Disclaimer: I own nothing but the overly dramatic storylines!
Well, my first long chapter in sometime, and it's jammed packed with all your favorite ships and Keith so enjoy! See you on the other side Lol!
For the first time since he opened his eyes in seventeen years, he saw the world outside of the hospital. He had only been awake for thirteen days, and in those thirteen days, he hadn't left the room he was in—except when the man doctors that he spent his days surrounded by decided it was time to run more tests. If Keith never saw another machine large enough to fit a body into, it would be too soon.
Deb hadn't left his side, and if she did it must have been when he was sleeping.
Lucas had stopped by.
Nathan had stopped by.
Numerous times each, but he had yet to have a real conversation with each of his nephews since the day he woke up. Per Doctors orders he assumed, they asked how he was and how he was feeling but anytime Keith asked questions they quickly diverted the conversation back to his health, what was playing on the tv, the cute nurses—and even golf, which none of the Scotts knew anything about.
Keith knew today was different, when he woke up Deb was smiling. He had been begging her to go outside, and she had been begging the doctors—she finally wore them down, because a wheelchair was waiting for him when he opened his eyes.
"You smell that"? Deb asked as she pushed the chair Keith was sitting in.
"Is that, that pizza place on Orchard Avenue"? Keith asked, arching an eyebrow. "That place hasn't gone out of business yet"?
"I was talking about the fresh air—but no, it hasn't," Deb said rolling her eyes at her former brother in law. "It's not as bad since Martin retired and his son inherited it, he married a woman from Italy".
Deb turned the corner and the two walked out on the patio that was connected to the cafeteria and she pushed his wheelchair up to one of the many open tables, then sat in an open chair next to him.
Keith looked around, Tree Hill's hospital must have had some construction over the years as it wasn't as he remembered. It was larger, maybe they had built another one and changed locations—he couldn't be entirely sure. But, it was pretty difficult to see the rest of Tree Hill around him, but he could see the river.
For some reason, Keith fixated on the rushing water and closed his eyes as he felt the cool breeze blowing across his face.
"So," Deb said, gaining Keith's attention. "Doctor Lafferty didn't just give me permission to bring you outside".
"Is he going to let me have a beer"?
Deb chuckled, but shook her head as she answered him "no" she said. "But, does think you're ready to—he said we can start filling you in on bits and pieces from the past seventeen years".
"We"?
Deb pointed, and Keith looked up to see Nathan and Lucas walking towards him, with a teenaged boy by their side. Nathan carried a small duffel bag over his shoulder as they slowly approached him.
"Well, well," Keith said looking up at his nephews as Nathan sat the bag down on the ground, letting out a long sigh. "Haven't seen you two in a few days—forget about me, did you"?
Lucas chucked, "no," he told them. "Doctors orders, he wanted to run a few final tests before letting us move forward with our plans".
"Move forward with our plans"? The teenaged boy asked, snickering as the three sat down at the table with Keith and Deb. "Do you think you're on an episode of Criminal Minds"?
"The doctor's words not mine, smartass," Lucas told him.
"Uh, who—who is this"? Keith asked not particularly looking at anyone.
"This" Nathan said placing a hand on the teenager's shoulders. "Is my boy, my oldest. Jamie".
"Hold on—you produced"? Keith asked a little amused by the thought. "More than one"?
"Yeah," Nathan said chuckling. "I have Jamie, he is sixteen and then I have Lydia she will be nine at the end of the winter. Haley and I have been married for—".
"You married Haley"?
"Yeah".
"She put up with your ass all these years"?
And with that Jamie had to laugh, he knew he just met his great uncle but he could tell they would get along well.
"She about left him a few times," Deb told Keith.
"Like when she caught him naked with the nanny" Lucas said.
"We aren't talking about nanny Deb, right"? Jamie asked.
"No," Lucas said, in a matter of fact tone. "I believe if that had been the case they would have needed a much more expensive therapist than the one they had".
"I'm going to smack both of you," Nathan said, looking back and forth between his son and his brother.
"I'm so confused," Keith said pinching the bridge of his nose before looking up at his great-nephew, which was strange enough to think about in itself. "So, you're Nathan's son"?
"Yes".
"Are you sure you're not Luke's—".
"I swear to God one more person says that and I'm getting his ass DNA tested".
Lucas looked at his brother, disgusted by the accusation. "That's creepy on so many different levels, Haley is like my sister—she is my sister".
"What's in the bag"? Deb asked chuckling at the four Scott men she was surrounded by.
"Scrapbooks" Nathan answered. "Haley sent them—she would have come but she had after school detention".
"Oh, god," Lucas said. "What did she do"?
Nathan rolled his eyes. "She is administrating it".
"Wow," Keith said. "You two get along a lot better than I remember".
Nathan and Lucas both looked up, it suddenly occurred to them both that even though he had been alive when they got along, his brain wasn't allowing him to remember too much of it. If any.
"Yeah, we buried the hatchet years and years ago," Nathan told his uncle as he fished into the bag and pulled out a scrapbook.
"So, you don't call him a bastard anymore"?
"Oh, no he does—but only when I win at Pictionary," Lucas said, grinning.
Keith smiled, and it was clear to him that more than likely that was his nephew's goal.
It was, despite the circumstances both Lucas and Nathan wanted to keep Keith upbeat and in good spirits, because they had a lot to tell him and they didn't know how he would respond.
To anything.
"Catch you at practice" Madison heard one of her teammates sat as she gathered her things, stuffing them one by one into her book bag.
When the teenager looked up she was the last one in the classroom, besides her teacher and her boyfriend's mother. It wasn't the first time the two had been alone, in fact, she rather enjoyed Haley but she found herself confused as to why Mrs. Scott was shutting the door—knowing that she had another class to get to.
"I was wondering if we could talk," Haley told her folding her arms, uncomfortably. "I can write you a note for your next class if you don't care".
"Erm—sure," Madison said sitting her bag back down. "Am I in trouble"?
"Oh, god no," Haley said giggling. "I just—I would like to talk to you though if you don't care".
"Okay".
Haley walked over to her desk and sat down, gesturing for Madison to sit down in one of the many desks in front of her—she assumed she was meant to sit closer to the front so she did.
"Lauren is on house arrest and Brooke has a lot going on so it probably hasn't occurred to her to talk to you about this yet," Haley told her. "You have never really had a mother figure and I'm not entirely sure that it's my place to talk about this with you but if Jamie didn't have Nathan I would want someone to guide him. I'm you're boyfriend's mom so this might be overstepping a bit, but it does concern me—".
"Haley, I'm really confused about what you're talking about right now".
"Sex," Haley said plainly. "You and Jamie are sixteen, it's going to start crossing your mind before too long and I just thought I would talk to you before it does".
Madison wasn't looking in a mirror but she was certain that all the color had drained from her body.
This couldn't be happening.
Why was this happening?
Madison looked around, as though Ashton Kutcher and a camera crew were going to emerge from the broom closet in the back—no such luck.
"Haley I really need to get to class".
Please, God.
"I know that this is awkward, and probably somewhat uncomfortable but your bodies are changing and your hormonal, we all go through it".
Madison was in hell.
Brooke was not a very patient woman, ah hell. Who was she kidding? She had zero patience, and sitting in the same spot for the past three hours was not helping matters, at all.
She glanced up at the clock that hung high on the wall inside the courthouse, the last place she wanted to be at this current moment but it was the only place she knew she would get answers. If there were any answers to be given, that was.
"Davis"?
Brooke looked up to see who she assumed was a secretary, perhaps. A woman, who not only looked as though she hated her job but her attire matched the fluorescent lighting of the dimly lit building.
Brooke stood up and followed the woman, she led her into a small office, that honestly could do with a small sprucing up but she opted not to voice her opinion as she sat down.
"What can I do for you, Mrs. Davis"? The man behind the small desk asks her.
"I have a foster daughter—sort of," Brooke said. "I'm looking to adopt her, possibly. I need to know how to go about doing so".
"Has her parents relinquished their parental rights"?
"Erm—I'm not entirely sure".
Confused, the man looked up.
"How did she land in foster care"?
"Well, that's an interesting story—not interesting like ha-ha, more like interesting when you're watching a daytime soap and you find out that Michelle married her long lost fraternal twin brother who killed their father in search of the family heirloom that will free them all from their cousin Louis curse".
Judging by the man's facial response Brooke was certain he was questioning her parenting skills altogether, in fact, she did most days.
"It's actually complicated," Brooke said correcting herself. "I'm not sure when she arrived in Tree Hill, I don't know if she was born here, I only have history on her from the age of six and up. It seems as though she might have been kidnapped when she was a child, or a baby—the people who had her, the ones who falsely claimed to be her parents abandon her. They just left her, her neighbor saw this and took her in. The only crime Lauren truly committed was not reporting it to the authorities, she took care of this girl but when the police found out they arrested her for kidnapping. So, she was taken out of Lauren's custody and placed in the states—the state is wanting to remove her, due to conflict of interest regarding Lauren they want to move her to another state, she has grown up here. This is her home, so I would like to adopt her".
Brooke was certain this man who sat behind the desk could only make one facial expression, in fact, she was sure of it. But, most people tend to make the same reactions when Brooke spoke.
"I told you it was straight out of a soap opera that housewives and retired couples when the sun is still out," Brooke said crossing her arms. "Just tell me what I need to do".
"Well, to be honest, Miss. Davis—for you to move forward you will have to locate her parents" he told her. "If you want this overruled instead of fighting a court you will have to get them to sign their rights over to you".
"And what if they are dead"? Brooke asked, curiously. "I mean she was not in her parent's custody—I highly doubt her parents just handed her over to two strangers, and of course I do not wish that either but—what if"?
He shrugged "it will probably still go to trial, but it will be a cut and dry type of thing. Either way, her parents need to be located even if just to let them know their daughter is alive and well".
"I brought your favorite".
Skills sat down the to-go bag on the kitchen table where Lauren was currently sitting at, and acted as though she didn't hear him. Instead, her eyes were glued to the touchscreen mobile phone in her hand. When he leaned over Skills saw a picture, a selfie, of Madison and Jamie.
"Good news," Lauren told him. "Jamie is back to being her man crush Monday—she posted this on Monday, I didn't even know they had split up".
"Yeah," Skills told her nodding. "It was pretty brief—it lasted shorter than it takes Mouth to have sex".
Lauren wanted to laugh, but she just couldn't. Instead, she social media stalked the sixteen-year-old girl that used to live with her, which sounded far more creepy than it was.
"She is living with Brooke"?
Skills continued to set the food out on the table that was inside the bag, but he nodded—slowly.
"She posts about practice and working and school and how amazing her boyfriend is—but she has deleted everything she ever posted about me," Lauren said a tear escaping from her eye. "I know what I did wasn't right but I was just trying to protect her, I thought that—".
"Calm down, babe" Skills said sitting in the chair next to Lauren. "It's going to be okay. She is a teenager—I have Andre at the house as living proof that most of the time they are a pain the ass—".
"Andre is the poster child for kids who behave, and him moving in with you was a discussion between you and him and his mother, she entrusted you with her child's safety. No one gave me permission, I was just wanting to keep her safe and I didn't want her to go to foster care or end up with someone she shouldn't be with, that would hurt her. I just saw this child in the window crying for her mommy, who news flash wasn't even her mother—I thought I was protecting her and now she hates me".
"She doesn't hate you".
"I'm pretty sure she not only hates me but never wants to see me again, she might not have been biologically mine but I loved her as though she were my own" Lauren said, sobbing.
"It's going to be alright—just give her time".
"I'm not even scared about going to jail, I'm terrified of her never talking to me again and only being updated by what she puts on social media," Lauren said. "I used to help her pick the pictures she posted, I assume that's now Brooke's job".
"This isn't Brooke's fault, and I don't even blame you," Skills said. "So, stop beating yourself up over this, alright? Give her time".
"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime"?
"Well, you have a meatball sub that's getting cold—I'd start there".
"Wow," Keith said as he observed the picture inside the large scrapbook that was laid out across the table in front of him. "Haley—she made a beautiful bride didn't she"?
"Absolutely" Nathan agreed, without any hesitation. "Haley looks beautiful in anything, but I loved the dress she wore to our first wedding".
"First wedding"? Keith asked, looking up, slightly confused by Nathan's statement.
"You don't remember Haley and I eloping"?
"From the earliest, I can remover it's still only in bits and pieces," Keith told him, his face dropping. "So, you two got married, divorced, and then married again"? Keith quickly asked before anyone had a chance to dwell on his memory issue, it wasn't something he cared to talk about too much.
"Erm—no," Nathan told him not sure to move on or not seeing the mental pain his uncle was in, but if Lucas wasn't going to say anything then neither was he. "We did separate but we got back together before we actually made it to file for divorce, we renewed our vows a year later".
"That's the short version of an incredibly long and complicated story," Deb said. "The long version requires an Elvis wannabe named Chris Keller—".
"Along with some pretty strong pills—right mom"? Nathan asked looking at his mother.
Deb rolled her eyes and threw one of the chips from inside the bag in her hand at him.
Lucas chuckled at the two because he had witnessed the long version of the Naley love story, he had a front-row seat to it in fact.
Keith nodded, he had many questions just from those brief statements but opted not to press on them too much right now. Instead, he flipped the page—to see a picture that set his stomach on fire. The bride and groom stood smiling, ear to ear, with Deb on one side—and Dan on the other.
Dan was still Keith's brother, but apparently, that meant two different things to them. Or it had. Dan looked the same as Keith remembered, except in the picture he was smiling—well the best way Dan knew how to smile.
But, before Kieth could fully react Deb reached into the scrapbook and tote the picture out and shoved inside of her purse.
"Sorry," Nathan said, immediately. "We haven't gone through some of these books in years, most of our pictures are saved on our cloud now".
"What"? Keith asked. "You have pictures on a cloud—are you drunk? Are there personal robots, too"?
Jamie tried not to laugh, tried and failed.
"No," Lucas said, laughing. "Once we get done with this J-Luke will teach you all about the World Wide Web and electronics—won't ya"?
"Of course" Jamie agreed.
"So, you married Haley—popped out two kids, what about you"? Keith asked Lucas. "Did Peyton finally give you the time of day"?
Oh, boy.
Jamie sat back in his seat, watching his uncle who awkwardly shifted in his seat—unable to form a sentence.
"She did" Jamie interrupted on Lucas' behalf knowing they would be waiting forever for an answer from him, sore subject and all. "But, she cheated on him, he is still in love with someone else—I'm curious myself what their therapy bill was. I imitating it couldn't be too much considering they are getting divorced not a very good shrink if you ask me".
"How is your daughter taking the divorce"? Deb asked, it suddenly occurring to her she hadn't talked too much to Lucas about the matter.
Despite the many questions, only one popped into Keith's head.
"You have a kid"? Keith asked Lucas.
Lucas was a father? He—he had a child? The child he raised, was a father?
Now, that brought a smile.
"Her name is Sawyer," Lucas said pulling his phone out and handing it to him with a picture of a blonde curly-haired child on it. "You'll love her".
"When she is sleeping" Jamie cut in, once more.
"She is not that—".
"I caught her and Lydia playing with condoms" Jamie interjected his uncle. "Those two together could plan world domination".
Lucas had no defense, that was about as accurate as it could get. He simply shrugged.
Keith could picture Lucas as a father, easily. It brought a smile to his face—despite the circumstances he was no less confused, but it made him so proud.
As any father would be.
Keith, no less confused, resumed flipping the pages of the scrapbook—looking at each and every picture from his nephew's wedding. That was until he stopped, landing on a picture of Karen, standing with Haley smiling happily.
"Wow," Keith said as he glanced down at the picture. "Your mom looked beautiful—how is she doing"?
Lucas felt his stomach drop at the question, it vaguely reminded him of how he felt when he had to tell Sawyer that her grandmother had passed away. It hurt him, to lose his mother but he still had to swallow the lump in his throat and break someone else's heart.
Lucas' smile wasn't the only one that had faded away at the question, but he was the one who had practiced over and over in his head how he was going to handle it. But, he hadn't anticipated the break he would feel in his heart—this was his mother, and the man he always considered his father.
"We will get to that later" Deb interjected before Lucas shed a tear.
Keith accepted that he did t suspect anything instead he kept looking through the many wedding pictures. There were pictures of some people he recognized and some that he did not. It looked as though it was a beautiful wedding, but this was Haley he shouldn't have expected anything less.
The only problem was, he missed it. He wasn't there, and he tried to think positive because he was here now but it didn't make up for it.
"You and Brooke got back together"? Keith asked as he landed on a picture of the two dance—and smiling. "Whatever came of that"?
Nathan answered before his brother had a chance to even think of a response "a giant therapy bill".
Jamie laughed, Keith had just told them a story of his uncle when he was a kid, but his smile immediately dropped when he looked up to see his girlfriend walking across the large patio.
Now, normally anytime he saw Madison he couldn't help but smile but she wore something unusual. In fact, he couldn't tear his eye away from her chest—and unfortunately, he wasn't staring at her breasts, which he would much rather do.
"Maddie, what are you doing here"? Lucas asked looking up smiling, either at the teen or the to-go bags in her hands—no one could be sure. "Keith this is Madison, Maddie this is my uncle Keith".
"I have heard a lot about you," Madison told him, smiling. "I have also heard that bacon wrapped chicken is your favorite".
"I'm sure the doctors will approve of that" Lucas said sarcastically, as he eyed Madison.
"Not if they don't find out".
"I like her" Keith said as he took the bag, and dug into the bag. "Who are you exactly"?
"Jamie's girlfriend," Deb said. "Young love".
"It doesn't feel like young love half the time," Madison said smiling.
"Probably because you two have been together since you were kids," Nathan told her. "She feels more like a daughter than my son's girlfriend".
"You like her better than you like me," Jamie told his father.
"She isn't a smartass—".
"Not to you".
Jamie jumped as he felt a large thump on the back of his head, he assumed came from his girlfriend.
"What is the clean teens"? Keith asked pointing at Madison's shirt. "Is that like a charity to clean or something"?
Madison softly giggled, tucking a strand of her curly hair behind her ear. "Not exactly".
"No," Nathan said, arching an eyebrow. "It's an abstinence club at the high school," he told his uncle before looking up at Madison who still stood. "Which begs the question as to why you're wearing it—once you and Jamie had sex didn't you throw that out the window"?
Madison's head snapped in her boyfriend's direction, eyes shooting daggers at him. "You told your dad we had sex"?
"I'm getting judged by a fake virgin—that's ironic," Jamie said. "And in my defense, I was drunk when I told him".
"If I haven't said it before—you're a wonderful father," Lucas said clapping his brother on the back.
"Seriously, why do you have that on"? Jamie asked Madison.
"Well, I signed us up," Madison told him.
"Wait—us? As in me and you, both of us"?
"Yeah," Madison said sheepishly pulling a matching shirt out of her book bag. "Here, this one is yours".
"And my bare ass to kiss," Jamie said. "I'm not wearing that—why would I wear that. I'm not clean, even when I was a virgin I wasn't clean".
"Whatever that means," Madison said shrugging. "Your mom, kind of cornered me today".
"Cornered you, how"?
"She trapped me in the classroom and started talking about sex and my virtue and how my 'gift' was sacred and—".
"Oh, my god—I'm going to have be the one to give Lydia the talk," Nathan said covering his face with his hands. "We had a deal, I handle Jamie and she handle Lydia but I can't let her say all that to my daughter".
"My mom gave you the sex talk"? Jamie asked his girlfriend, utterly mortified.
"If that's what you want to call it," Madison told him. "She talked about marriage and vows, and how you can only give your special gift once, which I gave to you so I'd have to buy the next a guy a gift basket".
"I'm sorry the next guy"?
"She went on and on how special it was that she had only ever been with your dad and something about this list of all the girls he had been with before her—".
"Does she still have that"? Deb asked Nathan.
"What list"? Jamie asked.
"Your mom made your dad write a list of every girl he had sex with after she found out about Brooke and his sex tape," Lucas told him, smiling.
"You and Brooke had sex"? Madison asked, finally taking a seat next to Jamie.
"When is that going to stop coming up in a randomly normal conversation"? Nathan asked.
"When I join the clean teens" Jamie answered his father. "Which will not happen, FYI," he told his girlfriend.
"I just joined to keep your mom off my back".
And Lucas just couldn't help himself. "So, you signed up for the clean teens to keep Haley off your back to keep Jamie on it"?
Nathan groaned, Deb rolled her eyes, and Jamie snickered—all while Madison glared at her boyfriend's uncle. "What is it with this family and perverted comments"?
"We are good at few things—drinking, basketball, and sex," Lucas told her.
"Oh, really"? Madison asked. "So, how has your sex life been going lately? Or is it like your wife—non-existent"?
"God, she fits in perfectly around here," Deb said popping one of Keith's fries into her mouth.
"I am curious how does it feel when two sixteen-year-olds have more sex than you"? Jamie asked his uncle, smiling.
"He probably can't answer that," Nathan told his son. "You can read about it in his next book, though" he teased his brother.
"Now, this is how I like to get caught up on all the things I miss," Keith said smiling. "This feels more like my family, no offense to the thousand different pictures—and the fake smiles. This is the Scott's—what book"?
Lucas and Nathan couldn't help but chuckle, he had a fair point.
Before Lucas paused "I may have to issue a retraction" he said looking at the very much alive Keith. "Can you request a retraction on what most of the book revolves around—like the main characters' death"?
"Just write a sequel," Deb told him.
Keith was really interested in reading this book, and even though he was no less confused he laughed—along with everyone else at the table.
It was a strange feeling, one day he was leaving Tree Hill and the next thing he woke up in a hospital being told that seventeen years had passed. He had two options, to dwell and mop about things he couldn't change or he could embrace them. Accept them.
So, that's what he did.
He looked around the table at his nephews, all three of them. He looked at Deb, who looked like Deb but didn't act like her. The years had been kind to her, although he would never tell her that. But, aside from her looks and charisma she had become compassionate and caring, she was the only one who hadn't left his side since he woke up.
I will—I will talk to my mom, tonight I promise" Jamie told his girlfriend, as the laughter died down, his voice pulling Keith out of his own head.
"And tell her what? That we are having sex—no" Madison told her. "Haven't you dealt with enough awkward sexual encounters with your mom this year"?
"Wait—what"? Keith asked, genuinely curious by the statement.
"Haley walked in on him—by himself," Lucas said, smirking. "It was great".
"I'm glad to the jokes for that continue," Jamie said dryly as Keith burst into fits of laughter.
"Just wear this to school tomorrow," Madison said handing him the shirt.
"No".
"Okay," Madison said, her eyes awkwardly glancing over everyone else at the table. "I will make you a deal—you remember that thing that I did for you, the one that you really, really—really liked"?
Jamie paused, knowing exactly what she was talking about but relishing in her red face before he simply said "yes" with a smile.
"I will do that—again, as many times as you want if you wear this every day to school".
"I'll think about it—nope".
"Seriously"? Madison asked. "Most guys beg for that".
"I'm not most guys and I like the clothes I wear to school".
"I am so glad you two feel comfortable enough to have this conversation in front of me," Nathan said in a monotone, with the most WTF face of all time that it made Jamie laugh.
"I have to get back to the café—but this conversation is not over," Madison said as she stood up.
"It's over" Jamie assured her. "But, tell mom I said hi if you see her—love you".
"Love you" Madison called as she walked away, even though she would much rather shove a pencil in his penis.
Jamie waited until she was out of view before looking at his dad, and lucky enough he didn't have to say anything. "I will talk to your mom when we get home".
Brooke sat at the counter at Karen's café, glancing down at the paperwork the man she met with earlier had sent her home with, but she had yet to write anything down. She had yet to fill out a single letter, let alone a word.
Instead, she sat there—staring a hole through the blank spots, tapping her pen violently against the side of it.
"Earth to Brooke, Brooke"!
The fashion designer jumped and looked Peyton sitting next to her, her head tilted—confused.
"Oh," Brooke said shaking her head. "When did you get here"?
"Five or ten minutes ago," Peyton said observing her friend. "Are you okay"?
Peyton asked, but she clearly knew the answer to that particular question. It was obvious Brooke was not okay.
"Erm—yeah".
"Brooke"?
With one word, it was as if Peyton broke her best friend, although the blonde was unsure why.
"Hey, come here," Peyton said wrapping her arms around her crying friend. "Talk to me—what's wrong"?
"It's Madison," Brooke said leaning away wiping her tears from her eyes. "I just don't know what to do".
"Raising teenagers is hard".
"No, you dork" Brooke said, semi chuckling. "I was doing what you suggested, I looked into adopting her".
"And what happened"?
"And Sam happened".
Peyton didn't know it was possible to be as confused as she was, but by the time she thought of a response, Brooke was gone.
She quickly stood up and followed her best friend into the office where Brooke had crashed in the seat behind the desk digging in the bottom drawer, before pulling out a liquor bottle. Peyton shut the door behind them and sat down in the chair across from the desk—as she watched Brooke chug directly out of the bottle, for a minute too long.
"Chase really needs to get his priorities straight," Brooke said shaking her head. "He needs to get Tric back open"!
"Okay, Chase is about to have a child—his first child, his girlfriend's son is ignoring them, they are in the process of buying a new house, and Gretchen just got put on bed rest—I don't think Tric is his main problem right now".
"Well, if he wants his kid to eat it should be," Brooke said taking another gulp out of the bottle.
"Would you care to talk about what's bothering you—and how, or why it pertains to Sam"?
"Because what if Madison leaves just like Sam left or like Angie left"?
"Why would Madison leave"?
"Why wouldn't she"? Brooke asked. "I have two options take this to court and pray to God they let me continue to be her guardian but due to the conflicts of interest with Lauren, it's not likely".
"You don't know that, don't throw in the towel before you played the game".
"What"?
Peyton paused "I was married to Luke a little too long," she said shaking her head. "Don't give up before you tried. What is the second choice"?
Brooke took a swig out of the brown liquor before she said "I find her parents, her real parents. Not the ones who left her, or Lauren—her biological parents and ask them to sign their rights over, which if they are still alive and she was kidnapped why would they? Who wouldn't know their long lost daughter? I mean just look at Mouth and Lucy, he talks about her so much I forget he has Jimmie. Or they could be dead, I don't know. So, it's either a loose for me or it's a loose for her, either way, it's a loose".
Peyton looked at her distraught friend, searching for the right words but instead of speaking she took the bottle out of Brooke's hand and sat to the side.
"First of all if her parents are alive you can't assume they are going to be good people, they could be," Peyton said. "And even if they are who is she to say she would want to be with them".
"What kid wouldn't want to know her parents"? Brooke said playing with a button on her shirt. "Just look at you".
"Right! Look at me—I didn't just lose one mom, I lost two, that sucked ass".
"You spend too much time with Jamie".
Peyton chuckled. "And then my biological dad was nothing compared to my dad".
"You're talking about Mick Jagger"?
"Mick—you think that if Mick Jagger showed up and told me he was my dad, crappy dad or not I wouldn't follow him around like a puppy dog"? Peyton asked laughing. "Mick Wolf".
"Wolf, Jagger—same thing".
"Not even close, that's beside the point," Peyton said running her fingers through her hair. "You don't know what's going to happen if you were to find Maddie's parents, or what choice she would make".
"Don't I"? Brooke asked. "Sam made it, Sam left—and I didn't blame her, if someone had told me that Victoria and Ted weren't my real parents I would have left in a flash, they are good parents now and even better grandparents but when I was her age I longed for a family, it's all I ever dreamed about. But, I love Maddie—and I have to do what's best for her. Either way, I can't let her fall into the system".
"That is a stop sign, you hit the breaks when you need to stop—that's not the breaks" Mouth screeched as they flew down the off-road. "You just passed a stop sign, going twenty miles over the speed limit might I add".
"You won't stop yelling at me" Lucy Squealed.
"Did you consider it might be because you just went sixty six miles an hour past a stop sign? We just about got hit by a jacked up truck that no doubt a spoiled little country boy insisted for his birthday because an iPhone wasn't good enough"!
"You're still yelling at me"!
"I'm not yelling at you, I'm just yelling near you—just pull over, carefully, and—most people park on the road, not the sidewalk but this is fine for right now".
Lucy looked out of the corner of her eye as her dad sat back in his seat letting out a long breath, as she put the car into park—thank God.
"You're doing fine" Mouth assured his daughter as he loosened his tie, in an attempt to breathe. "Everyone has trouble in the beginning, although most people still stop at a stop sign—it being the law and all".
"I got confused".
"The break is what stops the car, the gas is what makes it go and go fast, which one do you think you put your foot on"? Mouth asked, sarcastically. "Between you and Millicent I'm destined to die in an automobile accident".
"You're yelling again".
"I'm not yelling, this is the sound of my voice when I go through a near-death experience".
They both let out a very similar, aggravated, growl at the other.
"Would you like to drive"? Lucy asked.
"I could do a better job at it".
"Maybe because you have been driving since before I was born," Lucy said. "I'm done anyways".
"We just started".
"It's kind of hard to drive when you have your dad screaming in your ear at every turn".
"Fine".
"Fine".
Chuck and Andre walked side by side as they made their way to Andre's car, as they left the gym.
"You have got to be kidding me," Chuck said shaking his head.
The closer they got the more the two realized someone was waiting for them, Chase was waiting for them. And he was standing near their transportation, so the two had nowhere to run.
"Hey, Mr. A" Andre said as they finally, and slowly approached him.
"Andre—are you going to speak to me"? Chase asked looking at Chuck. "Or are you going to continue to pretend I don't exist"?
"I'm not complaining about the results this far" Chuck said crossing his arms. "What are you doing here"?
"Your mom and I just closed on a house, we bought one so you need to come pack your things".
"Fine".
"And you will be going to the new house with us".
"I'm perfectly fine where I'm at".
"It wasn't a question or an option, Charles—this is what you're doing," Chase told the teenager.
"You're not my father, you have no right to tell me what I can or can't do or will or won't".
"No, you're right I'm not, I'm just the guy who has raised you—when your mom wasn't there and you're dad wasn't there I was. I have been there from the moment I met you, even though you have been like a thorn in my side from day one I never once left you. I have always stood up for you and fought for you, and I will continue to do so, so this is me fighting for you" Chase told him. "I am marrying your mother, you will get over it. You will stop acting like sone spoiled little—ass, and come home. Tonight. If you are not home by the time your mom and I go to bed you will find that your cell phone will be shut off and your car will be towed home, all of the things I have provided. You have spent months throwing your fit, in return, your mother has stressed and her blood pressure is high, she is so worried about you it's affecting the pregnancy. Her baby, ours. Your little brother, this is done. You will not cause her one more sleepless night, you have six hours to get home, I may not be your father but I'm the closest damn thing you will have to a dad. You're sixteen, not six Charles. It's time to act like it".
Lucas pushed his uncle's wheelchair back into the room where he had been resting his head at night.
Overall Keith had a good day, he couldn't remember the last time he smiled so much. And everyone around him thought so, too.
"I think it's safe to say I missed a lot," Kieth said as Deb and Lucas helped him into his bed. "It's been a long day".
"Unfortunately, it isn't over yet," Lucas told his uncle as he sat down. "There is a scrapbook you need to look through".
"I thought we were done for the day," Keith said, arching an eyebrow.
Jamie pulled a bright pink book out of the bag over his shoulder and handed it to Keith.
Keith looked around the room—slightly confused but more worried, he saw the tears in Debs's eyes and Lucas trembling jaw, he also saw Nathan avoiding eye contact with anything and everything. The only one who bothered to look at him was Jamie, and he knew for whatever reason it was in the book in his hands.
Keith opened the book, and on the front page he read "this baby book belongs to Lily Roe—Scott" his voice became so low no one could be entirely sure he read it until his head came up looking at Lucas. "What's this"?
"You died—or you were shot around a year or so after we decided to move," Lucas told his uncle. "In that time—you and mom got together, I mean really got together. You were going to get married and—".
"No," Keith said shaking his head. "I would remember that. That's not—".
Lucas slowly turned the page and Kieth looked down at a picture of himself and Karen—kissing. He wasn't sure how long he looked down at the picture but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from it.
"I don't understand, if we were—if she loved me she would be here, right"?
Lucas let out a shaky breath, clenching his eyes shut for just a moment fighting the tears he felt before he looked at his uncle and said "she would if she could, but mom—she passed away a few years ago" he said, his voice cracking. "And she loved you until her last—".
"She is dead"? Keith asked, his voice aching with pain. "How could—what happened"?
"She got sick, very sick and then she got better but—not for long" Lucas told him. "She collapsed one day and she told she would go down fighting, and she did. She fought for her life until the very end".
"But, the silver lining—is Lily," Deb said taking Keith's hand. "You have this beautiful, strong girl—she is perfect in every way".
"I have a daughter"?
"Yes".
"How—how old is she"?
"Sixteen," Jamie told him. "She is my age, she and my girlfriend are best friends".
Keith laid his head back against the headboard, swallowing the lump in his throat.
"Thank you—all of you for today but this is a lot to digest right now—and I just need some... time. I don't—I don't know what I need. I just want to be alone if you don't care".
"Of course," Nathan said nodding.
"I will be right outside until you need me" Deb promised him.
"Wait," Keith said as they all approached the door. "Lily—will I get to meet here"?
"Of course, if she doesn't break into the hospital first," Lucas told him, smiling. "She has been impatiently waiting for you to wake up".
Jamie knocked on the door to Brooke's house, he couldn't remember the last time he used the front door—or if he ever had, or if he had ever knocked but there he stood. Knocking. Outside the front door.
And then he waited.
When the door opened there stood Madison.
"You're still wearing that damn shirt"? Jamie asked arching an eyebrow.
"I just got home from work," Madison told him, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, where is Brooke"?
"Upstairs, helping the boys take a bath why do you—"?
Jamie wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist—and he kissed her. Madison melted because no matter how many times the two had sex she couldn't remember a time he kissed her like he was kissing her.
"I love you—so much" Jamie whispered in her ear. "I love teasing you, but I'm so thankful to have you in my life".
"I love you, too—where is this coming from"? Madison said cupping both sides of his cheeks with her hands. "Not that I'm complaining but—is everything okay"?
Jamie nodded, as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Yeah," he said. "Just—I was with my uncle Keith today and we had to tell him that the love of his life died. Uncle Luke explained it to me, Keith was in love with Karen for years and he finally got her, but now he doesn't even have the memories of her—I couldn't even imagine not being able to remember you".
Madison pressed her lips against Jamie's softly, brushing his.
And that's where they stayed, kissing. It felt as though forever passed, and it felt as though no time passed. For them, time stood still.
Millicent heard the door open and walked into the living room smiling when she saw her husband and his daughter.
"How did driving go"? She asked the two, excited to hear about the experience—unknown to their day.
"Awful" Mouth said.
"He wouldn't stop yelling"! Lucy told Millicent.
"I was not yelling"!
"You're yelling now—I make one little mistake—".
"You blew past a stop sign like you were auditioning for fast and furious—I own a Prius"!
"You're yelling again"!
"I'm not yelling"!
Millicent watched as Lucy stormed upstairs and her husband took off into the kitchen when she joined him she found him opening a cold beer fresh out of the refrigerator.
"She would not listen," Mouth told his wife. "I finally convinced her to try again and she sent us flying in reverse down the main street—she never even gave me time to explain what to do. I don't even think she checked her mirrors or adjusted her seat—I saw red. I don't know if it was her hair or the afterlife but I saw red. She acted like such a—".
"Teenager"? Millicent asked looking at her husband. "After all she has been through she deserves to act like a teenager".
"I could deal with a little less of it right now thank you," Mouth said. "And why are you smiling? Nothing about this afternoon has been funny, I assure you".
"I know," Millicent said wrapping her arms around Mouth's waist. "But, you two have got along—it's been awkward, but now she is finally starting to really feel like family".
Mouth paused, and he smiled sitting his beer down "she called me her dad, I mean she has called me her dad before but it's always been about searching for me or whatever but she called me her dad, today. I mean she was pissed when she said it but she called me her dad".
"In situations like this it takes time to tear down those walls but you two coming in like that—mad, and fighting, I remember arguing with my dad over the same thing. And it goes to show, she acts more like you then I feared".
Mouth pinched Millicent's side, earning a small squeal from his wife.
"And she never got a chance to be a kid, she deserves that chance now" Millicent told Mouth. "She is still just a kid, and I'm so happy that she is getting that shot—I made stir fry, you might want to take her plate up".
Nathan took the steps to his house two at a tome, after the day he had he was eager to climb into his own bed—to see his wife. But, that wasn't who he came across first. Jamie stepped out of the bathroom fresh out of the shower—his wet hair was a large indicator of that.
"Do you own a shirt"? Nathan asked.
"They ruin my selfies" Jamie joked as the two stopped in the hallway facing each other.
"You're girlfriend is okay with you posting half-naked pictures on social media"?
Jamie laughed. "My girlfriend loves my body—thank you very much. It's her lock screen on her phone".
Nathan shook his head but laughed. "Do I even want to know what it is that Madison did—that you apparently really liked"?
Jamie snickered. "Use your imagination, dad".
"That might make matters worse," Nathan said. "I'm really trying to be acceptable to your new... sex life," Nathan said shutting his eyes pretending that he didn't just say that. "But, the less I know the better".
"You don't want to share"? Jamie teased grinning. "I have this magazine and it has all these positions and tips, I can loan it to you if you want".
"I have eighteen years under my belt thank you very much—it's really sad that you need a magazine for tips but I guess that's what happens when you're a newbie".
"That eighteen years are you talking about ma, or Brooke, or Peyton—maybe Aunt Taylor—you and Quinn never—"?
"Shut up," Nathan said shoving his son's shoulder. "Go to bed instead of standing out here like David Beckham, it's killing my self-esteem".
Nathan shook his head as his teenaged son flexed while his father made his way to his bedroom.
Gretchen continued to flip through the channels on her television but found nothing even remotely interesting or anything she hadn't seen a dozen different times already. She picked up the wine glass off the side table and took a long sip of the chocolate milk inside—earning a laugh from across the room.
"What"? Gretchen asked looking at Chase who was packing up the books off the shelf.
"Is that Hershey or Nesquik"? Chase asked.
"A little bit of both, although in my mind it's Pinot Noir, would you like a sip"?
"I'm okay, you enjoy your nightcap".
Gretchen laughed and tossed a throw pillow at her fiancé before they both looked at the sound of the door opening.
"Chuck"? Gretchen asked, shocked by her son's appearance.
He stood in the doorway, with a duffel bag over his shoulder and he shrugged it off, laying it by the door.
Without any words, he sat down on the couch next to his mom and asked: "what are we watching"?
"She is watching whatever she wants," Chase told Chuck. "You are going to help me pack, maybe order a pizza"?
"Just no anchovies, alright? I can't handle your weird obsession with them this late—it makes the house stink and you'll never sell this place with that smell".
Nathan knew he promised his son he would talk to his wife, but there she stood in their bedroom—brushing her hair and all he could think about was Keith. All he could think about was Karen.
Haley.
Their love story met a tragic end, but they hadn't.
"When did you get home"? Haley asked turning around to face Nathan. "Your dinner is on the—".
Nathan cut Haley off kissing her, he lifted her up and laid her across the bed continuing to kiss her.
"I love you, Haley James—in case you didn't know that".
"I had this feeling, a hunch really but I'm glad you cleared that up for me," Haley said as she unbuttoned Nathan's shirt. "Bad day"?
"No," Nathan said shaking his head. "Just hard—I'm so glad that you decided at some point I was with loving".
"Me too".
Nathan kissed his wife and he continued to kiss her until the lights went out.
Lucas turned the light off to the kitchen and walked into his room shutting the door behind him. He began to get ready for bed, despite the long day he had—he wasn't tired but he knew he had to be up early.
He jumped at a loud noise that echoed through his room, when he looked he saw Brooke Davis knocking on his window.
Lucas laughed as he made his way over and opened the window "what the hell are you doing"? He asked.
"Are you going to stand there or help me in"?
Lucas bent down and pulled Brooke up, with all his strength—which he knew she wasn't that heavy.
"I find this ironic but my foot is caught on a bush" Brooke said as Lucas continued to pull her up.
Lucas pulled and pulled until they both tumbled to the floor—knocking down a chair and his side table with them.
"We are in our thirties—you could have just used the door," Lucas told her.
"You're in your thirties I don't age past twenty-one" Brooke corrected him as they jumped to their feet. "And I always wanted to do that, I can't recall why now—it was more fun when I could just waltz through your door but you gave your bedroom to Lily so I played out my fantasy, I don't ever see me climbing through a window again. Especially in these boots".
Lucas laughed as he sat down on his bed, Brooke sat next to him.
"Who has the boys"? Lucas asked her.
"I dropped them off with Peyton—Madison still here"?
He nodded. "She showed up with milk and cookies—is that why you're here? Milk and cookies"?
"Grown-up milk and cookies," Brooke said pulling the liquor out of the brown bag.
"You and me and Tequilla have a checkered past Brooke Davis" Lucas said smiling as he took the bottle.
"Please, we have a checkered past no matter what alcohol we chosen".
Touché.
"Madison wanted to check on Lily because she called and she was basically hyperventilating because she finally gets to meet Keith but I'm here for an entirely different reason," Brooke told Lucas. "I wanted to check on you, and make sure you were okay".
"Why wouldn't I be"?
"Well, because no matter how many times you have to break the news to someone else—it's still your mom that died and sometimes someone needs to check on you".
Lucas looked up at Brooke, who took his hand in hers—squeezing it tightly.
"It doesn't get easier" Lucas admitted. "She was my mom, she was my best friend—I don't see how it ever will".
"It won't," Brooke said. "But, I know from experience that it gets more bearable".
Lucas looked at Brooke, knowing that she was referring to her husband. It became painfully clear that the two had been through their fair share of pain—they matched so well in that area.
But, Brooke took Lucas by surprise when she placed her hand on the side of his face—sliding her fingers down his lips—and then she kissed him. She didn't know why, and he certainly didn't know why but she did.
It was brief, but it took his breath away.
Lucas cleared his throat when he felt her move away and looked at her. "I thought you were never going to talk to me again".
"I still haven't made up my mind about you Lucas Scott" Brooke told him. "But, I would never let you hurt by yourself".
And this time he kissed her, and he waited for her to push him away but she didn't.
Authors Note: Since I made you wait so long for not only a new chapter but when I gave you a new chapter it was really short, I tried to give you at least a little something of your favorite ships.
Just a heads up all Brooke and Lucas did was kiss. I told you would be a slow burn, but it's a start. And Brooke had to make a dramatic entrance of some sort. But, she's also going through a lot right now so I felt this was the perfect time to finally start to bring them together.
As for Mouth, He and Lucy had to drop their barriers tiptoeing around each other to bring them closer, I thought teaching her to drive what is the perfect storyline. If anyone remembers being taught to drive by your parents or by anyone, or teaching someone to drive it is a very stressful situation. So, I loved writing that storyline.
I hope I did the Keith storyline justice, I think I put off writing this chapter for so long because I wanted it to be perfect. Also didn't want it to be too serious, so I'll try to take a little pressure off of that storyline but still moving forward with it.
But, I hope you enjoyed this, Leave a review!
Until next time!