I'm back, typing and posting more of something that was written years and years ago. Let me know if you're still in it. I'm going to post another chapter today. Again, I write and post them as scenes, so this one is a bit shorter. Have a good day and be safe, everyone.

"Peyton, what the hell—" Haley's anger was interrupted by the sight in front of her as she roughly opened Peyton's bedroom door.

She had gone to find out what had happened with Peyton and Lucas, after he had called her, upset about the breakup. He had failed to mention what happened with Brooke, or Brooke at all, for that matter.

Haley stood, awestruck, staring at Peyton and Brooke, face to face and legs entangled, sleeping atop Peyton's black comforter. She should have known that this would have something to do with Brooke. Now to see the girls in this cozy position only solidified it.

And to think, this morning they hated each other.

Peyton stirred from her slumber, removing her hand from Brooke's waist to rub her eyes. She awoke confused: What time was it? When had they fallen asleep? Why was Haley standing in the doorway?

"Hey," Haley said quietly, calming herself from the aggressive demeanor that she had arrived with.

"Hi," Peyton whispered, trying to remove herself from the bed without waking Brooke, to no avail.

"Mmph…" Brooke grumbled sleepily, pulling Peyton closer and nuzzling into her side. That would have never been abnormal for the pair in the past but after today, to Peyton, it felt different.

Haley's eyes widened, still letting her mind wander with adulterous expectations. Peyton noticed the look at rolled her eyes.

"Hey," Peyton whispered to Brooke, brushing the hair away from her ear. "Haley's here."

"She's mad at me 'cause of Lucas," she mumbled, still not fully awake.

"Huh?" Haley was more confused than ever.

"Shh…" Peyton soothed Brooke back to rest, trying to rise from the bed only to be held close by Brooke once again. "I was gonna talk to Haley and let you sleep."

"Talk here," Brooke pled, though it was more of a sleepy demand. "Mind?" she added innocently, smiling through closed eyes, and knowing she'd win.

Peyton couldn't help the smile that crept upon her own face.

"Have a seat, Hales," she chuckled quietly.

"Lucas is a mess. What happened?"

"What happened?' What, he didn't fill you in?" Peyton asked angrily, attempting to keep her voice quiet.

"He just told me that you broke up with him. He doesn't get it," Haley told her, always concerned for her sensitive best friend.

"He doesn't get it?! That's all he told you?!" Peyton spat, her volume rising unintentionally with her anger.

"Shh, it's ok, P," Brooke said quietly through closed eyes.

"What happened, Peyton?" Haley asked seriously, finally understanding that the circumstances were more dire than she knew.

Peyton took a deep breath. Trying to explain the situation to Haley would be difficult, if not impossible. As her best friend, she usually saw Lucas do no wrong. Just telling the story wouldn't suffice.

"Brooke, honey, can I show Haley your back?" Peyton asked softly, running her hand through the girl's hair, stirring her.

"Ughhhh," Brooke complained, opening one eye at a time and looking at Peyton skeptically. "Okay, but she can't freak out," she mumbled, waking herself out of her sleepy fog.

"Freak out?! What's going on?!" Haley asked, lost and concerned, and freaking out a little bit already.

"Come 'ere," Peyton motioned, slowly pulling up Brooke's shirt to reveal the bruises, which looked worse now that a few hours had passed.

"Oh my god," Haley put her hand over her mouth in shock. "What the hell happened?"

"Lucas," Peyton said simply, covering Brooke again. "When I saw them, he was calling her and idiot and throwing her into the lockers. He'd done it a couple times before I got there."

"No… Lucas wouldn't…"

"I saw him, Haley. I watched it happen. It was like it wasn't even him," Peyton admitted.

"It's my fault," Haley squeaked, wide eyed at the realization. "I knew he was upset, but…"

"Your fault?" Brooke asked, looking to Haley as she slowly tried to sit up with Peyton's help.

"He was upset that Peyton pulled away from him. Nathan gave him some guy rendition of your interaction in Trig and then he asked me about it."

"And you said…?" Peyton inquired.

"Just what happened. That it wasn't a big deal. I didn't know he was so upset," Haley said sadly, wracked with guilt.

"He told Brooke to stay away from me, basically if she knew what was good for her."

"And I said no," Brooke told her proudly, trying to smooth her hair and not relive the encounter.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry…"

"It's not your fault, Haley," Brooke told her.

"You broke up with him because he hurt Brooke," Haley said, mostly to herself.

"When I ran up to them, Brooke was crying on the floor and Lucas looked… insane. I don't want to see his face, Haley, so don't pull the best friend and tell me that I should give him another chance," Peyton said seriously.

"Are you kidding?!" Haley asked, wide-eyed. "If I were you, I would have slit his throat."