Chapter Forty-Five: Three's a Crowd

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Marissa Davis as Davis Ryan/Shannon Davis

Peyton groaned as the sun filled their bedroom, slowly awakening her from deep sleep. She looked to her left in annoyance, only to see Jake still sleeping soundly. She poked his leg with her big toe, jerking it slightly.

"Wake up," she said, her voice slightly bitter.

"I don't have a class," he said sleepily.

"I do. You know, I have an actual room of my own. I could actually sleep there sometimes," she said. He rolled over and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'd much rather you didn't." Jake's voice was sleepy, but his words were true. She smiled.

"Me too. I have to go," she said reluctantly.

"Mm. Stay. I'll make you waffles," he entreated her.

"Liar. Get up with me and I'll make you cereal," she said. He laughed and agreeably swung his legs to the ground.

Peyton shivered as she walked down the busy street, wondering if she had enough time to go visit the Scotts. She rather hoped that she didn't. It was becoming more and more stressful, seeing Nathan hurt, seeing the girl's confusion. They needed someone to bring light to their lives.

Someone like Haley.

Haley hadn't called her back after her last message. Peyton knew that Haley talked to Brooke, but she suspected that besides that she'd cut herself off from her old life.

For the thousandth time, she mentally cursed Nathan Scott.

As she re-entered the apartment, she found cause to do it one more time.

"Davis?" she said in amazement.

Davis Ryan and Jake Jagielski were sitting together on a sofa, not speaking.

"Oh my God," muttered Peyton, running a hand through her blonde curls. Davis slowly stood and walked over to her.

"Peyton," she said. She smiled a half smile, and Peyton hugged her automatically.

"Davis. How are you? You just took off," she said.

"I know, I'm sorry. You go to NYU? I like your place," she said. Peyton glanced at Jake, looking severely left out.

"Thanks. I started last month, it's great. What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Oh, visiting Nathan. Ryan hates me, but Leigh didn't seem to mind," said Davis easily. Peyton almost smiled.

"Come on. Let's go for a walk," she suggested, grabbing the brunette's hand and dragging her away from her boyfriend's prying eyes.

"So Haley and Nathan actually got together?" asked Davis, as the two wandered down the street.

"Yeah. True love and all. He left her when he came here," explained Peyton.

"Poor thing. Plotting at all?" Peyton blushed.

"Little things. Brooke mentioned to me the other day that she had a date. She's moving on. So if you wanted, now would probably be opportune," said Peyton, looking down guiltily.

"Me and Nathan? Please, I'm so over that," said Davis in disgust.

"What about Jake?"

"Peyton, I don't want to hurt you." Peyton looked up at Davis, looking earnestly at her. "I just missed you."

Peyton sighed in irritation as they arrived back. Jake was nowhere in sight-it was obvious that he'd seen his ex-lover in the company of his current and had wanted no part of it.

"You want to stay? We have an extra bedroom," said Peyton.

"Just for tonight," said Davis, sounding reluctant.

"Great. You know I'd suggest dinner, but we don't actually have food in the house…" explained Peyton. Davis smiled and grabbed her purse.

"Pizza sound good right about now?"

By the time their food had arrived, Peyton had begun to worry. She kept her phone at her hip the entire time, desperate for his call.

"What's wrong?" asked Davis. Peyton frowned slightly. She couldn't get used to this newer, nice Davis.

"Oh, Jake hasn't called," said Peyton awkwardly.

"You guys are really together," she observed.

"Yeah. It happened pretty quickly after you left," she explained.

"Seems like a lot of things did."

Hours later, Peyton had fallen asleep on the couch halfway through Pretty Woman. Slowly, Davis eased herself up and tiptoed across the room to grab her purse.

"Where're you going?" asked Peyton in surprise, slowly awakening as she stepped on a creaky floorboard.

"Just…"

"Davis, stop being ridiculous. You can stay," said Peyton firmly.

"I've slept with your boyfriend. I've slept with your best friend's ex-boyfriend. I've slept with your other best friend's husband. There's no way I'm not going to cause trouble by staying." Peyton stared at Davis, wondering if there was anything she could say to change her mind. Only one thing occurred to her."

"Shannon, I want you to stay."

Davis looked at her in amazement. Some days, she forgot that she was Shannon Davis and not Davis Ryan. The alias she'd created for herself had become as real to her as the life she'd been born in to. Slowly she walked back to the couch and sat beside the blonde.

"Good," said Peyton sleepily, resting her head on Davis' lap. Davis slowly combed her hand through Peyton's curls, loosing herself in what never could be.

Jake silently crept into the apartment at seven in the morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise. As he walked down the hall and into their bedroom, he was surprised to see the bed unused and pristine. Sighing, he looked across the hall. He had a fairly good idea of what was to greet him.

Spread across the double bed were Davis and Peyton, touching distantly, clad in their underwear. He frowned, disgusted by his brief pleasure in the scene. Slamming the door hard on them, he left immediately.

Peyton immediately caught up to him.

"Don't, Jake. I'm not letting her come between us," she warned him. He shook off the hand she put on his elbow.

"She already has."

"No she hasn't. She never will. She's a friend. Like Haley. Why do you have to be such an idiot?" she said in annoyance.

"It's not like Haley. It's always been more."

"Jake, I love you," she promised. Slowly he turned to face her.

"I know. And I'm sorry," he said, folding her in his arms, regretting his actions as he always did whenever he came into contact with Davis Ryan.

"So I think I've caused enough damage. I'm going to go now," said Davis, her bag slung over her shoulder. Peyton looked up.

"I guess you should. But for what it's worth, I wish you could stay longer," said Peyton honestly. Davis smiled.

"Of course you do. Because there's always kind of been something between us, you know?" Davis left before Peyton could reply but even after she closed the door behind her, Peyton was still smiling.

She couldn't deny. It would be a lie. Because there always had been something there, between them.

Kind of.