Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

Rating: Back down to like PG-13 for thematic elements and possibly language.

A/N: The last chapter was pretty short, and this one isn't much better. I didn't want to make it much longer because I'm wrapping it up and adding anything else just comes off like filler. And I hate filler. The next chapter is gonna be the end, took long enough, huh? Um, again, un-beta'd. Feedback is love.

Brooke

Wow. No, seriously, wow. Is sex like alcohol? Does it get better with age? Because it had never been that good before. I am completely exhausted. I glance at the clock on Peyton's desk. Two hours? Damn, I'm good! I hear Peyton chuckle and I know she knows what I'm thinking.

"Calm yourself, Casanova."

"You're not complaing, are you?"

"Hell no, I'm not!" she breathes into my hair. I laughs and tighten the arm around her waist. "It has been way too long since I've heard you laugh."

"Ditto." She nestles herself impossibly closer and mumbles something into my neck. I feel her say it more than hear. I turn my head so my lips are right next to her ears and whisper back. "I love you, too."

She pulls back a little so she can look me in the face. Her eyes frantically searching mine, making sure I'm not lying. "Brooke, are we really going to do this all again?"

"Well, I'm kinda thinking we have to, because I'm not planning on leaving this couch anytime soon." But she sits up and gently pushes me away. Ok, not time for joking.

"This isn'y funny, Brooke. This is like the complete opposite of funny."

"I know that."

"Do you? Do you really? Things are different now. I'm different. So are you. We're not the same people we used to be, Brooke. It's all changed." She pushes me off her completely, this time not so gently. She seemed so sure not two seconds ago, but now I can see the walls coming up again. "God, we both know better than this."

"I know we do. Peyton." I grab her knees and turn her around until she's facing me again. "Peyton, I know we do. That's why it's going to be different this time."

"This time?" she whispers, peering up through ridiculously long lashes.

"Yes. Look, Peyton, I meant what I said before. I love you. And I've spent way too long trying to pretend that I don't. That's eight years that we'll never be able to get back and I'm not going to waste anymore time without you."

"But--"

"No. No buts. No what ifs. No what abouts and no maybes, okay?"

"It's not that easy though, Brooke. I have a whole new life now that's seperate from yours. I have a business. And a daughter. She's a big part of this, too."

"Do you love her?" I say, and she scoffs.

"Of course I do."

"Then I'll love her. She's your family and I love you. So she's my family, too." Peyton shakes her head in doubt or disbelief. "Don't make me tell you again, P. Sawyer. I want you, all of you. If Cassie's a part of you--"

"Kessie," she corrects.

"If Kessie's a part of you then she's a part of me. It's as simple as that, okay?" She doesn't answer. "Okay?"

"Okay," she says quietly. And I pretend I can't hear.

"What?"

"Okay," she repeats louder.

"I'm-I'm sorry, what?" I cup an ear with my hand.

"I said, okay!"

"Now say you love me."

"I love you."

"Now say Brooke Davis is the most amazing lover it has ever been my pleasure to pleasure and she--" Peyton covers my mouth with hers, effectively silencing me. It takes a while to get dressed because I can't find my bra or my other shoe. When we're both fully dressed, Peyton laces my fingers with hers and leads me out of the office, smiling all the way.