Disclaimer: I Don't own rights to anything, except the storylines, and don't claim to own Rights to anything.
Triggers: if you have made it this far this will not be a trick her story. Same old same old
Time jump (one week) (between Ch6 & 7)
Right from the start
You were a thief, you stole my heart
And I your willing victim
I let you see the parts of me, that weren't all that pretty
And with every touch you fixed them
Now you've been talking in your sleep oh oh
Things you never say to me oh oh
Tell me that you've had enough
Of our love, our love
Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
"If you don't get going you're going to be late," Chris Keller told Peyton glancing down at his watch. "I feel like being late to your first marriage therapy session wouldn't make the best first impression".
Peyton hated to admit it, but Chris was right "Are you sure?—I hate to leave you with this large load. There is so much to do and—".
"I have been doing this for years" Chris assured her. "Sophia will be here at two and—".
"I haven't even met her," Peyton said as she gathered her things stuffing the items into the bottom of her purse. "She has made two different and very successful albums with the label and I have never even met her".
"Amazing voice," Mia said, as she stood behind her husband's chair. "Not the most talented with songwriting skills—that's why she is coming by to look through some new songs for her next album".
"But, what about—"?
"Peyton," Mia said, interrupting her boss. "Stop avoiding, go. You said yourself you wanted to work on your marriage—to work on your marriage and stop making excuses".
"You know ever since you became a mom you have become so bossy," Peyton said throwing her purse over her shoulder as she walked towards the door. "Don't forget the conference call at—"
"Two," Chris said cutting her off. "I know".
"Go" Mia ordered pointing.
Peyton huffed as she turned around "yes, mom" she said waving her hand over her shoulder as she walked out the door.
"Damn, kids," Chris said, smiling up at his wife.
"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the first day of school"? Haley asked as continued to race through her home—in an attempt to be ready on time.
"Every single year," Nathan told his wife as he slapped his watch over his wrist.
"Do you have time to drop, Lydia off at school"?
"Not even if I wanted to," Nathan told her honestly. "I have to be at the high school to talk to the basketball team before school starts and I have a meeting at eight fifteen. I'm already on a tight time crunch".
"It's fine," Haley said.
"Lunch"?
"Hopefully".
Nathan leaned over and gave his wife a quick peck on the lips before turning towards the door but Haley grabbed him by the hand pulling him back towards her.
"Try that one more time" she demanded with a smile on her face.
Nathan cupped his wife's check and softly ran his lips across hers, once and then twice.
"I love you, Haley James".
"Better" Haley said with a smile. "I love you, be careful".
Nathan ducked out the front door as Haley frantically searched for her keys "Jamie—Lydia" she called up the staircase. "Hurry. Let's go".
Jamie came down the stairs just seconds later, although not in the rush his mom was currently in.
"Bye," Jamie said as he headed towards the door, in an attempt to avoid any type of conversation his mom had planned.
"Wait" Haley called before he had the chance to make his quick getaway. "Lunch money"?
"Got it".
Haley turned to look at Jamie before awkwardly asking "will you be okay to go to school. It's only been a week since you broke your—".
"God mom," Jamie said shutting his eyes tightly. "Can you not"?
"I'm just making sure. What's wrong with that"?
"Can I go now"?
"Not yet—the first day of school pictures," she told him before yelling "Lydia get down here" up the staircase.
"You can't be serious," Jamie said.
"We have done this every year, what makes you think this year is any different"? Haley asked looking at him.
"I broke my penis this summer—haven't I suffered enough"?
"What's a penis"? Lydia asked as she walked down the last couple stairs joining her mother and brother in the living room.
Jamie snickered, although Haley found no humor in the situation that her son did.
"Go stand with your brother" Haley ordered her youngest as she pulled her phone out. "Now, smile—James Lucas if I don't see those teeth I'm pulling them out".
"If I smile will you never talk about my—injury again"?
"Deal".
Jamie and Lydia smiled as Haley snapped more than enough pictures of her two children on her phone.
"Alright—you're free to go," Haley said as she turned around stuffing her phone in her purse "I lov—".
Haley heard the door close and turned around to find her teenager already gone.
"You really need to do something about his attitude," Lydia said crossing her arms, causing her mom to smile.
"Let's go," Haley said taking her daughters hand before the two left, just as the two Scott men had.
"What do you think"? Sawyer Scott asked as she ran into the kitchen with a wide smile on her face.
Brooke turned around, pausing from packing three different lunches, three different requests, and three different types of allergies—each one specifically labeled.
"I think you look like a young Hayden Panettiere," Brooke said smiling.
"Whose that"?
"You're grounded".
Sawyer laughed, "you're not my mommy or my daddy".
"Yeah, well they are grounded, too," Brooke told her. "Now, go get your backpack—pronto".
"Do you even know what pronto means"? Jude asked as he walked into the kitchen with his backpack on his back. "Or do you just say it because all the moms on TV say it"?
"I know what pronto means thank you—Sawyer book bag. Now, please".
The little curly haired blonde skipped off as Brooke closed the lid on all the small lunch boxes that sat on the counter.
"You said we were moving home," Jude said as he climbed up on the stool on the opposite side of the counter. "This isn't home".
"Actually, it is," Brooke told him. "Or for now it, is, this is where your daddy and I lived when we got married and you and your brother were first born".
"For now"? Davis asked as he walked in joining his family. "Does that mean we are going to move again"?
"Probably," Brooke told her sons. "I have been looking at a few houses".
"I'm tired of moving," Jude told her.
"I like it at Nathan and Haley's".
"I did, too but we couldn't stay there forever—they need their privacy just like we needed ours".
"Then why are Peyton and Sawyer here"? Jude asked.
"Yeah, why don't they live with Lucas"? Davis asked.
"Aren't you two just full of questions this morning"? Brooke said running her fingers through her hair. "I will answer all of them, but right now the four of us need to get on the road. Okay? Once we get you to school I still have forms to fill out".
Davis and Jude both jumped down rolling their eyes dramatically at their mother.
"She needs a boyfriend," David told his brother.
"She needs something" Jude agreed.
Chuck raced through the school hall dodging and ducking around the many students that stood in his way. He walked quickly in an attempt to catch up with Lily who he found was much faster than he thought. It wasn't until the two were standing outside the school that he was able to get near her.
"Hey," Chuck said as he reached out and grabbed her hand, and she turned around to face him.
"Oh," she said with a small voice. "Hey," she said awkwardly.
"Did—did I do something"? He asked letting her arm go and stuffing his hands into his jeans.
"Wha—no," she said shaking her head. "What makes you think that"?
"Well, you weren't in school five seconds before you ran out. I saw you look at me and thought—I don't know you didn't want to see me or something".
"Chuck," she said smiling. "We have been making out and having sex for a week," she told him, not that he needed to be reminded. It would have been hard to forget, she was clearly out of his league. "You're the one who doesn't want to tell Jamie, not me".
"Is that what this is about"? He asked looking at her.
"It has nothing to do with you," Lily said wrapping her arms around his waist. "It's just—I have been so excited to go to school—I forgot that's where my dad was shot and killed until I walked in and saw the memorial sign and I just—" she said tears flowing down her eyes "I just needed a minute".
"Oh, damn". Chuck said running his hand down his face, how could he forget such a thing? He grew up with Jamie, he heard the stories so many times, how on earth could it have slipped his mind. "I'm so sorry Lils. That's got to be so hard" he said running his hands down the sides of her bare arms before planting a small kiss on her lips.
"You're making it a little better," she told him. "I never met him, but—".
"Rather you met him or not, he was still your father and he was killed. It's going to hurt regardless".
Lily stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Chuck on the lips, "thank you" she told him. "Have you talked to your mom".
"No," he told her. "I am still staying at Andre's. I'm not ready to go back home, yet".
"Charles".
"You're the only person in the world that I let call me that," Chuck said pointing a finger at her. "I will talk to her, I swear".
Lily rolled her eyes but as Chuck went to kiss her she quickly jumped out of his reach, at first he was confused but then looked over his shoulder to see Jamie and Madison walking towards the school, hand in hand.
"Hey," Chuck said as Jamie and Madison approached.
"Have you checked your phone"? Jamie asked as he looked down at his smartphone in his hand.
"No," Chuck said shaking his head as he reached into his pocket.
"Dad sent a group text to the whole team—said to meet in the gym".
"It's the first day of school," Chuck said. "What could it possibly be about"? He asked as he looked through his phone. "I got it, too".
"So, did the girl's team," Madison told him. "We better go".
"Catch you later"? Chuck asked, turning to Lily as Jamie and Madison walked away, and she nodded. "Will you be alright"?
"Yeah," she told him. "I will text Haley and walk in with her".
Chuck nodded, before following his two friends.
"We need to make this quick" Lucas said as he caught up with Nathan as the two walked towards the high school. "Peyton and I have our first session in forty-five minutes".
"Alright," Nathan told his brother as he checked his watch. "I need to be at the office in less than that anyways".
"Will you be at the hospital this afternoon"?
"To meet with that doctor about Keith's surgery"?
"No, I just thought we could browse the baby section in the maternity ward," Lucas said sarcastically. "Yes, it's about Keith".
"What all did the doctor say on the phone"? Nathan asked, ignoring his brother's comment.
"That he would discuss it with us at the hospital at three thirty. I invited Peyton to come—you might want to bring Haley".
Nathan nodded, as he opened the door to the school and the two walked in.
"I find it odd that after all these years we are still walking these damn halls," Lucas told his brother. "We are like the exes that just couldn't take a hint".
Nathan and Lucas made their way through the school that was full of high schoolers until the reached the gym, a path they could have done with their eyes closed. They walked through the double doors to find a large group of boys and girls sitting on the bleachers—talking, listening to music, eating, and just all around being teenagers.
Nathan whistled "listen up," he said as he and Lucas approached the bleachers, gaining everyone's attention. "We don't have a lot of time so let's just get to the point. I will not be coaching you boys this year".
"What"?
"Why"?
"But, coach".
"What the hell"?
The boy's team burst out in a series of let down remakes, all except Jamie—which Nathan noticed, which is exactly why he wouldn't be coaching the boy's team. Although, he wasn't going to inform anyone of that, after spending three years in the position.
"Calm down," Nathan told them waving his hand. "I will be leaving you in great hands—the best. This is my big brother and he is going to be coaching you this year".
"You're Lucas, right"? One of the boys asked to which he nodded.
"Didn't your guy's dad get two women pregnant in one year"? Another boy asked. "You two are the same age but have different moms—right"?
"The man shot his brother and he is still known for that" Lucas whispered to Nathan shaking his head. "All questions will be asked and answered later," he said raising his voice back to a regular tone. "I am Lucas Scott, Nathan's brother. This Friday I am holding tryouts for the new Freshman go have a chance to join the team and next Tuesday another try out for sophomore's and up giving some kids the opportunity to play that couldn't or haven't in the past couple years. Then we will have our first practice next Friday".
"Basketball season doesn't start until—November" one of the older boys said, confused by Lucas' statement.
"What's your name, kid"? Lucas asked him.
"Everyone calls me Reese," he said shrugging.
"Alright, Reese—I have a good feeling you're going to spend a lot of time warming up the bench this season," Lucas told him. "Nate is a damn good coach and an even better player—but we do things differently. You don't want to play, don't come to practice. That's how simple I'll make it for you, you miss more than one practice without either a doctors excuse or something you previously discussed and cleared with me—you sit out a game. But, you will be present at every game—again unless it's medical or discussed with me, otherwise, you miss a game your off the team. You will not play for the Tree Hill Ravens for this season, you can try again next year".
"You seniors better listen up," Nathan said. "Most of you working towards scholarships, there will be scouts looking at you this year—you can't get a scholarship in basketball if you aren't playing".
"That brings me to another point," Lucas told them. "If you want to play a certain position come to tryouts on Tuesday with the rest of the school, otherwise I will put you where I see fit. That means the positions you played last year may not be the positions you play this year" Lucas explained. "Nate has given me notes from last year—but until I see you play you have no positions".
"But, I have been point guard since I was a freshman," a senior in the back said.
"Then show up to tryouts, Kyle" Jamie told him without looking behind him—knowing exactly who it was who spoke.
"Easy for you to say—either way, you're getting coached by your dad or your uncle," another boy said. "It's safe to say you'll get what you want".
"Absolutely not," Lucas said. "I assure you there will be no favoritism".
"If anything he will be harder on Jamie than the rest of the team," Nathan said.
"Oh, goody," Jamie said sarcastically.
"Now, this goes for anyone—if you're playing on my team you will give it your absolute best. You win some and you lose some—but if you lose and you didn't give it everything you have, I don't care if you spent the whole game on the beach the whole team will run suicides until your legs fall off".
Nathan wanted to laugh at the reactions, Lucas was receiving but just stood behind his brother—listening.
"And lastly—I know that you're teens and that your party, that's your business," Lucas told them. "But, with that said drugs—will not be tolerated. After our first practice, I am sending permission sheets home to do drug testing—at any time. If even a shimmer of weed pops up in your system, your bench that is if I don't kick you off the team".
"That goes for the girl's team, too," Nathan said.
"Wait," Madison said looking at Nathan smiling. "Are you coaching the girl's team"?
"Yes," he answered. "That's why I won't be coaching the boys this year and passed it off to my brother instead".
"Yes," Madison said before sticking her tongue out at Jamie.
"So, if you are on medication make sure to report it to us," Nathan said, smiling at Jamie's girlfriend's enthusiasm. "We just needed to introduce you to Lucas and let you know that I will be coaching the girl's team. Other than that—you dismissed".
The group quickly spread out and left the gym—except Madison and Jamie.
"Do I really need to report my dick meds"? He asked looking at his dad and Lucas as he held Madison's hand.
Lucas laughed "I figured you weren't going to announce it in front of everyone, but yes," he told his nephew. "You're on pain killers right now, so they do need to be documented".
Jamie nodded "alright, I'll get you the prescription. See you".
Madison and Jamie left the gymnasium quietly, it wasn't until they reached the hall way that Madison smiled and said: "Luke is going to kick your all's asses this year".
"Sounds like it, doesn't it"?
The bell rang, echoing through the halls of Tree Hill high school as Haley shut the door to her classroom before turning around finding twenty pairs of eyes, on her. It was something she had become quite accustomed to, but this was this first time she had ever her own son in her classroom, and not as a guest.
"I had a few of you last year that wrote on the school paper," Haley said as she walked to the front if the classroom. "But, I don't teach freshman—for those that don't know my name is Haley James Scott. You may call me Mrs. Scott, you may not call me Mrs. J.S., you may not call me Mrs. Coach, or Haley, or HJS, or Jamie's mom—we are not in a fountains of Wayne song and you ask me who that is you automatically fail this class" she said with a smile.
It was a joke, a corny stupid joke—but it did get a few laughs. Even from her son, which she found shocking.
"Welcome, to your sophomore English class," Haley said. "Every day I will have a quote on the board—if you can identify the quote you get out of homework for the evening, and yes you will have homework on the first day, welcome to your second year of high school kids," she told her students.
"There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures" Haley read without even glancing at the board to read the quote she had written. "Does anyone know what this quote is from"? She asked as she walked up one of the aisles looking at the large group of sixteen-year-olds. "Whoever knows it gets out of tonight's homework—but still gets full credit".
The room fell painfully silent as Haley watched the teenagers share one glance after another, possibly waiting for someone to answer. But, no matter how many kids didn't know it, no matter how horrible that was to her literature loving her heart, she knew at least there was one sixteen year old that knew that quote by heart—and if he wasn't going to answer it by himself Mrs. Scott would just have to pressure it out of her son, which she was certain she could do.
Haley walked down the second aisle as she saw her son sinking farther and farther down into his seat. "You see," she said gaining everyone's attention. "I know one of you knows this answer—I'm just wondering if he is going to answer mommy's question," Haley said as she placed her hand on Jamie's shoulder. "I used to read this to my son when he was a wee little baby. I would rock him in the nursery and read this as I fed him, breastf—".
"William Shakespeare" Jamie cut her off, mortified before she could finish the rest of her sentence. Although, he didn't cut her off in time, just like that the entire class knew that the basketball player had been a breastfed baby. "Julius Caesar," he said as he looked up at his girlfriend who was smiling from ear to ear before. "Dead God" he whispered popping his hood up over his head and sliding down in his seat as far as he could go without hitting the floor.
Haley held back her laughter, with much difficulty knowing she just couldn't pass up the opportunity to embarrass her son a little—but in doing so she got what she wanted.
"Good," Haley said letting go of her son's shoulder and walking towards the front of the classroom. "Extra credit if you can tell me what it means".
"I'll pass".
"It might end up helping you at the end of the semester".
"I'll risk it".
Haley smiled as she reached the front of the classroom turning to face everyone "would anyone else like to venture a guess"?
At first, no one moved, and Haley assumed that this class would be one of those classes—where she would constantly have to randomly call on someone to answer her questions. But, then Madison's hand slowly rose up, and Haley pointed at her.
"If you don't take the opportunity while it's there you might not have it again and—you will go on to regret not taking it," Madison said, though as she spoke, she sounded unsure of her words. "Life is short. Don't waste it".
"You're impossible" Peyton yelled at her husband. "How many times do I have to apologize"?
"Well, if you had never done it in the first place then there wouldn't be anything to apologize for," Lucas told her. "We made vows".
"Mr. Scott let's try to not place blame," Adam Daulton said, as he watched the husband and wife argue.
"Oh, like you're so perfect" Peyton scoffed ignoring the therapist in front of them.
"I'm not perfect but I don't go sleeping with women who aren't my wife".
"No, but you want to".
"At this point, I would screw a snapping turtle if it meant I got to have sex".
Adam watched, and took extensive notes, he had been working as a marriage therapist for over twenty years. But, had never seen a couple quite like the Scott's—when they walked in they were holding hands but yet couldn't seem to sit next to each other.
Peyton sat with her arms over her torso and her legs crossed, alone on the couch. It was bluntly clear that this session, and what he assumed many after, was not her idea and she certainly didn't want to be here. But, she wanted to fix her marriage more than she didn't want to be here.
Lucas stood behind the couch, pacing, he would move his hands from deep inside his pockets to crossing his arms. Hostile. He was hostile towards his wife, the entire time they had been in the room they had never once had eye contact. But, like his wife he wanted to fix his marriage.
It seemed to be the only thing they shared at the current moment.
"Alright," Adam said after the couple's voices began bouncing off the walls. "Let's try a different approach. Lucas—sit next to your wife, please".
"I prefer to stand".
"That wasn't a question," Adam told him. "You are paying me for my professional help, so sit down next to your wife. It seems you two have a real issue with intimacy—when was the last time you two had sex"?
"Erm," Lucas said sitting down shrugging. "A couple of weeks I think".
"Three and a half," Peyton said immediately. "He had sex with me and then-then he threw my— indiscretions in my face. I knew something was off from the minute he started kissing me".
"Why did you think something was off"?
"Lucas has never been all about PDA with me, he doesn't kiss me in front of Brooke and he was that—".
"Wait, when did Brooke come into this equation"? Lucas asked, taken back by the mention of her name.
"Oh, Luke," Peyton said rolling her eyes. "When has she not"?
"I don't have any clue what you are talking about Peyton".
"Brooke. You still have feelings for her and—".
"This is ridiculous," Lucas said standing throwing his arms in the air. "I have been having this same argument for fifteen years, I don't want to spend another fifteen having it. Why are you so insecure when it comes to Brooke"?
"Who is Brooke"? Adam asked sitting his note pad down as he leaned forward.
"My high school girlfriend," Lucas said.
"My best friend" Peyton said, at the same time her husband spoke.
"I haven't even kissed Brooke in over sixteen years".
"Less than that" Peyton corrected him. "When I said no whenever you purposed—you tried to sleep with her".
"Fine, fourteen—how the hell do you know about that"?
"Brooke, she is my best friend".
"I was drunk, I would have kissed anyone—".
"But, Brooke isn't just anyone," Peyton said between her teeth. "You still love her, you always have Lucas".
"That's absurd".
"Actually," Adam said crossing his legs. "The two times your feelings for this woman have come up you have not only avoided eye contact with your wife but you have also averted answering the question—when someone acts with that sort of behavior generally it does mean it's a question that they don't want to answer. So, I'm going to change this up a little—only yes or no answers, Lucas. Do you love Peyton"?
"Yes".
"Do you think Peyton is a good wife"?
"Yes".
"Do you want to be married to Peyton"?
Lucas didn't move.
"The first answer that comes to your head, don't think about it. Just answer".
"—no".
Lucas didn't look at Peyton but he could feel her sense of pain from across the room.
"Is that because you love someone else"?
"I can—".
"Yes or no answers only Lucas".
"Yes".
"Is that person this Brooke"?
Lucas swallowed the large lump in his throat as he sat back down on the coach "Yes".
"Now, you may explain your answers—sometimes it's better to answer with the first response that pops in your head" Adam explained to them. "It gets down to the real answer, and not to lies or avoidance".
"Brooke—she has always been my soulmate," Lucas told Peyton, without looking at her. "I was never angry with you for cheating on me, I forgive you for that the next day—I forgave you because I don't think I cared. I wanted to—we have been married for ten years and we have a daughter, a beautiful little girl. We promised she would have the one thing that neither of us did—a family. I had my mom and you had your dad but we didn't have a real family. But, now we are a real family—she has what we didn't".
Lucas looked up to find his wife crying, her mascara beginning to run from her tears. He saw the red in her eyes and her puffy cheek, and the guilt overtook him. Lucas felt a tear of his own slide down his cheek.
"I do love you, Peyton," he said taking her hand, that she immediately jerked away.
"Having your suspicions and having them confirmed is two different feelings?" Adam told them. "The question remains—do you two want to still fix your marriage"?
"Yes," Lucas said, almost immediately taking Peyton's hand—this time she let him. "I want to be with you, I married you. I love you. I do want to leave, I will be honest about that. So, please Peyton—give me a reason to stay".
"Lucas, you have finally admitted your feelings for Brooke out loud to your wife and to yourself," Adam said, earning the couple's attention. "But, for you two to move on and put this behind you need to admit your feelings to someone else".
"Brooke," Peyton said.
"Why would I do that—won't that just make things worse".
"No," Adam told him. "For months you have lashed out at your wife for her indiscretions because secretly it was you who was longing to be with someone else. You put her down because you were the one who had feelings for someone else. This can help you move on. For good".
"I just don't think this is something I want to do".
"Because, you're scared she is going to have feelings for you, too," Peyton said. "Or that she doesn't. Either way, you don't want to hear what she has to say".
"One other thing—we are going to try this exercise that I really think will help".
"You can't see Peyton for three months"? Haley asked Lucas, keeping her voice as she sat in the waiting room with her brother-in-law and husband.
"Ninety days to be exact" Lucas told Haley and Nathan. "The only communication we are allowed to have is about Sawyer—but he suggested that we have someone do the dividing between us so if you don't care—".
"We will do whatever to help," Nathan told his brother before he could finish his sentence.
"Thank you—I thought the idea was completely ridiculous. I'm trying to not get divorced and separating us like this makes me feel like he just tossed us into the fire" Lucas said. "No sex—with each other, anyone else—even ourselves".
"How are you two going to live in a small town—like Tree Hill and not see each other"? Nathan asked.
"If we run into one another we just don't speak, act as though we are strangers because for the next ninety days we are," Lucas said. "Those were the doctor's words, not mine".
"I picked it up on that" Nathan told his brother.
"So, that's why Peyton didn't come today, I explained the circumstances and he told us that this is my family—and we need to distance ourselves from one another's families as much as we can, anyways," Lucas told them. "I explained that we have all been friends since high school and he told us to not cut friends out but thinks like Keith—she needs to be away from, at least for now. It's supposed to clear our minds and help us come to terms with our marriage—in one hundred percent that Jamie bought his weed off this guy".
"Wait—What"? Nathan asked.
Lucas and Haley shared a look, and it had become clear that she hadn't completely filled him in on that part just yet.
"You know—I'm going to go—over there," Lucas said pointing to nowhere in specific before he got up and walked away.
"Okay," Haley said slowly turning towards her husband. "Our son might have smoked weed—it was in his room but I don't know if it was his or not".
"Of course it was his, Hales," Nathan said, scolding his wife. "Why wasn't I told"?
"Well, that's when we were going to do different parenting styles and I was handling it, but then I just kept putting it off".
"Is that why Lucas made a big fuss at the basketball team this morning about drugs"?
"I don't know—more than likely. He did a drug test of the whole body shop but I guess he went through a bad place because everyone's came back inconclusive" Haley told him. "So, I gave him the number to the place we go through at the café".
"We really need to get a handle on that boy," Nathan told his wife.
"He isn't that bad—you even said last week that he has made some major improvements".
"That was before I knew he was smoking weed—it's still illegal here in North Carolina. He had it in our home, we could have faced charges for that" Nathan said. "Drinking and having sex is one thing".
"Who is drinking and having sex"?
"I didn't mean he was having sex," he said backtracking from his previous statement, remembering what his son had confided in him. "But, he is a teenager at some point sex is going to be something he wants to do—it's pretty clear how he feels about," he told Haley watching her face turn beet red. "But, we saw the pictures on his phone from him drinking".
"But, that was weeks ago—and it is still illegal to drink under the age of twenty-one—".
"No, it's illegal to purchase alcohol under the age of twenty-one and its always illegal to drink and drive, big difference," Nathan said and earned a confused look from his wife. "I researched it a lot in high school".
"That you studied"?
Nathan smiles, but briefly. "I can't believe you didn't tell me he was smoking weed"?
"If it helps it wasn't intentional, look where we are, Nathan—we don't exactly live normal lives. I can barely remember to brush my teeth most of the time" Haley spoke up in her defense.
"And you want another baby"? He asked, sarcastically.
"Actually, no" Haley told Nathan, shocking her husband. "I mean I do—but not right now. You're right we have too much going on to get pregnant right now. There are Keith and Jamie and Lydia is still wetting the bed, school just started—maybe now isn't the right time".
"You know I'm neutral either way—we have two healthy kids and we are happily married. I like things the way they are" Nathan told his wife.
"I really wanted a big family—but when I think about getting pregnant and starting all over again—with the way you travel, having to do it by myself a lot. We have two kids who can get themselves ready for school and bed and if I'm tired can even feed themselves" Haley told him. "I think I'm done, too. Jamie will be graduating in three years, it doesn't make sense to have another".
Nathan took his wife's hand, knowing that wasn't an easy decision for her to come to but in a sense, he was relieved about it. He loved being a dad, but he certainly didn't want another baby.
"I love you," Nathan said.
"I love you".
Nathan leaned over and gave his wife a kiss, his lips lightly running over hers.
"Scott" they heard and looked up to see a Doctor.
Haley and Nathan stood up, meeting Lucas at the front of the waiting room.
"Just follow me and we will talk about your uncle".
Jamie laid on his bed his legs stretched across as his girlfriend sat up next to him with her legs crossed, books scattered over his bed as the two did their homework.
"I can't believe have homework in every class on the first day," Madison said shaking her head as she searched for her math book. "That was a brutal good-bye to summer".
"I don't have homework in English," Jamie said, rolling his eyes as Madison smiled.
"Good," Madison told him. "Then you can help me with mine".
"Or—we could press the pause button on homework for a few minutes" Jamie offered.
Madison looked back at her boyfriend but didn't get the chance to fully see him before his lips crashed into hers. She pushed him on the bed on his back and climbed on top of him straddling Jamie to the bed, hovering above him—being extra careful not to sit directly on him.
They kissed and kissed until Madison pulled back for a brief second before pulling her top up over her head.
"You're trying to kill me aren't you"? Jamie asked as he ran his hands up her smooth body. "Knowing I can't have sex—this is mean".
"I can put it back on if you'd like"?
"Don't you dare".
Madison laughed, lightly before tugging Jamie's shirt up over his body and throwing it to the side. "My boyfriend is so sexy," she said running her manicured nails down his chest.
"I could say the same thing about my girlfriend".
Jamie leaned up as if he was going to kiss Madison before flipping the two over before—earning a delightful squeal from the girl that now found herself beneath her boyfriend. They kissed, each kiss longer and deeper than the last.
Until the door opened and the two immediately jumped apart.
"Oh, my god" Brooke said covering her eyes. "I'm so sorry—I thought—I can't remember what I thought".
Madison quickly pulled her shirt back over her head "it's fine—I was just leaving".
"You don't have to do that" Brooke told her lowering her hands. "Peyton loaned Jamie a CD—she asked me to pick it up".
Madison smiled as she stuffed her books in her bag quickly "I have to stop by the café anyways—love you" she told Jamie kissing him on the cheek and ducking out the door.
"Love you" Jamie called after his girlfriend, who left faster than a tornado.
Brooke looked at Jamie who sat on the edge of his bed looking at her. "I'm so, so, so sorry," she said.
"It's fine," Jamie said. "Apparently my sex life is a public program for the whole family anyways".
"Well, to be fair—I didn't think you would be doing anything since you're not technically supposed to".
"There is nothing wrong with my lips".
Brooke rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her as she stepped further into his rooms. "Jamie—that looked like a whole lot more than kissing. Neither of you two had a shirt on".
"So"? He asked shrugging. "That weekend was supposed to be our first time, and since it didn't happen and we have some—much unwanted, time to spare we have turned the volume up on the make-out sessions".
"Oh," Brooke said, her eyes growing wide as she sat down next to her shirtless godson. "Really? It was going to be your first time? And—then you broke your—"?
"Yes".
"You two must have some rough foreplay".
"Oh, my god, Brooke".
"No it's fine—I'm not judging. I was actually going to ask for some tips" she said shrugging.
Jamie fell back on his bed as if running from Brooke Davis was an option.
"That's not how I broke it," Jamie said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Just ask uncle Luke".
"I will be sure to—now I'm curious" Brooke informed him.
"It amazes me that as much as this whole damn family talks and no one told you how it happened".
"I assumed it was through sex, so I didn't ask—I thought it was your first time and you got a little to carried away and—".
"Oh, my god" Jamie said sitting up straight. "First mom talks about me being breastfed on my first day of school—in front of the entire class and now you think that my first time I just gave it hell? I assure you I won't last that long to get that crazy with it"!
Brooke laughed, and then Jamie laughed—-because she was laughing. And then they just couldn't stop. At least for a few minutes.
"Jamie"?
"Yes"?
"If you plan on playing basketball this season you really need to tell your parents about those tattoos," Brooke said as she looked at Jamies's arm.
Jamie had forgotten he wasn't wearing a shirt when Brooke walked in and immediately seen she was looking at his arm.
"How much trouble do you think I'm going to get in"?
"I'm not Haley—or Nathan, I can't say but as much humiliation as you have gone through the past couple weeks I think your parents seeing that tattoo during your first game and Haley pulling you off the court by your ear—might not help you right now".
"Damn it".
Peyton walked into red bedroom records slowly, not that she realized how slow she had been walking. It was as if she had been run over by a vehicle, and had to get herself to the hospital. She felt numb, her whole body felt numb, and if her legs weren't moving she would insist that she had been paralyzed.
The blonde kept replaying her marriage therapy with Lucas over and over in her head, she could still hear the "yes" that changed her life forever. She had known it for years, but hearing the words nearly destroyed her.
"Hey," Mia said walking up to Peyton as she finally made it to her desk, laying her purse on top of it. "How did it go"?
"I have three months to decide if I want to work on my marriage or not," Peyton told her. "I really, really don't want to talk about it, if you don't mind. At least not right now".
"Okay," Mia said, as she looked at Peyton who looked utterly destroyed and broken from the inside out—through her voice lacked any emotion at all. "Sophia is here," she said in an attempt to distract her boss. "You said you haven't got a chance to meet her—well her and another artist is here. They are looking through songs right now".
Peyton looked up and saw Chris sitting in the recording room with two different people. A young girl and a man, neither of which could have been too old at all.
"Let's go," Peyton said with a very fake, and very forced smile before the two made their way into the room.
"Hey," Chris said looking up "how did it-" he began but seen his wife shaking her head, vigorously behind Peyton. "Welcome back"? Chris spoke, although he wasn't sure if it was a question for Mia or if he was saying it to Peyton. "This is Peyton Sawyer-Scott, she is the owner of the record label. Peyton this is Sophia and this is Cole—lead singer of Beyond Carolina".
"It's nice to finally meet you," Peyton said as she shook both of the artist's hands.
"Same" Sophia told her. "It's nice to put a face to the name".
"Same" Peyton told her. "Except thanks to both of your highly successful albums I know what you look like—so maybe it's not the same".
"They wouldn't be as successful without Chris" Cole told her.
"We are actually looking for their next song—trying to get a duet going" Chris informed her.
"You two don't write your own songs"? Peyton asked.
"I love to sing," Sophia told her. "But, I never had many talent putting pen to paper, I have tried. It never ends well".
"Same" Cole agreed.
"Okay," Peyton said sitting down next to Chris. "Well, let's hear you two sing together and work from there instead of searching through this rather large folder. Let's work off your vocal range together".
"See? What did I tell you"? Chris said throwing his thumb over his shoulder at Peyton. "Best in the business".
Brooke shut the door to Nathan and Haley's house and began to walk toward her car—to find Madison waiting next to it.
"Oh," Brooke said, surprised. "I thought you left".
"I did—or I was going to but I wanted to ask you something first—sort of," Madison said, though nervously twirling her black hair. "You're not like a regular mom, though—right? You're like a cool mom"?
"The coolest" Brooke said a simple shrug.
"Does that apply to your godmother status"?
Brooke bit down on her bottom lip before she nodded and said: "I would hope so, why"?
"Well, it's just that—what you walked in up there—that's new" Madison explained to her. "I mean I have never done that before—just took my shirt off. I mean have but that was before—when I thought we were going to have sex but then we didn't. I have never let Jamie see me in anything except a bathing suit until recently, it's just that—well—".
"Okay, Stop," Brooke said holding her hand, unable to keep up with the words that were spilling out of Madison's mouth. "You don't have to explain yourself if that's what this is about"?
"It's not, I just—I was wondering if I could get your advice on that. Sex, I mean".
Brooke put her hands on her hips and let out a deep breath and shook her head as she asked "what am I? The post-it man for horny teenagers"? But, after asking if—she held her hand up "I think it's best I don't know the answer to that, what do you need advice on"?
Madison sat down at the picnic table next to Brooke's car and cautiously ran her hands up and down her legs. "After Jamie's—incident, I told him we would take it slow because I got nervous before we had sex, and I think he did, too".
"Everyone gets nervous before their first time".
"Did you"?
Brooke tried to remember back, but couldn't exactly recall her first time. She assumed there was some sort of liquor involved. "This isn't about me," Brooke said as she leaned against her car.
"This is about you, and Jamie and nerves are normal when you're about to go through this life-changing experience".
"I know, but it was more than that" Madison explained, then chuckled nervously before saying "I have never seen a naked man, I have never even changed a baby boys diaper—the most I know is from the health class books—and that's just the anatomy".
When Madison spoke, she spoke barely above a whisper so at first, Brooke wasn't certain she wasn't sure she heard her correctly. But, the more she spoke, the more Brooke realized she had indeed heard her. And she was more certain that her eyes were so wide they were popping out of her head because frankly, the teenager was looking at her odd.
"Never"? Brooke asked, her voice hoarse, although she wasn't sure why.
"No".
"You basically have no idea what you're working with down there"? Brooke asked, still in shock, as Madison shook her heads. "Wow," Brooke said suddenly grinning. "It's like finding a unicorn".
"Brooke" Madison whined.
"I'm sorry," Brooke told her. "No, that's a lie. I'm not but I can help you".
"I told him that we could take things slow over the next couple weeks and work up to that but to be honest I don't even know what that means. Or what to do. What if I see it and I cry"?
Brooke bit down, hard, on her bottom lip as she fought to keep herself composed. "Alright," she said. "For the next couple minutes, we are going to pretend that Jamie is not my godson because what I have to say is not appropriate godmother material. I don't want any questions either. Are we clear"?
Madison nodded.
"I don't know if Jamie knows this or not, but I had sex with Nathan in high school".
"You had sex with Nathan—"?
"I said no questions," Brooke told Madison pointing at her. "But, I promise you if he took after his father, or his uncle—you will not be crying," she said as she sat next to the teenager. "Scott's are good at three things basketball, drinking, and sex. If there was a Nobel Prize in sex—they would win it every year".
Madison couldn't help but smile at Brooke's comment, for two reasons. One it was funny, and two it sounded like she was going to be in good hands.
"Don't take this the wrong way, I love my husband so much" Brooke told Madison. "But, Lucas—there was no comparison in the bedroom. He used to turn me on with just his words".
Madison chuckled, "so sex is fun right"?
"I think, it's been so long I forget," Brooke told her. "But, I can help you with the naked nervous problem. Julian, he was a film producer, director, and even ran his own television show until he passed, but because of his job, he traveled a lot. So, when he would work away—I would take pictures and text them to him".
"Pictures"?
"Yeah, very—very sexy pictures and he would send some in return," Brooke said. "Maybe start there. When you get home to take a shower—there is something that men just find sexy about a girl who just got out of the shower with her hair wet, then put on something sexy. It could be lingerie or even one of Jamie's t-shirts, guys love it when you're in their clothes then take a sexy picture. If you're in nothing but his shirt trust me—he will go nuts, pun intended".
Madison giggled but then asked "That's it? Just take a picture"?
"Yes, that's all it will take to open the door. Trust me".
"Okay, thank you-you won't tell Haley about this will you"?
"God, no" Brooke told her. "I can't leave my children as orphans".
Haley pulled the roast out of the oven and set it down in the middle of the table, she looked at her perfectly set dinner table.
"Damn," Nathan said as he stepped into his dining room. "It looks like a Martha Stewart catalog in here".
"The fact that you know that is both freighting and pleasant," Lucas said as he carried a bowl of mash potatoes to the table. "Did you read the article about the DIY origami's for your plants"?
"I did," Nathan told him. "I think it will spruce this place up around Thanksgiving, I have found that crafts are quite calming and I rather enjoy them".
"I wish I were the same way, I just sometimes don't have the patience to sit down and work on them. I would love to be one of those Pinterest dads—".
"I feel like I'm in the twilight zone," Brooke said, as she crossed her arms. "This coming from the two men behind the madness of midnight madness".
"Speaking of that I had an idea—" Lucas said pointing at Nathan.
"Oh, my god" Haley said shaking her head. "Brooke, can you help me in the kitchen"?
"Do you need help with wine"? Brooke asked as she followed Haley.
"No," Haley told her laughing.
"But, that's the only thing I'm good at in the kitchen".
"This is for Peyton," Haley told Brooke with a giant smile on her face from her friend's comment, that immediately dropped after the mention of her absentee friend. "I made her a plate, I was hoping you could take it to her when you leave"?
"Of course," Brooke said nodding.
"Thank you, I'm going to put it in the oven—just grab it when you leave—now grab a bottle".
Brooke smiled as she grabbed two bottles of wine before looking up to find Haley's eyes burning through her. "One for each hand," Brooke said, grinning before skipping away to the dining room.
Lucas and Nathan stood by the table, talking—Brooke chose not to eavesdrop after their previous conversation as she poured wine in the glasses.
"Not that one" Haley said as she walked back into the dining room. "That's Jamie's glass".
"Oh, oops," Brooke said looking down at the full glass before lifting the glass to her lips and gulping the red liquid in seconds. "There you go," she told Haley, as she sat the glass back down.
Lucas and Nathan both laughed, as Haley—smiling, said: "after finding the sex tape of you and my husband, you would think I would stop being so surprised by some of the things you do—I don't".
"Wait—What sex tape"? They heard and found Jamie standing in the doorway, looking mortified—a look that everyone assumed had become his permanent expression. "You slept with dad"?
"Erm—sort of"?
"And they recorded it," Haley told her son, earning an even more disgusted look from her child.
"Did all of you just bounce dad and Luke around like volleyballs I'm high school"?
"Don't include me in this" Haley told her son.
Jamie looked up at Brooke who continued pouring wine and said: "I plead the fifth".
Haley rolled her eyes before turning to Jamie and asking "have you washed up for dinner"?
"I was just going to eat in my room".
"No," Haley said firmly pointing her finger at her son. "Once a week we are all eating together, non-negotiable".
"What are we the Reagan's"?
"Well, your name is Jamie," Lucas said, referring to his favorite drama series. "It seems fitting".
"Luke coaches my team, dad coaches Maddie's—which she is thrilled about but you're not her dad, and mom teaches my English class. You all are like a roach infestation in my school, next thing I know Brooke will the principal and Peyton will be the music teacher. Do we really need to sit down to dinner together, too"? Jamie ranted putting his hands on his hips.
"Go wash your hands," Haley said pointing towards the kitchen.
"What about the kids"?
"They are all eating at the kiddie table watching Disney channel," Nathan told his son. "Would you like to watch the latest animated hit"?
"Yes".
"Go wash your hands, now" Haley ordered her son.
Jamie groaned but walked towards the kitchen leaving the adults—smiling.
"You know who he reminds me of"? Brooke asked.
"Don't say it?" Haley told her.
"He acts just like Nathan did," Lucas said because Brooke was just itching to.
"Yes," Brooke agreed, with a way to much enthusiasm.
"I was not that bad" Nathan defended himself.
"You're right," Lucas said shrugging. "Until Haley got a hold of you, you were worse".
"Much worse," Brooke told him.
"When will Peyton be here"? Jamie asked, unaware of the conversation that had been taking place, as he rejoined his family in the dining room.
"She won't—it's a long story," Lucas told his nephew. "It's not exactly dinner time conversation".
"Alrighty," Jamie said.
Nathan and Haley sat down on either end of the table as Lucas sat down across from Brooke and Jamie, unable to ignore the empty seat next to him that had been intended for his wife.
"So, do we pray now"? Jamie asked as he sat back in his seat with a wide grin, arms folded.
"You're going to be praying if you don't shut up" Brooke whispered in his ear. "I'd hate to let it slip about that tattoo of yours".
Jamie's smile dropped as he sat up and forward "because I don't care to say the prayer" he told them.
Lucas chuckled silently to himself, as Haley and Nathan looked at their son confused.
"Do you even know how to pray"? Lucas asked his nephew.
"Does the man upstairs take text messages"?
"Just eat," Haley told her son passing a bowl around the table.
They each filled their plate with food and quickly began eating.
"How did the meeting with the doctor go"? Brooke asks as she sipped on her wine.
"What Doctor"? Jamie asked.
It suddenly occurred to Brooke, that maybe his parents hadn't informed him of his great uncle's condition.
"Well," Haley said nervously, looking at Nathan who was looking at Lucas.
"Keith is alive," Lucas said, without thinking about it. "Don't ask, we don't know any more than that. We don't know how all we know is he needs surgery. He is in a coma".
"Lily's dad—why didn't she tell me"?
"Well, because—she doesn't know and I want it to remain that way," Lucas told his nephew sternly, which was not a tone he had used to often with the sixteen-year-old. "I will tell her when I have more answers, I know you two are close but I am asking you to let me handle this. I still have questions and until I have those answers my sixteen-year-old sister is not to know about this. Okay"?
"Yeah—I won't tell her. I promise, but she could have used that news today. She had a pretty awful day".
"What do you mean"?
"She walked in the spot her dad was killed—shot, for the first time uncle Luke. Andre, Chuck, Maddie, and I had to walk with her class to class, her locker is right across from that spot. I went with her to the principal's office to get it switched, which he willingly is doing".
"Oh," Lucas said.
Lucas became painfully aware of how he felt the first time he walked into the school after the shooting, he remembered the pain that came with that. The heart crumbling pain.
"Mom gets back in two weeks, we will get more answers then," Nathan told Lucas.
"Nanny Deb"? Jamie asked. "What does she have to do with it"?
"That's what we are going to ask her" Nathan informed his son. "Back to the meeting with the doctor, I think it went alright".
"It did" Lucas agreed with his brother. "He seemed confident he could perform the surgery, he just can't promise us the outcome we want. He said it's the brain, he can't one hundred percent promise us that he will wake up".
"Are you still going to do the surgery"? Brooke asked.
"Luke and I talked and I think we are," Nathan said.
"Keith would never want to be lying in some hospital bed, withering away. He is a fighter, always has been. He scheduled the surgery for the end of September" Lucas said.
"That's a month away," Brooke said. "Why would he schedule it a month away"?
"I asked the same thing," Haley told her. "But, he just got back from vacation, that's why it took him a week to get back to us. But, he is booked with surgeries—there are a couple of other doctors who can do it but they have never done it solo and he has—for years. I told Nathan and Lucas, it's best to stick with experience".
"Good call" Brooke told her.
"Yeah, they will be transferring him to Tree Hill on Thursday. That's another reason why he won't be having surgery for a month" Haley said. "He needs to observe him and give him certain medicine for a significant amount of time before they can do it. So, he will be closer".
"Can we go see him"? Jamie asked, looking at his dad.
"Absolutely," Nathan told his son. "Just remember let Luke tell Lily, that's not your place".
"I already said I wouldn't," Jamie said, aggravated by his dad's response. "Do you have to get on my back about every little—".
"You're still a part of everything I do. You're on my heart just like a tattoo" Brooke sang, quite a bit off key as she did, as she cut her roast. "Just like a tattoo", she continued to sing, looking at Jamie before taking a bite of her food.
"I'll always have you. I'll always have you. I'll always have you" Lucas joined in singing with Brooke.
Unaware that his parents knew about his dirty little secret, he looked back and forth between Lucas and Brooke—who continued to sing.
"What I meant," Jamie said, as he looked at his dad, running his fingers through his hair. "I mean—of course, I won't tell Lily, I would just like to go see him, is all".
Nathan, fighting his laughter, nodded.
"I'll go get the desert," Jamie said, as he got up and left the room.
Haley and Nathan both laughed, as he walked out of sight.
"Brooke," Haley said. "You know we know about his tattoo, right"?
"You know"? Brooke asked, shocked. "You told Luke and me about but—ow".
Lucas swung his foot kicking Brooke in the ankle before she could finish her sentence.
"But, he doesn't know that," Lucas said before the two could ask any other questions.
"We just want him to tell us," Nathan told Brooke. "And if he has to wear long sleeves in eighty-degree weather, so be it. He will tell us when he is ready, he has to if he wants to play basketball".
"Nathan, come to the kitchen with me to help me get the kid's deserts ready," Haley told her husband.
The two got up and left the room.
"What the hell was that for"? Brooke asked as she bent down rubbing her shin.
"They know about the tattoo on his back, not the one on his arm" Lucas informed her.
"So, you felt the need to kick me"?
"The only other thing that would have shut you up is a sale on Prada".
Truer words had never been spoken.
"That was blackmail, in the highest form," Jamie said as he walked back into the dining room.
"Who you going to tell"? Brooke asked, smiling. "Your parents"? She questioned, knowing the answer. "Before you sit down—fetch auntie some more wine".
If Jamie could be anywhere else, it doesn't matter where he would be there.
But, he wasn't. So, he picked the open bottle of wine up and went to hand it to Brooke but instead she held her glass out for him, still smiling. The teenager rolled his eyes but proceeded to pour her glass full.
"That's so sweet," Haley said as she walked back into the room with ice cream, as her husband carried a chocolate cake. "Do you care to fill us all up"?
"He would love, too," Brooke told her. "Isn't that right, snoop dog"?
Jamie felt his head drop, but just smiled—forcibly, before pouring wine for the rest of his family, and sat down back down next to Brooke, who was grinning at him.
"How was your first day"? Lucas asked as he began digging into his cake.
Haley chuckled, as her son shot daggers at her with his eyes. "Did she put you up to that"? Jamie asked.
"No," Lucas said, honestly, but now he was curious. "It was a genuine question you ask teenagers at dinner, what did I miss"?
"My mother announced to the whole class that I was breastfed, that's what you missed"!
The table roared—all of which came from everyone except Jamie.
"She could have told them about your broken penis," Nathan said. "Would you have preferred that"?
"Is it national pick up on Jamie day"? He asked looking at his father.
"No, but you have to admit—it's great material".
Jamie felt his phone buzz in his pocket and ignored his father as he reached down picking it up.
When he looked at his phone he saw Madison, standing in front of a mirror with nothing but an old t-shirt, that he was sure belonged to him at one point.
Jamie, shocked by the sexy picture he just received, jumped—dropping his phone between him and his father's feet.
Nathan reached down and picked the phone up—catching more than a glance at the picture, laid the phone on the table—face down, and slid it over to his son, who was blood red in the face.
"Life is so kind," Lucas said, causing Nathan to snicker.
"What"? Haley asked.
"Nothing," Nathan told his wife. "Just giving Jamie a lecture about using his phone at the table, I think he has learned his lesson. Haven't you"?
"Yes," Jamie groaned. "Can I Please to god be excused"?
"Sure," Haley said. "As long as you're done eating".
"I am".
Jamie jumped up, darting out of the room and heading towards his bedroom.
Madison paced back and forth in her bedroom, as she watched her phone—that lay flat in the middle of her bed. For the moment, she hated Brooke Davis—her stomach was in knots!
What was she thinking?
Did she really send him that picture?
Madison sat down on her bed before picking her phone up. "Oh, my god—he has seen it," she said tossing her phone back over her shoulder, not really caring if she broke it or not.
This was Jamie, she had spent her whole life with him and never once got nerves or felt nervous about anything. Madison sent him one picture and was ready to have her phone shut off.
She couldn't feel worse than this, there was no way.
Madison stood corrected, when she heard her phone ring and saw Jamie's face flash on her screen she was sure she was going to pass out.
Slowly she picked the phone up, took a long deep breath, and answered "hello"?
"Are you trying to kill me or something"?
"What"?
"That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen".
Madison felt a giant relief fall off her chest before responding "really"?
"Is that my shirt"?
"Yeah," she said. "I borrowed it and forgot to give it back after the championship—".
"Keep it, it looks better on you anyways".
Haley and Nathan hit the bed, kissing, he ran his lips over hers and down her neck. She quickly tore his shirt over his head, unable to wait too much longer to see her husband naked. The two kissed and tore each other's clothes off, it wasn't until the last moment that Haley remembered they were no longer trying for another baby.
"Condom"? Haley asked breaking their kiss for a minute, unwillingly. "You said you would pick some up".
"I did," Nathan told her. "They are in the bathroom".
"Well, that's a good place for them".
Nathan moaned as he stood up slipping back into his boxers, before sneaking through his hallway—tiptoeing, so not to wake the many children that festered through his home. Once he reached his bathroom he burst through the door like the kool-aid man, only to find that there was someone behind the door.
"Jamie," Nathan said standing up straight, as he saw his son brushing his teeth—fresh out of the shower he would assume by his wet hair as he stood in a pair of Athletic shorts and an oversized hoodie. "Erm—hi".
Nathan grabbed a box of tissues, which he found ironic, to hold in front of himself as he stood in nothing but boxers in front of his son.
And not under the best circumstances.
"This family really needs a lesson on door knocking," Jamie said, as he continued to brush his teeth.
"Well, this is awkward," Nathan said, half smiling, as he scratched the back of his head. "Could you reach into that bottom drawer over there—and hand me a condom".
Jamie dropped his toothbrush out of his mouth as he looked at his dad, once again mortified.
Jamie-0
Mortification- 2,000
"Oh, Christ dad," Jamie said covering his eyes.
Jamie had seen his dad in his underwear more than a handful of times, but never in Nathan's condition.
"Well, I would get it myself but I would have to scoot past you—and I kinda have an alfresco situation going on here".
"Oh, my god" Jamie said covering his face again. "This can't be happening to me".
"And yet it is".
Jamie reached down into the drawer and pulled a condom out—before handing it to his father—without looking, which he felt was important to point out.
"I bought you and mom we're trying to have another baby"?
"Not anymore," Nathan said smiling.
The father turned to walk away, looking at the condom in his hand—but didn't. Instead, he rotated back towards his son, who had begun brushing his teeth once more.
"You know—Jamie, if you ever need one I always keep them in that drawer, if you ever needed one," Nathan told Jamie. "A condom," he said as if he needed to clear that up.
"You know dad, I think I can buy my own condoms. Thanks though".
"I know but if something ever happened—just know they are there. I want you to be—safe".
"It's eleven o'clock at night—I have a broken penis, mom told the whole class that I was breastfed, you saw Maddie half naked, and now you want to talk about being safe"?
"Fair point," Nathan said shrugging. "But, Seriously—you know how to put this on, right"?
"If you have a missing beer in the morning don't be surprised".
"P. Scott" Brooke said as she unlocked the door to her house stepping inside. "I'm back, Sawyer went home with Lucas while the twins stayed with Nathan and Haley. I swear she insisted, they passed out before the end of the movie, and I personally was not going to argue. I think Logan told Davis a scary story when they went on that trip with Quinn and Clay—he keeps me up all night kicking" she spoke out loud as she walked through her house. "Haley sent you some food and I stole a bottle of wine since we are kid-free—okay, so I stole two if they ask me what happened to it I will blame Jamie. Damn teenagers".
Brooke sat the plate Haley had sent down on the counter and found the house relatively silent. At first, she thought maybe Peyton hadn't made it back just yet, that was until she heard the sound—the sound that broke her heart.
Brooke rushed to the bathroom where she found Peyton sitting on the floor, crying, it was obvious that she had been there for hours. Maybe more.
"Peyton" Brooke said sitting down next to her.
"My marriage—it's over isn't it"?
"Your ninety days are just starting—you have to give it a chance before you write the whole marriage off, Peyton".
"Brooke—I feel it deep in my bones, it's over".
"Don't say that-".
"He loves someone else. It's over. No amount of time is going to change that".
"Luke doesn't love anyone else—".
"He admitted it to me, Brooke. He told me today—in therapy. I can't—".
Brooke wanted to ask who, but she didn't.
Instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend, who continued to cry. Peyton was broken, her heart had been shattered by the person who held it together all these years.
"You said there was wine, right"? Peyton asked, between sniffles.
"Yes".
I'm sorry I don't understand
Where all of this is coming from
I thought that we were fine (Oh we had everything)
Your head is running wild again
My dear we still have everythin'
And it's all in your mind (Yeah but this is happenin')
You've been havin' real bad dreams oh oh
You used to lie so close to me oh oh
There's nothing more than empty sheets between our love, our love
Oh our love, our love
Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
I never stop, you're still written in the scars on my heart
You're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
A/N Longest Chapter, yet!
I am so thrilled with the great reviews this story has had. I'm going to try and answer a few questions, explain, some things that might have been confusing.
First things first, the kids. Sawyer, Davis, and Jude at the start of the story were with Brooke's parents. Ted and Victoria. I covered a couple days, but then there was a time jump between chapters 4 and five I believe. About two weeks or so. During the time that I did not cover the kids returned but then went for a weekend trip with Quinn and Clay— it's just like television shows when there is kids, I just came up with something to explain their absence so that I could carry-on with that storyline. If they was there I wouldn't have been able to go forward with my storyline. And that was vital for Peyton and Haley.
It Will be frequent that there is a week or so time jump between chapters from now on I will clarify it above under my disclaimer, like I did for this chapter.
As for Peyton, no she has not discussed this with Brooke, like she has with Lucas. That is a conversation that will happen between Brooke and Lucas, i'm not sure what chapter that will fall under but it will happen.
Another thing about Peyton, she has a storyline and has not been included as much as the other characters in each chapter. Getting her storyline up and going is taking time, but for Peyton fans she does have a key storyline it's just taking a while to tell. Because, there are other things that have to take place first.
Every so often I am going to try and have chapters like this that involves a family dinner, Thanksgiving episode is on my top 10 so having them together like that is my favorite.
Jamie what is in this chapter a little more than normal, but I was trying to show the presences the adults have in his life. At home and at school.
I hope you all enjoyed This chapter, I have had a few reviews commenting On how the teenagers interact with the adults, and how it feels like the Early tree hill. That is my goal, first four seasons always be my favorite!
Not that I don't enjoy that last comment but they are really the best to me. So, I'm glad that it is perceived.
Thanks again for reading!
And sorry for my incredibly long Author's notes all the time, I try to always respond to my readers and many people are guests so I can't send emails or direct messages or anything but I definitely want to reach out. Answer questions. So, thank you to everyone and I hope I answered all your questions.