'You two are fighting about me aren't you?' Peyton deduces with a sigh as she sets her bag down on her best friend's kitchen island. She can't pretend she didn't just hear her friends screaming at each other.

'No, of course not'

Peyton's brow kinks. 'You're shit at lying B Baker'

'I am not!' Brooke pouts. Her husband's hasty departure upstairs can't be ignored.

'Yes, yes you are. I don't want you having a domestic because of me' She whines. 'You two are barely back from your honeymoon- you're not allowed to be arguing yet!'

'Well it's not your fault. I can't believe him!' She spouts in all of a second. 'After everything he knows he really thinks you working with him is a good idea?'

'Julian is just doing his job B. It is a good idea. For the label it's our best option right now. It's just business'

'I don't care about the label, I care about you!'

'Well I care about the label' Peyton smiles wearily.

'Sorry. I..I know how important the label is to you and Julian and it's important to me too but this...' She scrapes her hand through her hair. 'This isn't a good idea Peyton'

'Yeah. Maybe not but' Peyton shrugs her shoulders. 'I have to be a grown up though. Cut Julian some slack. He's worked his ass off this week'

'Mm, worked his ass off at screwing my girl's life up...You're married'

Peyton's stare becomes icy in all of a second. 'What's that supposed to mean? You think I'd cheat on Jake?!'

'No... no of course not. That's not what I meant'

'Well what did you mean?!'

'Just it's...' She falters. 'Is Jake ok with this little reunion?'

Peyton doesn't answer.

'I'll take that as a no... I just... I've been there from the beginning. I know you. Lucas has this control over you'

'No he doesn't' Peyton snorts.

'Yes, he really does. He threw you down a flight of stairs, broke your arm and gave you a black eye and still you didn't press charges-'

'There never should have been any charges in the first place!' She growls. 'It wasn't like that! How many times do I have to say it was an accident? I don't want to talk about this with you'

'Well we're going to! I never say anything about this. Ever. It's one thing you being friends with him but working with him Peyton?! Really?!'

'You're being dramatic'

'When that psycho Felix hit me it was domestic abuse'

'Damn right it was! That bastard hit you because you talked to another guy B! Lucas never hit me! You weren't there. You didn't see what happened. I fell'

'Right and he had zero to do with it did he?' Brooke rolls her eyes.

'He was drunk. I shouldn't have engaged in a conversation with him whilst he was like that but I was hot headed and tired of him screwing up over and over again. Us having a tug of war over a bottle of whisky is what resulted in me going flying ok? I lost my balance. He didn't mean to do what he did. He didn't hit me, he didn't push me. He was just trying to get the damn bottle'

'That makes it okay?!' Brooke exclaims.

'No. It doesn't make it okay. But don't ever say he abused me because it wasn't fucking like that! I know you love me but it kills me anybody thinking about him like that. And he doesn't know! He doesn't fucking remember that night and I don't want him to so just...please...' A tear races free.

Brooke takes a shaky breath as she regards her distressed expression. 'Christ, you still love him...don't you?' She whispers.

Peyton promptly turns her back on her wide eyed friend. 'I'm married to Jake'

'Yes. You are' Brooke affirms with a nod. 'But that wasn't no Brooke I don't love him' She quietly points out.

Peyton wraps her hands around herself. 'We have a past Brooke, that's all'

'Yeah a past that's better off staying there'

'Just cause the song ended doesn't mean you just forget the tune'

Brooke closes her eyes despairingly because unlike her friends and husband that are encompassed in a very music centred world, she is not. It's not in her bones. Sure she enjoys it but she likes fashion a whole lot more.

'Why do you hate him so much?' Peyton wonders, misreading her friends inability to relate to her metaphor as dislike for the man in question. But she's not wrong in her assumption. Brooke can't disguise her animosity.

'Because! I've seen you cry one too many times because of Lucas Scott! I've watched him hurt you again and again. He abandoned you on stage in front of millions of people. He proposed to you and he couldn't even remember the next morning! He nearly killed Sawyer before she was even born! He is responsible for Keith being dead and that could have easily been you that night! If Keith hadn't stopped you getting in that fucking car...' She shakes her head, a lump forming in the back of her throat because when she considers that the girl before her could quite easily not be here anymore it makes her feel sick. 'It's like you block out all the painful things he did'

'You think I block that out?! I didn't block it out! I left him because of it! And he got better Brooke! He quit drinking. Maybe it was just me that made him like that!'

'Hell no. Is that what you think?! That you drove him to drink'

'Well he got it together when I left him'

'He got it together because of you. Because you made it clear you'd not be in his life in any shape or form if he carried on. You are not responsible for his drinking. You're responsible for keeping his head above fucking water. He's only here because of you. He owes you everything which is why it's beyond me, after all these years, that he can't just let you be fucking happy'

'I asked him to do this! He's doing this for me. You can't be mad at him for helping me out!'

'I'll never not be mad at him Peyton. Jake is who you're meant to be with. Jake has been the best father to your kids. Jake adores you and looks after you'

'I know. Which is why we're still married. We're strong enough to handle this'

Brooke exhales shakily because she knows she's not going to convince the blonde to put her foot down and refuse to do what Julian is asking of her. And she disagrees whole heartedly about this godforsaken arrangement, disagrees because she's not convinced her friends' relationship is strong enough to handle this.

'B I had Jake yelling at me last night and then Sawyer telling me I never fucking wanted her and it's only a matter of time before Indie is crying when she finds out I'm touring too...I just, I need you to tell me everything's ok right now. Not that I'm screwing everything up' Peyton begs.

Brooke regards her sympathetically. 'Oh honey, come here' The compassionate brunette hurries over to her then and takes her in a tight hug. 'I'm sorry' She hums. 'I'm sorry. Of course it'll be alright'

'Jenny is in such a bad way' The blonde's voice wobbles in her ear and Brooke slowly retreats, affectionately rubbing Peyton's arm. 'You should've see her Brooke...when I found her I, I thought she was dead, it, it was like when I found Luke that time' She chokes out. 'Why do people I love fucking do this?!'

'She'll be ok. Your Dad and Lucas turned it around. She will too'

'I don't want to go through this with her. I, I don't know if I can handle it, not again...Is it my fault? I feel like it's my fault'

'It's not your god damn fault P. Jesus I heard you telling Jake time and time again that you didn't think she was old enough for all this'

'But I still should've seen. I should've noticed. I didn't know! I should've known. I knew every time Dad went on a bender. I knew just by looking at Luke when he'd had a drink. I, I didn't know with Jenny'

'You were a kid wondering where your god damn Dad was- of course you were going to notice. And as for Lucas, you were in a relationship with him Peyt. You were with him all the time. Jenny hasn't been living with you for a year and she's been on the road for 6 months. You've not been with her, that's why you didn't notice'

'I just feel so helpless'

'I know you do honey but she's so loved and you've got her into the best place she can be right now'

'I know... I just, I think I need to keep busy. I can't not be busy right now'

Brooke nods. 'Just don't get confused with being busy and running away will you? Because this is all gonna be here when you get back, you can't hide from it'

'That's not what the tour is-'

'I know, I know. I'm just...what I'm trying to say is that I know this is going to bring up loads of emotions for you and you, you have a tendency to...'

'To what?'

'Shut down? Or shut everyone out. Don't do that Wolfie' She affectionately nicknames her. 'I need you. And you never know' She shrugs her shoulders. 'You working through some of that baggage you've got might do you some good, lord knows you've been carrying it around long enough'

'Are you suggesting I'm some troubled, tortured artist?' She frowns but there's a weak smile on her face.

'Didn't you know?' Brooke teases, trying to lighten the mood. 'You really had no hope. Your Dad's Mick Wolf, rock star. Your Mum abandoned you. What chance was there that you'd ever be normal?' Peyton prods her with her foot then. 'Too far?'

'No but you're in danger of getting a slap if you're not careful'

'I love you best friend' Brooke smiles sweetly.

'Mm, I love you too when you're not being a bitch'

'Me? A bitch? Never!' Brooke drawls devilishly.

Peyton watches her. Her mind successfully distracted from it's woes as she regards her friend.

'What? Have I got something on me?' Brooke self consciously touches her mouth under Peyton's scrutinising gaze.

'You're fine' Peyton smirks, ensuring her she's free of any imperfections. 'I was just wondering if you're ever going to tell me your big news?'

'What?'

'I told you. You're shit at lying B. I think now is as good as anytime. Especially as it's your job to try and cheer me up'

'What're you talking about?'

'Oh, I don't know. Just the little fact that you're a proper Baker now it would seem'

Brooke's left eyebrow kinks.

'Bun. In. The. Oven. Miss. Baker' Peyton accentuates her words as she sings gleefully at her flustered friend.

'What are you talking about?!'

'A) You weren't drinking last night. B) I overheard a certain phone call in which you told Milly you wouldn't be going on that trip to Italy in December. You might have mentioned how excited you are about going just a couple hundred times so I don't see you cancelling it for no good reason. C) You puked yesterday and you supposedly had a bug last week. Do I need to go on cause I can?'

Brooke's cheeks are hot under Peyton's interrogating stare.

'Wow, Brooke Davis, lost for words. This really is a first!' Peyton taunts wickedly.

'Oh for god sake. You're like a fucking ninja detective'

'I knew it!' The blonde shrieks.

'We're not telling people! I'm not even two months yet P'

'I'm not people, I don't count' She claps her hands together. Despite her suspicions she's still overwhelmed by her best friend's confirmation. 'You're pregnant?'

'I'm pregnant' Brooke bites her lip. Her smile a smile Peyton's not witnessed before. It's shy and overwhelmed. It's excitement and nerves.

'You're pregnant' Peyton's voice is thick with emotion as she lurches herself onto the coy brunette. 'I'm so, so happy for you B'

'Thanks Wolfie' Brooke clings onto her.

'How are you?' Peyton enquires when she eventually pulls back.

'Feeling like I'm going to throw up pretty much all the time but asides from that? Wonderful'

'Yeah, that can suck'

'You seemed like pregnancy was the best thing in the world when you were having Indie'

'Mm. I didn't seem to feel sick at all with her. Sawyer was a different story'

'Yeah. But that's probably just all the other shit you were dealing with at the time'

'You can't blame Lucas for my morning sickness B' Peyton laughs despite her friend's ridiculousness.

'I can try' Brooke smirks.

'Well you can't blame him for yours. Your poor husband will have to do'

'Mm. My poor husband better start listening to his baby Mumma before she kills him'

'Stress isn't good for you or the baby B. You have to chill'

'Yeah, well it's too late for that. Haven't you heard? Peyton Wolf is reuniting with Lucas Scott. It's going to be the tour of the century' She animatedly flails her hands around. 'Everyone's going to be talking about it'

'Well they've got it covered then. You needn't worry yourself about it' Peyton firmly announces. 'Come, come sit on a comfy sofa. I wanna talk baby names' She assertively clutches Brooke's hand and drags her over to the living area. 'You know what name I've been loving lately- Sparrow. What do you think?'

Brooke looks at her in disbelief. 'Lets get something straight. My kid isn't going to have one of your cool, hipster names'

'What?' Peyton laughs. 'Sawyer was named after Larry and Anna, you know that. And Indie-'

'Was conceived in India. Yeah I know' Brooke cuts her off.

'I don't think anyone would label them as hipster names and Sparrow is a bird, it's a nature name'

'Yeah but you've gotta be well...you to carry that off'

'Oh really? And why's that?'

'Cause you're like...'

'Oh so cool?' Peyton proposes. 'And it's a cool name'

'Sure if that's what you want to call it. I'm thinking something more preppy though'

'Like Davis?' Peyton rolls her eyes knowingly.

'Exactly!'

'Of course you're going to be one of those people that uses their own freaking surname to name their kid'

'And what's wrong with that? I think it's cute. Me and Julian. Davis Baker'

Peyton shakes her head. 'Sappy but undoubtably cute' She resolves.

'We don't all have people that saved our lives or stories about how our kid was conceived for inspiration P'

'You can always call them Peyton' She jokes.

'I think there's only room for one Peyton around here'

'Oh yeah? I'd happily share it with this one' She rests her hand on Brooke's flat stomach. 'Davis Baker does have a nice ring to it though. I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl. Do you mind?'

'No. Not at all. What's that face- are you getting broody Mrs Jagielski?'

Peyton's hand slips back into her own lap as she shakes her head. 'Hell no. I can barely cope with the two I've got thanks'

'You know Jake wants another. Get pregnant now P, then we can do this together and they can be best friends and get married and then we'll be in laws!' Brooke gleefully decides.

'Babe that's so not happening'

'Why not?! Indie will love it!'

'Well her Mumma wouldn't'

'Jake will wear you down, you know he's going to start nagging you again as soon as I start showing'

Peyton's face screws up. 'You don't get to collude with him Brooke' She wags her finger.

'I don't know what the big deal is. You've got two that you adore, what's adding one more?'

'Can we drop it?'

'Sorry' Brooke holds her hands up. 'I didn't know you felt so strongly about it'

'I just. Sawyer and Indie weren't exactly planned...I just always imagined..'

'What?'

'Nothing, nothing' She smiles brightly. 'Why're we talking about me again?! Tell me your due date' She shifts the focus back to her best friend. Because they've talked about Lucas Scott far too much already today. But the trouble is every subject seems to wind back at Lucas Scott. Just as the topic of children does. Because she once visualised her children with blonde curls. Sawyer was that. She'd been so fair at five that her hair had been almost white. Indie was more like her Dad. Her locks had been strawberry blonde when she'd been a toddler but her hair was darker now, her eyes brown. She was beautiful and all her Daddy. But despite being married to Jake, despite having his child, Peyton still visualised blonde, blue eyed children when the topic of more children ever arose. A forbidden pipe dream. An unspeakable musing. But as detestable as it was, as much as she banished such imaginings, it was a dream that would seemingly never die.

A/N Thank you to those of you that have left such kind reviews- I'm glad you're enjoying so far- this is something I've been working on for a good while so it's nice to be sharing it! :)