Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the characters, places, and etc. all the rights go to their rightful owners.
Just a heads up if you are a large Peyton fan this chapter is not for you, she is not in it a whole lot, and you probably will hate me by the end of the chapter. Honestly, you will probably hate me within the first 500 words.
But, if you are Brucas Then you might love me by the end. There is quite a bit of Brucas, they are not in any type of relationship but friendship is better than nothing right?
This WILL be a Brucas story, but it will be a slow burn story. I do still want to honor the characters and not just throw them into bed together. I felt that would be very out of character, even in the circumstances in this story.
I am not certain if I mentioned it before, so I'm going to mention it now. I try my best to set check your snap just like an episode what happened, so therefore my chapters are extremely long. This chapter alone was longer than 12,000 words.
Also, remember when I said it would only contain the core five, I lied a little. I just had to give some characters a little closer, and it just didn't feel like one tree hill without certain characters.
Anyways, enjoy!
It's the oldest story in the world...
"You never listen to me" Peyton Sawyer-Scott barked at her husband as they exited the plane. "I told you to pack them six different times".
"You told me nothing of the sort," Lucas said as he kept a steady pace, attempting to stay upwind of his wife. "If you had told me—I would have packed them".
"But, I did tell you and yet you didn't pack them—why? Because, Luke you never listen to me, or anyone for that matter".
Brooke Davis-Baker slowly walked behind her bickering married friends, making sure to keep a good five feet between her and them. In all honesty, it was still too close but if she fell any further behind she feared she might lose them and they might cause a riot inside the plane station.
"What did he forget to pack"? Sixteen-year-old Lily Scott asked quietly to Brooke.
"I don't even think they know at this point," Brooke told her as she rubbed her temples.
"The way he is letting her walk all over him I'm going to guess it was his testicles that he forgot to pack," Lily said with a smug smile.
Brooke shouldn't have laughed, she knew that, but the witty teenager brought it out of her. It was a good thing that Lucas and Peyton were too preoccupied with their arguing to even notice what had been said, though the rest of the airport didn't seem to think so.
"Could you two stop"? Lily asked, her voice still low but deep and firm as she asked—or begged. The young girls' cheeks were bright red, she wasn't one to like the attention of others. "Everyone is looking".
"I will if she will," Lucas said with a simple shrug—unable to fight the urge to take one more stab at his wife.
"Me? Me"? Peyton asked, her voice raising. "Because everything is my fault—isn't it? It's my fault that the plane didn't take off on time, it's my fault that we couldn't get a taxi, and it's my fault that we had a late checkout. Everything is my fault—".
"Well, you are the one who slept with someone else".
"Oh, God," Brooke said jerking her head up. "Divide and conquer" she whispered to Lily, who nodded. "Okay, Luke you and I are going to go to baggage claim... Lily take Peyton—".
"To where"? Lily whispered.
"Way over there, go on hail a cab—make that two cabs."
Brooke didn't even let her eyes meet with Peyton's, she knew what she was thinking—she was only quite because the hurt hadn't turned to anger just yet. But, she wasn't going to let Lucas stick around for that, instead, she jerked him by the arm quickly tugging towards baggage claim.
"Luke".
"I know I shouldn't have said it," Lucas told Brooke as they walked, though he didn't regret saying it. "But, it's true".
"I know it's true, you know it's true, she knows it's true—and now all of Charleston International Airport know it's true. I get that you're hurt and pissed off—you have every right to be" Brooke told him. "But, you shouldn't have said it, not like that—and certainly not here".
"Oh, God," Lucas said his feet coming to a brute halt, his head falling in his hands. "You're right, of course, you're right. What was I thinking"?
"You were thinking that you are hurt and you feel betrayed," Brooke told him with a simple shrug. "She came in crying one morning said she slept with someone else and you immediately said okay let's try to fix this—".
"Are you saying this can't be fixed"? Lucas asked raising his head up, his blue eyes meeting hers.
"No, that's not what I'm saying at all," Brooke said honestly. "I'm saying pretending it never happened is not the way to fix it. You can't even be in the same room as one another, Luke—I have an entire fourteen-hour flight that would agree with me on that".
Fourteen hours, that couldn't be right. But, Lucas knew that it was—he had just spent fourteen hours arguing with the woman he swore he never wanted to live without. For what?
Brooke watched as Lucas ran his the palms of both his hands over the top of his head as he sat down on a nearby bench, when he looked up at her she felt her heart break for him.
"What do I do"? He asked, his voice breaking as he spoke.
"You get help," Brooke said, honestly. "But, you have to realize that some people—some marriages just can't get past this type of thing. Do you want to be with her"?
"I—I don't know, Brooke," he said. "I mean she is Sawyer's mom I—".
"Okay" Brooke interrupted him. "Take Sawyer out the equation for just a minute—would you still want to be with Peyton"?
Lucas thought about, though he didn't need to. He knew the answer to that, but he didn't answer immediately, he wasn't sure what stopped him.
Maybe it was saying it out loud for the first time, maybe it was admitting it to himself. The reason—it didn't really matter anymore he knew the truth and that was all that mattered.
"No".
"They have got so big—wait which one is which"? Nathan asked as he held Clay Evans phone in his hand observing the latest of pictures his longtime friend of took of his ever-growing triplets.
"Beats the hell out of me," Clay told him honestly. "Quinn can tell though—without even labeling them which apparently is frowned upon".
Lately, most of their business meetings had taken place via email, FaceTime, & over the phone—it wasn't even frequent that they were in their office at the same time anymore. So, what had started off as a business meeting had quickly become a chance for the two friends to catch up.
Clay spent every free second he had with his wife & newborn babies, while Nathan was still in the "recruitment" stage for the year so he spent a lot of time away, a lot of extra time this particular year to ensure Clay was able to be at home as much as possible.
For which Clay was eternally grateful, except at four in the morning during his sixth bottle feed of the night.
"What's it like"? Nathan asked him curiously. "Having three babies at the same time, I don't know how you do it—having one baby was... a challenge let alone three".
"I remember when we had our meeting with that fertility specialist before Quinn had her first round with IVF, they read you off this very long list of all the things that could happen or go wrong and somewhere in that long list the doctor so casually slipped in multiple births that I don't even remember hearing him say it. We sat there for thirty minutes, Nate—listening" Clay told his friend. "After two years of trying she got pregnant after her second round, we were so excited. We get to the doctor's office and this doctor finds two heartbeats, twins. That's doable, right? We had wanted this for so long, & then at her next appointment, they find another heartbeat—a third heartbeat. This time we get a picture and I spend the next six months crunching numbers and doing everything to financially prepare for this that I didn't take the time to prepare myself for three newborn babies. Three babies who need diaper changes, rocked, fed, and bathed. Two of us—three of them. I closed my eyes in the shower before coming to work this morning—that's my sleep for the day".
The two laughed as though it were a joke, though they both knew it wasn't. The large dark bags that hung under Clay's eyes told everything that needed to be told, that having triplets was a cute sitcom but in reality, there was less laughing and more crying—mostly from Clay and Quinn.!
"There are three of you though," Nathan said. "Doesn't Logan help with the babies any, they are his little sisters and brother"?
"That's funny," Clay said, though he wasn't laughing. "He will hold one of them—ten minutes tops but then goes right back upstairs turns the TV up as loud as he can and go back to playing the PlayStation or whatever gaming system he has hooked up to his television".
"I'll trade you your unhelpful preteen for my moody hormonal teenager, any day," Nathan said tossing his pen on to his desk. "I talked to Haley this morning I'm worried that Jamie might be into something she shouldn't be in. He got his tongue pierced".
"Just because he got his tongue pierced doesn't necessarily mean he is into things he shouldn't be".
"Oh, I know that but as Haley talked I heard less and less of the sweet boy I knew and more of the teenager that I was," Nathan told him. "I then thought about all the times I partied too hard and still got in my car to drive home. Or the time I took speed. Or the bully I was to everyone, just because".
It was easy for Clay to see the worry on his friends face, it was real and raw. He hadn't known Nathan all them years ago but he had heard the stories, the spoiled rich basketball star he had been before meeting his wife.
"If you want to know if he is into anything he shouldn't be—just go through his phone" Clay suggested. "Teenagers keep everything in their damn phones".
"Isn't that an invasion of privacy"?
"What privacy, Nate"? Clay asked him. "He is a kid, he is sixteen. You pay the bills for the roof over his head and the food he eats and the phone in his pocket. It's in your name. If you want to get technical it's not his phone, it's yours—you just allow him to use it. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it".
"Haley would disagree," Nathan told him.
Oh, Clay knew that.
"Which is why if you get caught—don't tell her I gave you the idea," Clay said with a simple shrug. "But, I promise you if he is up to anything he shouldn't be it will be in that phone".
"How would I even get it out of his hands"? Nathan asked. "And even if I did, it's got a code on it that I'm more than certain he wouldn't tell me".
"You have a family plan right"? He asked, to which Nathan nodded. "Go to your carrier's website, log into your account, and find his phone. It will all be on there".
Nathan knew his wife would disapprove, in fact, he was more than certain she would disapprove but he also knew he had to know what his son was doing.
"Mr. Scott" Nathan and Clay heard as their secretary stepped inside of Nathan's office. "Your one o'clock is here".
The excruciating heat was the perfect excuse for two teenagers to find themselves neck deep in a secluded swimming hole, on the outskirts of town. The cool water was protected by the shades of the trees. It was the only place in Tree Hill that offered a small breeze and felt fifteen degrees cooler than it actually was. The only heat was coming from James Lucas Scott and his longtime girlfriend Madison Elizabeth Landry, as the two wadded in the middle of the water—lips locked, as they had been for the past forty-five minutes.
"How do I always let you talk me into this"? Madison asked as she broke away from their never-ending kiss. "It says right there in plain English, no swimming," she said gesturing towards the sign nailed to one of the trees. "What if they have cameras hidden somewhere? This is someone's private land".
"You're right," Jamie said, his voice low and husky from the amount of disuse it had currently endured. "Want to hear a secret"?
"We are crossing private property, we could go to jail and you want to talk about secrets"?
"You're going to want to hear this one".
"Fine. What's your big secret"?
Madison knew damn well that her boyfriend was like a dog with a bone, if she didn't give in he would never stop asking.
"You know my grandfather—or knew of him"? Jamie asked as he picked his girlfriend up under the water, and felt her wrap her legs tightly around his torso.
"Nobel one or the killer"? Madison asked, closing the small space between her and Jamie pressing her body to his.
"Dan," he said shaking his head. "Do you know he owned a lot of things, land—houses, I guess when he divorced his ex-wife he told her signed it all away but he didn't?" Jamie told her.
Madison cupped each side of his neck with her hands and nibbled on her bottom lip "if you're keeping me from kissing you right now, I hope you have a point in all this".
"At the time he only had me and Sawyer as grandkids, but he wasn't allowed to speak to her—so he signed everything in my name," Jamie told her. "This land is mine, I won't be able to actually inherit it until I turn eighteen—mom and dad still won't give me the keys because they said I don't need a whole house to myself at sixteen but the land is mine".
"Wait—What"? Madison asked. "Are you serious"?
"Yeah, this has a couple of acres of private land and I have a beach house. That's just in Tree Hill—I think it would be a good idea to sell the rest for college money".
"You say that like you know you're not going to get some great scholarship," Madison said, dramatically rolling her eyes.
"I'll give you a list of the houses, you pick which one you want us to live in one day," Jamie told her. "That will be the one I don't sell".
"Us"?
"I told you—I'm going to marry you one day, I want you forever".
"Shut up and kiss me".
And he did.
What started as a small and quick kiss had quickly escalated to a hard and heavy one. Their lips continued to move together in union, Jamie wasn't entirely sure when his tongue became involved but it had.
She tasted sweet and salty. Like watermelon—from their stop at the farmers market earlier that morning and just like he told her when they were there, she put far to much salt on her favorite summer fruit. Even though Jamie disagreed with her, he always said that salt does not go on watermelon—to which she never listened.
Jamie felt Madison's hands running through his hair and resting on to be back of his head, but he continued to kiss her—as long as she would let him, which unfortunately wasn't for much longer.
"What time is it"? Madison asked breaking apart their kiss once more, her breathing shaky and unstable.
"Eleven," Jamie said as he trailed his lips down the side of her neck.
"Funny. It was eleven when we got here" Madison said. "I have to be at work at two".
It took all her strength, but she broke her body away from his—leaving her boyfriend with a child-like pout on his face.
And for that, she laughed.
"You're her favorite employee it's not like she is going to fire you, baby".
"Unlike you, some of us need a job," Madison said, as she swam to the edge of the bank and walked out of the water.
"I work," Jamie said, still from deep inside the water.
"Because you want to, not because you have to there is a difference," Madison said turning around to look at her boyfriend who still had yet to move from the spot they spent the past two hours in. "You just told me your dead grandfather left you multiple houses and land and god knows what else-".
"That I won't be able to get until I'm eighteen," Jamie said defensively. "My parents don't just hand me money either".
"But, when you're eighteen you have money for life and school, even if you don't get a scholarship—which you will because you're you, and you beat your dads score in just your freshman year that took him four years to accomplish," Madison said crossing her arms. "And he was in the NBA, and you will be too. Everyone knows it, college reps already come to every game to watch you".
"Okay—Wait," Jamie said interrupting her. "When did this turn into an argument? I thought we were just messing around".
The two lifelong sweethearts stared at one another for a few minutes, maybe Madison had overreacted and she was willing to admit that. But, her feelings had come from a real and raw place deep inside of her, she wasn't raised the same way Jamie had been. Nor would she ever.
"Some of us just aren't as lucky as you James" Madison said.
"Whoa. James"? He asked as he finally began swimming over towards her, and stepped out of the swimming hole, water running down his body. "Do you honestly think if you don't get a scholarship in basketball—which is completely absurd, you're so good dad and Skills have talked about putting you on the guy's team, that I wouldn't pay for your college"?
Madison tugged her dress over her head and slid her arms through "that sounds wonderful. But, that's your money—and that's still three years away, what if something happens between now and then"?
"Like what"?
"Like, What if we break up"?
When Jamie didn't respond Madison looked up to find him puzzled, more than puzzled. He looked as though he were a deer caught in the headlights, stunned—confused.
"Break up"? Jamie asked. "We have spent the past—hell I don't even know how long we have been together. Ten years"?
"Nine".
"Okay, nine years together—do you want to break up"?
"Of course not," Madison said walking over running her fingers slowly up Jamie's chest. "I just meant sometimes things happen, that are out of our control and—".
"And what"? Jamie asked when Madison slowly trailed off.
Madison turned around, walking in the opposite direction as she ran her fingers through her wet hair "I just see the way all the girls look at you, like you' re—I don't know. I don't know what they look at you like, but they all look. Cheerleaders. The girls I play basketball with. Even the damn girls on the chess team and some of the girls that look are much prettier than I will ever—".
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Madison" Jamie said, his voice filled with anger, which got Madison to turn around to find him standing with arms crossed. "Do you ever see me looking at them"?
"Well, no".
"Because you're the only girl in the world that matters to me—I don't want to look at any other girl or ever be with any ever girl so don't talk about us breaking up. Please"? Jamie nearly begged. "I love you, with all my heart".
"And I love you but—what if you get tired of waiting"?
She didn't need to clarify what she was referring to, they had the conversation many times before.
"I have been ready to have sex since I figured out what my—penis was for," he said shaking his head at the medical term, knowing if he said anything else the conversation would take a sharp right. "But, you are not—and if that's all I wanted you for don't you think I would have left two or three years ago when we first started talking about it. I don't care if we wait until we are married, I don't care if we get married and you still aren't ready—I want to be with you and no one else. I won't get tired of waiting, I promise".
Jamie didn't need to say anything else, it was in her eyes—Madison believed him. He hated that he ever had to reassure her, but he did every time.
"We won't be married," Madison told him.
"What"?
"I'm not ready, yet. But, I think I'm almost ready".
Jame took her hand in his and said: "as long as you are ready because you want to, not because I want to".
Madison leaned up on her tip toes, and planted a small kiss on his lips "I know" she said with a smile. "But, just think how good we will be with four years of foreplay behind us".
"Oh, trust me—I think about it" Jamie admitted. "A lot".
"Alright, let's go before I'm any later".
Haley James Scott felt the cool splash of water hit the bottom of her legs as she relaxed with a book in her hands curled up on a lawn chair by the pool. She glanced up from her book and smiled, as she saw her blond headed child swimming around inside the pool like a fish.
The heat that rolled through Tree Hill was nearly unbearable, but it was days like that this that Haley would never forget. It was moments like this that she would remember as she took her last breathes of this world.
Though they were vague, she remembered Jamie as a child and the fun she once had him, perhaps that's why she was enjoying this day with Lydia so much. It's the moments like this with her teenage son that she missed so much, the seconds she longed to have back.
Haley discarded her book to the side as she watched Lydia climb out of the pool, steadily find herself on to the small diving board, and jump off—once more feeling the water hit her legs from the small splash her daughter made, this time as a cannonball.
Lydia came up beneath the water, a beaming smile upon her face—proud of her jump. "I know that everyone says they don't exist but no one has found proof," Lydia told her mother, as she found herself to the edge of the pool.
Haley looked down into her daughter's blue eyes, that peered from the depth of the pool as Lydia rested her chin on her arms that sat folded perfectly together on the pavement.
"That what doesn't exist"? Haley asked, curiously—coming to terms with the fact that she had missed part of this conversation when she was reading her book.
"Mermaids".
"You know what"? Brooke said as she walked through the back door to the house, with Lucas joining the two on the patio. "I think you're right. Just because no one has ever seen something doesn't mean they don't exist".
"Maybe they just aren't looking in the right places" Lucas agreed.
Whether the two actually believed in mermaids remained a mystery, but what wasn't a mystery was how excited one eight-year-old girl became at the sight of two of her favorite people.
"Auntie Brooke, Uncle Lucas" Lydia exclaimed, quickly swimming to the ladder inside the pool and darting towards her Godmother and Uncle.
"Lydia, don't run you will slip and fall" Haley called to her daughter.
The youngest Scott was smart, in fact, she was smarter than most she attended school with, including many of the older children in her elementary school that were a few grades ahead of her. Her father said it was a trait she and her brother both inherited from their mother. Lydia knew that she could hurt herself by running with wet feet across the hard pavement, but like many eight-year-old children—even the smartest, quickly forget about what makes sense or what should be done when they fill a rush of excitement—like seeing your godparents.
Lydia didn't listen to her mother as she jumped into her uncle's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck—drenching his shirt that quickly stuck to his torso. But, neither seemed to mind.
"Lydy Bob," Lucas said Rowling his favorite niece around, okay so she was his only niece but he was certain if he had another she would still be his favorite.
"Where is Sawyer"?! Lydia asked, her skin itching with excitement as Lucas planted her back down on her feet.
Lucas pulled his arm up, glancing at the time his watch read and said "on a plane with Victoria and Ted" he said, immediately watching the child's face drop. "But, she will be here next week—for good. We are moving back to Tree Hill".
Haley felt the need to cover her ears at the sound of her child's squeals, as she finally had made her way across the pool deck and on to the patio to join the three who were already knees deep in hugs.
"Haley James Scott" Brooke said, as she hugged her best friend.
"It's so good to see you," Haley told her as she eventually leaned out of the hug. "Tree Hill has missed you, both of you. How was your flight"?
Haley watched as Brooke and Lucas both stiffened at that question, before glancing at one another and looking back at Haley—who now found herself confused, and they had only been back for five minutes.
Haley hadn't seen the two in quite some time, Lucas longer than Brooke but somethings had yet to change. She knew immediately something was wrong with the two, and it was painfully clear what it was about—she just lacked the specific details that she was sure she would get.
From Brooke. The hurt in her brother-in-law's eyes told her he wasn't sticking around for the conversation, at least not right now. Perhaps he had just had the conversation too much, or maybe he genuinely didn't want to talk about, but Haley was certain it was his broken heart that was steering him away from this talk.
Lucas lifted his niece back up muttering something about a towel and strolling away, continuing a long conversation about mermaids.
Haley watched Brooke watch Lucas walk out of earshot length before turning to Haley and saying "Peyton and he spent thirteen hours of a fourteen-hour flight arguing. At one point the captain threatened to land".
"That's normal though, right"? Haley asked. "When there is a disturbance on a plane, I mean I have never witnessed it but I have heard about it".
On soap operas, but Haley chose not to mention that particular part—she was trying to somehow make his situation better.
"Maybe," Brooke said with a shrug as they each sat down at the table on the patio. "Except we were directly over the Atlantic, no land just water".
So much for trying to make the situation better.
"That bad, huh"? Haley asked.
Brooke slowly nodded. "I would have rather traveled with the Hitlers if that's any indication," she said. "The first five were fun, in fact, they were great, but the last nine have just been bluntly horrible. I feel the worst for Sawyer, she has stayed with me and the boys more than her parents. Lily, too".
"Where is she"?
"Lily or Peyton"?
Haley narrowed her eyes at Brooke, if she had been asking for Lily she would have had no trouble saying her name.
"Town," Brooke said sitting back. "I think she wanted to stop by the label for something".
"And Lily"?
"She had to register for school—Luke offered to take her but I'm pretty sure she wanted a break from both of them. It was an unbelievably long plane ride".
"I still can't believe she would do something like this" Haley said shaking her head, at even the thought.
Haley once adored Peyton enough to stand between her and Lucas, and officiate their wedding. But, now she had trouble even saying her name—after getting a distraught call from her best friend in the world to deliver the news that his wife had slept with another man, she hadn't felt the same about Peyton Sawyer since.
No matter how hard she tried.
"Peyton is my best friend," Brooke said as she looked over at Luke who was helping Lydia dry off, the two laughing hysterically at something he presumably said or did. "I know she made a mistake, and I know she is trying. These are all things I know, Haley—except anytime she gets depressed about it or wants to talk about there is something inside of me that just can't stand there and listen to her. I lose my husband—she sat there with me when I cried so hard I was puking. My husband is gone, and he is never coming back just to turn around to cheat on what she still has. Luke, he is still here on this earth and loving her, how could she do that"?
Haley reached across the table taking Brooke's hand in hers and gave her a gentle squeeze. The tears she was fighting could have been the anger she felt towards Peyton or the hurt she felt over Julian, but either way, the comfort from Haley was just what she had needed.
"I know some couples can recover from cheating or an affair. I believe that some marriages can heal from this, but I don't think that they will" Brooke admitted honestly. "Lucas has asked my opinion a couple of different times, and I always do my best to dance around the truth but the truth is, I don't think they will ever get over this".
"Do you remember that whole Ranee scandal with Nathan"? Haley asked as she let go of her friend's hand, resting back in her seat.
"How could I forget"?
"I trusted Nathan—of course, I did and he never did it," Haley said. "But, before it came out that it was all a lie, there was this little voice in the back of my head every second of every day that thought what it If he had done it? I love Nathan with all my heart and soul, but If he had—I don't think I could have forgiven him. All my pain was metaphorical, and sometimes it was enough to send me to my knees in tears".
"But, Nate would never do that to you—he loves you far too much to do that to you," Brooke told her.
Haley smiled because it was true. "I have been lucky enough to have a husband that has never made me question his love for me, and if I have he always reassured me and made me feel like I was the only girl in the world," she said with a small smile. "I have never doubted my faith in him, but now Luke doubts everything in Peyton. I don't see how you can have a marriage, healthy marriage if you question everything".
"Once you lose trust, you lose everything" Brooke told her.
And that was true.
"I just don't see how you can cheat on someone whom you claim to love".
"You can't" Haley replied.
"Momma, momma" Lydia yelled, pulling the two out of their conversation to look over to see Lydia running towards them with Luke not far behind her. "Look what uncle Lucas brought me. It's a dollar bill from Europe"!
Haley smiled "I hope you told him thank you"!
"Of course she did," Lucas said as he walked over joining everyone.
"Oh, look at the time," Haley said. "Lydia, you better go upstairs and change if you want to make it to Emma's in time".
Lydia didn't hesitate before taking off towards the house and disappearing through the doors.
"So, where is my nephew"? Lucas asked as he looked around.
"I don't know," Haley said with a shrug. "Probably off plotting my death".
Lucas and Brooke followed Haley as she made her way from the table, across the patio, and inside her house before walking into the kitchen.
"What"? Lucas asked, confused. "I don't believe he could be that bad".
"Okay, in this family that was probably a bad joke but believe it. I swear he does things just to piss me off".
"That just sounds like a normal teenaged boy" Lucas said with a simple shrug.
"I never did things just to upset my parents" Haley told them honestly.
"I did" Brooke and Lucas said in union., before sharing a glance with a smile.
"Hales, you were every parent's dream kid—until you brought Nathan home I'm sure," Lucas said slowly massaging her shoulders as he stood behind her. "And look at the influence you had on him—I'm certain it's just a stage".
"I just, I don't know," Haley said walking into the living room and throwing herself on to the sofa. "Jamie used to come in and talk to me for forty-five minutes just about his day and he wanted to know about mine. We used to make decisions together, he wanted my opinion on everything and now he goes behind my back and gets piercings. He doesn't even talk to me—as far as I know, his entire vocabulary is whatever, yeah, and fine".
Lucas and Brooke each sat on one side of their distressed friend.
"I got along with my mom but that doesn't mean I wasn't still a teenaged boy, I would break curfew on purpose and if she said I couldn't go somewhere I wanted to go or with someone I wanted to go with, I would act out over it for weeks" Lucas said rubbing his palms together.
"He doesn't talk to me, even when you were slamming doors you still talked to Karen. I only have him for two more years, three, if he decides to stay through his senior year, is this how I am going to spend this time"? Haley asked. "He got his tongue pierced—I don't know why out of all the body parts to get pierced he chose that particular spot on his body. I don't know who did it. I don't know what music he listens to or his favorite movie or where he buys his clothes. I don't even know what his favorite color is anymore. I don't know someone that once grew inside of me. He used to hate piercings, now he has his tongue pierced how do I know if he is up to something he shouldn't be"?
Haley's head fell into her hands as tears strolled down her cheeks, leaving streaks through the makeup she was wearing. She knew her time with Jamie was slowly winding down, and it killed her that the boy who used to sleep in her bed when he was scared acted as though she didn't exist.
Haley hated that her son, who was right across the hall was practically a stranger.
"Well," Brooke slowly said, knowing Haley wasn't going to like her idea. "There is a way to find all those things out".
"And what's that"? Haley asked, lifting her head up turning towards Brooke.
"Is he here"?
"No".
"Just go upstairs and rummage through his room a little. You can learn anything about anybody if you look in their bedroom, and if he is doing something he shouldn't be it would be in there".
"What"?! Haley exclaimed standing up. "Brooke, that's such an invasion of privacy".
"Well, only if he finds out," Brooke said.
"Would you do that to the twins when they get older"?
"Without a doubt".
Haley shouldn't have been surprised by how quickly Brooke responded, or that she thought of the idea. In fact, Haley should be surprised at herself for being surprised.
"I'm ready, momma" the three heard and turned to see Lydia skipping down the staircase in a small pink dress and her hair still wet from the pool.
"Okay," Haley said as she reached for her purse. "I have to run her to a friends house, will you two still be here when I get back"?
"Actually," Lucas said standing up from the couch, walking over. "That's why we stopped by. I got the dates mixed up when I made the papers for moms house, and if either of you admits that to Peyton I'll post embarrassing pictures online, but their lease isn't up for another month".
"And my electric won't be back on until Monday," Brooke said biting her bottom lip.
"And there is only one hotel in Tree Hill".
"And we are sick of hotels".
"So, you need a place to stay"? Haley asked.
"Yes".
"Yeah".
"Of course you can stay here," Haley told the two without hesitation. "I'll send Nathan a text, but I have to get her up here".
"You're going to regret that when you see how many suitcases Brooke has for her shoes".
"I'll let you borrow anything you want".
Haley laughed as she made her way to the door "I shouldn't be no more than an hour. I just have to take her to a friends and take Nathan lunch, I'll be back".
The two watched Haley and Lydia walk out the door, and Brooke watched slowly out the window as they left before rushing to the staircase.
"Brooke, where are you going"? She heard and turned to see Lucas following her.
"Jamie's room".
"No, you can't," Lucas said taking her hand.
"Just a peak".
"No".
"If Jamie is hiding anything it would be in there and you know it".
"No, we can't," Lucas said. "But, we are going to aren't we"?
The two smiled before rushing up towards the teenager's room.
Perhaps Peyton Scott was just looking for a getaway, a break. A breath of fresh air even, but instead of Red bedroom Records, the blonde found herself walking down the street of her former home town—current hometown.
It had a small sense of familiarity, but so much had changed and somehow so much had stayed the same. It was probably the only town left with more than one phone booth.
It felt like home, which is something she had longed for—for so long.
"Mrs. Sawyer-Scott".
"Chris Keller" Peyton said shaking her head turning around, knowing exactly who it was approaching her.
Christopher Keller walked up by her side with a large brown bag, which Peyton assumed to be groceries due to the bananas poking out of the top. It had been years since she had seen him, and a plaid shirt and jeans—carrying groceries wasn't exactly how she remembered the man in front of her.
"Where are you off too"? Chris asked. "If you need a ride I can give you, one," he said gesturing toward the minivan parked in front of the supermarket.
"No, I stopped at the label and just wanted to take a walk around" Peyton told him, honestly. "You and Mia have done a great job taking care of my baby, thank you".
"You're welcome".
Peyton looked him over one last time before asking "what happened to Chris Keller"?
Chris smiled as he said "it took a while—it took the right girl but Chris Keller grew up, Chris Keller is married with a family. Chris Keller loves his family more than anything".
"How is Mia and the kids"?
"Amazing" he said with the proud smile only a father could have. "Catalano will be starting headstart this year and Adell is going to be one in October".
"They grow up so fast don't they"?
Chris nodded.
"Do you ever miss it"? Peyton asked. "Singing? Or going on the road? Any of it"?
"I never wanted to settle down because I thought I would be trading in my amazing life—that actually wasn't so amazing for the typical average Joe life" Chris told her. "Then I went on that first tour with Mia, and we got married and had Cat—now I feel like being on the road—singing and traveling was settling. Don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it but I wouldn't trade what I have now for it. I sing at Tric from time to time, but I get to spend all my free time with the three most beautiful girls in the world".
When Peyton ever thought of Chris Keller, there were many words that came to her mind—none of which were PG13 rated. He was an arrogant and obnoxious pain in the ass. But, now all these years later she stood in front of the man that she proudly slapped one day, proud of him.
"Mia Catalano is one hell of a woman" Peyton said as she continued to observe him.
"I agree" he told her. "What's bothering you"?
Peyton wasn't sure why she was going to tell him, but she was.
"I'm pretty certain my marriage is over, and it's all my fault—but the worst part is I think I want it to be over".
"I feel like a teenager, having sex in the middle of the day," Chase Adams said as he slipped back into his pants.
"Except, you didn't have sex when you were a teenager" Gretchen Scolnik said with a smile as she wrapped her robe tightly around her torso and tossed Chase his white t-shirt.
Chase rolled his eyes "it's a hundred degrees outside" he told her tugging his shirt over his head. "We could have had a heat stroke, instead of being able to fool around like a normal couple—at night, when it's cool".
"I know, I know," Gretchen said as she tied her hair on top of her head. "I'm going to tell Chuck, I swear. I just have to find the right time".
"So, nowhere in the last year would have been the right time"? Chase asked.
"I swear I will," she told to chase. "I'm just trying to be a better mom. You know that".
"I know that you have been sober for three years and you have gone back to college—trust me he is proud of you. I'm proud of you, too".
"I just never saw this happening," she told him wrapping her arms around his neck. "It was supposed to be just a one night stand".
"Then That one night turned into two and they turned into dates and now over a year has gone by—and you still haven't told Chuck".
"You ruined the moment," Gretchen said turning away until she felt Chase take her by the hand.
The two looked at one another for a brief moment, at first Chase was understanding but now he had become agitated over the wait.
"He looks at you as more of a father than he ever looked at Wade and I never wanted to ruin that for him".
"Gretchen, we are on a clock here," Chase told her. "You're already nine weeks pregnant, we have to tell him. If we wait any longer, the baby will have to tell them and I feel that's not his responsibility".
"Or hers" she quickly added. "We will. Soon. I promise".
"I have to get to Tric, are we still on for tonight"?
"As long as you sneak through the window".
Keith Scott, it was a name Lily heard so many times, a man she owed half of her DNA to but he was a man she never knew. A man she shared no memories with, and the only man she longed to know.
It felt like a bad dream, a horrible nightmare—but a nightmare that Lily would never be able to remember.
As she stood with her feet planted under the sign that hung above the entrance to the large cemetery in Tree Hill, the sixteen-year-old tried but could never make herself walk any further. She glanced around at the many headstones, she looked at the trees and the beautifully grown flowers. All in all, it was a gorgeous place, but to her, it was simply prison.
It was a prison that had housed her father for seventeen years, for a punishment he did not deserve. He was a Scott, and he was murdered in cold blood by a Scott—his own brother. She knew going to speak to her father meant she would see the spot where her uncle was buried and, she just was not ready for that.
At the mere thought Lily turned on her heel but instead, she found herself coming face to face with what she thought was a wall, until she hit the ground and looked up to see a boy about her age.
"I'm so sorry," Lily said as she jumped to her feet and extended a hand to the tall boy across from her.
"It's alright," he said with a chuckle. "I have never felt a girl with that much firepower before".
Lily laughed as she helped him gather his things that consisted of flowers, a journal, and a "basketball"? Lily asked as she picked up observing the many signatures on the orange ball. "I have grown up around basketball, but I don't think I have ever seen one at a graveyard before".
He laughed as she handed it to him "it's from the one we won the state championship with, I kept forgetting it every time I came up, the coach let me keep it to bring to my brother".
"You come to visit him often"?
"Couple times a week," he said sheepishly. "That's probably so lame".
"Not at all," she said honestly. "It's nice, I was with my sister-in-law and came over".
"You visiting or just admiring from afar"? He asked, jokingly.
"Sort of".
"Sort of"?
"My dad is up there," she told him.
"Really"?
"Yeah," Lily said. "I'm sure my mom brought me when I was young, but ever since then, I haven't been able to even step past the entrance. I'm horrible, I know".
"That's not horrible," he told her. "It's harder for some people—how did he die"?
"Erm—he was killed," she said taking a long deep breath. "By his own brother, how awful is that"?
"What did you say your name was"? He asked, looking up at her.
"I don't believe I did," she told him.
"Keith was your dad"?
Lily looked at the boy in front of her, she knew he couldn't have been older than she was—a few months nothing more. So, if she didn't know her dad, how could he?
"Yeah" Lily answered slowly. "How did you know that"?
"I'm a family friend of the Scott's, I grew up with Jamie. Your brother coached my brother before he was killed".
And it clicked. She did know the boy in front of her, or of him.
" Quinton"? She asked.
"Q," he said nodding. "That was my big brother".
"Lucas has told me a lot about him over the years, said he was one of the best damn players he ever knew".
"He was amazing. I don't doubt it one bit the boy said. "Andre—officially".
"Lily—officially".
The two shook hands, the two strangers who instantly had become friends having nothing in common except for tragedy.
"Would you like to come with me"? He asked, pointing towards the gravesite. "I know where your dad is buried, I have come a few times with Jamie and Nate—I know my around we can avoid that if you want. But, this way you can finally say you set foot on the ground. It's one step closer, and one day you will be able to walk up and lay flowers down for your dad. Baby steps".
"Sure".
Although, she wasn't sure she still followed Andre through the graveyard but making certain to keep her eyes fixated on her feet or the tall guy in front of her.
"You live with Skills, right"? Lily asked, making sure to keep her mind busy as they walked.
"Antwon, Yeah" he answered. "After Q died, it was just me and my mom and she was getting older then. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about five years ago, one year in and she had to go live in a nursing home... I was too young to take care of her then and even now she needs medically trained professionals. I go see her every chance I get but he has been great. It's just me and him since he and Bev split".
"So, is it Skills with an S or a Z"?
Andre laughed "I don't even think he knows".
Organization. It wasn't a concept Brooke Davis-Baker was to aware of, until today.
"This is the cleanest room I have ever been in," Brooke said shaking her head, as she and Luke tiptoed through Nathan and Haley's teenaged son's room.
Lucas shrugged "he is the son of Haley James Scott".
Brooke opened the drawer to Jamie's underwear drawer, to find his underwear neatly folded and color coded. "I don't care if he is the son of Mary freaking Poppins, no teenaged boy is this clean".
"I always wondered what her middle name was," Luke said, earning a semi-glare from his former high school girlfriend to which he laughed slightly. "What exactly are we looking for"?
"Anything incriminating" Brooke said as she shut the drawer in front of her. "I don't know really, maybe anything that your sixteen-year-old nephew shouldn't have".
"Like a huge stack of porn"?
Brooke snapped around to find Lucas knelt on the side of his bed with the bed skirt lifted. She quickly ran by his side to find rows and rows of porn magazines beneath his bed.
"Jesus," Lucas said putting a magazine back in place that he had picked up. "Even the porn is organized".
Brooke couldn't help but laugh as Lucas stood to his feet, running his fingers through his hair.
"If porn is the only thing this kid has to hide I would say Nathan and Haley are doing pretty well," Lucas said. "I know I had a lot more to hide when I was his age".
Brooke nodded "You and me both. I pray every night that the boys or at least one of them end up like Julian. I would never have to worry, I have even thought about calling Sylvia asking her how she raised him to be such a geek".
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle "you don't know—Julian might have been like Nathan in high school".
"You normally grow out of being a nerd not into it," Brooke said. "I loved him so much, but he was such a dork".
Lucas looked at Brooke, who was currently searching through Jamie's closet and asked: "do you miss him"?
Though he knew the answer to that, he knew not talking about Julian hurt Brooke more than talking about him.
"So much," she said. "There is something in every day that I want to tell him about. It could be something Davis did or something Jude said or a movie I went and saw or something I did—".
"Like snooping around your godson's bedroom"?
"Yeah," Brooke said smiling. "He would have loved this," she told Lucas as she crashed on the foot of the bed. "I have never in my life been in a teenaged boys room that was so clean and back in my day I was in my fair share. Neither you or Nathan were this clean".
"You know Brooke it's alright if sometimes you keep somethings to yourself," Lucas said, though he was only half serious—the two laughed.
"Your bed wasn't this comfortable either," Brooke said as she stretched out on Jamie's neatly made California King mattress.
Although she was kidding—there was no way she could remember that far back as to what Lucas' bed felt like all them years ago. She could remember how hard all the mattresses at the many motels she had stayed at in the past year or so of her life.
"I don't remember you doing too much sleeping is probably why it wasn't so comfortable," Lucas said as he crashed on the spot next to her. "Oh, god you're right. This bed is comfortable as hell... he is definitely still a virgin".
Brooke laughed. "We were horny little bitches, weren't we? Do you remember that letter that you sent me"?
"The one after Rachel caught you—"
"Don't say it"!
"Brooking yourself".
Brooke covered her face with her hands, though she wasn't as embarrassed about it as she once was. For a minute anyway.
"I can see your wheels turning don't hold back," Lucas said.
"The letter," Brooke said sitting up straight. "That's it, how could I have been so naive".
"Okay, you lost me," Lucas said sitting up facing her.
"Let's say— hypothetically we were teenagers now and you wanted me something... dirty like that would you sit down and write it as you did then"?
"No," Lucas said shrugging. "I mean I would—but if I was a teenager now no I would text it".
"Exactly, everything is online now—even porn," Brooke said as she stood up and walked around to the edge of Jamie's bed. "So, why does your nephew have a huge collection of dirty magazines if he wanted porn he would just get online".
Still confused—Lucas walked around and joined her. He watched as she carefully ran her fingers down the magazines before smiling "this one feels thicker than the rest" she said.
Lucas carefully lifted the stack of magazines that sat on top of one specific one sitting them to the side and watched Brooke open one.
"Oh, my god" Brooke said.
"Hello, Mary Jane," Lucas said.
"Tutor girls son is a stoner".
"What's that bag behind the magazines"? Lucas asked.
Brooke reached and pulled the supermarket bag out from behind the many magazines.
"Damn, he is Nathan Scott's kid," Brooke said. "Party pack of condoms".
"Hold up," Lucas said. "It's unopened, and hid—and the recite says it was bought seven months ago".
"Well, it's official. Stoner boy is a virgin".
"Shh—what was that"? Lucas said. "Was that the door"?
"What's Haley going to do ground us"?
"Yeah" the two heard Jamie's voice from down the hall. "I just dropped Madison off at the cafe... what time do you want to meet at the river court—"?
"Oh, my god. Put it back" Brooke demanded as she jumped to her feet.
Lucas quickly placed the items in the specific spot they were found in as Brooke ran to the door, peering out the crack.
"Oh, my god" Brooke said. "He is right there, closet—hurry".
"Are we really hiding from a sixteen-year-old boy"?
"If he finds us in here you no longer are the cool uncle you will quickly become his father's peeping Tom brother and I'm no longer his godmother, but his mom's nosey friend so yes we hide".
Brooke grabbed Lucas and dashed into the closet, much to Lucas' dismay. Just in time, the door slowly opened and Jamie Scott stepped into his room shutting the door behind him.
"Knock, knock" Nathan heard and looked up to see his wife walking through his office door, shutting it behind her. "I brought Lunch".
"The things you could do to a man with those words Haley James," Nathan said with a smile.
Haley rolled her eyes, but smiled, as she lifted two to go plates out of the bag handing one to her husband. Nathan quickly tore into the lunch of his dream as his wife sat across from him on the other side of his desk.
"So" Haley began after disposing of over half of her meal. "Lucas and Brooke stopped by".
"What about Peyton"? Nathan asked, genuinely wondering about his brother's wife. "I thought you said they were all moving back".
"They are," Haley said. "She just wasn't with them, I think they are still having problems since—the incident".
Haley assumed labeling it "the incident" would somehow lessen the blow, but it was clear that no matter what she called it her feelings for Peyton had yet to change. If she wasn't willing to admit it, her facial expression alone would tell on her.
"Well, that's not something you can get over—overnight," Nathan said as he popped a curly fry into his mouth.
"It's not something you can get over—period," Haley told him. "She slept with another man, Nathan. How would you feel if I come home and told you I slept with someone"?
"I would probably laugh".
"What"?
"I would laugh because I don't ever have to worry about that happening".
"I just meant—".
"Hales, I love you and I'm willing to entertain just about anything you want to talk to about—but no good can come of this what if scenario".
"I guess I didn't think about it that way—sorry".
The two were quiet for a moment, long enough for Nathan to finish off the remainder of his lunch and drink his soda.
"They are going to be staying with us" Haley informed her husband after a few moments.
"Who"?
"Well, Brooke until next week but Peyton and Lucas will be there for a month—maybe longer I'm not entirely sure".
"You're telling me that we will now have three teenagers under one roof, four children, Brooke, us, and my brother with his wife he can't seem to be in the same room without a blood bath"? Nathan asked. "Twelve people in my house"?
"It will be a great chance for us to catch up," Haley said with a simple shrug.
"You said last week that you didn't want to be anywhere near Peyton, and now you're going to be roommates"?
"Well, Luke and Brooke ask me and I couldn't say no".
"I'm staying at a hotel".
Haley narrowed her eyes at her husband, hoping that was a joke.
"Fine. But, just remember when we are brought up for our testimonies during the trial—this was your idea".
Haley laughed, for a brief moment, until she picked her phone up and Nathan watched his wife's face drop.
"Oh, my god" Haley said throwing her head back.
"What"?
"Brooke just texted—her and Luke are stuck in Jamie's closet," Haley told him as she grabbed her phone. "Jamie is home and they don't want him to know they are in there".
"I gotta say—I missed them," Nathan said with a wide smile.
"I have to go," Haley said standing up, frustrated. "I told them deliberately that I did not want to go through his room, I know Jamie is acting out a bit here lately but I still want to respect his privacy".
Nathan listened to his wife as he sat back in his chair, relaxing his hands over his stomach. "He is more than acting out Haley. In the past three months, our son has done a complete personality shift".
"I am working on it".
"Okay, I know you're doing your best—and I have been away with work but listening to you this morning it didn't sound like we were having a conversation about our son it sounded like—".
"It sounded like what, Nathan"? Haley pressed.
"It sounded like a conversation about me—don't get me wrong. I saw his report card, he finished his first year of high school with a 4.0-grade point average. I wish I could have been as smart as he is, but maybe we do need to be a little less lenient on the boundaries we set for him" Nathan suggested.
"He has the same rules my parents had for me," Haley said.
"What worked for you might not work for him," Nathan told his wife. "He looks like a James but he acts like a Scott if I had never met you god knows how I would have turned out".
"Jamie isn't bad and he isn't you," Haley said crossing her arms. "And you just said if you had never met me god knows how you would have turned out—".
"Before you finish that sentence just know there is a big difference between a seventeen-year-old boy crazy in love and a sixteen-year-old boy and his mother. Don't get me wrong Jamie would jump in front of bullets for you, but the way you changed me and the way you want to change him—two different things".
"I never said I wanted to change him, Nathan, you did".
"Brooke and Lucas aren't the only ones who think it is a good idea to look through his things," Nathan said.
"Oh, who Clay"?
"As a matter of fact—".
"Well, I'm not raising a child with Clay or Brooke or Lucas—".
"I think it's a good idea, too."
Haley paused for a brief second "we always said we would trust our kids. How is going through his things trusting him"? She shook her head before heading towards the door.
"You're right," Nathan said before she had the chance to leave. "We should trust him, and I want to as much as you but he is a sixteen-year-old boy but for you, I will give him the benefit of the doubt".
"Thank you".
"If you make a deal with me".
"When does school start back"? Nathan asked.
"The middle of August".
"Okay, three weeks"? Nathan asked, and his wife nodded. "So, you have had the whole summer to do the disciplining your way—if in three weeks he doesn't seem to be doing any better it's my turn. Deal"?
"I thought we did this together"? Haley asked.
"We do," Nathan said. "And we have always agreed on our parenting methods—until now. You choose to see the good in everyone and I love that about you Hales and maybe you just don't want to accept that Jamie isn't a little kid anymore—I don't know what it is but you're in denial about something. I don't think simply take his phone is going to cut it anymore".
"You're not suggesting we spank him"?
"Of course not," Nathan said. "I just think with his age and his behavior—going behind our backs to get his tongue pierced and partying and—".
"Partying"? Haley asked. "How do you know he is partying"?
"Erm—father's intuition"?
Of course, his wife wouldn't buy that for a second, Nathan hung his head and turned his laptop around.
"These are the pictures on his phone," Nathan told her.
Haley bent down and scrolled down, glancing through the many—many pictures. The first was Jamie and Madison in front of a bonfire—Jamie holding a beer bottle. The second was of Jamie, Andre, and Chuck—all three shotgunning a beer can.
The pictures continued for miles, from what Haley assumed was all from one night due to the fact they were wearing the same clothes in each picture.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Haley said as she slowly sat down in the seat she was in moments ago.
"Hales, he is sixteen— I figured he was drinking from time to time but not like it appears he is. When did he get his tattoo"?
"What tattoo"?
"The one on his back—"?
"Alright, it's a deal," Haley said. "I have three more weeks—but no more snooping from you or anymore else. I have three weeks to handle all this—my way".
"Okay".
"So, log off of that—and don't tell Jamie you know about any of it".
Nathan nodded, though he wasn't exactly sure what he was agreeing to.
"Okay, so he is not only the cleanest teenager but the most boring teenager" Brooke whispered to Lucas as she peered at Jamie through the crack in the door. "It's summer break and he is reading".
"If you keep talking we are going to get caught, are you sure you texted Haley"? Lucas whispered back to her as he continued to sit in the floor playing with a deck of card.
"Yes—what are you doing"?
"Solitaire" he answered back. "Want to play"?
"No thanks—I still have my real teeth, grandpa".
Lucas rolled his eyes but still smiled, though despite her remarks continued to play. A few moments passed before Brooke sat down next to him.
"Do we tell Haley"? Brooke asked.
"About the weed"? Lucas asked though it seemed like a ridiculous question once he said it. "I don't know. Would you want to know"?
Brooke shrugged "every parent is different—and I'm sensing that Haley isn't handling Jamie's teen years like she thought she would".
"Haley was the perfect kid from birth—I don't think she was ever grounded, except one summer her mom grounded her from books. She was reading to much on a family vacation if I remember correctly" Lucas told Brooke.
Brooke rested against the wall of the closet, knowing her parents never had that issue with her.
"I think we should tell her," Brooke said.
"You do"?
"Yeah, I smoked weed and drank—a lot in high school but if I could go back and instead have someone care for me I would," Brooke told him. "Jamie has that, he has two parents who love him and just want what's best for him. They deserve to know—even if he ends up hating us for it".
"So, can we get out of this closet now"?
"Absolutely not," Brooke said. "We have been cooped in here for two hours—I'm not about to look like a creeper".
Lucas wanted to laugh but settled for a smile. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he completely understood what she meant, and didn't really want to look like a "creeper" either.
Not many grown men hide in teenaged boys closets to play solitaire.
"Knock, knock" the two heard and Brooke leaped at the sound of Haley's voice—though Jamie didn't even flinch, or simply acknowledge his mother's presence. "What are you up to"? Haley asked slowly stepping inside his bedroom.
"Reading," he said without looking up.
"Oh," Haley said.
"Do you need something"? Jamie asked, annoyed.
"Well, Yeah. My car was making an odd noise on the way home and I have to go pick Lydia up—could you take a look at it"?
Jamie let out a long deep breath but tossed his book to the side. "Keys"?
Haley handed him her keys and he quickly disappeared through the doorway.
"You two can come out now," Haley said, after a minute or two.
"Good news," Brooke said opening the closet door. "Jamie is indeed a virgin".
"Bad news, he smokes weed" Luke informed her.
"This day couldn't get much worse," Haley said dropping her head and walking away.
Brooke and Lucas looked at one another before quickly following Haley to her bedroom, where the distraught mother had crashed on her bed.
Lucas and Brooke each laid on a side of her, all three watching the ceiling fan above them.
"He has a tattoo, I didn't even know about it. I don't even know what it is, I only know that it's on his back" Haley said, utterly defeated. "I feel like such a failure as a parent. Nathan and I can't seem to agree on parenting here lately".
"Widow perk," Brooke said.
"You have a strange sense of humor B. Davis" Lucas told her.
"Nathan and I aren't fighting over it—it's not like that but he wants to discipline Jamie a completely another way," Haley told them. "I grew up with rules but my parents let me make my own decisions and that taught me responsibility and maturity. I just wanted to do the same with my kids—I think I turned out great but Nathan thinks Jamie needs more boundaries. I don't know maybe he is right".
"What do you think"? Lucas asked her. "Do you think he does"?
"I don't know, I know he doesn't talk to me—I was going to ask you to talk to him but now it's so messy I don't even know if that would help".
"Or maybe that's a perfect idea," Brooke said. "You don't want him to know that anyone was snooping around his things right"?
"Yeah"?
"So, he works at Luke's garage, right? The one he bought back that was Keith's—Luke owns the place all he has to do is to tell the manager to drug test everyone so that it isn't obvious—when he drops dirty instead of firing him—he and Luke can have some next-generation Keith and Lucas heart to heart. Problem solved".
"That's—not a bad idea actually," Haley said.
"I'm more than just looks you know Haley James Scott".
"Did you make this"? Peyton asked Chase looking at the colorful drink in front of her.
"I did," he said, nodding her head. "I own Tric so typically I tend to make the dr—".
"No, I meant did you make it, or create it—whatever"?
"It sounds like you have already had enough" Nathan Scott said sitting in the seat next to Peyton. "Trust me, after a couple sips his drinks usually start to taste, alright".
Peyton tossed the drink back, tasting the horrible liquid "you lied" she accused Nathan.
"I said sips," he told her. "What were you thinking drinking something Chase concocted like that"?
"I'm right here," Chase said.
"That must be the cocktail they serve in hell," Peyton said, utterly aware of her gagging reflexes.
Nathan couldn't help but laugh "you smell of booze, come on. Let's get you out of here".
"I just got here".
"Exactly why you're leaving, put it on mine and Haley's tab Chase," Nathan said as he helped Peyton stand.
It took a few try's but eventually, Peyton found her coordination again, and the two made their way outside of the bar.
"I feel like it would be pointless to ask you how you are doing"? Nathan said as he caught Peyton as she missed the bottom step, and nearly took a nose dive into the pavement.
"Why would you say that"? She asked. "I'm wonderful. My marriage is over, my daughter will hate me—just like my husband and all my friends".
"No one hates you, Peyton".
"I haven't talked to Haley on the phone in four months, but Brooke or Lucas press a button and she answers the first ring. You're telling me that's a coincidence"? Peyton asked, though before Nathan could answer he eyed her searching through her purse.
"You're not driving," he said taking the keys out of her hand as she pulled them out. "You and I will walk, fresh air will do you some good".
Half a mile down the road and Nathan had been right the fresh air had been sobering. Not completely, but close enough.
"Why did you do it, Peyton"? Nathan asked.
He fought the urge to ask as long as he could, but he knew his sister-in-law, better than he wanted to admit sometimes.
"I'm assuming you're looking for a more sophisticated answer than a bottle of tequila".
"I would say so".
"I don't know," Peyton said shaking her head. "Actually, you know what—yes I do. That was a lie. I was thinking my husband would rather sit in the floor drinking and laughing with Brooke than so much as look at me. She is my best friend—after Julian died I am the one who invited her to come traveling with us but suddenly it's like we were in high school again. They had their cutesy little inside jokes that I knew nothing about, I don't even know how she is handling Julian death because she won't talk about it to me, but she will sit down for six hours and talk to Lucas about it".
"You don't seriously think he is cheating on you with Brooke"? Nathan asked.
"No, of course not," Peyton said. "But, he might as well".
"Peyton they both lost someone here recently, he lost his mom and she lost her husband. That's probably all that it is".
"And I wouldn't have any idea what that is like," Peyton said. "I had four parents, four—now they are all in the ground. It's more than grieving with Brooke and Lucas, they might not know it but I do. For one night, just one night Nate I wanted to matter to someone—even if it wasn't my husband. I know it wasn't right but I'm done apologizing for it. I never asked Lucas to stay, he made that choice. But, he throws my mistake in my face all the time".
"Have you two considered therapy"? Nathan asked. "I know after that whole Carrie incident—it really helped Haley and me".
"Speaking of".
Nathan immediately looked up to find his wife walking towards them with Brooke and Lucas. The dark skies hid their figures at first, but soon the five meet under a street light.
"Peyton" Haley said, with an obviously forced smile. "Have you two been drinking"?
"Nope," Peyton said. "That would be just me".
"Damn," Lucas said before anyone could say anything else. The rest of his friends looked up, and across the street at the river court where Jamie was—with four others, one of which was Lily, playing basketball.
"Jamie is great," Lucas told his brother. "He is fast".
"I know, he is a hell of a defense but needs to up his game a bit on his offense," Nathan said.
"Is that Q's brother"?
"Andre," Haley told him nodding. "Looks just like Quinton".
"Then that one that needs the haircut and about six showers— that's Chuck—pain in my ass but where Jamie lacks in his offense he picks up. Faster than most the seniors" Nathan said pointing.
"Then the brunette tearing all the boys apart, that's Madison. Jamie's girlfriend" Haley said. "I swear it feels like they have been together as long as Nathan and I have".
"Seriously"? Lucas asked.
"Yeah, Jamie came in one day said he liked this girl—I don't even know if either asked the other to be boyfriend and girlfriend," Haley said smiling. "I remember thinking oh that's so cute and just assumed it would eventually dissolve—they were seven I think and it never did. She keeps him in line better than we do—goes to school and manages the cafe".
The five stood there, together watching the five teenagers run around the river court. Laughing. Joking. And throwing a ball.
"Were we ever that young"? Brooke asked.
"Feels like a lifetime ago".
"It's the oldest story in the world. One day you're 17 and planning for someday and then quietly and without you really noticing someday is today and then someday is yesterday and this is your life."
A/N I warned you that it was long.
But, I hope you enjoyed it. I tried to do my best to keep the characters it's true to themselves as they were in the series.
Like I said you probably will not like Peyton, at first I felt that it was out of character but then ultimately decided to go for it because it's Ben 10 years since we last saw her.
This is going to be a Brucas story, However it will be a slow burn. I love to tell love stories.
As I said in the prologue no harm will come to Naley, but of course there will be disagreements.
I also tried to find balance with Jamie, Teenagers tend to be one family and A Nother way with their friends girlfriends or boyfriends. That will be explored more upcoming chapters.
Now, a question and just leave your answer reviews.
Do you like long chapters like this? Or shorter chapters? Fat it shorter chapters they would come more frequently or longer chapters once or twice week?
Until next time! Thanks for reading!