Disclaimer: I don't On anything but the storylines, and don't clean too. All rights go to the rightful owners.
Losing your memory: Ryan Star
You're losing your memory now
You're losing your memory now
You're losing your memory now
You're losing your memory, now
"I'm back," Deb said, as she stepped back into Keith's quiet hospital room, carrying two to-go bags in her hands. "The café was a madhouse, Brooke just got there to help Madison. She was having to cook herself and serve everything".
"Oh, my gosh" Lily said covering her mouth. "I was supposed to work tonight—so was two other girls, though. What happened"?
"I guess one girl is sick and another quit—but Brooke is there now. It should start to calm down a little now that she has help" Deb said as she sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the bed that Lily was sitting on. "This has your order".
Deb handed her the bag with her food in before sitting back in her chair and beginning to eat her own.
"Do you think he will like me"? Lily asked as she popped a fry into her mouth, looking at her unconscious father.
"Oh, God yes" Deb said. "I think God got his wires crossed one day because Keith was the brother that was meant to be a father—not Dan. I used to pray that some of Keith would rub off on my piece of trash husband, it never did so I tried to kill him".
Lily looked up to see Deb sucking on her milkshake through a straw, nonchalantly,
"You tried—to... kill him"? Lily asked, arching an eyebrow not entirely sure if she should be impressed or frightened, perhaps she was a little bit of both. "How"?
"I'm not giving you tips," Deb said, biting into her sandwich.
"Arson"?
"Yeah," Deb said nodding her head.
Lily smiled, "it's a shame that you weren't successful".
"Well, aren't you sweet" they heard.
The two turned to see an elder man walking through the door, guided by a cane in his hand.
"You've got to be kidding me," Deb said, as she looked at the man.
"Who are you"? Lily asked standing up at the sight of the older man.
"I didn't know you had another child," the man told Deb, shaking his head. "Because you were such a great mother the first time around".
"She isn't mine," Deb said crossing her arms standing up glaring her eyes at him. "She is the daughter of Karen Roe—and Keith Scott".
The man looked as though he had the breath knocked out of him as he looked over at the teenager.
"Royal Scott, meet Lily your granddaughter," Deb said. "Lily, this is your grandfather".
"My What"? The two both shrieked in horror as Deb threw herself back down in the chair.
"How are you still alive"? Deb asked looking at Royal as he made his way across the room and into a chair.
"Good to see you're as kind as ever Debra," he said as he slowly sat down, grunting in response to his achy bones.
"No one has heard from you in what—eighteen years? Something like that"?
"That's my boy in that bed—I have every right to be here, but you—you're not a Scott," Royal told her. "Not anymore, what exactly are you doing here"?
"She is here with me" Lily snapped at the man glaring at him over her shoulder. "If this is my grandfather—" she began looking back at Deb "then why have I seen him before, let alone heard of him"?
"I could ask the very same question," Royal said.
"But, you didn't," Lily told him harshly. "I did".
"That was Karen's judgment call," Deb told both of them. "That's all I know. She already knew answering questions about your dad was going to be hard enough, and after Dan went to prison she wanted to distance you from anything that could be harmful".
"May and I—are harmful"? Royal asked, his booming voice echoing through the room.
"That's not what I meant".
"Funny, that's what you said".
"Karen just found out that one of her baby daddies shot and killed the other, and Lily was all she had left of Keith".
"What about May"? Royal asked folding her arms. "You know how close she and Keith were, this girl would have been all she had of Keith, too".
"Would you two stop talking about him like he is dead"? Lily nearly yelled. "He isn't dead. He is right here, so stop it! Now"!
"Food's here" Jamie called as he shut the door behind the delivery man and made his way towards the kitchen.
No sooner than he sat the food on the kitchen table did four kids come running hastily, each jumping into a chair. Jamie pulled five plates out of the cabinets, the same ones that had been around as long as he had been alive knowing good and well if he used anything else his mother would kill him. Or worse. Ground him longer.
"I'm not allowed to eat Pizza," Jude said.
"I know," Jamie said as he sat a plate in front of each of the kids. "That's why you and I are eating Chinese, the rest of you get pizza".
"No, I want Chinese to"! Sawyer told him.
"That's not fair"! Lydia yelled.
"I want an egg roll"! Davis demanded. "With ketchup".
Jamie stopped handing out plates, as he looked at the child—who was dead serious.
"Ketchup"? Jamie asked raising an eyebrow. "On an egg roll"?
"He drinks ketchup straight from the bottle," Jude said shrugging.
"You're a strange little dude," Jamie told Davis shaking his head. "But, Anyways is anyone else here besides Jude Lactose Intolerant"? He asked, and everyone else shook their heads. "Then no one gets Chinese, sorry not sorry".
"But, that's not fair," Davis said. "I'm telling Santa Clause on you," he told Jamie pointing a finger at him. "I'm writing him a letter".
Jamie rolled his eyes "it's September, he is to busy dicking Mrs. Clause down this time of the year to read your letter".
"What does that mean"? Sawyer asked. "Dicking down"?
Jamie but his bottom lip "erm" he said scratching his head, realizing he had taken the child's argument a little too seriously. "Just something couples do".
"Like how mommy and daddy wrestle"? Lydia asked.
"Exactly," Jamie said handing them each some food. "Okay, eat your food. I'm going to watch tv".
"You're grounded" Davis reminded him.
"And you're not even four foot tall—do you really think you're in a position to be telling me what the rules are around here? I will duck tape you to the wall, Danny Devito"?
Jamie left the kids in the kitchen as he went into the living room, kicked back on the couch, and turned the sports channel on as he began quickly devouring his food.
For a moment.
"All done," Sawyer said as she bounced back into the living room.
"Me too," Lydia said following her. "Let's play hide and seek".
"Hide and seek is for kids," Sawyer said crossing her arms.
"Yeah, Davis hide and seek is for kids," Lydia said crossing her arms, just like her cousin. "I told him it was for kids but he didn't listen".
"I never said I wanted to play hide and seek," Davis said throwing his hands on his hips as he got in Lydia's face. "You're lying".
"If I get up and I look on that table—and each of you still have food on the table I will—".
"What call our parents"? Sawyer asked rolling her eyes. "Puh-lease! I'm not scared of Peyton or Lucas".
"Yeah, and I'm not scared of Nathan or Haley".
Jamie looked over at his little sister, who was in fact scared of her parents when she got in trouble, standing in the same position as his little cousin. He rolled his eyes, knowing that at past a certain time—probably around midnight after his parents would come rolling in, she would be singing a different tune. Or crying.
"Oh, no—I'm going to call someone much worse than either of those two" Jamie said looking over at him.
"My mom isn't scary so we know you aren't calling her"! Jude said as he sat down next to Jamie laughing.
"Yeah" Davis agreed. "Our mom is the coolest—ever"!
"No argument here," Jamie said shrugging. "But, that's not who I am talking about, either". He smiled as he looked around at the group of kids "have you ever heard of Nanny Carrie"?
Haley and Peyton stood in the restroom of the theater, using the same lame excuse any other woman used. 'I have to powder my nose' never seemed to fail, and no man was brave enough to ask what all that entailed. But, really it was just an excuse, for Haley, to get her friend alone.
"How is it going"? Haley asked as she sat her small purse on the sink turning to face Peyton.
"You have sat across from me all night," Peyton told her smirking. "And we have shared a vehicle from Tree Hill to the restaurant and from the restaurant to here".
"I know but I can't see what's happening under the table".
"Haley James Scott" Peyton said shaking her head as she looked at her best friend. "What are we in high school"?
"Yes".
Peyton was sure her eyes were going to fall out of her body from rolling to the back of her head. She was certain.
"He can't take his eyes off you".
Peyton wanted to ignore the comment, and she tried but when she looked in the mirror in front of her she saw that her cheeks were bright red.
"Really"? Peyton asked turning back to face Haley. "He can't"?
"Nathan said the same thing when we were all eating," Haley told her. "And you can't take your eyes off of him either".
"He did age well".
"Not as sexy as my husband but I agree".
Peyton laughed, as the two headed for the door.
The girls left the bathroom, leaving an important item behind—unaware, as they made their way back out to the lobby where Nathan and Jake were patiently waiting for them.
"Are you ready"? Nathan asked wrapping his arm snuggly around his wives waist.
"Yes," Haley said before planting a kiss on her husband's lips. "Are you"?
"I'm definitely ready to take a three and a half hour nap," Nathan said nodding.
Haley poked her husband in the ribs, and he laughed in response.
"I don't think you will get any sleep in there, Nate," Peyton told him. "The singing gets to be incredibly loud".
"And so is Lydia all hours of the day and night," Nathan said shrugging. "I have taught myself the craft of sleeping through anything—except sex, and I feel like I'm not going to get that lucky in there".
"Keep talking like that, and you won't get lucky when we get home either".
"Ouch," Nathan said as his wife lead the way towards the large doors.
"Tickets," the man at the door told them.
"Here you are," Nathan said pulling them out of his pocket and handing them to him.
"Two of you are in the second-row seat five and six and two of you are in the eighth-row seat twelve and thirteen".
"I thought we were sitting together," Haley said tilting her head. "I purchased the tickets together".
"Unfortunately, that can't guarantee seats together" he explained to her.
"But—".
"Lady, there is a line" he interrupted Haley pointing to the angry group behind her.
"Come on, Hales" Nathan said as he took his wives hand.
The four walked in, and Nathan looked back at Jake and Peyton "do you two want to closer to the front"?
"It doesn't matter to us, Nate" Jake told him.
"This is terrible," Haley said folding her arms.
"Why"? Peyton asked whispering in her ear. "Because you can't eavesdrop now"?
Haley rolled her eyes, although Peyton hadn't been wrong. Incredibly correct, actually.
"Alright, Hales lets go," Nathan said taking his wives hand once again.
Haley watched as Peyton and Jake found their seats as she and Nathan walked closer towards the back.
"Just think of it like this—you can watch from back here as your masterpiece comes together," Nathan told her smiling.
"You're an ass".
"But, am I a cute ass"?
"What"? Haley asked laughing as they each sat in their seats.
"Like donkey on Shrek— he was a really cute ass," Nathan said as he stretched his arm around his bride of a decade and a half's shoulder. "Don't worry—your ass is much cuter than that ass".
"Than an animated character, gee thanks. I feel so honored" Haley said rolling her eyes.
Nathan smiled before kissing his wife, it wasn't a long kiss but it did make her forget about Jake and Peyton—briefly.
"I just think they would be so happy together".
"And if it's meant to be it will be," Nathan told his wife.
"Now, you sound like a country song," Haley said sitting back into her seat with her arms folded.
"I am curious about something, how did you go from hating her for screwing around on Lucas to trying to set her up with Jake just days after they filed for divorce"?
Haley looked at her husband, unsure what all he knew and unsure what she should or could tell him.
"Would this perhaps be about Brooke"? Nathan asked.
Haley let out a sigh of relief, he knew. She didn't have to break any friendship codes or betray anyone's trust. He knew. She assumed Lucas told him, although it could have been Peyton. Nathan remained pretty neutral over the couple.
"Yes," Haley answered him. "Lucas has been in love with her this entire time—Peyton deserves to be happy, too. I don't agree that she should have cheated, because she shouldn't. But, I can't imagine what it would have been like to be married to someone for ten years, knowing that you were never the love of his life. She deserves to know that feeling. She made mistakes but everyone deserves to feel what we feel".
Nathan leaned over and kissed his wife.
She was right. Haley was always right. But, he wasn't going to tell her that.
Peyton watched as Jake looked over his shoulder, back at Nathan and Haley, before turning back around—smiling, shaking his head.
"How long have they been together"? Jake asked as he shot another glance back at them.
"Well, their oldest is sixteen and they were married a year before she got pregnant so by the time she had him it was closer to two years; or more like a year and a half when you add in the nine months of pregnancy—eighteen years. Or almost probably" Peyton told him quickly adding up in her head.
"And they still kiss like that"? Jake asked looking at Peyton.
"You sound like their teenaged son" Peyton told him, laughing.
"I don't blame him," Jake said fully turning around facing the stage. "If I saw my parents act like that I would be completely nauseated".
"Your parents are in their seventies and Dale has false teeth, I'm sure it would nauseating for many different reasons," Peyton told him, laughing. "If they kissed like that—but your mom still loves his slobbery kisses".
Jake blinked his eyes at Peyton, in disbelief. "My dad just got false teeth in the past two or three years, how did you know that"? He asked her.
"I have always kept in touch with your parents—I hope that's not a bad thing. Ruth and Dale are two of the kindest people I have ever met" Peyton said.
"You have kept in touch with them—all these years"?
"Yeah," Peyton said nodding. "Your mom and I try to get together for lunch as often as we can. I travel, they travel so when we met up in the same country we would have lunch or dinner—".
"You know none of my exes could seem to get along with my mom," Jake told her. "They still don't like Nicki, and I have even brought home a lawyer, a teacher—very suitable stepmother influences for Jenny but they all got the bush and had to listen to a two-hour conversation from my mom about a Miss. Peyton Sawyer".
Peyton giggled, "Ruth always did have good taste".
"I agree," Jake said.
Jake took Peyton's hand in his, and he smiled at her.
"So, tell me about your daughter," he told her.
Peyton smiled as she reached into her purse and pulled her phone out, picking a picture out of her gallery and handing her his phone.
"She looks just like you," Jake told her.
"I get that quite often," Peyton told him. "But, she acts like a Scott—no denying that. Biggest daddy's girl you will ever meet".
"I don't know, Jenny might give her a run for her money," Jake said shrugging. "I can't tell you how many times a week that starts with 'daddy".
"That's bad, because"?
"Oh, I'm normally called dad," he told her. "When she wants something—like money I become daddy".
Peyton laughed. "Do you have any pictures of her"?
Jake nodded, as he handed her his phone. She looked down at his lock screen to see Jake standing next to a tall dark-haired girl, who was smiling ear to ear. She assumed it was from Christmas due to the sweaters and the large tree in the background, but none the less it was the perfect picture.
"She is beautiful," Peyton told him, handing his phone back. "She looks—".
"Like her mom"? Jake asked, and Peyton slowly nodded. "Yeah, I know. Trust me".
"How is good old Nicki"?
"Well, she is great believe it or not," Jake told Peyton leaning back in his seat, but turning to face her. "She had this car accident when Jen was five, and I don't know if she had some near-death experience epiphany, but when she left the hospital something changed. She became a better mother, person. She got married about seven years ago to this lawyer and they have three kids together, plus Jenny. She works for the divisions of family and children services, she even volunteers at soup kitchens and donates to homeless shelters".
"Are you sure we are talking about the same Nicki"?
"I have said the same thing for years," Jake told her. "But, it was so much easier to co-parent with her that I just didn't question it too long. Jenny has graduated, that means we no longer have to speak with one another. But, she still texts every day and calls at least twice a week just to check on me".
"I hope Luke and I can get to that place. Right now things are—difficult. I mean the divorce is going smoothly but we just have a hard time speaking with one another".
"It will pass" Jake promised her. "You and Luke will get through it, you remember how bad things were for me—If Nicki and I can get through it you will. Trust me".
"I hope you're right".
"I am, I am always right, Sharon".
Peyton laughed, "you keep telling yourself that, Jagielski".
"My feet and back are killing me," Madison said as she leaned over the counter resting her head.
Brooke rubbed the teenagers head as she shook her own in disbelief "I have no idea how you managed that by yourself as long as you did" she told Madison. "You need a raise".
"I need a back rub, but my boyfriend is grounded and we are fighting".
"Fighting"? Brooke asked, confused—by their Naley perfection display. "What exactly do two teenagers fight about"?
"Well, the fight was stupid—I love Jamie, but when it comes to girl stuff he is so—what's the word.."? She said, not really asking, as she trailed off unable to come up with the perfect word.
"Stupid"? Brooke asked, her memory's with her own teenaged boy trouble still fresh in her mind—as if everything happened just yesterday.
And if anyone asked it did. She was a teenager, with two seven-year-old twins, and a couple of successful businesses.
If anyone did ask Brooke was not in her thirties.
"Basically—Yes, but that's not why we were fighting," Madison told her. "I mean it was but I think it was just me having a moment".
"A moment"?
"On my last break before I got off work, I talked to Lauren she is my legal guardian".
"I think Haley mentioned something about that".
"Her dad passed away last year and now her mom is sick, so she is wanting to move and be with them" Madison explained. "I understand, of course, it's just that Tree Hill is my home. All my friends are here—".
"Jamie is here".
Madison slowly nodded. "I have spent my whole life with him, I can't even imagine being with anyone else. He is a pain in the ass—but he is my pain in the ass".
Brooke lightly smiled as she sat down next to the teenager, and rubbed her back. "Your parents gave her legal guardianship ship, right"?
"Yeah".
"Do you think they would sign it over to someone else"? Brooke asked. "I just bought myself a new house and it has seven bedrooms—right across the road from Haley and Nathan, I haven't even told them yet I was waiting for the papers to go through. But, I would have plenty of room if you wanted to stay with me while you finished high school"?
"Are you serious right now"?
For the first time since she sat down, Madison popped her head up looking at Brooke, who was smiling, but she wasn't laughing because nothing was funny. This was not a joke, it felt like it should be to the teenager though.
"I am very serious," Brooke told her. "The boys and I would love to have you. You deserve to finish school where you started and you're a great kid, Maddie. You work, play basketball—which is your only flaw, and get straight A's. I love you and the boys absolutely adore you".
"I'm sure I could get my parents on board".
"I will go to Lauren's first thing in the morning and talk to her about it," Brooke said. "I know Lauren, I'm sure she will be completely understanding. I can contact your parents—do you have their number"?
"No," Madison said, shocking Brooke. "We only communicate through letter. They send me a letter every other week, and but I write to them frequently. I can write to them tomorrow morning first thing—".
"Wait," Brooke said, stopping her. "You haven't spoken to your parents in... seven or eight years? Why"?
"My parents are these weird voodoo hippie people who don't believe in technology" Madison explained to her. "Brooke, are you sure about this"?
Brooke thought for a moment, though not about the question. She thought about Madison and all that she knew about her and something just didn't seem to add up in her head.
Although, she wasn't going to share that information with the teenager just yet.
"Of course I'm sure," Brooke said, ignoring the voice in her head as she rubbed Madison's hand. "But, just so you know Haley will start watching you and Jamie like a hawk".
"As if she doesn't already"? Madison asked smiling. "Customers, I'm going to go take their order".
Brooke nodded and watched as she pulled her phone out—searched for a number and pressed the phone to her ear.
"Lauren—this is Brooke. I need you to meet me outside the café as soon as you can" she told her. "It's about Madison and her parents".
Lucas parked his car, outside of his empty home before slowly exiting his vehicle. He walked through the dead of the night to his front door before walking inside his home, where he shut—and locked the door.
It was the home he grew up in, he could walk through the house blindfolded. Which was basically what he was doing, walking through the dark, as he found his way to the hallway where he turned the light on.
"Jesus Christ," Lucas said, stumbling back hitting the wall as he grabbed his chest looking up into Dan's eyes—who was smirking over his son. "I got your heart problems, remember"?
"So, I heard," Dan said, crossing his arms. "Are you ready to talk"?
"I need a beer".
Lucas walked to the refrigerator, pulling open the door—and quickly found himself three beers deep on the couch.
And Dan still wasn't gone.
"You know—" Dan said as he sat down on the couch next to Lucas, drinking a beer—much to Lucas' dismay. "I used to sit and think what it would have been like if I hadn't bailed on your mom. I used to wonder how different our lives would have been—"
"I'm not interested in taking a dreadful trip down memory lane with you, or talking about what could have been".
"Then what are you interested in, Lucas" Dan asked, looking at him.
"I don't know, I don't know why you're here".
"We both know that's a lie, I wouldn't be here if you didn't know".
"What have you been doing since you died"? Lucas snapped. "Watching national treasure over and over again? Enough with the crypt clues, if you know why you're here why don't you just tell me? Or is this your punishment for whatever I did to you—are you haunting me? No offense but I would prefer Casper—or Shakespeare if I'm getting to choose someone from the dead to spend time with. Hell, I would rather spend time with Jack the Ripper than sit here with you".
"Met him—lovely fella".
"Lovely fella"? Lucas asked arching an eyebrow. "Remind me to ask Madison what was in those brownies I ate from the café earlier".
"You came to visit me—why"? Dan asked turning sideways on the couch to look directly at his son, who did not return the gesture.
Lucas tapped each of his thumbs against the top of his beer bottle as his head fell back against the couch, he come to terms with it. He was having a conversation with his dead father, or himself, either way, it didn't make him feel any better.
"Keith—do you know"?
"I know what you know".
"Just answer the question, Jane Fonda"!
Dan tolled his eyes "Yes, I know that Keith is alive and before you ask—no I didn't know that before I died. I was facing twenty-five years in prison, do you think I would have turned myself in if I knew my brother was still alive"? Good point. "But, that's not what you want to ask me".
Lucas looked over at Dan, glaring at him, if looks could kill this would be the one. Except, Dan was already dead—and this night just seemed to be getting worse and worse for Lucas.
"As much as you went on about regret and trying to do better—would you have been happy that he survived"? Lucas asked, each word coming out of his mouth slower than the last. "Or would you have been pissed—and it was all an act? I mean you stood above your brother shot him, in cold blood and you thought he was dead for the remainder of your pathetic life—".
"I would have loved nothing more than to see my brother one last time, Lucas," Dan told him. "I wish I could have lived just to apologize to him. I spent the remainder of my—as you so elegantly called it, pathetic life, apologizing and trying to make amends with everyone. Except him and he is the only opinion that truly mattered. Living with what I did, it wasn't easy".
"But, you managed," Lucas said, bitterly.
"After I shot and killed Keith, I lived nothing more than a haunted existence—much like yourself right about now. Huh? Your wife is out on a date—with the man she should have married—not you, your daughter is spending her Saturday night with friends—not you, your sister would rather sit at the hospital talking to Deb—not you, and the love of your life, Miss. Brooke Davis—good choice, by the way, is a multimillionaire and is waitressing tables tonight—not with you".
"Go to hell".
"I've been there, it's actually quite lovely in the spring".
"There are thousands and thousands of dead people, why are you here"? Lucas asked frustrated. "I could see anyone if I'm seeing you like I am—why you? Mom? Q? Hell, even Julian would be a better company. Why you"?
"That's for you to figure out," Dan told him. "But, if I had to guess I'd say it's because you relate to me more than anyone else".
"I'm nothing like you".
"Lucas, out of both of my boys—I see myself in you the most".
"No, I would never hurt my siblings," Lucas said standing up pointing at him. "I would—I have fought with Nathan and argued with Lily but I would never—I could never do what you did"!
"There was a time I could have said the same thing," Dan told him. "I mean Keith and me—we never got along. But, I never thought I could kill him—or attempt to kill him".
"What are you saying? That I'm a murder, too"?
"No," Dan said shaking his head. "You have to good of a heart to ever hurt someone like that, let alone your brother or your sister. I'm just simply pointing out that at one time I thought I was never capable of doing such horrific things, either".
"I'm not saying it was bad," Nathan said as he walked outside of the theater holding his wife's hand, with Peyton and Hake slowly trailing behind. "I just don't understand why they have to address every problem in song. Next time Jamie acts up or Lydia has a problem I will just start singing—".
"I think we would all appreciate it if you don't," Peyton said. "Leave it to the professionals".
"I was a professional".
"Basketball player, sure," Jake said, nodding. "I don't think it goes far past that".
"Is my singing that bad"?
"Yeah," Haley, Peyton, and Jake all said together.
The three laughed, although Nathan felt oddly insulted as they approached the Scott's family car. But, came to an awkward stop between the four.
"Are you going to let us in"? Nathan asked looking at his wife, who was still slightly giggling.
"I don't have the keys—you do".
"No," Nathan said. "You put them in your purse on your way—where is your purse"?
It quickly came flooding back to Haley like a bad dream, that her husband was right. She looked at her empty arms, before looking back at Peyton.
"Oh, my gosh" Haley said.
The four took off back towards the inside of the theater and tore through the seating area.
"It's not here," Nathan said as he stood up from looking under the seats.
"No, it has to be," Haley said shaking her head as she continued her own search.
"Are you sure this is where you two sat"? Jake asked.
"Yeah, it's the seat number on our tickets," Nathan told him.
"It's not in the bathroom," Peyton said as she walked back in joining them.
"My phone is in there, my credit card—they key to the car," Haley said, running her fingers through her hair.
"Excuse me, but we have to start cleaning up," a young man in a bright red vest said as he approached the four.
"Has anyone turned a purse in"? Haley asked him immediately. "It's blue, has a good buckle—". She quickly stopped as he slowly shook his head.
"Sorry, ma'am. We have had no turn in's tonight" he told her. "Was it left here"?
"Here or in the bathroom," Peyton told him.
"If it was out here or in the lobby or something we have cameras but we don't have cameras in the bathroom for obvious reasons," he told them. "I can put your name upfront though, and take your number and give you a call if it's located".
"That would be great—thank you".
Nathan gave the young man his contact information and the four walked out the door, back to the parking lot where their car was the only vehicle left. Except for the cars in the employee section.
"We are three hours from home—what are we going to do"? Nathan asked shoving his hands in his pocket as he looked at Peyton.
"No," his former high school girlfriend said pointing a finger at him. "We are not calling Luke, that's off the table".
"Do you have any other ideas? Everyone else is busy—".
"Jamie"! Peyton nearly shouted. "He has his license".
"And four kids," Haley told her.
"He has a giant Tahoe" Peyton pleaded.
Nathan pulled his phone out rolling his eyes, unable to believe he was actually doing this—as he dialed his home phone. He waited. He waited. He waited.
"Hello"? The four heard a tiny voice from the speakerphone.
"Lydy—Where is your brother"? Nathan asked.
"Hey, daddy," the little girl said. "Guess what we did? We blew up balloons and —".
"Honey, that's great but I need to speak with your brother".
"Is he in trouble again"? She asked, her voice filled with glee. "Can I ground him this time? I don't think you—".
"Lydia Bob," Haley said jerking the phone out of her husband's hand. "If you don't take the phone to your brother right this very second your brother isn't going to be the only one who is spending his weekends doing chores and not with their friends".
"Gee momma," Lydia said. "What did daddy ever do"?
"Lydia I swear—".
"I don't really like your attitude old lady," Lydia told Haley. "You call back when you learn how to use your manners".
Click.
"Did—did she just hang up on me"?
Nathan wanted to laugh, in fact, he did a little despite the circumstance.
"I'll be right back," Brooke said as she walked towards the door.
Madison nodded in response, a little too tired to really care as she sat on a stool at the bar, pretending that she wasn't resting her eyes when in fact she was. But, Brooke was a cool boss—and after the night the teenager had she didn't blame her, no one else was in the café considering it was a little over an hour to closing, so neither really said anything.
Brooke, however, left the café and walked around the corner where she found Lauren sitting in her car—waiting. The fashionista climbed in through the passenger door, turning to face her immediately.
"How did you find out"? Lauren asked, before anything else.
"I haven't found anything out, yet," Brooke said, emphasizing on the last word. "My parents were horrible parents but I still spoke to them—even though I didn't want to so as Madison was explaining to me about her parents it just didn't add up—so you're going to break it down for me. Where are her parents"?
"I don't know," Lauren told her honestly. "I'm not even certain that the people she was here with were her parents, I only know about her heritage because I did that testing. I did mine, too—so she never realized why. I thought she deserved to know something true about herself".
"Lauren".
"They left her Brooke," Lauren said, her voice dropping. "I lived right down the street and I watched them pack up and leave—in a hurry, too. I watched them drive away then seen her pop her head up in the window—at first, I thought maybe it was just her dad that left. They argued a lot—her parents if that's what you want to call them".
"They—they left her"?
Lauren nodded. "I didn't see anyone else, so I took some paper of hers I had just graded over just to check. After I told her who it was she answered the door and let me in—everything was gone, except her. They left her a cup of juice—so I brought her over to my house".
"She has no idea does she"? Brooke asked, a little angry at Lauren but understanding, though she was as furious with whoever it was that Madison spent the first half of her life with.
"No, they told her they would be back so that's what I told her at first" Lauren explained. "I didn't want her to fall into the foster system so I told everyone she was staying with me for a while, that it had been arranged by her parents months ago. But, the more time passed the bigger of a reason I needed".
"Hence the deported lie"?
Lauren nodded. "I was her teacher and I spoke to her parents frequently so it was pretty believable and no one really questioned it".
"Lauren, She has been saving up to go visit her parents for—I don't even know how long" Brooke said. "She has this perfect illusion of what her parents are—and she doesn't even know that will never happen. You have to tell her".
"I don't really have a choice right now," Lauren said, slowly. "Where I am going to be moving I was signing her and my son up for school where we are going to be moving—but I don't have her birth certificate or social or anything".
"How did you register her for school all these years"?
"I didn't," Lauren told her. "Her parents did and because it was the same school system it just transferred from year to year".
"Oh".
"I got a call from a social worker—Brooke I could go to jail for kidnapping and she will end up in foster care—and hate me for it".
"So, he is like my grandfather—or whatever"? Lily asked Deb, in a low voice as they looked over at Royal who was passed out on the couch sitting up straight—with his head tilted backward.
"I'd stick with or whatever" Deb whispered back to her. "He wasn't much of a dad to Keith or Dan, probably the reason for many things".
"Really"?
Royal moved, but just slightly.
Deb cocked her head to the side, indicating for Lily to follow her—which she did. The two left Keith's hospital room, Deb pulling the door tightly closed as they stepped out.
"Keith—I think he beat on your dad when he was growing up," Deb told her as they began to walk the empty halls. "Although, I can't be one hundred percent certain. He wasn't a very good man".
"You talk about him like he is dead".
"One can only hope".
"Is he really that bad"? Lily asked.
Deb nodded. "Where do you think Dan got it from"? She asked. "Royal Scott is a vile man, just as Dan was. Dan used to say that Lucas nor Keith was worthy of the Scott name, although your dad was always able to hold his own with Dan".
Lily smiled. "Do you think he will make it through the surgery, Deb"?
"I have my hopes, but you heard the doctors—prepare for the worst and hope for the best".
Lily has heard the doctors and everything they had told her, but she didn't care.
"You know my dad though," Lily said. "I don't want to hear what the doctors say or think, I want to know what you think. Will he be okay"?
"I don't want to give you some sort of false hope, Lily" Deb told her. "But, you're dad is the strongest man I have ever had the privilege of knowing, I probably would have got cleaner a lot sooner if he had been around".
"Yeah"?
"I know Kieth, he would have waltzed into the house and poured the pills and alcohol down the sink. Then taken my ass to a rehab and sat there with me until I was clean".
Lily smiled. "I can't wait to meet him—".
"Lily".
"I know, don't get false hope but it's not false hope. I'm choosing to believe that he is going to wake up, just a week ago I was an orphan and now I have a dad. My dad is alive, thanks to you".
"It's for you," Lydia said walking up and throwing the phone at her brother. "It's Aunt Peyton—and she needs to work on her attitude".
"That's nothing new," Sawyer said shrugging. "She hasn't had sex in a while".
"What's sex"?
Jamie paused, for a moment he was actually curious to see what his cousin's response was.
"I'm not sure," Sawyer said shrugging. "Whatever it is, my parents didn't do it. Is it the same as dicking down"? She asked looking up at Jamie.
The teenager chuckled, thanking God he had the speaker covered with his hand—so his aunt didn't hear what was said.
"Exactly the same" Jamie told them. "Now, go before I call nanny Carrie".
The two girls eyes both grew wide and they took off running up the stairs.
"Hello"? Jamie asked, chuckling to himself, as he pressed the house phone to his ear.
"Jamie, it's Peyton—".
"I gathered that much Aunt Peyton—what's going on"?
"Just a quick question—do you know how to get to Charleston"?
Jamie stopped what he was doing, almost immediately, taken back by the question.
"Of course I do," Jamie said, genuinely curious where this conversation was going.
"Well—here's the deal, your mom's purse was taken—".
"Is she okay"? Jamie asked, his voice frantic.
"Yeah," Peyton told him. "It wasn't like a mugging or anything, she left it in the bathroom or where she sat at. It was an honest mistake—".
"She left her purse somewhere and it got stolen—and she doesn't even know where she left it"? Jamie asked, rolling his eyes.
"Yes, and if you interrupt me again I'm going to remove your testicles with a butter knife are we clear"?
Jamie quietly bit on his bottom lip,
"Is that a yes or a no"? Peyton asked, irritated.
"I didn't know if I was allowed to answer or not".
Jamie heard his aunt let out a long sigh but he heard a man—who he was certain was his father chuckle a little in the background. That confirmed it. He was on speakerphone. Not that it mattered—Peyton was capable of killing him no matter how she spoke to him.
"The keys were in her purse" Peyton managed to say, and he could tell by her voice that her teeth were pressed together hard, most likely in anger—at him.
It was as if an alarm went off in Jamie's head, he now knew the reason for the call and death threats he was receiving.
"Ohhhhh," Jamie said as he tossed himself on to the couch, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. "So, my dear old dad needs a favor—am I right"?
"James" he heard Nathan manage to choke out.
"I believe—I believe, that your exact words were—ahem," Jamie said, as he attempted to do the best impression of his father he could possibly do. "That car better not leave the driveway. I mean it—unless there is an emergency—".
"Which this is," Nathan told his son.
"Technically no, this does not qualify as an emergency" Jamie told him. "This is not a life or death situation, you call the cops and report moms purse stolen, but other than that this is nothing more than a delay in your educated guess as to what time you will arrive home".
The other end went quiet, and Jamie was certain he heard his parents whispering, arguing, his mom more than his dad. Although, he wasn't sure what they were arguing about he had a hunch, as he sat on the couch—grinning.
"What do you want"? Nathan finally asked, irritation in his voice.
"I want my grounded relinquished effective immediately".
One again it went quiet, except for the whispering of his parents—his mom who would clearly would do anything at this point to go home. Perhaps it was wrong, but this teenager didn't want to spend another night at home babysitting.
"I need my phone anyways" Jamie said, interrupting his parents. "I can get to Charleston but once I get there I need my gps, it's a big city. It's not like Tree Hill where you make four rights and you're right back in the middle of town".
Jamie knew that he had his father there, and better yet he knew that his father knew that he had him.
"Your phone is in my office," Nathan said. "It's in the safe underneath my desk. The code is the month you were born, the day Lydia was born, and the year your mom and I got married".
"So, zero five—that's all I got".
"You don't even know your sisters birthday"?! Peyton asked.
"It's zero five, nineteen, zero four" Nathan said.
"And my grounding is over"?
"Until you screw up again—yes" his father responded, clearly still doubtful about the situation.
"I'll be there shortly".
"I just got blackmailed by a sixteen-year-old," Nathan said, half tempted to throw the cell phone—which he probably would have, had it been his.
"Serves you right," Haley said, shrugging. "You grounded him without talking to me about it".
"Are we back on that"? Nathan asked tossing his head back. "I thought that's what all the make up sex was over".
"Too much information" Peyton moaned as she took her phone out of Nathan's hand. "It's okay if you want to keep somethings private".
"You just said the other day you agreed with the punishment," Nathan told his wife, ignoring Peyton's comment.
"Well, I changed my mind," Haley said shrugging turning away from him.
"Are they always like this"? Jake asked looking at Peyton.
But, she wasn't the one who answered.
"No," Nathan told him before Peyton could open her mouth with a response, rather it was the same one or not. "Only when Haley is up past nine," he said. "Oh, well. Once he gets here I will take his phone back—".
"And what teach him to lie"? Peyton interjected. "He is grounded, not because of the tattoos but because he went behind your back—isn't that the same thing as doing that"?
"I agree," Haley said.
Nathan looked from the blonde to the brunette, ultimately cornered. So, he chose to look up at Jake—to find that his old high school friend was not going to share a glance with him.
"What's your take on this, Jake"? Nathan asked folding his arms.
Suddenly Nathan wasn't the only one looking at him, but the two women were as well.
"What do I—"? Jake began pointing at himself but knew the answer before he could ask the question. "I think—it's not my herd, not BS".
"You two deserve each other" Nathan told Peyton.
"We aren't together," Peyton told Nathan, firmly.
"Yet" Haley managed to choke out.
"This you two are going to get along on"? Peyton asked, looking at the married couple. "You were fighting just ten seconds ago".
"Oh, that was nothing. Nathan was right—it's past my bedtime" Haley said waving the comment off. "I'm still a little bitter over Nathan not consulting with me, but he is right I agreed with the punishment and my purse was just stolen, I'm exhausted—and we have nowhere but the hard pavement to sit".
Through the midst of the conversation, Nathan, however, was still stuck only one factor.
"I just got blackmailed by a sixteen-year-old"!
Madison locked the door to the café, her feet completely throbbing. She wanted nothing more than to lay across the counter, and it was tempting—but she knew she had a much more comfortable bed waiting for her at home.
So, she opted to begin cleaning up—and she wasn't moving as fast as she was most nights. But, it wasn't until she was shutting the blinds that she remembered she wasn't alone, at the sight of Brooke's car she knew her boss was still here but couldn't recall the last time she had seen her. Which she spent the last hour, possibly longer, resting at the counter once the large crowd finally died down.
"Brooke"? Madison called as she walked into the kitchen. "Are you here"?
Nothing.
Madison immediately checked where they kept the red wine, not for serving of course but Hale's private stash that she would forever claim she didn't know about. But, it was just as empty as the kitchen.
Confused. Worried—? Maybe?
Madison walked around the corner to find the door wide open that led to the roof on top of the café. The door was never open, so it was fairly tempting.
"Brooke"? Madison called as she began to climb the stairs. "Broo—".
Madison didn't have time to finish her name the second time as she stepped out on to the roof when a she felt a giant smack to the face—and a large splash of water hit her. When she looked down she saw the remainder of a water balloon lying next to her feet, and when she looked up she saw Brooke standing across from her smiling—ear to ear.
"You. Are. So. Dead" Madison said though she was smiling as she did.
Madison was tired, exhausted, as though she couldn't go anymore but instead, she grabbed a water balloon—out of one of the large buckets that were full, that showed her what exactly Brooke had been up to, before lunging it at Brooke. It hit her across the chest, before devolving an all-out war between the two.
By the time they ran out of water balloons the two were each soaked from head to toe, but both smiling and laughing as they laid across the roof next to each other.
"If I ever have a daughter—I pray to God she is like you," Brooke told Madison as she sat up.
"Seriously"? Madison asked arching an eyebrow. "Jamie says I'm a pain in his ass".
Brooke laughed hysterically.
"Have you ever noticed that Jamie has a girls ass"? Madison asked—perhaps the exhaustion had caught up with her, but the thought of Jamie and ass led her to this moment.
But, she wasn't wrong.
"No"! Brooke said—tears rolling down her face. "I have never looked at Jamie's ass—other than when I was changing his diaper once when he was a baby".
"Hold on," Madison said pulling her phone out of her back pocket as she sat up next to Brooke, surprised it wasn't wet.
"Don't tell me you have a picture of his butt—".
"Don't worry he is dressed, I took it right after his basketball practice a couple of days ago".
"I don't want to see that"!
"Yes, you do," Madison said, still laughing. "His ringtone is bubble butt—my hand to God he has a woman's ass. It's like Kim Kardashian—that was a bit dramatic. But, he does have a woman's butt".
Brooke reluctantly took the phone and looked down, before she started laughing. "Oh, my god. He does—it's so round".
Brooke handed Madison her phone back but she simply dropped it and laid back down across the roof.
"I love Jamie's ass".
Brooke laid down next to Madison once again, smiling.
"I used to love Julian's ass".
Madison stopped smiling, briefly, she had heard the stories and even met Brooke's late husband a time or two but she never knew. She didn't want to ask, not because she wasn't curious but because she didn't want to pry.
So, she couldn't be certain what made her open her mouth at this moment, but it happened.
"What-what happened to him"? Madison asked softly looking at Brooke.
Brooke's whole demeanor changed at the question, but not in a way that indicated he was angry at Madison for the question. "He—he had a heart attack".
"He was so young though".
"The last few years before he passed away he traveled—a lot. He worked a lot. He produced movies and directed and he ran his own show. I was so proud of him—but with all the traveling I couldn't remember the last time he sat down and ate a home-cooked meal" Brooke told Madison. "He was always eating fast food, he never gained weight though. He looked as healthy as a horse—we thought he was. But, he wasn't. That mixed with the stress his job put on him, he never complained of stress because he loved his job but took up a lot of his time and he was always working—one day he woke up complaining of chest pain. He had just got back home the day before, so he just thought it was jet lag or something, it was a fatal mistake us not going to the hospital. I should have insisted, but the twins kept me on my toes enough I don't even remember if I really listened to him and what he was saying that day until I looked back on it when I think of my last moments with him".
"Brooke, I'm so sorry".
"The boys were around back playing and Julian was dancing in the living room with Lydia, he was like her second dad—I was on a conference call for God knows what when I heard her screaming," Brooke told Madison. "I called nine one, one. But, he was gone by the time they got there".
"That must have been horrible," Madison said taking her hand. "I'm so sorry, you had to experience that".
"People never want to bring him up" Brooke admitted. "No one ever asks me about him, anymore. But, I love talking about him. I built up this wall—not wanting to let anyone in, and he was so patient with me in tearing it down. He knew I was worth it, that we would be worth it. When it comes to Julian everyone walks on eggshells around me about him, as if I'm going to just break talking about him or hearing his name—it's actually worse than not talking about him. I want to keep his memory alive, for the boys. For myself. I miss him, every day. Do you know? We used to have stupid fights".
Madison looked over at Brooke who was already starring back at her.
"I don't want to pry in your relationship with Jamie, but you never know what's going to happen," Brooke told her. "So, don't let a little stupid fight rob you of your time together".
"Should I go see him"?
"Not tonight," Brooke told her. "I talked to Lauren earlier tonight, and I have to tell you something".
"Am I going to be able to stay with you"? Madison asked, hopeful.
"I'm not sure about that yet—Maddie, this is about your parents".
Before Brooke could tell the teenager anymore, the two saw a bright light of blue flashing lights. They each ran to the edge of the roof, looking over the wall.
"Is that—Lauren"? Madison asked, frantically. "She is in the back of the police car, oh my god".
Brooke looked down to find that Lauren was sitting in a parked police car, that sat behind a white vehicle—that had a stare sticker on the side. When she looked up Madison was gone, and her stomach dropped.
Lucas opened his eyes and slowly sat up—realizing he was still in the living room, on the couch, completely unaware as to when or how he fell asleep. Or passed out, if he had to venture a guess.
Out of habit he picked his phone up that lay on the end table next to the couch and glanced down.
"Not one text message" he heard and felt his head immediately drop at the sound of Dan's voice. "Not one missed call—not even a Facebook notification".
"I have a twitter notification thank you very much," Lucas said as he sat up.
"Oh, someone just retweeted a funny meme you shared," Dan said taking Lucas' phone. "That boy off the basketball team, Mikey—".
"The little prick," Dan and Lucas said, together.
Lucas looked up, and rather it was a dream or a vision or it was, in fact, those brownies he ate—he looked at his father. He really, really looked at him.
But, all he saw was himself.
"What—What made you the way you were"? Lucas asked looking at Dan. "What made you be—"?
"A selfish, arrogant—murder"?
"Keith isn't dead" Lucas reminded him. "You aren't a murder".
"I will always be a murder," Dan said looking sown at Lucas' phone. "When you get on the internet and you look me up, that will always be the first thing people see. That is the legacy I left, that will always be how I am remembered. The mayor who killed his brother, Keith is alive and once that gets out he will make headline—hero found alive or some cheesy title like that but as for me, it will never change people's perception of me. Keith was always the most forgiving person I had ever known, but when he wakes up and he finds out that I robbed him of watching his daughter grow up—he was meant to be a father, I wasn't, he will never forgive me".
"You don't know that".
"I do".
"No, I meant you don't know if he will wake up or not," Lucas said. "He probably won't be able to forgive you, but your dead what's it matter"?
Dan shrugged. "I guess it doesn't, but it matters to me".
"You act as you love him but you tried to kill him," Lucas said. "I just want to understand why".
"There is no reason good enough or excuse viable enough to excuse what I did, and there never will be," Dan told him. "There is nothing I can say that will help you understand what I did, nothing".
"Then why do it"?
"Lucas, you're looking for something that I can't give you," Dan told him standing up. "You're looking for a clue or a sign to validate yourself into believing that you're nothing like me, but I can't give you that. You asked me earlier what made me this way—the way I was"?
"Yeah," Lucas said, nodding.
"I wanted so much for my father's approval, I tried so hard to be like him. I did everything just to make the old man proud, to be just like him. That's what shaped me into the man that shot and killed his brother. The man you knew. It was an obsession" Dan said. "You might want to be careful, or you might end up just like me".
"I don't want your approval and I certainly don't want to be like you," Lucas said.
"No, but you try just as hard to not be like me," Dan told him. "I assume your outcome may just the same".
"That I will murder one of my siblings"? Lucas asked. "Fat chance".
"No," Dan said, shaking his head. "That you will die alone, too—if there is one other mistake that I ever made it was letting your mom go. I'd hate for you to end up with a regret like letting the girl you're meant to be with—go. After all son, you do have my heart".
Knock, Knock.
Lucas looked up at the door, and back to where his father—Dan has been standing to find the spot empty. He wasn't sure if it had been a dream or not, or whatever, but he shook it off as if none of it had happened—or at least that's what he told himself as he walked to the door and opened it.
"Brooke"? He asked as he turned the porch light on to reveal the woman standing in front of him.
"I know it's late," Brooke said, pushing past him. "Okay, really late—it's almost one a.m, but this couldn't wait".
"Is everything okay"?
"No," she said shaking her head profusely as she sat down on the couch. "I was panicking and I didn't know where else to go, I need your help. Social services just took Madison and placed her into foster care".
Jamie pulled into the empty parking lot, all except for one vehicle. His parents. Peyton and Haley were leaning over the hood of the SUV resting their heads upon their folded arms while his father had his back leaned against the vehicle talking to an unknown man—who he assumed to be Jake.
The teenager parked the car next to his parents quickly earning the attention of all the adults as he opened his door and hopped out of his own vehicle.
"What's that"? Haley asked, tiredly pointing at the tool in her son's hand.
"It's going to unlock your car—hopefully," Jamie told her. "It's a slim jim mom—I don't know if it has a technical name or not though, to be honest. Dad hold this will you"?
Nathan took the large flashlight out of his son's hand and shined it towards the car.
"What good is this going to do if we don't have the keys"? Peyton asked.
"I'm going to try and Hotwire it," Jamie told her as he began fidgeting with the tool in his hand and the driver's side window.
"Hotwire"? Nathan asked arching an eyebrow. "I'm really going to regret asking you this—but how the hell do you know how to do that"?
"Just don't ever run my fingerprints dad," Jamie said winking with a smile.
"James Lucas Scott"! Haley said, though she meant it to come off as a yell but apparently her voice was just as tired as she was.
"Mom, relax," Jamie said shaking his head. "People—like you call the shop all the time when they have lost their keys and need to get their car home as they wait for a new key" he explained to them. "I have never stolen a car—what the hell do you take me for"?
"I take you for a teenager who really needs to watch his mouth around his dad before he ends up grounded again," Nathan said.
Jamie rolled his eyes, but luckily for him, Nathan didn't see or he didn't seem to care. The five standing there heard a small click and Jamie opened the front door with a smile.
"Momma" they all heard and turned around to see Sawyer climbing out of Jamie's vehicle with Lydia close in tow.
"Hey baby," Peyton said bending down as her daughter wrapped her arms around her neck.
"Hi," Sawyer said looking up at the man next to her mom. "Are you my new daddy"?
Jamie couldn't help but snicker as he heard the ten-year-old giggling.
"Your sense of humor isn't cute at two in the afternoon let alone at two in the morning," Peyton told her daughter pointing her finger at her. "Speaking of why aren't you asleep"?
"Good question," Jamie said. "Especially after them Valiums I slipped her".
Jamie felt a smack to his arm, which he was sure from his aunt as he continued to fiddle with the wires in his parent's car, but that didn't stop him from smiling.
"The twins passed out ten minutes into the ride," Jamie told them. "But, we listened to Hannah Montana the whole way here—so who is paying for my hearing aids"?
"You get the limo out front" Sawyer sang, bouncing her hip.
"Hottest styles, every shoe, every color" Lydia sang along with her cousin twirling around.
"The blonde—that's your daughter"? Jake asked looking at Peyton.
"I know," she said nodding as the girls continued to sing and dance. "She looks just like her dad, aside from the hair it's hard to tell she even belongs to me".
"No," Jake said shaking his head. "Just find her music choice a bit off to be yours".
Peyton giggled, and it wasn't until the sound escaped from her lips that she realized how much she sounded like a high school girl and wanted to physically harm herself.
She thought a punch to the face would be sufficient.
"If you two don't stop I am making that call," Jamie said as he paused what he was doing briefly to glare at his cousin and sister.
The two immediately froze and ran to their mother's aid.
Even though Jamie said it low—and threatening to the children, the adults heard and were confused.
"What call"? Nathan asked his son.
"Erm—Santa," Jamie said, realizing how much trouble he could possibly in for this.
"No, not Santa"! Lydia cried into her mother's blouse. "Nanny Carrie".
"I'm sorry—Nanny Carrie"? Jamie heard his father ask as he kept his head down—knowing his father sounded closer than he did a few moments before.
"As in the Nanny Carrie"? Peyton asked, glaring at her nephew—ex nephew?
But, Jamie didn't have time to respond before they all heard the Engine lightly rumble.
The sixteen-year-old stood up but found that none of the adults had even noticed the car had been started, or even cared for that matter.
"Oh, don't give me that look," Jamie said holding his hands up in defense. "They weren't eating—I told them a little story about my childhood Nanny, that happened when I was younger than them might I add—and I will have you know they finished all their dinner".
"You have to be kidding me right now"! Haley said stomping her foot. "Lydia already has bed problems".
"I do not," Lydia told her mom backing away from her, her cheeks burning a bright red.
"Whatever" Jamie said shrugging. "Sawyer had four slices of pizza," he told Peyton.
"That's not an excuse—" Haley began.
"Actually," Peyton said slowly. "It's a little unorthodox but I can barely get Sawyer to take three bites in a full day—she ate four slices"?
"Plus desert," he said folding his arms, smiling.
"You're not actually saying you support this"? Haley asked, tilting her head looking at Peyton.
"No, of course not," Peyton said. "I'm saying that my daughter hasn't eaten that much food in one month time let alone a night—".
"Sometimes I can't be certain that Jamie isn't a product of you and Lucas—".
"Well, no one can't be certain he isn't Lucas' son either. He looks just like him".
"Except sexier" Jamie corrected her. "Much sexier".
"Excuse me while I vomit," Sawyer said covering her throat with her hands. "But, you might want to be careful—she has a type," she said throwing her thumb over her shoulder at her mom.
"I have—I have a What"? Peyton asked looking down at her daughter.
"A type. Oh, please it's painfully obvious".
"Painfully obvious"? Peyton asked. "Have you been watching Mary Poppins again"?
"On the contrary mother dear—".
"Sawyer cut it out".
"I just have one question"! Sawyer said demanding her mother's attention for one second longer.
"And what's that"?
"Which one dicked you down first"? Sawyer asked, scratching her head. "Because, whoever that's who you've been trying to be with all along".
"Dicked me—Where did you—Jamie"!
Jamie has snuck over to his car where he sat in the driver's seat unable to control his laughter, he was sure he could be injured but he just didn't care.
"I'm serious though mom" Sawyer said crossing her arms. "I know you were with uncle Julian and daddy—they did resemble each other quite a bit and now this guy, who aunt Haley said you dated in high school so which one dicked you down first? That's probably the reason you end up dating John Krasinski look alike. Let's face it, you're no Emily Blunt".
"Do you even know what dicked down means"? Peyton asked rubbing her forehead in frustration. "Or is it something you heard your cousin say and repeat".
"We know what it means," Lydia said putting her hands on her hips. "My mom dicks my dad down every night".
"That answers my question—every night"? Peyton asked, looking up at Haley and Nathan.
"Yeah," Lydia said, nodding. "I used to think they were wrestling but they make all kinds of noises—like you hear on the discovery channel".
Peyton suddenly found amusement in the current situation. Nathan and Haley, who were both bright red, did not.
"And I don't know what the other noises are but one sounds like that noise thumper made with his feet on Bambi" Lydia said scratching her head.
"That's not wrestling, my parents wrestled" Sawyer said pointing at her mom. "Inside their bedroom it sounded like WWE Smackdown—live! My mom once told my dad to go to hell—".
Peyton quickly covered her daughter's mouth before she could go any further.
"Well," Jamie said. "That got awkward".
"Let's just go home," Haley said.
"I still have to drop Jake off at his car why don't you two just ride with Jamie—you'll get home a lot faster," Nathan told the girls.
"Okay" Haley said before looking down at Sawyer and Lydia. "Get in—now".
Everyone quickly piled into their designated vehicle, except for Peyton and Jake.
"She doesn't know about her dad and me" Peyton explained. "I don't think she realizes what a date is, but she overheard Haley and I talking—anyways we are going to tell her when it's finalized".
"You're a great mom, Peyton" Jake told her. "But, you may already be too late—I believe she knows about you and Lucas".
"You think"?
"That daddy joke—funny as it was, I don't think she would have made it if she didn't know something was off about her parents" he told her. "She is smart. She vaguely reminds me of someone I know".
"Whose that"? Peyton asked, cheekily.
"Just this girl I knew in high school—really hot and had the sexiest set of chicken legs I think I have ever seen" Jake told her. "I heard you and Haley earlier and how you said this wasn't a date—I completely—".
Peyton lightly placed her lips on his, just for a brief second.
"And I meant it" she said. "This would have been an awful first date, but if you want to call me and arrange one, I'd say yes".
After stopping for gas Jamie drove, and he drove. Eventually blondie Jr and little miss muppet passed out, as did Peyton who sat next to them. Haley however, wasn't bound to let her son drive alone this late and instead of falling asleep she drank her cup of coffee as she watched her son drive the night time road.
"You tired"? Haley asked looking at Jamie—who had a puzzled look on his face as he continued to drive.
"Erm—Yeah".
"But, that's not what's bothering you, is it"?
"What makes you say that"? Jamie asked, glancing over at his mom briefly.
"A mother knows," she told him. "I never believed my mom until I became one myself, but it's true. I can always tell when something is wrong with you or Lydia—even if you don't tell me about it. I still know".
Jamie didn't talk to his mom, not about his personal life, not anymore. It felt strange to do so but for some reason, he felt like he wanted to on this night.
He blamed the exhaustion.
"It's just Maddie—I text her when I got my phone back and she hasn't text me back," he told Haley.
"Jamie—it's almost four in the morning and we are still an hour away from Tree Hill," Haley said taking his hand. "She is probably sleeping".
"But, I text her right after I left the house it was almost eleven, it took me forever to get the kids ready," he said shaking his head. "She doesn't even get off work until eleven and she would have still had to drive him. She hasn't even read it or be on Facebook or anything—I just feel like somethings wrong".
"Like, What"? Haley asked. "You know she wouldn't ever cheat on you".
"Oh, I know that—I can't explain it mom but something in my gut is telling me something is wrong".
"Okay, so let's stop by her house on the way through," Haley told him. "I remember when your dad got kidnapped, I just knew something was wrong—I couldn't explain it. But, I see the way you look at her Jamie. So, we can stop by, everyone is asleep. It will be five or five-thirty by the time we get there so you might be waking a beast—but even if it's nothing always trust your gut".
Jamie nodded, not vocally but beyond thankful for his mom.
"I actually thought about something tonight," he told her honestly. "When I was talking to Jude—it's about Lydia".
"Oh"?
"About the bedwetting, I heard you and dad talk about it," Jamie said. "What is her imaginary friend's name"?
"Jules".
"Do you think that could be short for Julian"?
Haley paused, and she looked at her son who thankfully had his eyes glued to the road.
"You probably didn't think about it because right after Julian died she seemed fine. Right"? Jamie asked and his mom nodded. "But, none of this started until after the one year anniversary of his death—mom she was in the room with him when it happened. That's something traumatic for a kid to experience, Lydia and the twins shared dad's. Julian and Dad both traveled, a lot. So, when dad was gone that's who Lydia was glued to—".
"Do you think it's some sort of form of PTSD"?
"I don't know. But, I do think therapy needs to stop being a conversation between you and dad" Jamie told her. "I remember talking about the whole Carrie incident—both, of the car accident, or—basically my whole childhood I had these god awful nightmares. I would wake up sweating and shaking, it helped once I talked to someone".
Haley looked at her son, she found it unbelievably hard to look at him because what he was saying made perfect sense.
"I'm sorry," Haley said.
"For what"?
"You were completely robbed of your childhood," Haley said looking down. "I just wis—".
"Mom, it's not your fault. None of it is. I'm a big boy now" he joked. "It's all in the past".
"You sure are".
"I spent years in karate and I have spent the last two training in martial arts and self-defense classes—I'm big enough now to take care of myself if I have to".
"That's been my problem here recently—I just want you to stay little" Haley admitted. "You're a sophomore in high school and my time with you is winding down".
"I'm not dying".
Haley chuckled. "I know that," she told him. "But, you're going to move out and start a life of your own—you won't need me anymore".
"Mom, I'll always need you," Jamie said as he took her hand. "You're my mom. But, you're right I'm not a little kid anymore, I think that's part of the reason I got the tattoos and the piercings and everything else I have done recently".
"What do you mean"?
"It took me years to shake the nickname Jimmie Jam, ma," he said. "I just get tired of everyone seeing me as this kid, I'm not a kid. I haven't been a kid for a long time".
"I know," Haley said resting her head against her son's shoulder, who towered over her—even sitting down in the car. "But, you'll always be my baby".
"Can we agree to disagree"?
Haley and Jamie both chuckled, and for the first time in so long, she couldn't remember Haley felt her heart beam at her son. It was the first time he felt like the little boy she longed to see every day.
The two spent the rest of the ride talking and laughing until they reached Lauren's house right over the line of Tree Hill. Haley waited as her son went to the door before coming back, and jumping back in the car—looking worse than before.
"No one is home," Jamie told Haley. "I knocked and knocked. All I heard was Maddie's little damn dog yapping so I went in and no one was there".
"At five—" Haley said looking at the watch on her wrist. "Thirty-three on Sunday morning? That's unusual—does Madison open this morning"?
"No".
"Go to the café in case someone called in, Brooke text me last night and said there were some call-ins, she had to go help".
Jamie drove across town and parked outside the café.
"Her car is here," Haley said.
"I'll be right back".
Once again Haley waited, and once again when her son returned he looked—even though she didn't think it was possible, worse than before.
"Kameron said when she got there this morning her car was here, her keys and phone were on the counter," Jamie told Haley holding her phone up. "Mom, I'm starting to panic. She would never leave her phone or her car. I busted my ass to put a down payment on that car for her, she wouldn't just leave it and the keys".
"Okay, she worked with Brooke let's go to Brooke's, there has to be an explanation for this".
Jamie drove, probably a little faster than he should have but when he arrived at Brooke's, Haley knew she shared the same face that Jamie did.
"Peyton's car is here, but where is Brooke's"? Jamie asked, in a panic.
"Just breathe, there has to be a reasonable—".
"Hello"? Peyton's groggily voice said.
Jamie and Haley both looked back at Peyton, who had been awoken by her ringing—the two up front unaware until now.
"Here," Peyton said, reaching her hand up to Haley. "It's your husband," she said before shutting her eyes once again.
"Hello"? Haley asked pressing the phone to her ear. "Nathan"? Jamie heard his mom ask. "We are at Brooke's, Jamie was worried about Madison so we went to her house and—Brooke and Lucas is there? What—? Erm—yeah. Okay, we will be there shortly. I love you, too".
Haley pressed the end button on Peyton's phone and looked over at her son, who was waiting for an answer. Any answer. But, what little she knew wasn't enough to tell him, so she looked forward.
"Go home," Haley told him.
"But—".
"Jamie just drive home," Haley said softly.
Haley watched as her son drove, with his shaky hands. She knew he had questions and she knew he wanted to ask them, but he knew that if she was going to tell him something she already would have. But, as nervous as he was Haley was certain she was more anxious, as her mind raced.
Haley never felt her stomach drop at the sight of her husband, but as Jamie drove his vehicle down the driveway of their family home—Haley looked at Nathan and could feel her stomach turning in knots.
Jamie shakily parked his car and stepped out of his car, as he looked up at Brooke, Lucas, and his dad who stood waiting. For him.
"I'll help you with the kids," Brooke told Peyton and Haley who had climbed out of the car, as she walked over.
Jamie watched as Sawyer groggily walked inside led by her mother who had Davis in her arms, Haley walking behind him with Lydia, and Brooke walked in the house last with Jude wrapped around her thin body.
Jamie felt his knees buckle as he walked over to his uncle and his father.
"Where is she"? He asked, immediately. "Is she—is she okay? Dad, where is she"?
"Let's step inside," Nathan told his son.
Jamie didn't argue as his father led him into the house with his hand on his back. Lucas and Nathan both sat down on the couch but Jamie couldn't seem to walk past the welcome mat inside his house.
"Dad".
"Here sit down".
"No, just tell me damn it" Jamie ordered.
Normally, Nathan would scold him and perhaps he shouldn't let up on him too much but knowing what he knew this was different.
"Lauren is in jail" Lucas began. "She was arrested for kidnapping".
"Kid—what"? Jamie asked walking near them sitting down on the ottoman in front of them. "She would never do such a thing. I know she wouldn't".
"She was arrested for kidnapping Madison," Nathan told his son. "Madison's parents aren't in Barcelona, in fact, they are in prison in Texas—twenty-five to life, and to make matters worse they aren't her real parents. They took her when she was first born, we don't know all the details yet—".
"Dad, you're confusing me," Jamie said, looking at Nathan tears beginning dwell in his eyes. "You just told me Maddie was kidnapped, twice. I don't understand".
"Lauren isn't exactly a real kidnapping case—I mean she is, but she was just looking out for Madison," Nathan told his son. "Her parents—the people who claimed to be her parents, they abandon her, from what we have gathered they were on the run and their location got tipped off so they ran and left Madison behind".
"By herself"? Jamie choked out. "Where is she dad"?
"She has been taken into the state's custody—".
"Foster care"? Jamie asked, jumping up. "We have to go get here—why are we just sitting here talking"?
"It's not that simple," Lucas told his nephew standing up. "First of all, we don't have a clue where she is"!
"Then we can—I don't know go to—".
"Jamie" Brooke said as she walked into the room with Peyton and Haley by her side. "There is more. She has been put into a temporary home, that information they did give me" she told him. "For a week or two, then they want to locate here to a permanent home".
"Like adoption"?
"No," Brooke said. "They call it a permanent home but she would likely be transferred in a couple of months, but they are relocating her to New Jersey—".
"What"? Jamie screeched, his voice bouncing off the walls. "Why are we just sitting here? We have to do something—we have to go get her"!
Jamie heard his voice break and felt tears strolling down his eyes, he couldn't remember the last time he had cried—in front of anyone. Including his parents, which was the same thing that was on their mind, but Jamie didn't seem to care.
The only thing on his mind was his girlfriend, he headed towards the door—not entirely sure where he was going but he had to go.
But, Peyton beat him to the door as she stood in front of it.
"Jamie, you have nowhere to go," Peyton said holding her hand up in front of him. "I can't let you leave".
"You're exhausted," Haley said walking towards her son. "You haven't slept all night, you need to go upstairs and go to bed".
"No," Jamie said shaking his head brutally. "I need Maddie. I need to get to her, she is with strangers and—".
"Jamie" Brooke said walking to her godson's side. "I don't even know where she is and right now we have no way of finding out. We will have better luck, tomorrow. I'm going to try and fix this".
"I can find her, I know I can—".
"Son" Nathan said walking next to Peyton. "I can't let you leave," he told him as he took his son's keys out of his hands. "We are going to figure this out".
Jamie looked around, he was outnumbered by the longtime group. He was pissed. He swung his foot kicking his mom's ottoman across the room, hearing it crash into something but he didn't care.
"I need to talk to her"! Jamie screamed his voice barely understandable to those around him.
"Jamie" Lucas said walking towards his nephew. "You need to calm down, she is safe. She isn't out on the streets or anything, she has a bed".
"I don't know where she is" Jamie screamed. "I can't even talk to her or see her".
Jamie backed against the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor, breaking down.
"What if I never see her again"?
"We won't let that happen," Peyton told him.
"How can you say that? You don't know where she is, either—I can't breath".
Haley ran to her son who had begun hyperventilating in the living room floor, his face covered in tears.
"Just breath".
"I ca-can't" he barely managed to choke out his voice shaky. "I—I don't understand what's happening".
"It's an anxiety attack," Nathan told his son squatting down in front of Jamie, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Just breathe. Focus on me. Look at me, no one else. Listen to the sound of my voice, try to relax".
As if.
Call all your friends
And tell them you're never coming back
Cause this is the end
Pretend that you want it
Don't react
The damage is done
The police are coming too slow now
I would have died
I would have loved you all my life
You're losing your memory now
You're losing your memory now
You're losing your memory now
You're losing your memory, now
A/N Long chapter, I know, So I am going to try to keep this authors note short and sweet, but we all know how I am.
I tried my best to successfully explain without giving too much away about Madison, but more will be revealed. I tried to keep the first half of this chapter uplifted and with humor because the end would not be. I have never wrote an emotional part like I did for this chapter. When I began writing this chapter I knew I wanted two things. One was I knew how I wanted Jamie to respond to the news, this is the love of his life it's not just some High school relationship this has been his girlfriend since he was a child, almost 10 years and he doesn't know if he will ever see her again, he doesn't know where she is, and worst of all he has no way to communicate with her. But, the second thing I knew I wanted the court five to be there for him. I knew I wanted him to be in the room with you, so I had to find a way to make that happen and that's why Haley lost her keys! There Will be no repercussions for that.
I want to thank everyone again for reading and reviewing the story, it means the world to me.
I was on quite a roll there and then with this chapter I knew what I wanted but I had the worst time writing it, any writer knows that writers block sucks.
Coming up next chapter is Keith's big surgery, locating Madison, and Lucas just might reveal his feelings to Brooke.
I I am really excited about some of the up coming storylines, there won't just be one surprise pregnancy but two! In true tree hill session one of those pregnancies will end with a big shebang, without giving too much away but just a little teaser someone will go into labor in a life and death situation that will involve not just the teenagers but all the children and perhaps one of the adults. You got to see The originals in the school shooting episode, this time you will get to see them on the other side. The other pregnancy will end completely normal, which is unlike tree hill at all. I have so much coming up and I'm going to try to update as soon as I can.