Chapter 3: Something Else

"Peyton just called and said that she was gonna stay out there a couple more days," Lucas announced to the group that was sprawled across the backyard of Nathan's mansion. Brooke was floating about in the pool taking in the warm early summer day. Nathan was laying on one of the numerous lounge chairs that adorned the patio area. Rachel was lying on the cool cement next to the pool working on her tan while she watched Jake and Jenny swimming in the pool letting out a small chuckle every now and then as she watched her family with pure joy.

"Everything ok?" Brooke asked as she picked her head up causing her buoyancy to be thrown as she dunked under water. She quickly resurfaced to find all her friends laughing at her. "Shut up," she grunted.

"Brooke!" Rachel scolded not appreciating that type of language in front of her daughter. Brooke simply mumbled an apology.

"Don't worry everything is fine I think she just missed Mia and it doesn't hurt that she'll be living the life of a rock star for a little while," Lucas reasoned. He was happy that Peyton was being given the chance to live the life that she dreamed of, well the life she dreamed of before him, right? Of course.

"You might wanna check up on her," Brooke teased. "She might decided that she doesn't want small town living and trade it in for the big city." Brooke saw the panicked look on Lucas's. "Relax, I was just kidding, I'm know Peyton is going to come back. She loves you and you love her."

"Yeah well you loved Haley and Haley loved you, where is she know?" Lucas bit back bitterly. He knew he was being harsh but he didn't like joking about Peyton never coming back, she was his everything and he couldn't imagine life without her.

Brooke didn't respond she didn't know how. He's right, if Haley really loved me then where the hell is she? I did absolutely nothing to her…well minus the little break incident but I was fixing that…couldn't she see that?

"Harsh much?" Rachel glared at Lucas not at all appreciating that their nice day was being thrown out the window. "She was joking, no need to go all Haley on her."

Lucas didn't apologize for his words he just grunted and vanished into the house. The group turned their attention back to Brooke who had gone back to floating around the pool, hold it in…don't let them she you cry, save it for home.

~FA~

Holy shit! Peyton continued to stare aimlessly at the black screen of the TV. Mama, the word kept playing through Peyton's mind as she tried to ignore the intense gaze that she felt burning a hole through her head, don't look at her Peyt…stay strong. How the hell could all this happen? First I find my best friend who has been M.I.A for four years, second I find out she is the biggest music sensation out there, third I find out that Mia has been keeping this secret from all of us, and fourth I find out that my M.I.A friend has a toddler…what a fucking day!

"Is she gonna be alright?" Mia whispered to Haley as the two singers continued to look worriedly upon their friend.

"I hope so," Haley sighed. Why did she have to find out this way? Haley cupped her face in her hands before letting out another frustrated sigh.

"Mama?" A small voice broke through the air. Peyton jumped at the unsettling word.

"Yeah baby?" Haley asked trying to disguise the tension coursing through her body. She picked up the child hoping that this would calm her nerves some.

"Why is Auntie Peyton acting so funny?" The toddler asked looking upon the distressed looking blonde.

"You know how I told you that Mama didn't say goodbye before she left home?" The child nodded in understanding. "Well this is the first time that Auntie Peyton has seen me since then," the child nodded again urging Haley to continue. "Since I didn't say goodbye I didn't get a chance to tell her about you so she's just a little surprised that's all."

"Ok," the toddler nodded sufficed with the information that was given. Haley put the child on the ground and watched in awe. "Hi Auntie Peyton, I'm James Davis Scott," James said outstretching his little hand for Peyton to shake.

Haley stifled a giggle at the shocked look that Peyton gave her son. She took his little hand in hers and shook it giving him a smile. "It's nice to meet you James. That sounds like an awfully boring grown up name, do you have a nickname?"

"Jamie," he stated with a huge grin.

"Jamie, I like it," Peyton smiled down at her…nephew. She chanced a glance at Haley noticing the beyond delighted smile that her best friend was giving in response to this scene. "So tell me Jamie, how old are you?"

Shit! This'll blow everything, Haley started to panic knowing the Peyton was no idiot and could basically pinpoint when she got pregnant. "Three," Jamie smiled.

"Three," Peyton repeated while doing the mental math, ok…three years plus nine months leads to, she looked over at Haley and saw the guilty look, oh yeah, Haley either left because she was pregnant or she got pregnant right after she left…either way she has a hell of a lot of explaining to do. "Three is a good…" Davis! James DAVIS Scott! What the fuck? "…age."

Jamie smiled up at his aunt. "Mama tells me about you all the time."

"Really? What does she talk about?" Peyton asked completely intrigued by all the possibilities of what Jamie could tell her.

"She talks about cheerleading and basketball…I love to play basketball, do you wanna see my hoop?" Jamie asked absolutely thrilled with the idea of showing off his basketball hoop to his aunt.

"I'd love to," Peyton said standing up and allowing Jamie to lead her into his room.

"That could've been worse," Mia pointed out trying to look at the bright side of the incident.

"'That' hasn't even started," Haley sighed knowing that things had just gone from bad to worse.

"See Auntie Peyton," Jamie spoke excitedly as he shot yet another basket that went through the hoop.

"You're a natural just like your uncles," Peyton commented as she looked around the hotel room. She could tell that Haley had tried her best to make him feel like he was at home by filling the room with as many toys and pictures as possible. As she glanced around the room one picture caught her attention; it was a picture from her junior year, I remember this. The picture was of the seven of them after the Ravens won the championship her junior year. Lucas had his arms wrapped around Peyton from behind, Nathan and Jake were on either side of them sharing a high five above their heads, while Rachel looked disbelievingly upon Jake, but what caught Peyton's eye the most was Haley and Brooke, even back then they were inseparable. Brooke was holding Haley in a bridal fashion, neither girl looking at the camera just at each other like the world around them didn't exist.

"Mama says that's one of her favorite pictures," Jamie sat next to Peyton looking at the picture.

"And why is that?" Peyton asked not being able to take her attention away from the photo.

"It's her favorite because everyone is happy in it," Jamie said not realizing the intensity behind his simple words.

Peyton thought back to around the time the picture had been taken. The night after the picture was taken was the first time that Damien had shown interest in Haley. He had waited until the summer to ask Haley out and no one quite understood why she accepted, the only conclusion that they could draw; it was a sympathy date nothing more. When that so called 'sympathy date' turned into a relationship the others couldn't help but scratch their heads at it; Haley and Damien were so different and didn't seem to fit, at least not like Haley and Brooke. I guess we know why she went through with it, Peyton sighed, she still hadn't forgiven herself for not seeing the signs of Haley's abuse, I'm her fucking best friend for crying out loud, I should've known.

"You wanna know what I think?" Jamie asked breaking Peyton out of her thoughts.

"And what's that?" Peyton asked.

"I think this one is her favorite," Jamie said as he handed Peyton another picture.

This picture was different. Haley and Brooke were the only ones in it and she couldn't for the life of her remember when it was taken. Brooke was giving Haley a piggy back and looking at the camera but Haley wasn't even paying attention to the camera. She was kissing Brooke's cheek; Peyton could only presume that is why Brooke was smiling so widely. "Why do you think it's your Mama's favorite?"

"After she puts me to bed she always stays and looks at it," Jamie started to explain. "She really misses Auntie Brooke."

Peyton attention perked at the mention of her other friend. "What does she tell you about Auntie Brooke?" This should be interesting.

"That she loves Auntie Brooke very much," Jamie said sadly. Despite his tender age of three he was very intuitive, he knew that his Mama was sad and hurting and he didn't like it. "Why did Auntie Brooke break Mama's heart?"

Shit! Peyton looked at her nephew and saw the determination in his eyes. Those eyes, I swear I've seen them before…totally beside the point, how did he get so smart? "Did your Mama tell you that Auntie Brooke broke her heart?"

"No," Jamie grunted. "Whenever she looks at pictures of her and Auntie Brooke she starts to cry but don't tell her that I know," Jamie begged suddenly realizing that he could get in big trouble for knowing this.

"Promise," Peyton smiled. Definitely got Haley's 'smart' gene.

Haley walked away from her son's door trying desperately to stop her tears. I can't believe Jamie knows. Pull it together…can't let him see you cry anymore. Haley slumped into the couch her change in mood not going unnoticed by Mia.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked taking the seat next to Haley wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Things are just so screwed up Mia," Haley's heartbroken voice cutting through Mia like a knife. "Why did this have to happen?"

"Maybe if you let me know what 'this' is I can help you," Mia tried once again to get an explanation as to why Haley ran away. You would think that she would trust me enough…I haven't even told anyone about Jamie.

"I can't," Haley croaked out as she continued to hold back her tears. Mia pulled Haley into what she hoped was a reassuring hug. "It's too hard," Haley choked out as the tears escaped from her eyes.

"Hey Jamie why don't we go back into your room and you can show me some more of your toys," Peyton suggested not wanting Jamie to see Haley cry. She turned around from her spot in the hallway to find that Jamie was no longer standing behind her, great! I'm with him for no more than five minutes and I've already lost him. She turned back to the living room and noticed the little ruffle of blonde hair that was barely peaking over the couch.

"Mama?" Jamie asked once he was in front of Haley.

Haley furiously wiped at her tears not wanting Jamie to see anymore than he already had. "Yeah buddy?"

Jamie crawled up onto the couch and sat on his mother's lap. He didn't say anything he simply wrapped his little arms around Haley's neck giving her a hug. Haley whimpered into the hug as she hugged her son back. "I love you Mama," Jamie said hoping that his words would calm his mother down.

Haley pulled back and looked into her son's eyes seeing the same twinkle in them that hers had long lost. "I love you too buddy," Haley smiled weakly trying to put on her best face. "So what have you and Auntie Peyton been up to?" Haley desperately needed a subject changes if she didn't want to break down in front of Jamie again.

Peyton noticed the sudden topic change but hoped that Jamie didn't. "I showed her my hoop and she said that I was a natural like Uncle Nathan and Lucas," Jamie spoke excitedly. "Am I really like them?"

"More than you know," Haley chuckled loving the happiness that this simple statement brought him.

"Your Uncle Nate and Uncle Luke love to play basketball just like you do," Peyton chipped in wanting to take away some of the attention from Haley.

"We watch every one of their games," Jamie remarked. "One second," Jamie said as he hoped down from Haley's lap and ran into his room. The girls just laughed at the little boy's excitement; Peyton looked at Haley and saw the pure joy that Jamie brought her, I'll question her later. "Look Auntie Peyton," Jamie called from the hall. Peyton turned to find Jamie sporting a personalized Bobcats jersey.

"Well turn around and let me see," Peyton chuckled as she watched Jamie turn. The back had 'SCOTT' written across the top with '1/2' as the number. "Half?" Peyton asked Haley in disbelief. "Really?"

"I thought it was cute," Haley smiled as she watched Jamie run back down the hall. "Plus I think it suits him."

"Until he has a growth spurt," Peyton chuckled before looking Haley up and down. Haley gave her a puzzled look. "Unless he inherits your height," Haley slapped her playfully. "I guess there's always the possibility that he inherits his father's height," Peyton hinted hoping to get some form of clue out of her.

"Nice try," Haley smirked.

"You can't blame a girl for trying," Peyton shrugged. "I guess I'll take another shot…Davis?" She asked raising a questioning eyebrow. When Haley didn't answer she continued. "I'm assuming that Jamie got his middle name from our dear friend Brookie."

"Yeah," Haley said hoping to hide the hesitation she was feeling.

~FA~

"You know Lucas didn't mean what he said?" Jake asked his sister after they left Nathan's. The tension after Lucas left was too much for the group to handle so they decided to call it a day and go their separate ways.

"He did," Brooke said with conviction. She unlocked her apartment door and threw her keys on the hook before wandering off into the kitchen.

"No he…" but Brooke cut him off.

"Yes. He. Did," Brooke said sternly. "I know that everyone thinks that Lucas is just being bitter about the Haley situation but he's right. If Haley loved me she wouldn't have left or if she still felt the need to leave she would've at least said goodbye and let us know where she was going. If she really cared about me she would come home."

"You don't believe that…do you?" Brooke nodded her head assuredly. Jake let out a sigh, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold out. "I can't let you believe that, I won't. She loves you and before you try and tell me otherwise you need to hear me out," Jake looked at Brooke for confirmation. "We've known Haley for what ten, eleven years," Brooke nodded wondering where Jake was going with this. "And how many times have you heard Haley tell someone that she's in love with them," Brooke thought about it for a moment, once. "Once, right," she nodded her head slowly. "And why do you think that?"

"I don't know," Brooke huffed.

"Because she'll only tell someone that she is in love with them if she means it. And before you try to sway me into thinking that people fall out of love everyday just listen," Brooke glared at Jake but let him continue. "Haley isn't 'people', when she loves someone she lets them into her heart forever, she doesn't simply 'fall out of love', she keeps them in her heart and never lets them go." Brooke remained silent not liking the fact that Jake was, once again, right. She knew that Haley was a rare soul; she loved with more passion than Brooke had ever seen or ever could imagine loving someone, and she knew that Haley still loved her, it just hurt to know.

"Well if she loves me so much then how come she hasn't come back?" Brooke's voice rose with frustration, everything was just so complicated and she didn't even know the half of it.

"When Haley thinks the time is right she'll come back to us," Jake spoke softly hoping to calm Brooke.

~FA~

"Tell me tell me tell me," Peyton begged. She was down on her knees in front of Haley looking up at her with pleading eyes. When Peyton saw that Haley wasn't budging she broke out the puppy dog eyes.

"Ha," Haley scoffed at Peyton's attempt at puppy dog eyes. "Have you seen my son? The puppy dog eyes don't work on me anymore."

"Fine," Peyton mumbled as she pulled herself off the floor. "If puppy dog eyes won't get me what I want then what will?"

"Time," Haley sighed hoping that Peyton would just back off.

"Time!" Peyton screeched. "You want time, I think four years is more than enough time," she threw her hand is the air thoroughly aggravated with Haley, if after four years she still won't tell me then she must not know. It was like she was slapped in the face with realization. "You don't know do you?"

"Of course I know," Haley gasped not believing what Peyton had just accused her of. "Are you calling me a slut?"

"No," Peyton said defensively hating herself for making Haley this pissed off and for accusing her of something she knew couldn't be true. "I just assumed that since you weren't telling me who Jamie's father is you didn't know."

"Oh I know who my son's father is," Haley started sternly. "I just don't want to tell anyone without talking to him first," Haley slapped her forehead as she saw the mischievous spark in Peyton's eyes.

"So you talk to him, hmmmm," Peyton started to think of all the possibilities. Let's see, Jamie is three, Brooke and Haley were only going out for two months before she left which means that… Peyton averted her gaze back to Haley. "Damien?" She asked almost scared for the response.

"God no," Haley cried out before a shiver overtook her body.

"Good," Peyton sighed thoroughly relieved that Haley hadn't given birth to the spawn of Satan. "Well if it's not Damien and you won't tell me then I'm just going to go with Immaculate Conception." Haley burst into laughter. "What? If you won't tell me then I'm just going to assume that you're this generation's Virgin Mary."

"Peyton, sweetie, I'm not a virgin," Haley amusedly explained to her friend.

"Not listening," Peyton said while covering her ears. Haley just continued to laugh at her friend's antics, I missed this. She walked over to Peyton and gave her a hug. "What's this for?"

"I just missed you, that's all," Haley said as she squeezed Peyton one last time before letting her go.

"I missed you too," Peyton smiled sincerely. "You know that we wouldn't have to miss each other if you would just come back to Tree Hill," she suggested hoping that one of her attempts to get Haley to come home would work. Haley let out a frustrated sigh, why can't they just let me come home when I'm ready. "I can tell by that sigh that you're not gonna come."

"I'm sorry Peyt, I can't."

"Can't or won't?" Peyton asked; déjà vu?

"I think we've already been through this," Haley smiled.

"Do you think you could make a little visit to Tree Hill in a week for oh I don't know my wedding?" Peyton asked nonchalantly hoping that she would at least come for the wedding.

"I'm sorry," Haley whispered as she bowed her head she didn't want to see the disappointed look on her face.

"You know what, screw you Haley!" Peyton yelled she was fed up with Haley's actions. "Stop acting like some hurt little puppy. You are the one that left us, you chose this life and now that you're living the good life you need to cut the shit. I'm tired of hearing about how hard it is for you to talk or hear about Brooke, you left her. And this bull shit about not being able to come home, you're pathetic!" She grabbed her bag from the ground and stormed out of the apartment.

Haley grabbed something off one of the tables and ran after Peyton luckily catching up with her before she reached the elevator. "Peyt, please," when Peyton didn't step on the elevator she knew that she had a chance of salvaging this visit with some form of a good outcome. "I know that this doesn't make up for me not being there but take it."

"What is it?" Peyton asked when she finally turned around.

"A CD, well it's a song that I wrote. It hasn't been released yet," Haley said nervously hoping that Peyton wouldn't reject her "gift" so to speak.

Peyton eyed Haley; she knows I can't resist new music…ugh. She didn't say anything instead she simply grabbed the CD and stepped onto the elevator. The entire flight home Peyton contemplated listening to the song but something in the back of her mind told her to wait until she got home. She turned up the volume on her iPod and slept the rest of the way trying to calm her nerves with some music.

"What're you doing back?" Lucas asked in shock. Peyton wasn't supposed to be back for another couple of days but here she was and she looked pissed. "Everything go alright?" He asked hesitantly.

"Things just didn't go according to plans," Peyton sighed knowing that if she spilt Haley's news she wouldn't hear the end of it plus she wanted to see everyone's faces when she did come back.

"Did you meet Taylor James? Was she a bitchy rocker?" Lucas asked.

"She was something else."

That's it for now.

I hope that you all like the chapter and it was worth the wait. I had trouble getting this chapter out and I wanted it to be right because this chapter is the beginning of the turning point in the story. So naturally the Leyton wedding will be the next chapter which means drama.

Please let me know what you think by leaving a review, I adore them.

Oh and this season finale? I know I heard there was gonna be another season but WTF this seemed like a series finale to me. If anyone has any insight please fill me in I just spent the last hour after watching it baffled trying to figure things out with my best friend. Needless to say we both came to the conclusion that…well, we're still not sure.

=]