Tom paced back and forth in his living room, trying to decide what was the right thing to do. Did he want to be selfish and steal Brooke from Lucas? He shook his head, no. No matter what he felt about her, he could never break up a happy home. He raked a hand over his face, unable to believe that Peyton Sawyer had manipulated him like a pawn piece in Chest. And that it almost worked.

"All I want is to be around my kids…" he muttered, the frustration building and building.

Without thinking about it he dialed Brooke's number and once she answered he said, "I need you and Lucas to stop by my house. Immediately!"

"Okay…what's going on?" the concern in her voice was palpable.

He raked his hand over his hair and said hastily, "I'll explain once you get here. Just please hurry."

"Alright we're on our way…"

Tom hung up the phone and continued pacing nervously. He couldn't shake the feeling that something major was about to happen.

It took the Scott's thirty minutes to arrive at his place and he allowed them in, hurrying them inside.

"What's going on?"

"I have to tell you something. And you're not going to like it."

Judging by the look on his face Brooke had a feeling that she would need to sit down for whatever he had to say. She found a seat and kept her eyes on her friend. "What's going on Tom? What happened?"

"Peyton's ready to make her move."

"How do you know this?"

Tom closed his eyes then explained, "She cornered me in the parking lot yesterday and told me that if I didn't do something about the kids then she was going to. I don't know what she has planned but I thought that I should inform you of what I knew."

Lucas stared at the Englishman and asked, "Is there anything else you need to tell us?"

"She wants me to steal your wife. Peyton is absolutely bonkers!"

"Are you after my wife?" Lucas asked, unable to keep the burning question at bay.

Brooke gave Lucas a disbelieving look and said, "Luke—"

"What? No! Absolutely not!" Tom then rubbed his temples and said, "I do not want to steal your wife Lucas. I am only interested in our kids and her friendship that's all!"

Pacified Lucas sat down next to Brooke and asked, "So do you know anything else? Like when it is going to be?"

Tom shook his head and answered, "No. I wish I knew."

-x-

Peyton spotted Ryder and Luella playing hide and go seek with their siblings. The yearning she felt at the sight of them made her more than a little reckless. "Hey kids…why don't you take a stroll with me…"

Luella gasped as she froze at the sight of their biological mother.

Ryder stiffened as well but managed to say, "No—we're not going anywhere with you!"

"Really?" she then stealthily pulled out her pistol and aimed at Angelina then said, "The gun says different! Now lets go or your poor little sister gets hurt!"

Ryder's eyes widened with fear as he looked back to where Angelina was playing, oblivious to the danger she was now in. "Okay, okay we will go just don't hurt her!"

Luella was whimpering, tears falling from her stunned eyes as Peyton led them around the corner to her already running Comet. "Get in!"

The twins hurried into the backseat, both scared to death but Ryder refused to show it. They watched as the dirty blond got behind the wheel and drove away from the curbside.

"Where are you taking us?!" Ryder demanded while holding his sobbing sister.

Peyton met his eyes in the rearview mirror and answered, "Don't worry about it. Mama's gonna take good care of you from now on."

"Ryder... I'm scared!" Luella whispered, not wanting to alert Peyton.

"I am too... but mom and dad will find us. I promise."

-x-

After Tom explained what was going on with Peyton and warned the couple of her plans Brooke and Lucas hurried back to Sawyer's to get their children and disappear for a while. As soon as they arrived they spotted police cruisers outside of her home. They hurriedly exited their vehicle just as Sawyer rushed to them crying hysterically saying, "The twins are gone!"

"What do you mean they're gone?!" Brooke said with panicked rage.

"They were all in the back playing and I had an important call to make and when I went to check on them they were gone!" Sawyer sobbed, her body shaking from the stress and trauma of her missing siblings.

"Oh God—" Brooke rasped, overwhelmed with anxiety and chilling fear.

Lucas mind whirled, trying to understand the situation, "Did you see anyone near the house?"

Sawyer shook her head.

"Did Angelina or LJ see what happened?" Lucas asked, trying to remain strong and calm for his family but also trying to get answers to find a clue as to where they were taken. He had a good idea as to who would.

"They're in shock right now. I couldn't get Angel to say a word."

"How long have you noticed that they were missing?"

"Around two o'clock…"

Lucas cursed as he noticed that had been over an hour ago. "They could be anywhere by now."

"This is my fault!" Sawyer cried, feeling the guilt crush her.

"It's not your fault...you had no way of knowing that she would pull this."

"You know who kidnapped the children?" Officer Owens asked.

Brooke sniffles but nodded her head, "Peyton Sawyer! She's a mental case that wants my family!"

Sawyer understood why her step-mother would automatically think of her mom but she still somewhat defended her, "Brooke...my mom has nothing to do with this!"

Brooke's head snapped to her direction and gritted out, "Sawyer... I need you to wake up and see that your mother has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THIS! She is a monster and always has been! I know she did this! I KNOW IT!"

Lucas held her tight as she sobbed, "Baby, try to stay calm…we have to be strong for LJ and Angel. They can't see us breaking down like this. They need to know that everything is going to be okay."

Brooke turned into his embrace and buried her face into his chest while crying, "She has our babies Luke! She has our babies!"

"We know that she's not going to hurt them—"

Brooke away and looked at her husband with teary eyes. "I know. But they don't. They must be so scared right now!"

"Ma'am are you sure that this Peyton has them?"

"Yes I will bet everything I own on it."

"Officer we were just informed by Tom Bradshaw that Peyton was planning on making a move. He didn't know her plans or when they would occur but she had an alarming conversation with him yesterday."

After promising that the THPD will find their twins the officers left to search the town. Sawyer shook her head, "I can't believe she would do this. She promised me that she was getting better!"

Lucas turned to his daughter and said, "Honey I'm sorry but right now we can't focus on that. Can you think of a place she would take them?"

Sawyer racked her brain trying to think of anything that would help the search. "I'm sorry I can't—" she sobbed, feeling the guilt only grow worse.

"Okay Brooke, Sawyer...call everyone and let them know what's going on. I'm going to go look for them."

"I need to go too—"

"No one of us has to be here for the kids. I promise you that we will get them back!"

Brooke sniffled and nodded, "Okay, bring them back to us…"

Lucas gave her a comforting kiss and walked off to his car, while in the car he made a desperate call. "Hey it's Lucas... I need you to do something for me…"

Brooke watched him drive off and watched him back out, and watched him disappear down the street.

When Brooke finally went inside she saw that LJ was bouncing his leg and staring off into space, Angelina was trembling with tears falling down her cheeks. "LJ...Angel...the police and your dad are going to find them. Daddy wanted you to know that everything is going to be fine."

LJ and Angelina rushed to her side and hugged her, and she held them desperately, fighting the tears just as hard.

The door opened and Haley rushed to Brooke's side saying, "Oh God Brooke! Sawyer called me and told me what happened! I'm so sorry! I know that doesn't help but—"

Brooke told the kids to go to their rooms and try to stay positive. They obeyed and she turned to her best friend and broke down again. "She took them Hales! She took our babies!"

Nathan looked at his wife and their distraught friend then said, "I'm going to go look for them. Haley keep her sane."

Haley nodded and led Brooke over to the couch and held her as she fell apart.

-x-

Peyton parked into her new apartment complex, one she had purchased with a false identity, and looked back at the kids, who were glaring back at her. She wanted to cry at the look of fear and hatred etched on their adorable faces. Brooke had done this... Calming herself she said, "Everything is going to be okay. I promise you that I will never hurt you. I love you both so much—"

"If you love us then why are you doing this to us?" Luella cried, missing her family the longer they were in her custody.

"I'm going to take care of you sweetheart—"

"I wanna go home to my real mommy!"

Peyton felt a searing hatred for Brooke and snapped, "When will NEVER be your real mother? I AM!"

Ryder hugged his sister close then asked, "When can we eat? She's hungry. We haven't had a chance to have lunch."

"Okay c'mon... I'll cook you something to eat."

They both followed behind her as she led them to her apartment upstairs. When they entered the living room they instantly went to the couch and huddled together. Peyton locked the doors and windows, and went to the kitchen to cook up something for her children.

"Do you like Mac and cheese?" she called from the kitchen.

"Yes…" they both said, hesitantly, neither knowing what to expect from her.

Peyton was never the best cook so when she served them their Mac and cheese it looked half cooked and the cheese wasn't mixed in good enough. Luella made a face and pushed it away.

"I'm good."

"Okay it's not the best but it's all I have in here."

Ryder looked at her and asked, "Well can't you order us a pizza? It's the least you can do."

Peyton sighed and even she had to admit that she wasn't going to eat this. "Okay what kind of pizza do you want?"

"Pepperoni and sausage pizza."

Peyton ordered them two pizzas, one cheese and the other pepperoni and sausage. She was very careful not to be seen by the delivery man and had to briefly tie them up and gag them so they would not be able to call for help. She paid him and took the pizzas and locked up once more. She then untied them and explained why she had to restrain them.

Once fed the twins fell asleep, the stress of their day finally weighing them down. Peyton watched them sleep and exhaled. Now it was time to execute part two of the plan.

-x-

Tom entered Sawyer's living room and saw Brooke rocking back and forth, trying to keep herself together. Her eyes met his and she cried and hugged him fiercely. "Peyton took Ryder and Ella."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. They've been missing for several hours. Maybe a little after you told us that she was planning something…"

Tom closed his eyes as realization washed over him. "Oh God I did this…"

"What? What did you do?"

Tom looked at Brooke and said, "I started the process...she must've been watching me since yesterday…"

"What do you mean, Tom? What did you do?!" Brooke asked, her eyes hard with emotion.

"I am only making assumptions...but I believe that the moment I called you over to tell you what she had told me...she was watching my house for a sign and I gave it to her by calling you!" He said in a painful rush of words, feeling angry at himself for falling into her devious plan.

Brooke got up to her feet so fast and slapped him hard, "You helped her all along didn't you?!" She screeched, beating him over his chest. "I know you did!!! You helped her kidnap my kids!! I trusted you—"

"I didn't—"

"You did!!! I trusted you! My kids trusted you!"

Rachel who had arrived a few minutes ago pulled her friend back from the Englishman.

Tom turned to her, his expression heart wrenching and sincere, "I had no idea that she could have been watching our exchange! I promise you that!!! I would never put them through this—I love them more than anything in this world!!!" he roared with unbridled emotion, his fear and worry egged on by the hurt of her accusations.

"I'm sorry…" she said brokenly and shook her head, her mind feeling as though it would break any moment.

Tom held her as she sobbed her heart out and he comforted her, his own emotions high. He released her and said, "I have to search...I can not just stand here and wait around and do nothing."

Rachel rushed to his side and said, "I'm coming with you!"

-x-

Brooke looked at the clock and saw that it was almost midnight and no sign of Lucas or the twins. She was trying to force herself to go to sleep but she just couldn't. The worrying kept her awake. Are they safe, did they eat, are they scared, did they miss her...and more questions echoing in her mind.

Just as she was about to close her eyes yet again the phone rang. Thinking that it was Lucas she hurriedly answered, "Hello?"

-x-

Lucas had been driving around all night and would have still been looking had he not gotten a call from Brooke stating that the twins made it home safely. He had broken a few laws getting back but nothing could describe the relief he felt at seeing Ryder and Luella crying on the couch, safe and sound. But then his heart froze over once more at the realization that Brooke was not where she was supposed to be.

"Where's Brooke?!" He asked, suddenly unable to breathe.

Tom looked at him with a guilty expression. "Apparently she traded herself for the twins."

Lucas felt anger, despair encompass him as he asked, "What?! Why would she do that?! Why would anyone let her do that?!"

"Peyton said she would give them back unharmed if Mom came with her." Angelina said sniffling while holding her big sister.

"And where the fuck were you when she was taking my fucking wife?!"

"I was with Rachel sear—"

Lucas punched him in his jaw so hard that it cracked. Tom stumbled, holding his aching jaw.

"You were fucking Rachel when you were supposed to be watching over my family?!" He yelled down at him.

"Lucas it's not like—"

Lucas eyes snapped on her and the look on his face stilled her tongue.

"I just made the biggest mistake I could ever make thinking that my world was safe!!" He then raked his hands through his hair his stress levels jacked back up to 1000% in a matter of minutes upon learning of Brooke's disappearance.

If anything happened to his wife Peyton wouldn't have to worry about the cops coming for her because he'll kill her...ever so...slowly...

"Lucas—"

Lucas looked at both Tom and Rachel. "Neither one of you talk to me until my Brooke is back in my arms!"

"Look I know you're pissed but its important!" Tom said while holding his swelling jaw.

"Don't!" He then walked away from them before he did or said anything he may regret.

He punched holes through the walls, needing to do something to alleviate his rage. Fuck if anything happened to her he was going on a murdering spree. Starting with Tom and Peyton.

"Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!!!" He yelled as he grew angrier and angrier. Punching over and over until his hand was swollen.

"FUCK!!!" He roared loudly as the tears rushed from his eyes. His first and only love was in grave danger.

"Lucas...how are you holding up?" Haley asked coming into the room cautiously.

Lucas looked at her with red rimmed eyes. "How am I holding up?! My kids go missing for hours on end. Then the moment I get them back its at the expense of my wife—who isn't safe from that psycho bitch! I'm not good!"

"Everything is going to work out fine...you'll see Luke..."