A/N: This is long. I'm sorry. I'm posting it in appropriate chunks as scenes would go. Thanks for reading, after all this time. I hope you like what I've done with the characters and I would love any input, positive or negative.

The ride home was silent. Brooke stared out the window, trying to wrap her head around the day's unbelievable events. Lucas had been mad at her- livid, even- many times since they had known each other, but he had never frightened her as he had today. Something in his eyes was different. Cold. He had never hurt her before and until today, she never thought he would.

She was certainly in pain right now.

Peyton wouldn't let go of Brooke's hand. She sped through the streets that she knew so well, driving with her left hand while her right grasped her best friend's. Brooke was torn from her daze when she heard the blaring of a car horn, looking ahead to watch as Peyton made a sharp left turn, closely cutting someone off.

"You can have this," Brooke held up Peyton's hand, "back, if it'll help," she laughed. "Not that it will," she added pointedly, watching Peyton's face out of the corner of her eye.

A smile slowly crept upon Peyton's features as she remained face-forward, watching the road.

"Are you making fun of my driving, Davis?" she asked, though she still refused to drop Brooke's hand.

"What driving? I thought we were on the rollercoaster in hell," Brooke shot with a grin.

Peyton fake-gasped, finally letting go of Brooke's hand in order to pinch the girl on the thigh playfully.

"Ow!" Brooke whined, slapping Peyton's hand away despite the smile on her face.

"I'm glad to see you laughing," Peyton said seriously. "Especially with me. But I need to know what happened today, Brooke. With Lucas?"

She pulled up to her own empty house as she awaited an answer from her suddenly nervous friend.

"Can we go inside first?" Brooke asked quietly, sounding vulnerable and hating herself for it.

Peyton just patted Brooke's thigh as a response.

XXX

Inside the security of Peyton's red bedroom, Brooke finally began to relax. That is, until she felt her best friend behind her, slowly inching up her shirt.

"Hey!" Brooke turned, trying to brush Peyton off and remain in the calm she felt for at least a moment. She knew it wouldn't last for long.

"Let me see," Peyton nearly whispered, her hands unwavering and strong.

Brooke's fearful mind stopped in its tracks. How could she argue with Peyton, especially now?

"Sit down," Peyton patted her desk chair, and Brooke complied.

Peyton pulled up the back of Brooke's shirt, entirely to her shoulder blades, before gasping at the sight in front of her- there were four fresh, red bruises adorning the girl's back, the worst of which on her right ribcage.

"Brooke…" Peyton trailed off, nearing tears, unable to grasp the impact of the situation.

She gently ran her hands down the girl's back, causing goosebumps in their wake. Her fingertips trailed softly over the uninjured parts of Brooke's skin, silently willing the pain away.

Brooke closed her eyes and breathed out, unfamiliar with such an intimate sensation. For a moment, she forgot the pain and just FELT. When Peyton brushed her lips across the skin of her back, letting them linger there, Brooke forgot to breathe. The lips remained still for only a moment before they grazed across the skin and stilled in a different spot.

A tingle ran down Brooke's spine and she released an audible breath, inadvertently pushing herself further into the touch of Peyton's lips.

"What are you doing?" Brooke asked quietly through closed eyes, needing to know despite not wanting the moment to end.

"Kissing it better," Peyton whispered, her breath causing Brooke's skin to tingle even more and sending her heart into overdrive.

Peyton was unsure if she should listen to her heart or her mind. Her heart told her that she was enjoying the sensation WAY too much, and that Brooke was too. Her mind told her that she might be freaking out her best friend and should stop before things got even more complicated.

"Oh…" Brooke replied with a breath, and upon hearing it, Peyton placed another soft kiss on her ribcage.

As Peyton's hands trailed lightly up and down Brooke's ribs, her lips inched down the girl's spine, driving them both crazy.

"Peyton…" Brooke whispered huskily, clutching the back of the chair in her hands as her mind completely fogged over.

Upon hearing her name, Peyton was snapped back into reality. Her eyes shot open and she stood quickly, beginning to pace before her heart could catch up. She had gotten carried away. So carried away that she didn't even realise it- that this was really happening- and she was immediately terrified. What the hell had she just done?

"Oh god," Peyton grumbled, wide-eyed, smacking her head in aggravation. "Oh god," she repeated, pacing in circles and avoiding Brooke's eyes, even as the girl rose and approached her. "I'm sorry. I saw the bruises, and I… I got carried away, and—"

"Peyton," Brooke said, quiet but firm, placing a finger over the rambling girl's lips and grabbing her wrist with the other hand. "Shh…"

Peyton's eyes finally rose to meet Brooke's, seeing nothing but love in them. No fear. Certainly no disgust. Just love.

"I should—I'm gonna get some ice for your back," Peyton nodded to herself, going quickly to the bedroom door, the closest escape.

"Okay," Brooke said quietly, secretly happy to have a moment to catch her breath.

XXX

Peyton returned a few minutes later with Boo-Boo Bear in hand- the brown, bear-shaped ice pack that she and Brooke had each gotten their fair share of use out of as children. She waved it at Brooke goofily, trying to rid herself of some of the awkwardness that she was feeling and reset the tone of the afternoon. Where to go from here? It's not like they could forget about their previous exchange. Brooke would certainly have to pull her shirt up again, if not remove it completely, and Peyton realised that she had to keep herself in check. She wasn't sure what had overcome her a few minutes ago, but she could still feel it coursing through her. Should she bring it up? Act like it never happened?

For now, she would try to clear her mind and get back to the matter at hand; what the hell happened with Lucas?

"Come 'ere," Peyton instructed, patting her mattress as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Brooke laid down on her stomach next to Peyton- and then froze. She didn't know if exposed skin was the best idea right now. Peyton may have gotten carried away a few minutes ago, but Brooke had gotten wet. Despite her emotional fear and confusion, unbelievable, unprecedented arousal had taken over her, and she needed to keep herself in check.

Peyton's hands went to the hem of Brooke's shirt, inching it up as the girl shifted awkwardly below her. Had she really made her so uncomfortable? She said she had gotten carried away and she hoped that they could leave it at that. No reason to act strangely now, right? Brooke allowed Peyton to pull up her shirt- not as far this time- and Peyton stared at the bruises that marred her usually flawless skin.

"Gonna be cold," Peyton warned.

"As ice packs often are," Brooke mumbled sarcastically, earning a freezing-cold ice pack to the side. "Hey!" she yelped as she jumped, despite her chuckle.

"I tried to be nice and warn you, but no…" Peyton rolled her eyes, becoming serious as she gently placed the ice onto an actually afflicted area.

Brooke winced in pain, but soon got used to the sensation, even relaxing as Peyton began to run her fingers through her hair.

"What happened, Brooke? I want to know the whole story," Peyton said softly, lying on her side next to her friend, able to look her in the eyes.

Brooke closed her eyes for a long moment, only to find Peyton staring into them when they opened. She felt safe now, here with Peyton. She had been needing that security.

"I was getting ready to leave after practice, Lucas came up behind me…" she recalled. "He asked why I always have to fuck up his life, why I can't stay out of it. I told him that I had, that I hadn't spoken to him since I found out…" she trailed off, knowing that Peyton understood and not wanting to repeat it for the millionth time. "He said I was stupid. Many insults, actually," she closed her teary eyes, remembering how he made her feel. "Called me a whore; that I want all the guys to fuck me and probably girls too," she rolled her eyes. "He told me that I get under your skin. That every time I look at you, you pull away from him."

Brooke looked closely into Peyton's eyes, searching for a reaction. Confirmation. Denial. Fear. Anything.

"I told him that it wasn't about him. That I miss you…" she reached up and ran her fingertips down Peyton's cheek upon seeing the emotion that filled those huge green eyes. "He told me to stay away from you. Not to look at you or talk to you."

"What did you say?" Peyton asked, merely a whisper.

"I said no," Brooke told her proudly. "I told him that if you didn't want to see me, I'd try to respect that, but I'll never stop trying for HIM."

Peyton smiled at the thought. At Brooke's unwavering strength when it came to HER.

"Then he got angrier, I guess," Brooke continued. "He pushed me, told me that you hated me… that I'm a whore. Pushed me, insulted me again. Pushed me and said that you know you're better off without me."

Brooke couldn't keep the emotion out of her eyes, not unnoticed by Peyton, who removed the ice pack and began to slowly stroke her fingers up and down Brooke's back.

"I knew those bruises couldn't have been from just one shove," she said quietly, torn between feeling livid at Lucas and pain for Brooke. "He hurt you, Brooke. Actually hurt you."

"He… he was actually scary, you know? And I've never felt scared of him, no matter how mad he's been," she admitted.

"I'm so sorry, Brooke," Peyton breathed out, a tear falling as she pulled Brooke to her in a tight embrace, holding her close. "It's my fault. He hurt you and you hadn't even done anything."

"But I did," Brooke said with a smile that threw Peyton off. "I was about to get you back. And Lucas, despite being a dumbass, he knows he can't compete with this," she added with a cocky smirk.

"You DO get under my skin, B. Davis," Peyton said with a grin. "He was right about that."

"Good," Brooke nodded, looking deeply into Peyton's eyes. "If I didn't, it just wouldn't be fair."

XXX