Part 39

Peyton watched Brooke snuggle further into the thick blankets and had to smile at the picture it presented. The brunette looked so much younger as her head just peaked out over the covers. Not even the discoloured patches on her face could detract from how beautiful Brooke Davis was.

Payton ran a finger along her forehead down to the tip of her nose causing hazel coloured eyes to open and look at her.

"I was thinking… why don't you try to get some sleep up here, it's been a big day. And I'll go down and maybe find us something to eat." She said speaking in a soft whisper.

After the incident with Nathan walking in on them it had taken until now for Brooke to begin to relax again. Luckily Peyton had managed get Brooke showered and changed into some dry clothes without any further interruptions from their friends.

"Can't." Brooke replied with a small shake of her head.

Peyton smiled at her as a pout formed. "And why is that?"

The covers lifted as Brooke shrugged from inside the cocoon Peyton had rapped her in.

"Don't have any more of my medication with me," Brooke explained. "Didn't think I'd be away from the apartment this long."

"That's okay, I can go and pick it up. I was planning on going over anyway to get you a change of clothes." Peyton offered.

Brooke sighed, she didn't want to go back to the apartment right now, which meant she would need Peyton to go get her meds for her. But she also didn't want Peyton leaving her alone either.

"Give me a minute and I'll come with you." Brooke said as she began to move only to have Peyton hold her in place.

"No, Brooke, I want you to stay here. The weather's still awful out there and I don't want you back out in it."

"But I don't want you to leave." She confessed as her eyes dropped to the covers.

Peyton closed her eyes wishing she had a better answer.

"Tell you what, why don't I have Haley come up here and sit with you while I'm gone. That way you can grill her on baby names and by the time you've sweet talked her into using the name you like I'll be back already."

Brooke grinned at the blonde. "You really think I can get her to call him Trent?" She asked optimistically.

Peyton burst out laughing. "No!" She replied. "But you can try." Trent?

They stared at each other for a moment not really wanting to be apart.

"You going to be okay while I'm gone?" Peyton asked as her hand came up to cup the side of her friends face.

Brooke knew she wasn't okay with it, but she didn't want to make this harder than it was. She nodded. "Guess so, just… don't take too long okay?"

"Hey, I'll be back before you even know I'm gone, promise." The blonde tried to reassure her.

With the way you drive I can believe that. Brooke sighed again but managed to smile at Peyton. "Be careful, you drive like a lunatic, and I say that purely out of concern for you… and any other idiot that's out on the road at the same time."

Peyton didn't respond to the gentle teasing about what a bad driver everyone claimed she was because she knew there was a genuine concern behind it.

"I'll be extra careful."

Brooke swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat and gave Peyton a nod. Her eyes closed and she worked a hand free to lay it over the one resting on her cheek, she still didn't want Peyton to leave.

Peyton watched the brunette knowing she had to go and the longer she left it the harder it would be for both of them.

"I'll send Haley up." Peyton whispered and moved to kiss Brooke on the forehead. She held her lips against Brooke's skin for as long as she trusted herself before pulling back and gently taking her hand out from under her friends.

"I'll be back soon."

And then Brooke was alone and she couldn't hold back a sob as she turned her head into the pillow underneath her. She didn't want Haley to sit with her, she didn't want anyone coming to sit with her.

She only wanted Peyton.

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Peyton slowly made her way down the stairs in search of her friends, but her guilt increased the further away from Brooke she got.

She kept telling herself that there wasn't any other option, and there wasn't, not a good one anyway. But Brooke was in such a fragile state right now that the last thing Peyton wanted was to leave her alone.

Sighing she ran a shaky hand through her disorderly locks and walked into the den.

Everyone stood to meet her as they noticed her presence.

"Is Brooke okay Peyton?" Haley was the first to ask but it was clear from all the worried faces that everyone was concerned about the cheerleader. "We all heard…"

"She's… tired." Was what Peyton settled on as way of an explanation. She looked over to Debbie. "I was kinda hoping you wouldn't mind if we stayed tonight, if that's okay?"

Deb waved her off. "That's fine, I was going to suggest that you all stay anyway." She quickly agreed. "I'll have dinner ready for everyone in a few hours."

"Thank you." Peyton replied as the older woman left them alone.

Running her hand over her face Peyton turned to Haley. "Listen, I have to pick some stuff up over at the apartment, would you mind sitting with Brooke while I'm gone?"

Haley shook her head and reached out to put her hand on the blonde's arm. "Of course not."

Peyton smiled her thanks. "She'll probably be sleeping, I just don't want her to be on her own right now."

"That's fine, I'd be happy to sit with her."

"Your hair's wet." Lucas said speaking up for the first time as his fingers touched a blonde curl.

Peyton looked at him but didn't respond as her eyes moved and found Nathan's which soon dropped to the floor.

"You're not going to drive in this are you?" Haley asked having seen the look Peyton had given her husband. She closed her eyes for a second hoping she was about to do the right thing. "I'm sure Nate wouldn't mind taking you."

Nathan paled as his head shot up to stare at his wife, eyes wide.

She glared back at him.

"Yeah, I could take you over." He said to Peyton even though he still couldn't quite look her in the eyes.

Peyton waited a second and just stared back at him.

"I was going to insist." She finally replied to his offer.

"Okay now that's all settled, why don't I go check on Brooke?" Haley said trying to diffuse the tension in the room.

Peyton sighed. "Just make sure to knock first okay?"

Haley nodded and made her way out of the room.

The blonde turned her attention back to Nathan, the person responsible for why Brooke was currently hiding away in the guest room upstairs.

"Let's go." She directed him, as angry with him as she was she knew it had been accidental. He'd had no idea what he was walking in on, and besides, she should have made sure the door had been locked in the first place.

Lucas frowned as he watched Peyton leave with his brother, something was still bothering him.

"Why was Peyton's hair wet when Brooke was the one out in the rain?"

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Nathan closed the door to the apartment and took off his wet jacket. The ride over had been completely silent and he hated it.

"Aren't you going to shout at me?" He asked the blonde hoping for some kind of a response.

"Is that what you want?" Peyton asked as she moved to the kitchen to get a drink.

"Well, yeah," He replied moving to the island. "Anything's better than this."

He sighed as he watched her pour herself a glass of juice before she turned to him and lent back against the counter.

"Look I'm sorry I walked in on you, okay? It's not like I meant to, you know."

"I'm not the one you should be apologising to. I'm not the one you upset. Brooke's the one that's been in tears because of it, not me." Peyton said, keeping any emotion out of her voice.

"Well gee Peyton, if this isn't you upset I'd hate to see what that looked like!"

"Don't you think I've got a right to be pissed? Brooke's been through enough without having to deal with you acting like a jackass all the time!" She answered angrily.

"I didn't mean to!" He repeated loudly.

"It doesn't matter whether or not you meant to Nate, the fact is she's hurting and I can't do a damn thing about it." Peyton said as she felt her eyes sting.

Nathan swallowed as he watched her wipe at her face.

"Peyton…" He called out helplessly as she moved towards her bedroom. "Damn it!" He shouted into the empty room as he spun around and tossed his jacket towards the door.

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Brooke felt a hand gently move some hair from her face. "Peyton?"

"No, sorry. But she'll be back soon." Haley responded quietly.

Brooke sighed and shifted closer to the pregnant girl.

Haley studied the girl beside her. It made her heart hurt to look at her, her face was clear of the small amount of make-up she had applied earlier, and the vivid yellow around her eye and cheek stood out.

Unconsciously her hand drifted to it and she reached out to touch it gently.

Brooke eyed her friend at the touch.

She knew it looked bad. Right now most of her body looked bad. But it saddened her to think that her injuries were all her friends would see now.

Her eyes closed and she pulled back making Haley aware of what she had done.

"Sorry." She apologised.

"'S'okay, it's not the worst." Brooke replied with a small shrug.

"I can imagine."

I'd rather you couldn't but I guess Nathan will give you all the gory details later, if he hasn't already. Brooke thought to herself.

She sighed.

"Tried?"

"Yeah, a little… but Peyton said I could name your baby." Brooke says, a smile working its way back onto her face. She shifted until her head rested against the swelling and looked at Haley with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, did she?" Haley laughed. "Well no, sorry, you can't name my first born."

Brooke pouted at her friend. "What about your second born? Cause being married to Nathan we all know you'll spend most of your time bare footed in the kitchen."

Haley blushed at the implication.

"Ha, you know it's true!"

Haley rolled her eyes. "You can't name this child, my next, or any other child I may have in the future, okay? We clear?"

"You're no fun." Brooke replied, but she did feel a little better than she had when Peyton had left her.

"How about… I tell you a story and you try to get back to sleep?" Haley offered.

"Yeah?" Brooke said with a grin. "With fairies or Princesses?" She asked incredibly charmed at the idea of being told a bedtime story. That had never happened with her parents, she had shared stories with Peyton when they were younger but that wasn't the same.

"Sure, I can do that." Haley nodded in agreement, as her mind frantically tried to think of what to say. "Comfy?"

"Uh huh, you may begin." Brooke giggled as she closed her eyes again.

Haley spent a moment just letting her fingers gently play with the brunette's hair, trying to relax the both of them.

"Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom by the sea, there lived a beautiful princess… called Penelope…" She began.

Brooke smiled as her friend spoke. You're going to be such a great mom Haley. She thought, almost laughing as she felt the baby kick against her head in silent agreement.

"She was sad because the king and queen spent most of their time courting other royals and the princess missed them…"

Brooke snorted.

"But she wasn't ever alone, because the princess had a great many friends throughout her kingdom…"

"Servants?"

"No, they were other princes and princesses too," Haley said but had to smile as Brooke pouted at her. "But she did have lots of loyal subjects… the umm… cheerlettes that would follow her around and do her bidding."

Brooke giggled as she imagined Theresa and the other girls following her every move, not that they hadn't most of high school anyway.

"Did she have a gorgeous prince waiting to marry her?"

"Oh no, Penelope had no need for a prince. Many came and offered her their hand in marriage but she would always refuse… but one day… a terrible thing happened…"

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Pulling up inside the security gate Nathan switched off the ignition and watched as Peyton gathered up the two bags she had brought back from the apartment.

"Can we talk for a minute Peyton?" He asked.

Peyton paused and glanced over at him. And waited.

"Did I hurt her?" He asked fearfully, he only now remembered that before he had walked in on them he'd had Brooke over his shoulder while he ran around the back yard. "Please, Peyton, that's the last thing I wanted… I just never thought…"

"No you never thought did you? And what were you playing at dragging her out into the rain like that?" She turned on him.

"I just… I didn't know what to say to her, okay?" He confessed. "I never meant for her to find out the way she did, and she was so upset…"

"So your first thought was to do a fireman's lift on her?" Peyton asked incredulously.

Nathan screwed his eyes shut in frustration.

"I didn't know what to say Peyton, that's just how I am with Brooke, okay? When Haley's mad at me I buy her chocolates and flowers, or do things I know she's been wanting me to get done. With Brooke… it's quicker just to… I don't know, do stupid stuff… like running around the back yard with her in the rain."

He sighed.

"It's the easiest way to see how mad she is with me." He continued to explain.

Peyton frowned never having known this.

"And what about me?" She asked out of curiosity.

He laughed a little. "Well throwing you over my shoulder would never have crossed my mind, you'd beat me to death for trying!"

Peyton had to smile. True.

"So she wasn't too upset with you over the reporter thing then?" She asked.

He scowled. "I think she's still upset that we, I, kept it from her, but it wasn't just about that. She was trying to tell me something, well she started to..."

"Yeah?"

He nodded. "But she got a bit upset and then we got shouted at." He said as he looked at her closely. "You know what it might have been about?"

Peyton's eyes widened. "Umm, no, I have no idea what she was going to tell you Nate." But I've got a couple of ideas.

He watched her and then sighed. "I guess I'll have to just wait and see then." He said as they both then made their way out of his car and quickly back into his house.

"God this weather's terrible." Peyton said as they both got their jackets off.

Nathan made a noise in agreement then looked at his friend again. "Hey, Peyton?"

"Yeah?" She asked without looking at him as she picked up her bags. "What?"

Nathan waited until she had stepped closer before he answered her quietly.

"What should I do now?" He asked, casting a glance towards the stairs. "Should I go talk to her before dinner or what?"

Peyton sighed. Again there was no good answer, it could be too soon for Brooke to talk to him again after he had walk into the room while she was undressed. But maybe it would be better to get it over and done with quickly so it wouldn't be awkward between them later.

"Why don't you leave it just now, and I'll talk to her, maybe come get you in a bit?"

He nodded his willingness to wait.

"But let me tell you one thing right now Nathan Scott," She said going right up to him and thrusting a finger into his chest. "If you make her feel the slightest bit like a leper because of what you've seen I'll do more than beat you!" She hissed at him.

Nathan raised his hands in surrender having no intention of treating his friend like that.

"Good." Peyton continued, satisfied that he wouldn't treat Brooke badly when he next saw her and headed back towards her friend hoping she'd slept most of the time she'd been gone.

Nathan released the breath he'd been holding once Peyton had moved away from him.

Man I don't know how Lucas handles her temper, but I'm sure glad I don't have to anymore now… most of the time.

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"Hey." Haley greets Peyton as she enters the bedroom quietly and drops two bags next to the door.

"Hey, she sleeping?" Peyton asked moving to sit on the edge of the bed her two friends were curled up in.

"Yeah, for a little while now." Haley replied as they both lowered their voices so they didn't wake the brunette. She watched Peyton study Brooke's face intently searching it for any changes that may have occurred while she'd been gone. It made her smile to herself.

"Why don't I leave you two alone?" She offered as she set about getting her larger than normal body off of the bed.

"You don't have to do that." Peyton protested even though she wanted more time alone with the cheerleader before they went down to join the others for dinner.

"That's okay, I want to see that husband of mine anyway." Haley confessed as she stretched her shoulders. "He did still have all his limbs when you left him, right?" She asked with a grin.

Peyton held back a laugh, but smirked at the pregnant girl. "Yes. But that can change." She warned.

Haley nodded, understanding how deep Peyton's protectiveness ran when it came to Brooke. "See you guys at dinner if not before."

Peyton finally let herself relax now that she was back with Brooke again. Kicking off her shoes she moved to take Haley's place and pulled Brooke into her arms once she was settled.

"Hmmm." Brooke murmured as she moved closer to the blonde.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Peyton asked softly as she combed her fingers through her friends hair.

"That's okay." Brooke assured her as she sighed.

They lay quietly like that, calmed simply by the others presence.

"Haley told me a story…" Brooke shared with her friend.

"Yeah?" Peyton replied, her fingers still gently sorting through the Brooke's hair.

"About a beautiful princess named Penelope…"

They both grinned at their friend's choice of names and Peyton tightened her hold on Brooke.

"Did it have a happy ending?"

Brooke looked up at Peyton embarrassed. "Don't know. I feel asleep." She pouted up at her.

Peyton grinned back at her. "Aww, well I'm sure the princess found her knight in shining armour and got her happily ever after."

Brooke smiled back at the blonde.

I hope so.

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AN/ Wooo Hoooo!

And they're out of Europe!!! :D

That means early update for you guys, don't you just love football? LOL. It's a love hate thing, but anyway enough about my great week how are you guys doing?

Hope you all enjoyed this little surprise.

Next time.

Oh, and really, if you do have any question's about why a character does what I have them do just ask, okay? I'm happy to answer any and all questions… just might take a few days, it's me remember.

Ha ha, they're out, they're out, they're OUT!!!!