Disclaimer: I don't own rights to anything besides the storylines, and I don't claim any rights to anything.
Triggers: Talk of teenage sex, and different types of sex, father son disputes, and anything else in my previous chapters.
Time jump (around two weeks)
"Nathan" Deb exclaimed, excited by the very sight of her son waiting for her. "This is a surprise! What are you doing here"?
"I thought I would come to pick you up," Nathan told his mother, disturbingly nonchalantly, as he took her bags out of her hands. "How was your cruise"?
"It was wonderful, a sea full of men," Deb said grinning ear to ear. "Full of sea-men, if you will".
"God," Nathan said, as he fought the urge to throw up. "That's disgusting".
Deb jokingly slapped her son's arm as he led them towards parking, scanning for his car—which he had forgotten where he had left it in the large lot.
"So, tell me—what did I miss"? Deb asked, grinning.
Nathan chuckled, "a lot," he told her honestly. "But, I'm sure you already know about most of it—Jamie broke his penis and Peyton cheated on Lucas. But—".
"Whoa"! Deb said, taken back. "Peyton slept with another man"?
"That's the part that shocked you? What about your grandson"?
"He is a Scott—you Scott men tend to get into trouble with that particular area, although I think on some weird level your father would have been proud".
"He didn't do it having sex, mom".
Deb stopped and turned to face her son—if eye rolling was a facial expression she had it.
"No, really" Nathan defended his son. "And I believe him, it's not like he has ever kept some life-changing lie from me. He is a teenager, he has an attitude but he is pretty honest about things, had to get that from the James in him—couldn't have been from the Lee or the Scott side".
Dev tilted her head, confused—unable to figure out where her son's current attitude came from. "What have I missed? What did I do now"?
"Oh, you'll find out," Nathan told her, confidently. "Let's go".
"Nathan, just tell me, it's seven in the morning—I have no idea what you're going on about".
"Just come on".
Not like she had a choice, he had her bags—one of which had her phone and money in. Instead of protesting, like the mother and grandmother desperately wanted to she followed her son passing the many vehicles that sat in the parking lot. After the long walk—five minutes was a long walk when you were in your early fifties, not that Deb would ever admit her age to anyone.
Although, Nathan had his suspicions of her age.
Deb kept her head down until she heard a light car horn—when she looked up Nathan had his keys pointed at his vehicle.
"Shotgun"? Nathan asked as they walked closer to his dark SUV. "Or would you prefer to ride in the trunk"?
Deb rolled her eyes, utterly ignoring her son as he tossed her bags into the backseat as she climbed in on the passenger side, pulling her seat belt down around her. At this moment, with Nathan acting like he was, she wasn't taking any chances.
"Now, are you going to tell me what this is about"? Deb asked, as Nathan climbed in on the driver's side and started up Engine.
"Trust me mom—you will find out soon enough" he replied, as he began to drive. "And when you do—you better have a damn good excuse, or you're going to jail".
"Jail"? Deb asked, whipping around to look at her son. "Now, just what in the hell are you talking about? Jail? I have been clean for years I am a good mother and grandmother—I go on one little cruise to get away, to have some hot random sex and—".
"This has nothing to do with your cruise mom, just put your fake face on—the one you wore the entire time you were married to Dad".
Deb had enough.
"What does this have to do with Dan"?
"Oh, I'm just finally starting to realize that maybe you two were meant for each other".
"Pull the car over—right now" Deb ordered her son.
"Oh, we are here".
Deb watched as her son parked the car, outside of the hospital in Tree Hill. He got out and walked around his car, before pulling his mother out of the passenger side, and storming inside.
"Nathan, would you please let go of my arm"? Deb asked.
As they waited for the elevator, he didn't answer her—he also didn't let go, which Deb assumed was her answer. She tried to pull her arm free, with no luck.
Nathan wasn't going to let go of her arm, at the risk of her running off. Which he was certain is what she wanted to do, he was of course right. So, he didn't let go as they waited for the elevator, he didn't let go as they went up four floors on the elevator, and he didn't let go as they walked the halls—the halls he had become so acquainted with in the past two weeks.
"Here we are," Nathan said as he pushed open the door to a patients room.
"Nathan, what on earth is going on"? Deb demanded once more as they stepped inside, Nathan shutting the door behind him.
"You tell me," he said pointing to the bed.
More confused than ever, but more curious than ever, Deb turned around.
"Keith"?
Deb looked down on to the man she once shared a last name with, the good brother. The room around her quickly spun and she felt her whole body go limp, she wasn't sure what the loud noise as—it was her.
"Oh, my god" Nathan said running to his mom, who laid sprawled out on the floor unconscious. "Mom," he said lifting her up. "Can we get someone in here"? He yelled, hoping and praying a nurse would hear him. "Help"!
"Have you spoken with, Brooke"? Adam asked as he sat alone with Lucas who was across from him, relaxed back into the sofa with his fingers interlaced over his knee.
"I speak to Brooke pretty much every day—".
"Have you told her about the feelings you have for her"?
By not answering Adam, Lucas he told his moody therapist all he needed to know. The two had known each other for a couple of weeks, and in six sessions they have had—one with Peyton and his five solo sessions, they both had come to realize they would never quite see eye to eye.
"Lucas—".
"I'm here for you to help me with my marriage to Peyton, I don't see how telling another woman that I love her is going to help my marriage at all" Lucas told him.
"Have you spoken to Peyton"?
Lucas shook his head, "no" he responded. "That was your prescription, remember"?
"I also advised you to work through your feelings with Brooke" Adam reminded him. "You and Peyton each have your individual sessions, weekly. But, this won't work until you are one hundred percent committed to this until you confront your feelings about Brooke. If you don't confront them then you may never be able to move past them".
"And what happens if I can't move past them"? Lucas asked. "Then what? Is my marriage over"?
"That's why you're here at seven thirty in the morning".
Haley turned the knob on the washer and watched as water filled the machine, soaking her eight-year-old daughters Disney themed sheets before shutting the lid. She glanced at the clock as she made her way from the laundry room to the kitchen, confirming her theory that once again she was running late.
But, this particular morning that didn't seem to be her main concern.
"Are you almost done eating"? Haley asked Lydia as she walked up to the counter, where the eight-year-old was piling food into her mouth.
"Yeah," Lydia said, nodding, with a giant smile—showing evidence of the eggs she had been consuming.
"Don't talk with your mouth full?" Haley told her daughter as she poured her glass full of orange juice.
Lydia swallowed "sorry, mama".
Mama.
It was a name both her kids had called at her some point, she remembered all the times Jamie called her that—now she was lucky to even get a "mom" out of him. She could remember Jamie at Lydia's age so well, it was probably one of her favorite ages with him but found her daughter to be much more difficult.
"Lydia". Haley said catching her daughters attention as she turned her orange juice up and poured it down her throat. "Do you have had dreams"?
Lydia shook her head. "I don't really dream. But, Jules does—she tosses and turns all night. She is always keeping me awake".
"Right, Jules," Haley said, biting the inside of her cheek. "If she keeps you up all night—when you have to go to the bathroom why don't you get up and go"?
"I'm not sure," Lydia said shrugging. "I guess I just forget".
Before Haley had the opportunity to ask her daughter another question, one of the many that was floating around in her head she heard her cell phone ring. Haley pulled the phone out of her pocket and seen her husband's picture flashing on the screen.
"Finish your breakfast and go finish getting ready" Haley told her daughter before answering her cell phone with a simple "hello" as she stepped into the other room.
"You sound like you're having a morning like mine" she heard Nathan say through the speaker.
"Lydia—she wet the bed".
"Jeez. That's—"
"Seventeen nights in a row".
"Hales, between the bed wetting and Julia—".
"Jules".
"Whatever" Nathan told his wife. "Bedwetting and imaginary friends just aren't normal for her age".
"I know," Haley said as leaned against the wall. "She did well for a few weeks so I canceled her appointment with the psychiatrist but I'm starting to think I'm going to need to reschedule. I wash her sheets every morning—it's become just as much a part of my morning routine as brushing my teeth".
"What if—What If we got her some pull-ups to wear to bed until we figure out what's going on"?
Haley couldn't see her husband, but she could hear the hesitation in his voice. She knew he didn't want to ask it any more than she wanted to hear it, but the parents of Lydia Bob was quickly running out of options.
"Do—do they even sell them in her size"?
"I can look on my way home tonight—if they don't I can pick her up a small pair of grown-up diapers. The kind they use when someone is much older and they can't go to the bathroom normally or—".
"I know what they are for Nathan" Haley snapped as she sat down on the bench in the hallway. "This is a nightmare".
"I'm just trying to help".
"I know—I'm sorry. It's not your fault, you're right. We are out of options. I just feel like I'm such a terrible mom".
"Hales—you're the best mom! This will get resolved one way or the other, I promise".
"Speaking of moms," Haley said, running her fingers through her hair feeling the tension begin to set in through her shoulders. "How much longer until your mom gets there"?
"She already has" Nathan informed his wife. "We are at the hospital now, actually".
"Oh," Haley said, sounding less like a woman and more like a mouse by the noise that escaped from her lips. "It was so quiet I thought you were still in the car".
"I wish, no I'm in a hospital room and not Keith's.
Mom has been admitted".
"Wait—What the hell do you mean she has been admitted? To the psych ward"?
"Don't tempt me" Nathan said. "She saw Keith and hit the floor—well she hit Keith's bed first but she passed out. She has a nasty bump that the doctors wanted to look at from the fall but when she woke up she started hyperventilating and having a full blown anxiety attack so they sedated her".
"Leave this to Deb to make it about her".
"It's just another Manic Monday".
"It's Tuesday, Nathan," Haley said, smiling.
"Whatever the day is—I need a beer".
Gretchen held two to-go cups in her hand, one being decaf, although she couldn't be sure which one was which at this precise moment. She paced out in the schoolyard, near the front exit—it was the only place her son couldn't avoid her, no matter how badly he wanted to.
"Mom"?
Gretchen looked up to see Chuck, standing barely five feet from her with his bag over his shoulder staring at her—as though he had seen a ghost.
"What are you doing here"? Chuck asked, stuffing a hand in his pocket—looking around at everything but his mom.
"Well, I haven't seen my son in a few weeks so I thought—"
"You would just show up at my school? That's what you thought you would do? You thought this was this best idea"? Chuck scolded his mother.
"I'm still your mom and I deserve a little respect, Charles".
"Mother? Respect? Do you know how ridiculous you sound"? Chuck asked her. "I didn't have a mom my entire life, I was always the adult—cleaning up your mess. Do you know what it's like not being able to invite people over because your mom is laid up with a six-day hangover—".
"I'm not that person anymore—I haven't been that person in a long time".
"Really? It feels just like yesterday to me".
Gretchen didn't realize it was possible to feel beat down by a teenager, but she did. Instead of questioning anything else, she reached her arm out.
"Here," Gretchen told Chuck. "I got your favorite it's—".
"Mom, I don't mean this to come out in the wrong way but why are you fat"?
Gretchen looked up to find Chuck looking down at her stomach, that had recently started to poke out. When she reached her arm out the cardigan she was wearing fell from her stomach to her sides, revealing her baby bump for her son to visibly see, and he knew. She knew he knew. He was just waiting for her to say it.
"Chuck I'm—".
"You're unbelievable," Chuck said, snatching the coffee cup out of her hand. "Is it Chase's"?
"Of course he is—what do you take me for"?
"I honestly don't know what to think when it comes to you anymore, mom" Chuck snarled at her. "He"?
"A little boy, yes. You're going to have a little brother—".
"You're that far along, that you know the sex and I'm just now finding out"?
"Hey".
The two turned to see Lily walking up with a smile on her face.
"Is this your mom—I'm Lily Scott—".
"Let's go," Chuck said.
He took Lily by the hand she had extended to shake his mom's hand and pulled her with him towards the school.
Confused Lily looked back at his moms and waved politely "it was nice to meet you".
The two disappeared into the school leaving Gretchen outside, Lily shot a few sympathetic glances over her shoulder at Chuck's mom but continued to walk hand in hand with Chuck until they reached the lockers.
"She is pregnant".
"That's so cool," Lily told him, smiling.
"It would have been even cooler if she had told me".
"Well, you two haven't been speaking—"
"She already knows what she is having, she knew long before we quit talking—she has lied to me for God knows how long about their relationship if that's what it is—".
"Like you're doing with ours to Jamie"?
Chuck felt his entire body stiffen up, if Lily didn't see his chest moving indicating he was still breathing, she would be certain that he had become a statue.
"We—are we," Chuck said nervously scratching the back of his head before finally blurting out "we are in a relationship"?
"You screw me, you claim me—those are the rules" Lily instructed him with a large ear to ear grin.
Chuck smiled "I just thought—".
"That you would sleep with me and be friends with benefits or something. If that's what you think then—".
Before she could go to walk away Chuck kissed her.
"I thought you were so far out of my league I would never have a chance".
Lily couldn't help but laugh.
"I'll tell Jamie by last period. I swear".
Brooke held her coffee mug in her hand as she stood in her kitchen, looking out the window, as she felt the warm sensation from her cup run through her fingers. She watched as wave after wave crashed in the ocean outside of her home, smiling, as the cool morning September breeze blew perfectly through her window.
"Why am I always late"?!
Brooke turned around at the sound of her frantic friend, and found Peyton running through the hall—one shoe on, one shoe off, a pencil skirt hugging her waist, but only wore a bra on her upper body, and only her make up had been done while her hair still looked as though it had yet to be brushed.
"You missed Lucas," Brooke said as she turned around watching Peyton begin tearing the living room apart, piece by piece. "He picked Sawyer and the boys up, dropped them off at Haley and Nathan's. He said he had an early session this morning with that Quack you two are seeing".
"He isn't a Quack, Dr. Daulton is a very well respected and highly intelligent-".
"Idiot".
Peyton rolled her eyes as she pulled the cushions off of the love seat "I can't see Lucas anyways—remember"?
"This isn't a tragic scene in If I stay, Peyton," Brooke said as she continued to watch her roommate trash the living room, worse than all three of their children could ever dream of doing. "You two are choosing not to see each other, this stupid—".
"It's called an exercise before you give it some heinously gruesome title".
"Whatever you choose to call it, it's stupid. Separation is the first step in divorce, are you sure this so-called doctor knows what he is doing"?
"Luke checked his success rate we started, I can't remember what it was—".
"If it's not memorable, then that tells you everything".
"But, it was above fifty percent".
"Okay, So three couples—one decided to get a divorce, one decided to stay together, and one was so old one of them died. That's all it takes for a success rate" Brooke said shrugging. "What are you doing"?
"I had a shirt, here," Peyton said. "It was a white button up—have you seen it"?
"Yeah, I ironed it and put it in your closet".
Peyton froze and looked at Brooke. "You know how to iron"? She asks although she wasn't sure if that should be her focus right now.
"I have no job—I'm bored. I have even taught myself to play Chess these past few weeks. Haley works, you work—the kids are in school, all I have left is talking you out of going to this stupid therapist. Go to one that encourages you to work on your marriage".
Peyton threw her head back in frustration as she walked into the bedroom she shared with her daughter, mumbling beneath her breath. Brooke couldn't hear her, but she just assumed it was about her.
"Well, you won't tell me who it is that Lucas is supposedly in love with—".
"Oh, my god—Brook! Can you just give it a rest? Please? I'm already late and I really don't want to talk about this today".
"Or any day" Brooke called back. "You never want to discuss this, I'm trying to help you save your marriage".
"I'm well aware".
"I just know that if it was Julian—".
"But, it's not," Peyton said as she stepped back out of her bedroom, more dressed now than she was. "It's not you and it's not Julian. This is me and Lucas, I understand that you're trying to help, I appreciate it I really do. But, this isn't your marriage—it's mine, Brooke—and frankly you know nothing about my marriage because of you did you wouldn't be standing there lecturing me".
Peyton stormed out of her house, missing shoe and all, frustrated. She got in her car and quickly drove away, in route to head towards work.
She didn't realize she was crying until she found herself waiting at a stop light, and caught a glimpse of herself through the window of a bridal shop. Which she also found ironic—her marriage was failing, her husband was in love with another woman—who Peyton was sharing a house with, and she was crying again—sitting outside of a bridal shop.
Beep. Beep.
"The lights green moron" Peyton heard from the Mustang that was sitting behind her.
"That's it," Peyton said.
She put her car into park before getting out of her car and walking back to the kid, who was most likely living off of daddy, sitting behind her.
"Listen here," Peyton said leaning down to face the young man in the car. "I understand that you think the world owes you something, your whole damn generation does but I assure you that I do not. It's just common courtesy to assume from time to time that maybe, just maybe someone is having a bad day. But, it's clear by your car and lack of musical sense that your dad bought you this car—probably to cover up the fact that he knows that men inherit everything from their fathers, so out of sympathy he bought you this so you could feel like a man in at least one area of your life—unlike him. It's probably the reason why your mom left him, it's pretty obvious. No mother would allow her ignorant teenaged son to drive something like this, my ten years old has more class than you. But, don't worry your dick is bigger than your brains—not that, that is saying anything".
Peyton turned on her heel and stormed back to her car, to find that the light at some point had turned back to red. But, she did smile at the teenager who had sunk into his seat.
They couldn't be serious.
"You can't be serious".
And Nathan told them so, he had never been one to hold his feelings back. Why start not? Especially, when his mother—Deb was involved, at this point he didn't claim her no more than he claimed Dan.
"I'm sorry Mr. Lee—"
"Scott" Nathan corrected the doctor in front him.
"My apologies, Mr. Scott—but your mother is having a difficult time processing the news of your uncle—it is vital that she be committed," the doctor told Nathan. "For at least twenty-four hours—".
"Where was this attitude seventeen years ago? When she was a junkie or perhaps whenever she was faking my uncle's death—".
"Well, I was still in medical school so I couldn't tell you but this is the protocol—and she has willingly signed to do so".
"Of course she has," Nathan said, throwing his hands up in the air. "You know this is unbelievable, my uncle is alive and she knows why or how and all of you are just walking around like—".
"Your mother is our patient" the nurse standing next to the doctor told Nathan, interrupting him, which he did not appreciate. "It's not our job to question her past or even her present, it's our job to give her the best care possible and to ensure that leaves this hospital in better shape than when she walked in".
"God," Nathan said running his hands down his face. "I read the sign on my way in—call me if you need a signature to pull the plug".
Frustrated.
Angry.
Pissed off.
None of which Nathan felt significant enough to describe how he was feeling as he left the hospital in a huff, as he quickly reached his car he wasn't sure what came over him but he gave his tire a swift quick.
"Ow," he yelled, realizing that was not his best idea. "Damn it".
"Well," Nathan heard and turned around to see a familiar face. "You look like your having a bad day"
"Holy hell—Jake Jagielski"?
"That's what they still call me, believe it or not".
Nathan laughed before the two hugged, a very manly hug.
"Dare I ask what you're out here beating up your car over"? Jake asked as he leaned away, looking at the car behind Nathan.
"Erm—right" Nathan asked, awkwardly. "Do you remember my mom"?
"I think—didn't she have sex with Tim"?
Nathan shut his eyes tight, trying to erase the dreadful image that crossed through his mind of his mother—oh his mother.
"I don't know," Nathan said shrugging. "Probably" he admitted. "Anything that involves my mother—I have tried to burn out of my mind permanently, but that sentence alone is pretty self-explanatory".
"Damn," Jake said, laughing.
"My mom somehow—still waiting on the how part—fakes Keith's death," Nathan said gesturing towards the hospital. "Keith is alive and—".
"So, it's Keith who I'm here for"?
"What"?
"I work for a large insurance company out of Charleston, we cover most major hospitals North and South Carolina—I haven't got a name yet but I have been sent down to lead the investigation over the hospital— in the likely case that the families were to sue".
"Oh," Nathan said, looking down at his feet. "I don't think that's even on our mind if I'm being honest".
"No one would blame you if you did," Jake told him. "But, it's not just your family, there is a body inside Keith's grave—we have to identify it and alert the family".
Nathan froze, he had not even begun to think of that, and because of that, he felt about two inches tall.
"Someone did die that day, but it just wasn't who we thought," Jake told him. "My job is to work with local law enforcement, figure out who is behind all this".
"Hell, just take her ass to jail," Nathan said pointing at the hospital, in reference to his mother.
"Your mother will likely be questioned but this goes for the hospital staff that was working that day".
"Do you know anything—yet"?
"No," Jake said shaking his head. "I just got here when I said a former NBA player out here kicking his car and thought I would come over and—".
"Shut up," Nathan said, laughing. "How have you been"? He asked, realizing the two had been talking for a few minutes but hadn't really caught up.
"I'm good," Jake said nodding. "Jenny graduated high school back in May and just started college, Princeton".
"That's great".
"Did you ever have any kids"?
"Two," Nathan said. "Jamie—my oldest, I'm certain that he was pulled straight out of the pits of hell".
Jake laughed as Nathan pulled his phone out and said "this is a screenshot someone sent me—because he has me blocked on social media accounts. But, this is my son—James. He will be the reason I become an alcoholic".
"Jen went through that stage for a little while, too—she had always been such a good kid until she hit high school".
"Same—how long will you be in town for"?
"This investigation could take six months up to a year —or I could be done by next week. It all just depends" Jake said shrugging.
"We should definitely get together, before you leave—have dinner or something".
"I bet this is what all the girls in high school felt like when you asked them out".
"Stop being a chicken," Lily told Chuck.
The two stood with their lunch Trays, looking at the table they normally say at from afar, where Jamie sat with Madison and Andre.
"I'm not chicken," Chuck told her. "It's just a delicate situation".
Lily nodded, as though she was understanding—before she started clucking like a chicken at her boyfriend.
Chuck leaned his head back, he didn't know if it was in frustration or humor, but when he pulled it back up he said: "let's just go".
The two easily joined the table, sitting next to each other which wasn't out of the ordinary.
"Damn it" were the first words the couple heard as they sat down, and they came from none other than Jamie. "Stupid damn—" he said as he attempted to open the carton of milk he had got with his lunch.
"Do you need help with tha—" Madison began, in an attempt to help her boyfriend.
"No" Jamie snapped at her. "Do I look that incompetent to you—damn it" he shouted as he ripped the milk carton—milk spilling out into his tray and over his food. "Now look what you did".
"How could I have done it when you wouldn't let me help you"? Madison asked. "Do you want some of my food"?
"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you"?
Madison looked up at her boyfriend, confused—and slightly scared, before looking around at her friends as if one of them could answer the question for her.
But, unfortunately, none of them could. Rather it was the question Jamie asked her that she wanted an answer to or if she was asking what was wrong with Jamie—none of them knew the answer to either.
"I don't know—I don't know what the right answer is right now," Madison said slowly, avoiding any eye contact with Jamie. "I don't know what's wrong with you".
"If it's not about you it just doesn't matter does it"? Jamie said, scoffing at his girlfriend. "I'm going to take my tray up and go to the gym".
"Actually, before you go there is something I want to talk to you about—" Chuck began.
"But, it can wait until later" Lily intervened, as she looked at the hot-headed Scott across the table.
"Whatever" Jamie said, before storming off.
"Aren't you going to go after him"? Andre asked Madison.
"Not if he has a million dollars glued to his ass," she said. "They changed his medicine—they took him off his pain meds now that the stitches have dissolved and I guess it still hurts," she told her friends, not having to further explain the 'it'.
Chuck having only having listened to part of what his friend said, looked at Lily—who was eating from her chicken leg, took the opportunity to cluck like a chicken.
Mid-bite.
"Shut up," Lily told him. "It wasn't the right time. You heard Madison—he is like a walking grenade".
Chuck nodded, before clucking once again—warning a brutal shove from the dark-haired beauty next to him.
"What am I missing"? Madison asked.
"You won't tell Jamie"? Chuck asked.
"The school could be on fire and I wouldn't tell Jamie right now," Madison told them.
"I—we are together. Like together, together" Chuck told Madison as he took Lily's hand. "Have been for a few weeks, but—we haven't exactly told Jamie. I was about to, after being called a chicken—".
"Let it go," Lily said.
"But, Elsa here decided that maybe now isn't the right now".
Madison nodded as she said, "you're secrets safe with me".
"Same" Andre agreed, before standing up "I'm going to take the bait and go check on Jamie".
The three watched as he walked away.
"I think I'm going to go with him," Madison told the new couple.
She stood up—carrying her tray to the trash, and quickly catching up with Andre inside the school.
"Are you alright"? Madison asked her best friend.
"Of course I am," Andre said shrugging. "Why wouldn't I be alright"?
"Because you're crazy about Lily".
"I'm not crazy about her".
"You asked Jamie if it was okay to ask her out and then once you got the say so you practiced with me for hours," Madison said.
"It wasn't hours".
"Andre," Madison said taking his arm forcing him to come to a stop in the middle of the empty hallway. "What happened"?
Andre let out a long and deep breath with a simple shrug "I don't know" he told her. "I was going to ask her out on the last day of the camping trip, but the night before I heard—I heard her and Chuck, he beat me to it".
"Did he know you liked her"?
"No, I don't think so—it's fine".
"It's not over yet," Madison said. "It's not like they are married, or will ever get married. You and Lily make way more sense than—".
"Chuck is my friend, I wouldn't ever do something like that to one of my friends and I doubt she would even want me anyways".
"First of all, any girl that wouldn't want you would be an idiot," Madison told him. "And secondly— he is always doing things like that to you—and Jamie if he could. Do you know how many years he asked me out for? Until we were thirteen and Jamie popped him in the nose for kissing me".
Andre laughed "I was there, I remember," he said. "But, it still doesn't make me like that. I would have loved to have got to take Lily on a date, but you can lose what you never had".
Lucas paced back and forth inside of Adam's office, who sat with one leg crossed over the other—his hands folded over his stomach and watching his patient walk with his judge eyes.
Which he wasn't judging. In fact, he was observing but that wasn't how Lucas saw it. So, he would look at Adam with an intense expression, which didn't look as threatening as he thought it did. In fact, it looked more like he was constipated than anything.
"You haven't said anything I'm quite some time," Adam told Lucas. "What do you think the reason for that is"?
"You're the one with the Harvard degree you tell me," Lucas said.
"Actually, I graduated from Berkeley" Adam informed him pointing to the plaque on the wall. "But, you often deflect unwanted attention with a sarcasm—why do you think that is"?
"Why do you ask a thousand questions?" He nearly shouted. "How are you feeling today Lucas? How does that make you feel Lucas? What is the reason for that Lucas? What is the problem from your viewpoint Lucas? Did you pick up the dry cleaning Lucas"?
"I don't believe I have ever asked about that last one," Adam told him, frankly.
"No, the last one was Peyton," Lucas told him. "But, I was on a roll, that's not the point".
"Then what is the point"?
Lucas groaned in frustration as he fell on to the couch. "My brother is off somewhere trying to get answers about our uncle—".
"And those answers will be waiting for you when you leave here—these are answers you need to answer. Why is it you have such trouble answering these questions"?
"Do you ever ask questions about per se the weather or maybe my daughter or—"?
"Then let's talk about your daughter" Adam interjected. "How is she handling this separation"?
Lucas shrugged as he looked up at the ceiling, noticing the amount of detail that was put into the art above him. "She is adjusting," he told Adam. "I think she is confused for the most part, but she is handling it very well".
"Alright, now focus on Sawyer—close your eyes," Adam said, and with a scoff, Lucas proceeded to close his eyes. "You're at her high school graduation—you're so proud, and you look over who is next to you Peyton or Brooke".
"Broo—Damn it," Lucas said opening his eyes sitting up. "That was a trick".
"Yes, it was".
"Do you get off destroying marriages"?
"Believe it or not I just want to help you," Adam told him. "You're unable to let these feelings for Brooke go—does any of this seem fair to Peyton? She is your wife and the mother of your child, but she is always falling second best to Brooke—her best friend. Is that fair to her"?
"I haven't been with Brooke since high school—".
"But, yet you still carry these feelings around for her," Adam said. "Let me ask you this—if she cans running to you telling you that she wanted you and loved you—would you leave Peyton for her"?
Lucas looked down at his feet, ashamed of his answer.
"I love my wife," Lucas said, a tear falling down his cheek.
"You do," Adam said. "But, you're not in love with her—that's the difference and that is the difference that is going to end your marriage".
Haley laid the last wet dirty plate in the dishwasher before shutting the large door and turning it on. Then she proceeded to finish cleaning up the mess in the kitchen dinner had created before stepping into the kitchen where her husband had been entertaining Lydia, with video games, for the last hour.
"Hey"! Lydia and Nathan both yelled when the television turned black.
Haley smiled as she held the remote in her hand.
"Mama, I was about to beat him," Lydia said.
"Hales—I was about to show her she can't beat me," Nathan told his wife.
"It's time for bed," Haley said as she set the remote down on the bookshelf she was standing next to.
Nathan and Haley shared a glance, unnoticed by Lydia who was currently still pouting that her favorite video game had been shut off the mid-game. Haley walked over to the couch that her husband and daughter sat on before sitting down on the coffee table in front of them.
"Lydy," Nathan said looking down at his daughter, rubbing the insides of his palms together. "Your mom and I have something for you".
"Like a present"? Lydia asked, grinning.
"Are we certain that our kids don't biologically belong to Brooke and Lucas"? Nathan asked, looking up at his wife.
Haley smiled but only for a brief moment before she pulled a bag out from next to the couch and handed it to Lydia.
Excitedly, Lydia opened the bag but her face immediately dropped at the sight that was inside. "I don't understand," she said looking up at her parents. "These are diapers—oh! Are you having another baby"? She asked, her mood changing quickly.
"No," Haley said shaking her head. "I—these are for you. They are not diapers, they are pull-ups for you too —erm—you—erm—".
"Lydia" Nathan said intervening on his wife's behalf, which she seemed thankful for. "These are for you to wear to bed until you can stop wetting the bed every night—".
"I'm not a baby," Lydia said throwing the pack across the rooms folding her arms.
"Oh, sweetheart we know that," Haley told her daughter. "But, right now you have been having accidents and—".
"I won't do it anymore, I promise," she said crying.
"Oh, well—" Haley began.
"Then prove it," Nathan said, cutting his wife off before she gave in—knowing it was about to happen any moment. "Wear these for a few nights and show us that if you have to use the bathroom you can get up".
"No"! Lydia said jumping into her mother's lap. "Mommy, tell him! I won't go I swear! I will get up and go to the bathroom! I swear to God! Mommy, tell him"!
Haley looked up at Nathan, who had a stern look on his face. She knew he wasn't willing to budge on this matter, she even knew that he was right. But, she looked at her frantic daughter who was clinging to her mother like a found puppy dog.
"Lydia" Haley said swallowing the lump in her throat as she pushed a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. "Your daddy is right—you need to wear these. Mama has had to wash your sheets every morning, this problem isn't going away".
"No" Lydia demanded backing away from both her parents. "I hate you! I hate you both"!
Lydia took off running up the stairs leaving the parents alone in the living room, or so they thought.
"Does this mean I am the favorite"? Jamie asked as he came skipping down the staircase.
"Don't you tease her" Nathan ordered his son pointing his finger at him.
"I'm not—I just came to get a towel there were none clean in the bathroom," he said shrugging.
"They are folded in the laundry room I just haven't got a chance to put them away just yet," Haley told her son.
Jamie nodded, but he didn't move.
In fact, he looked as nauseating as his two parents did.
"What is it"? Nathan asked looking up at his son, as Haley slid from the coffee table into the spot next to her husband. "What did you do? I know the look—I was known for it in high school".
"I—have to tell you something," Jamie said, his voice low. "Just don't hit me".
"Jamie, You could commit murder and we wouldn't hit you," Haley said, halfway laughing at his comment.
"I got—I got a tattoo".
Haley and Nathan shared a look, thinking that they knew what was about to be revealed to them.
They were wrong.
"Oh" Nathan said, a little too cocky if you were to ask Haley.
"Well—I got two".
Nathan and Haley looked at each other, once again but this time they were looking at the other for a reason to believe they knew. But, they were each as shocked as the other.
"Jamie," Nathan said standing up, letting go of his wife's hand. "Take your shirt off".
Jamie looked down at the ground, knowing it had hit his father like a ton of bricks. If he just wanted to hide the tattoo on his back he could have worn t-shirts instead of long sleeves all summer.
But, the teenager hesitated but eventually did as his father said. He didn't look up but he heard his mother gasp and he could feel his father's eyes piercing through him.
"Half of your arm is covered" Nathan spoke each word more carefully than the last, as though he were about to blow any given second.
"Yeah," Jamie said nodding. "It's a half sleeve—".
"Do not interrupt me when I'm speaking" Nathan said. "Do not talk unless I say so. Are we clear"?
"Can I answer that"?
"Nathan—" Haley began.
"Get Lydia ready for bed—you," he said pointing at his son, deferring his attention from his wife to his son. "Your bedroom, now" he demanded.
Jamie and Nathan quickly made their way to Jamie's room, much to the nervous teenager's dismay. He was certain he had never seen his father so angry in his life, in fact, he knew he hadn't.
Nathan walked into the bedroom behind Jamie slamming the door behind him, causing his sixteen-year-old son to nearly jump out of his skin.
"You are going to stop with your smart ass comments," Nathan said, his voice high enough that it bounced off from one wall to another. "I am done with you being so disrespectful to me and your mom, this is our house. Not yours. You will treat us with some respect".
"I wasn't trying to be a smartass," Jamie told his dad. "I was genuinely asking a question".
"Where is your phone"?
"On the charger," he said pointing at his phone that was laying on the table next to his bed.
"Give it to me".
"Can I text Madison and let her know that I won't have it"? Jamie asked.
Nathan nodded, although he wasn't sure why as he watched Jamie send a text message and then turned his phone off and handed it to his dad.
"Two weeks and you will get this back," Nathan told him. "Do you know why I'm taking this"?
"Because I got a giant ass tattoo"?
"No," Nathan said, shaking his head. "Because your mother and I have said it time and time again to watch your mouth. I get it—your a teenager. But, we have told you not to curse in this house—".
"You do".
"I'm a grown ass adult, I'm thirty-four years old. This is my house. I pay the bills. Not you" Nathan told his son. "You have two more years here with your mom and me, you have zero reasons to get emancipated as I did. When you're eighteen if you want to move out and spend your senior year working your ass off just to make sure you have a home to live in—that's your choice. I can't stop you. But, as long as you live here you will abide by the rules your mother and I set for you-you will respect us. Are we clear"?
"Whatever".
Nathan took Jamie's jaw in his hand forcing his son to look up at him. "Try That again".
"Yes, we're clear," Jamie said.
Nathan let go of his son's face, as he thought he heard Jamie sniffle but couldn't certain because he saw no tears.
"How much did you pay for that"?
"The tattoos"?
"Yes, both".
"About a thousand—but I swear to God it was my money dad".
"I don't doubt it," Nathan told him as he put Jamie's phone in his back pocket. "So, one thousand dollars—one month. You're grounded for one month. You are to get up and go to school and to work and basketball but other than that your ass is to be at this house. No going to the movies, parties—you're not even allowed to go to Madison's. When I get up in the morning all of your electronics are to be in my office in a box—".
"God. You can't be serious. You're being ridiculous".
"Who do you think you're talking to? You will learn to treat the adults in your life with respect".
"I do," Jamie said. "Ask Brooke or Lucas or—".
"Brooke and Lucas are not your parents," Nathan said, through gritted teeth, utterly regretting his previous joke to his wife thirty minutes earlier. "Brooke and Lucas don't pay to feed you every single day, they don't pay the insurance on your car, or buy you a two hundred dollar pair of Jordan's—or all the clothes you need. They don't pay your cell phone bill. They aren't your parents, you need to realize that. Your mom and I do all those things, and get no respect for it".
"I'm sorry".
"Fewer words more actions," Nathan said, taking a long deep breath. "Two weeks no phone, one month nothing else. You can still go to basketball practice but I don't want to so much as catch you at the river court, and I will check your GPS every night when I get in from work. You are not to be at Madison's and she is not to be here—".
"Dad we study together," Jamie told him. "Ask mom".
"Okay, Fine. Then if she is here you two study downstairs at the kitchen table—no questions about it. You two are not to be up in this room whatsoever together. I mean that—if she is up here for anything other than to use the restroom you get another month".
"Fine" Jamie said crossing his arms.
"Goodnight, I love you".
"Yeah what—" Jamie began looking up at his dad but found Nathan glaring at him. "I love you" Jamie forced out.
Nathan walked out of his bedroom shutting the door behind him as he found Haley waiting for him.
"What happened to us agreeing on everything together"? She asked crossing her arms. "Lydia and I could hear you two down the hall".
"Hales, he has a tattoo that takes up over half of his arm," Nathan said as he walked towards their bedroom, his wife hot on his heels.
"This can't be about the tattoo—we both have tattoo's".
"Not the point and both of ours are barely visible. I have one on my back and you have a tattoo on your ass".
"Above".
"Hales, he not only went behind our back and got it, illegally might I add but it's huge".
"But, it's his body," Haley said shutting their door as she followed him into the bedroom.
"You're telling me that you're alright with him getting two massive tattoos"?
"No," she said. "Of course not but you should have discussed disciplining him with me. I don't think we should yell at our kids. You yelled at him, Nathan".
"He yelled at me to"!
"I don't want my son yelled at," Haley told him.
"You mean like you're yelling at me"?
The two stood face to face, and after brief second Haley ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to release the frustration she had built up at her husband.
"You're right," Haley told him. "I just don't want decisions about our kids made by just one parent. We talked, I thought we were on the same page".
"We were".
Lucas knew this was a mistake, he just knew it was, but he also knew this couldn't wait until morning. Instead, of being at home—asleep, he stood outside of Brooke Davis' home, the only light coming from her porch light that hung above his head. After what felt like an eternity—he lifted his hand and pressed the doorbell.
He waited.
And he waited.
Then the door swung open and Brooke stood there wrapped in a silk house robe, her hair pulled to the side.
It took all of Lucas' energy to not get lost in her sleepy smile, which is what he wanted to do.
"Lucas—what are you doing here"? Brooke asked, her voice groggy. "It's—midnight".
"I need to talk to Peyton, is she here"? He asked.
As if I'm perfect cue Peyton popped her head around the corner, wearing nothing but a small t-shirt that belonged to her husband once upon a time.
"It's for you," Brooke said, shaking her head. "I'm going to bed".
Brooke disappeared leaving the two alone, but Lucas had yet to step inside the home.
"Our ninety days are nowhere near up," Peyton told him as she walked outside, pulling the door tightly behind her. "Is this an emergency—".?
"I'm not finishing the ninety days," Lucas told her. "I spent the whole day with Adam, and something hit me. I have driven around for the past six hours—I'm exhausted but I remembered something mom once told me" he said taking her hand. "If you love two people at the same time choose the second because if you really loved the first one you wouldn't have fallen for the second".
"Okay," Peyton said, running her hands up her bare arms. "How does that apply for us now"?
"I was crazy about you Peyton, growing up. I loved you and then I met Brooke and then I had the chance to be with you—I loved you first not Brooke".
Lucas watched as the color drained from Peyton's face, she looked as though she might collapse but Peyton was stronger than anyone ever thought she was.
"I'm going to meet with a lawyer in the morning—I'm filing for divorce".
"You just told your parents"? Madison asked as she walked through the hallway with her four friends, although she was speaking directly with Jamie. "You just walked up to them and said hey mom and dad I got a tattoo"?
"Yup," he said as they all stopped, and he opened his locker.
"And you decided—after Nathan grounded you into an eternity that wearing—basically nothing on your top half was smart"? Chuck asked.
"Yup".
"It's calling for thunderstorms all day, you do realize that right"? Andre asked.
"Yup".
"Is that the only word in your vocabulary this dreadful morning"?
"Yup".
"Jamie, What were you thinking"? Madison asked. "I don't mean telling your parents, it's like your purposely trying to piss your dad off".
"Seriously" Chuck agreed.
"You have great parents, some of us would love that," Andre said, gesturing at him and the rest of the group.
"Whose damn side are you all on because it's not mine"? Jamie asked pulling a book out.
"We are always on your side," Madison told her boyfriend. "We are just looking out for you-you're not exactly making the smartest decisions right now".
"Screw you," he told his girlfriend slamming his locker. "All of you, go to hell".
The group stood together, stunned, watched as Jamie stormed away—running into a group of girls, most of the cheerleading team.
"Nice ink," one of the girls said.
"It's so hot," another said.
"Easy killer," Andre said grabbing Madison's arm before she took off in a frenzy. "He isn't just trying to get a rise out of Nathan—you apply to that as well".
"What did I do to piss him off"? Madison asked.
"Oh" Chuck said, as his mind finally registered what was wrong with his friend. "I know what's wrong with him".
"I do, too" Andre agreed.
"And would you two care to share it with us or is this like a game of charades because I will beat you both up with my Louboutin's," Lily said crossing her arms staring at the two boys.
"How long has it been since the accident—three weeks"? Chuck asked, to which the girls nodded. "It's one thing not having sex because we are guys, and we can easily fix that ourselves".
"Except he hasn't been able to, and we have all seen the way you two kiss," Andre said, looking at Madison.
"The dude is wired up," Chuck said grinning.
"He is sexually frustrated" Andre explained, better to the girls. "He has had no sexual release in three weeks, it's no wonder he is trying to piss everyone else off. He is—".
"Horny as it gets".
"A little turned on," Andre said slapping chuck on the chest.
"It's only been three weeks," Madison said. "It can't be that bad".
"It wouldn't be if you two weren't gagging each other with your tongues half naked every day," Chuck told her.
"Ignore him," Lily told Madison.
"As uneducated as that sentence is he is right, he is just very—".
"Horny" Chuck said before Andre had the chance to say something. "He will be like that until he is cleared some good old fashion—".
"Sexual activity" Andre cut in before Chuck spit out his inappropriate comment.
"Better buckle up, it's going to be a long three to five weeks," Lily said folding her arms.
Nathan and Lucas sat in the chairs next to the hospital bed that Deb laid in, unconscious. Neither had spoken in the three hours since they had arrived, instead, they waited.
"Do you think she is really asleep"? Lucas asked as he looked at Nathan who shrugged. "I mean it's Deb—no offense".
"Oh, trust me I said the same thing," Nathan told Lucas. "Why didn't you tell me about Jamie's tattoo"?
"You said you knew," Lucas said smoothly, as though was an innocent as a virgin. "Not to mention it wasn't my business".
"You had no issue telling me about his sex life".
"That is different," Lucas told Nathan. "And you know it's different. I told Haley the same thing I'm about to tell you, he confides in me and there are some things I will share with you two and somethings I won't. Just like I have my opinion on how you discipline him, but it's not my business. He is not my child, he is yours and Haley's—which is something you should have considered before choosing the punishment by yourself".
"I thought it wasn't your business".
"I said it's not my business on how the two of you chose to discipline him, that was not a team effort. You made that decision all by yourself, and I am just saying that I happen to agree with Haley".
"Why don't you worry about your own wife"? Nathan shot angrily at his brother.
"Because, as of nine o'clock this morning I don't have one," Lucas told his brother. "Well, she still has to sign it but I filed for divorce".
"God," Nathan said covering his face with his hands. "I'm a dick".
"Pretty much".
"I thought you two just started therapy, are you certain about this"?
"Nate, my marriage was over before it started. The problem has always been Peyton loved me so much and I never loved her enough, we were fine when it was just us traveling—but then Brooke came and—Peyton became painfully aware that I never stopped loving Brooke. At one point I thought I ruined things with her for the girl I wanted my entire life, it had to mean something" Lucas said. "There has to be a reason I would risk everything, twice. But, it was nothing more than teenaged ignorance. It's not fair to Peyton, I don't think I ever loved her. I wanted to—I wanted to love Peyton. She is beautiful and strong and amazing, I blew it with Brooke twice for her. I needed to love her, but I just couldn't".
The two sat in silence for a minute, Nathan slowly registering with every word his brother had said.
"What does that mean—are you going to tell Brooke"? Nathan asked. "That you still love her"?
"I don't know, part of me wants to. But, I'm still married—until that part is taken care of I can't think of that" Lucas admitted. "Part of me is scared to though if I'm being honest. I would rather have Brooke in my life as a friend than nothing, and if she doesn't feel the same way when I lost my wife and one of my best friends. She would still be there, but it would change everything".
"If she said no—would you want to go back to Peyton"?
"No," Lucas said, without taking a second to think about it. "Peyton and I, we are done, for good. I'm not wasting any more of her time or mine, this has been so toxic I can't put Sawyer through any more of this".
Nathan nodded "I understand that". And he did. But, he also felt bad for his brother.
"I saw Jamie at the school this morning when I stopped by to talk to Haley—interesting choice of wardrobe".
"The cut off he was wearing"?
"He wore that just to piss you off—you know that right"?
"Oh, yeah I know".
Lucas laughed, briefly.
"Do you really think I was too hard on him"? Nathan asked.
"That's not for me to say—that's for Haley to say. You two need to be in agreement over that, you won't be able to successfully raise your children until you are".
"I hate it when you're right you know"?
"Oh, yeah. I know".
Haley opened the door to red bedroom records and walked into the place she had spent so much time at one point in her life. It was so easy for her to remember the many moments she spent inside the four walls, listening to music, making music, and writing music.
It used to be a home away from home.
"Hey," Haley said as she approached the desk where that Peyton sat behind, with a tall man next to her.
"Hey," Peyton said, looking up. "What are you doing here"?
"Just thought I would stop by," Haley said smiling.
"Cole, this is one of my good friends Haley—this is Cole he is the lead singer of one of the bands here".
"Nice to meet you," Haley said reaching out shaking his hand.
"Nice to meet you" he replied.
"Cole, why don't you go into the next room and look through these files," Peyton told him.
He nodded but got up walking away with the folder—shutting the door behind him.
"I'm fine," Peyton told Haley without taking a breath to think about it, she knew why her friend was here. "I knew it was coming, I knew it would happen. Part of me wishes I had done it myself, but I didn't. I have my label, I have Sawyer—I have my friends. I'm fine. I no longer have to avoid Lucas, things will be weird for a while but eventually, it will be okay again. I have a lawyer who will communicate with Lucas' lawyer and hopefully, everything can go through amicably. I don't want to make this any more difficult on Sawyer, we agreed we would sit down and tell her together, once the divorce is completely finalized. Living apart should help her get used to the idea, but—I'm fine. It's all going to be fine".
"Good," Haley said sitting down. "I'm glad. I want you to be happy. All of you. Lucas, you and Sawyer—but that's not all I came to talk to you about".
"Oh," Peyton said leaning forward. "Is there a chance you came to tell me you have a kick-ass song in that oddly small purse that you want to sell to the label, because these kids can't decide on songs anymore, is killing me".
"No—but we will come back to that in a minute," Haley said, semi-confused. "Jake is in town. Nathan ran into him yesterday at the hospital".
"Jake, Jake Who— oh," Peyton said nearly jumping out of her seat as the mental picture of her high school boyfriend flashed across her mind. "My Jake? Jake, Jake? As in—Jake"?
"Okay, you sound worse than the high schoolers I deal with daily—mine included and that's saying something right now because mine is at the top of the bad teenager's pyramid," Haley said. "Yes, your Jake. I was thinking of making dinner one night, and you and I having dinner with him and Nathan".
"Haley James Scott, are you trying to set me up with my old high school flame less than twelve hours after my husband signed papers ending our decade long marriage"?
"Well, when you put it like that it sounds bad but Lucas is going to be dealing with his Brooke drama—you are heartbroken I get that but just because things didn't work out doesn't mean you should automatically stop living your life". Haley told her. "It doesn't even have to be a setup, just come to dinner one night. It would be fun, catching up. I mean my teenager will be there, Nathan grounded him and did everything short of slapping a house arrest bracket on his ankle last night but—I mean you already cheated on Lucas this isn't that big of a step".
Peyton looked up at Haley, and the two both lightly laughed. "Well, when you put it like that dinner with my ex doesn't sound so bad".
Haley smiled, "I already looked him up on social media he was engaged a few years ago to some girl in Georgia named Mandy—they split up when he and Jenny moved back to North Carolina. He has been single ever since—".
"The FBI could use more people like you".
Haley laughed, although it was true.
"You know what," Peyton asked. "Yeah, it would be fun to go out. Do you know the last time I went out with anyone, that was not Brooke or Lucas, or that wasn't talking about Brooke or Lucas? It would be fun to be with friends that we're talking about the weather for once".
"We will probably make a reservation unless you want to spend the afternoon with a moody teenager".
Peyton laughed, "just text me the time and date".
"I will," Haley said smiling. "Now, back to this artist you were talking about".
"He is the lead singer for this band beyond Carolina—great band by the way. But, they don't write their own music, that's not the problem. They are wanting a new sound—whatever the hell that means and I have been searching through songs with him for what feels like forever".
"Would you like some assistance"? Haley asked.
"Yeah—don't you normally try to be home by five"?
"Normally, yes," Haley said, nodding. "But, I will do anything to avoid my husband and my son. Jamie went behind my back and got a massive tattoo and Nathan didn't consult with me on how we should discipline our teenager. Lydia is at Quinn's so they can figure out how to feed themselves tonight—I'm all yours".
"Hello, Miss. Lee" Jake said as he stood at the foot of Deb's hospital bed. "I am Agent Jagielski and I would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind".
"Are you serious"? Deb asked turning her head towards her son. "I have an anxiety attack and you bring in the feds"?
Lucas laughed as he watched his brother roll his eyes to the back of his head, it was very dramatic. But, very called for when it came to Deb.
"I'm not an FBI agent," Jake said, smiling. "I'm an insurance agent".
"Oh," Deb said, her cheeks turning a bright red. "Sorry you said agent and the suit threw me off a little, you look awfully young to be in such a stuffy job".
"Mom" Nathan moaned running his hand across his head. "This is Jake, he went to school with me—he was with Peyton. You have slept with enough of my school mates, stop flirting. You're not getting out of this".
"I wasn't flirting it was a simple compliment. You act like I live with my underwear off".
"Could we please focus"? Lucas asked holding his hands out as if he was the mediator between the mother and son.
"Do you care to walk us through that day"? Jake asked Deb, as he sat down in the chair. "Your name is on the paper confirming that the body was Keith's—do you remember what happened"?
For the first time in Deb's life, she froze, nervous. She carefully twirled the loose string on her blanket between her fingers, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
"I'm not the police, that's not my job to determine if you are in trouble" Jake informed her, taking Deb's hand. "Keith was at this hospital, my job is simply determining the facts about the hospital, not your part in this".
Deb nodded, slowly as she nibbled on her fingernails. "Keith—I guess—Dan meant to shoot him in the heart," she told them, tears falling down her face. "He wasn't dead at the scene, Karen was busy with Lucas and Dan was busy trying to make sure no one saw him I guess. Dan and I had filed for divorce but it hadn't been finalized yet, I was the only family member to reach out to for Keith".
Jake slowly nodded, as he watched Nathan and Lucas listen much more intensely than he was. For good reason.
"I was a little drunk—".
"A little"? Nathan asked.
"Yes, just a little my son had been locked inside a school with a gun the only drinks I had was that morning before it happened" Deb insisted. "When I got to the hospital there was chaos, everywhere. The shooting wasn't the only accident that day, something else happened but I can't remember what".
"There was an accident on the freeway" Jake informed them. "Right at the Tree hill Exit. Everyone was brought here, a semi turned taking more than enough cars with it".
"Right," Deb said. "That must have been it, I never thought I would find him. All the kids were getting checked out I seen Nathan and Haley with Dan in the ER—".
"It was a precaution," Nathan said. "Anyone inside had to get looked at".
Lucas knew by his brother's response that so far anything Deb has said was the truth.
"They got him stabilized here—and they were sending him to Charleston" Deb explained, biting on her lip. "He could barely talk, and the police were wanting to speak with him to get his statement but then I walked in. They said he needed to rest but I sat next to him as they waited for the next helicopter to take him on. He told me that it was Dan who shot him, at first I just thought it was the drugs because he had already been through surgery and needed more but, he swore it was Dan".
"So, that day in the hospital—when mom was in the hospital and I told you"? Lucas began.
"I already knew, yes" Deb admitted. "They transferred him to the hospital in Charleston, where they were sending all the critical patients. I drove up there, I made it before he went into surgery. The hospital was just as chaotic as Tree Hill, if not worse. He had not even been into surgery yet but he had fallen into a coma, that a nurse said she wasn't sure if he would wake up after the surgery or not—when someone came out to get me to identify the body".
"What probably happened is on a day like that before everything went digital it was all paper, charts would get mixed up" Jake explained.
"It was a madhouse. I went back to see him, he was sedated so I stepped out to use the bathroom and heard them call out Scott—I rushed out and they asked me if I was willing to identify the body. I was confused because I hadn't been away from him for any more than five or ten minutes. I didn't think there was no way for him to go into surgery, die, and then be transferred to the morgue in that little of time. As it turns out, it wasn't him. It was a man in his thirties who did resemble Keith, in age and race".
"Okay," Jake said rubbing his chin. "Walk me through what happened when you got down to the morgue".
"I followed the nice nurse man and when they pulled the sheet back—maybe it was the sight of a dead body but I passed out. When I came to, they asked me if that was Keith. I had been fighting for so long to get away from Dan, at the time I was terrified of him. I was worried about what he would do if Keith lived— would he try to finish what he started? I was so scared of my husband at this time I tried to kill him, and knowing what he did to his brother—or tried to do does anyone blame me"?
Lucas, Nathan, and Jake all understood, and they all shook their heads in union because—none of them blamed her.
"Keith was a good guy," Deb said. "He always was, sure he made mistakes. We both did. But, he didn't deserve to die so he didn't. I don't know what made me say yes or sign the papers but I did" Deb told them. "If Dan knew he was alive he would have come up there and done—I don't know but I thought if Dan could just think he was dead until after the surgery, then he could testify and put his ass away. When I got back upstairs they still hadn't taken Keith back to surgery so—I snuck back into his room and stole his file".
"You stole hospital property"? Jake asked, raising an eyebrow. "After you said a man that wasn't your brother in law was"?
"Yes" Deb said. "I sat down in the waiting room, close to his room and I waited. I watched. They assumed they lost the file and labeled him a John Doe. Karen called me moments after telling me Keith was dead, I don't even know if she or Dan knew I was with him that day".
"I feel like that's something mom would have mentioned".
"I would come up to the hospital a couple of times a week and tell them I was there with a man who died and heard about the John Doe. I made up some sad sappy story about how everyone needs to hear someone's voice—when he was moved. But, I wasn't family—unless I wanted to let Dan know he was alive, so they couldn't tell me".
"Basically you lost Keith"?
"It was around the time of Nathan and Haley's wedding, maybe before or after I can't really remember but I looked for him. I did. But, he was a John Doe—That made it pretty difficult. That's what I spent so much time doing after Jamie was born".
"You did all that—to protect him"? Lucas asked.
"Yes," Deb answered truthfully. "Keith meant a lot to me, but until he woke up it was my word versus Dan's and knowing just what he was truly capable of, I was scared and then I was scared to tell everyone at the risk that he did pass away. I'm so sorry, I really hope you can forgive me, Lucas".
"Working hard or hardly working"? Brooke asked as she walked up sitting on a stool.
Madison stood behind the bar, brewing a fresh pot of coffee, while Lily cleaned off a table in the corner.
"I always hated the phrase," Brooke said, after saying it out loud. "My dad used to say it to me, I used to think people who said it was old and boring. I'm neither. I'm young and hot. Why would I say that"?
Lily laughed as she walked behind the bar joining Madison sitting the tray on the cart full of dirty supplies.
"I told you she was cool," Lily told Madison.
"The coolest" Brooke agreed.
"What are you doing here"? Lily asked as she poured Brooke a cup of coffee, earning a devilish look from the woman in front of her.
"Not that we don't love you being here—what have we don't to be so lucky and blessed to be graced with your wonderful perfect presence"? Madison asked.
"Much better," Brooke said. "You should take notes from her," she told Lily, pointing at Madison. "But, you have your boyfriend to thank for that—Haley is avoiding going home so she went to talk to Peyton and got caught up helping her that she actually forgot she did have the stuff to do here. So, she called me and asked me to stop by and do it".
"Madison is the manager why didn't she just ask her"? Lily asked.
"It's one of the few things Madison can't do—I need to go through your time cards and send it into the bank. It's Wednesday and it has to be there by ten in the morning or you don't get paid on Friday—unless you two just don't like money".
"No, by all means—I'll show you to the office and rub your feet," Lily said.
"I thought that was something only Haley could do because it has to have your name on the bank account or something"? Madison asked.
"Haley and I are partners, I own fifty percent of the cafe".
"What about Baker man"?
"That, too".
Brooke slowly took a small sip out of her big warm mug, watching the girls as she did.
"So, tell me how was school"?
"Fine" Madison said as Lily began laughing like a drugged out hyena.
Madison glared at Lily, who despite being threatened through a devastating look couldn't contain her laughter.
"What am I missing"? Brooke asked, slowly sitting her mug down, looking at the two teenaged girls suspiciously.
"Nothing" Madison responded as quickly as she could.
"Jamie has a tude," Lily told her.
"He is a Scott he always has an attitude," Brooke said shrugging.
"Not this kind—he is pissed off at the world because—" Lily said as Madison tried to cover her mouth. "He can't get his rocks off" she managed to finish.
"Oh, yeah—that will do it. Men and sex".
"Can we not talk about this—please"? Madison asked.
"Maddie, I was just joking," Lily told her.
"I know—it's just that it's my fault. When I told Jamie I was ready to have sex he wanted our first time to be in a bed, at his house when Haley went with Nathan to Charleston three days before. I insisted that we wait and have sex on our annual camping trip, make it even more memorable and special to us than it already was" Madison told them running her fingers through her hair. "Then I had another stupid idea, that during the time that we couldn't have sex we work our way up to it because for some godforsaken reason that made sense at the time. I insisted that we have this steamy make-out sessions and every time we lose an extra piece of clothing until I was ready to see him naked and ready to let him see me naked because after the camping incident I got freaked out and he is pissed and horny and has a broken dick and it's all my fault and there isn't anything I can do about it and—".
"That's not true," Brooke said. "If anything you would be the only one who could help him".
Madison froze, she looked at Brooke and then at Lily both of which had serious facial expression. This was not a joke, and unfortunately, the question she had bouncing around in her head was not a joke.
But, she knew she would regret asking it.
"How-how exactly would I help him"? Madison asked pinching the bridge of her nose—not looking at either of the girls she was surrounded by.
"I can think of two ways off the top of my head," Lily said, smiling as she crossed her arms.
"Amateur," Brooke said rolling her eyes. "I can think of thirteen".
"Thirteen"? Lily and Madison both asked, alarmed.
"Now it's seventeen".
"I don't even know if there is that many sex positions," Lily said.
"Now, that's a number that would leave you girls with your jaws on the floor".
Madison leaned her head back, she knew she was going to ask but for the life of her, she couldn't remember why.
"Alright," Madison said, giving in. "What are these ways"?
Lily and Brooke each had a smile on their face until Madison pointed her finger at the only other teenager and said: "I'm not asking you".
Lily's smile dropped.
"She's right," Brooke said, shrugging. "You need to leave this to the pros I have a Ph.D. in—D".
Lily and Brooke laughed, Madison didn't want to but she smiled.
"Alright," Brooke said, seriously, which ironically was the first time either of the girls had ever seen her be serious. "If you're still not ready to see him naked or have him see you—which FYI if you plan to have sex with him you're going to have to get over".
"Agreed" Lily said as she walked around the bar sitting next to Brooke.
"Now, before you jump to conclusions just hear me out first," Brooke said. "This is a way that he will get his rocks off and there is a good chance you will, too. And if it's your first orgasm you will have me to thank—just keep an open mind".
"This already doesn't sound good".
"It's just like sex, and it is able without injuring his—favorite area," Brooke told them. "You can do it with your clothes on, the less the better. You do everything you would do with sex, except the actual sex part. There is rubbing and kissing and—".
"Oh, my god" Madison said. "Is she talking about dry humping? Please, tell me she isn't talking about dry humping"! She said, very dramatically looking at Lily.
"Well, when you give it A stupid name like dry humping of course it sounds ridiculous".
"What's the big deal? I've done it" Lily informed her.
"So, have I—after I had the twins until I was physically able to have sex Julian and I got very adventurous," Brooke said. "It's very sensual and believes it or not women enjoy it quite a bit".
"Next" Madison ordered.
"Fine" Brooke said folding her arms. "But, the rest you have to be comfortable with seeing each other naked".
"Then start naming them".
"Well, it's another form of rubbing—you might not enjoy it as much as Jamie and he would have to be very careful not to go at a wrong angle—".
"Go where at a wrong angle"?
Lily pointed with both of her index fingers at her top half, knowing exactly what Brooke was talking about.
"Oh, my god" Madison screeched covering her face. "You were closer with the dry humping".
Brooke ran her fingers through her hair and asked: "how do you plan to ever have sex at this rate"?
"Are you even sure that these are things Jamie can do"? Madison asked her.
"If he can physically become—turned on, then he can do these" Brooke told her. "But, the next one is very—intimate. So, you would have to really just dive off the board and see him naked".
"How intimate"?
And for the next thirty minutes, Brooke took Madison further and further down the rabbit hole until there was no sign of return. Just traumatizing fears.
"But, it doesn't matter if you can't get over the naked thing you're never even going to be able to have sex once he has healed," Brooke told Madison.
"So, how do I do that"? Madison asked, her voice low, as she watched Lily serve two customers.
"It's like ripping a band-aid off—there are two ways you can do it. Just next time you're kissing pull your clothes off don't think about it or send him a picture via text".
"He is grounded, remember"?
"Even better," Brooke told her. "Take it with your phone and when you're sitting there with him when no one else can see it slide it over to him and watch his eyes fall out of his head".
"Does Haley know you give me sex tips with her son"?
Brooke scoffed. "She will know that the same day she finds out that I almost had sex with her older brother at Jamie's first birthday party".
Madison chuckled before standing up and saying "more customers, thanks to Brooke".
Brooke smiled as Madison walked away, leaving her alone. For a brief second.
Another teenaged girl sat next to Brooke, her eyes glancing around the cafe. As if she was looking for someone, but she seemed lost.
"Hi," Brooke said smiling, officially taking on the role of the teenaged girl whisperer. "Do you need help with something"?
"Erm—sort of," the girl said shrugging. "I'm actually looking for my parents".
"Oh, well what do they look like"?
Brooke found it slightly odd that a teenager would need help finding her parents, but didn't judge. Although, she had a phone—but Brooke wasn't judging.
"No," the girl said smiling. "I was adopted, my biological parents are from here, I think. I was adopted by my mom died when I was six and I have been looking for my parents. My birth parents—I mean".
"I'm from around here I might have heard of them, what's their names"?
The girl fumbled through a small pouch she had before pulling a crumpled piece of paper out "here it is" she told Brooke. "My mother's name is Rachel Virginia Gatina and my father's name is Marvin Leonardo McFadden".
Mid-drink of her coffee, Brooke broke out into a coughing fit at the two names she just heard. In fact, she was certain she had an aneurysm, but she had dropped her coffee mug.
"Oh, my god" Brooke said as the broken glass and dark liquid spilling everywhere. "I'm so sorry," she told Lily who had come over quickly to clean up.
"It's fine," Lily said. "No biggie".
Brooke watched as Lily cleaned the mess up before turning back to the girl in front of her.
"What did you say your name was"? Brooke asked turning back to the girl.
"I didn' its Lucy," she told the woman next to her. "My full name is Lucille Morgana Gatina-McFadden".
"Did your biological mother name you"?
"Yes".
"That sounds about right," Brooke said to herself. "How old are you"?
"I will be sixteen in December".
Confused.
Brooke was very confused.
"You're fifteen—who are you here with? How did you get here"?
"Me, myself, and I".
"But, where are you staying"? Brooke asked. "I don't mean to pry, it's just your age and I knew your parents. Both of them. Well."
"Oh, I have a little money enough to stay at a hotel for a few nights you know my parents—"?
"What about when you run out of money"?
"Erm—I'm still figuring that out but I thought about applying for a job somewhere I kind of just live Day to day right now".
"Alright, you can stay with me," Brooke told her. "I can take you to meet your dad tomorrow, maybe the next day I might need to speak with him first".
"Wait—really"?
"Yes, Lily fix her something to eat and put it on my tab—get whatever you want. I have a few things to do in the back and then I will take you to my house. Help yourself".
A/N I really do walk a fine line between Keeping the rating teen for my story. Sex is a big storyline right now for the teenagers, so I tried to hint at certain things without flat out writing or saying certain things so to keep my rating. But, I haven't said anything that the CW doesn't say now.
There was a guest who asked about Mouth, Just in time. His storyline has been in the works but I do try to keep a balance so not to have too many storylines floating around at one time. I ended one storyline in this chapter with Peyton and Lucas as I started one with Mouth. And yes there is no mistake Lucy is their daughter.
Also, I am trying to build a relationship with Brooke and Madison, I didn't want her only storyline to be involved just with Lucas. But, A guest asked about her employment situation. She still designs and owns part of the café, but that is where Madison will come in later. They will create a very strong mother, daughter relationship by the end.
As I wrote that Nathan and Jamie part I've battled with what would be too much, and what would Nathan would really say. Part of me felt that he might not be so harsh, but then other parts of me thought any man with a teenage son is going to snap like this at one point.
Haley and Nathan are at odds right now, but their relationship is not at risk by any means.
Anyways, thanks for reading! Be sure to leave a comment!