The inside of the elevator was silent, it was so quiet that if someone dropped a pen it would echo in the small area. Or maybe Brooke was being dramatic, perhaps it was both.
Both.
It was both.
Brooke stood in the corner, watching as one number after the other lit up, as they were lifted floor after floor. After what felt like an eternity, this was Brooke being dramatic again, the doors opened, and she anticipated that she would be the last to exit, but Lucas stood against the doors—preventing them from opening, waiting for her.
She smiled, but barely—not because of him if it were solely about him she would have a smile a mile long if it were possible, she was tired. And somewhat broken inside.
"Good night" Brooke heard and looked to see Haley waving as she and Nathan rounded the corner towards their room.
The world-famous fashion designer began making her way to her own room, slowly, with her head down and her thoughts turning, her heart aching. She felt her eyes heavy, but she didn't know if it was from the tired aches her body felt or the piercing pain her heartfelt.
It wasn't until she found her room that Brooke realized she wasn't alone, Lucas was standing behind her, with one hand in his pocket. It wouldn't have been odd, except his hotel room was in the opposite direction, for a second it struck her as strange—not having officially put a label on whatever it was going on between the two she wouldn't think he would have followed her just to climb into bed with her.
But, when Brooke looked at him she knew that she was right—that wasn't why he followed her. Lucas was leaned against the wall looking at her, his eyes soft and apologetic. "Are you okay"? He asked as he watched her slide her key into the door.
"I'm fine," Brooke said. "And I made it to my room—so you can go".
"Brooke".
When she looked up at him, Brooke knew that he had very little faith in her words.
Lucas knew that she was lying.
"I won," Brooke said running her fingers through her hair. "I won, I figured out a way for her to stay—well, actually I didn't figure it out, a bunch of illegal teenagers did! But, she gets to stay, she isn't going to have move away to a strange place, she gets to stay in her hometown—graduate with her friends, everything! We got what we wanted".
Lucas tilted his head. "Then what's wrong"?
"It's stupid—and selfish, but I wasn't ready to let her go, I just got her," Brooke said. "I was looking into adopting her, she wasn't my daughter legally or in any way, so I don't know why I feel like I lost someone, that wasn't even mine".
"I don't know why you feel like you've lost her at all," Lucas said. "You have not lost Madison, you just said it yourself Brooke, she doesn't have to leave, she isn't going anywhere".
"She is going to move out".
Lucas sighed, as he looked at Brooke. "Yeah, she will but that doesn't mean she is going to make this decision to cut you out of her life. She looks up to you, she loves you—she wanted you to adopt her, she took a different road, a little unexpected but now you get to be in her life, permanently—you don't have to worry where she ended up or if she was safe because you know".
Brooke leaned against her door. "I wanted to help her get dressed for prom, or homecoming, help her pick something out to wear for graduation, help her study for her SAT's, and decide on a college, I know she has only been in my life for a short time but I made all these plans and—".
"And Maddie getting married doesn't change them," Lucas told her. "You might have to go to whatever house she and Jamie move into, but you will still do all those things. When she and Jamie have their first fight, who do you think she is going to call? Her high school friends who know nothing about marriage? No—she is going to call you, she might even come over and eat ice cream, trash talk Jamie because we both know it's going to be his fault—just take it easy, it's still my nephew".
Brooke looked up at Lucas, and she smiled, she knew at that moment she wanted to see the world through his eyes, through his thoughts—through him.
"And let me guess," Brooke said stepping close to him. "You're going to be upstairs? Eavesdropping—reporting everything back to Jamie".
"Whoa—you just skipped a lot of steps," he said, mocking her from earlier in the day. "But," he told Brooke wrapping an arm around her waist "that's the idea".
Before Brooke could gather her thoughts to inhale, Lucas had his lips against hers and he felt as she sunk into his arms.
It was crazy to Brooke, how in such a short time she had fallen so hard for him, though she still had trouble admitting it out loud. But, thankfully she didn't have to, all she had to do right now was kiss him—so she did.
She felt her back hit a wall—and it didn't take her long to realize at some point the two had made their way inside her hotel room.
Lucas picked Brooke up, keeping her pinned tightly to the wall, as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist—and he wanted to keep kissing her, he didn't ever want to stop—and they wouldn't have if he hadn't felt something wet against his own cheek.
It didn't take him long to figure out, it her tear, from the previous outburst she had in the hall.
He didn't break apart the kiss right away, it was something he had to work up to, but eventually, he separated his lips from hers, and sat her down on the floor.
Brooke stood with her back against the wall, looking at him—confused. "What's wrong"? She asked, her breath still shaky and unsteady. "Did I bite your lip or something"?
Lucas raised his eyes brows and chuckled. "You think I'm going to quit kissing you because you bit my lip"? He asked. "For future reference—you can bite any part of my body," he said until his head reeled him back to reality. "Strike that, any part except one".
Brooke laughed as she wrapped her arms around his torso, looking up at him. "Then what's wrong"? She asked, her tone returning back to normal.
"As badly—as much—I want this to happen," Lucas said pointing his finger between the two, indicating the very thing he was talking about. "But—"
"A but? From Lucas Scott—about sex, with me"? Brooke asked arching her eyebrow. "You do know I'm Brooke Davis right"?
Lucas chuckled. "I had my suspicions," he said. "It's not you—well, I guess it is. I want to have sex with you, but I don't think it's a good idea".
"Oh".
"Right now, not altogether," he said. "Ten minutes ago you were standing outside that door, crying—and I don't want our first time to be about you being sad or hurt, I want your mind to be focused".
"Focused"? Brooke asked smiling.
"I need your mind focused" he repeated. "I need your mind clear, for when I blow it".
Brooke took a step back and smiled. "I guess that's understandable".
Lucas leaned down and kissed her one more time before walking towards the door.
"You know," Brooke said. "You're right—sex right now, wouldn't be the best idea—but I don't see any reason why you couldn't at least stay with me tonight".
Brooke watched as Lucas looked at her, for a solid twenty-two seconds, before closing the door, and she smiled.
Then the two made their way to the bed, where they slept, and... that's all they did.
Jake smiled at the sound of Peyton's laugh as the two sat curled up in the bed, in his hotel room—he wasn't even entirely sure what was on the television, he wasn't paying attention. He couldn't find the strength to take his eyes off the blonde next to him, who was indulging herself in the large bowl of popcorn that sat in her boyfriend's lap.
So many years had passed between the last time they were together and now, and yet somehow it felt as if no time had passed. Although Jake was reminded when he looked in the mirror, he wasn't going to dwell on that small factor, he was happier than he could ever remember being—except the last time he was with Peyton. The only thing that put a small dent in that memory was Nikki, and even she had evolved over the years, she was happy for Jake, and she wanted him to be with someone who made him happy.
And he was.
Happier than he could have ever imagined.
"Okay," Peyton said picking up the remote. "What do you want to watch next? Just keep in mind I spent months with Brooke so nothing mushy and gushy, no rom-com, something with blood. And no vampire's that sparkle".
Jake hadn't even been aware that the movie they were watching was over, but when he looked up he saw the end credits were slowly scrolling down the large screen. He half wanted to ask what the movie was about, but he quickly thought that a bear trap would be much safer.
"So, what do you want"? Peyton asked looking over at him smiling.
What did he want? He didn't want this to end, ever. He wanted this happiness he felt to last forever, with her.
"Marry me".
Peyton dropped the remote in her hand, and the popcorn she was chewing rolled out of her mouth, the words he said shot a rough vibration through her body.
"What"? Peyton asked, as if she actually believed she had heard him wrong—when in fact she hadn't.
"Marriage—you know the dum dum dudum" Jake said, doing his very best humming impression of the wedding March he could. "Rings. Vows. You and me, some kids—".
"Oh, my god" Peyton said turning to fully face him. "You're serious".
"Most people don't ask someone to marry them as a joke".
"Some people do when they have only been dating for a few months," Peyton said.
"Does it count if you have known each other as long as we have"? Jake asked. "We spent all those years apart Peyton—I don't want to waste any more time, I love you, you're the thing that has been missing from my life all these years".
"We haven't even had sex"!
"We can change that right now," he said with a smile. "And technically we have—it's just been a few minutes".
"Try decades and decades," Peyton said standing up.
"A decade" Jake corrected her rolling his eyes. "And a half, you're being very—Brooke right now".
Peyton put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. "What is that supposed to mean"?
"Nothing," Jake said shaking his head. "It means nothing, would you come back to bed"?
"How am I supposed to just crawl into bed with someone who purposes you me"? She asked.
Jake awkwardly scratched the back of his head, not entirely sure how to approach anything else she said. "Most girls like that".
"I'm not most girls," Peyton said throwing her hand up as she began to storm around the room, looking around all the furniture, under—besides. "How can I marry someone who doesn't know something as simple as that? Most girls like getting their hair done and facials—I find it revolting, and you want to marry me? Does that make sense to you"?
"Not right now," he said as he watched her shuffle across the room like a madwoman. "What the hell are you doing"?
"I'm looking for my shoes," Peyton told him.
Jake pointed. "They're by the door".
"Oh".
"Why are you leaving"? He asked.
"I need to get out of here before you start asking me about having kids or talking about escrow," Peyton said slipping her shoes on. "This is crazy, I need—I don't know what I need but whatever it is—it's on the other side of that door".
"Peyton, would you stop it's the middle of the night"?
"Exactly, it's only the middle of the night—I can't imagine what you'll start talking about in an hour," Peyton told him. "I mean did you even think about this, or did you just spring this on me—"?
"Does it matter"? He asked. "It's pretty clear what your answer is".
Peyton stopped what she was doing and for the first time since she heard the words she looked at Jake, there were a thousand ways she could have handled this, and she chose the way that would break his heart.
"I didn't say no," Peyton told him as she opened the door. "It's just a lot, to spring on someone all at once like that".
"Is that it"? Jake asked.
"I just—I don't know," Peyton told him. "I was watching Mad Max, one of the most unromantic movies of all time and my boyfriend just blurts out marry me—".
"Like you did when we were seventeen"? He asked.
Peyton looked at him and ran her fingers through her hair. "That was—that was different," she told him. "I was a kid".
"Exactly, you were—I was, we were," Jake told her. "But, we're not anymore and we sure as hell aren't getting any younger, so why waste time? Just answer this, honestly"?
Peyton closed the door she had just opened, praying that she wouldn't regret this.
"Do you want to be with me? And I don't mean right now, in this second—I mean when you think far into the future, on your last days who do you want have spent your life with"?
Jake.
When Peyton pictured her last days on this earth and who she had by her side, it was Jake.
It's not like he was asking her to help crack the da Vinci code, he asked a simple question, and she knew the answer—almost immediately. Peyton didn't understand why she had such trouble wrapping her head around what was right in front of her—shirtless, not the point.
But, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time, or at all.
Fear.
Paralyzing fear.
"I'll see you in the morning," Peyton said before rushing out of the room, without looking back.
Jake watched as the door closed slowly behind Peyton before sitting back in the bed, and shrugged. "I should have just said X-men".
Haley, though she had been lucky—until now, in her defense though she had, right before the sun came up it hit her like a ton of bricks. The nausea, the sickness—it wasn't at all like she remembered with her past pregnancies, actually she didn't remember it all. She could recall certain smells making her queasy, like Nathan's aftershave or the pecan pie's at the café, but it was nothing like this, this pregnancy had already made up for the sickness she missed with the first two.
Each wave was stronger than the last, she had been sick since she opened her eyes—she was sick while they got ready to leave the hotel, the car ride to the airport, the flight—oh, the flight was when it hit the worst, the car ride home, and ever since she stepped over the threshold she had been hugging the toilet in the master bathroom connected to her bedroom.
Haley never knew that being sick could actually cause you such physical pain, her body ached in places she didn't know it could. She wasn't cold—she was hot, scorching hot, but her jaw was chattering and she had shivers and chills down every inch of her body.
On the other side of the door was Nathan, unpacking their clothes from the small trip—and by unpacking he was tossing everything in the laundry basket, dirty or not. He wasn't paying any attention to what he was doing in the least, he was simply fighting the urge to waltz into the bathroom—the one place in the world he was not wanted right now.
Despite every want—need, Nathan felt coursing through his body to go and aid his wife, he was doing his best to respect her wishes, which was much easier said than done.
Haley didn't want him in there—or maybe she didn't want him to see what was happening in there, regardless of why she didn't want him in the bathroom with her, she didn't want him in there.
Nathan felt helpless, he felt completely helpless, he couldn't remember the last time he felt that let alone when it came to Haley. He actually took joy in the fact that he could always think of the right thing to say when she felt down or ill, or anything in between, sure he dug himself many graves over the years but in the end, he could always make her smile or laugh, or at the very least make her feel better if she was sad.
But, on this side of the door, there was absolutely nothing he could do.
Nathan knew very little to nothing about the female anatomy—in medical terms, he could find his way around Haley's body in all his favorite places, but when he went to doctor's appointments with her he always understood very little. Hell, he barely knew about the male anatomy, but he did know that morning sickness went hand in hand with pregnancy, and most of the time it just had to be waited out. There was no short cut, no way around it—but he wanted to at least sit there and hold his wife's hand, and give her what support he could—but she didn't want it.
He didn't ask why Nathan wasn't sure what good that would do for a few different reasons. One being she didn't want him in the bathroom, walking in would only upset her, the second reason being she couldn't answer him even if he walked in and demanded answers, then there was the third reason—it wasn't about what he wanted, not right now, Haley's wants and needs came before anything and everything he wished for or wanted right now. He wasn't going to upset her by forcing himself on her, just to make him feel better.
Nathan looked up at the sound of the door opening and rushed to Haley's side—taking her hand.
"The circle of the life sucks," Haley said resting her head against her husband's shoulder.
"Here," Nathan said as he helped his wife into bed. "I brought you up a club soda—and some saltines, that's what mom said".
"You called your mom over my morning sickness"? Haley asked resting her head against the pillow. "I would have thought you would have called Brooke or Peyton—or even Lucas before you called your mom".
Nathan chuckled. "She stopped by not long ago since Jamie is borrowing Lily's car, Lily is borrowing his—at least until he and Maddie get back, so mom brought Lily to pick it up. She asked where you were—your not mad I told her you're pregnant"?
"I'm pretty certain after the plane ride back—everyone knew," Haley said rubbing the back of her palm against her forehead.
Nathan nodded. "She said it won't fully relieve it—but it will help," he said and paused for a split second. "Then I called Brooke".
Haley wanted to laugh, but all her energy could only allow a small smile on her face. "And"?
"She said something about a bracelet—or a band, it's meant for acupressure points that would help," Nathan said. "I think, she talked about a thousand different things, she is going to pick it up for me and I'll bring it over here to you".
"Tell her thank you," Haley said. "I never had morning sickness with Jamie or Lydia—at least if I did I don't remember".
"You didn't," Nathan said, crouching down balancing on his ankles next to the side of the bed so that he and his wife faced to face. "Is there anything I can do—tell me, I'll do anything".
Haley reached up and cupped his cheek. "Just letting me rest, would be great".
"I can do that".
"What time is it"?
Nathan glanced down at his wristwatch "almost three".
"Then you need to go," Haley told him. "I have this arrangement with Brooke and Peyton, we take a turn picking up the kids—it's my day. Sawyer will go to Luke's and then drop the twins off with Brooke—you'll need to make Lydia dinner, and she can't just eat Mac and cheese but get Mac and cheese or she won't eat the rest of her dinner. Brooke will probably watch her so you can go the grocery after you pick the kids up, you don't want to take her or you won't get out of there without buying half the candy aisle".
"What should I get her"?
"Well, she can't live off of pizza—despite what she says," Haley said. "I'm sure she has had it the past few nights at Quinn's when Quinn has all the kids plus her own—it's hard to cook so she orders take out, something simple would be fine, enchiladas—she loves them".
"Will you be able to handle the smell"? Nathan asked. "They tend to fume the whole house".
"Oh, good point—by the refrigerator there is a small box, it has my mom's recipes in it, there is one for baked honey mustard chicken—just don't tell her what it's called, she claims she hates mustard but she doesn't—so make sure she doesn't see you put it in," Haley said. "Also, make sure to check her bag for homework, she will say she doesn't have any but double-check because dollars to donuts she will wait until after her bath to tell you, then she will either get a bad grade or you'll be up for another hour helping her with it".
"Gotcha".
"Make sure to do the laundry—go to the bathroom get the laundry out of there, and Lydia's room—Jamie leaves his laundry folded in his closet".
Nathan arched an eyebrow. "He folds his deity laundry"?
Haley nodded. "White basket in the closet, when you're done with it make sure to fold and put it on his dresser don't try to put it away, his drawers are organized on a level I only dream about".
"Okay".
"And you need to talk to Brooke—I told Peyton I would but I can't—and it needs to be casual—".
Nathan opened the drawer to his nightstand. "Would you like to write all this down"?
Haley half smiled but took the pen and notepad from his hands. "Okay".
Peyton opened the door to her car and quickly got out making her way up the walkway to her ex-husband's front door. She took a minute to compose herself from the stress she had undergone since Jake blurted out the question of all question's twelve hours prior, before turning the knob and taking a step inside.
"Luke"? She called, as she shut the door behind her.
Lucas peered around from the kitchen at the sound of Peyton's voice, before she made her way through the house with a small white bag in her hand. "I picked up Sawyer's refill," she told him laying it on his table. "I always get that same pharmacists bitch every time I go in".
Lucas watched as Peyton opened the door to his refrigerator, pulling the nearest water bottle out and taking a small sip. "Who is the bitch"? He asked cocking his head to the side.
"Dark hair always wears red—like the color of hell," Peyton said sitting down at his table. "Where she is from I'm sure, probably why she is so short—any taller and she won't have any heat radiation from her home planet".
"Kristie"? Lucas asked pointing as he thought about all the ladies that worked where he picked his daughter's medicine up at.
"Yes," Peyton said nodding. "She hates me".
"She loves me," Lucas said shrugging as he sat across from her. "She gives me a lollipop every time I go in".
Peyton rolled her eyes. "Probably because she wants to lick yours" she commented slamming the water bottle down on the table. "Quinn called me before we left the hotel this morning and said Sawyer took the last this morning before school, so I called on the plane—giving them more than enough time to refill it, but apparently I never called, but I know it was her that I talked to because it sounded like someone got a hold of the helium tank at a child's birthday party".
Lucas looked across the table at his ex-wife, and he laughed. He couldn't help it, though he lived to regret it when she swung her foot under the table kicking him dead in the shin. "Ow, damn it, Peyton".
If there was a queen tor the smart ass smirk, Lucas Scott's ex-wife would be it.
"Are you sure the pharmacy lady—".
"Bitch".
"Fine" Lucas said sitting back. "Are you sure the pharmacy bitch is what's wrong? It's not like she isn't rude to you every time you go in—".
"Exactly, she always has something to—".
"I actually have a point," Lucas said, interlacing his fingers and lying his hands on the table, looking at her.
"Sorry," Peyton told him. "Carry on".
"She works you up every time Sawyer needs her refill or goes to the doctor but you make your little snide comment and move on," Lucas told her. "You don't complain about her for twenty minutes".
"I haven't even been here twenty minutes," Peyton said crossing her arms. "Not even ten".
"Yeah, but you called Brooke and bitched about it before you even got here" Lucas pointed out.
"And how do you know that"? Peyton asked, only half teasing him.
"She told me," Lucas said and pointed his finger at her "but don't try to change the subject, it won't work".
"And what is the subject"? Peyton asked. "I'm having a pissy day, you were married to me for ten years Lucas, you should know that better than anyone".
Lucas scoffed. "First try a month, not day, second I do know that—but I also know there is generally a reason, anytime you're upset there is a reason, there is always a reason—you can be a pain the ass, almost one hundred percent of the time but you aren't a bitch just to be a bitch".
"Is this supposed to be a pep talk of some sort"? Peyton asked folding her arms. "Because it's not working".
"I'm saying—there is a reason behind this dreadful little mood you're in," Lucas told her. "And I'm pretty sure I know what it is".
"Oh, you do—do you"?
Lucas nodded. "I'm sure this is all over that little proposal Jake gave you last night".
The fact that Peyton's mouth has hit the floor was proof enough for Lucas, that he was in fact right.
Although he wasn't going to push it and force her to say it out loud—he valued his life more than that.
"Wait—how do you know"? Peyton asked, reliving the past half a day of her life, trying to think who all she had told—but came up empty, this was one fact she had kept to herself.
"Well, Jake," Lucas said. "He told me".
"What is happening"? Peyton asked. "You two are now Batman and Robin? I thought the ex-husband was supposed to hate the new boyfriend".
"When I start dating are you going to hate her"? Lucas asked.
"How could I—she was my maid of honor," Peyton said folding her arms, smirking.
"We will come back to that later," Lucas said, ignoring her comment. "Peyton, besides Sawyer—the only good thing that came out of our marriage was the divorce. I mean don't get me wrong, we had some good times but—we were never in love, I will always love you, but I don't think I have been in love with you since high school".
Peyton looked at Lucas, and the words he said should have been hurtful—on some level, but they weren't. There was no pain through her heart, she felt nothing, perhaps because what he said was true.
For both of them.
"We aren't a normal divorced couple," Lucas said. "Do you realize we get along better now than we have in years—it's almost like we are friends again"?
Peyton nodded, slowly. "That's true," she said. "The other night I was tucking Sawyer into bed and she said it was nice how she could be in the same room as both of us, without one of us being mad or upset at the other".
"I want you to be happy—if it's with Jake, that's fine, if it's with someone else that's fine, too," he said. "If I were bitter maybe I would be a straight ass to him, a dick every time he was around—but I'm not bitter, and neither are you".
Peyton looked at him. "It's Jake, FYI, the person that makes me happy—it is Jake".
"Then what happened"? Lucas asked. "He said you ran out of the room so fast you left your fake eyelashes".
Peyton kicked him under the table once again, this time a little softer. "I got scared, I don't know—I got scared," she said. "Jake is amazing and great, and he is so good with Sawyer—she loves him Luke, but here he was offering me everything I could want—and I got scared".
"Why"? Lucas asked sincerely. "Do you know why"?
"No, when you asked me to marry meet you at the airport to go get married, there wasn't an ounce of fear in me," Peyton told him. "I packed what I needed and we left, when we came home I never flinched—the day we got married I was filled with adrenaline, I never got scared—so why am I now"?
Lucas leaned forward and said "you never got scared with us, but look how we ended. Do you think that maybe you got scared because—this, you and Jake, might not have an expiration date"?
Peyton looked at Lucas, and as badly as she hated to admit—and she never would out loud, but he might have been right.
"Everyone gets a little cold feet," Lucas said. "Everyone gets the jitters, but you never did—I never did, and maybe that's because we weren't meant to be together and we both knew it wouldn't work. When you're used to people always leaving—it's only natural to be a little scared when one might stay".
"I wish it was just that, but it's not," Peyton said. "We have been seeing each other for months, and we have never had sex".
"Really"? Lucas asked, alarmingly shocked. "I thought you two would have fifty shades of greyed it up by now".
Peyton rolled her eyes. "Always classy, aren't you"?
Lucas chuckled before running his fingers through his hair. "Seriously—can I ask, why do you think that is? You two not having sex—why do you think you haven't"?
Peyton day back, her muscles relaxing into the back of the chair—that was so uncomfortable, Lucas had to be the one to pick them out. No woman alive would buy them before testing them out, but no woman lived here—except Lily—and just like that she knew her mind had drifted, because she didn't want to face her problem. Or hear it, or say it.
"When I think about the last time I had sex—the last time we had sex, it wasn't enjoyable," Peyton said slowly.
"Way to kill my ego".
Peyton smiled, but only for a second. "It wasn't you—it was me," she said. "The sex, was great, don't get me wrong, but it was so painful, emotionally. Every time after—after I cheated on you, it hurt. You were kind and understanding, you were everything—and I hurt you, I caused you pain".
"You're scared you're going to do the same to Jake"? He asked.
"Maybe, I don't know".
"Well, if that's the case then don't worry—Peyton, you're not the only one at fault for the end of our marriage, I am too," he said. "I was so wrapped up in Brooke—and Lily, and my mom—that I never so much as looked at you. You were my wife, and I spent the day harboring these feelings for another woman, you're best friend at that. You can't hold yourself accountable for everything that went wrong in our marriage, and you can't put your relationship with Jake on such a high pedal-stool because of how toxic ours was, or how it ended, or anything. They are two separate relationships, that doesn't mean you and Jake aren't going to have your dog days, but they won't be like ours".
Peyton half-smiled. "Thanks".
"Now, get out of here," he said. "Sawyer will be home any minute—and she will want you to stay for dinner".
"And here I was thinking you were being all sweet".
"You can't stay for dinner because you need to go see Jake, and I recommend taking a bottle of wine and wearing that little black thing you have," he told her.
Peyton narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm leaving," she said getting up and making her way to the back door, before turning around briefly. "Hey, Luke"?
"Yeah"? He asked turning around to face her.
"I know our marriage—our divorce, it was inevitable—but I'm still sorry for my part".
Lucas smiled at her and nodded. "Yeah, me too".
"Mommy, Mommy"!
Two blonde-haired boys ran full speed ahead into their mother's arms, smiling and laughing.
"Oh, I missed you," Brooke said kissing each one of her twins on top of the head. "Did you have fun at Quinn's"?
"Yeah, Clay helped us with our homework," Davis said.
"And we got to swim in their pool—inside," Jude said folding his arms. "It was so bougie".
"Bougie"? Brooke asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Some girl on Logan's phone said it," Jude said. "It's a video app called Tik-Tok, can I have one"?
Brooke chuckled. "Absolutely not—why don't you take Lydia upstairs and play for a few minutes".
Nathan and Brooke watched as the three ran up the stairs case as fast as their legs could travel.
"I got that bracelet," Brooke told Nathan as she walked over to the decor table picking up a shopping bag. "I also grabbed a few vitamins that may help—is she doing any better"?
Nathan shook his head. "Not when I left anyways," he said. "She doesn't want me anywhere near her—I don't understand why".
"That's actually the most simple problem to solve," Brooke said handing him the bag. "I never wanted Julian to see me get sick either, I was so excited to be pregnant but I never wanted my pregnancy to affect the way he saw me—as the sexy woman he fell in love with".
"She thinks I won't find her sexy"?
"It could be—yeah," Brooke said. "Or that's how I felt".
"Why would she think that"?
Brooke smiled. "Nathan, she is across the road with chunky liquid coming out of her mouth and nose, I'm not saying that's what it is—I'm saying it's a possibility, that's why I didn't want Julian with me".
"So, what do I do"? He asked.
"You respect her wishes—".
"Okay, but that's what I have been doing and it's driving me crazy, I want to help her".
"How"? Brooke asked. "How are you going to help her? How is you hovering over her every time she gets sick going to help her—or make it better"?
Nathan looked at Brooke and shrugged. "I could hold her hair".
Brooke rolled her eyes. "You're such a guy".
"Then tell me what to do"!
"Whatever she wants—she is going to feel like crap, for God knows how long so you do whatever the hell she wants you to do," Brooke said. "If she wants you with her be there if she wants to be by herself leave her alone if she wants you to get up and sweep the roof—go buy a ladder".
Nathan dug into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "She made a list".
Brooke snatched the piece of paper. "Then let's see what's on this—did you say list or book"? She asked as she leaned against the kitchen table.
Nathan shrugged. "I haven't asked but I think she does all that in a day's time—and if she does, I'm pretty sure she is superwoman".
"Wow," Brooke said. "She is very—through".
Nathan grabbed a beer out of Brooke's refrigerator and popped it open. "Don't tell her but I sent mom to buy the groceries?" he said. "I sat in carpool for almost an hour".
Brooke nodded. "Can I ask what this talk to Brooke is about"? She asked pointing at the list. "It has the words insecure, body, and hot next to it"?
Nathan swallowed what beer had been sitting in his throat. "I'm supposed to remind you that you're hot".
"Okay, I already know that so I'm going to need you to go into a little more detail than that" Brooke said crossing her arms.
"I don't know, she was getting sick again and she mentioned something about Peyton—I think, she said you got upset after Peyton made a comment about her own body—I don't know, when Luke or Skills or Mouth is having a problem I don't give them a smack on the ass and tell them their hot" Nathan said. "I give them a beer and a life lesson I learned at four o'clock from Dr. Phil"!
Brooke was sure she would crack a rib from laughing so hard, Nathan's meltdown was suddenly the best part of her day.
"You're really having a bad day, aren't ya, Nate"? Brooke asked.
"You have no idea," Nathan said sitting his beer down. "In all the years Haley and I have been married do you know how many times I have cooked—neither do I! When I cook it's called take out. I was not done with my twin freak out and now if I freak out I'm an ass because my wife can't even lift her head without getting sick, and she doesn't want my help, my sixteen years old just got married—and I'm having twins. Lydia apparently lies to get out of doing her homework and did I mention I have to figure out how to cook dinner—and Lydia likes to paint her nails and I don't know how to do that, I have to pick her out something to wear to school tomorrow, and double-check her homework and water the lawn and not accidentally put bleach in with our blacks, which FYI I already did—".
"Okay," Brooke said waving her arms around. "Breathe—relax, sit down".
Nathan felt Brooke push against his back, and guide him over to the nearest chair, where he sat down—slowly, trying not to make no sudden movements.
"It's going to be okay," Brooke said sitting in the chair nearest to him.
"I never realized how much she did in a day—she is superwoman," Nathan said.
"It's Haley—I know you're not just now figuring that out".
"No," Nathan told her. "It's not just what she does, she has a certain way that she does it—all of it. The house is always clean and there is always food, and I never even realized the little things—like the batteries for the remotes, do you know who picks them up? Not me. When the car's need detailed, or a new battery—she calls about it and tells me later. I didn't even know Lydia has fish—it's a big tank in her room, I go in Lydia's room every night and I never noticed it until Haley said I needed to clean it out—I'm a terrible father and husband—".
"Okay, meltdown I will allow, calling yourself a bad anything and I draw the line," Brooke told him. "You're busy—you work, hard to provide this amazing life for your wife and kids—".
"So, does she," Nathan said. "She works at the school, but she still gets up and gets the kids up, she even makes breakfast every morning—and does the dishes before she leaves, if she didn't smell so good all the time I wouldn't even know she showered, there is never any evidence of dirty clothes, but she picks up mine. I'm trying to think about what I do that contributes to our family—at all".
"Well, clearly your penis works" Brooke commented, taking a direct stab at the many children the Scott family was about to have.
Nathan looked up from the table to find Brooke half smiling at her sarcastic answer, and he was shocked that he found the humor in it, and laughed as well.
"Look, Nate, Haley carries your family on her back, but she does it her way," Brooke said. "Everyone is different, just because she does it one way doesn't mean you have to do it that way. For the time being Haley is down, she could be six for the next day or month, or until the end of her pregnancy, regardless until she is able to stand on her own feet again you have to figure this out. When Julian died, I never thought I would—I went from relying on half of everything through him to a widow with two twin boys, but I adjusted. Julian did the cooking, Julian helped them with their homework—and most of the cleaning-".
"And what did you do"? Nathan asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I reminded him how hot I was and that he married up" Brooke joked, only partly. "Julian and I grew up, both of us in pretty secure homes—we both had nannies, and maid's, Gardner's and pool boys, and lived these ravishing lifestyle's—but he didn't want that for us, our kids. I mean he wanted them to have everything they wanted, within reason, but he wanted to teach them about a good work ethic, how to make their own beds, and do the laundry—and believe it or not so did I, when my parents lost their money when I was in high school—if it wasn't for the group of friends I had fallen in with beforehand who knows, I might not have pushed myself as hard as I did to become who I am today".
"We both know that's not true," Nathan said.
"Maybe," Brooke said, shrugging. "But, the point is money comes and goes, we wanted them to understand that—so when Julian died—I remember the week after his funeral, so many people had come and gone, everyone brought all this food, it was the first time I was alone. I remember the boys were running through the house, I was trying to clean—everything, it was so chaotic. Davis was running through the house, Jude was in his dads study crying, I put too much laundry detergent in the washer, only Julian knew how to work the dishwasher there was something odd about the wiring so one button did something instead of what it was supposed to—I don't remember, but I broke down in the pantry—crying, and do you want to know who showed up at my house to check on me"?
Nathan hadn't stopped looking at Brooke as she talked, but when she asked him that he could feel his eyes piercing through her soul. Honestly, he didn't need to say anything, he remembered that day all too well.
"You did," Brooke said, as though he actually needed a reminder. "You told me to go upstairs and take a shower, or a nap—I did both, when I came back downstairs you had fixed the dishwasher, cleaned my entire house, took care of the mess in the laundry room, dried Jude's tears with a Disney movie, calmed Davis down, cooked dinner, the boys were ready for bed—and you were my superhero," she told him calmly rubbing his wrist. "You can do this, Nate".
"Thanks," Nathan said squeezing her hand, just briefly. "You know—she is going to ask if I talked to you".
"Then tell her you did—".
"Brooke, seriously—what's going on"? Nathan asked leaning forward. "If Haley is worried—then there is something to be worried about".
"Nothing, I can't handle".
"Brooke, you went crazy on Peyton—this can't be about your body".
"God, no—have you seen my ass"? Brooke asked. "I kill it on leg day".
Nathan chuckled sitting back in his seat. "Then what's wrong"? He asked. "You can tell me".
Brooke sighed. "It's not my body" she admitted. "It's what I want to do with my body, that's the problem".
Nathan looked at her, confused.
"I almost had sex with Lucas last night".
"Oh," Nathan said.
"He stopped it, which was smart—I was upset and crying, would have been a total mood killer, but I wanted, too".
"And that's bad—how"? Nathan asked.
Brooke looked at him and softly said: "The last person I had sex with—was Julian".
"Oh," Nathan said, realizing the point.
"Okay, have you ever had really amazing—crazy, sex"?
Nathan was suddenly regretting pressing against this topic, but he was here—there was no going back now.
"Yes".
"No, I don't mean just great sex—I mean toe-curling, you see stars, and—".
"I've had great sex before, I know how it works" Nathan interrupted before she could continue any farther.
"What about the crazy part"? Brooke asked. "I mean like throw someone on the bed and rip their clothes off, or sometimes you don't even bother taking their clothes all the way off because you need each other so bad it happens regardless of what you're wearing? Or the biting and scratching—".
"Are we talking about sex or an episode of WWE"? Nathan asked.
Brooke rolled her eyes. "You and Haley never got a little—kinky"? She asked.
"I'm assuming you and Julian did—by the sounds of this conversation".
Brooke scoffed. "Oh, god no," she said. "Don't get me wrong, sex with Julian was great—we loved each other, but it was—I don't know what's the word I'm looking for"?
"Normal" Nathan said crossing his arms. "I'm confused, who are we talk—oh, god, please tell me you're not talking about my brother, please".
"I loved Julian—I really did, but when I think about the best sex of my life I don't think of him, I think of Lucas," Brooke said.
Nathan pinched the bridge of my nose. "Okay, so let me see if I got this straight—you feel bad for wanting to have sex with my brother—ahem because it is so good"? He asked.
"Yes, don't you see the problem"?
"I can honestly say I don't," Nathan said. "I'm sure Haley would sit here and know exactly what you're talking about it—but I'm lost, so catch me up".
"Okay, what if something happened to Haley and eventually you had to move on—".
"Well, this got morbid quick".
"Shut up," Brooke said pointing her finger at him. "So, you move on and you meet this great girl, who I would never approve of FYI, and you two have sex—and she is better than Haley was—but you loved Haley, so how would that make you feel"?
"First of all—no one would ever be better than my wife," Nathan said smiling. "But, I guess I get your point".
"But, that was also in high school—Lucas and I were young, and wild—so what if he isn't as good as he used to be and I build up this amazing time in my head and it's a let down".
"Personally, I would enjoy that story better than this one".
Brooke smacked Nathan on the shoulder. "Or he is just as amazing, and I feel guilty because I enjoy sex with him better than I did with Julian".
"Okay, just because you have sex with Lucas and you enjoy it—and it could be better or worse, but you have to find a way to separate Lucas and Julian in your mind," Nathan said. "Like I'm going to try to never think about this conversation again".
"Nate".
"I'm just saying—just because you enjoy sex with someone else doesn't take away from how much you loved and cared about Julian," Nathan told her. "Or how good the sex was with him—you and Lucas tied each other up"?
Brooke smiled at the random question as Nathan's mind trailed off. "With licorice".
"So many questions—but I don't want to know the answers".
Brooke laughed. "I get what you're saying though," she said. "I just—he has been gone for so long, but moving on, even after all this time is harder than I thought. I love kissing Lucas and being with him, but every time I am I feel like I'm cheating on Julian".
"But, you're not" Nathan reminded her. "You are single, and you deserve to be happy, and you will be. You can't feel guilty for wanting to be happy and wanting to have questionably legal sex".
If Jake never stayed in another hotel in his life it would still be too soon. He looked around the small room he had been staying in since his arrival to Tree Hill just a few months ago, half of his things scattered, the other half still in suitcases, and he really hated himself for requesting no maid service, it came with the price of the room—and cleanliness, something he apparently had no time for these days.
After starring at the mess for a minute too long he finally walked across the room and began tidying up the room. He separated his clean clothes and dirty—tossing the undecided in with the dirty just as a precaution, he pushed his suitcase into the closet with the hope that out of sight out of mind ran deep in his veins and picked up the used dishes he had—until he realized there was nowhere to take them so he sat them on the small counter for the time being.
Jake examines the room, and it was clean—or cleaner, as he plopped himself down on the couch, ready to watch a movie.
Knock, Knock.
"Now who in the hell is knocking at my door this late," he said glancing down at his watch and his face dropped "at seven in the afternoon. I'm pathetic".
Jake ran his fingers through his hair, shaking the frizz out as he made his way across the room to the door pulling it open.
"Peyton"?
She smiled. "This is the part where you invite me in".
Jake held the door open for her, and she slowly walked past him.
Peyton froze when she walked inside, it wasn't the mess that took her by surprise—it was the room. It stunned her that all this time that had passed this was where he was laying his head down at night, in a hotel room. She hadn't given it to much thought where he was sleeping or staying until it came time to hunt him down, and when she did she rushed over without a second to spare—but it never registered with her mind until she was standing there, with nothing but Jake and small hotel room before her.
"How did you know where I was"? Jake asked shutting the door.
"It's Tree Hill—it's not that hard to figure out," she said, her voice slow as she still looked around.
"Well, now you know why we always stay at your place," he said walking up beside her.
"You've been staying in a hotel"?
"It's not like I live here," he said. "I have a home, a big home—I only came to Tree Hill on business".
"Months ago," Peyton said turning around to face him. "You said everything with the hospital and Keith was closed up. So, why are you still here—staying in a hotel"?
"That's a dumb question".
Peyton watched as Jake walked across the room, fetched a beer out of the mini-fridge, and found a seat in the armchair.
"I'm here for you," he said opening the beer and taking a drink. "I'm here because I love you, I wasn't ready to leave you just yet—but clearly we are on two different levels here".
Peyton laid her jacket on the back of the couch and walked over to him, sitting directly across from him on the edge of the coffee table. "You're wrong," she said. "We're not, I'm where you are—I'm just not ready for where you want to be".
"So, you don't want to get married"?
Peyton took his beer and took a sip out of it and smiled. "I do," she said. "I want you—for the rest of my life, it's just not that simple".
"What's not simple about it"?
"I just left a marriage—my divorce hasn't been finalized all that wrong, it's not about you or marrying you, it's me, Jake," she said. "You can't expect me to to get re-married less than six months after my divorce".
"Who said we would"? Jake asked. "I just want to put a ring on your finger and make a promise, I want to know that I'm it for you—".
"And that requires a diamond"?
"It can be black if you want".
Peyton looked at him, to see a smile across his face before he pulled her over on to his lap. "If I say yes—we take it slow"?
"Like, Brad and Angelina slow"?
"Not that slow" Peyton said giggling. "But, just time, Sawyer is young—she knows mommy and daddy aren't together any more, and she knows you're mommy's very special friend—".
"She thinks she knows more than that, I've heard the jokes that child makes".
Peyton nodded. "I still blame Jamie for that," she said. "But, she is still a kid—in less than six months her entire world has completely shifted from one thing to another. She was traveling and now she is going to regular school—she doesn't live with mommy and daddy, she lives with mommy and then daddy, now mommy kisses someone who isn't daddy—just because she understands doesn't mean we shouldn't take time to let her adjust to everything else before shoving something else down her throat".
Jake nodded. "So, what we have a slow, long engagement—and we start easing her into it".
"How do you presume we do that"?
"Maybe—have dinner with me and you and her and Jenny"?
Peyton smiled. "I like that idea".
"You do"?
Peyton nodded.
"So, then—that's a yes"?
Peyton once again nodded. "It's a yes, I would love to marry you".
Jake smiled before he kissed her, his fiancé.
"And to celebrate," Peyton said standing up. "I have something else you may like".
Jake looked up from the chair he was sitting in and watched as Peyton pulled her shirt over her head—to reveal a black corset snug around her body.
"So much better than a diamond," Jake said downing the rest of the beer before jumping up and lifting Peyton off of her feet.
The sound of his fiancé squeal of laughter echoed through the room as he carried her to the bed, and if taking a woman's pants off fast enough was an Olympic sport—he would have taken home a gold medal.
Lucas gently pulled the bright pink blankets over his daughter as he looked down at the octopus with blonde hair, and smiled as he finished tucking her in. She slept soundly, with her mouth hanging open, one leg hanging off the bed and the other tucked beneath her—indicating she was very much his child. She held her lovey against her chest, that he wasn't allowed to tell anyone—not even Uncle Nate, that his mom got her before she turned one.
He bent down and kissed her on top of her head, smoothing her curls out behind her.
"I love you, baby" he whispered before tiptoeing towards the door.
"Love you, too".
Lucas looked back at the sound of her voice, though her eyes were still closed, he smiled—and he made his way out of her room, quietly shutting the door behind him.
He let out a long and deep breath, half yawning and half groaning before he made his way into the kitchen, to begin cleaning up their mess from dinner. He had just finished washing the dishes when he felt a buzzing in his pocket and fished his phone out of his pocket to see a beautiful name flashing across the screen.
"Hey, there pretty girl" Lucas said, answering the phone, as he pushed it against his ear.
"You make it really hard to be mad at you" he heard Brooke say, though he could sense the smile in her voice—the teasing.
"Mad—at me"? He asked, grinning as he dried his hands leaning against the counter. "And just what did I do"?
"Do you know how many men have turned down a night with Brooke Davis"? She asked. "Well, I'll tell you—none".
Lucas laughed. "Don't worry, I'm already living to regret it".
"I'd say".
Lucas could have listened to the sound of her laugh for hours, and if she would have laughed that long he would have. But, not long after it died away—though the beautiful sound still rang in his ear.
"You might want to jot this down," Brooke said. "But, I wanted to tell you were right—and thank you".
"I know," Lucas said, gloating. "What was I right about"?
Brooke chuckled. "About last night—this morning, whenever," she said giggling. "Having sex—under those circumstances probably wouldn't have been the best idea".
"Yeah, I really hate it when women end up crying on me during sex—it's a real ball-buster".
"I can't imagine that any woman has ever cried when having sex with you," she said.
"College is a confusing time for everyone".
On the other end of Lucas's phone, Brooke crawled into her window seal with her cell phone pressed to her ear—looking out into the sky.
Brooke laughed, she knew when to take Lucas seriously, and when to not—this was one time she knew he was joking.
"So, I was thinking—about that date we talked about," Brooke said, smiling. "When exactly is that supposed to be happening"?
"I'll have to check my schedule—but I was thinking I could squeeze you in, Saturday"? Lucas said. "Sawyer will be with her mom".
"I'll have to find a sitter but—".
"I'm sure Lily will be happy to," Lucas said.
"You're sixteen-year-old teenager sister will be happy to watch my twin boys on a Friday night"? Brooke asked, scoffing.
"Well, as she so eloquently pointed out earlier it wasn't fair that Jamie and Madison got out of their grounding and she didn't—but she does a favor for me, and I might shave a little off of her sentence," he said. "Which means my house will be empty".
"And I will have to lock my liquor cabinet," Brooke said. "So, it's a date"?
"It's a date".
"When the stepsisters saw their old ribbons and beads on Cinderella's dress, they flew into a rage" Nathan read from the book in his hand, but glanced to find his daughter sleeping soundly against his chest.
Nathan smiled as he shut the book, and sat it on her nightstand, and instead of jumping up right away, as he knew he should have done he laid there—stroking his little girl's hair. It was peaceful, and silent, the night outside was still—and he looked down at her small face with her eyes closed tightly, and he couldn't help but smile.
"Daddy loves you, princess," Nathan said, before planting a small kiss on top of her head and easing himself out of her bed.
Nathan made his way out of her room, closing the door behind him.
He stood in the empty hall of his home, and he couldn't help but notice how quiet it was—he assumed it was always like this at night, though he was never awake to notice it.
Nathan made his way to his own bedroom, where he found his wife—curled up in bed hugging a pack of saltines with a good old American Soap Opera blaring on the television, sound asleep. He hated to see Haley so sick, and so drained, with nothing he could, but Brooke's voice rang loudly in his ears and he knew she was right.
He hated that.
Nathan carefully moved the saltines to the nightstand. He pushed her hair out of her face and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I love you, baby," he said before leaning down and planting a small kiss on her stomach. "And I love you—no matter how many there are in there".
Haley chuckled, and he looked up to see his wife only half awake. "I'm a human—not a cat," she said.
"I was thinking—maybe one of the babies middle names could be Lee, after my mom"? Nathan asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. "I mean don't get me wrong she is a little—".
"Crazy"?
"You're pregnant so I won't fight you on your phrase versus mine, but what do you think"? He asked. "It's unisex—I have never had the best relationship with her, I swear I have seen her naked more times than I have seen you—" he said earning a small giggle from his wife. "But, I'm so proud of her—she is sober and helping Keith, she helps take care of Lily—it took a lot, but she is in a place I always wanted her to be".
"Lee"? Haley asked, smiling. "I like it".
"What about—for a girl, Penelope Lee Scott"?
"After her grandmother, and her godmother"? Haley asked. "You know Brooke will cry".
Nathan nodded, half smiling.
"Baby Penny," Haley said rubbing her stomach. "I like it—now we just have to come up with another, and pray at least one is a girl".
Nathan cupped the side of her face and smiled. "Are you feeling any better"?
"I'm feeling—sick, but I don't have anything left in me to give" Haley admitted as she rubbed her stomach. "Can I ask you something"?
"You should know better than to ask me that," Nathan said, his voice almost a whisper. "You can always ask me anything, Hales".
"You were—having a hard time with the thought of twins, now you're naming them"? Haley asked. "Where did the change of heart come from"?
"The thought of twins—it's scary, but so is one baby out of the blue, or planned, having a baby or babies at any given time is scary, it a big change but our life has been so full of one change after another since the moment we meet," Nathan said. "And we have had a pretty damn good life, we got two great kids—a house, hell we have fish".
Haley laughed at her husband sitting up wrapping her arms around his neck.
"And I don't know if you know this—but I'm married to superwoman," he said. "I got a taste of what you do—every day, and it just showed me that if you're not freaking out about this, then neither should I. Plus, I was in there reading to Lydia—and I just looked at her, I remember when Jamie used to crawl in bed with us or want me to teach him how to do everything I did—now he is married, and it made me sad, a little—not too sad though because it's one less mouth to feed around here".
Haley smiled, laughing at him.
"But, we get to do it all again, it's not we have to—we get to," Nathan said. "Thank you for not getting mad or frustrated with my freak out, because these babies or this baby—or a twenty-pound ogre you have growing inside you is a blessing".
"We are not having an ogre—and if we do it comes from your side of the family".
"I'm not disagreeing with you," Nathan said. "If you want more babies after this we will have more, if you want to have babies until we are fifty then we will—because there is always going to be time for us. I was sitting in that gym in Texas freaking out because I wasn't going to be able to spend time with just you, but I think I would much rather go on this chaotic vacation with you and our four kids and ten grandkids and dogs and rabbits and fishes—we have a good life, Haley James".
"Yeah, we do," Haley said smiling before she felt her stomach turn. "And two of those lives are not agreeing with that yogurt I tried to eat earlier".
Nathan watched as Haley got up and ran to the bathroom, and he sat there—rubbing his palms together.
Authors Note: so as you could easily tell this chapter strictly followed the adults, the next chapter will follow the teens. And at the end of next chapter, we will make our permanent decision if this is how we are going to keep it or not.
So far—I dreaded trying to write like this, I really did, but I like it much better!
I got to write more about Peyton and even though her character isn't my favorite Jake was always in my top five, and it was so much easier trying to write when I wasn't limiting myself on amount of things I could write. I try to keep my writing as realistic to real life as I can, IE conversations and such, I like when it's not just straight forward and to the point because in real life most of the time it isn't like that.
I like to write ships (which this include some Naley & Brucas) but I love the friendships just as much. It was fun to write the Brooke and Nathan portion, but I felt like for the Leyton relationship to really close there needed to be closure of some sort, a parting piece, in a civil way because they do share a child together and I love their co-parenting in this.
Anywayyys, the next chapter will follow solely the teenagers, of course the adults may make a small appearance here & there (still in the writing process) but it will follow the same time line as this chapter. It may take a little more time in Texas, but I was against this way at first but now I'm really into it because I can go more in depth with each character!
And I will say this about the next chapter... a small spoiler, something is going to leave you SHOOK, and if you pay close enough attention it will shake you even more!
Until next time, my lovelies