from Lucas that Peyton was in trouble. Just the thought was enough for him to risk blowing his cover. He had to see about her. One look in those eyes and he knew it would be alright. She was home and so was Tree Hill. That's where he and Jenny belonged. The threesome lived happily ever after for a time being until Nikki returned, evilly desperate as ever. A nasty custody battle ensued that left the young man behind bars. On the day of his release, Nikki had emerged to taunt him and tell him that she was taking Jenny away forever.
It had broken his heart to leave Peyton but he had to. It killed him to see her stand on the balcony of TRIC nightclub with tears of despair streaming down her cheeks. But the only thing stronger than his love for Peyton had been his love for his daughter. Eventually he had caught up to Nikki and after months of battling in a courtroom, he had been able to prove her an unfit mother. Jake was granted sole custody and cleared to live anywhere he wished. He had returned to Tree Hill and Peyton almost immediately, busting his butt in the books to finish senior year and graduate with his friends. He had done so by the hair of his chinny chin chin with some support, good luck and a lot of help from a certain young tutor.
"Did I tell you how great you looked today giving your valedictorian speech?" Nathan smiled at his wife.
She blushed before kissing his lips.
"About 100 times."
"Then make it 101", he winked, pulling her close.
She stared into the prettiest pair of blue eyes she had ever seen.
"God, I love you so much."
And boy did she ever. Haley had known Nathan almost her whole life but the two had never spoken until that fateful day at the tutoring center. In a secret effort to help Lucas, she had made a deal with the devil and agreed to help the handsome, failing athlete on the condition that he cease the unfair harassment of his older brother and her best friend. He agreed and she had begun helping him but something amazing and unexpected happened along the way. Haley James fell in love and did the impossible in the process. She made Nathan Scott fall in love with her, of all people. It was a match everyone questioned but their young love had stood the test of time.
He had his many faults and he often screwed up but she was always there to forgive with care and understanding. Haley was a calming and sweet influence on Nathan's life while he balanced her out as well. The spontaneous and crazy side of Haley emerged twice…once when she dared to tattoo his jersey number, 23, above her ass and secondly when she agreed then helped him convince her parents to let her marry him. Suddenly insecure, shy, klutzy, brainiac Haley James was the beautiful, popular Haley Scott all before senior year.
Their souls may have been destined but young hearts roamed free when a local musician slowly but surely climbing the ladder to success had discovered her musical talent. To her jealous and fearful new husband's protests, she had left school, her friends, Tree Hill and seemingly her marriage all behind for a chance to sing as an opening act on tour with The Wreckers, Chris Keller and Gavin Degraw. The money, the promise of success, the fans and the fame had been enticing but it was bittersweet. As great as her new life was, it did not compare to her old one. None of it would ever be worth having if she didn't have Nathan to share it with so she left the tour and her dreams behind to go reclaim her marriage.
It wasn't easy. They barely survived an annulment and divorce attempt but in the end, true love had prevailed. A brief pregnancy scare and major trust issues always reminded them that the road to marital bliss would always be a bumpy one but their commitment to their vows and each other was determined to stand against the odds.
"I love you, too", Nathan whispered. "Hey, I've got something for you."
"What?" her eyes narrowed.
"Don't say I never gave you anything", he handed her a crumpled up piece of paper.
"What's this?"
He smiled.
God, he loved that woman. He never knew it was possible to have feelings so strong for another human being. But Haley brought that out in him. Everything that was good and that had been missing for so long was because of her.
It had started off as a joke. Seduce the lame tutor chick, then break her heart as a way to dig at Lucas. But he hadn't anticipated falling in love and that's exactly what had happened. The joke was on him but in the end he and Haley had had the last laugh together.
She had changed him. She had given him a reason to live again. She had become his best friend, his support system, his rock, his muse, his truth. When basketball got too crazy, it was Haley that let him know it was alright to take a break from the game. When his parents were driving him crazy with their ridiculous pissing match mirrored by a custody battle, she had helped him legally emancipate himself. Because of her, the love and friendship of having a brother had been introduced to his life.
He had asked her to be his bride, a question that would change both their lives forever but one that he had never been so sure of. Their love was real and he was in it for the long haul. Nothing meant more to him than the bond he had with her and that was proven the afternoon of their beach wedding when they made love for the first time and he accepted her precious gift of virginity.
Losing Haley would be the worst thing that ever happened and it almost had. He had encouraged her music pursuit. He had believed in her talent and even put his own basketballaspirations on hold for her. And when the scrawny, big mouthed jackass known as Chris Keller had come along, he had held his tongue and tried to overcome his fear. But then she had left. It hurt him beyond belief, nearly destroying his entire existence. He couldn't eat, sleep, work, play or think. The void in his heart and in his bed was irreplaceable as he cried himself to sleep every night aching for her return.
It was a car accident the result of a botched half hearted suicide attempt that put life back into perspective. He had bravely decided to move on and just when he had let go, there she was on his doorstep. His love had come along. Her return came on what would be one of the hardest nights of his life and she had remained there ever since, desperately trying to prove her love with loyalty. Finally, after much soul searching, it had worked.
"Remember the night of our Fantasy Date and we made that list of where our lives were gonna end up? Well, here is what I wrote down, that's where I saw us in a year."
"Nathan…"
He planted a kiss on her cheek and ran out to join the other players. Haley glanced at his writing. In a year, I see myself graduating high school, going to college to play ball and best of all, doing all this with my wife by my side. I know Haley and I can work things out and we'll be happy.
"Hey you, no tears", Brooke teased. "That's like the one rule tonight."
Haley smiled as she wiped her eyes.
"Sorry, guys. I can't help it. I'm just so happy, you know? This is great…graduation today, tonight here with you guys…it's all so perfect."
"Just think", Peyton said. "It's gonna be even more perfect in a few months when you're living in Virginia. You and Nathan will both be in college on your own."
Haley sighed.
"I can't wait."
"Did you guys find a house yet?"
"We did. It's so cute, you guys. Sure it's small and it needs a lot of work but we have a yard and a garage and it's gonna be so fun fixing it up. Plus, Nathan is so excited about playing as a Cavalier and UVA is one of the best schools in the country academically so I'm not complaining. What about you, Pey? What are you and Jake gonna do?"
Peyton just shrugged and smiled.
"Live a normal Nikki free life and try to be happy, I guess. I mean, I'm gonna study art at Tree Hill U and Jake is gonna work and take classes here and there so hopefully he'll get full acceptance either next semester or definitely by sophomore year. And we're gonna live at the house and take care of Jenny and just enjoy life, man."
"That sounds good", Brooke sighed. "I mean it. For both of you. You guys went through so much with Nathan and Jake, I just hope it all works out now. It's so good to see you all so happy. You deserve it."
Haley pushed her.
"What about you? What about what Brooke Davis deserves?"
Brooke grinned.
"Oh don't worry about me. I am a New York kind of girl anyway. And I can't wait to be the next Vera Wang or Stella McCartney rubbing elbows with Dolce and Gabbana and Donatella Versace while Heidi Klum and Kate Moss, if she can quit sniffing her career up her nose, wear all my fabulous designs."
"Dude, there's no doubt in any of our minds that you are going to be a successful fashion designer. You've already done so much already and Brooke when you set your mind to something, there's no stopping you. You're so talented but that's not what bothers me. Right now I could care less about your clothes. I'm more worried about your heart", Peyton added softly.
"I'm gonna be living in Manhattan going to NYU and Luke is gonna be playing ball in Miami."
"So? You guys are still gonna be together, right?"
Brooke shrugged.
"That's the plan. After Myrtle Beach he's gonna come out to Cali with me and hang with my parents and then we'll see if we can make the long distance thing work."
"That is what you want…isn't it?" Haley asked.
Brooke closed her eyes.
"Who am I kidding? It's what I want more than anything. I'm just scared."
Haley nodded.
"Well, don't be. It's a whole new world out there but we're all gonna be okay. I just know it."
The girls smiled and just enjoyed watching the guys ball on the court. Noticeably no one was keeping score as it was all for fun, one last hoorah so to speak to culminate four years of joy and pain, victory and defeat. They played for hours, on past midnight seemingly never wanting the game to end until fatigue finally set in along with the excitement and anticipation of partying non stop together one last week at Myrtle Beach. One by one they began trickling off the court until the last three stragglers, Lucas, Jake and Nathan joined the girls.
"Well, we better get going, Pey. It's late and Jen is tired", Jake said.
"Yeah", Lucas agreed. "I still have to pack."
Nathan put his arm around Haley as he looked around.
"Man, I'm gonna miss this place."
"We'll be back, dude", Lucas assured him with a grin.
Nathan shook his head.
"It just won't be the same."
They all knew what he meant.
"You know what, guys? This isn't the end. Far from it. It's only the beginning. Sure we're going our separate ways but let's promise right here, right now to always be together no matter what", Brooke pledged.
Nathan smiled.
"The River Court will always be home", he put a hand on top of Brooke's.
"Six best friends for life", Peyton added her hand.
"Life may change but we sure as hell won't", Lucas joined his friends.
"To glory days of the past and good times yet to come", Haley nodded.
"We'll all be best friends forever and I know I'm gonna love Peyton and Jenny and Nathan you're gonna be with Haley and Luke you and Brooke are gonna make it and let's promise right now that in ten years we'll come back to this very spot to celebrate."
The gang all looked at each other and grinned.
"Ten years!" they shouted together.
But as life would change, so would they.
